SOMETHING BROWN
SOMETHING BLUE
Nupur had to read the document over and over again and she still couldn't have enough of it. This was it! Or was it? Uncertainty and puzzlement fogged her mind.
Everything should be peaceful and serene. But... but... it's not. And it's disturbing. Everything is happening the way she planned it out but then why does it feel that every friggin element in her life has seem to be gone haywire.
Out of frustration she flung the document over her bed and sat down near the bed post, dropping her head into her hands. It was difficult to control the hysteria giving rise to a commotion inside her.
No it should be stopped. It. Needs. To. Be. Stopped. Nupur thought and repeated in her mind- innumerable times. The chant mingled with the contents of the document which was the cause of her distress and confusion, and it finally gave way to her release as a tear appeared and made its way down her face.
It happened again. She finally resorted to the only way out that ever existed for her. Soon the lone tear was followed by the rest and she cried endlessly. She had to, to prepare for what awaited her ahead. This was Nupur for you.
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"Are you out of your mind Nupur? You knew this is impossible. Then why in the world would you even consider it!" Bauji's voice rose as he spoke, and as his voice became louder, Nupur's fear increased.
"I expect an answer Nupur."
The anger couldn't be avoided and Nupur knew she had no way out now. She simply could not and should not resort to crying.
"Mera bachpan ka sapna hai Bauji." Her voice made it apparent how weak she was in front of her bauji.
"Don't feed me this bachpan ka sapna crap. From the very beginning I have made some rules about how my family is to behave. Do I have to word out everything to you Nupur. Why can't you be like Gunjan? For once why can't you simply do as I say? Why?"
"Because I am not Gunjan. And I am not only your family. I am Nupur too." Nupur shouted back, last phrase coming out as a whisper.
Oh no! Is this going to end like every other instance? Bauji shouts. I fear. He shouts further. I shout back. We both erupt. He tries to reason with me. I cry...and then, the worst of all; I give in. Nupur was reminded of the cyclical pattern that had become the bane of her life.
"Bauji please bauji. All my life I have dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer. Gunjan consents to whatever you say cause that is what she wants. I didn't plan anything else for myself. Please bauji." Nupur pleaded.
"No Nupur, you always planned for yourself. You opted for arts, I consented. You chose Mayank, I agreed." And he couldn't proceed with his list further seeing the hurt that captured Nupur's face on the mention of Mayank.
"Why are you making this difficult for me Nupur." He mellowed. He had to, cause no matter what Nupur was still his child and obviously very dear to him.
"You agreed." Nupur was now sitting on the edge of the settee and bauji had taken a seat beside her.
"I know I did. But you know- you always have- that it was my dream to see you as a doctor." He sounded much calmer but miserable.
"You agreed for Mayank." Nupur cleared.
"I did Nupur. But I also agreed for Adhiraj." He sounded defeated. "Adhiraj was my choice for you Nupur. Mayank is good and I am happy with him but he was not my first choice. Trust me once Nupur. Please."
Nupur could no longer put up with the plea and defeat that laced her bauji's voice. He was her bauji and it happened again. She gave in.
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"Are you mocking me?" Mayank asked incredulously.
"Haan toh?" None can beat Nupur in answering back.
"Nupur wipe that smile off your face now." Warned Mayank.
"Nahi karun toh?"
"Toh... toh date cancel." Mayank said with finality, making a futile attempt at taming Nupur.
"Achcha to yeh date hai?" Nupur couldn't help mocking. "Mujhe to laga hum sirf gari main baithne aaye hain."
"Nupur..."
"Kya Nupur. Choro mayank ek Shahrukh ki movie to dekha nahi sakte. So much for a date."
"Ek saal ke liye main jaa raha hoon aur yaadein Shahrukh ki chahiye! Wah kya baat hai Nupur Bhushan ki."
Mayank was leaving for America in two days' time to complete his Masters and wanted to spend some time with Nupur before he leaves for a year.
"Shahrukh na sub se lar kay Kajol ko DDLJ me legaya tha. Aur tumhari to bauji se ek date ka puchte huye taange kaanp rahi rahi thi. Don't even compare yourself to Shahrukh."
"Shahrukh lied too. I don't lie."
"Mayank... Are you jealous of Shahrukh." Nupur laughed.
"Nupur..." Mayank whined.
"Haye Mayank kitne cute lagte ho when you are jealous." Nupur laughed and made an attempt at ruffling his hair which he avoided as he ducked. But couldn't help smiling back at the infectious smile that braced Nupur's lips.
***********************************************************
Mayank couldn't help staring at Nupur. He thought he could manage a year without her, but now that he had come to drop her off at her house, he realized how difficult it was to say to bye to her.
Nupur despite all the sadness and hollowness that surrounded her at the thought of Mayank leaving her, was trying to put up a brave front, and act casual and chirpy.
"Dekhna ho gaya Mayank. Let me go now warna bauji aajaynge."
"How unromantic Nupur. Aur kitna darti ho tum apne bauji se."
"Achcha. Look who's talking."
Mayank let go off her dupatta that he was mindlessly playing with and turned serious.
"I will miss you Nupur. It would have been better had you joined me aur ballet dancing toh tumhara bachpan ka sapna tha na?" The sentiment and hope the underlined Mayank's word congested her heart, but she had made her choice.
"Bauji nahi samajhte Mayank. He thinks whatever he thinks is best for me and every parent thinks so Mayank. He asked me... he pleaded me to trust him. Main kya karti Mayank?"
Even if she hadn't worded out her misery to him, then too he would have understood. But now he felt proud of her. Of how she sorted she was when it came to deciding her priorities, even if she wasn't happy with them.
"Ab bye toh sahi se bolo. I like happy endings." Said Nupur, as she tried hard to keep her tears at bay.
Mayank moved towards her slightly pecked her lips and whispered, "Bye. But this not the end." And there you had it. The dreamy smile that Nupur had to have whenever Mayank expressed his love for her.
As she turned to get off the car, Mayank held her wrist and said, "tum bye nahi bolo gi?"
She turned to face him and said,"Bolungi lekin pehle what's important."
"Kya?"
"America mein don't you dare to even consider flirting with other women." Nupur pointed her finger at him.
"Mein flirt hun?" He recoiled.
"Nahin lekin mardon ka koi bharosa nahi." She flicked her hand casually. This had Mayank gaping at her.
"Khana time pe khana aur bahar ka to bilkul mat khana." She continued. "Zyada parhai ka stress lene ki zaroorat nahi hai. Aik baar fail ho jaoge toh kuch bigar nahin jayega. Mujhe daily call karna aur month me aik baar mujhe mail chahiye."
At this Mayank tried to put in something but she stopped him with the gesture of her hand. "And we will not talk over skype because I do not like video chat. I don't know why but that's me. Live with it. Sharab ko toh chuna bhi mat and don't even think about gambling. Aur..."
"Aur?"
"Aur... I will miss you too." She whispered and pecked his lips.
The tears now became inevitable. They came as they embraced each other assuring one other To remain strong and continue to love each other.
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It was finally happening. Mayank was back and they were getting married. That's what her bauji planned for her. And she had consented- a long time back.
She had been exhilarated at the thought of meeting Mayank, but it was a family custom that the bride and groom would not meet each other before the wedding. Under bauji's surveillance, it became even more impossible.
It was her sangeet and Nupur was miserably missing Mayank. For the first time in a year's time she felt like crying. The last time she cried was when she had hugged Mayank. Post that, she had abhorred crying.
She looked up to Gunjan who had managed to have bauji agree for Samrat, for her to marry. She hadn't cried, but neither did she fight. She was incredible at communication and could talk people into anything. No wonder bauji always saw a lawyer in her.
And here was she. Emotional and finicky, whimsical and volatile. She lacked the patience and skill of diplomacy and can't help being ruthlessly blunt. That is how she had been all her life and refused to change. But she had decided not to cry. To never to cry for what she did not have or what she could have had. She had to fight her own battles, and choose her own battles.
Then why now? No please not now. She whispered to heself as a tear made its way down her cheek.
"Am I that bad ke mujh se shaadi ka soch ke ro rahi ho?"
"Mayank. Nahi Mayank kaise aayega?" She thought aloud.
"Mayank aagaya hai madam."
She turned around and flunged herself at him, giving way to all that was unsaid.
"Nupur araam se. Tum ne toh shaadi se pehle hi zulm shuru kar diya."
She hit him lightly as she cried away her fury and emotions.
"Jab jaa raha tha tab bhi ro rahi thi aur aya hu to bhi.!" He tried to joke .
"Jao tum." She pushed him away and move towards the door to her bedroom."Aur tum aaye kaise? Bauji ne dekha to mushkil ho jayegi."
"Ek to me itni mushkil se bauji se bach ke aya aur yahan kya reception mila hai mujhe."
When he saw no sign of her worry allaying, he held her from her shoulders and made her sit on her bed with him sitting on the floor beside her, on his knees holding her hands.
"Bauji ko pata nahin chale ga kyunki who abhi ghar pe nahin hain aur agar wo aanewale honge to Gunjan bata de gi. As for main aaya kaise toh Gunjan helped me out aur ab Gunjan pe ghussa baad me karna pehle yeh toh pooch mein aya kyun."
"Kyun?" She wondered.
"Yeh lo. Yeh dene." He handed over a packet to her.
"Yeh kya hai mera wedding gift?" She stood up excitedly.
"Dekho toh." He followed her as she moved away and tried to fathom what was inside the packet.
Awe and wonderment appeared on her face which was soon replaced by confusion and disappointment.
"Itni sari chocolates Mayank. Tumhe kaise pata chala mujhe chocolate khaane ka dil kar raha hai? Aur tum America se mere liye chocolates laye ho?...As a wedding gift?" She said as she unwrapped and ate one of the chocolates.
"Mujhe aise pata chala kyunki tumhara hamesha hi kuch na kuch khane ka dil karta hai. Aur yeh tumhara wedding gift nahi hai." He emphasized over the wedding gift part and felt incredulous over the idea that she thought he would give her chocolates as a wedding gift.
"Toh kya hai?" She asked inquisitively as she munched on a chocolate.
"No cheating Nupur. Woh surprise hai. And I will leave now kyunki mai jis kaam se aya tha woh bhi ho gaya aur thori dair main tumhare bauji bhi aajaynge aur mujhe tumhari bauji katha sunne ka koi mood nahi."
She tried to show her anger but her curiosity took the better of her.
"Kis kaam se aaye the?"
"Chocolates dekh ke jo bari si smile aayi thee na tumhare chehre pe woh dekhne. Aura ab bye, see you on shaadi." He pecked her cheek and left.
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Dear Nupur Sharma,
This is to inform you that you have been enrolled at the American School of Ballet Dance...
Nupur shrieked as she read the first line of the document that Mayank had given her as her wedding gift.
"Ahista Nupur, log sochenge pata nahin main kya kar raha hoon." He hissed.
But Nupur was nowhere near listening. She jumped off the bed and threw herself at Mayank kissing him deeply. The passion and suddenness of the action took Mayank by surprise but then he too kissed her back and as they parted for air he said,"Kaisa laga?"
"Bohot bohot bohot achcha. Maine toh socha..."
"Maine toh socha na. aur phir maine yeh bhi socha ke so what if it's difficult for bauji to relate to what you think. Main toh samajh sakta hoon. Bauji bure nahin hain Nupur, bus woh bauji hain. Aur waise bhi I don't think that marriage should be an obstacle to one's academic and career aspirations." He finished only to see her smiling widely at him.
He raised his eyebrows in inquiry.
"I love you." She said.
And he was stumped. He knew she did but this was the first time she said it aloud. How he had yearned to hear her say that.
The happiness was such that he picked her up out of joy and circled around as both fell laughing on the bed, both looking forward to living not only together but also as Mayank and Nupur.
INDEX
OS- Something Brown Something Blue- PG 1
SS- Life Happens PART 1- PG 2PART 2- PG 5
PART 3- PG 7
PART 4- PG 9
PART 5- PG11
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
