When You’re with Me <3
In a taxicab, Anuj and Anupama are on their way back to Shah house from Ahmedabad railway station. Anupama is lost in her trail of thoughts.
“Pareshaan ho?” Anuj softly asks, looking at her and trying to read her face.
Anupama sighs. “Nehi.” After a pause, she adds, “Bas sochrahi hu ki kab tak sab se ladhna padhega apni khushiyo ke liye.”
Anuj understood that Anupama is anticipating the worst when she reaches Shah house. He gazes at how they were holding each other’s hands, and how their fingers are perfectly intertwined. Holding her hand tighter and pulling it closer to his heart, he exclaims, “Main hu tumhare saath.”
“Woh aap na bhi bole toh bhi mujhe pata hei. Mein bas thak gai hu.” Anupama slides closer to him, leaving no distance between them in the seat, and rested her hand on his shoulder. Closing her eyes, she brought their intertwined hands close to her heart and fell asleep.
Anuj gazes her lovingly and smiles. “Kitna khubsurat safar hai yeh.” He thinks, and the next moment, he sees a strand of Anupama’s hair falling on her face. He tucks her strand of hair behind her ears and places a soft peck on her forehead.
**
The cab stops in front of the Shah house, waking Anupamaa up. “Pohoch gaye?”
Anuj beams in happiness and peace. “Haan! Kash kabhi na pohochte.” He dreamily smiles.
“Matlab?” Anupama is confused.
Anuj brings his face a little closer. “Matlab… Meri mohtarma, aap sote waqt bohot pyari lagti hai.”
Anupama blushes. “Bhapp!” She gets out of the cab.
Anuj gets out of the cab and pays the cab driver, letting the driver go.
“Arre aap yaha kyun utre? Aap ghar jaiye neh.” Anupamaa suggests. Anuj walks toward her. “Nahi! Main tumhara saath andar aaunga.”
“Lekin mein nahi dekh paungi ki koi aapko kuch ulta seedha kahe.” Anupama says worriedly.
Anuj intertwines his fingers with Anupama’s and firmly says, “Aur mujhse bardasht nahi hoga ki koi meri Anu ko kuch bhi kahe. Bilkul nahi! Iss liye main aaraha hu tumhare saath.”
“Lekin---” Anupama tries to protest.
“Ssshh!” Anuj puts his finger on her lips. “Ekdum chup aur chalo!”
**
Anupama and Anuj reach at the door of Shah house. Anupama sees Vanraj sitting at a chair in front of the door and rolls her eyes. “Aap phir se wotchmen ban gaye?”
Anuj chuckles. Anupama and Anuj are about to step inside when Baa shouts, “Rukjao!”
Anupama looks at Baa disheartened. Anuj shakes his head in disbelief.
Baa walks toward Anupama and says in disgust, “Sabke samne izzat ki dhajjiyan udha di. Phir bhi besharmo ki tarah apne ashiq ke saath iss ghar pe aarahi hai.”
Anuj closes his fist in anger. Anupama holds his arm and calms him down. They enter the house anyway, holding hands and with their head high in pride, shocking Baa and Vanraj, as she did not listen to Baa.
“Pehli baat… Anuj mere hone wale pati hai. Izzat se baat kijiye. Aur dusri baat… Mein yahan aana nehi chahti thi lekin Kinjal ke liye mujhe aana padha---”
Baa disrupts Anupama’s statement and shouts, pointing finger at her, “Yeh Anuj ki Anupama mere ghar ki kuch nahi lagti. Agar humse, apne baccho se, iss ghar se rishta rakhna hai toh Anuj toh chodhna padhega tujhe.”
Anupama loses her balance in despair. “Mein iss ghar ki kuch nehi lagti.” She mumbles. Anuj holds her protectively. Tears roll down Anupama’s cheeks and looking at her, Anuj’s eyes welled up. He looks at Baa in anger.
Kinjal, Toshu, Samar, Mamaji, Pakhi, and Dolly arrive at the living room, standing in a semi-circle and watching Baa shouting at Anupama and Anuj.
Bapuji walks toward Baa and says, “Anupama meri beti hai. Agar yeh iss ghar ki kuch nahi lagti toh main bhi iss ghar ka aur tera kuch nahi lagta, Leela!”
Baa stares at Bapuji in shock. “Yeh aap---”
Interrupting Baa, Bapuji says, “Teri jaisi ehsaan faramosh maine aaj tak nahi dekhi. Jis bete ke pyaar mein tu pagal horahi hai – ussi bete ne tere muh pe darwaza lagaya tha. Tab Anupama tere liye khadhi hui. Aur tu kehti hai ki yeh teri kuch nahi lagti. Chee!”
“Uske liye maine isse maafi mangi, iski aur Anuj ki dosti sweekar bhi kia. Lekin phir bhi yeh hamari nakh katane pe tuli hui hai. Daadi ban gai phir bhi jawani khatam nahi huye iske. Patanahi kya karte---”
“BAA!” say Anupama and Anuj determinedly and in chorus and in a high tone, glaring at Baa angrily.
Anuj signals Dolly to hold Anupama. Anuj walks toward Baa. Standing in front of Anupama as if shielding her from the atrocities of the patriarchal society, he raises his eyebrows and confidently tells Baa, “Meri Anu ke khilaaf ek shabd bhi nahi. Main aisa kuch nahi bolna chahta jo mujhe nahi kehna chahie. Meri Anu aapko apni maa maanti hai.”
“Nehi hai yeh meri maa.” Anupama stares at Baa in the eyes and speaks up. Her tone is decisive and confident. She walks toward Baa and says, “Mein paagal thi ki meine aapko apni maa maana. Lekin aap meri maa banne ke layak nehi hai.”
“ANUPAMA!” Vanraj screams. “VANRAJ!” Anupamaa and Anuj snap back at him, again in chorus.
“ANUPAMA!” Baa comes in front of Anupama and is about to slap her when Anuj comes in between. But Anupama holds Baa’s wrist from behind at the right time. All the family members are shocked and speechless, including Baa who is taken aback about Anuj coming in between and Anupama holding her wrist. Anupama glares at Baa and extreme anger engulfs her.
*to be continued*
**
Part 2 on Anupama's chandi avatar will be posted tomorrow (Sunday) 😳 The ending of part 1 might not be nice but then this time, it will be worse than the previous kaand...
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