CHAPTER 49
"Enough!" Mala yelled
back at the girl who was supposed to help. She was supposed to touch her feet
and seek her blessings as a dutiful daughter-in-law. She was supposed to
whisper through tears of joy that she would do everything in her power to
reunite her with her son. Instead she was listing out her mistakes and judging
her for it. "Rudra said last night that he needed his mother. Don't try to act
too smart and keep him away," she scolded.
Paro just brushed her
off knowing fully well how her husband actually felt. "Rudra had been very hurt
and disappointed by what happened in his childhood. He did need you terribly in
his life then. Things have changed now and he has moved on. Everyone has. I'm
not saying that there is no hope for reconciliation. I truly believe that a
time may come when he needs you again. And that day when he sees you in better
light will come only when you earn his affection and respect again. But until
then this is not the place for you to stay. It's not fair to Bapusa and the
rest of the family to be uncomfortable. This is their home too. I can see that
he is stifled here for the first time since we moved back. I don't want that
for him," she said calmly. Mala grew wild with anger, "Dilsher? That man is the
reason my life is such a mess. He kept me away for years. He can stand a little
discomfort while my Rudra comes around."
Paro didn't want to
comment in Bapusa's defence. He had made mistakes too. And part of her wanted
them to resolve it so that they find peace. But the truth is he had moved on
and wanted to spend the rest of his remaining years with his children and their
families. If he had wanted to, he would have acknowledged their shared past.
She would have said something too in the months she spent here. Nothing was
left between them except for the son they shared.
"Thakurainsa, if Rudra
wants to meet you, he can. Nobody will stop him. He knows where you live. He
will find you himself," she said. "You... you want to stop him! You want to keep
him away from his own mother. That's why you don't even want to address me
properly. You think I don't see it. I have been nicer to you than Mohini is to
that mouse, still you will not give me the honor that I'm due. She just is
oiling her way into your life with her insincere afection. Mohini thinks only
about her children. She knows as the position you hold gives you authority to
kick her entire family out. You are such a fool, Paro," Mala laughed.
Mohini couldn't contain
herself behind the door. Her family ending up on the streets was her fear at
first. That's why she was polite to Rudra after the mela. But he and Dilsher
had won her over by their commitment to the family. And Paro was the jewel of
the Ranavat crown. She brought the best out in all of them. If she is
affectionate towards her, it's because the young woman she deserve it. If she
is caring towards her nephew, it's to make up for the years they had lost. If
she is respectful towards Dilsher, it's because of the wisdom of experience he
imparts to the next generation and the warmth to his brother.
Paro saw her aunt
approach and shook her head slightly. She needed to calm Mala down before the
older woman's claws came out. "Kakisa and I have had ups and downs when we
didn't understand each other. Now we have a relationship built on affection and
respect. I know she loves Rudra just as much as she does Sumer bhaisa and Samrat
bhaisa. And just like she guides, teases and even scolds Jeeja when it comes to
domestic affairs, she is the same with me too," Paro tried to explain.
Mala raised her hand in
fury, "How dare you replace me with that snake of a sister?" But her hand never
reached its destination. Mohini had intervened. Paro stood frozen to the core.
She never knew that the fury that existed within Kakisa and Rudra was present
in the Thakurain too. She stayed up half the night trying to understand how the
kind and patient lady she grew up around walked away so easily from this
family. Now the last piece of the puzzle fit. It was Thakur Tejawat who brought
out the best in her not Bapusa. His love had made her a better person. She had
taken the right step that fateful day for herself. If she stays here now, she
will be betraying him, even though he was a criminal.
"No one has the right
to raise their hand on the beendinis of this family?" Mohini told her sister.
Mala pulled her hand out and asked if she was afraid of Rudra. "No, in this
family we prefer to raise our voice to prove a point not our arms. Perople here
deserve that respect," she said smiling inwardly at how often she raised her
voice. "But since that is hard for you, its best you go back to where you
belong, Thakurainsa," she finished.
Mala looked at Paro,
hoping she would forgive her and let her stay. But the girl stood like a rock.
She watched as Maithili was called to escort her away. Shatabdi was asked to
pack her belongings and Sumer to get the car. She had failed utterly. Her son
won't come for her if she is too far away. And she couldn't be around to remind
him that he needed her. She was ruined. She felt her sister's hand on her
shoulder guiding her out of the room. She felt Disher's eyes on her when she
crossed the aangan. She turned back but his gaze had returned to the paper he
was reading. As she got into the car, her sister spoke softly, "You weren't
satisfied with the life our parents planned for you. Be happy in the world you
carved for yourself."
In the kitchen,
Maithili watched Paro washing the same tomatoes over and over again. She didn't
know what transpired in the Thakurainsa's room. But she could see that it
troubled her little sister a great deal. "You know, I'm the unluckiest
Jethanisa in the world. One of devaranisa doesn't know housework and the other
is doesn't want to do," she teased as she kneeded the dough. Paro snapped out
of her thoughts and replied, "I want to help Jeeja". She took out the chopping
board to chop the vegetable. Maithili took the knife away, "You are my darling
little sister and I have that right to pick on you." Paro nodded with a smile,
she didn't mind her jest. Maithili noticed that her smile didn't reach the eye.
Before she could
enquire on her discomfort, her mother-in-law stormed in. "Maithili, do you
planning on sending your Bapusa's lunch after he returns from work?" she asked
observing that nothing was done. Maithil explained that she was waiting for
Shatabdi to join. "That girl can't cook," Mohini pointed out annoyed. Her son
will probably starve or worse have to cook for himself and his wife. "She
usually watches me cook and makes notes so that she will be able to manage in
Jaipur," Maithili explained.
Paro was proud of her
friend, she was adapting into the household very well. She saw the fawn colored
diary kept near the mixie. Mohini took the book and opened it. "There are not
many of Sumer's favorites in this," she observed. Then she listed out Sumer's
favourite dishes and asked Maithili and Paro to make sure that their new sister
learns how to make them. If the girl is willing to learn, she would make sure
she is learning the right things. Paro learnt how to make charred potatoes from
Dilsher and Rudra. This girl has better teachers, she better keep her son healthy
and strong.
A few minutes later,
the pungent smell of burnt onions filled the kitchen but Paro didn't notice.
Maithili switched off the stove and scolded, "What's wrong with you?" Paro
replied that the Thakurain tried to slap her. Maithili dropped the ladle as the
older woman frowned. She cupped her sister's cheek and scolded, "Why didn't you
tell me? Are you hurt?" Paro shook her head slowly and replied that Kakisa stopped
her. She was hurt in spirit but she will get better in time.
"Strange isn't it, Maasa
saved you from Thakurainsa just like devarsa saved you from her wrath when you
stood up for me," Maithili reminded them. Paro met her Kakisa's glance. She
meant it when she said that they understood each other better now after all
their ups and downs. "Dhuakumari just because I undid that mistake doesn't mean
I will rescue you if you get yourself kidnapped," Mohini told her. Paro nodded
with a smile knowing this was the closest she would get to an apology from her."Mala's
chapter is finished in this haveli. So let's focus on the people who are here.
Shatabdi won't be joining you today. Don't delay your Bapusa's lunch. And
Maithili pack some for Rudra too. That boy left without breakfast," she
instructed. Paro asked if she could take lunch to headquarters once Kakisa left
today.
"Then we must pack for
you too. I don't think Rudradev would let you go soon," Dilsher said entering
the kitchen. Paro shook her head vigorously. It was his place of work. She
couldn't impose on his time there even she had plenty to tell her husband. Then
she turned red as she realised that if she surprises him in his office, she
will have his complete attention. "Are you going to spend your morning dreaming
about him or are you going to get ready and meet him?" Maithili teased making
Dilsher laughed.
Paro observed her
father-in-law with a smile. He looked as if the dark clouds had disappeared
from his life again. He must be feeling relieved that his ex-wife was no longer
staying with them. She was truly happy that she could do this for him and
Rudra. Fate had been very kind to them. She wanted to safeguard the elusive happiness
they finally had found as his daughter-in-law. Part of her wanted to tell him
this. But she knew he wouldn't talk about this just like his son.
After the laughter had
died down she sternly asked "Bapusa, why are you here?" Maithili glared at her.
This was not how she usually spoke to him. She tugged her but the younger woman
just shrugged it off. "No Jeeja! I am going to punish Bapusa for entering the
kitchen," she continued. Dilsher started to worry. Did his horrid ex-wife
corrupt this gentle dove before she left? Before he could say a word, she
shushed him. "Not a peep until I say so. I want you to sit here," she said
leading him to a stool. She poured him a cup of tea, "You have to sit hear and
help us decide what we are going to make for lunch." He exchanged a confused
look with Maithili.That was punishment? "Jeeja, with the two of us to attend to
him, Bapusa just had to call rather than come all the way here," she explained.
Dilsher wanted to laugh
when he heard what his crime was. "So, you are upset that I didn't let you
help? I have a solution. You can make it up to me by making my favorites for
lunch," he told her seriously. Maithili frowned, knowing what the infamous
Ranavat special' meal meant. "Charred rotis and potatoes?" she asked. Dilsher
shook his head, "No beta, that's what I knew how to cook not what we wanted to
eat." He proceeded to tell them what to prepare and the two women followed his
requests to a T.
At BSD headquarters,
Major Rudra Pratap Ranavat was a happy man. His cousins just informed him that
Mala Tejawat was no longer a guest in their home. He needn't bury himself with
paper work to avoid running into her anymore. Was it cowardly? Probably, but he
was sure that if she keeps hounding him, the Jallad would reappear much to his
wife's chagrin. Now that thimgs had changed, he had to quickly wrap things up
so that he could go home to his Paro.
Two hours later, Paro
walked into BSD headquarters, "Kakosa, please finish your lunch on time." He
patted her head gently and saw that she had another lunch bag with her.
Assuming its for Rudra he guided her to his nephew's cabin. On the way she
exchanged pleasantries with the other BSD personnel who had become quiet
familiar to her by now. She paused when she saw the room that had seen both
Rudra and herself breakdown. She saw his name on the wall and she lovingly
traced the letters with her fingers. Rudra' the name that been so terrifying
was now dearer than her own breathe.
"Madam, I don't think
you should go in," said the soft voice of the guard by the door. She turned
around to see the guard looking very awkward. "Sorry, Rudra Sir didn't want to
be disturbed by visitors or phonecalls," he explained. She smiled at him and
handed over the bag to the guard and told him to pass it on when Rudra is
taking his lunch break Danveer shook his head, "I don't think Sir would mind
his wife dropping by. Infact if she goes away without meeting him, you will
have to face his fury," Danveer warned the young guard.
Paro went in quietly
and she saw his bent head that didn't lift. A few strands of his silky hair
fell on his forehead softening his regal profile. She saw his eyebrows furrow
as he concentrated on what was written in those files. His soulful eyes lined
by delicate lashes, shined with intelligence. His aquiline nose and strong jaw
reminded her that he was no ordinary soldier who worked his way up but a scion
of a military family living up to the Ranavat legacy. She saw his mouth relax into
a soft smile and she sat down on a chair. She could do this all day. She almost
laughed when she saw him relax on his chair with a pencil in his mouth. This
must have been the way he looked when in school. Someday her sons would be the
same way.
Her glance then moved to the trophies on the
shelf. These were from him training days. She decided to ask Shatabdi or
Geethanjali Maasi for more stories of his adolence. Or should she ask him
directly, now that he had no longer felt the pain of the past anymore. Or
should she just focus on the days to come like Bapusa was doing. They would
build a beautiful life together. Just like he promised mein... tu... hamesha. Except she wanted to modify it now into mein... tu... aur hamara.
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