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Chapter 16
The next day.
Shravan is passing by the corridor, in front of Suman's room. It seems empty. He stops & asks Leela where's Sanchi. Leela says she left in the early morning.
Shravan thinks a while. Then he tells her to serve his breakfast fast, he has to go Mumbai for some work. She nods & leaves. Kriya runs & jumps into his arm. He takes her in arm lovingly.
"papa, today is Sunday. Hum movie dekhne chalenge naa?"
"I am so sorry baby, papa ko bohot zaroori meeting hai, Mumbai mein. Toh..."
"Wow! Mujhe bhi jana hai. Mujhe ghar jana hai. I miss home, papa!"
"Accha ok. Ok. Bhaiya aur tum jaldi se ready ho jaao. Hum breakfast ke baad jayenge"
Kriya excitedly leaves. Shravan smiles.
---
Mumbai.
At Shravan & Suman's house.
Suman stands in front of her old. Her house, their house, made of love, laughs, life. Their laughters still gets reflected from inside. She opens the main door, the garden...still the same! The swing, she used to sit there & Shravan used to rock it lovingly. Then after Krish & Kriya's birth, they used to play there. Suman used to stare at them from the door, Shravan back hugging her. She recalls their kids playing on the ground & running around the swing. Krish falls, Kriya pacifies him. Suman smiles with teary eyes. She feasts fingers over the nameplate on the door, Mr. & Mrs. Malhotra written on it.
-Flashback
Shravan hits on the nameplate with hammer for the last time with a large smile.
"Done! Humara nameplate"
Suman looks up & chuckles seeing the nameplate.
"Mr. & Mrs. Malhotra? Seriously? How will people figure out our names? Tumne to sirf surname likha hai!"
"Haan toh? Humara ghar humara surname. Logo ko pata chale na chale mujhe kya", he claims in a childish way making her laugh.
"Bacche hi rahege tum humesha! Ab chalo jaldi karo, bohot kaam baki hai!"
"I am tired", he acts as a mischievous plan hits his mind.
"Chashmish please abhi koi drama nehi. Bulb lagana hai, paint karna hai, parda lagana hai"
He walks toward her, placing his arms around her.
"Haan parda sabse jaroori hai, andar ka sab kuch sabko dikhai de jayega", he says mischievously causing her turn red.
"Shut up shameless"
"Arey what shame? Maine toh privacy ki baat ki. Tumne kya socha? Hawww Sumo naughty girl", he giggles.
She slaps on his arm slightly, blushing hard.
"Haww Sumo apne pati ko marte nehi hai. Paap chadhega"
She gives him a pointed look. He starts working again, she chuckles.
Flashback ends-
Suman pushes the door, it gets opened. She enters. She closes her eyes, each & every moments she spent here get flashed in her mind. The first day after marriage, when she entered, Shravan did the rituals of welcoming her as newly married bride. She makes the rice bowl fall with footstep & marked her footsteps with red dye on the floor, then he took her to their room in bridal style. She smiles, still closing her eyes. Their wedding night,how she made pillow border between them, his disappointed face, her giggles, then after him falling asleep, she rested her head on his chest & fallen asleep. Their first closeness ever. She smiles.
She goes to the kitchen. Their cooking, Shravan troubling her while cooking, distracting her with his touches - everything gets recalled.
She goes the living room, where Shravan used to sit after returning from office, she served him coffee. He used to share each & everything happened in the whole day, making her sit on his lap lovingly. She used to massage his head to make him relax. He used to fall asleep on her lap, she kissed his sleeping face, which she loves to do. He smiled a little feeling her soft lips against his beard.
She goes to the terrace. There she used to dry the clothes, Shravan used to come & he loved to gets intertwined themselves with clothes, she used to make a fake angry face which he adored. They used to get drenched in the rain here holding hands, dancing like their childhood. He gets cold easily, she used to make hot coffee for him, they used to drink coffee sitting into one blanket.
Beete Lamhein Hamein Jab Bhi Yaad Aate Hai
Beete Lamhein...
Chand Lamhaaat Ke Waaste Hi Sahi
Muskuraakar Mili Thi Mujhe Jindagi
Teri Aaghosh Mein Din The Mere Kate
Teri Baahon Mein Thi Meri Raate Kati
Aaj Bhi Jab Woh Pal Mujhko Yaad Aate Hai
Dil Se Saare Gamon Ko Bhula Jaate Hai
She goes near the wall where their lots of pictures are hanging. Their wedding pictures, their pictures when she was pregnant. He used to click her picture everyday to cover this whole wall with memory. She smiles & touches the photo frames.
-Flashback
"Oh God!! Chashmish, phirse beth gaye. Jaldi utho aur diwaar paint karo"
"Sumo, main shakal se painter lagta hoon kya? Please yaar mujhse ye sab nehi hoga. Lets call a painter."
"Mumbai mein mehengayi kitni badh gayi hai pata hai? Aur humein sab kuch budget mein rehke karna hai!", she claims in a serious tone, making him laugh.
"Gosh! You sound like a typical housewife!"
"Haan toh? Hoon main housewife!"
He gets sad.
"Tumhe apna PCT, apna kaam chorke aana para mere liye!"
She smiles & comes near him, sits on his lap, encircling her arms around his neck.
"And I have no complains. Tumhare liye toh saanse, dil ka dhadakna chor doon, toh kaam kya cheej!"
She closes the distance between them & hugs him. He smiles.
"Ab utho, paint the wall."
Shravan huffs in disappointment.
"Accha okay, ek ek kaam ke liye tumhe reward milega. Har ek kaam ke liye ek kiss."
"Okay done", he says happily.
"Chipku kahi ke. Kiss ke liye kuch bhi karoge?"
"Nehi. Sab kuch ke liye kuch bhi karunga", he smirks.
"Kya?", she is confused, not getting his double meaning words.
"Kuch nehi. Chalo kaam karo. Kitni baatein karti ho Sumo!"
They start painting the wall. Shravan intentionally does painting in a wrong way to draw Suman's attention. She sighs & makes him understand how to paint properly. In this process, they get closer.
"Dekho ab itni kareeb aaoge to paint kya sare kaam adhoore reh jayenge, Sumo!", he says causing her to blush.
He adores her shyness.
Flashback ends-
She goes to their bedroom. The swing, their bed, the bookshelf - everything is same as before. The large photo frame of their family is still there just above their bed, on the bed. It was clicked when Krish & Kriya were born, Pushkar clicked it in the hospital. She never saw so much love, affection in Shravan's eyes before. He was holding their babies in his arms & looking at them so lovingly that the sight made Suman teary eyed. Pushkar captured that moment. A just born twin pair, sleeping peacefully in their daddy dearest's arms & their silly mom is crying, staring at them. Pushkar clicked & stared at them,this is the most beautiful sight ever he seen in his life. Shravan whispered slowly something in his babies' ear as if they could understand. Suman smiled.
She goes near the swing, touches it. The every corner, each & every object of this room witnessed their love, their blissful life, their sweet mornings & passionate nights. They laughed together, they lived & shared a life together. She sighs. There is a photo frame on the side table. Suman sleeping with messy hair,wearing Shravan's shirt. Shravan captured it, its his favourite picture, he used to say he captured her whole beauty & innocence there. She notices a photo album there, seems new. She opens it.
---
"Okay then Mr. Malhotra. It was pleasure to meet you. See you soon", Mr. Sharma greeted.
Shravan smiles & shakes hand. He takes leave. He goes near his car. He takes out his phone, sees kids picture with their mom. His another favourite picture. He smiles. Just 5 hours passed and he has already started missing them. Kids are at home, they refused to come with him at the last moment, after all they couldn't miss playing with Ved. Shravan smiles at the picture & starts the car.
---
"Shravan ne mere liye ye album banaya hai, taake main koi bhi pal miss naa karu!", Suman muttered in amusement.
Shravan has made an album of all those moments when he & kids missed her in the past one year. His birthday, kids' school functions, kids celebrating Suman's birthday, diwali, holi - everything. There is messege for her beside every picture. Kids wrote them for their mommy bear. Suman smiles.
Diwali
Mumma,
Pata hai Kriya ne aaj bohot pareshan kiya mujhe aur papa ko. Please aap aake usse dantna. Nehi nehi jyada nehi thoda sa. Mumma please come back soon!
With love,
Krish.
Mumma,
Agar bhaiya ne aapse meri shiqayet ki hai toh woh galat hai. Maine bilkul pareshan nehi kiya usse. Accha thik hai, thoda sa kiya hai, sooorry!! Please come back soon.
With love,
Kriii...yaaa😃
Hey beautiful,
You know your kids have become so much responsible now. They never trouble me anymore. They don't split food on clothes, they don't paint on the wall even!
Just want to say...They miss you!
And listen, I love you...
Your Shravan!
Suman smiles with teary eyes & kisses on the picture.
Holi
Mumma,
Kriya ne mujhe color se pura bheega diya hai. I hate her. Please come back & scold her. Happy holi, mom.
With love,
Krish.
Hey sweety mommy,
Happy holi, beautiful. Pata hai mumma maine aaj subha subha uthke bhaiya aur papa ko uthaya, unhe kapde nikal ke diye, aur maine bhaiya ko rango mein pura bheega diya hai, sorry!
I love you, mommy!
With love,
Kriyaaa.
Hey Mrs. Malhotra,
Happy holi, the girl who colored my life with every hues. Today when our princess make me awake in the morning, for a moment I thought you came back. She is just a xerox copy of you! Her eyes, her smile, her attitude. You know she has started to speak some gujrati words too! Cute nah?
I love you!
Your Mr. Malhotra.
She wipes her tears & turns the page, stops hearing car's noise outside. She quickly hides behind the door.
Shravan parks the car & enters the house. He sighs. He closes his eyes, keeps hand on the left side of his chest, above the heart. Feels like Suman is there, around, near him. He can sense her presence. Suman gets panicked seeing him from distance. She quickly goes to the kitchen to hide herself. Shravan opens his eyes & goes to his room.
-Flashback
Shravan is sitting on the floor keeping his head on Suman's lap. They have just found out she is pregnant with their child, their love is growing inside her. He hugs her waist. She is feasting her hand into his hair. She keeps her head in his head. She knows what he is thinking. He was always emotional about this matter. He always said he will try to be the best parent of their child which his parents couldn't be. He will bring each & every happiness for his child. She kisses on his head. Tears are streaming down from his eyes, she knows those are of happiness. She smiles.
Flashback ends-
Mere Sine Mein Khud Ko Chhupaana Tera
Aake Meri Panaahon Mein Shaamo Sehar
Kaanch Ki Tarah Woh Toot Jaana Tera.
Aaj Bhi Jab Woh Manjar Nazar Aate Hai
Dil Ki Viraaniyo Ko Mita Jaate Hai
Dard Mein Bhi Yeh Lab Muskura Jaate Hai
Beete Lamhein Hamein Jab Bhi Yaad Aate Hai.
Dard Mein... Beete Lamhein...
Shravan recalls all happy moments which he spent with her. He notices the photo frame is kept on the bed in stead of side table, he keeps it back on the table.
PS: Exams Exams Exams!!😔
Ishaani
