HEY GUYS,I CAN UNDERSTAND NEEDING A PICK ME UP AFTER YESTERDAY'S AWFUL EPISODE OF KS 🤢 🤢 WELL THEN,HERE IS THE NEXT PART AND THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE COMMENTS!! 😳 😳 😳
Kamna uhsered them into the house and started shouting to all the servants to come and get the the bags from the taxi.
"Mama,calm down!"Kiran laughed at her mother's excitement.
"Let her express herself mum,she's looking at her grandkids and might I add daughter for the first time in a gazillion years,"Bani said,gazing at the house she had seen in pictures only,"Looked smaller in the photos,"she mused.
"My thoughts exactly.Ma,you never told us you lived in a mansion stoke palace,"he said in an 'i can't believe you' tone.
"Well..."Kiran said,giving a sweeping gesture to the house,"Now you know."
The house was suddenly abuzz with activities.Servants running to clean up rooms and make a good lunch,straighten the house a little.
"Mama,"Kiran went to her mother,"Choti ma kahan hai?"
She was referring to the housekeeper whom she thought of as her other mother,who she had grown up with,and who had helped her and Carlos in all their difficult times.It was her who convinced her mother to call her when her father got sick.
"Market mein.I tell you that woman would break a hip before she learns to stay in one place."
She looked around,her gaze searching the house in a wordless question.Understanding,her mother took her hand and said,"Woh office mein."
Kiran nodded and turned to find that Bani and Tarun had wondered away to look at the house,or palace as they called it.
She settled down to talk to her mother who was eager to know all that she could about how they decided to come to India,that too without telling her.Kiran related the whole story,from the constant worrying of her children about her,to their grandparents forcing her to see exactly what it was that she wanted to do but was too afraid to actually make up her mind to do,and finally to her father's request to her to come home.That surprised her mother.
"I always knew he was too proud to ask you even if he wanted more than anything to see you here in his house again.He always lamented to me how...alone you must feel after...it hit him hard Kiran,that his daughter had become a widow at such a young age."
"That was mt destiny Ma,"Kiran said,taking her mother's hand in hers,"But I'm with my family now.So I don't have to be alone."
Her mother touched her face lovingly,"No Kiran.You will never be alone again."
Their intimate moment was interrupted by a cry from the door way,"Kiran beti!!"
She turned at the sound of the familiar voice,"Choti ma!!"
She ran to hug her,a most emotional moment with the woman who had made her happiness possible as a young woman.It was an emotional reunion after the last time they had met after almost twelve years.
"You wanted to wait till I was dead to come back na?"the woman asked,wiping tears from her eyes and giving Kiran a mock tap on the cheek to show indignation,"Pagli."
"I would have come sooner choti ma but..."
"No,now you will not say anything.You are back home and you will stay home.Understand?"
Kiran nodded and hugged her again.Then there was a commotion upstairs as both Tarun and Bani came barging down the stairs,arguing.
"It's ladies first Tarun,I want that room!"
"Tell that to the marines woman,you snooze you lose,"he said,grinning in satisfaction.
"That is so not fair,I..."
"Kiran,"choti ma said looking at these two like she had just seen two aliens,"Kaun hai woh?"
Kiran laughed at her wary expression,"Tarun,Bani,come and meet my choti ma."
"Woah,"Tarun was taken aback,"It's one thing to hear about her and another to actually see her."
The woman was formidable and had quite a stare.They folded their hands in greeting,but she just peered at them.Then she walked up to Tarun and motioned for him to come closer,and when he bent towards her,she peered in his face as if looking for something.Tarun for the life of him didn't know what was going on and just stood there motionless.Kamna and Kiran were watching this in amusement.
She finally motioned for him to shoo,and he straightened up again,giving his sister a 'what was that all about' look.Like a drill sergeant,she went over to Bani too and did the same thing,not blinking at all.Finally satisfying herself as to whatever it was she was looking for,she stepped back and motioned for them to touch her feet.
Kiran couldn't help laughing at that stage.This was like an induction and the kids looked really confused,but did as she ordered.
"Meh tumhara ma ki choti ma,"she said in a no nonsense voice,then pointing to herself"Aur ab,meh tum dono ki choti ma hai."
Tarun raised his left eyebrow,wondering what was up with this woman.Bani just looked at her,but if her mother was amused then something was up.
"Kamre mein jao.Fresh ho gaye,"she said,folding her hands behind her as she gave the order.
Looking at their mother in a bid to understand what was going on and finding no answer coming from her,they turned and started up the upstairs.
"She's a weird one,"Bani said.
"You think?"Tarun whispered back.
"What was with the staring?"
"Beats me.I thought I had a stick up my nose or something."
Their voices faded as they headed for the rooms in which their luggage had been placed.
Once they were out of earshot choti ma turned and said to Kiran with a huge grin,"Aaj bhi,meh hitler hoon hilter."
All three women laughed at that.Kiran had referred to her as hitler growing up as she had come in as the the iron lady-a real tough cookie.
They had some snacks that afternoon and Kamna had made sure they all went to bed to sleep off the jet lag.She had decided not to call anyone of her friends as she wanted to have the peace of this time to herself...alone with her family.
It was almost eight in the evening.Almost time for Saahil to come home.She was pacing up and down,glancing at the clock from time to time and wondering what on God's green earth was keeping him.She heard voices behind her and turned to see Bani and Tarun had woken up and looked like they had had a good rest.
"Dadi,what's the problem?"Bani asked ,noticing she had been pacing for a while.
"Kuch nahin beta,"she smiled at her granddaughter,"Did you sleep well?"
"Yes."
"And now we're hungry,"Tarun added,making a pitiful face at his grandmother.
She laughed at that,"Dinner is ready and will be..."
The almost silent purr of a car interrupted her and she broke out in the brightest smile possible."You wait here."
She headed out the door and Bani looked at Tarun,"Scared?"
"A little,"he admitted,looking at the door his grandmother had just disappeared out of.
"Me too."
He took her hand in his and squeezed it,"It's going to be fine."
She looked at him,"I know."
Just then the door opened and her grandmother entered,covering her husband's eyes and insisting he didn't open them as she had a surprise for him.
"Kamna,I'm very tired...and what is this surprise anyway?...if it has anything to do with that horrible doctor again..."
"Saahil,it has nothing to do with the doctor,"she said,taking baby steps so as not to fall over her sari as her husband was a whole head taller than she was and she had to walk on her toes to keep his eyes closed.
"Good,"he said emphatically,then as if another thought just occurred to him,"It better not have anything..."
"Saahil will you just be quiet!"she groaned in frustration.
Bani laughed on hearing that and Tarun chuckled to himself,and noticed that the servants were peaking from behind curtains and doors,wanting to know exactly how things would play out as feedback just wouldn't do it for them.
On hearing the sounds,he froze,"Kamna,what is going on?"
"It's the surprise I'm trying so hard to give you but you just wouldn't let me,"she said,taking her hands away from his eyes and saying dramatically,"Dehk!"
He was standing right in front Tarun and Bani.When his eyes adjusted and focused on them,he was surprised to see two people he didn't know from Adam's,nervously standing before him,hands folded in greeting.A frown creased his forehead as he tried to recall if he knew them,and then on deciding his memory was not so weak that he would forget these faces,he turned to his wife whom he saw was beaming.
"Kamna...?"he asked in a wordless glance who these people were.
Rather than answer,she signaled for them to take his blessings which they promptly moved to do.He blessed them but still had the frown as he couldn't remember who they were.Then for some reason he looked at Bani again,wondering why on earth she looked so familiar.The smile...that smile...then it hit him and realization dawned.
He pointed at her,"Bani?"
Releived,she laughed,"Ji Dada."
"Tarun?"
He nodded.
The man was blown away,left speechless...completely short of words.They were his grandchildren!!In a daze of excitement he enveloped them both in a tight hug,"My children,"he kept saying over and over again.
"When did you get here?"
he asked.
"This morning,"Tarun answered.
"How was the flight?Did you sleep yet?Have you eaten?"
It was a flurry of questions and they just laughed and kept hugging the man they had only spoken to on the phone for the last thirteen years of their lives.Seeing him in person,putting a face to the voice was like a wonderful experience.Sure,they had seen pictures but the voice they heard told a different story of the man whose embrace they were now in.A changed man...their maternal grandfather.
"If you're both here,"he said,holding them away from him,"Then..."
He didn't complete the question as a movement on the staircase caught his eye and he looked up and past them.There she was...his daughter,in his house.This was not a dream.This...this was real.She was walking towards him...she was here!
She stopped in front of him and after a brief pause bent to touch his feet.He made to stop her but she said softly,"Nahin papa.Today you will not stop me from taking your blessings."
Bless her he did,and she slowly wiped the lone tear that had fallen from his left eye away,shaking her head in a wordless request for him to not shed tears on her behalf.And then he was hugging his daughter whom he had not really hugged since she left home the first time with her husband.So many wasted years...all for a mistake on his part for not understanding the heart of a young woman in love.But she was with him now,that was all that mattered.
************************************************************ *************************************
WALIA MANSION
It was the usual chatter and excitement that went with dinner-Walia style.Everyone was present including the guest of honor as he was often referred to by his sister.Each person spoke about their day as was the usual custom with them.
"I tell you he's heading for destruction,"Aditya said emphatically.
"But that will play to our advantage,"Jai said simply."Whose problem is it if he chooses to expand into a high risk area?"
"I feel bad for him anyways.All that hard work and at the end of the day to land yourself in soup on an ego whim.Not that you did anything to help Jai."
"What can I say?It's a competition right?May the best man win."
He shifted in his chair,a little uncomfortable.For some time today he had been feeling a bit off balance.Like someone was watching him...,or something was supposed to happen.
"Well enough talk about work.There has to be something else besides work that you boys can talk about."
"Cricket,"Aditya said,earning himself a sharp nudge from his wife.
"Careful Aditya,"Jai said,smiling at his friend,"Need I remind you what your wife is capable of when she gets mad?"
"Please Jai,you make her head swell when you make comments like that and I have to live with the consequences."
There was a trickle of laughter the table-round,but Uday was quietly watching his son whom he noticed had been fidgeting for a while now.As he watched him,Jai inclined his head as if trying to hear something,then shrugged as if to shake off whatever he thought he had heard.
"Jai,is everything alright?"he asked finally.
Jai looked mildly surprised,"Not at all Dad,why do you ask?"
"No tensions at work?"
"No,"he said looking strangely at his father,trying to gauge if he knew something and wasn't telling him,or was just fishing to make him take the bait."Is something wrong?"
"No,not at all.It's just that you seem a little...preoccupied,"his father said slowly,and noticed that the whole table was now focused on him,"Are you sure nothing is wrong?"
A little confused,he shakes his head in the negative,"No Dad.I'm absolutely fine.I promise."
Shrugging wearily,"Okay son.If you say so."
He had added the last part for good measure,but truth was he was having a funny feeling.Didn't know what it was and Jai Walia hated not being in the know about whatever was going on around him.This one was not really a bad feeling...but there was something....he just couldn't place a finger on it.
Crease lines formed on his brow lines,his eyes intensifying.What on earth was this feeling and why couldn't he shake it?Something was up,and he would have to be on the look out as to what it could be.
******** ************************************************************ *************************************
HAPPY READING GUYS.HOPE YOU LIKE IT.PLEASE LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS.THANKS!!
Bigg Boss 19
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Kumkum Bhagya
Love Friendship Dating and Relationships
Writers Corner: Books, Stories & Poems
