Chapter Nineteen
(Hindi dialogues)
"Hi, Vidya aunty. Uday aaya hai. Voh aapke aur Shilpa aunty ke saath final arrangements ki baat karna chahta hai."
"Samrat! Tum khud use lekar aaye!How sweet of you! Aao, aao, andar aao! Gunjan!!! Samrat aaya hai, Uday ke saath. Jaldi aao, beta!"
Samrat nodded to Uday and they both entered the Bhushan house. There seemed to be major confusion prevailing. Boxes of sweets, gaily wrapped gifts, anonymous cartons – all were arranged haphazardly along the walls of the small living room. The smell of cooking wafted from the direction of the kitchen and as Samrat walked in, Shilpa Sharma wandered in with a diary in her hand and a harassed expression on her face.
"Vidya, tumne voh tent vaalon se baat kar li? Aur decorations vaalon se – phoolon ke baare mein? Unhone sab final kar diya ki …?"
"Gunjan ne baat kar li hai," replied Vidya Bhushan reassuringly. "Sab ho gaya hai, Shilpa, tum fikar mat karo. Aur dekho, Samrat Uday ko lekar aaya hai, catering ki baat karne."
Shilpa looked at Samrat with an expression of relief on her face.
"Thank you so much, Samrat! Mujhe pata hai ki Gunjan ne already Uday se baat karli hai, lekin ab vaqt bahut kam hai. Dus din se bhi kam … Aao, Uday, baitho."
"Main final menus laaya hun," said Uday. He was a beefy looking guy with an unusually sweet expression for such a hefty fellow. "Aapke paas do ya teen choices hain – aap decide kar lijiye. Sab aapke budget ke andar hain – Gunjan ne already uski baat kar li hai. Aapko sirf ab final decision karna hai ki aapko kya kya chahiye."
"Uday ka yeh kehne ka matlab hai ki normally voh apne saare profits khud hi kha jaata hai, issliye aap jitna adjust karna chahein, voh kar lega," remarked Samrat with a grin. "Uday jaise petu ke liye catering business sabse achcha bhi hai, aur sabse bura bhi!"
They found place to sit in the crowded living room with some difficulty, then Vidya looked at Samrat.
"Samrat? Gunjan andar hai – shayad usne meri aawaz nahin suni. Kya tum andar jaakar use bulana chahoge? Voh apne kamre mein hai."
Vidya didn't have to ask twice. Samrat was on his feet instantly.
"Ji, aunty, main abhi bulata hun," he said, trying to make his tone casual, and Vidya nodded, smiling.
He went down the corridor, a familiar sense of anticipation building inside him at the thought of seeing her again, his heart beating just a little faster. He hadn't really needed to come with Uday today, but of course, he had to. It was Saturday – if he didn't find an excuse to visit her today, then he wouldn't see her for two days. And after last night, he couldn't wait that long. Not when he had been reliving those magical moments every single waking moment since then.
They broke apart slowly, unwillingly. He looked at her face, lit palely by the silvery moonlight streaming in through the window. Even in the dim light he could see that her colour was high, her eyes downcast as his arms slowly dropped away from her, and her arms slid slowly back to her sides. A small smile played on his lips, a smile full of tenderness and wonder at the sight of this warm, beautiful girl in front of him, and her flowing generosity of spirit. Had he ever seen such a giving person in his life, he thought to himself. Probably never.
He put a gentle hand under her chin and lifted her face so that she had to look at him. She met his gaze shyly but openly, her blush deepening, and he felt an almost uncontrollable urge to pull her back to him again, to feel her closeness, her warmth …
"Ghar chalein? Bahut raat ho gayi hai." Was that his voice? Gentle, husky, unbearably tender, as though afraid to break the egg shell fragility of the moment surrounding them .
She nodded wordlessly. He could see her breath coming quickly, see the small pulse beating more rapidly than usual in the base of her throat, showing that she was as affected as he was by … by what? What was happening between them? What was happening that he didn't want to break that silence,, a silence laden with slowly awakening, yet unrecognized emotion, a silence that enveloped them like the softest blanket, made his hands tremble, and his heart beat as fast as the wings of a bird?
He drove her home as though in a dream, one he didn't want to wake up from. Neither of them spoke, but there was no need for words. His occasional glances as he drove, her hands clasped in her lap to stop their trembling, the smile that showed no sign of leaving his face, the rosy pink of her cheeks … all spoke a language of their own, a language that didn't need words, that only needed the magic of the silver moonlit night.
At her house, he stopped and got out of the car to open her door. They stood silently for a moment, looking at each other.
"Main tumhe kal milta hun," he told her softly and she nodded, and then seemed to regain her senses.
"Kal Saturday hai …"
"Jaanta hun. Uday ne final arrangements discuss karni hain. Main uske saath aa jaunga."
She nodded again, not even trying to argue. "Good night," she said softly, and he smiled back.
"Good night, Chashmish."
He watched her walk to the door, open it and enter. As she made to go in, she turned and looked back at him. A small smile lit her face as she saw him waiting, and he smiled an answering smile as he raised his hand in a final farewell.
Samrat stood at the door of her room, watching her, and seeing that smile again in his mind, a smile that never failed to lift his spirits, a smile that hadn't left his mind since he had seen it the last thing last night. But it wasn't present now. She was sitting at the small desk in her room, a worried look on her usually calm face as she went through sheafs of papers. Bills? Wondered Samrat? Accounts? He knew that she looked after all that at home, and with the wedding approaching, they must have piled up. Were they what were bringing that tense look to her eyes? He didn't like it, he discovered. He wanted to get rid of it as soon as he possibly could.
"Main madad karun?"
She jumped at the sound of his voice, and then turned to him, the smile he loved seeming to appear of its own accord on her face.
"Samrat! Tum itni jaldi aa gaye?!"
He smiled at her, his mood lifting inexplicably at the mere sight of her. Today she was cool and summery in a white kurti with turquoise embroidery, and white Capri pants, her hair falling to one side of her face like a dark cloud, small white pearl studs in her ears. She looked ethereal, he thought, like a sea nymph … or a water sprite. Then he mentally kicked himself. He was getting completely carried away.
"Uday bhi aaya hai," he told her. "Voh sab tumhara bahar intezar kar rahe hain."
Her face had gone slightly pink, as though she, too, was remembering last night, but she nodded and accompanied him to the living room where Uday was already happily tucking into some snacks while Mayank, Nupur and the two mothers looked through the papers he had brought with him.
Uday greeted Gunjan affectionately – he had already met her earlier a number of times, and he liked her very much. Uday was Dia's brother and a very fond brother. He had been very relieved when Gunjan had taken over Dia's job and Dia had been able to stop working. Also, in complete contrast to his well-built and fierce appearance, his actual personality was as soft and gentle as that of a lamb. He had found a kindred spirit in Gunjan's gentleness, and they had hit it off instantly. Now he greeted her with a fond smile, as she and Samrat joined the others already sitting there.
"Shaadi aur reception ke liye menus," he announced, waving at the papers that Nupur and Mayank were examining.
"Uday bhaiyya," Gunjan began in her soft voice, "Main soch rahi thi … agle hafte se hamare sabhi rishtedaar bhi pahunch jayenge. Kya aap aisa kar sakte ho ki …?"
"Unka khaana peena bhi arrange karna hai? Sure! Mujhe sirf itna bata do ki kitne log honge aur hum abhi baith kar sab sort out kar lete hain. Gunjan, main ek kaam kar sakta hun – yahin par bahar ek cook ko poore hafte ke liye lagva dunga … tables, chairs, crockery, sab kuch ke saath, phir …"
He, Samrat and Gunjan got engrossed in the details, while the others listened and nodded approvingly, chiming in occasionally with suggestions and comments. At the end of an hour, they all looked at each other and beamed happily.
"So yeh to ho gaya," said Uday. "Main Monday ko office mein tumse milta hun, Gunjan, aur mujhe bata dena ki yeh sab yahan kab bhejna hoga. Aur tumhare pehle mehmanon ke aane se pehle hi sab saaman yahan pahunch jayega."
"Thanks so much, Uday bhaiyya," said Gunjan gratefully and he grinned at her and then at everyone else.
"Aur aapki payment …" she began.
"Baad mein," said Samrat quickly and Uday looked at him and then nodded equally quickly as he looked back at Gunjan.
"Baad mein. Tum uski chinta mat karo, Gunjan. Ab shaadi ko enjoy karo. Jitna amount tumne mujhe bataya tha, sab usi ke andar ho jayega."
She looked a little doubtful, but her mother and Nupur were going over the menus again, so she didn't say any more, much to Samrat's relief.
After Uday finally left, Vidya and Shilpa turned to Samrat with identical smiles on their faces.
"Samrat! Yeh toh bilkul badhiya ho gaya! Uday ko milane ke liye aur yahan laane ke liye, thank you so much!"
"Ab pareshaani khatam ho gayi?" he asked with a smile and Shilpa nodded emphatically.
"Bilkul khatam ho gayi! Aur sabse achchi baat yeh hai, ki voh agle hafte se hi sab shuru kar lega, jab sabhi rishtedaar yahan pahunch jayenge. Hamari aakhiri tension khatam ho gayi hai – bas yehi ek cheez baaki thi, ab iska bhi faisla ho gaya hai. Gunjan beta, yeh bahut hi achcha idea tha, Uday se hi sab kuch karvaane ka. Mujhe iski kitni fikar ho rahi thi. Vidya, ab to humein celebrate karna chahiye! Chalo, apni picnic par chalte hain!"
"Kaisi picnic?" asked Samrat curiously and Vidya Bhushan turned to him with a smile.
"Hum soch rahe the ki aaj dopahar beach par jaayen. Jab kabhi humein kuch celebrate karna hota hai, hum vahan jaate hain. Aaj bahut samay baad Mayank aur Nupur dono weekend par free hain. Lekin yeh sab itna unsettled tha ki humne socha nahin jaa payenge. Ab sab decide ho gaya hai, to hum chal sakte hai. Shaadi se pehle ek akhiri baar."
"Kya tum haamre saath aana chahoge, Samrat?" asked Shilpa, a little tentatively. "Sirf hum sab hain – ek chhoti si family outing. Tumne hamare liye itna kuch kiya hai, aisa lagta hai ki tum bhi is parivar ke hissa ho!"
Samrat glanced at Gunjan, his heart warming at Shilpa's words. And she smiled back, her joy showing in her face. She knew how much those words meant to him, he thought, more than anyone else. He smiled back at Shilpa.
"Mujhe bahut achcha lagega," he said sincerely.
It was decided, Gunjan didn't quite know how, that Mayank, Nupur, and the two mothers would go in one car and Samrat and Gunjan would follow in his. Samrat decided obstinately that he wanted to pick up some pastries to add to the goodies that Vidya and Nupur had already prepared for the beach, and as he didn't know his way, Gunjan would be his guide. And unsurprisingly, Samrat took his own time to find a pastry shop, even more time to decide on what he wanted to buy and then drove very slowly to the beach, enjoying the extra time he was getting with Gunjan. Which she didn't seem to mind in the slightest.
They joined the other four on the beach to find that Vidya and Shilpa had laid out lunch already, and the six spent an enjoyable couple of hours lounging on the beach, eating leisurely, enjoying the simple home-cooked food, followed by the pastries Samrat had provided. As expected, talk veered to the impending wedding and all the preparations.
"Sab kuch ho gaya hai," said Shilpa comfortably. "Agle hafte meri behenein pahunch jayengi, apni families ke saath, aur Nupur ki Bui bhi. Gunjan ne unke rehne ka intezam kar diya hai – Bui to Vidya ke saath hi rahegi. Pandit, decorations, mandap, Nupur ki shopping – sab ho gaya hai." She ticked off on her fingers as Gunjan nodded to confirm each item. "Aur ab, thanks to Uday, unke khaane peena ki arrangements bhi ho gayi hain …"
"Samrat, kya Uday ke liye voh rates theek hain?" asked Mayank, with a slightly worried look. "Mera matlab hai, usne humein itne reasonable rates diye hain, ki mujhe nahin lagta ki voh bahut zyaada profit banayega. Hamare liye to bahut achcha hai, lekin voh …"
"Uday Dia ka bhai hai," Samrat informed Mayank. "Mera bahut achcha dost hai, balki mere family member jaise hai. Voh, Dia, Benji, main … hum sab college mein ek saath padte the. Voh tumse koi profit nahin banayega – voh aisa sochkar bhi naraaz ho jayega. Iss sab ki chinta chhod do, Mayank. Apne honeymoon ki tayyari karo – iss shaadi mein vahi tumhara ek kaam hai!"
There was general laughter and Nupur looked triumphantly at Mayank.
"Dekha! Maina kaha tha na! Agar tum kuch din chhutti lo, to Samrat ko koi problem nahin hogi. Hum ek hafte ke liye kahin jaa sakte hain, Mayank."
"Agar Bui sunti ki tum apna hi honeymoon plan kar rahi ho, to voh kya kya keh deti," remarked Shilpa with a mischievous look at Nupur. Nupur giggled.
"Voh bolti – aaj kal ki ladkiyan! Na laaj hai na sharam!" she mimicked her aunt unmercifully and laughed. "Thank god voh shaadi se sirf do din pehle aa rahi hain. Nahin to voh to mujhe aur Mayank ko milne hi nahin deti!"
"Nupur," said Vidya, reproachfully, but her eyes were twinkling. "Bui tumhare papa ki eklauti behen hain. Thodi izzat se baat karo, beta. Unke khayalat thode purane hain, bas."
"Thode purane?!" retorted Nupur. "Ma, voh sau saal purani baatein karti hain, aur aap bhi yeh jaanti ho! Yaad hai, jab Gunjan ko pehli baar dus saal ki umar pe chashma laga tha, to unhone chootthe hi kya kaha tha? 'Hey bhagwan, is ladki se ab shaadi kaun karega?! Maine kaha tha, Vidya, isse itna padhne mat do!' Dus saal ki umar par, ma!"
They all laughed, and nobody seemed to notice Gunjan's face. Except Samrat.
"Voh uss zamaane ki hain, jab log sochte the ki ladkiyon ke liye shaadi ke alava aur koi career nahin ho sakta," remarked Shilpa, tolerantly. "Voh sab to theek hai, lekin voh yeh nahin samajhti ki kabhi kabhi ladkiyon ke paas koi majboori bhi ho sakti hai. Jaise meri Nupur. Voh kabhi kaam karna chahti nahin thi, lekin use karna pada. Aur usne itni achhi tarah apni kaam par zimmedariyan nibhayin hain."
Mayank looked at Nupur proudly.
"Aur Gunjan bhi," added Samrat, a little surprised that no one else had pointed that out. Vidya smiled fondly at her younger daughter.
"Gunjan hamesha kaam karna chahti thi, Samrat. Hamesha voh kuch banna chahti thi, kuch achieve karna chahti thi. Hamare ghar mein voh iraade ki sabse pakki hai – agar kuch karne ki zidd pakad leti hai, to karke hi saans leti hai. Voh aage padhna chahti thi, iss liye usne padhayi ki. Maine aur Nupur ne socha ki use bhi padhayi chhodni padegi, lekin usne sab kuch apne aap manage kiya. Kab usne scholarships ka pata kiya, apply kiya, aur unhe jeet kar apni padhayi complete kari, humein to pata bhi nahin chala. Humein uski kabhi chinta nahin karni padi."
"Oh?" said Samrat, surprised. "Maine socha ki Nupur …"
Nupur shook her head. Gunjan was looking away, her face pink. She was obviously very embarrassed by all the talk centered on her.
"Yehi voh sab ko bolti hai. Ki Di ne uske liye sab kuch kiya. Lekin yeh sach nahin hai. Maine ghar chalane ke liye kaam zaroor kiya, lekin usne apni padhayi khud ki.Aur ghar bhi vahi chalati hai. Main use apni salary pakda deti hun, aur voh sab manage karti hai. Ma aur mujhe to pata bhi nahin ki hamare budget mein voh yeh karti kaise hai. Khair, ab to voh bhi kaam kar rahi hai, to bahut zyaada aasani ho gayi hai. Aur shaadi ki sabhi tayyariyan? Voh bhi sab Gunjan ne hi ki hain."
And that he had seen for himself. His Chashmish, though Samrat silently, not even realizing the possessive word he had unconsciously used. Did she ever give herself credit for anything? He looked at her, the familiar warmth he felt whenever he looked at her these days, creeping over him again.
"Di!" protested Gunjan. "Bas karo. Tumne sab kuch kiya hai, tum yeh baat jaanti ho. Maine to sirf …"
"Hum yeh behes phir se nahin karenge, Gunjan," said Nupur firmly. She stood up. "Tum sab log itna khaa kar bahut lazy ho rahe ho, aur yeh tumhare liye to theek hai, lekin main to dulhan hun. Agar aisa haal raha, toh main apni shaadi ke jode mein fit nahin aaungi! Chalo, guys! Kuch khelte hain! Mayank? Samrat?"
The younger four got up and spent an enjoyable and energetic time playing Frisbee on the beach while the mothers relaxed and watched. Samrat was surprisingly good, and Mayank remarked on that as they all stopped playing, panting after the unaccustomed exercise.
"Main basketball khelta hun," said Samrat in explanation. "School aur college mein bhi khelta tha, aur aaj bhi ghar par hoop laga hua hai. Mere liye stress buster hai." He grinned, sweat pouring down his face, slicking his hair back in damp strands.
Gunjan made a face at him.
"Muh dhokar aao," she told him and he laughed and came closer to her threateningly. She laughed and backed away in a hurry, wrinkling her nose. Mayank and Nupur made some remark about taking a walk, and wandered off down the beach. Vidya and Shilpa were lying down on the beach mats, their faces covered as they indulged in an afternoon siesta. Samrat came closer to Gunjan again and she squealed.
"Samrat! Mat karo!"
He laughed aloud, the sound free and uninhibited in the cool air. He walked to the water's edge and splashed water on his sweaty face and arms. Then, cupping a handful in his palms, he walked purposefully back to Gunjan, a wicked smile playing on his lips. She squealed again and ran from him down the sandy beach. He followed her, grinning widely, picking up his pace to a run as she ran faster. They chased each other through the shallow waves lapping at their feet, now and then stopping to splash handfuls of water at each other, playing uninhibitedly like two children, the sound of their teasing and laughing protests wafting softer and softer in the evening breeze back to the sleeping mothers. Till they rounded a rocky outcrop and were out of sight of the rest, alone on a shallow curve of sand. Samrat's eyes glinted again, he picked up his pace and chased Gunjan unmercifully, till she gave up, laughing helplessly as he caught up to her, wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off her feet, swinging her round and round in his arms.
And he realized he had been waiting since last night to hold her in his arms again. And this time, never let her go.
Precap - Wish Upon a Star contd.
Edited by DiyaS - 15 years ago
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