*~ DreamGirl~*AVINA FF#2.Thread#2,*link post:2* - Page 7

when I told my mom about it, the first thing she told me was "take the seed and plant it in soil" as she failed many times with her attempt to germintae one here for me. I said " mom, i ate all, nothing left😆 not even a seed !"... i heard my mom's disappointed sigh...

Isn't that the beautiful scene for me today. See how fresh the buds look, and so good to tie that long strand. If you see my face you know, how much i am missing the freshness of this flower bud, and after making the strand, as the sunset, it will start blooming , spreading the smell everywhere around. and then it bloom to only to certain circle and give it thickness. covering the greenery of that stem. Nobody knows how much i miss this, except my mom. she has seen my craziness as a kid running over all over the places, including few many neighbors houses, as i may get five or six bud from one plant sometimes. She planted many little ones for me, but it never gave me full bloom while I was there, and the neighbors used to tell , becauase of her madness for this flower, it is not blooming much in your house. ( mostly everyday I put those in my hair, and if it too long, I used to share with my friends too, I never got tired of making those long strands ) . And the year I left for my studies , all those plants that my mom planted for me (so that I won't make those running rounds in the evening around the neighboring areas) bloomed in full circle, even the tiny one gave its whiteness. My mom cried and called me and said, you don't know or belive how beutiful it looks, and said , now nobody in this neighborhood is crazy like you, except your dad, he pluck few and make small strand and keep it near the nightstand.

when my mom and dad came to visit me here, in U.S. , first time, they brought the jasmine plant from my own home (along with curry leaf plant), they were lucky to get it through the immigration point. and she planted it in new pots for me. and still it is there, i keep them inside, to save them from winter. it gives me blooms too. So more than blooming, i tell everyone, this is from my home, the roots are from my own home, where i grew up.

Thanks laxmi, you might have posted this just to bring a smile on my face, but it brought more than that smile on my face,and my heart. THANKS for these wonderful pics.

That tear is still stuck on my lashes, I want that to drop down, so that it can bring the coolness to my heart...

Devika.

PLEASE UPDATE SOON!!!

thanks although its a great update

Keep writing.

Of course, I'm travelling with Dev and Radhika on the journey you take them.. But I must admit,--- surprising turn of events.. Very very eager to read how their journey progresses forward..

Forgot to mention -- the reference to the grown Tulsi tree at Rema did's place was very good.. Had been waiting for that from a long time...😊

Thank you once again for the updates and the PM.. Good luck..

Devika,

I am extremly busy this weekend, I just came to post this , for those who are waiting...

there won't be much to confuse you, suchi's current mind set-up and Radhika's driving experience. I want you to enjoy their time, ok. thanks..

Part 78

Suchi got up from the floor holding onto the bed frame for support. She went to freshen up and coming back by tying her hair in a towel bun, she lighted the diya in front of the Lord Krishna, she folded her hands and just looked at those smiley face of Kanha blindly, she has nothing to ask for, without asking He gave her everything in this life, she wished to ask for the safe landing of her kids, but somewhere something hinderd her asking that to her Lord today. She was sensing that after the call, instead of giving the happiness, it is generating an unknown fear inside her, so the smile on her Lord 's face was giving her some peace, she didn't want to think more at this time, she just want this time to pass quick, he said he will be here by evening. She saw the burning agarbathi in front of the Lord and remembered Radhika's call regarding it.

Radhika: mom, you won't believe me?

Suchi: what is it ?

Radhika : mom, he hardly used one packet of that agarbathi we send with him. The full packet is still untouched , and what he said to us, he is missing the smell of it.

Suchi: I know, he was playing pranks on us.

Radhika: I also asked him mom, then you know what he said,' he is telling me with a tease smile on his lips that it smells better when mom light it", see how nicely he excused his not using it.

Suchi with a smile: there also he joined my hand to reason his saying. I hope he didn't say that it smells good only when mom burn it after taking bath and wrapping that towel around her wet hair and that also only in early morning. That is what he said right, the smell of morning. Tell him, now I knew his tricks

Radhika: mom, don't tell him that I told you, he will knock on my head asking why did I tell that to you.

Suchi: I Know beta, but he is behaving good with you , right?

Radhika : ha mom. Suchi could sense the shyness associated with that reply.

Suchi: ok, then take care beta, I need to go

Radhika : ji mom and she hang up

Suchi looked at those burning agarbathi one more time and then went to kitchen. While making that coffee, her mind again flew back to Dev's call. He said he will be here by evening? But didn't tell me the exact time. Why? How do I know? Does he wants me to just wait there the whole evening ? How can he act this careless? He is not a kid anymore, he is travelling first time, he should know all this. but I am not feeling any excitement to go there? I should go right, I need to be there to welcome them. She checked the clock for time and ticked by. She heard the door bell and went and opened , and as expected it was Chander

Suchi: Chandru, I took off, not working for a week.

Chandu with his surprised look: why maaji, you are OK, right.

Suchi with a forceful smile: ha Chandru, I am Ok. I may to Chadenpur and will return before Lechu's coming only. So.

Chander: then I can drop you there and will come back and just tell me when I need to pick you up again.

Suchi: no Chandru, don't worry about it. I will call a taxi and go, you also need a break, right. So come back on next Tuesday only, I will be back by then.

Chander: Maaji, its ok, I can drop you there he tried to convince her I will also feel better.

Suchi: no, actually babuji is sending the car from chandenpur, so you don't worry.

Chander: but you said taxi first.

Suchi with a chuckled throat: oh, I mean, babuji is coming for something here, so he will pick me up on his way back. So

Chander: ok, maaji, you need anything else here?

Suchi: no chandru, I am fine, you need any money

Chandru: no maaji, I am fine

Suchi: no wait.

Saying that she went in and brought a small bundle and gave it to him saying: anyway, you are going to be with family for some time , right?, so keep this.

Chander took it with a thanking face and walked away.

Suchi closed the door shut, and she stood there resting her back against the door. She closed her eyes, she don't know what she is thinking, or where her thoughts are leading her, she wants to be alone, she wants to hide , hide from everyone, she don't want to face anyone else until she see her son and her DIL in front of her eyes. She was unable to concentrate on anything else. She should have send chander to airport to pick him the evening, but No, her action and her words not giving her any hope. Looking at the clock she said in mind 'jeldi ajavo beta', I can't take this burden inside me, you need to clear my fear, the minute you stand in front of me, I will smile. So I will wait for your call from the airport now. She went near the phone and lifted it up, to hear the tone sound and she placed it back, checking one more time to make sure its placement.

She sat there on the floor, under Kanha's smiley face. Let him come, I won't talk to him at all, I won't even look at his face this time, I am sure, he will come and wrap his arms around my shoulder calling Suchiii., let him come, I will show my face too for giving this tension, he don't know , he is actually not surprising Radhika by bringing her to India, but his words really killing me each second. He needs to get the punishment for that. Poor Radhika she may be trying to reach me, or chandenpur, to convey the message, but I am sure, he might have not given her any chance. Don't worry, I will punish him this time, in front of you only dear, Is this the way somebody act!, so childish' her thought went on, thinking of how to react when she see them in front of her eyes.

***

At the same time up in the sky, inside that aircraft the warning sign for fastening the seat belt displayed , followed by the captain's announcement

Dev sat back in his seat and fasten his seatbelt, he looked at the screen to see for the estimated time and distance and suddenly he felt that shaking of that big aircraft. He saw the mother holding her baby closer to her heart. He smiled and again he felt that shaking. He relaxed back and closed his eyes.

"Radhika, do it smoothly, why you are forcing it so hard, so only it is jerking like this"

Dev's impatient voice filled the small limited space inside the car.

"I am trying , can't you see" Radhika reasons

Dev: Ha, I am seeing it, and feeling it too. How many times I told you to do it softly.I thought it will be easy to teach you since you already knows how to drive a scooty and now I am telling you how to do it, and you are not listening to me carefully'

Radhika looked at his face impatiently: that's because we have nice roads in chandenpur

Dev arching his brows: what!, nice roads in Chandenpur, where you gave me that bumpy ride, and you are comparing that muddy road with this shiny U.S. roads. That so funny."

Radhika in a raised tone: ha, it maybe muddy or bumpy , but you know, I can drive my scooty there without even holding onto the handle, here this steering is so slippery, see my hands are slipping down easily, can't you see it"

Dev, sitting on that passenger seat, holding onto the steering with his left hand along with her ,and in his most patient way: Radhika, I know you don't want to learn it, But you need to. You cannot depend on me all the time. I want you to go out and do your stuff yourself, see Radhika, when you get a job, you need to know this and when you live in U.S. your license is your ID.

Radhika flaring her fingers out and showing it in front of him, and in a normal tone : stop, ok, you want me to learn this, that's all right. I am hearing this from the minute you gave me that learners book , what all you said at that time, didn't I pass in first attempt, so Don't give me much lecture on it now, and just tell me what I need to do, that's all. Ok'

Dev with a hiding smile: so what I was telling all this time.

Radhika: ok then, say it again, I am listening now.

Dev: finally you agreed.

Radhika looking at the empty parking lot, in that shade of evening: um, I am ready, holding tightly onto that steering.

Dev mumbled: you will never change.

Radhika: I heard that.

Dev shrugging his shoulder: ok, now listen. Put that gear on driving mode and slowly press on that gas (accelerator) pedal with your right feet. Ok

Radhika smiled and nodded her head, as if she heard what he just said.

Dev: ok , now do it.

She did exactly what he said, but it just jerked.

Dev very patiently: Radhikaaa

Radhika: I am trying, I am trying...'.

And then slowly she started feeling the gas pedal and her feet pressed it smoothly and towards down and the Camry made it move slowly towards the nicely painted road. She started turning the steering on to both sides.

Dev's hand came and held it in straight position: Radhika, why you need to do that, just hold it straight, move it only when you need to turn, ok, just concentrate on that speed and here, now turn it slowly to the left, slowly Radhika, slowly..RADHIKAAA, slow..' but before he could finish it just bumped on to the mud pile. Radhika sat there shocked. Dev looked down to control his emotion and then making a fist to self, looked at her " didn't you hear what I said"

Radhika coming back to her sense: ha, I was trying only, and you only forced me to

Dev shaking his head in vertical manner: You were trying.

Radhika in a very normal tone : ha

Dev: then what is this?, looking at the mud pile in front.

Radhika in an exclamation tone: who brought this here now!

Dev looked at her unbelievably: what! Who brought this here!!!!!

Radhika in a normal tone: see, that is why I said, Chandenpur roads are nice, see , who in the world will put the mud pile on the road

Dev: mud pile on the road he repeated as she said

Radhika affirming: ha

Dev pointing his finger to the right, asking her to look over there: Radhika, the road is over there, and what we are doing here?

Radhika looked over his shoulder and saw how badly her turn brought them to that empty mud piled ground. Her widened eyes tried to give him a smile, a childish smile (the imrati style) to show her innocence.

Dev tried to show her back the same smile, but then his forehead straightened up and a seriousness appear in his eyes : so this is called your try.

Radhika understanding his raising tone: it is your mistake, I should have done it slow, but you turned it so quick that I lost my control her voice trailed off towards end as she reasoned her action

Dev interfered her: Radhika, you are blaming my hands on the steering and my shouting but then what happened to the speed , which had only your feet on.

Radhika again tried to give an innocent smile: vo tho, then with a childish face : that I was concentrating on my hands as you said, but then I don't know what happened to my feet at that time when I heard you shouting my name.

Dev: so it is my shouting, ok . Radhika, when you drive, you should keep your eyes open, you should feel your feet on that pedal, along with your hands on this steering. Understand. He ended with another warning tone.

Radhika suddenly behaved like an obedient student: ha, now I got it

Dev: Now you got what?

Radhika innocently repeated: that when I drive, I need to keep my eyes open (she flickered her lashes while widening her eyes, as if showing him that she is opening it), and then I need to feel my feet on that pedal but then in a confused tone "but then what my left feet will do, she tapped her foot front on the board and looked at him in question but found his impatient look, that she continued: and I should feel my hands on this steering, then with a smile am I right? And looked at him with that full bloom smile, like a child , who answered the teachers question without a pause in between

Dev in his soft tolerable voice: Radhikaaa ( the call should trial off at the end of last a), I am serious.

Radhika's fake smile disappeared from her face and lips shrink to normal position and then she looked at the small pile in front of them and with a helpless tone asked: now what we will do?

Dev opened the door and came out and opened the door at the driver's side, Radhika came out and stood outside. He got in and within seconds the car moved back in reverse mode and he parked it on the curb side, and came out. Radhika came running towards him and then asked with a smiley tone: so are we going back now with a hope

Dev gave the key in her hand and while walking towards the passenger seat he said: nope, you are going to learn it today itself, come sit fast.

She jerked with that last words, but then gave him a look, which Dev read easily on her face "how much ever you try to teach me today, it is not going to work out' he read that determined refusal on her face.

Holding onto that open door he said: keep that in your mind, now get in and ignite the engine, ok" saying that he got in and closed the door.

Radhika looked down at his face through that open glass space as if questioning him how he heard it.

Dev looked at her once and then looked straight. Radhika sat back with a serious student face, as if I am going to learn everything now itself.

She put the key in and turned it and then looked at Dev . she changed the gear to the driving mode and then before he could say anything, she pressed on that gas pedal little harsh and with that jerking she looked at him once, and found his unchanged face, she went soft on that feet, the car started moving to the front slowly, but she started turning that steering left and right to get the vehicle go in straight line. Because it was going slow and space was totally empty, Dev sat there silently seeing her play, controlling his voice inside.

The car was going slightly left, then to right, left then to right. And finally she was able to hold it straight. Dev did a big sigh relief. They came near another turn. Radhika was looking straight but when the turn came she looked at Dev , thinking how to do, Dev in a silent mode didn't notice her look on him, but then suddenly he saw the car moving straight front towards the pond side. His eyes gone wild and called out RADHIKAAA

She looked straight looking at his face and then turned the steering to the left in full strength and Dev's hand came to hold on to it for control, her feet went hard on the gas pedal, it just went in zigzag way,

Dev shouted: apply the brake, Radhikaa apply the brake, he looked at her with blood rushing eyes and shouted: BRAKE

Radhika took her feet off from the gas pedal and unknowingly pressed on brake pedal. As dev was trying to straighten the steering and finally it came to a halt.

Radhika sat there with heavy breathing , while Dev was comprehending everything back in to normal.

She slowly looked at him with her corner eye to see his reaction. Suddenly she closed her eyes tight as she saw his face turning towards her.

Dev's concerned voice asked, touching her shoulder: Radhika , you ok

Radhika felt better after listening to his calmness, she just nodded her head in agreement, but still she could hear her pounding heart.

Dev forced her to turn and then just gave a stretch loose hug, to comfort her that she is ok. Radhika felt much better, but she was not in any mood to learn that stuff anymore.

Dev: these all happens when you try to learn driving, so don't worry OK, this is how we learn, now you understood na, to keep the eyes straight, then loosening his grip around her, he moved back and looking at her face: Don't worry you are doing fine, I will show you how to take the turn , ok

Radhika gave him a look as if asking : again!!!!

Dev: um,

Radhika opened the door and started walking on that empty parking lot.

Dev: Radhika' come on, where are you going, come

Radhika didn't listen, she just kept on walking towards the pond.

Dev came out from the car and by locking it, he took few faster steps towards her. By the time she was standing near the pond, looking at the lunds swimming around. She was wearing a right below the knee black&white printed skirt and a white tee shirt which was nicely shaped to her body. A nice broad ribbon tied at the neck level, which ends were extending towards her front on both sides, held her thick heir in that bundle, and she left her hair open to its length. The tip of it was flying away with the nice breeze.

Dev came behind and wrapped his arms around her waist level and quickly gave a kiss near her earlobe and looked straight at the pond.

Radhika didn't say anything, she just stood there looking at the Lunds.

Dev: Ok baba, no more learning today.

Radhika didn't say anything

Dev: Radhikaaa

She didn't say anything, but her eyes smiled listening to his words silently, hiding from him.

Slowly slowly his arms went tight around her, he wanted to take her totally in his arms, but he looked around the empty space, but then coming back to his senses

Dev: let's go home

Radhika looked at him

Dev: um, let's go, Ok

Radhika in a serious tone: but I didn't cook anything

Dev: no problem, let's try a Mexican dish tonight. Ok

Radhika: Mexican!!

Dev: um, its yum, you will like it

They walked together towards the car, his left arm was wrapped around her shoulder, making her to walk closer to him possible. As they got in to the car, he tried to pull her onto his side. She forced back, she saw his lips getting ready to touch hers, but she brought her hand in between, and seriously said: I am feeling hungry

Dev realized her tone and said: um

They came back to their home, Radhika kept her fake seriousness. As they entered the apartment, locking the door, he run behind her.

*******************************************************

P.S: don't misunderstand my Dev calling her at high pitch, that is to bring panicking Radhika back to normal, ok.