Another Parud FF - Clear blue skies I(upto Chapter 50) - Page 54

12:00 am. It had been exactly two days since she last spoke to her husband. She tossed on the bed and her palms caressed his pillow. She drew it nearer and inhaled his scent. It was getting faint. He only called her once to inform that he reached. But everytime she tried to contact him, he wasn't reachable. Her uncle had informed that cellular network wasn't very trustworthy on away missions. But the mission was proceeding as expected. She was tempted to ask how he managed to contact Rudra so easily but decided not to. They probably had more important things to deal with than a wife missing her husband. She switched on the nightlight and saw the drooping red rose. "He must be tired too," she mused remembering how he tended to work himself to the bone when it came to his BSD missions. She walked to the foot of the bed and pressed the dying bloom in a book. They represented him, they had to be preserved. Her glance fell on her portrait above their bed. She frowned. "If only he was standing next to me in this," she thought to herself. The moonlight streaming through the window highlighted a black mark in the snow. She went closer to get a better look. Rudra Pratap Ranavat . His familiar scrawl was clear. She beamed with joy. So he was there in this portrait after all. She settled down to sleep holding his pillow tight.

3 a.m. She gave up. Sleeping alone was just too hard. She made her way to the aangan when she found someone sitting by a small lamp. She went closer stealthily grabbing a broom from the corner. "Hey Bholenath! Dhua kumari, where did you aparrate from this time of the night? Did you decide to sweep the stars off the sky?" Mohini Ranavat scolded. Paro immediately flung the article and apologized quickly. She just fixed her pallu firmly on her chignon and continued her needlework. "What are you doing Kakisa?" Paro asked curiously. The older woman fondly smiled as her hands wove beautiful patterns on the dark green saree. "When I brought Samrat home after delivery, my mother-in-law had gifted a saree for me. She had embroidered it herself. She did the same when Sumer and Sunheri were born too. I had decided to do the same for my daughters-in-law when they were blessed with children. But I never get around to do it when Shanti came to us," she explained. Paro smiled silently. She knew this was the softer side of her mother-in-law which was hidden from the world. She remembered how hard it was for her to accept her niece. She couldn't wait for her sister's reaction to this gesture. She sat down and caressed the soft chiffon. Green, Jeeja's favourite colour. Mohini stiffened and pulled it away. "I don't know whether I'll get a chance to make one for you. You spend your entire day working like an ox and spend your nights wandering about like a ghost. Soon you fall sick and that camel will get obsessed with your health than plan a family," she scolded. Paro looked down guiltily she was trying to distract herself with work so that his absence is not felt so strongly. "I'll take care of my health, Kakisa. Rudra... I mean your nephew won't have to worry about that," she assured her. She was asked to go back to bed. But she refused saying she wanted to start on her chores early. "Okay, then bring me a cup of tea," came the instruction. She nodded with a smile and proceeded to the kitchen.

A few minutes later Paro returned with two cups of steaming hot tea. "Beendini, are there rats in your room that you couldn't sleep without Rudra banna in your room?" Mohini asked. The young woman shook her head vigorously. She didn't want to show that her husband being away was giving her sleepless nights. "If you want you can sleep in Sunheri's room like before, till he returns ," Mohini suggested remembering how Rudra had her stay with him before. Maybe the girl was afraid of the dark. Paro thought for a minute and replied, "Kakisa, she has exams coming up where she has to study so many big fat books. If I am around, she might be distracted." The older woman was gave her a strange look, "Maithili told me that you have signed up for classes too at your NGO. So you'll have studies to focus on too." Paro beamed and replied that her classes just started and it was more interactive than a formal education. There was no studying to do. There was a young man who has come to teach them English from an arts college in Jaipur. So far she had learnt how to greet people in English. Mohini was amused as she was asked, "Won't your nephew be surprised when he returns?" The young wife had no clue how her husband was already wrapped around her little finger even without trying. She remembered how her sister had wanted to charm Dilsher when they were newly married when everything seemed perfect. She hoped this young bride had a stronger and more loyal heart. After all it wasn't easy being married to a Ranavat. She nodded when the girl said she was going to attend to the other tasks planned for the day.

A few hours later, Paro found herself at the tourist center in Jaipur unable to concentrate on anything. Something in her heart warned that Rudra was not having an easy time. He was probably hurt and far from help. Why else will he ignore her calls? Shatabdi teased and said her husband is too busy playing hero to think of his heroine. But even heroes sustain injury don't they? And she had seen him in action to know how he fights ruthlessly and recklessly with no regard to his personal safety. Mrs. Sisodia had told her that it will get easier with time and Rudra will be careful because he knows that he has a darling of a wife waiting for his safe return. She then send both girls off an early lunch. The two friends decided to have lunch outside watching the tourists. Shatabdi ate in silence watching her friend pick on her food. Her resolve to not to marry a uniformed man was strengthened. She had watch her mother pine away for years. She knew that it doesn't really get easier with time. Maybe like her parents suggested she should meet Sumer. She saw a man in bright coloured clothes walking towards them. She shook herself. He looked like Sumer. She needed to get a hold of herself. She wasn't one of those girls who day dream about charming princes who will sweep them of their feet. Though Sumer was definitely a charmer. "Paro, I'll be right back," she said excusing herself before saying anything stupid.

Paro frowned at the food which her jeeja had made so lovingly. It tasted wonderful but she couldn't enjoy even a small bite as she wondered if Rudra was eating his burnt potatoes and dry rotis. She almost shut the box when she heard a voice, "How can you not eat Maithili bhabhisa's palak?" She swiftly turned almost dropping the lid. Sumer gave her a goofy grin in apology. He never meant to startle her. He gave her a few bags, "I bought some toys and sweets for Shanti. I may not come home this weekend. So I was hoping you could hand it over to bhabhisa." Paro took the bag from him and replied that his mother would miss him if he doesn't visit frequently. He laughed, "No, she would hate it if I come now during tourist season. She wants me to become a responsible person away from my Chandangarh friends." Paro defended his mother saying that most parents have big dreams for their children and Kakisa is also like that. She managed to see the kind heart even in his brutish cousin it shouldn't be a big surprise for her to see the best in his mother too. "Next time, bhabisa makes Palak, bring some for me too," he said, looking forlorn. She wondered if he was cooking for himself like Bapusa used to. "You can have this, I'll eat something else," she offered. He gleefully gobbled the rotis.

Shatabdi found them both sitting in companionable silence. "Paro, don't tell me you are planning to skip your meal," she scolded. Sumer stopped, he felt like the school bully who steals other children's lunches. He looked carefully, she didn't look like she was taking care of herself. "I'm not very hungry," she said truthfully. Her friend glared at Sumer who was busy counting his fingers. "Rudra has been away for three days na?" he asked. Paro nodded woefully. "He won't even answer my calls. I don't know what he is doing." Sumer understood what the problem was. "Bhabhisa, I think you should eat. He will be back in a day or two. If he is hurt, you need to be strong enough to take care of him," he said casually. Shatabdi was shocked at his words. Her friend was already thinking of the worst and he wasn't helping. "I'm sure he isn't hurt, Paro. It's a rescue mission conducted through diplomatic channels," she clarified. "Then stop worrying so much. Tomorrow there is a fair at Jetpur. Go there buy a lot of pretty trinkets for yourself, something that will blow his mind when he returns," he teased. She blushed thinking of the waist chain with blue beads she had recently bought. He loved her waistchains. She muttered that she was going to leave the bag inside. She thought of the choli which was decorated with mirrors just like he had requested. Sumer bhaisa was right, he could return home anytime. She just had to be patient and prepare for his homecoming.

Sumer saw his sister-in-law walk away bashfully. He almost laughed thinking of her worries. His cousin can take any foe on field. His greatest enemy was closer home and reaching out to steal their peace. Mala Tejawat, the woman she used to call as Thakurain maasa. She was the one with the power to crush Rudra's soul. Just like she did all those years ago. And she wouldn't hesitate to do that again. Just like she did in the tunnel when he held a gun to his head. The image of him trying to hold himself together when he saw her siding with a criminal and the effort it took to focus on his mission was branded on his mind. He never truly sympathized with his cousin and his trials until then. He felt a slap on his shoulder and turned around to see Shatabdi's furious face. "She was barely eating or sleeping and you tell her that her husband could come back hurt" she shouted. He laughed, "Calm down, that crazy camel she married is always drawn to scraps and I will be very suprised if he returns without a scratch." She couldn't argue with that, this was the reason why he was BSD's favoured officer and everyone else's nightmare. "Look, just convince her to go to the fair. He won't stay away for too long. He will be missing her too. The gaiety there will keep her spirits up until he returns," he advised. She stared at his back as he walked away whistling. There seemed to be more than a goofy, mama's boy to Sumer Ranavat.