hey lovely ladies!! 😃 sorry couldnt update yesterday...but got a little side tracked watching the season finale for "Life Unexpected"...then had a baby shower to go to...it didnt help that i got home from work and fell asleep and then was late for the shower 😕😕 anyway...here is part 3...hope you all enjoy it...cant wait to see comments...
Chapter 3
The next morning Dutta work up cranky – he hadn't gotten a good nights sleep. He didn't like people having expectations for him; he didn't like seeing people disappointed in him. However, he absolutely hated the fact that the servant girls disappointment affected him so much. Since sleep evaded him, Dutta had a lot of time to think and think he did.
Facts – he was a guest in another's home; that home had rules that visitors should follow; as a guest it was their responsibility to make sure that the hosts didn't have any reason to complain.
Dutta had rules in his own house and would not like it at all if anyone disobeyed his rules, therefore, being a guest in another's house, he should follow their rules. Treat people like you wanted to be treated. This meant that the girl had been right in her disappointment in him.
Fact – Dutta HATED being the wrong one.
When he finally rolled out of bed it was just past five in the morning. He got up, showered and got ready for the day. By the time he was done it was just past six in the morning. Coming out of his room he immediately heard some noise coming from the back of the house. He knew that if something was wrong his guards would have come to get him, so Dutta figured it was normal. Making his way down the staircase he figured the noise was coming from the kitchen. From his vantage point, he saw someone working in the kitchen – it was the servant girl. Knowing what he needed to do, Dutta made is way to the kitchen.
"Tu iss waqt?" he asked. He was drawing a complete blank on her name.
Clearly he had startled her because she jumped at the sound of his voice. "Saab, aap? Kuch chahiyeh tha?" she inquired.
"Nahin…woh…umm…chai milegi?"
"Zaroor, baas paanch minute," Naku said as she began pouring water into a kettle for his tea.
Dutta watched as she meticulously began to set up two trays – one lined with three tea cups and another lined with just one, then on the counter was a separate cup on a saucer. She worked silently, taking out the tea leaves, sugar and milk. Dutta knew that this was a good a time as any for doing what he had to do.
"Naku woh…kaal raath…Baji ne…" Dutta began to stammer and that never happened. It was probably because he couldn't remember the last time he'd actually apologized to anyone. "Maine Baji se kaha tha ke yahaan koi hard drink nahin hai, issi liyeh woh khud lekar aagaye. Maine nahin manga…woh toh…"
"Saab…" Naku began as she cut him off. "…aap mujhe safai kyun deh rahe hai? Uski koi zarurat nahin." She began pouring the tea into the various cups once it was ready. "Aapne kaal saach hi kaha tha…main hoti kaun hoon aapko mana karne wali…koi bhi toh nahin. Baas iss ghaar ki mamuli si naukrani hoon."
"Nahin…" Dutta began as he shook his head.
"Jaante hai Saab…mere Baba humesha kehte the ke 'Naku, tu zarurat se zyada bolti hai'," she said with a soft smile as she handed him his cup of tea. "Baba sahi the, main saach mein bohot bolti hoon."
"Woh baath nahin hai…" Dutta began, only to be cut off again, but this time not by Naku.
An alarm clock went off on the counter which Naku quickly turned off. Picking up the tray she asked, "Aur kuch chahiyeh Saab?"
Dutta could only shake his head in the negative.
Naku began to walk out of the kitchen but stopped and turned back to him. Looking him straight in the eyes she said, "Maaf kar dijiyehga Saab. Aaisi ghalti dobara nahin hogi."
She left Dutta with a cup of tea in his hand and an emotion bubbling up in his chest. Guilt. The innocence and remorse in her eyes and voice was making Dutta feel guilty. She hadn't done anything wrong yet she apologized to him, and left him feeling like a complete jerk. How the hell did that happen?
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Naku spent most of her day running back and forth between the kitchen and all other house hold chores. Usually Naku handled the kitchen while the other workers dealt with the rest of the house, but with Babi's special guests in the house, Naku was in charge of making sure everything was perfect. Everyone had enjoyed the lunch, for which Naku got many compliments from AS. Naku couldn't help but smile at the fact that Supriya barely talked to Dutta – she as probably scared he'd talk about documentaries or action movies again.
Naku had the feeling that Dutta had wanted to talk to her and probably apologize for what had happened the night before but she wasn't going to give him the change. He had been right after all. As far as he – or anyone else was concerned – she was just a maid in the house. In all these years there was one rule that Naku followed – never over step the boundaries.
However, there was something about Dutta that made her feel like it was ok for her to be herself – more or less. She didn't know why it disappointed her so much when she saw his friend bring him the alcohol. What's it to her? He was the guest of their house and that meant he was to be kept happy at all costs. He had wanted a simple drink, there was no harm in that. He shouldn't have to apologize for that.
It was late in the afternoon and nearly everyone was in their room, taking a nap or something. This meant that Naku could do what she wanted to do. After grabbing some furniture polish and a rag, she headed to a room in the house that no one used anymore – her fathers study.
As she entered the room, she took in all the things that were familiar. A big oak desk sat towards the back of the room in the middle. Three walls were lined with all of her father's medical books, journals and diaries. She turned on the light and her eyes fell on a large portrait of her at the local fair with her father at the age of four. She had a huge butterfly painted on her face, cotton candy in her right hand while the other one was firmly placed around her father's neck. Her father wore a big smile on his face because Naku was kissing his cheek.
Naku went and sat in the chair and ran her hands over the desk. A smile came across Naku's face as she remembered her evenings in this room. She'd come in once her father was home and in his study. They'd talk about her day and then while her father worked on his latest research paper or patient chart, Naku would sit on the floor with her crayons and coloring book. Every once in a while she'd show her father what she colored. He always took a few minutes to look it over and comment on it – always good comments.
Naku's eyes filled with tears as she remembered her father and his love for her. She reached across the desk at a picture frame when she suddenly heard someone headed in her direction. In her haste to make it look like she was cleaning up in there, she ended dropping the frame she was reaching for. She had just gotten to her feet and grabbed the rag when Dutta walked in.
"Tu yahaan…" he said as he looked around. "Yeh kya hai? Itne saare gitabein?"
"Bab…Bade Saab ki study hai," Naku said as she wiped the desk.
"Medical books?" Dutta asked as he pulled out a book and flipped through it.
"Bade Saab doctor the."
Putting the book away he made is way towards her. Just as Naku reached for the photo frame, Dutta did as well. He picked it up, turned it over and was surprised at what he saw.
"Yeh kaun hai?" he asked.
"Bade Saab," she answered.
"Aur unke saath mein?"
Naku knew who he was talking about – it was herself. The picture he was holding was one that was taken on the day of her sixteenth birthday. She'd been dressed in a pink and silver saree, her hair open with big curls, simple makeup. Her father, dressed in black suit and pink tie to match, had one arm around her shoulder while she hugged him and had one hand on his chest. It had been one of the happiest nights of her life – she'd been so happy. Her father loved that picture so much he had it printed out the next day and put it on his desk. He had ordered a blow up which was to be delivered in two weeks, but that didn't happen. Her father died just a week after her birthday.
"Woh…Choti Taayi," Naku answered, feeling odd using that term to describe herself.
"Choti Taayi?" Dutta asked.
"Haan. Bade Saab ki beti, unki pehli shaadi se," she clarified.
"Oh," he said as he looked over the picture. "Lagta hai ke woh ek dusre se bohot pyaar karte the."
"Ek dusre ki jaan the. Ek dusre ke bina marjate," she said not realizing she said it out loud.
"Tujhe kaise paata?" he asked.
"Main bachpan se yahaan hoon. Bade Saab aur Taayi ko saath mein dekha hai. Dono bohot aache the," Naku said.
"Aacha, woh kaise?"
"Dono ke dil bohot aache the. Bade Saab toh doctor the hi, lekin Taayi bhi hospital mein kaam karti thi…woh…muft mein…kya kehte hai…" Naku pretended to not know the word.
"Volunteer," Dutta said.
"Haan, woh hi. Aapne Baba ki tarha, Taayi bhi doctor banna chati thi," Naku said.
"Aur bata aapni Taayi ki bare mein," Dutta said as he sat on the couch, still holding the picture.
"Kya bataoon Saab?" Naku asked.
"Kuch bhi."
Naku turned away from him and looked out the window as she talked about herself. "Taayi bohot sidi sadi thi. Unhe zindagi ki choti choti cheezoon se bohot pyaar thi. Jaise ke phloon se, barish se, barish mein chai peene se. School mein humesha first aati thi Taayi, Bade Saab ko bohot garv tha. Zindagi mein Taayi ko doctor banna tha, lekin uske ilava unhe bohot se cheezein pasand thi."
"Jaise…" Dutta started.
"Jaise nachna, padna, khaana pakana…Taayi dil se ek Hindustani ladki thi," Naku said.
"Taayi ka naam kya hai?" Dutta asked.
"Nakusha," she answered before thinking. If she could, she would smack herself for the slip.
"Nakusha…aur tu Naku…" the confusion was evident in his voice.
"Woh…umm…maine kaha tha naa ke main bachpan se yahaan hoon. Meri aur Taayi ki ummar ek hi hai, issi liyeh Bade Saab mujhe pyaar se Naku bulate the. Kehte the ke unke ek nahin, doh doh betiyaan hai. Saab ne mujhe school bhi beja…lekin…"
"Lekin kya? Kya hua?" he asked.
"Bade Saab ke guzarne ke baad…" Naku couldn't go on as tears filled her eyes and threatened to spill over.
Dutta probably sensed her emotional upheaval, so he let it go. Instead he asked, "Teri Taayi ka kya hua? Vaise maine unhe ghaar pe nahin dekha. Doctor bangayi kya?"
"Nahin…doctor nahin baan payi," Naku said.
"Kyun?"
"Baas nahin baan payi…"
"Aab kahaan hai?" he asked.
"Paata nahin," Naku said.
"Matlab?"
"Bade Saab ke jaane ke baad, Taayi bhi chali gayi."
"Kahaan?" Dutta asked.
"Baas chali gayi…jaise kahin kho gayi hai. Maine kaha naa ke dono ek dusre ke bina nahin jee sakte. Bade Saab ke jaane ke baad, Taayi bhi jaise maar gayi," Naku said as her voice cracked.
"Naku…" Dutta began.
"Main abhi aayi…" Naku said as she rushed out, but not before meeting eyes with Dutta once.
She cursed at herself for getting emotional, but she cursed herself more for letting her guard down and going off about a girl that had died years ago. Naku was Naku, she was never going to be Nakusha. She'd never that girl whose father adored her. Why think about something that only brought you pain because you knew those days would never return.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Dutta sat stunned and confused as Naku rushed out of the room. Just in the one glance they exchanged he could see that she was in emotional pain as she fought back the tears that glistened in her eyes.
Looking at the picture Dutta came to a few conclusions. One, the girl in the picture was – not pretty, not gorgeous – but beautiful. It wasn't her look that impressed him, it was the smile that reached her eyes. Her eyes sparkled with happiness and love. Standing next to her father, he could see she loved him and respected him like no one else could. She was his daughter after all, they shared a special bond. The second conclusion was the fact that from what he heard, this father daughter duo were really special people. Only people with big hearts and open minds would put a maid through school. It was unfortunate that it didn't continue.
There was one other conclusion that Dutta came to but pushed aside as his imagination getting the best of him. The sparkle that the girl, Nakusha, had in this picture with her father, was identical to the sparkle that Naku had in her eyes as she told him about her Bade Saab's rules for the house.
Dutta walked over to the desk to put the frame back where it had fallen from. He took one last look at the picture and whispered, "Nakusha," before walking out of the room.
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