FF : Love revisited - Page 14

The melodious sound of clock followed by 7 bells informs Kalpi that it's time to get up... She feels like sleeping some more time as now her mornings are not as busy as it used to be... Some 3-4 years back she had to rush to kitchen to prepare Ria's food and than her own... Raghav had already started having the lunch meetings with his clients. She used to make sure that Ria keeps the books according to the time table and gets ready in proper uniform but now Ria is an independent kid who manages all this alone.. N their lunch is being prepared by the best chefs of india.. Even her tiffin is also been prepared according to the time table stuck on the wall of kitchen... though the time table was of her choice but still she is the person who follows heart n doesn't like binding herself in regular schedule... Finally she opens her eyes and goes to Ria's room to check her... She looks at her daughter who is sitting in the uniform n drinking the milk... her bag is packed and hair open... Kalpi offers to tie them in a band but Ria declines saying it's fashion.. Kalpi laughs on it but reality strikes soon that her daughter is getting younger before the age.. n she needs to keep an eye on her activities. Kalpi takes out the medicine and keeps it in Ria's bag.. informing her not to forget taking it after the lunch.. Ria nods in yes and gives a lovely kiss to her mamma saying her goodbye. Kalpi as usual texts Ria's sports teacher, Mr. Ramesh to remind her to take medicine after lunch. Ria's sports teacher is a good friend of Raghav and knows kalpi through him... Though Raghav is not in touch with him but Kalpi made sure that she in contact with him so that she can keep an eye on Ria's health in school and he willingly agreed to help her and in return she helps his niece with free notes and tuitions who is in the same college where Kalpi is professor.

Kalpi finally goes to her room, it is the only time of the day when she ocme to her room... as her clothes are still there and she doesn't want Riya to know that her mom is staying in guest room. She checks her wardrobe n takes out plain yellow chiffon saree with bottle green thin border and green blouse with it. Though wearing suits is allowed in her college but she prefers wearing saree as it makes her look like a professor n not the student of the college.. After taking the hot shower for more than half hour, she feels relaxed..She ties the saree n pins it up properly to give her a professional look. She applies the subtle make up which hides her dark circles and few age signs and the kajaal to enhance her puffed eyes. Raghav who has arrived in the room looks at her... their eyes meet through mirror.. She lowers her eyes while he looks at her pretty wife who still looks as awesome as she was looking at the day of their marriage..

He comes forward to her.. She gets up and turns around.. He traces her fingers at her eyes and takes oout the kaajal and puts it on her back saying, "This is to protect my beautiful wife from my evil eyes." She blushes and hugs him tightly.. He too hugs her back saying, "I am sorry but I still love u the way I used to do. Please do not leave me."

"Ouch..." Her voice takes him back to the reality.. he is still standing at the door staring his beautiful wife.. The blood was oozing out from kalpi's thumb.. She has cut her hand with the safety pin which she was putting back in the box.. Raghav rushes to her and takes out the first aid and pulls her thumb to clean the wound but she pulls it back and snatches the box from Raghav's hand and starts tending to her wound. Raghav goes away from their and starts searching something in the cup board while his eyes fixed on her wound.. After she wraps the bad aid on the thumb.. She leaves the room without giving a glance to Raghav but still feeling happy to see his concern for her.

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On the way to college.. kalpi sees her mom and sister coming out of the temple.. She looks at her father waiting for them in the car. Their eyes meet but her father turns turns his face away from her while she avoided seeing her mother or talking to her.. She turns her face in the opposite direction and speeds up her car.

"Thank God I reached early.. now I will indulge myself in teaching students and the past won't affect me anymore." She said while parking her car in it's usual place. After spending few initial minutes in the staff room, she happily leaves to take the class but unfortunately, her 1^st period is free coz of the mass bunk of final years student.. She turns to her cabin and sits on her chair lifelessly while faces of her family revolving in front of her...

She remembers her mother, Mrs. Kamla Vitthal Jadhav... n the mention of her mother brings the memories of her taunts and curses...When she was a child she failed to understand the reason of her mother's hatred towards her but as she was growing she started understanding that her mom is angry on her coz she is a girl and that too a blacky. She realized that her mother wanted a son as her first child to impress her mother in law but God gave her Kalpi... and that too with an average look... Once for drawing her mom's attention towards her she applied lots of powder on her face but instead of a warm hug she was prized with a warm slap and her mother finally hurting her saying, "This powder won't make u beautiful and lucky like your younger sister Maya."

When Kalpi was 2 years old, Kamla gave birth to twins.. Maya and Pakya.. pakya has the average looks and the dark color just like Kalpi. But he wass the king of house coz he was the boy.. Kamla used to pamper him a lot and given him all the facilities.. As a result of which he is working in London and has forgotten his family completely. Once in a year he comes to india but his foreigner wife doesn't feel comfortable here so they don't stay for long.

Maya too got her share of love as she was the charmer,she has sharp features like Kalpi but her skin tone is milky white unlike Kalpi. She is considered as lucky by her mom coz she brought Pakya with her unlike kalpi who brought a doubt to Kamla about her 2^nd pregnancy... Kamla had some complications in the first pregnancy and doctors were unsure whether she will be able to conceive again n she used to blame Kalpi for all this.. Kalpi understood this only when she was the teenager and kamla in her anger blurted the truth. Right now Maya is unmarried and a super model.

Kamla's partiality dint affect the siblings bond.. kalpi and Maya became best friends forever and pakya.. he was always a protective brother. Kalpi's father Vitthal is a gem of person and was always affectionate towards Kalpi and used to call her dusky beauty with brain.. on which kalpi used to laugh n hug her dad.. he has pampered kalpi a lot and tried his best to show her extra love so that she doesn't feel neglected from her mother but kalpi always craved for her mother's love. Her father was her support system.

While she is busy in her past she sees someone standing on the door of her cabin with his charming smile... The best and most loving professor of the college.. A young and dashing guy with the heavy name.. "Samar Raizada". Though he is 8 years younger to Kalpi but they have become good friends in lesser time. His good nature is his USP and that's why he is famous among the students and they have named him "Sammy Sir" and soon everyone started calling him Sammy.

"What happen Kalpana Mam?? R u avoiding me from past few days??" He asked while pulling a chair for himself.

"No Sammy, it's nothing like that. I am just busy ." She said as if pretending to be busy and looking at something in the notebook kept in front of her.

"Ok.. I won't disturb u than but I have seen u lost somewhere..n I know about ur divorce.. So if u ever feel like sharing something... U can" He said while waving a good bye to her and leaving the room.

Kalpi feels relieved on seen him going... And she remembers how for once mom showed her loving side to her but that was just for few minutes.

Flashback

Kalpi comes home with the trophy in her hand and keeps it in the shelf which is already full with her awards... This time she is national topper of 10^th boards and school has given this trophy to hers... Her name and photographs is flashing in all newspapers and magazines and her mom is enjoying the attention she is getting among all the relatives. Kamla looks at Kalpi coming back from the school and hugs her. To her surprise, Kamla gave a kiss on her cheeks and said, "I am proud of u Kalpi." Maya is very happy on seeing Kalpi getting her mother's love and brings sweets for them.. while Vitthal n Pakya are enjoying the equation. After some usual chit chat Kamla said to Kalpi, "Kalpi beta... This is the school form of best school of Mumbai.. fill it and take the science stream.. I want u to become a scientist and make us proud, the way u did today."

"But Ayi... I do not like science. I want to take Arts as I want to be a professor." She said while picking another piece of sweet.

"What?? Arts.. no Kalpi... u r going to take science only. " She said while giving an angry glare to Kalpi. Kalpi shivers on looking the old Ayi back and gets up from her side and sits beside her father.

"Kamla... Kalpi will take arts only if she wants to. Do not force her." Vitthal said in declarative tone.

"Thank u baba" Kalpi hugged Vitthal.

"Do whatever u want... It was my mistake that I accepted something from this blacky. I have my princess Maya to fulfill all my dreams." Kamla said while caressing maya.

Tears start rolling form Kalpi's eyes. His father wipes them and starts filling the form for Arts branch.

Flashback ends

After that day Kalpi and Kamla's relationship got worse... Kamla has limited her conversation with Kalpi.. Though that means the taunts and curses had reduced too n Kalpi too had stopped making efforts for them as she had accepted the fact that she has to live without her mother for whole life but she has a loving father.. She never knew that her father will be so angry on her that she will lose him as well.

Flashback

Kalpi reaches her home after having a bike ride with Raghav... She made sure that Raghav dorps her at decent distance from her bunglow but to her bad luck her mom had seen her with Raghav while going to the market. She opens the door and hear loud noises of her parents arguing over something... This is very unusual for her as her father rarely loses his calm and fights with her mom. She tries to overhear..

"I trust kalpi more than anyone... I know she will never do such thing. She has a aim in her life and hence she won't marry with the guy u want. U might have seen her with a guy but he must be his friend only. Grow up Kamla and stop blaming my daughter for everything." Vitthal says.

"The closeness between that guy and ur blacky was telling the relationship between them. Let marry her off to the guy of my choice else she will..." Kamla argued.

"Stop Kamla... I won't hear a single word against my daughter... U have always seen her dark color but have u seen her sharp features.. her good manners?? I said I trust my daughter and she will marry the man of my choice after her Ph. D. and that's final." Vitthal said.

"U will regret one day... m saying u." Kamla said and leaves to the kitchen. Kalpi comes to her baba and stutters, "Baba.. wo ayi.. Actually."

"Don't worry Kalpi.. u know ur Ayi. Do not feel hurt baccha." Vitthal said lovingly.

"Baba.. ayi is telling the truth.. I love Raghav. U have met him and he is a nice guy." She said in one breath.

Vitthal was too shock to respond.. he knows Raghav and his economical condition.. But more than the guy, he was shocked on realizing that his daughter broke hi trust.

"Kamla... Kamla. Call that boy u were talking about." Vitthal said in anger. Kamla comes and stand there with "I said so" expression.

"No baba... I won't marry someone else." Kalpi said firmly.

Flashback ends

That was the last day when Vitthal talked to her. She tried convincing him a lot but he never give in..