Hi all... I opened this thread thinking I would update on that day... but I couldnt.. Sorry for that.
Previous Parts;
Part 1-18A - Parts 1-18A;
Here goes the next part:
Part 18B
When Bani entered the house, she saw all the family members sitting in the living room. Her eyes screened all the faces. Everybody's attention turned to her. She felt uncomfortable. Her eyes fell on Jai. She felt that she could share the happy news with him. The thought brought a smile on the face as she was looking at Jai.
Suddenly she heard Jigyasa asking, "Kahaan thi, tum?"
"Main toh…" Bani tried to answer, but Jigyasa cut her in between.
"Kehkar nahin ja sakti kya? Samaj kya rakha hai humein? Ki humko tumhein dhoondne se siva koi aur kaam nahin hai kya?" Jigyasa shouted at her.
Bani's face fell. All the happiness drained. She felt blank. Her eyes started to fill with tears.
Through her tears she saw Jai coming forward. She stood rooted to the spot. Jai held her shoulders and asked, "Kahaan thi Bani?"
Bani looked at him with a tearful face.
Jai held her face with one of his hands and said, "Bani… bahut khush dikh rahi thi… Kya baat hai?" He asked again. Bani started to sob. Jai said, "SShhh… Don't cry." He wiped her tears and asked again. "Kya baat hai Bani? Mujhe nahin bataogi?"
Bani kicked her brain to remember why she was happy. As soon as she remembered, she wiped her tears and said, "Main… main…" she was so excited that she searched for words.
"Kya baat hai Bani…?" Jai asked her again.
This time, she blurted out, "Pata hai? Mera… mera bachcha aanewala hai…." She said happily in between her tears and touched her belly. 'Mera bachcha', she said to herself in her mind.
Jai was initially shocked that Bani came across the news, but wondered how. At the same time, he was relieved that Bani came to know about her pregnancy. He was happy that Bani was happy with her pregnancy. But her words affected him much, Mera bachcha… He looked at Bani's bent head and then her palm resting on her belly. 'Yes, she was really happy… but why did she say her baby? It was their baby, why did she say so? Didn't she realize it was their baby…' his mind asked so many questions.
All the family members looked at each other wondering what was happening and what might happen. Everybody watched Jai and Bani curiously.
Bani lifted her head. She saw Jai looked at her. She smiled at him without taking her palm off her belly.
Jai at last expressed his wonder alone. "Kya!!??"
Bani said, "Mera bachcha…" she said shyly yet smilingly, her hand not leaving her belly.
Jai smiled at last masking his hurt. "Tum khush ho na?" he asked.
Bani shook her head as 'yes'. She said excitingly, "Main bahut khush hoon… Mera bachcha…" she looked at her hand resting on her belly. Jai swallowed his hurt and tears. "Pata hai.." she said and lifted her head and looked at his face. "Main apne bachche se bahut pyar karoongi… Use kabhi ek pal ke liye bhi akela nahin chodoongi… Main use itna pyar doongi ki woh mujhe chodke nahin jayega… Main uska achchi dekhbaal karoongi… use kabhi nahin maarongi… hamesha apne paas rakhongi… apne paas…" she said with one of fist closed and keeping it across her chest. By the time, tears started to fall from her eyes.
Jai smiled and hugged her. Bani grasped his shirt as the tears started to flow. After sometime, she released herself from his hold and looked at him. Something in his face said that he was not happy. "Aap khush hai na?" she asked in a low voice.
Jai's head jerked to see her. He kicked his brain mentally to have upsetted her. She had again started doubting her. He smiled to erase the thought from her mind. He cupped her face in his palms and said, "Bahut khush hoon. Tum khush ho na, to phir main bhi toh khush hoonga. Hain na?" He saw Bani smile a little. "Upar se humare bachche ke liye kyun nahin khush hoonga?"
There appeared a frown in her mind hearing to 'humara bachcha'. Humara bachcha? How could it be? It was her baby… whom she would love to her life… for whom she would build a safe home… whom she would take care… for whom she would work… for whom she would cook… She had so many dreams for her baby… Now… how could he say it was their baby…?
Seeing Bani in a dreamy state, Jai shook her by her shoulders, "Bani… Bani…!" he called. Bani came out of her thoughts. "Chalo baitho…" he said and took her to the couch. Bani's eyes did not leave his face. Then when she turned she saw the family members looking at her and Jai. Jai made her sit and sat beside her. Masi smiled and sat beside her. Dadi joined her beside Masi.
"Kahaan gayi thi, Bani?" Masi asked her. Bani looked at Masi. "Batake ja sakti thi na… Hum fikar nahin karte na…?"
Bani looked at Masi and said, "Sorry…!"
Jai said, "Sorry ki baat nahin hai… Baat tumhari safety ki kai…" Bani looked at Jai.
Masi, from the other side asked, "Ab bata kahaan gayi thi? Aur kab gayi thi?"
Bani looked at both her sides and said, "Main subah hi chali gayi doctor ke paas."
"Subah jaake a baa rahi ho?" Dadi asked.
"Haan… woh doctor ne test liya toh… result lene mein der ho gayi…" Bani explained.
"Subah se kuch khayi ki nahin…?" Jai asked.
Bani turned to Jai. "Haan… bhaiya ke dhaaba mein khayi thi."
"Dhaaba?" Aditya asked.
Bani looked at Aditya and wondered, 'Since when I had become the center of attraction!' She said, "Haan.. Woh bhaiya ke dhaabe mein. Jab college mein padti thi toh wahin pe khane ke liye jaati thi. Woh chat bahut achche banate hai…" She said.
"Chat? Tum dopher ko chat khayi thi?" Jai asked.
"Chat nahin… Pav bhaji…" she said. "Mera favorite…" she added smilingly.
Before Jai could smile at her, Jigyasa said, "Tum road side pe khayi ho… Paagal ho gayi kya? Woh sab unhygienic hote hai… Pata hai na? "
Bani got offended. "Kyun nahin? Bhaiya bahut khayal se banate hai… Bachpan se bahar khati aayi hoon. Aaj tak kuch nahin hua…" She saw Jigyasa frowning. Bani then added, "Waise bhi, uncle aur aunty bhi toh hotel hi chalate the… Wahaan khate woh kuch nahin kehte!"
Everybody was shocked.
Jai remembered his mother's words, "Tu shayad bada aadmi ban gaya. Ab koi tumhein sawaal nahin karenge. Yeh sochke ki tum jo bhi karoge teek hi hoga. Lekin beta, aisa hamesha nahin hota. Tab kisi na kisi ko tumhein sawaal karna padega. Aur woh sawaal Bani karegi." He felt now how true his mother was. Jigyasa went furious. She was about to speak back when Aditya handled the situation.
"Lekin Bani… pav bhaji se pet kaise bharega? Kuch aur bhi kha liya hota." Aditya carefully chose his words.
"Nahin jiju… mera pet bhar gaya tha. Sach…" Bani said.
"Teek hai… maan liya… Ab bhook lag rahi hai kya?" He asked.
Bani kept silent for few seconds, then said, "Haan thoda thoda lag raha hai…"
"Chalo khana khate hai…" Aditya said.
"Main pav bhaji khaoongi… Bhaiya ne mujhe free parcel diya hai…" She took out a parcel from the bag and showed it.
Aditya sat back and said, "Phir se Pav bhaji… Zara humein bhi do… dekhte hai ki kaisa hai…" Aditya said making himself ready for a bite.
Bani looked at Aditya surprised. She looked at Jai too.
"Tony… zara plate lana…" Jai gave a call.
Tony brought the plates. Jai and Aditya started to polish the Pav Bhaji little only tiny pieces to Bani. Bani looked at Jai and Aditya one after the other as if waiting for them to say something.
At last, Aditya said, "Ab pata chala… Waw… Bahut achchi bhaji hai… Hai na Jai…" He asked Jai.
Jai looked from the plate to Aditya. "Haan Aditya… Bahut achchi bani hai…" He said licking his fingers. Then looking at the plate, he said, "Sorry Bani… Tumhare liye thoda hi bacha hai… Sorry Masi.. Sorry Dadi… Main aapko ek aur din Bani ke saath jaake us dhabe se le aata hoon…"
"Yeh achcha nahin kiya tum logon ne… Taste ke liye bhi nahin choda tum logon ne… Dadi complained.
Jai and Aditya laughed, whereas Jigyasa looked unbothered and Bani looked amused.
Thus, Bani was relieved from one of the burdens she had in mind.
Thanks for reading 😳
