nahinnn...aisa mat karo - kyunki khushi ban jayegi paro aur hamara ASR purrr se Bollywood chala jayega 😭
hmmm...iss baat ki ghambeerta dekhkar hume lagta hai ki namkaran ke baare mein ghore vichaar karna padega tab jaake achcha phaisla suna sakte hain ...
Originally posted by: cineraria
Arre na na, Khushi Khushi rahegi, Paro Paro rahegi - Do judwa behene jo kumbh ke mele me separate ho gayin.Khushi ko mila Laad Governor/ Rakhshas and Paro ko mila Jallad. Although I don't know much about RR, but I can make a comic antithesis of characters. 😉
@ A
haan ji, call me P.. I don't mind :)
@ shree
call me P.. If u want another name, then sherlock n watson cud find me one.. Even Y wud help if u ask her..
Ps: prp reminded me of a parvati rudra pranap ...(ranawat?) :)
Originally posted by: tomriddle
Y ko pukara aur hum chale aaye.humne A ki FF thread ka kya bana diya, spam kar karke. 😆Ek chat club khol lena chahiye what say friends? 😉
Greetings! I really don't know what made me write this chapter, it must have been a caffeine induced insomnia. Also a friend had accused me that I wrote less of Payash due to my slighter fondness for the sweet couple. This is a short update by the usual standards of AHF so in all probability I'll update within 24 hours. Cheers!
Chapter 34: Chaos-I
She saw them exchange a smile and it was after ages that both of them had smiled at each other. She also realized how the old woman's wrinkly forehead had relaxed in that little action, the creases had diminished and she looked at least ten years younger. Anjali knew that Nani and Arnav had called a truce only for her and if one observed carefully, undercurrents of a tensed relationship were still felt, but she knew too well that the bond of love binding a grandmother and a grandson was strong enough to survive their occasional showdowns. Then she saw them walk towards each other and talk amiably, perhaps Nani was complimenting him for the arrangements while Arnav nodded humbly. Humble Arnav! Anjali smiled satisfied fixed at her spot, not wanting to intrude this moment.
Hopefully soon Nani would also accept Lavanya she thought and smiled again. It wouldn't be easy though, strange just how similar her younger brother and their grandmother were. Maybe that was what made them be at loggerheads ever so often, both mule headed and too stringent about their opinions, both viciously taking down those who opposed them in their respective ingenious ways, and both easily compelled to make bitchy retorts. Devyani had a trump card of course, and in last fourteen years she had used it thrice on Arnav, the one which she unwillingly but voluntarily did when she felt she was irrevocably fed up with Chotte, she had equated him with his father, their father, Dushyant Mallik - a man Anjali had loved, respected, worshipped, feared, idolized and at last felt ashamed of.
It was worse for Arnav, he'd lock himself up and refuse to see anyone, or just go away for some time, or maybe break things or simply cry. But never would he be back without vengeance, he'd retaliate by doing atrocious things just to rile Devyani, she remembered how a sixteen year old Arnav had brought home a pack of cigarettes and to Devyani's horror had taken one after the other long drags of nicotine in front of her till his eyes burned red. Devyani had paled at the sight while he lazily retired to his room and choked hysterically on his breath later. To set the two back in order Anjali had decided to give them an absolute silent treament till they both reconciled, as a custom she had also dragged a reluctant Akash into her act and soon both had relented.
Oh how would Devyani live without the three of her grand kids and what would Arnav do without his Di and his favorite Chamcha? Yes, both of them were firebrands, in fact the only time in the history of their house when Arnav had not retaliated to an onslaught on him was when Khushi - another firebrand, had walked in their mansion with her resignation and given her brother that seemingly infinite speech on conduct. Anjali was intrigued by that little package of a girl, that chit of a girl who had left her brother speechless. He hadn't even done anything about the contract that she had later discovered. There surely was something more brewing between the two than what met the eye. What was it, and how had she missed it? Maybe she would ask her lawyer husband about the psychology of these firebrands. Her husband with whom she was now celebrating her third marriage anniversary, while she hoped that she understood quite well what went on in the convoluted brain her brother possessed, she thought with a sigh, did she really understand her husband? Her MJ?
Her Nanu used to say that lawyers are crafty people and it is such an irony that we have to trust them with our greatest secrets. But wasn't there a big difference between how people behaved for professional demands and what they were in personal life? Shyam was the most uncomplicated man she had known who habitually answered in rhetoric, he had always conformed to what had seemed to be in his nature when she had met him all these years ago. It was strange because humans have this inherent tendency to change over a period of time or maybe show their shades as you get to see more of them. But Shyam? He was more or less the same or she had not understood him at all? Anjali waved her hand in the air and mentally chided herself for having such thoughts on such an auspicious day. MJ was right when he said she had this knack of complicating simple things. Shyam was just what he seemed to be, simple and straight unlike her, she sighed, she couldn't blame herself, she had too many bad experiences to justify. Where was MJ anyway? And then she saw him, surrounded by four people who were congratulating him and instead of cracking one of those silly post-marital jokes on how life sucked and wife mucked after marriage that men seem to so enjoy, he was probably saying he was the luckiest man on Earth, making some women around him throw Anjali envious looks but all in good spirit.
Her brows knitted in confusion once she reached his side, behind his usual genial smile, her husband seemed to have an edge tonight. Was it restlessness that she saw, but why? She placed her hand gently on his shoulder, asking him what was wrong with him. He relaxed immediately beaming at her, "How could anything be right when you were not beside me?" he fawned.
"You're corny MJ." she flushed, doubts exiting her mind as if they never existed. From the corner of his eye, Shyam searched the crowd for that one face he had to avoid like poison the whole evening, Khushi, had she already seen him?
****
"Man, I just wanna bang that chic once." Akash choked on his drink, sputtered and coughed. "You wanna what?"
"I said, I wanna f**k your brother's girlfriend." the guy repeated shamelessly. Akash shook his head in distaste. "Why don't you tell that to her then?" Karan Oberoi gave him a look that said, is there a chance?. Akash shrugged pensively, "Maybe you should ask my brother."
Karan laughed throwing his head back, "And let him feed minced Karan to your grandma's doggy?"
"It isn't a dog, it's a goat you idiot." Akash said almost furiously. Karan chuckled, "Whoa easy dude, seriously you feel something for that goat don't you?" Akash rolled his eyes in a 'whatever' fashion. Although the Oberoi Industries and AR had been business associates only since last two and a half years, Akash and Karan had been friends since school days. While Anjali had treated Karan just like a younger brother, Arnav had blatantly told him that he reminded him of a useless NRI cousin. So yeah, he too treated him like a brother, in a way.
"Anyway, my point is, how the hell do you control yourself with that sex bomb trolling around?"
"Well let's say, the idea of minced Akash is pretty bad." quipped Akash in reply.
"Or as Anjali Di told me a few minutes back?"
"What?"
"Oh boy, you can act."
"I don't understand."
"That you fancy somebody."
Akash slapped his forehead, if his sister were to have her way, she'd announce it over a loudspeaker to whole of Delhi, or better still go to some national TV News Channel and declare about his fancies.
"It's too soon to say." he managed finally.
"The sooner the better my friend, the sooner the better" said Karan thoroughly tongue in cheek, patting Akash's back and guiding him to the end of the hall. "Di did point out to me, but I couldn't be sure, there were too town chicks, didn't know which one she was suggesting." he kept on going, Akash grimaced, if Karan had to know, he had to know.
"Your feminine curiosity makes you effeminate Karan." he complained, sounding much like his older cousin at the moment.
"Says the school gossip queen."
"Shut up." he snapped, again sounding like Arnav.
"The plump nymph or the cutie-patootie?"
"See even your adjectives are so...wait. What? She is not plump." staring right ahead where Payal was still pouring fruit juice in wine glasses, Akash argued going all defensive.
"I get it, she is the one. So now what will you do to her this evening brother?"
"What will I?"
"What sort of a man are you? Your girl is standing alone, ignored, just go, sweep her away, away from this jam-packed hall you doofus."
"But where?" Akash sounded confused.
Karan threw up his hands in the air in frustration. "You are a hopeless twat." saying that he marched straight towards where Payal was, Akash followed, "What do you think you are doing...?" he was cut short as Karan spoke, "Excuse me Ms. do you mind..."
And Akash felt pathetic again...
The moment when you got close and almost had a moment with the girl you have been dreaming about (hallucinating her to be everywhere around you is more like it) and right at that moment your mother appeared and said a couple of the meanest things that have slipped from her tongue in the past week directed at the girl (the same you had been dreaming/hallucinating about) and you are unable to even apologize to her, you know what you feel? You feel it's a lost cause. You realize that you are an ass and your love life is going to be deep shit. Or maybe this is only what I feel. Anyway, had I missed even a single chance to have a glimpse of her face the entire evening? My eyes were drawn like iron filings to a magnet to wherever she stood, while I shook hands with associates, exchanged pleasantries with people you meet four times a year on similar occasions. I found our eyes meet once in a while but she would look away as soon as that, a sad wistful expression on her face that was potent enough to hurt me. Was it because of what mom said? I told myself the hundredth time, when I get to talk to her I will tell her, my mom, she never really mean the things she says. She is habitually acerbic, but that's it. Yeah that's it. She shouldn't be upset about it. Or is she upset with me?
How long I wondered the same, I don't really know but this subliminal chain of thoughts was trampled upon by Karan. My most loathed chum. Then he started sputtering manure about how my brother's girlfriend who is already in a live-in with my brother turns him on all the time. If that wasn't enough he had to know about the girl I was dreaming/hallucinating about. The nosy ass that he is. Next he was dragging me towards her. Payal, she looked so calm, I wonder how but she always appears so calm. That's what her sweet face is like, I am sure she'd look calm even if a tornado is approaching her with 100 miles an hour. And that kind of does it for me. Even if it sounds corny and all I can tell you, it makes me feel like my life has come to a standstill in a very peaceful kind of way. While I was busy musing about the calming effect she has on me, Karan that ass managed to dislodge her calm.
He started on a very ridiculous note, simply asked her what she thought about me just in case she wasn't dating somebody else. Forget civility is that even how normal people talk to complete strangers? She was so taken aback that she might have just disappeared into the pillar behind her. I shut his mouth before he could embarrass us more and in that action, I don't remember what were our relative positions or if Payal was still reeling under shock, but the next thing I knew was the tray in Payal's hand with one glass of raspberry juice had landed between us. The glass crystals lay shattered at our feet and my blue tie and her mauve kurti had nasty red stains from spilled juice. They still have and we are staring at each other and each other's ruined clothes, in our present predicament. She is the first to look away because of Karan's exaggerated cough. It's crazy the way we stare at each other, you see such stuff happening in some clumsy movies and the actors made to stare like that appear loony, which reminds me perhaps I and Payal too appear loony. For once I look gratefully at Karan.
"Well Akash I guess you need to show her to a rest room. She might require some cleaning. And you too." he says. Man do I really want to thank him now. I stare at her again, she is fidgeting with a tissue patting her stained kurti dry. She may require a change of clothes too. I wonder if I should call mom or Di.
"Umm, Payal please come with me, I'll show you the rest room." I say. She hesitates then nods silently and follows me out of the hall. I take her to my room, she looks around nervously as I turn on the lights and guide her towards the bathroom and hand her a towel. She hesitates again, god knows how much hesitation is she born with but I find it so endearing.
"Umm Akash, umm I guess, where is Khushi?"
"Khushi?"
"My sister."
"Of course."
"She went to the pool side for getting tissues."
"She must be in somewhere, don't worry. She won't get lost." I reassure her.
"No, I mean, I thought..."and then again she starts looking around. I loosen my tie, she looks at me and steps away looking at her feet. "I am sorry." I mumble, "I am sorry for the juice, I'll ask Di for something for you."
"No I'll be fine."
"No your clothes are wet. Please don't be so formal." I smile and turn away pulling my tie.
And then sneaking out from behind the curtain she launches herself at me. Caught unawares of the sudden attack my ankle twists, I stumble and fall over the ground with a thud. Before I can yell, she is on top of me licking my face. I raise my hands in front of my face, "Oh stop it Bleat."
She stops, looks at me and then at the bathroom door where I assume Payal is still standing and watching me getting molested by a goat. "Mehehemehehehe mehehe" she bleats and begins the licking onslaught again. I protest and struggle getting her away from me. I hear muffled little laughs escape Payal. I finally get back on my feet putting Bleat away and she runs around circling me, her tongue hanging out. I look up to see Payal, her hand covering her mouth as she is shaking all over laughing. Really what's so funny?
"Alright, I get it, you have a bad sense of humor." I say petulantly.
She stops. Breathes visibly, "you were so funny, she loves you and you looked as if she was strangling you when all she did was to love you."
"Mehehe mehehe." Bleat bleated as if seconding what she said.
"What can I say, she has been in a very affectionate mood since morning and they tucked her away in my room. I wonder why." I really do, she was supposed to be in Dadi's room, who possibly left her in mine?
"What's her name?" Payal appears interested. Good, she may take this goat with her, like I care.
"Bleat... I mean Laxmi. Yeah Laxmi."
"Bleat?" she asks curiously.
"That's what Bhai and I like to call her. Like anyway she's bleating all the time." I tell her dryly. Really, I can't believe we are talking about a goat.
"I like Bleat." she says after a moment of consideration and smiles. My heart swells. She smiles at me and then again at Bleat. "Bleat." she repeats again giggling. Yes, she has a bad sense of humor and it's endearing. Perhaps even Bleat's heart swells at that, she launches herself at Payal. Her giggles stop. Bleat stands on her hind limbs and tries to lick her. Payal pats her head. Bleat then steps back and begins circling her, she looks at her confused and then my Dadi's dear goat with her soft paws starts poking her here and there. Payal shrieks as she stumbles and steps away trying to catch her balance back and tumbles over my bed. Bleat then climbs over her and begins the same licking onslaught she had been doing to me a few moments back. Payal's hands flail and she giggles hysterically. I rest my elbow on the carpet over which I am sprawled and rest my head on my arm. And stare at them with a wide grin or a big smile, I don't know, it's just so endearing.
Payal, on my bed, giggling and squealing like that, feeling all ticklish with Bleat licking her. And then I have this thought crossing my mind, telling me that I could really spend my entire life like this, watching Payal on my bed, giggling and squealing, feeling all ticklish. No, I don't wonder how would it be with me there in place of Bleat, no, not now. I never have these perverted thoughts, maybe that's why Bhai calls me 'Virgin' but I don't mind. All I know is, I could happily spend my entire life watching Payal this way.
^^^^^
Anjali had excused herself from her friends on receiving Akash's text. "Di could you please come to my room, there's a tiny emergency." Akash knew well he couldn't ask his mother to help Payal in this, Di was the most understanding person on Earth and the best part was she never said embarrassing things.
When Anjali walked in his room she was shocked at the state it was in. The bed spread askew, Akash still on the carpeted floor, Payal standing near the bed, removing creases from her kurti with a large red juice stain, and Laxmi pawing Akash's curtains down. Also the look both Akash and Payal had on their faces was amusing. Anjali cleared her throat, smiling at Payal. "You do need a new set dear." she said staring at her kurti, but at five feet eight inches Anjali was a good six inches taller than Payal and also a little slimmer, not that Payal was fat or something, she was sort of petite but Anjali was a model in her way. She knew none of her clothes would fit Payal but she had an idea. Manorma, often on her shopping sprees would buy clothes that were too small for her, but just because she found them irresistible, she would start dieting for two weeks or so, so that they could be of size. And then give up on dieting and designer Anarkalis all together.
-^-^-
Manorma threw murderous glances at Payal, she so wanted to kill with her bare hands, the poor girl now clad in her beautiful pink Anarkali suit, it's royal blue borders and lace neck line with silver embroidery looking stunning on the girl's pale complexion. Manorma wanted to cry and yell, but Anjali had come to her and she could never say no to her niece. So she had given it to the girl, almost unwillingly flung at her, the girl had hesitated even resisted saying she was okay, oh what an actress, Manorma thought. She also told the girl to not return it to her but she had refused, saying she couldn't keep such an expensive thing and would bring it back the first thing in the morning.
Manorma let out a conceited snort, "We don't take back what we have donated, girl." she had whispered to her and the girl had cringed in response. Payal wanted to come out of that dress the same moment but she had no option, she couldn't walk around with that large red blot on her clothes they had reasoned.
"Arre wah jiji, you look so pretty." Khushi squealed looking at her sister, "What happened to your clothes by the way and where did you get such a pretty dress from?" Payal grimaced.
"Where were you Khushi? I had been looking for you, what took you so long? I was worried." said Payal.
"I told you I was going to the poolside, didn't I. I met that Laad Governor there, that arrogant curse on humanity." she grumbled.
"Did he say something bad to you?" Payal asked concerned forgetting all her problems.
"It doesn't matter jiji, he's such a bitter man, he perhaps can't get his digestive system in order unless he says something bad. Forget it you tell me what happened to you?"
Payal sighed and told her the happenings during her absence.
****
Lavanya Kashyap had been waiting for this moment, her surprise for the evening was two of Bollywood's best dance groups, one choreographed by Ganesh Acharya and the other by Farah Khan, she had contacted their manager a week before and arranged for them to be in Delhi for the party. She knew with Devyani Raizada and all the party wasn't going to be any fun. She badly needed a way of letting her hair down and adding a flavor of glamour to this drab meet-and-greet ceremony.
She grinned into the mike announcing the arrival of the dance groups, five minutes later the lights in the hall went out and a makeshift stage in the center was illuminated with laser lights and large LEDs. On the stage stood scantily clad women and shirtless men as a ten minute long remixed medley music blared over the speakers, they started with Chikini Chameli the year's greatest hit, then Shakira's 'Hips don't lie', Madonna's 'Erotica', Randy Crawford's 'Give Me the Night' and ended with another Bollywood raunchy ditty Character Dheela, all along the dancer's moves matching the sexual undertones of the lyrics, and the unsuspecting crowd stood agape some wallowing in while others scandalized.
Devyani Raizada topped the list of those scandalized but Lavanya couldn't care less for the first time since she had entered Raizada Mansion, the rules and regulations of the code of conduct that the matriarch kept on spewing had finally gotten her nerves and she had lost it to an extent. To Arnav, his girlfriend had completely and irrevocably lost it. He threw Lavanya a look of sheer disdain and annoyance but she didn't seem to notice as she herself joined the group dance. So far he had defended her in his house, especially before his Nani but right at this moment he knew the last time he would defend his girlfriend was long gone. He looked to his side where the old lady of the house stood, her face cringed and the wrinkles doubling. And he felt almost apologetic. Almost.
Anjali wanted to yell. So much for hoping that Nani would one day accept Lavanya with open arms. The girl just did not understand that there was a helluva difference in AR's culture and RM's culture. Even her husband was frowning and shaking his head.
Shyam spotted them over a corner. The girls were still there, sweets were to be served at the end of dinner how was he to save himself all this while with all the attention he was getting? Soon they would come and sure enough, the first people to be served Lucknavi delicacies would be him and Anjali. Although he did not quite enjoy the dance, he grimaced when the lights came back. Restless in trepidation, his forehead and palms became damp with sweat, people were talking around him, all the Raizada's had come together, discussing something in hushed tones, but he couldn't listen, nothing.
In the past few weeks he had woven a web of lies, not that he had never lied before but this time round he was caught like a cloth in cactus, between duty and desire, between sanity and craziness, between wealth and love and he couldn't let go either. He heard about and saw the anniversary cake being carried towards them in silver topped trolley. His eyes became unfocussed, he couldn't hide for long. His fists clenched and he felt a rather cold hand around his shoulders. "MJ, MJ are you all right?" she asked her brows tenderly knitted together in worry and concern.
"Huh?"
"You don't look alright to me."
He simply stared at her.
"You phone's been ringing. I thought you didn't want to pick it up right now." said Anjali.
Without a word he took out his phone, the call was from an unknown number. He looked at her again as if asking her for permission. Anjali nodded, "Is it someone important?" she asked, "Why are you sweating honey?"
"I am fine. Just fine. I wasn't feeling good a while back. Sorry. I am fine. I should take the call." he stuttered trying to sound confident. When the caller called for the third time he picked up.
"Am I speaking to Mr. Shyam?" said a clipped female voice.
"Yes?"
"Sir I am speaking from Apollo Hospital. A Mr. Vikram Ahuja met with a severe accident, we retrieved his phone and you appear first on the emergency number list."
"Vikram?" Shyam forgot all about the predicament he was in, "How, how is he doing? Is he alright?" Anjali upon hearing the name became nervous. She gave his shoulder a little squeeze. In all the years she had known her husband, she knew that Vikram was his closest friend and closest to family, he had told her that he had no real family and Vikram- his college friend was all he had. Vikram had been obviously invited and she had been wondering how he had failed to show up.
"He's doing pretty bad sir, but his condition is stable. He needs some family member around him." Shyam was visibly relieved.
"I'll be there ma'am. I'll be there in ten minutes." he said and hung the phone. Curious and worried faces of his wife's family looked at him. "I am sorry, but on his way to the Mansion Vikram met with an unfortunate accident. I have no choice, I'll have to leave. He needs me" Shyam did not know what to feel right now.
Should he thank God for this blessing in disguise, a solid escape from this hell of a place? Or should he be worried sick and cry for the safety of his only friend? Vikram, his confidante, one with whom he had begun his journey into this life in Delhi. From Lucknow University to Delhi courts, one man who knew all about him and everything of the man was known to him. He just did not know what to feel.
"I'll come with you." said Anjali quietly.
"No Rani Saheba, with all the guests around and everything you must not leave this place. Let this party go on. I'll be fine." he said reassuringly.
"But..." she protested.
"I'll go with him." offered Mahendra Singh Raizada, Shyam shook his head resisting again until Manorma grabbed the chance and chimed in. "It's decided MJ, you are not going alone, you don't look well, Akash will go with you." It brought a unanimous agreement and so Shyam still frantically looking around for the faces he had to avoid stumbled his way out, colliding a couple of times with people, out from the hall, away from all almost holding on to Akash for support.
*****
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