Part 18 ~ Day 8
note : in my story, Sohum is an Engineer who works at a farm, not a farmer. that's why he is getting in touch with businessmen and stuff.
In the morning, Sohum wakes up alone in his room, he feels weird. He doesn't know what it is but there is a deafening silence all around. He hasn't been alone at home for so long that he forgot what it was like. He gets ready to go at the keth but he feels really not in the mood. Taking his breakfast alone cuts down his appetite, not having anyone to tell good morning too, hanging alone in the house feels totally foreign to him and he doesn't like it one bit. He thinks about rajji and imagines her being around. This puts a smile on his face.
"Sohum...? SOHUM!?"
Sohum gets back from his lala-land. He looks who called for him : it's cuggi.
Sohum : "what is it cuggi? I didn't hear you enter."
Cuggi : "yaar what is going on ? you were looking weird, staring into emptiness with a smile plastered on your face."
Sohum is embarrassed because he must have looked stupid. "Shut up cuggi ! tell me why you came so early instead of talking nonsense!"
Cuggi : "oh right, this morning started badly : there is problem at the keth, some pipes got damaged, we have to fix the situation quick, come on hurry, we have to go at the keth right now!"
Sohum and cuggi leave the house right then and in the precipitation, he forgets his phone at home.
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At Rajji's house, everyone is waiting for Sohum to come and pick up rajji. Rajji phones Sohum to tell him that he can come and pick her up. No one is picking up the phone. Rajji tries again a few minutes later but still nothing, she is getting worried. Binder tells her to phone on the landline but still no one picks up.
Rajji decides to wait but she keeps looking at her phone and towards the door but no one is coming. Nirvail is getting nervous too because he doesn't like Sohum's careless attitude. After some time, the frustration he was trying to fight back overweighs everything else and he says "was this his plan? To let you here?"
beejee scolds him and tell him to calm down right now. She says "let's not hope for the worst yet ! maybe something happened to him".
Rajji says that he came home safe last night because he had texted her before sleeping.
Sarab say "let's wait some more. There is nothing urgent anyway".
After lunch sarab says at nirvail "let's go, we will go and leave rajji back at her house and see if everything is okay with sohum".
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Off they go. They come at sohum's house. No one is there. Rajji goes to look in the room but no one is here. Then she notices sohum's phone on the night stand. She comes out of the room and shows the phone at her father. She says he must have forgotten it this morning before going out.
Nirvail says "but where did he get lost when he knew that he had to come and get you?!"
rajji says "dad, calm down please. maybe he had an emergency"
sarab says "Yes, maybe he's at the keth. Looks up in his phone rajji, there must be cuggi phone's number."
Rajji looks up the phone number and gives the phone at her father, he calls.
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Sohum and cuggi have repaired the emergency. Cuggi says he's going to go get a glass of water to drink but his phone rings. The ID shows sohum's number. Cuggi is very confused and answers "hello?"
Sarab : "hello cuggi? It's sarab. Sorry for calling on your phone but Sohum forgot his phone at home, can you pass me Sohum ?"
cuggi says "No problem uncle jee, he is with me, I'll give it to him"
cuggi tells sohum that sarab in on the phone. Sohum is confused. On the phone sarab explains the situation, telling him that they were a bit worried. Sohum apologizes and says that he'll come home right now. Once he hangs up, cuggi can see that Sohum is very angry at himself for once again forgetting about rajji. He says bye and runs home.
Once Sohum reaches home, he apologizes to sarab and nirvail. He thanks them for bringing back rajji. Nirvail seems angry but sarab doesn't let him create a scene and they go, leaving Rajji and Sohum alone.
Sohum Rajji, I'm sorry, there was an emergency at the keth and cuggi..." he notices that Rajji is avoiding his eyes (she is turned sideways, looking at the floor). Sohum stops talking and puts his hand on her shoulder. Rajji looks at sohum and tears up.
Sohum is confused "Rajji...? kiya hua? Why are you crying?"
Rajji looks a bit panicked and says "you were not answering your phone, you weren't answering home then you weren't home. I got worried something might have happened to you." Sohum stares at her in surprise, then starts laughing at the situation.
Rajji didn't expect him to laugh. She is getting angry "is this funny to you sohum?" and she hits him with her little fists. Without hesitating he takes her in his arms. "here I was worried of coming home because I thought you might scold me for being late. But look at you, all worried for me!" He laughs again.
She starts to laugh too. "well, I told you I'm such a good wife!"
he looks at her, suddenly realizing he is hugging her. He takes her by the shoulder and steps back. He says "well then if you're such a nice wife, would you please make me something to eat, I haven't eaten this morning since I rushed out home." (he doesn't tell her he didn't eat because he didn't feel like eating alone)
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As they sit to eat, rajji asks "but what happened at the keth? You seem to be under a lot of pressure lately."
Sohum explains the keth situation : some reputed NRI businessmen have been impressed by his work at the keth and his innovative idea and they have proposed him a partnership with them, it'll lead him to have a job in Canada.
Rajji is shocked. "But does that mean... you'll have to leave for Canada?"
Sohum feels suddenly uncomfortable; he knows that this conjuncture is not something that will make Rajji happy. He says "... Yeah I think so". He notices rajji worried expression "But nothing is definitive yet. I want to talk to veer jee about it before taking any decision so it's not like it's a done deal. "
The phones rings and Sohum gets up to answer. It's angad, his saying that they'll be back tomorrow. Sohum hangs up the phone and tells the news to rajji.
She gets up too and say "Well, I should clean up the house a bit."
Sohum looks around "But Rajji... the house seems perfectly cleaned up to me."
Rajji says jokingly. "Arey Sohum jee you don't understand this type of thing. We, women, see things that you men don't."
Sohum laughs, he says "well then, if you need anything, just call me."
"you watch me, I can do it all be myself. Don't you remember that Buwha jee said I was a well rounded bahu to this house? " Rajji smiles proudly and condescendingly and gets out the living room as he sits to read the papers.
Rajji puts order the kitchen, does the laundry, swifts off the dust and then she goes outside with a bucket to take water so she can clean the floor. Unfortunately she doesn't succeed in turning on the tap. She puts her hands on her hips and says out loud "how am I supposed to clean the floors if I don't have water. I don't have those big muscles men have!"
Sohum is in the doorway he says with a condescending smile "Hey well rounded bahu, do you need a hand?" Rajji turns around surprised. Sohum get closer and gets down to turn on the tap. Suddenly a water jet hits rajji from the pipe . She gasps and looks angrily at sohum who is laughing out loud. (he didn't throw the water at her, it just happened)
Rajji "You find this funny?" she says as she takes some straw sitting nearby and throws it at sohum. His mouths fall open when he sees the reprisal. So he turns the tap on again. Rajji rushes to it and try to gather some water in her hand to wet sohum (at this point they are both laughing), he throws some straw at her too (it falls on her hair) and she continues to gather water to wet him so he gets close and gets hold of her hand. Somehow they both start to be quiet (they are standing infront if each other, soaked and covered with straw, sohum holding both of rajji's hands of his at chest level). They eye lock for a moment.
Rajji is uncomfortable, she tries to look down but he brings up her face and then picks a few straw sticks from her hair. Her hands are on his chest. Then she says "...Sohum..." (as in what are we doing') and sohum snaps out of the moment and takes a step back. He feels confused and weird. He says "I shouldn't disturb you, you still have a lot of work left. I'm going to the bazaar.", he brushes of the straw of his hair and clothes and leaves on his bike.
Rajji stands alone, she doesn't exactly realize what just happen but she puts a hand on her heart and says "Easy Heart, we can't afford to fall in love."
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When sohum comes back in the evening, the house is very tidy (the sheets of the couch have been changed, there are decorations added up) He goes in the kitchen but rajji isn't there. He goes into the room calling "Raj-..." he stops when he sees that she is sleeping on the bed. He gets out of the room and seems to be thinking.
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Later on, he comes back and sits by rajji's side who is still sleeping. He is hesitant at first (she looks so cute when she is sleeping, he doesn't want to wake her up) but decides to wake her up. She wakes up a bit disorientated . She sits up straight and asks what time it is. He says "It's 8pm already". She is worried because she hasn't made dinner yet.
Getting up, he says "There is no need to worry" she looks at him confused. He tilts his head as in "follow me". He holds out the bedroom door open for her. As she comes into the living room, Rajji sees that he has put candles and flowers on the table.
She turns around and says "...Sohum...?"
he says "I thought my well rounded wife deserved to rest after all the work she has done today. So I made you dinner." He comes in front of her, takes her hand and brings her to the couch. Rajji admires all the food and dishes. They both sit.
"Sohum? You made this all?"
"Yes. I did it myself. I can be a well rounded pati too!"
He gives her a coy smile and they both laugh as they sit to eat.
Edited by rajji-cutest - 10 years ago
Pushpa Impossible
51