CHAPTER 43
A few hours later Rudra walked into the kitchen hungry as a
horse. To his surprise Shatabdi was standing by the stove with her phone in
hand. "Are we having Lumia for dinner?" he asked as he looked around for
something edible to munch. She turned around with a frown and replied that she
was trying to make Masala chai for her mother-in-law. Since Paro and Jeeja were
not around to ask she was searching for the recipe online. "What do you mean
she is not around? She didn't tell me she is going out. Did you ask her where she was going?" he shouted.
She rolled her eyes and replied that his wife was not a child who should inform
everyone before doing anything. "Exactly she is my wife. And I have enough
enemies," he was about to loose his temper when he noticed the angst in her
eyes. He realised he had said something
he shouldn't have. She was his cousin's wife
now not just his old acquaintance.
He quietly passed the home made tea masala by way of apology.
She took it with a small smile, "Thank you. Dad said you dropped by." He
nodded. He had apologized for not being there and the former soldier had
threatened to blow his head off if he spoke such rubbish again. They all knew
it wasn't his fault. But for some reason it felt like it was. Mirza had no reason to go after Shatabdi.
Whatever grudge he bore, it was towards him.
He didn't know how to bring it up.
"You're right," Shatabdi said as the water boiled. He looked her carefully. In all the years
they knew each other, she never spoke those particular words. Even to her father
who would just give in to her rather than argue. "You have a lot of enemies
like Mirza. He thought that if he could hurt
you me by tormenting me. You remember when my car got punctured and you dropped
me home? That was Mirza's doing" she
said. He realized that this weasel has been trying his best for awhile now. What
didn't make sense was why Shatabdi ended up as the target and not his family. Paro
was the only one with round the clock security. The house had a couple of
guards on duty only when he was away. "What did he say to once he married you
off," he asked hoping her answer would throw light on what Mirza was thinking. She
turned red and took out the tea cups musing on how to answering his question.
Shatabdi's next words were barely a whisper, "He said now my
Aashiq Rudra likes it when his fun is spoiled." Rudra turned pale at her words
for a minute. Then Shatabdi recognized the famous Ranavat rage ready to
explode. "Calm down. The idiot didn't know what he was saying. The idea that a
man and woman can have a platonic relationship is too evolved for barbaric men
like him. They can't bring themselves to respect women. As long as you, me and
our partners don't misunderstand us it's fine," she reasoned. He nodded, "I never thought of you that way.
For me everything is Paro. My world begins and ends with her," he confessed.
She was touched by his words and hoped Sumer said the same
things about her to his friends. "Still I'm sorry if I ever did anything to
give people the wrong impression," he admitted. She held out his cup to him and
asked if he meant like the time he pretended to flirt with her just to make his
wife jealous. Then she proceeded to berate him on how awkward it was for her that
day. But he wasn't listening. He recollected
how they were in a public place and someone like Mirza could have seen the
interaction. And it was likely that his twisted mind labelled their
relationship incorrectly.
"Were you scared?" he asked softly. She averted her eyes not
wanting anyone to see the fear in them. "I don't want to talk about it," she
whispered in reply. He understood her sentiment but he didn't want her to
bottle up her feelings. He knew from experience how that hardened people. "If
not me, you should talk to Sumer or Paro as you are closer to them. Actually
Paro will be the best person to talk to. She will listen patiently and help you
find the silver lining in all of this," he said remembering how his wife helped
him face his own demons. "What if there is no silver lining, Rudra?" she asked
with pain in her eyes. He had no answer.
"I asked you to make a cup of tea not raise a tea plantation.
How long are you taking? Mohini scolded as she waltzed in. She wondered what
her new bahu was chatting about rather than attend to her chores. "It's ready. I was just getting it when Rudra
said he was hungry," Shatabdi explained. Mohini saw the guileless face of her
nephew and knew immediately that she wasn't being entirely honest. They were
talking about something important. "Rudra is hungry. I'll get him some Kheer,"
said Mala has she bustled in excitedly. Rudra sighed. Three women in the
kitchen and not one was the person his heart sought.
He saw his former mother offer him a bowl of the sweet treat.
He shook his head. Ever since she left, he couldn't bear to look at that dish. "Have a bite beta, I made this especially for
you," Mala said sweetly. Mohini rolled her eyes at the woman treating her adult
son like a little boy. "Thakurainsa, your kuwarsa doesn't like anything sweet.
But don't worry I made samosas for him," she said taking a plate from the
cabinet. Rudra didn't want to stick around and witness the silly games the
older women were playing. He preferred his father's approach of indifference
and non-cooperation. "Where is the ketchup bottle?" Shatabdi called out checking
the refrigerator. Mohini smacked her head and went on a tirade of how she will
be able to take care of Sumer all by herself in Jaipur. Everyone at the haveli liked
to eat chutney not the sauce like Englishmen.
To Rudra immense relief his wife came in with his niece trailing
behind. Paro wanted to laugh at the expression on his face. She felt her aunt
reach out for her. "Beendini, I know you would like to play with your niece all
day. But I hope you remember what I told you on your first day. When your
provider returns home, make sure you are available to attend to him," Mohini
scolded. Paro looked guilty she didn't mean to ignore Rudra's needs. "I'll bring your snacks after giving Bapusa
and Kakosa their tea. Why don't you freshen up," Parole suggested to her
husband. Rudra nodded and headed out passing his empty tea cup to her. He hated
being told what to do. But the last thing he wanted was to be dragged into
kitchen politics going on.
"I'll take the tea. Why don't you take these samosas to Rudra,
he had come here looking for you," Shatabdi told her friend. Paro took the snacks
with a smile. There was a sudden distance between them since they returned and
she wanted to ease his mind some how. "Na, you can't go hide in your room just
yet. I want..." her words were stopped by a loud scream
Parooo! She rushed out without another word. Mala turned to go too
when Mohini "Thakurainsa, he is not calling you. You see Rudra tends to go over board with his
affectionate ways," she said in a saccharine tone. This was not new information
to Mala. Once upon a time she was the object of his affection. He always longed
for her complete attention. She could never do anything else once he returned
from school. She missed that boy. And it hurt to see him ignore her and treat
Paro as the centre of the universe. She vowed to change that.
Paro gulped as she saw the stern look on his face. "What is
that?" Rudra shouted pointing to the
orange
sherwani lying on their bed. She picked it up and folded it neatly. "What
were you thinking? I won't wear something this bright," he said. She just
nodded and continued to put away the garments on the bed. He wasn't happy with
her response so he grabbed her and pushed her against the cupboard door. Her
heart skipped a beat. She placed her hand on his chest for support. He pushed
himself closer. She could feel the thumping of his heart. He gently raised her
face to meet his eye. "Do you remember what I told you before leaving? Not to
buy anything flashy for me," he whispered.
She pulled her hand away trying to focus. Her movement brought
him closer. "That... that...," she tried to string her words together, failing
miserably. He covered her mouth roughly and shook his head. "No excuses. You
disobeyed me and now I must punish you," he said ignoring her eyes which were
wide with apprehension. He tugged the edge of her blouse and sank his teeth
into a shoulder. He felt her hands grasp his hand but was in no mood to let her
go. He knew she will be annoyed when she sees the mark on her. But he needed
the whole world to know who is lover was, who his wife was. He belonged to her
and she to him. There shouldn't be any doubt in anyone's mind about who ruled
his heart. He will have family and friends who matter to him. But Paro was
meant everything.
His sudden onslaught confused her. He was aggressive with
her only when he forces himself to ignore everything that is going on. She
wanted to creep into his troubled mind and draw out his problems. But she knew
her stubborn husband will open up only when he is ready to talk about it. She
did the only thing she could do, wrap her hands around him and surrender to the
moment.
An hour later Samrat and Maithili returned home with a dozen
bags. Sunehri was the first to spot them, "Did you buy it? Bhaisa tell me. I
told all my friends I'll be wearing Sonakshi Sinha's lehenga." The rest of the
family gathered in the
aangan to
inspect the wares. One by one Maithili showed her mother-in-law the clothes
they had purchased. Danveer was most interested to see the item his daughter
had been harping about for a month. When Mohini pulled out the
a
cream coloured blouse and a golden lehenga, she frowned. "This doesn't
look that great. Parvati beendini, do something about this too," she said
handing it over. She took the garment and kept it aside, "Did you get a
matching dress for Shanti too?" Paro asked remembering how their sister-in-law was
particular about it.
"No, for my niece I'll get designer outfits for my wedding,"
Sumer said coming in with his wife. Mohini quipped that the designer sherwani
that his in-laws sent over wasn't that impressive either. Rudra turned to his
wife, "So that orange thing was not for me." She shook her head. She wanted to
tell him off for his reaction but her friend was turning red. Shatabdi felt took offence at her
mother-in-law's words. Sumer had picked
the outfit hoping to make his mother happy who liked loud colours. She asked
her friend if she was seriously going to do alter it.
Sumer ignoring his tense wife interrupted loudly, "Paro,
forget that!" His wife nudged him and he corrected himself, "I mean bhabhsia.
It's my reception my clothes should take priority. glared at his cousin for the
slip, "If you call my wife by her name, I won't call her by her name. Sunheri
laughed and asked how he was planning on calling their new bhabhisa. He replied
casually that she had a wonderful nickname in college they could use and sat
down next to his father. Shatabdi wanted
to hit her old friend but his dad did the honours.
Mala saw the entire family laughing without a care. She saw
her son relax against his father's knee. Her sister was glowing as she planned
a celebration for her son. How could the two people closest to her be so
content without her in their lives? She
sat quietly next to Paro who gave her smile before paying attention to her
family.
Mohini's sharp eyes noticed Mala trying to worm her way in.
She handed over the bags to Maithili and instructed her to keep them in.
"Parvati now that all that is out of the way, tell me all about your sister. Is
her husband a tamarind merchant that you have filled the kitchen with it," she
asked the young woman. Paro then recounted that they had stopped over at the
orchard on their way here. "Kakisa, are you planning on selling that place?"
Rudra asked. Mohini replied that she couldn't maintain it anymore so was
considering letting it go. Paro observed the crest fallen face of both Sumer
and Rudra. They both had a lot of memories of the place.
Mala was shocked, "But you said it was given to you by your
parents and you planned on passing it on to your daughter." There was pin drop
silence as the family turned to her. "How did you know about that,
Thakurainsa?" Paro asked. Mala clicked her knuckles nervously. She replied that
years ago Thakursa had approached Mohini to buy the land. Rudra felt like a
knife had been dug into him. She had tried to get a piece of land using
Tejawat's power but never reached out to him. He felt his father's hand on his
shoulder. He pulled himself together repeating in his mind that she was not
worth it
. "Kakisa, if the orchard is important to you, then one of us
can take over the management," Paro suggested. Mohini thought about it.
Samrat's head was wrapped up in their textile business and Sumer's heart.
Sunheri was still in college. Her eyes landed on Paro, "If I find an able
overseer for the orchard, can you take over management of the place?" The young
woman was shocked by the request. She turned to her husband who was equally
stunned.
Dilsher saw his former wife's face turn white. He knew she
coveted it ever since Mohini received that as part of her dowry all those years
ago. He remembered her anger during Danveer's wedding. He had a tough time placating
her. The orchard had been in the family for generations. That would be why
Mohini refused to sell it to Tejawat. And now if it goes to Rudra's control,
she would never see it again.
"You can't do this Maasa. It's not right" Sumer blurted. Danveer
felt terrible. He had heard the same words years ago when two sisters fought
over the same land. That's how the feud started. Would history repeat itself?
comment:
p_commentcount