Hello friends...........this part is just leading up to the next part! Next part.....lot of fun and romance!😃
Re-cap : Kasturi meets with an accident but is not very serious. She is advised to take rest for 10 days. Robbie discovers a problem at work. Ajay and Robbie have a showdown in regards to this issue. A hurt Kasturi comes to the office to meet Robbie and she and Robbie are about to be discoverd by her mother!
PART-24 : BONDING
Robbie and Kasturi freeze!!! 😲😲😲 They look in the direction of the voice, but there was no Kaushalya there!! 😲😲 They hear her saying
Kaushalya : Kasturi??? Kasturi mere pas kyun hogi?
Then they realize that she was standing right round the corner!! Luckily for them she had stopped in her tracks and was talking to someone!!! Kaushalya ahd just gotten off the elevator when her phone had buzzed. She picks it up and it is a frantic JP on the other side asking her if Kasturi was with her?? 😒 That question had suprised Kaushalya and she was replying back to him.
Robbie whispers : Mei tumhe bataana bhool gayaa, your mom is here!! 😳
He quickly gets up and stands next to Kasturi and before Kasturi can react in any manner, Kaushalya turns the corner. She sees Kasturi and freezes in her tracks. 😲😲😲 She tells JP......."Don't worry, woh yahin peh hai!!"
JP is mighty relieved and silently thanks God! He says......."Yeh ladki bhi na!!! Binaa bataaye, aisi haalat mei ghar seh yun gaayab ho gayi!!! 😡
Kaushalya says : Ab phone rakhti hun, let me talk to her!
She ends the call and stares at Kasturi. Kaushalya is furious! 😡 She walks over to Kasturi and says
Kaushalya : What stunt are you trying to pull? Yeh kya bachpanaa hai??? 😡 😡 When the Doctor has advised you to take rest, what are you doing running around the town and that too without informing anybody in the house??? 😡
Kasturi doest not respond and Robbie clears his throat trying to convey that he, an outsider was also present there. That's when Kaushalya slowly shifts her focus to Robbie.
Robbie says : Maam, Kasturi aapseh hi milne aayi thi.
Kasturi also turns to look at Robbie surprised but keeps quiet.
Kaushalya is surprised and her tone becomes a little calmer and she says : Mujh seh?
She turns to Kasturi and questions again : Tum, mujh seh milne aayi thi?
Kasturi still does not reply and simply sulks at being screamed at!!!
Robbie says : Haan. Mei nikal rahaa tha toh meine Kasturi ko aate hue dekha. Entrance ke steps chadhte hue inhe bahut mushkil ho rahi thi, toh meine inhe yahaan bithaaya so she can catch her breath.
Suddenly Kaushalya turns to Robbie and quizzes him : Tum Kasturi ko jaante ho?
Robbie says : Ji. Mei ek theatre group ka member hoon jo inke dance studio ke opposite hai. Wahin milaa tha inseh.
Kaushalya shifts her eyes to Kasturi and says a little more calmly but nevertheless still irritated......."Chalo, lets go home! Ghar mei sab pareshaan hai!"
Kasturi tries to get up but it seems like she cannot and needs help. Kaushalya turns again to Robbie and says............."Ranbir, Sorry to be such a bother but can you help Kasturi till the car, if you don't mind?"
Why would Robbie mind ( 😉 )and so he says quickly........"Not a problem at all, maam!"
He turns to help Kasturi and Kasturi winks at him 😉 indicating that she was acting so he would be asked to help her! Robbie looks at her shocked 😲 and shakes his head slightly while supressing a smile at her devious nature!! 😛 Kaushalya walks ahead of them, she calls her driver asking him to get her car upfront while Robbie and Kasturi walk behind her. Kasturi whispers........."Phir kab miloge?"
Robbies whispers back : I don't know.....maybe in a couple of the weeks!
Kasturi says shocked : KYA....😲
Kaushalya immediately turns around when Kasturi quickly clutches Robbie's arm and leaning onto him continues the 'KYA' with ..."AAAAAH....." like she was suffering a lot of pain! Robbie feels very embarassed and uncomfortable to see Kaushalya's eyes boring into him! He quickly distances Kasturi from himself and mumbles......"I am sorry, Maam!"
Kaushalya says : Actually I am sorry Ranbir for troubling you like this! Here let me help.......
Robbie cuts her : No maam, please don't say that! Its no problem at all! I can manage.
Kaushalya says OK and turns back around when Robbie turns to look at Kasturi and gives a shocked look to a silently giggling Kasturi for trying to get him into trouble!! 😲 His eyes question her........"What the hell are you doing??" 😡
Kasturi whispers again : Bataate ho kab miloge.....yaa?
Robbis says : OK, OK....kal-parson milne ka plan kartaa hun.
Kasturi smiles happily 😃 and Robbie also smiles. They are outside. While Kaushalya is talking to Kasturi's driver asking him to leave as she wants Kasturi to ride with her, Robbie helps her into the car with Kaushalya's driver holding the door open. Kasturi settles in and Robbie is about to take his hand off when she holds it and whispers...."I love you!" Robbie gives her a 'You are unbelievable' look!! Robbie tries to retrieve his hand but Kasturi holds onto it fast with an intention of not letting it go till he tells her the same!! Robbie quickly glances at Kaushalya. She was just finishing up talking to the other driver.
He warns her : Kasturi, your mom will be here any moment!
Kasturi says with a naughty smile : Isiliye toh jaldi bolne keliye keh rahi hun! 😛
Robbie does not say those three words, instead he questions her : Yeh kya paagalpanaa hai??
Kasturi says : Don't waste time, ab tak toh tum chaar baar mujhe "I love you" keh chuke hote!
Kaushalya turns and is walking towards them! 😲😲😲Robbie tries to pull his hand away and whispers urgently : Kasturi, your mom is coming!!
Kasturi : Let her come.
Robbie : Haat chodo!!
Kasturi : Pehle, tum bolo!
Kaushalya is almost upon them 😲 when Robbie quickly whispers : Theek hai!!!!! I love you! Bas?????
Kasturi lets go of his hand just at the moment when Kaushalya reaches them and says to Robbie : Tumne kuch kahaa?
A flustered Robbie replies : Ji.....Ji, I was just wishing you Goodnight! 😳
Kaushalya says : Goodnight Ranbir and thank you for your help! 😊
She gets into the car and Robbie and Kasturi catch a glimpse of each other before the car pulls away. Robbie relaxes a little and then suddenly laughs!!! 😆 😆 😆 He just could not believe Kasturi did what she did!!! He promises her........."Ek din iskaa badlaa tumseh zaroor loonga Kasturi Chawla!!!" 😃
Kasturi is smiling to herself when riding back home with her mother. She does not realize that her mother is observing her keenly! Kaushalya thinks.........."Kai dinon seh dekh rahi hun, Kasturi mei bahut badlaav aa rahaa hai.............She is becoming more like her father!!!" 😲😲 Kaushalya cannot help but notice that JP's genes that were lying dormant till recently have started to take precedence in Kasturi!! She was definitely mellowing down!! For instance when Ajay had suggested she choose Raunak as her life-partner, Kasturi had very civilly refused! A few months ago she would have thrown such a tantrum about it!!! Kaushalya wonders what has caused the change! But whatever be the reason, she is glad that the change is a positive one and hopes that these changes will continue and Kasturi will start taking interest in making something out of her life!!! 😊
She turns to Kasturi and asks : Tum mujh seh milne kyun aa rahi thi?
Kasturi is stumped at that question all of a sudden and racks her brain to give some reason as an answer!
She says : No particular reason Mom! Bas aise hi aa gayi. Ghar mei bahut bore ho rahi thi, isliye chali aayi!
Kaushalya knows its a lie and she also knows that Kasturi is not going to tell the truth and so she lets it be, wondering what the real reason for Kasturi's visit might be! They reach home and Kasturi tells the same reason to her angry dad and concerned brother too. She is ordered to her room immediately for taking the much needed rest and when they are alone JP decides he needs to talk to Kaushalya. As soon as he starts the topic, a tired Kaushalya says......"JP! This is ridiculous!!! 😡 Agar Kasturi bachkaani harkaten karti hai, toh iske liye, mei kaise zimmedaar hun? She is a grown woman! In a couple of months she is going to be 22!! She needs to act more mature! Aur yeh baat mei usse samjha samjha ke thak gayi hun!! 😡
JP stares ar Kaushalya angrily and says : TUM samjha samjha ke thak gayi ho?? 😡 Tumhe time kab miltha hai kuch bhi samjhane ke liye??? Aaj bhi tumhaare pehlaa baccha tumhaaraa business hai!!! 😡
Kaushalya says : Agar ussi business ki zimmedari Kasturi apne sar leti toh ab tak she would have become a very balanced person! But NO!!! You always supported her whims and fancies!!! 😡 You always coerced me to let her have her way!!! 😡 I am sorry but I don't have the patience and time for her stupid antics!! She NEEDS to grow up!!! 😡
JP says : She IS growing up Kaushalya! Can't you see this??? Our baby girl is soon going to be 22!! And very soon she will be out of our lives, starting her own life!!! Tab, tum chah kar bhi uske kareeb nahi aa paogi! Kyunki woh jagah koi aur le chukaa hogaa! 😕
He gets up and is about to walk out when he turns and says to Kaushalya
JP : The fact that you don't care about me is something that does not bother me anymore! 🤢 Magar agar tum neh Kasturi ko yun hi apni mamtaa seh door rakhaa, toh Kasturi woh pyaar kahin aur dhoondhne ki koshish karegi!! Aur phir tum bahut pachataogi!! 😔 Meri yeh baat tum acchi tarah seh samajh lo!!
JP walks out on a irritated Kaushalya who knew her husband was right but was too tired to bother about it!!! JP walks out to go to the library to spend a little time as he did not want to argue with Kaushalya anymore! He hardly spoke to her these days. He had still not informed her that he barely missed being diagnosed with cancer! 😕
In the next week, Robbie's bike is ready and he has also bought a cell phone. Robbie and his team spend countless hours very dedicatedly to find and implement a solution for the issue they discovered a few weeks ago. Eventhough he had promised to meet Kasturi often, he does not get the chance to because of the work situation. They get to meet only a couple of times and that too for short periods of time. Kasturi is very upset but she understands his problem. Everytime she complaints, he keeps saying......."Kaam khatom hote hi, I promise to spend more time with you!!" And he keeps postponing Divya's plans for an outing similarly! 4 weeks pass. The prototype presentation is completed successfully and the project is back on track and finally Robbie has more free time on his hand! That Thursday when Robbie comes back home, Divya pounces on him, literally!
Divya : Ho gayaa aapka kaam??? Are you free now?? 😃
Robbie answers : Haan........I am free! Bol kya plan hai?
Devika yells at Divya : Usse sukoon seh do minute baithne degi yaa nahi?? 😡
Divya sulks and says : Theek hai! Toh mei kuch nahi bolti! 😡
Robbie says to her : Arre nahi re Chutki, bataa kya baat hai?
Divya's mouth is stretched a mile long and she says : Koi baat nahi hai! 😒 😡
Robbie cajoles her : Ghussa thuk de meri laado behen! Jaldi bataa kya plan banaaya hai?
Divya still does not open her mouth! 😭
Robbie says : Theek hai, tu baat nahi karnaa chahti hai toh mei kya kar sakta hun? Mei toh soch rahaa tha chaar din ki chutti lekar, tum sabko Camp Panther le chalu. Magar tu naaraaz hai toh rehne de, mei chutti cancel kar detaa..........
"CAMP PANTHER!!!!!!! screams Divya! 😲😲😲Robbie was ready to close his ears as is everyone else!!! She starts bobbing up and down on the sofa besides Robbie screaming ....."Oh my God Bhaiyya!!!! Oh my God! I can't believe this! Sach keh rahe hai aap? This is going to be sooo much fun!!!! Aapko pataa hai meri saheli Susan wahaan gayi thi last year!! Ussne mujhe wahaan ke pictures dikhaaye!!! Wahaan rafting kar sakte hai, rock-climbing kar sakte hai!! Mei toh sab karungi!!!
Robbie has a wide smile on his face as he is trying to calm her down!! 😃
Puru says : Lekin Puttar, itne door jaane ki kyaa zaroorat hai, yahin kahin aas-pass le jaate?
Robbie says : Chachi ji, door kahaan hai, bas 6 hours drive hi toh hai! Aur phir ek-aadh mahine mei thand shuru ho jaayegi, phir toh kahin nahi jaa sakte! Now is the best time!
Devika agrees : Haan, now is the best time! Magar tum chaaron jaakar aao, hum dono nahi aa sakte!
Robbie protests but both Devika and Puru declare that they would prefer to stay back rather than tire themselves out! The girls start planning immediately! 😃 Even Shivani is excited about the trip!! She was going to get a chance to enjoy a hobby of her's which was impossible in Delhi - Bird watching!!!
(Camp Panther, one of the most luxurious campsites on the Ganga, is set up on several acres of terraced fields in Shivpuri village near Rishikesh and is about a six-hour drive from New Delhi. The ridges surrounding the camp are covered with a thick Sal forest. They also have built an artificial climbing wall for the more adventurous guests. Comfortable safari tents are available for camping in the forest.)
Alaana says : Bhaiyya, kab kaa program hai? 😃
Robbie says : Saturday ko nikalenge aur Tuesday evening tak waapas aa jaayenge. 😊
Robbie's phone rings. Its Kasturi. A smile spreads on his face 😃 and he gets up to go into the balcony to take the call.
"There he goes again..........." thinks Devika! "Pataa nahi kiskaa phone hai...........jab bhi aata hai, yeh ladhka balcony mei jaata hai aur phir ek ghante tak waapas nahi aata!" 🤔
"Are you free now?" is the first question Kasturi asks! "How is your injury now?.......asks Robbie back!
"I am fit as a fiddle! Bilkul theek ho gayi hoon!" says Kasturi and then she continues excitedly........."Tum toh ekdum chaa gaye ho maa par!!" 😆
"What do you mean"....asks a surprised Robbie?
Kasturi : Just now I overheard her and bhaiyaa talk about you! Apparently she is very impressed with something you did at work!
Robbie smiles happily and he says : Oh is she! Good!! 😃
And he continues haughtily : You know how I am Kas........Mei jahaan bhi jaata hun, dilon peh chaa jaata hun!!
Kasturi says : Bas bas!!! Ab zyaada jhaad peh mat chadh jaana! Toh iskaa matlab hai ab tum itne busy nahi ho na!
Robbie says : Nah......Its a little more relaxed now.
Kasturi says excitedly : Great!!! I have planned something for this weekend! Saturday ke din....
She hears him say........"Oops!!!"
Kasturi asks : Kya hua?
Robbie says apologetically : Actually Kas, abhi abhi meine Divya koh promise kiyaa hai ke mei yeh weekend unke saath bitaaungaa!
Kasturi wails angrily : ROBBIE!!!!!! 😡
Robbie says : I am sorry!!! 😳 I really am...........its just that Divya bhi ek mahine seh wait kar rahi thi mere liye. Toh meine socha usse aur intezaar nahi karvaata hun and so I planned to take them to Camp Panther!
Kasturi says : Aur meraa kya? Mei tumhaara intezaar nahi kar rahi thi? 😡
Robbie says : Kas........Divya is 16!!!
Kasturi says : Theek hai, toh mei bhi tumhaare saath aaungi!! 😡
Robbie says : Magar.......kaise?
Kasturi says : What do you mean kaise?
Robbie says : Meraa matlab hai........it will look very odd that I would invite you all of a sudden on a camping trip with me! Sabko shaq hogaa.
Kasturi thinks for a moment and says : Theek hai toh mei Gia aur Aanand ko bhi saath laungi! Then it will seem more convincing.....that we all met at the naatak mandali and are friends!
Robbie likes that idea and he thinks it will work out.
He says : That's a great idea! Toh, can you convince them to come with you?
Kasturi says with a laugh........."You think Anand needs any convincing to come with me?" Robbie hates that fact 😡 and wants to tell her that he does not trust that guy, but bites his toungue! He did not want to make any negative comments on her friends! They talk for a long time and plan about the trip and then they decide to end the call. Just before hanging up Robbie pulls her leg, saying.........."Aur haan, koi skirts mat laana pehen neh ke liye, varnaa uss forest mei, thandi ke maare freeze ho jaaogi! 😉
"Very funny!!" 😡 says a Kasturi who is not amused!
Saturday dawns! Everything has been arranged. Robbie and the girls start by 7.00 AM in a rented 8-seater jeep and meet the rest of the party enroute. Robbie had informed his sisters that Gia, Kasturi and Anand will also be joining them. All three of them are happy that Gia and Kasturi will joint them. Everybody settles in. Robbie is driving with Anand besides him and all the girls are at the back. Gia, Alaana and Divya sit together in the last seat and Kasturi finds herself sitting next to Shivani in the middle seat, directly behind Robbie.
"Hi"..........says Kasturi with a smile. 😊 "Hi"........replies a shy Shivani!
Kasturi asks : Do you remember me?
Shivani shakes her head in the affirmative and pushes her glasses back that have slipped onto her nose.
Kasturi notices that Shivani is just in a cotton T-shirt and she says : Tum neh koi sweater nahi pehnaa? Tumhe thandi lag jaayegi! 😛
Shivani reaches across to her side and pulls out the light pink pullover that she had stuffed on her side and shows it to Kasturi.
Kasturi : OK, good! And by the way, woh pink color bahut sundar hai! 😊
Shivani says : Bhaiyya neh khareeda. Unki selection hamesha sundar hoti hai!
Robbie, who is following this conversation, looks at Kasturi in the rearview mirror and says......"Haan! Meri selection hamesha sundar hoti hai!"
Kasturi turns to the front and her eyes meet his eyes that are gazing at her in the mirror. 😳 She blushes involuntarily! ☺️ He had really missed not being able to spend more time with her! 😳 Robbie had wanted to tell her a lot of things about himself. He was just waiting for a right opportunity! They both are very glad that they are getting to make this trip! Ofcourse, it would have been really good if they were going alone! Kasturi looks back at him and they stare at each other 😳 when Divya interrupts the eye-catching session with a........."Bhaiyya, mujhe bhook lag rahi hai!"
Alaana says irritatedly : Shuru ho gayi tu??? Abhi start hoke aadha ghanta bhi nahi hua! 😡
Gia says : Koi problem nahi. Mere paas chocalate hai.
She gives Divya some chocalate, who happily eats it up!
Kasturi notices the books in Shivani's hand and says : Arre, yeh kya? Tum college ke books laa rahi ho apne saath?
Shivani says : Yeh college ke books nahi hai....Ornithology ke books hai! Bird-watching meraa hobby hai!
Kasturi says impressed : Wow! That's a great hobby! 👏 👏
"Thanks" says Shivani with a slight smile! Kasturi likes her eventhough it is impossible to get more than 2 words out of her at a time!!! ( 😆 😆 😆 )
Suddenly Shivani says to her......."Aap sach much Kasturi Chawla hai? Chawla Business empire aapkaa hai?"
Kasturi looks at her surprised and says............"Pehle question kaa answer haan hai, lekin doosre kaa naa hai! Woh sab business meraa nahi hai!" 😳
Shivani who is staring at her, nods her head and looks out of the window! She finds it surprising to see such a rich girl behave so normally! Kasturi glances at Robbie and they both look at each other in the mirror for a moment! She sees the concern in Robbie's eyes! It was very important for him that she get along well with his family! Kasturi continues to converse with Shivani. Slowly Shivani relaxes and she is not that stiff with Kasturi anymore!!
After 5 hours of continous travel, they stop for lunch at a roadside cafe.
They all get down. The cafe has wooden tables with benches attached to the table as seating arrangements. 4 people can sit at a table. Divya, Alaana and Gia grab one while Kasturi and Shivani take another one. As soon as Kasturi sits down, Anand moves to sit besides her when Gia calls to him and says
Gia : Anand...........come and sit with me! I have to tell you something!
Anand hesitates. He wanted to sit besides Kasturi! But finally gives in and makes his way to Gia while Gia discreetly winks 😉 at Kasturi. Kasturi turns to her right as his hand touches her's! Robbie had slid in besides her and was now sitting close to her but not very close as Shivani is sitting opposite to them! Kasturi's heart beat raises! 😳 😳 They had not been this close to each other since that night in the office!!! Robbie calls a waiter and asks everyone to place their orders. Everyone is busy asking the waiter what is available and then choosing the dishes when Robbie moves closer to Kasturi! Kasturi turns to look at him when Robbie whispers....."When we start back again, tum mere bajoo aake baitho! 😳 I don't want that Mr.World (because, Anand is very heavily built) sitting next to me!" 😡
Kasturi looks at him reproachfully and says : Anand ko saamne baithnaa pasand hai!
Robbie raises his eveybrows and whispers back : Aur meri pasand? Meri pasand kaa kab khayaal rakhogi?
Kasturi smiles and says : Jab hum akele honge, tab khayaal rakhungi! 😳
"Aapko kya chahiye, saab?"...........interrupts the waiter. "Dal-sabzi aur roti"............says Robbie. "Aur aap memsaab?"......asks the waiter.
"Inhe jo laa rahe ho, wahi mujhe bhi chahiye"........says Kasturi.
Robbie looks at Kasturi meaningfully and she quickly turns away lest the heightened color on her face be very obvious to everyone! ☺️☺️
Shivani asks Robbie : Aur kitne door ka rastaa hai, bhaiyya?
Robbie replies : Bas 45 minutes mei pahunch jaayenge. Main office mei hame keys aur kuch facilities collect karni hongi aur phir seh aadhe ghante kaa rastaa hai, that will take us up the mountain. Hame kuch camping sites ke map diye jaayenge. Bas ek site ko choose kar ke, hum apne tents setup kar lenge.
The food arrives. Kasturi eats one morsel of the sabzi and doubles up coughing! The food was very spicy!!!! Her eyes fill up with tears! Robbie quickly grabs a glass of water and makes her drink it, while rubbing her back with his left hand. In a minute her cough settles down and Robbie suggests she eat the dal which was very mild. Kasturi refuses as she is now scared of that food.
Robbie says : Ek baar khake dekho Kasturi. Daal itni teekhi nahi hai.
She does not agree and Robbie finally grabs a spoonful of dal and brings it to her mouth saying......."Try it.......please!" 😳 Kasturi agrees and has just eaten a spoonful when she hears someone call both their names! All of them turn around and Robbie and Kasturi stare into Raunak who was walking towards them, waving at them excitedly!!! 3 more guys were getting down from the jeep. Quickly Robbie withdraws his hand from Kasturi and gets up. Two of those guys, Kasturi did not know......but the blood drains out of Kasturi's face when she sees the 3rd person. 😲 Turning around the vehicle and coming towards them was Ajay Chawla and he was staring non-stop in their direction!
Gia quickly looks at Kasturi and can see the tension on her face! She gets worried for Kasturi becuase Kasturi had lied to her brother and had said that she was going to Bangalore to a friend's wedding!!!! 😲
Edited by pragalbha - 17 years ago
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
