chapter 28
DAY 1
morning 8:30 a.m.
kesar woke early in the morning he went inside gulaal's room to see weather she was alright
he carelessly entered her room saying gulaal…woo breakfast
and he stopped he saw gulaal…she had taken fresh bath and was sitting in the red bathrobe
her face was soft like the fog cloud on the cold water surface and her damp curled hairs floated down her back…..her skin was as white and soft as snow fallen in the leaf
kesar could resist but to stare her deep….he gazed her and then his gaze was drawn to the water dripping occasionally from her hair on her soft cheeks running down the to her neck...he stood there for a moment say nothing only the soft sound of his breathing filling the silence
gulaal noticed his gaze and blushed…..his eyes were admiring her and at that moment she consider herself beautiful…..shyly she withdrew her eyes and ran her finger in her hair and said in low voice "woo mere pass pehene ki liye koi kapde nahi hai"
kesar snapped out of his thought and asked "kya"
gulaal repeated "kesar mere pass pehne k liye kuch bhi nahi hai…mein kab tak is bathrobe mein biethi rahungi"
kesar thought for a sec he said "haan mein kuch kapde le aata hun"
and he left after half an hour kesar returned with some clothes and handed it to gulaal
gulaal wore the clothes and came out in anger
as keasr and kunal saw her…they burst into laughter….kunal was laughing loudly and kesar controlled his laugh
she threw a angry glare at him and said "what the hell yeh kaun se plus size k kadpde le kar aaye ho….hanger lag rahi hun mein"
kesar said innocently "jo mila so le aaya"
gulaal replied " yeh navtra k garba dress hai aur yeh sirf kisi elephant ko fit ho sakti hai aur jab navtra k dress le aaye to saath mein do dande kyu nahi laaye yanhi garba kar leti mein"
kesar replied "par mein kya karo tumhe intne jaldi bath lene k kya jarurat thi abhi sirf roadside stall k shop khuli thi to le aaya…..mall ek ghante baad khulega tab jaake aaram se shopping kar lenge"
and then he said "waise agar tum kaho to mein closed shop se bhi tumhare liye badhiya designer wear laa sakta hun…"and he winked his eyes
gulaal looked at him irritated and said "subah subah log bhagwaan k bare mein sochte hai chori karne k bare mein nahi….koi jarurat nahi hai…hum rukar mall mein shopping karne chalenge"
and he smiled
after one hr kesar took gulaal in the mall…kesar and gulaal were walking in the mall and the ppl were giving weird look at gulaal she looked around and then said to kesar" I wish mere pass licence to kill hota to sabse pehle tumhe shoot kar deti"
he replied "agar mere pass hota to mein us muchaad ko shoot kar deta"
gulaal looked at him..she was nervous….as she feared kesar might say something that she cant answer
kesar smiled and naughtily said "arey itne bade muche rakhe k jurm mein to use shoot kar dena chahiye pata nahi apne colony k kitne masoom bacho ko haunt karta hoga"
gulaal couldn't stop smiling and pretending to be angry she turned her face and said "chalo shopping karna hai"
and then they stopped at a shop
gulaal was selecting her dress and kesar was staring her from the near distance..everytime their gaze met a shudder ran down on both of them and they withdrew their eyes in fear
after a shortwhile gulaal selected a dress and showed to kesar and asked "kaise hai…mein try kar k aati hun" and she went inside the trial room changed the dress and came and asked kaise lag rahi hun
kesar looked at her and gave a weird look and said "average lag rahi ho"
gulaal was upset so she tried another dress but kesar gave the same weird expression "naa tum ajeeb lag rahi ho"
gulaal tried 26 dress in the row but kesar was unsatisfied
in anger she came out from the trial room and looked at him and said "ab yeh 27 baar mein change kar rahi hun aur chahe tumhe pasand ho yaa naa ho mein yahi purchase karogi"
kesar replied naughtily "to kar lo waise bhi mujhe impress karne k liye tumne 26 dress kyu try ki aur isme bhi tum average hi lag rahi ho"
and he left her and walked towards the payment counter for the payment
as he left she turned around in the mirror and said to herself "chii ajkal dresses bhi ache nahi bante mein sach mein achi nahi lag rahi"
and she walked towards kesar in distress
as she reached the counter salesgirl handed her 26 dresses packet the salesgirl said "madam yeh aapka hai"
gulaal was amused she looked at kesar who standing beside her with beautiful smile
she said "arey yeh kya….sab purchase kar li"
kesar replied "haan"
she asked "jab dress khareedeni thi to itni saari dresses kyu try karvaayi"
kesar looked at her and said honestly "gulaal pata nahi tumhara aur mera saath kanha tak likha hai…..isliye tumhe har andaz mein dekhna chahta tha"
gulaal was overwhelmed to hear it and then she said in the low voice "nahi mein yeh dresses nahi le sakti"
kesar looked at her and said "gulaal don't worry tumhare upar mein wahi paise kharch karunga jo meine apni mehnat se kamaye hai..dont worry yeh chori k nahi hai" and then kesar asked the guard to put the packets inside his car
while gulaal was speechless to hear it
and then dropped her eyelids and said in low voice "par kya fayda mein inme achi nahi lag rahi hun"
kesar looked at her smiled and said earnestly "gulaal tum in dresses mein dunia ki 2nd most beautiful woman lag rahi ho"
gulaal eyes sparkled to hear such a sweet compliment she said in complaining voice "acha 2nd to first kaun hai?"
kesar replied soflty "meri maa –panba"
gulaal was excited to hear about his family member he never told about his family member to her in excitement she asked panba
and kesar remembered his mother..the memories of his childhood flashed in his mind he remembered how her mother use to cuddle him and shower her love and affection on him "kesuda…upar chat se uthar nahi to gir jaayega"
he remembered how his mother use to run after him asking him to go to school "kesuda chupchap paathsaala jaa nahi to maar padegi"
he remember how she use to fed his vasantbha and him in the kitchen..she use to gave the roll of pickle and roti and he use to eat it fondly before his vasantbha could take a bite "yeh kya kesuda panba mujhe khila rahi hai tu kyu beech mein aa gaya"…and he use to reply "kyuki jab mein khaunga to aap ka pet apne aap bhar jaayega haina vasantbha…."
Kesar was relishing his childhood memories and then he remembered the loneliness around him and his eyes were wet
Gulaal was looking at him and was trying to understand his undefined emotions her face grew grave and she asked "kya hua kesar tumahari aankhen kyu bhar aayi"
Kesar burshed off his tears and looked into the other direction and said "kuch nahi chalo yanha se nahi to mein aaj hi bankrupt ho jaunga"
Gulaal was surprised by his behaviour
She quietly came out of the shop and was looking at kesar who was trying to avoid his eyes so that he could hide his pain from her
They were walking silently kesar broke the silence and said "gulaal lunch ka samay ho gaya hai abhi paavbhaaji waale to nahi khule honge to if u don't mind Italian brunch ho jaaye"
Gulaal squeezed the smile and said "jaisa tum thek samjho"
And then they headed towards the restaurant
As kesar turned around he saw the price tag and name tag was still attached to her dress
Kesar looked at her and said "gulaal woo tumahre dress mein price tag laga abhi tak laga hua hai hata do"
Gulaal felt embarrassed she immediately passed her hand on her back to tear the plastic chord attached to the tag…but it was tight for her
Kesar was looking at her he asked softly "kya mein hata du"
Gulaal looked at him and nodded her head in consent and then she turned around
Kesar gently moved forward and stood cloe behind…..he pushed her hairs on the other side of the neck and she stood silent feeling him
He gently put his finger across the chord to break it but it was tight so he came near and tilted his head and gently cut the chord with his mouth and in the process his lips brushed on her neck and she sighed deeply….the warm sensation ran across her body making her helpless she turned around and looked deep into his eyes"
He looked at her with deepl love and said "chale gulaal…"and he took her inside the Italian restaurant
Gulaal and kesar sat for the brunch the waiter came and asked for the order but gulaal was lingering in his thought the warm touch of his lips was hard to forget….kesar looked at her and asked "kya hua order karo"
she said "kuch bhi kar do"
kesar looked at her and then explained the waiter and looked at her naughtily
soon the food was served
kesar asked her to eat
gulaal started eating the food it was delicious she said in excitement "wow kitna tasty hai…kya order kiya hai"
kesar replied naughtily "snails"
gulaal was shook out of wits she said "what snails?"
kesar replied "haan"
she spited whatever she had eaten instantly "thu…thu ewww u idiot mein vegetarian hun aur tum mujhe snails khela rahe ho?
kesar smiled at her and said "to kya hua vegeterain khana to roz khaati ho
aaj snails kha kar dekho aur waise bhi mein nahi batata to tum poora kha leti
gulaal said "u r disgusting"
he looked at her and then dig his spoon and started eating "oh wow heavenly sach mein yeh snails kitne tasty hai"
gulaal gave adisgusted look and said "tum poore paagal ho aur mujhe ulti aa rahi hai mein washroom jaa rahi hun"
and she stood and started walking away
kesar smiled and called from behind "arey gulaal mein to mazak kar raha tha koi snails nahi hai sach"
but she didn't listened and went inside the washroom to make herself confortable and said in anger "yeh sach mein paagal hai kaun subah subah snails khaata hai"
and then she came out of the washroom and saw a telephone booth
she stopped there and thought deeply and said to herself "papa ko fikr ho rahi hogi unhe batana hoga ki mein kanha hun aur kiske saath hun"