CHAPTER 39
Three weeks later...
On their arrival, he spotted the constable waiting for them
at the exit with a huge grin on his face. He knew that Natwarlal was happy to
see his mistress who smiled back at him. He knew what will happen next, How
was your trip memsaab? It has been so dull without you around? How is your
sister now? Blah... blah... blah..., till they reach the haveli when she will be
swept away by the others who demand her
attention. No. He wanted some alone time with her after sharing her with her
sister's family for weeks now. "How are you Natwarji? It's so nice to see you,"
Paro said in her usual cherry voice. The constable saluted to Rudra and took
the bags. "I'm fine memsaab. How was your trip?" he asked. Rudra wanted to
laugh. He let them catch up and walked behind them.
He noticed the glances of the other commuters as he called
Aman. They created a nice picture. A
stunning young lady escorted by a portly constable who found everything she
said fascinating. And the way she kept looking back at him with a twinkle in
her eye and a smile paying on her face proving to the world that she belonged
to him. He smiled back. Her off-white
dress covered her exquisite form from head to toe in net and zari and
made her look like a princess. She shouldn't be travelling in dusty jeep a bedecked
palanquin carried by able men surrounded by royal guards holding bright spears.
She was a queen. His queen. And when she alighted at his home, her feet
should never touch the cold floor. But be placed on the softest petals strewn
from the threshold to their private chambers. Her homecoming should be marked by music and
laughter and...
He snapped out of his daydream as she got into the jeep. He
needed to whisk her away now before she is stolen from him. "I'll come by
headquarters after sometime, Aman," he said and dropped his phone into his
pockets. He called the constable aside and whispered something. "What's going
on? Where is Natwarji going?" Paro asked. He simply pecked her cheek, "So I can
do this." Besharam, she thought to herself as she turned pink. She
fiddled with the ends of her dupatta as he smirked. He knew she won't scold him
even though she hated this kind of attention in public. She hadn't been this care
free for days. Though she would be more comfortable if there was nobody around
and that's what she would get.
Constable Natwarlal returned with a small parcel. Rudra took
it from him and dismissed him instantly. He left with a slight nod to Paro. He
would resume his regular duties as her guardian from tomorrow. Today his
superior had other plans for his lovely wife.
Rudra handed the parcel to her, "Your homecoming gift." Before
she could ask what it was her phone rang. "Jeeja!" she exclaimed. He pulled it
out of her and held his finger to her lips quietening her. "Devaranisa, has
your flight landed? We are all waiting for you with aarti taal and
jaimala. When can we expect your presence amongst us," Maithili asked in
a teasing tone. Rudra shook his head to his wife who was trying to push his
hand away. "Bhabhisa... um... Paro isn't here," he lied. Paro pouted at his
deception, she wanted to know what her sister wanted to tell her. "No... um...
there has been some delay... due to fog," he added. Paro's doe-like eyes grew
wide. "Don't worry. I'll take very good care of your sister," he assured as his
fingers traced her lips.
The minute he ended the call Paro scolded, "Why did cook up
stories about a fog? Poor Jeeja must be worried." He grew angry at her
accusation. He hated to deceive his bhabhisa, a woman he respected a lot. He
didn't need to be told off about it. "I just wanted to take you somewhere. If
your jeeja's feelings are more important I'll just take you home," he yelled
before walking over to the front of the jeep. Paro sighed. Her husband loses
his temper too easily. "Wait! I didn't know you had made plans for us," she
said leaping out of the back of the jeep. "So what? Your jeeja is worried na?"
he asked unwilling to let go of his anger.
She held his hand through the jeep door, "Jeeja never worries when my
rakshak is with me. Besides you have already told her we will be
delayed." Rudra looked away guiltily. He hated to lie to Maithili bhabhisa,
someone whom he respected a lot in their household. But he didn't want to share every little
detail with the Ranavats like Paro usually did.
"Rudra... are you listening?" she asked shaking his arm
gently. "Where do you want to take me?" she repeated her question. He asked if
she was sure she wanted to come along. She nodded eagerly. "Then why did you
jump out of the jeep? Couldn't you just stay put back there?" he scolded. She
rolled her eyes before walking over to the other side and climbing into the
vehicle. "No, I am your wife. I don't want to feel like your prisoner, tied up
in the back," she reasoned. He started the vehicle and commented that are
advantages to being tied up. She smacked his shoulder. He laughed, "Think about
it Paro. If I hadn't tied your hands during that bumpy trip, you would have
hurt that pretty head of yours." She frowned, they both knew that he did it
because he didn't trust her and not for her safety.
"Okay, forget about that trip. Did you open that parcel
yet?" he changed the topic. She opened the paper wrappings to find some salt. "You
know, I'm probably the only wife in the world who gets salt as a present," she
observed. He commented that she was the only wife in the world who gets excited
by tamarind and salt. "But this is only salt where is the tamarind?" she
enquired. He smiled at her childishness. "Patience, my wife. Patience. That
will be provided too," he promised as he exited the parking lot.
Back the Ranavat haveli, Sumer wasn't amused as he stalked
the corridors. He saw Shatabdi coming his way. "Eeek!" she shouted as he pulled
her behind one of the pillars. Once she realised who it was she grew annoyed.
"Sumer! I'm holding a mug of hot coffee in my hand. What if it had spilt?" she
scolded. "Shhh! Maasa has gone up to the terrace. We have 5 minutes to remind
ourselves that we are newlyweds before you are sent to the guest room," he
begged. She sipped her brew to hide her smile. He hated the current living
arrangements. She wasn't supposed to move in with him until the post wedding
rituals concluded. And that wasn't happening till Paro returned. "Don't laugh.
It's not funny. That camel gets to go on a second honeymoon. But I can't even
spend time alone with my bride. It's not fair," he pouted. She placed her hand
on his cheek and said, "Relax. They will be back today." He shook his head,
"No, apparently there has been some delay. He lied to bhabhisa a few minutes
back."
Mala heard his last words and fumed. Again someone was
trying to keep her son away. She observed the new couple's pose and wondered if
she should interrupt to get more news. Then she decided against it. This boy
will admit it to his wife anyway and she could eavesdrop.
Shatabdi thought for a minute. Flight delays weren't
abnormal. But Sumer didn't agree. "He wanted to spend time with Paro. They are
in Rajasthan only. If Thausa had asked he would have just admitted it and told
us all to leave him alone. He won't rush home unless his Paro is waiting for
him," he explained.
Mala wanted to band the wall with her head. How could she
convey to him that his mother was waiting for him? Didn't he miss her at all?
Was that nasty girl so important to him? She had become so rude with the
Ranavat money and the power it brought. She had a good mind to reveal that she
is her mother-in-law and must be treated with respect. But Dilsher had decided
to pretend that she was the Thakurain of Birpur and of no relation to this
family. The rest of them were just following his lead blindly. Even her sister
wasn't recognising the blood ties that bound them for eternity. No matter,
Rudra will furious when he knows how his wife spoke back to his mother. All of
them will pay a price for the treatment meted to her.
"What are you thinking about?" Sumer asked his wife
caressing his wife's cheeks. She wondered if she should share her thoughts on
what she knew what a delicate subject. But the way he looked at her, she
couldn't help open up. "Rudra was very close to his mother when he was little,
wasn't he?" she asked. He whipped his head around to make sure nobody heard
her. His eyes latched on his aunt's. He knew she had heard. "Shatabdi, I don't
think we should discuss that," he mumbled. But she just continued, "She must
have been the epitome of kindness and love who selflessly cared for others. She
must have been his whole world." Mala wordlessly dared him to deny words spoken
in her praise. Shatabdi pushed on, "He seeing the same essence in Jeeja. She is
the kindest and most giving person in this family. That's why he respects her
so much that he doesn't want her to think less of him."
"Not just Rudra banna, beendini. Even Bhaisa holds her in
high regard. You know when he was angry with Rudra and wanted to leave this
house, she stopped him. Her words though sweet are always sensible. The perfect
badi bahu of this house," Danveer added his two cents as he heard the
couple talk about Maithili. They nodded in agreement. "She is brings gentleness
to this family and Parvati is our strength. And you will bring wise counsel to
this son who lives far from home," he said earnestly. "We are not so far away
Bapusa and will visit as often as possible," Shatabdi promised. He patted her
head and walked away.
Mala laughed on her way to her room. Danveer bhaisa is
mistaken no woman can rule this household with gentleness. She has to be
fearsome like her sister to keep everything under her control. Even then men
like Dilsher will lose the vast fortune out of sheer negligence. If it hadn't been for her Thakursa she would
have ended on the streets due to that man's foolishness. He had restored
everything, her wealth, her home even her son.
He had placed his dignity on the line for a chance to be with her son
not even thinking if he would ever get out. And now the day was finally here
when she would meet him after years. She decided to prepare his favourite meal.
It would as if she had never left.
At the edge of Chandangard, Rudra pulled up near an orchard.
"Where are we Rudra?" Paro asked curiously. Rudra flicked the pearl that
dangled from her kundan jhumka
playfully. "You wanted Tamarind, didn't you?" he asked taking off his glasses.
They both stepped of the jeep and stood along the barbed wire fencing. She
squealed as she recognised the brown fruit hanging from the trees. He grinned
at her impishly, "Race you?" She held him back. They weren't children to trespass
without consequences. He assured her that he had done this, thousands of times.
There was an old caretaker who lived in the middle of the property. He wouldn't
notice if they stick to the edge of the grove. Paro was not convinced. "But
Rudra..." before she could protest he deftly swung her over and jumped himself. "[I]Chup![\I]
Don't you want tamarind or not?" he asked sternly. She looked at her feet and
slowly nodded. "Then stop worrying and follow me," he ordered. As he strutted in Paro prayed that they don't
get caught.
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