Part 81All her enthusiasm washed away in a matter of a second when she realized that Sid had left. She did not feel like doing anything. For a long time she sat in the living room staring into blank air. The day was moving painfully slow for Riddhima.
Her escapist tendency got better of her and she finally charged her phone and informed Juhi that she was taking her day off.
Just to keep her occupied, she decided to set straight her house. Her knee was hurting bad but she kept working her way from the living room to the kitchen finally reaching her bedroom. She looked around the room. It hardly needed any work and there was throbbing pain in her knee. The excess work had done the needful to aggravate it. As if purposefully wanting to aggravate it she pulled out her entire wardrobe and dumped it on her bed and started re-arranging it. She was going to start rearranging it when her eyes feel on the side table and she noticed the photo frame missing. She had removed it after she had gotten up but placed it amongst the clothes in one of the drawers. But now with the entire wardrobe out she could not find it. Panic struck her and she frantically started searching for it.
She worked through the various piles of clothes she had brought out until she found the most precious thing to her amongst all her belonging.
She held it in her hand and kept looking at it as tears of joy steamed down her cheek.
Padma: Tum kya kar rahi hoo
Riddhima: kuch nahi mumma aise hi cupboard arrange kar rahi hoon Kuch purane kapde hai woh nikal ne ki soch rahi hoon
Padma: Tum se ek baaj poochu
Riddhima: hmmm
Padma: Tumhara aur armaan ka kitne dino tak aise chalne wala hai
Riddhima: Pata nahi Mumma usse samaj na chahiye Papa abhi abhi surgery se recover ho rahe hai aur meri yaha jyaada zaroorat hai aur Mujhe uske saath ki zaroorat hai lekin woh hai ki ...
Padma: lekin uska kehna bhi galat nahi hai ... Woh bhi waha akela hoga
Riddhima: Toh kya sab kuch chod ke uske saath chali jaon main ? Main ek mahine ke liye gayi thi maa jab di yaha thi par ab aap ke pass kaun hai Kaun dekh bhal karega aap ki aur billy uncle bhi toh hai unhe Kaun dekhega
Padma: Tumhari baat bhi saahi hai lekin ... Theek hai jaisa tum theek samjho ...
Riddhima: hmmm
Padma: Main sham ke khana ka dekhti hoon
Riddhima: hmmm
She kept arranging the clothes. One by one giving into the demands of everyone and everything had taken the toll on her and she had started retaliating This lead to arguments and now Slowly and steadily she had grown tired of all this She desperately needed the support of a friend Just then the phone rang
Riddhima: Dr Riddhima
Caller : Dr Riddhima all the arrangements are done for tomorrows conference . If you would like I can come down to your place to run you through them
Riddhima: Alright but only if it not too much of a trouble
Riddhima found she had difficulty trusting anyone quickly but somehow she had taken an immediate liking to Juhi
Juhi: Oh my god looks like you have brought out your whole cupboard
Riddhima: just some spring cleaning anyways you wanted to run me through some things for tomorrow
That evening after discussing work Riddhima found herself opening up to Juhi for the first time.
Juhi: You seem to have a hectic vacation
Riddhima: hmmm
Juhi: If you don't mind me asking you something Dr Riddhima
Riddhima: Riddhima ... You can call me just Riddhima You are no more on duty Dr Juhi
Juhi: Well then its just Juhi ... My friends just call me Juhi ...flashing her vibrant smile
Riddhima: Friends?
Juhi: That is if you wish to ...waise I know you are very ...
Riddhima: Unapproachable !!!
Juhi: Reserved would be the right word ... Or if I take take the liberty ...
Riddhima: hmmm
Juhi: scared to let anyone close
Riddhima: Nothing of that sort ...
Juhi: Hope I am wrong ... Anyways so friends
Hmmm affirmed Riddhima as a faint smile flashed across her face as she worked her way through the pile of old clothes and files on her bed.
Juhi: you seemed have smiled after a long time par tum haste hua bahoot achi lagti ho
Riddhima absentmindedly nodded as she jerked a kameez to straighten out the creases. Something flew off from there but she did not realise. She continued with her work of folding it as Juhi continued to chatter away.
Juhi: didn't anyone ever say that to you?
Riddhima suddenly looked up at Juhi bewildered. Yes someone did say that to her.How did she know?
She quickly looked away not wanting to confront those memories after so many years. She had buried them deep in the recesses of her heart when she walked into the new relationship with her current husband.
She shook her head and continued with her work. They chatted while both got down to straightening out the mess.
She felt relieved after talking to Juhi. But later that night when Riddhima returned to her room after dinner and dodging another round of questions the depressed feeling returned. As she stood in front of the mirror trying to understand her life, the corner of her eye caught something that lay on the floor. As she picked it up a sense of serenity enveloped her and a small smile played on lips. Unable to understand the sudden turn of emotions in her she looked back at the mirror. 'Friends!!! Tum haste huye bahoot achi lagti hoon'. She looked down at that piece of paper and turned it over and a tear escaped her eye looking at the photograph of her yesteryear. She looked different in it. Petite with anxious eyes looking at the man standing with her.
7 years back while rearranging the cupboard friendship compassion and the support to fight the vagaries of life had found its way back into her life.
She held onto the photo frame and smiled back at it. Whenever hope was dwindling these two were always there.
Sid had indeed left in the morning but his note proved he was still concerned. Hope of meeting him again started building up. She felt he would definitely come back that evening to check up on her and this time it would be different not like last night. A sly smile crept up on her face. She quickly arranged the mess she had purposely created to keep herself occupied and set down to do something that she really wanted to do. She would not let him eat pre-made food. She would cook for him something anything even thought she did not know what he liked because she knew he would still like it cause they always appreciated each other's efforts regardless their likes or dislikes. She worked her way trying to whip up something interesting completing forgetting that her knee was throbbing with pain some time back.
Link to the next part
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Edited by DJ.. - 15 years ago
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