AHAANA - A SHRAMAN TS - EPILOGUE

EPILOGUE

Sumo carries Ahaana and goes inside her house. Everybody is overjoyed to say the least. The family gathers to have dinner.

Ni: I am so happy now. Our family is complete.

Suddenly Ahaana starts crying and wants to go to Nirmala. Nirmala comes and takes her and tries to pacify her. it is time for milk for Ahaana. She goes to the kitchen and gets milk for Ahaana in a bottle. Nirmala and Kamini have been taking care of Ahaana like the apple of their eye. Ahaana eats her bkfast, lunch and dinner from Nirmala and any juice, milk etc is taken care of by Kamini.

Sumo: Chachi mein piladoo dhoodh?

Kamini: Of course Suman and she gives the baby and milk to Ahaana.

Ahaana refuses to drink the milk and resumes crying. Shravan picks her up and tries to pacify her.

Sh: Ahaana yeh thumhari mummy hai. Itni dino baad aayi hai. tum achchi beti ho na, doodh peelo.

She does not stop crying and Kamini is forced to take her and give her the milk. Like a stop button, she stops crying when she goes to Kamini.

Sumo starts crying and rushes up to their room.

Nir: Shravan go and pacify Sumo. I can understand her fully well. Being a mother, when you are not able to be with your own child, I know how much it hurts and she becomes sad.

Sh: Maa, why do you think about the past? All that is over. I am with you and I am not going anywhere at all. I shall go and see Sumo.

Ka: Haan beta thum jao.

In their room, Sumo is lying on the bed and crying her heart out. Shravan comes and sits near her and taps her shoulder.

Sh: Sumo, look at me.

Su: Shravan I am the worst mother one could ever be. My baby is not letting me feed her. what wrong have I done Shravan? How much I have missed. I have put Maa and Choti maa to so much of trouble. They must have had sleepless nights taking care of her when I was in the hospital. Will she ever come to me Shravan? Will she allow me to take care of her?

Sh: Sumo listen to me. SUMO...he pulls her up and hugs her. Do you even realize what nonsense you are talking. She is attached to them because they have been taking care of her all these months. That is all. Of course she will come to you. You are her mother sweetheart.

Su: What if she does not get attached to me at all? Shravan mein mar jaaoonga...how can a mother be without her baby? I must not have done anything good at all because I lost my parents when I was young and now my child is not allowing me to be a parent.

Shravan takes her face in his hands. Sumo listen to me please. I fully understand your feelings. You have to give her time. Spend time with her from tomorrow along with maa and chachi. She will get used to you being around and will get attached to you. Thum dekhna in a few days' time she will get attached to you so much so, that you will complain about her to me.

Su: Shravan are you sure? She will come to me?

Sh:110%. Kya thum mujpe bharosa karthe ho?

Su: Khud se zyaada.

Sh: Then leave it to me. Now come have dinner, take your medicines and go to sleep.

The next few days Sumo tries to spend as much time as possible with Ahaana when somebody or the other is also with them. Slowly Ahaana starts becoming comfortable with Sumo around.

Shravan takes a few days off and goes to their farmhouse on the outskirts of Delhi to spend some quality time with Sumo and Ahaana. This was more to get Ahaana attached to Sumo. Sumo is delighted. At the farmhouse Sumo spends her entire time with Ahaana feeding her, giving her a bath, playing with her, making her sleep etc.

They come back to MM. It is milk time for Ahaana. Kamini comes with milk for Ahaana.

Ka: Ahaana beta choti dadi ke paas aao.

Ahaana goes running to her. Kamini carries her but as soon she gets on to her, Ahaana looks at Sumo and mutters "Mumma"

This is the first time she has spoken a proper word. Although she had started blabbering incoherent noises a few weeks back, this is the first proper word she has uttered.

Everybody is stunned, overjoyed. Sumo is in tears...she cant stop her tears. She runs to Ahaana and picks her up from Kamini and smothers kisses all over her face.

In their room:

Su: Shravan I cannot tell you how happy I am. I feel like bursting with joy. Even if I have to die now, I will die peacefully. What else can I want? Such a doting husband, cute little bundle of joy and a wonderful family.

Shravan gets angry. Just shut up Sumo...let this be the last time you talk like this okay?

Su: Okay baba sorry. Lo mein kaan pakadhi hoon. Please mujhe maaf kar do.

Shravan goes and sits in the sofa upset. Sumo goes near him and tells him sorry sorry. He refuses to budge. She goes sits on his lap so that she is on eye level with him. She holds his face in her hands and fuses her mouth in his. Shravan reciprocates the kiss. He gets up carrying her and proceeds to make her his.

It is one month since Sumo has come back. She has resumed her duties as the Malhotra bahu. She goes to PCT also for a few hours everyday.

At night:

Su: Shravan your daughter is becoming adamant day by day. She does not let me do anything at all. She expects me to hold her all the time. She does not even go to maa or choti maa.

Shravan is smiling at her.

Su: Shravan what are you smiling for? I am telling about your daughter and you are smiling...

Shravan comes to her and engulfs her in a bone crushing hug. Sumo do you remember what I told you when you came back from the hospital? See what I told you came true right?

Sumo looks up at him within the hug and places a kiss on his chest where his heart lies. Shravan kisses her head.