This one is for all my readers. Esp for Telly and Revutty. Hope you like it.
I have taken everything as it is until Dec 8th epi (court case resolved, both of them back home) and forked out from that point.
Hari Prasad couldn’t sit still. The so-called well-wishers and neighbors had finally taken their leave, Bimla had gently hustled Vidhi to freshen up so that his daughter could eat something and take the much-needed rest. Yet he didn’t seem to be able to relax. Too much had happened. It was too much for him to take it all in. What if Dev saab hadn’t intervened? What if he hadn’t supported Vidhi the way he did? He still couldn’t believe the way he had taken all the blame on himself in his effort to save Vidhi. Who does that? Just how good and clean in heart a person would have to be, to even think of doing something like that? These days people backed away from their own family members in such situations and this man! Hey ma Milapni Devi, please bless him with an abundance of everything that he desires and even the things that he thinks are impossible to achieve, he prayed.
Bimla walked up to him with a glass of water and some food. “Aap buss ab thoda aaraam keejiye. Ma ki krupa se sab teek hogaya. Humari beti humare ghar wapas aagayi.”
Hari Prasad nodded, his face stark with relief just as his phone began ringing. He looked at the caller id and got up. “Satyavati ji, namaste.”
“Namaste Hari Prasad ji. Aap log ghar pahunchgaye? Vidhi kaisi hain?”
“Ji. Buss, abhi abhi. Aur Vidhi teek hain. We can’t tell you how indebted we are to Dev saab, for everything he did for my daughter, for us…”
“Mera bete ne jo bhi kiya apneliye kiya. Aap sab ko apna sabjhkar kiya. Chaliye Bhagwaan ki daya se sab teek hogaya aur humaare bachhe humaare paas wapas aagaye. Hari Prasad ji, isi baat pe mein ghar mein ek choti puja rakhrahi hoon. Aaj shaam ko. Agar aap, Bimla ji aur Vidhi bhi aayenge toh achha lagega.”
“Arre kaisi baat karrahe hain, Satyavati ji. Hum zaroor aayenge. Zaroor. Ji, namaste.”
Bimla, who has heard most of the conversation, got up with a smile. “Mein jaake Vidhi ko bolti hoon.”
****
That evening, at Raichand Residence:
“Ma?”
Satyavati, who had been overseeing the puja arrangements, turned and smiled at her son who was dressed in a dark blue kurta that had tiny silver buttons on it and a rich cream pyjama. “Aagaya Dev? Vidhi bhi aati hogi. Meine unn logon ko bhi bulaya hain for the puja and aarti.”
“Ma!” Dev’s tone was full of tired exasperation. Honest to God, he never realized how determined his mom could get in her matchmaking mode.
“Lo aagaye!” Satyavati’s smile was full of warm welcome as the Sharmas hesitantly entered the mansion. “Aayiye, aayiye. Namaste! Kaisi ho Vidhi beta?” She cupped Vidhi’s cheeks affectionately and hugged her.
“Ma’am, Abhimanyu sir aur Priya ma’am dikhayi nahi deharhe?” Vishi asked, her glance looking for his brother beside him.
“Woh, do din se Dev office nahi gaya na. Toh Abhi hi sab sambhal raha hain. Today one of the board members wanted to meet him for dinner and Priya too went along with him.” Vidhi and Dev shared a smile of mutual joy and pride at Abhimanyu taking such an active part in the company.
See what you accomplished, his eyes seemed to say. Vidhi blushed and looked away. As conversation flowed, all Dev could do was take in Vidhi’s presence in his house. Dressed in a simple dark green salwar with little pink flowers strewn all over it, hair in her usual long braid, her guileless smile grabbing his heart more firmly than any artificial make-up ever could, she was the personification of all he wanted and desired in life. And as was her nature, she didn’t sit and enjoy being a guest. She went about helping with the arrangements, getting the flowers, pouring ghee in the lamp, handing over whatever the priest was asking for… she pushed back her braid as it was touching the flowers laid out for the puja and he was abruptly seized by the desire to see her hair flowing around her, free of the confinement.
Satyavati smothered a smile as she noticed Dev forcing himself to look away from Vidhi and failing miserably. “Hari Prasad ji, Vimla ji, Dono par se itni badi museebat tali…mein chaahti hoon ki aaj aarti Dev aur Vidhi, dono milkar kare.” The couple looked flustered and overjoyed at the honor. “Vidhi?” she called out.
“Ji ma’am?”
“Bimla ji, Vidhi ko mein apni beti maanti hoon. Toh iss haq se mein agar kuch karu toh aapko aitraaz nahi hoga na?” On the face of it, it was a request. But Satyavati knew how to be regal and warm at the same time.
Hari Prasad was quick to answer. “Arre kaisi baat kar rahe hain! Vidhi toh aapki hi beti hain. Aap jo chaahe…matlab…” he looked at his wife for askance who nodded eagerly, happily.
“Toh chalo Vidhi, mere saath.”
Dev, on the instructions of the pandit, began lighting the lamps one by one. “Lo, Vidhi bhi aagayi. Pandit ji, aap puja shuru karsakte hain.”
Dev turned his head at his mom’s voice and everything in him shuddered to a halt at the vision coming down the stairs. Vidhi! His heart thudded her name with its each beat…with every step she took that brought her closer to him. Gone was the beautiful, homely girl. Dressed in a dark blue sari with silver thread work and a contrast cream coloured blouse, hair completely out of its confinement, only the side strands held back with some kind of clip at the back of her head, the one who was now standing before him was a dazzling, sensuous woman. For the first time in his life, Dev Raichand forgot his surroundings. Hell, he forgot himself. All he could do was devour what was in front of him. His breath shuddered out and that’s when he realized that he was supposed to breathe. It was one of the important functions that sustained one’s life. As if equally enthralled by him, by what she was seeing and reading in his eyes for the first time, her glowing pink cheeks were rapidly turning red.
"Dev beta, aarti shuru kare?”
Was he the only one who could detect the laughter in his ma’s tone? That impish grin even as she acted all casual? He cleared his throat a couple of times, swallowed and nodded. And looked around wondering what it was that he was supposed to do. “Aarti?” Satyavati gently prodded.
“J-ji. Ji ma.” He dragged his mind and heart from where they were determined to go and picked up the aarti and waited for Vidhi to join him.
****
“Yeh…yeh bahut achha kiya aapne Satyavati ji, yeh puja rakhke. Mann ko shaanti mili,” Hari Prasad effused as he got up leave.
“Aur humko yeh saubhagya mila,” Bimla added.
“Aisa mat kahiye. Vidhi ko muh se beti boldiya toh mann se beti maan bhi liya meine. Agar aapko aitraaz na ho toh Vidhi ko mein thodi der baad bhejdu? Aap befikr rahiye, mein apne gaadi mein jaldi hi usko ghar pahuchadungi. Woh kya haina, thoda kaam aur agar Vidhi rahegi toh…”
“Haan haan, bilkul.”
The couple left quickly after that. Satyavati waited until the staff went back to their chores of tidying up the place before walking up to Vidhi, who was picking up the prashad ki thali from the center table. “Vidhi, Dev apne study mein hain. Usko yeh juice deaaogi? He had a call right after the puja and didn’t even eat properly.”
Vidhi picked up the juice glass that was on the dining table. “Ji ma’am. Uh, woh…study?”
“Uss taraf,” Satyavati pointed towards the stairs. “Corner one to the right.”
****
Dev had finished his call, went through the documents, wrote the remarks where needed and called to set up a meeting with the finance guys first thing next morning. That taken care of, he exhaled and closed his eyes. That wing chair right beside his window was his favorite place in the study. Though when needed to work, he used the desk and the comfortable revolving chair, this one was where he relaxed, thought, read, sometimes even had his power naps. With his favorite music playing in the background at a low volume, he just let his thoughts drift. The soft, almost tentative knock brought him out of his musings.
“Come in!” His heart gave away the identity of the person even before he opened his eyes.
“S-sir, woh, aapki juice.” Vidhi extended the tall glass filled with fresh apple juice to him.
“Thanks.” He began taking slow sips as he watched her wide, curious eyes take-in her surroundings. They lit up like a bulb being turned on inside her as she saw the tall, wide wooden bookshelf with its glass panels that extended from one end of the wall to the other end and was about 8 feet from the floor.
“Sir! Itne saare books!” Her eyes went round with wonder and joy. “You read all of them?”
Dev grinned as he got up from his chair. “Not all but…” he shrugged and left it at that.
“No wonder you are so knowledgeable.” She said almost to herself, her fingers gliding over the glass, eyes skimming over the titles. “Sir, there are so many books on economics here. And on management too!”
“Yeah. You want any? Feel free.”
Excited, she went through the titles once again more carefully, her eyes landing on Michael Shor’s Managerial Economics. She rose on her toes to reach it and when that didn’t work, she tried to jump. Dev’s grin turned into a small chuckle as he walked up to the shelf and slid the book out with ease.
His sudden proximity behind her caused her to stumble, his arm going around her waist in an instinctive move to steady her. Neither moved. Neither breathed. The rapid thak, thak, thak of her heart seemed to be in perfect sync with his own suddenly uneven heartbeat.
The book sliding from their fingers and hitting the floor brought them out of the trance. “T-thank you, sir. M-mein na…isko padke lautadungi.” Flustered, she bent to pick up the book and touch it to her forehead in a gesture of apology.
Dev took a step back but his eyes refused to move away from her. Not that he was giving them any firm instructions of course! “Uh, zaroorat nahi hain. I mean, tum chaho toh rakhsakti ho. Or better yet, you can treat this as your library. Take and return as per your need.”
“Haaa, sachhi sir?”
“Of course.”
She hugged the book before carefully placing it on the side table, her eyes once again back to surveying the room and…him. The song playing in the background caught her attention.
Na tum hamen jaano… Na ham tumhen jaane
Magar lagata hai kuchh aisa… Mera humdum mil gaya
“Aapko music pasand hain, sir?”
For the first time Dev wished she didn’t add “sir” at the beginning and ending every time she spoke to him. “Yeah. I mean not much but when I’m in the mood, sometimes I listen to these old songs. Hemanth Kumar, Rafi, Lata ji…” he shrugged and left it at that.
Vidhi made a mental note of those names. She would look up those singers once she reached home. “Sir, mujhe toh Sunidhi Chauhan bahut pasand hain. Aur Arijit Singh.”
He nodded, finished the last of his juice and quickly scribbled those names on the book that was laying open on his desk. And turned to see Vidhi gently swaying to the song. To the music.
Mohabbat ke mod pe ham… Mile sabako chhod ke ham
Dhadkate dilon ka le ke ye kaarawaan
Chale aj donon jaane kahaan
Na tum hamen jaano… Na ham tumhen jaane
Magar lagata hai kuchh aisa… Mera humdum mil gaya
A gentle twirl brought her facing him and from across the short distance between the desk and the window, with the moonlight encasing her in a mellow silver glow, Vidhi, still swaying to the tune, extended her hand, inviting him to join her. Maybe it was the atmosphere, maybe it was that hand that had gripped his on the steps of the court once again extended towards him, maybe it was those alluring eyes full of shy expectation and eagerness. Whatever the reason, Dev couldn’t resist. Three steps and his hand joined hers. With a firm tug, he brought her closer to him, guided her left hand onto his right shoulder and took her right one in his palm, wrapping his right arm around her waist. Her grin widened despite her fiery red cheeks as he began an off-beat waltz.
Ye mausam ye raat chup hai… Wo honthhon ki baat chup hai
Khaamoshi sunaane lagi hai daastaan
Nazar ban gi hai, dil ki jabaan
And when he gave her a quick twirl, her grin turned into a laugh full of delighted surprise. Soon his abrasive low chuckle joined hers as he twirled her again. There was no smoothness in the dance. Nor were the moves well-practiced or synchronized but neither cared. Their hearts were in perfect sync and that was all that mattered.
Satyavati, who had come to see if Vidhi was ready to leave, watched the pair with tear-filled eyes and a contented heart before gently closing the door and walking away.
****
Dev closed the car door after making sure Vidhi was settled in. She was back wearing the dress she’d come in. He handed her the book through the window before instructing the driver. “Sambhalke jaana. Raat hogayi hain, ghar tak chodke aana. Teek hain?” The driver nodded obediently.
“Goodnight, sir.”
Dev stepped back and nodded. Neither could do anything to prevent their lips that refused to stop smiling and faces that refused to stop glowing. “Goodnight, Vidhi. Kal office mein milte hain.”
She nodded and waved as the car moved away. He waited until the car disappeared from view before going back to the study. There, under his phone, there was a fluttering paper.
Lagata hai kuchh aisa… Mera humdum mil gaya. - Aapki, Vidhi.
He read those words again and again before neatly folding the paper and placing it in his wallet. When he walked by the guest room, he saw that Vidhi had neatly folded the sari and placed it on the bed before leaving. He took it with him to his room and in his wardrobe, he took out the blue and red striped shirt she’d gifted him. Removing it from the hanger, he slid the sari carefully onto it and hung his shirt over the sari, his fingers gliding over the softness, he whispered,
“Mera humdum bhi mil gaya, Vidhi.”
*********
Whatever drama has started to happen in Vidhi’s life since yesterday’s episode - had it happened after one episode of something like this, I think it would have been really great. At least for us viewers.
Thank you for reading. Do let me know what you think. :)
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