Part 23
She can’t wait to share her news, but Virat has informed her that he needs to meet a colleague before his meeting with his senior at the station. She gets home to change after her interview and while changing she sends him a text via WA
Naukri mil gayi, agle hafte joining date.
He replies
Aaj raat dinner ke baad celebrate karenge
She grins at his text, she sends a smiley face, and realizes he has switched off his phone, she finishes changing and fetches an auto to get to his parents place.
It’s almost 7pm, and there is no sign of him, and Sai is beginning to get slightly restless. There are no messages from him and her smiley face has not been delivered either.. Virat’s parents had to suddenly visit a sick friend and Sai has been told that they will be here in time for dinner. The girls were watching Emily in Paris, when Shivani gets a call and steps into the kitchen, and Devi wants to take a selfie to post on her Instagram. She does and asks Sai for her Insta to tag.
“Oh mere paas Insta nahi hai”
Devyani is shocked, “Kya? Kyu?”
Sai shrugs, “Mujhe Kabhi zrurat nahi lagi aur phir medical college mei time hi nahi tha”
Devyani immediately replies, “Lekin Samrat Dada ka toh thaa..oops Sorry!”
“Ismei sorry ki kya baat hai? I know Samrat ka thaa, lekin I didn’t have one”
Devyani nods, “Actually mai aapse ek baat kahu, bura toh nahi maanogi na”
Sai shakes her head
“Mujhe na pehle se hi aap aur Samrat Dada ki jodi achi nahi lagi. I think you are better suited for Virat Dada”
Sai nods and smiles, hoping she doesn’t have to hear anymore of this, but apparently not.
“Pata nahi kyu, Samrat Dada jis tarah Pakhi ke liye feel karte hai, I don’t think kissi aur ke liye kabhi feel kar sakte hai”
Sai wonders if Pakhi has fed these lines to Devyani and now Devyani is drawing lines on the sand, marking her team which obviously doesn’t include her.
“Aaj Pakhi mili, vaha Shiv Sagar mei” Sai states casually.
“Shiv Sagar mei kya kar rahi thi?” Devi mocks like it’s beneath anyone to go to SS.
“Pata nahi, hum vaha superb South Indian Khana khaa rahe the”
“Hum matlab?” Devi asks suspiciously
“Tumhare Virat dada aur mai”
“Oh wow! Aap dono lunch ke liye milte ho? Camp se time mil jaata hai? That’s so cute!”
Sai realizes she has opened a Pandora’s box and thankfully before she can backtrack or elaborate, Shivani walks in, Sai silently breathes a sigh of relief.
“Arrey Sai, Virat ko call kar na. Aai aur Dada ko lagta hai time lagega. Aur Mujhe jorro ki bhuk lagi hai”
“Mera phone vaha dining table ke paas hai” she says, “anyways Unka phone switched off hai”
Shivani shakes her head, “Arrey nahi, uske dusre phone ko lagaa”
Sai looks bewildered, but before she can ask what that means, Devyani chimes in
“Oh Virat Dada ki toh adat hai, agar office ya police ke kaam pe gaye hai, toh unka phone band hi rehta hai. Unka sirf office cell number work karta hai. Pehle Aai ussi number pe call karti thi, ek baar Unka bada jhagda hua”
Shivani interrupts “Devi yeh kahani baad mei suna dey, please yaar Sai phone lagaa na”
And just like that, our hero walks into the house.
“Hello ladies, kya ho raha hai?”
Seeing him after a long time in his uniform, heat begins to travel and park itself in parts of her body she has never known. He plonks himself on the sofa, places his cap, revolver and his baton on the coffee table. As Devyani is giving him the lowdown on their parents, seated next to him, and Shivani announces that she will set the table, she watches him wipe a bead of sweat near his ear with his thumb. She begins to notice each and ever follicle on his stubble, how she would like to run her fingertips on him, and kiss him silly. And how he would never let her really finish, because he would take over and run his stubble first on her face and then on other parts of her body.
Devyani suddenly yells,
“Sai tum thik ho, tumhara pura chehra laal ho gaya hai”
“Haan haan, I am ok.” Touching the back of her neck, as Devi gets up to help Shivani, he looks up at her and winks.
“Aap paani piyoge?” She asks softly.
“Tumhe bhi shayad zrurat hai?” He challenges
She stays quiet, he whispers as quietly as the air between them, “Hi Just Sai”
She gets up from the sofa, and he gets up too, holds her wrist and drags her to the corner underneath the staircase which is hidden from all corners of the house, and before he can ask her anything, she pulls his face and kisses his cheek and gives him a little lick, he grins and stares into her eyes and holds her neck and kisses her coarsely, she sighs. When he leaves her lips, she asks
“Aapki meeting achi gayi?”
“Haan, Congratulations Wockhart ke liye, kab hai joining date?”
“Agle hafte, unke medical exam ke baad”
“Aur details batao”
“Yaha nahi”
“Kyu?”
“Kyunki phir sab ko explain karna padega, aur main nahi chahti”
“Haan haan pata hai..”
He lets go of her, and walks into the bathroom.
She realizes he is slightly irritated, but she still thinks it’s embarrassing that she was kind of asked to leave from medical camp, and then she is living with him. They may assume she moved into his place, before marriage, like she had no place to go, which is quite pathetic and for gods sake, that Devyani may even put this news on Insta or worse text it to Pakhi and Samrat. She knows it shouldn’t matter to her, but somewhere it does, she only wants to portray her perfect self to his family, she refuses to be judged by them. As it is, her history with this family is not ideal, and now she doesn’t want anyone questioning Virat’s decision to marry her. And what if they question it in front of Virat? She won’t be able to handle it. She wants to be the best version of herself for him, why doesn’t he get it? He needs to understand and not be irritated with her decisions like this.
She walks and tries her best to help the girls with laying the table, to distract her from her thoughts. He comes out of the bathroom and sits down opposite to her on the large table. Just as everyone is about to sit, Ashwini and Ninaad arrive. The girls stand up, Virat remains seated, he is drinking from a glass of water, She remains closer to the table while Devyani and Shivani go to greet them.
“Arrey re, sorry sorry. Humei late ho gaya, Sai aur Virat aa gaye?” Ashwini chatters as she walks closer and smiles widely at Sai and Virat who is now looking at his phone.
“Virat, Tu office se aaya”
Ninaad smiles and waves at Sai and then walks into the bathroom. Ashwini leaves her handbag on an empty chair and holds Sai by her chin and kisses her forehead
“Kaisi hai Tu?”
“Jee thik” she mutters overwhelmed by the motherly love
“Tum log baitho, start karo, Mai abhi aayi”
Ashwini rushes upstairs, while Ninaad emerges from the bathroom downstairs, wiping his hands with a towel and announces, sitting at the head of the table
“So Virat, maine suna tumhari post badal gayi hai”
Virat nods, while Shivani passes the food along. Devyani is at the table clicking photos.
“Devyani, phone ko hataake, zara Tai ki help karoge?” Ninaad tells her off.
Sai starts to serve herself and Devyani, who smiles sheepishly at her.
“So Virat, tumne jawab nahi diya”
“Kiss ka jawab?” Ashwini joins the table and asks.
“Virat ka internal transfer ka” Ninaad replies, like someone who knows the news but still wants it out from the culprit, at that moment he seems more like a policeman than his son.
“Haan, Virat, aaj Solekar Uncle ke yahaa se pata chala, Vardhan vahaa thaa, at least batate Humei, Tumhare baba ko sharminda nahi hona padta”
“Ismei sharminda hone ki kya baat hai? Police ki naukri mei yeh changes hotey rehte hai” Virat casually states while mixing his rice.
“Sharminda Tumhare job ki nahi, information ki baat hai” Ninaad states while breaking his chappati,
“Aur Vardhan discuss kar raha thaa ki tumhei abhi criminal investigation team mei bhi report karna padega aur tumhari posting abb MIDC Amravti road pe hai, bilkul unsafe area” Ashwini complains while serving herself.
“Aai mai ek police officer hun, that’s my job.” Virat continues calmly, has not stopped eating.
Ashwini whines, “Haan haan tum Amravati road pe lafangon ke peeche padna aur vaha Vardhan ko cyber crime pe laga diya hai.”
Ninaad warns, “Ashwini calm down”
“Arre yeh kaha ka nyaay hai, Virat ne jaan pe khelkar Nagpur ke sabse bade criminal ko pakada hai, aur usse ek highway pe daal dete hai” Ashwini continues ranting
Sai watches Virat who is casually eating his food like he has zoned out his mother’s wailing and complaints, a part of her goes out to him, she wants to tell his mother that this is his life and he is dealing with it, she turns to his mother and says,
“Actually Aunty..”
She is interrupted by Virat dropping his empty glass on the floor. She was unable to decipher if he did on purpose, to stop her from talking or it was a slip. The sound has silenced his mother though, for some time.
“Sai, Medical camp kaisa Chal raha hai?” Ninaad asks.
Sai presses her lip and nods, “thik hai”
“Tumhe pata hai na, Baba ke family ki trust medical camp ko support karti hai, koi bhi problem ho, Humei bata sakti ho” Ashwini wails.
Sai looks at Virat who stares at her as though challenging her, she doesn’t relent, she just looks at Ashwini and nods with a small smile.
“Tum iske Jaise mut bano, Pata nahi kya hai, Humei Kuch nahi batata. Tumhe at least bataya Usne? Tum uski biwi banne vali ho, yeh chizie tumhe at least pata hona chhaiye” Ashwini whines
Ninaad warns, “Ashwini, please.”
Sai confidently replies, “Actually unhone Mujhe bataya thaa, ki post change hone vala hai, yeh nahi bataya ki kaha exactly, lekin,,.”
Virat bangs his left hand on the table and roars, “Enough! Main ek assistant commissioner hun, Aur Mujhe mere seniors ke orders follow karne padte hai. Maine Sai ko jitna information dena thaa, uthna hi diya, kyunki kal gar Mujhe Kuch ho jaaye, Sai ki life pe asar sabse minimum ho. Main nahi chahta ki agar main line of fire mei marjau toh Sai ya yahaa kissi ke peeche force lag jaaye kyunki uske paas bahut saari information hai.”
Virat stands up, pushing his chair back and leaves the table, his food unfinished. He walks up to the stairs.
Sai presses her lips and stares at her plate. Ninaad tsks, while Devyani looks at her mother accusing
“Aai aap hamesha yeh karte ho! Dada ghar pe aate hai aur aap unki naukri ko leke Kuch toh hungama shuru karte ho”
Ninaad pipes in
“Ashwini, thoda toh sabr se kaam lo”
Shivani glares at her brother
“Aap Ashwini Aai ko kyu bol rahe ho? Baat toh aapne shuru ki thi Dada”
Ninaad sighs and shakes his head.
“Arrey main sirf yeh janna chahta thaa, ki voh khush hai kya iss decision se. Mujhe pata hai ki mere bete ne kitni mehnat lagayi hai uss Bhiku ko pakadne mei, aur medal dene ke bajay these b@#$t@$ have played politics with my son. Mujhe gussa aa raha hai, ki mai apne bete ke liye Kuch nahi kar sakta, aur at the same time, Mujhe uss par kitna naaz hai, main bata nahi sakta.”
Ashwini has tears filled up in her eyes, she stands up and walks to her husband and holds his shoulder.
“Hamara Virat bahut tarraki karega, Mujhe pata hai” she wipes her tears and looks at Sai, who herself has tears falling down her eyes watching the overflowing love this family has for the man. She is beginning to love them.
All of them eat in silence for some time, until Devyani quips
“Vaise maine notice kiya hai, jab bhi dinner table pe Virat Dada hungama hota hai, voh apna Khana khaake hi nikal jaate hai. Phir saara clean up Mujhe karna padta hai”
Everyone laughs.
Ashwini touches Sai’s hand from across the table
“Khaane ke baad Sai, bedroom mei aana, Mujhe tumhe Sariyan aur gehne dikhane hai”
Shivani and Devyani get excited
“Haan please Sai, ruk jao ok” Devyani pipes, “plans discuss karenge”
Sai nods excitedly too, she is herself looking forward to it.
Later when they are setting everything in the kitchen, she makes a quick trip upstairs to check on Virat and let him know, that they can’t leave yet and maybe wedding chatter is what they need to uplift everyone’s mood. She opens the door with a huge smile, but doesn’t see him anywhere, this was the room he had come up to when the last time she was here, she hears the shower. She knocks on the door, but the sounds of water is too loud for him to hear. She bites her lip and waits, when Ninaad walks in
“Voh shower mai hai” she says
“Tum Aai ke paas jao, bedroom mei sab wait kar rahe hai, Mai Virat se Kuch discuss karna chahta hun”
She nods, and she walks past him, Ninaad pats her head.
In the large master bedroom, when she enters, Ashwini has opened the cupboard and Devyani is helping her remove boxes of Jewellery and sarees,
Shivani pulls Sai into the room and makes her sit in the bed, saying
“Sai, please don’t feel bad, Viru ko leke hum sab bahut emotional ho jaate hai, but we love him a lot”
“Just like you” Devyani exclaims
Sai chuckles and shakes her head. Devyani puts her hands on her waist and says,
“Mujhe sab pata hai, tum dono steps ke peeche kya kar rahe the?”
Devyani looks at her mother and continues, “Aai tumhe dekhne chahiye thaa, Virat Dada aate hi, Sai ke haath ko Aise pakadke, vaha seediyon ke peeche leke jaake bahut kissy vissy chal raha thaaa...uff! Not bad Sai, tumne jis tarike se Dada ke face ko pull karke...”
Ashwini interrupts with a small smile, “Achaa Achaa Devi thik hai, chup kar abhi..”
Devyani makes a face, “Aap toh Aise baat kar rahe ho, Jaise humne Kabhi aap aur baba ko vaha dekha nahi hai, voh jagah toh humari family ka lovers spot hai, voh aur backyard. Yaad hai Shivani Tai ek baar uske boyfriend ke saath”
Shivani yells, “chup baithegi”
Ashwini giggles, “Aaj hi sab pol kholne hai kya Sai ke saamne”
Sai laughs “Vaise mai handle kar sakti hun”
The ladies all laugh. Ashwini starts showing the sarees
“Dekh Sai, shaadi toh bahut simple kar rahe hai, aur Sunday ko shaadi aur lunch ke liye do saadiyan chahiye, ek tumhari taraf se aur ek humari taraf se. hum chahte hai ki Nagpur mei ek reception rakhe, uske liye Saadi hamari taraf se hogi, agar tumhe inn mei se pasand nahi hai Toh hum agle hafte Kabhi bhi shopping ke liye jaa sakte hai”
Sai starts to look at the sarees, Shivani and Devyani complain that for a reception Sai should wear latest saree and not something old fashioned. As these discussions go back and forth, Virat stands at the entrance of the room.
“Main nikal raha hun, Sai chalo” Virat says seriously,
“Sai Tumhare saath kyu jaayegi? Voh to camp jaayegi” Ashwini says casually as she opens a necklace box to see if it matches the saree
Virat stares at Sai, who looks away, he grinds his teeth “Main camp drop kar dunga”
“Hum abhi abhi baithe hai inn sab ke saath. Tu bhi aaja” Ashwini looks at her son’s hard face, wanting to placate him.
“Nahi Mujhe kaam hai” Stoic and stern.
“Usse camp Main drop kar dungi Veeru” Shivani says.
Virat stands there waiting for Sai to say, get up, move, join him, anything to show him that she will put him first, above everyone else. And the words out of her mouth only infuriate him.
“Aap jayiye, Tai Mujhe drop kar degi”
As soon as the words leave her mouth, she knows she has made a mistake. A grave one, she knows this is not going to end well, she knows watching him nod stoically and leave that he is livid. And she knows this because her heart is heavy, so heavy that she is afraid of shutting her eyes, because she knows tears will fall. She excuses herself and walks out of the room, she can see him leave, she comes down the stairs. She texts him
Sorry. Kya karti? Yaha se nikalna mushkil thaa, aap apne kaam ke baad yaha aa jayiye na
His reply is immediate
Main nahi aa sakta.
She holds back her tears. Is he punishing her for what he feels is unfair treatment by his family? She wonders, that’s not fair, they are looking out for him, how can he not understand that? She presses her lips. She types back
Ok, no problem, main camp se auto leke aa jaungi.
There is no reply from him. She waits for a minute, biting her inner lip, but nothing, she takes her phone with her back to the bedroom and sits down on the bed. Shivani holds her hand and mouths to her, “ok?” She nods.
Hours later, around 11pm, Shivani is driving her to the camp. Sai is not paying attention to anything she is saying, because she is on the lookout for autos near the camp. There don’t seem to be any. Shivani pulls in front of the camp site.
“Andar aajau drop karne?”
“Nahi nahi I am ok”
“You sure?”
“Yes, yes, thanks Tai”
“Ek minute” Shivani peers through the front of the car, “veeru ka gaadi yaha kya kar raha hai?”
Sai looks at the jeep on the other side of the street with a shock on her face. Shivani parks the car and both of them get out.
“Veeru, yaha kya kar raha hai?” Shivani knocks on the window and Virat gets it down.
“Hi Tai.” He says without even looking at Sai.
“Tujhe kya laga, Mai drop nahi kar sakti Sai ko”? She teases him. “Itna miss kar raha thaa, toh ghar pe aa jaata na”
He looks at Sai, who bites her lip with a sheepish look. He unlocks the car and opens the door, Sai wordlessly walks around and gets into the car and sits next to him. Shivani looks at both of them, peeps into the vehicle.
“Aww drive pe jaa rahe ho? How cute! Isse Achaa toh Mai Sai ko tere apartment pe drop kar deti na, vaha ke street lights bhi thik se kaam karte hai. Yahaa sunsan galiyon se toh behtar hai. Pagal kahi ka, kuch batata nahi hai aur Humei pareshaan kar deta hai.”
Shivani’s reluctance to be on this road makes Sai feel even more bad,
“Tai, actually..” she begins without really knowing what she wants to say. Virat looks at her, she ends with a “thank you so much Tai laane ke liye”
Shivani smiles at her and says, “Don’t be silly Sai, thank you kya hai ismei? Tum family ho Sai. Chalo tum dono enjoy karo”
“Shivani Tai, aap car ko start karo, main road tak hum peeche aayenge”
Shivani smiles softly at her oldest nephew, who one can’t help but love, even in that bad mood of his, he will place everyone else first, she makes a U around his cheeks and says “I love you Veeru”
The couple drives in silence behind Shivani’s car, and in silence all the way back home. He flings the keys on the kitchen counter and walks to the bedroom, she walks into the bathroom, when she comes out the lights in the room are switched off, she walks to the living room.
The sofa is pristine like it was never in a bed form before, she walks back into the bedroom, and can’t find the sheets for the sofa bed, she switches on the bed light and only then she notices that Virat is sleeping on the side of the master bed which is closer to the bathroom. And the sheets for the sofa bed are in the laundry basket with their clothes mingled in.
She wipes the tears falling down her eyes, she lies down on the master bed, staring at his back, willing him to turn, but he doesn’t. Tears have clogged her throat for her to call out for him. Their first night in their own bedroom is spent in silence, tears and fury, and away from each other.
———-
Please drop a comment 🙏🏽
Edited by columbia - 4 years ago
CID
Anupamaa
