PART-1
Kripa- At Age 12, came to live with Avantika and Dilip when her parents met with accident……She was a very shy and quite girl and was very obedient and very rarely did she protest or say something against anything…….She loved her parents and agreed to whatever they said without a protest……Dilip was quite impressed by kripa's so understanding behavior, in contrast to his kids, who kept whining and throwing tantrums, if they did not get their way……..
Dilip and Suryabhan were good friends in the company they worked since last 10 years…….Though they lived in different cities, they met quite often during their business trips and had even planned couple of family vacations together……..And even Avantika and Gayatri were comfortable and liked each other and became good friends……..Kartik and Angad being older were in their own world, while Aliyah and Kripa played together, during those trips………Though Kripa being shy, rarely spoke much………Kripa is still the same at the age of 12, but her parents death bought a huge change in her……..Suryabhan had no relatives or friends, who could take Kripa in and for days, she had lived all alone in her house, where a elderly women looked after her, on the Suryabhan's lawyers recommendation……….Then after a week or so, Dilip had learned about their deaths and was shocked..….They had been on the family vacation to Andaman Nicobar Islands for couple of weeks…..……They were immediately concerned about Kripa and asked about her, when Suryabhan's lawyer told them about her……….he and Avantika had gone and found Kripa in tears all alone in her room and Avantika had hugged her and took her in as her daughter that very moment………They bought Kripa with them, and took her responsibility as her guardian and a daughter……….
A: Kripa beta chalo khana khane………! Avantika said with a smile. Kripa nodded and slowly walked in the dinning room with her. She sat where Avantika asked her to sit and was about to start eating, when the door burst open. Angad and Aliyah came in with balls, bats and stumps, totally exhausted. While Kartik, who had come for few days in his vacation followed them.
Angad: Hey mom………Hey dad………
Ka: Ma, aap log kab aye?
A: Bas abhi thodi der pehle aye beta. All three of them looked at Kripa, who sat there silently in her own thoughts, knowing well about her parents. They looked at Avantika a little unsurely as they were not sure how to talk to her, and she sighed……..Jao, jaldi jakar hath pair dho lo, khana taiyar hai……..
They nodded and rushed in, without a word to Kripa, who was sitting there silently…….She knew Kartik, Angad and Aliyah well enough as they had gone to couple of vacations together. But still it felt like a long time ago……..
D: Kripa beta, ye ghar bhi tumhara hi hai. Kisi bhi cheez ki jaroorat ho to hume bata dena. He said and Kripa nodded without looking at them and Avantika looked at her sadly. Dilip looked at Avantika and blinked at her, asking her to give her some time…….Avantika nodded and started serving food for everyone, and soon they were out.
Al: Mom, mujhe papa ke paas baithna hai……Woh meri jagah hai……..She said making faces and Avantika looked at her with a frown and was about to say something, when she saw Kripa getting up slowly.
A: Kripa, tum baitho beta…..Aliyah……
K: Nahi Aunty thik hai……She whispered, taking her plate……... Aliyah bit her lips guiltily and looked at her mom, who looked at her angrily. Kripa sat on the other side, where there was no ones plate without a word and Avantika sighed. Dilip looked at Aliyah and shook his head a little angrily. Aliyah sat there without a word, knowing she should have kept her mouth shut. Angad who was sitting besides Kripa looked at her unsurely for few seconds and started eating silently……Even Kartik did not say a word and started eating with a sigh…….
D: Kartik, kab nikal rahe ho?
Ka: Bas papa kal sham ko. Aaj hi nikalna tha, par aap nahi aa sake aaj issiliye kal ki flight book kar li. Dilip nodded.
A: Aliyah, Kripa tumhare sath room share karegi. Tumhara ek taraf ka cupboard jara clean kar dena, taki Kripa ke saman ke liye jagah ho jaye. Aliyah looked at her and nodded.
Kripa was done with her food and refused to have more……
Av: Ja beta Kripa, jakar aaram kar room mein. Kripa nodded and took her plate before Avantika could say a word and went to the kitchen and washed her plate and kept it aside. She slowly walked towards the room, where Avantika and Dilip had kept her luggage and closed the door behind her. She looked around unsurely, not knowing where she should sleep and sat on the chair waiting for Aliyah. She looked around the messy room, so unlike her and then at her fingers nervously. Her eyes filled with tears once more, remembering her parents. She slowly wiped her tears and sat there for next 15 minutes, until Aliyah came in with full force………
She stopped in tracks, when she saw Kripa and looked at her guiltily.
Al: Sorry Kripa……Woh mein humesha papa ke paas baithti hun to………Kripa looked at her with an akward smile and nodded.
K: Koi baat nahi. Woh mujhe saman………she said showing her the bags nervously, not knowing if she would be ok to share her room…….But to her relief, Aliyah smiled.
Al: Ek minute…….She said going to her cubboard and dumping all her contents in one side in couple of minutes and grinning at Kripa……….Ye lo, tumhare liye ek cubboard khali ho gaya. Tum apna saman wahan rakh sakti ho. She said smiling…….Kripa smiled slowly and thanked her slowly.
A: Thank god ki tune atleast ek kaam to kar diya mera, Avantika said chuckling to Aliyah, who frowned at her. Kripa beta, chal mein help kar deti hun teri…….She said helping her keep everything in place. She also cleaned up Aliyah's cubboard scolding her a little for carelessly putting things here and there and atlast they were done. Ja beta Kripa, change kar le aur so ja. Kal Aliyah ke school mein jakar teri admission ki baat karni hai. Hopefully mil jaye tumhe bhi wahan. Chal aab so ja…..She said kissing her forehead. Kripa nodded feeling a little out of place, but slowly did as asked and then slept on the bed which Aliyah pointed to.
Al: You know what Kripa, acha hua, tum yahan aa gayi…….Now the count is even here. 3 girls to 3 boys. She said chuckling and Kripa smiled slowly looking down. Tumhe apni mama papa ki yaad ati hogi na? She asked slowly. Kripa looked down, without answering and wiped her tears and Aliyah looked at her sadly…….. Hey, don't be sad…...Mere mama papa hai, mein hun, Angad bhaiya hai, Kartik bhaiya hai…….Tum meri dost banogi? It will be fun, you know……Boys are just to much to be with……But they are nice……..especially Angad bhaiya…….He fights with me a lot, but he cares for me too…….She whispered….….But, I would love to have some girl friend around…… Kripa looked at her shyly……. Aliyah smiled and gave her hand…..Friends…!! she said grinning and Kripa just smiled and shook her hand…….
Days passed by and Kripa got admission after little struggle and Dilip's constant pleas……Finally, Kripa started her school and her life stabilized a little………Avantika and Dilip tried to talk to her and constantly were with her at every step……..She slowly started feeling comfortable around them…….They treated her like there own daughter, more so if it was possible………They knew she was very sensitive as well as silent kid and tried to make her at home…….Kartik wasn't staying with them, as he was studying in Banglore….But Angad, being a sensitive kid as well, tried to treat her like he treated Aliyah and helped her in homework sometimes or even tried to cheer her up and pull her in games with him and Aliyah……He and Aliyah fought a lot, but Kripa never came in between them, or said anything bad or fought for what she wanted………She agreed to whatever they said without a protest, which Angad would question her ofcourse…….She would just smile and keep quite though……..
It was almost a year since she came to live with Khannas……..
One day, Angad came in the room playing with a foot ball………..
A: Kripa, chalo humare sath aaj………! Hum, I mean mere dost, Aliyah ke dost, saab hum movie dekhne ja rahe hain……Tum bhi chalo……….Kripa shook her head…….
K: Nahi, tum jao, mujhe nahi ana……..she whispered…….
A: Common Kripa……..It will be fun……..Aur Aliyah bhi to hai………Baad mein mein bhi 12th ke exams mein busy ho jaunga……Chalo…….
Kripa shook her head…….Nahi, mera maan nahi hai……Mujhe nahi ana…….tum dono jao…….
Angad sighed and left the room………He went to his mom…….
A: Mom, tum kaho na Kripa se……….Meri to baat hi nahi maan rahi hai……
Avantika looked at him with her eyebrows up……..Kaunsi baat…..?
A: Usse kaha ki humare sath movie chalo, par mana kar rahi hai…..…..Avantika smiled and walked with Angad to Kripa's room……
Avantika: Beta Kripa, jakar aa na…….tuzhe bhi acha lagega……….
K: Nahi aunty…….mein kisi ko nahi pehchanti……..mein apke sath ghar par hi rahungi…….Mujhe nahi jana…….she said slowly looking down…….Avantika sighed and looked at Angad…….
Av: Angad, uska maan nahi hai, to jane do……….Angad frowned…..
A: But mom………!
Av: Angad……He sighed and shrugged and walked off…….muttering something……..Avantika chuckled looking at her, and Dilip too smiled, who was sitting in the living room and reading paper……….
Avantika just caressed Kripa's hairs and went away………She did not want to force Kripa in any thing she did not feel comfortable in……..
Next day, Aliyah and Angad were discussing the movie and talking about the actors and other things, while Kripa silently listened to them……They started arguing in between, about who was good and about the food in the restaurant and Dilip shook his head……..
D: Common guys behave……..Tum se choti hai Kripa, par kitni samjhdar hai……..! Thoda to kuch sikho issase…….He said rolling his eyes………
Al: Papa……..!
D: What papa? He asked frowning…….You know what, out of you all Kripa is my favourite…….He said smiling and keeping a hand on Kripa's shoulder and pulling her near…….Tum logon ko to jhagda aur ek dusare ke tang khinchane ke alawa kuch nahi ata……Pura din saar khate rehte ho…...Kripa beta, aab to chutiyan chalu hone ko hai…..! To hum soch rahe the, iss baar vacation ke liye destination tum hi choose karo…….!
A: Goa……..!
Al: Na…….Kullu Manali………!
A: Common Allu mutter………not again………!
D: Stop it both of you…….Tum donon ko kisne pucha……..! Mein ne apni favourite beti ko pucha hai…….Kaho Kripa…….Avantika smiled and patted Kripa's shoulder…….
Kripa shyly looked at her, a little confused..…….
D: Acha thik hai…….teen destinations mein se ek to choose kar sakti ho…….He said laughing…….Kripa smiled shyly and nodded…….To phir Singapore, Tokyo aur……..
Al: Singapore papa……….Aliyah shouted, even before Dilip could tell the last option……
A: Yes papa…….Singapore………Wahan to aab Universal studios bhi aya hain……..Vow, I did not know you were thinking of goint to other coutry………!
Dilip rolled his eyes and looked at Avantika, who chuckled and looked at Kripa with raised eyebrows……….Kripa smiled without a word……..
D: Kripa, tum bhi to kaho…….!
K: Uncle, kahin bhi chalega……..!
Angad looked at Kripa and frowned………No Kripa………Papa thik keh rahe hain……..Hum to haar baar destination choose karte hain……Issbar tum hi kaho……..He said after couple of minutes and Dilip smiled looking at his son………Kripa looked at Angad and then at Dilip and smiled………..
K: Singapore………She said slowly not wanting to disappoint Angad and Aliyah and Avantika sighed knowing why she said that………She smiled and patted her arms……….
D: Ok, then Singapore it is…….Kartik ko phone karke ek baar puch lun, phir office mein book karne ke liye keh dunga………Angad, tumhare classes kab se hai?
A: Ji papa, ek mahine baad hai, abhi nahi………
D: Thik hai………! Chalo nashta kar lo jaldi se saab……..
Soon they were done and Kripa helped Avantika picking up the plates…..After the work was done, Kripa went to the room, while…..Angad kept looking at Kripa for few minutes until Dilip shook him……….
D: Kya dekh rahe ho bhai……He said chuckling………
A: Papa, apko nahi lagta, Kripa bahot jyada chup rehti hai, khoi khoi si rehti hai humesha…….he said frowning………Uske to school mein koi friends bhi nahi hai…….Aur ghar mein bhi hardly baat karti hai……..Humare sath kahin ati bhi nahi hai……..! He said frowning……..Dilip sighed………
D: Beta, woh to pehle se hi shant hai…….Aur uppar se uske mama papa ke jane ke baad, shayad abhi bhi comfortable feel nahi kar pa rahi hai………Usse time dena chahiye…….He said patting at his sons back, feeling good that his son though seemed crazy at times, was sensitive and cared for others……..
A: Par papa……..
D: Beta, hum hai na……..Tum chinta mat karo……..Abhi padhai par dhyan do apne…….Waqt saab zakhmon ko bhar deta hai ….…..He said patting his shoulder and getting up…….Angad smiled and nodded and got up too and went to his room……..
Days passed by and they all went for the vacation together, though Kartik couldn't join them due to his exams………They had a blast together, though Kripa avoided any thrill ride, enjoyed her self and for the first time felt like she was part of them………After 10 days of wonderful vacation, they came back and settled in their routine once again………
Kripa was now 15 years old and in her 10th and Angad was 19, and started second year B.Com, but recently he discovered his interest in music industry and had joined in a music academy side by side and was doing Diploma in music there part time………Dilip was ok with whatever he wanted to choose for his career and had given him his consent to join the course……..
Angad was going home in the afternoon, when his phone started ringing……..
A: Hey mom…….
Av: Angad beta, kahan ho?
A: Bas ghar aa raha hun mom……He said driving his bike……
Av: Beta, ghar mat jana, mein Kripa ke sath hospital mein hun……….Uski achanak bahot tabiyat kharab ho gayi hai……..School se phone aya tha……..
Angad frowned……..
A: Kaunse hospital mein ma? Avantika told him the name of the hospital……..Thik hai ma, mein abhi ata hun…….He said taking a u turn…….He was soon at the hospital and asked the nurse about Kripa and was given the room number……..He ran to it and saw that Kripa lying lifeless on the bed………
Avantika sighed looking at him and got up……
A: Kya hua isse? He asked frowning……..
Av: Food poisoning ho gaya hai beta………Papa to yahan hai nahi, issiliye tumhe bulaya……….Zara yahan iske paas thodi der ruk jao tum……….Mein ghar jakar khana wagera banakar ati hun……….Ek do din yahin hospital mein rehna padega isse………
A: Abhi thik hai na ma Kripa? He asked with concern……..
Av: Ultiyan to bandh ho gayi hai, par bahot weakness aa gaya hai beta…...Isiliye, doctor jane nahi de rahe………Angad nodded…….
A: Thik hai ma, aap jaiye……Mein rukta hun…….! Avantika nodded and went off, while Angad sat with Kripa…….Looking at her with concern as she lay lifeless there on the bed with IV attached to her hands………
She merely moved a inch in all 3 hours he was there and he looked at her tensed………Avantika came with Aliyah to the hospital and Angad sighed in relief………
Avantika asked Aliyah and Angad to go home and after a while they left and Avantika sighed and sat with Kripa……..Hours went by and somewhat in the middle of the night, Kripa was conscious and started waking up……..Avantika was fast asleep and when Kripa opened her eyes, It was pitch dark……When her eyes adjusted to the dim light, her eyes widenend in horror, unaware of where she was and she screamed aloud for her mom, waking Avantika suddenly……….Avantika went to Kripa immediately with concern……….
Av: Kya hua beta…….Kripa…….Thik to hai na tu………Kahin dard ho raha hai kya………
K: Mama, mama kahan hai……..Mujhe mama ke paas jana hai……She said scared and her forehead filled with sweat………Avantika frowned and looked at her with concern……..
Av: Kripa…….Suddenly the lights turned on and the night duty doctor and nurse walked in with a frown………Avantika looked at Kripa as she started sobbing and hugging herself tightly, saying she wanted to go to her mom..……She looked at the doctor with concern……….Kripa beta, mein hun Aunty……She whispered slowly, trying to take her in her arms, but Kripa was sobbing to herself, not really listening……….Doctor and nurse went to Kripa and asked her to lie down……When she did not listen, another nurse came in and they forced her to lie down and gave her a shot, to calm her down, as she was trying to wriggle and was pulling out the IV, while Avantika looked at her with tears………After couple of minutes slowly Kripa started settling and her eyes closed and she was fast asleep………Doctor checked her and after few instructions to the nurse, he looked at Avantika and asked where her parents where……..Avantika told him about their accident and Kripa living with them and Doctor nodded sympathetically, saying may be she remembered something about the past and reacted to the situation……..He left after a few minutes and Avantika sat down besides Kripa wiping her tears and sweat on her forehead, with tears in her own eyes……..
She was afraid for Kripa and immediately called Dilip, who was in Delhi for some work……..
D: Avantika, itni raat ko kaise phone kiya……? Saab thik to hai na…….?
Avantika told him about Kripa and what just happened with tears and asked him when he was coming back………Dilip frowned and immediately got up……..
D: Tum chinta mat karo Avantika…….Woh thik ho jayegi…….Mein jald se jald ane ki koshish karta hun………! He said keeping the phone after a while……….He tried to sleep, but couldn't………Atlast, he got up and called the airlines and asked if any seats were available for Mumbai and he got one immediately………He packed his bag after calling for the taxi and immediately left for Mumbai……….He reached home by 5 in the morning and Angad was surprised looking at him………
A: Papa, aap to aur teen char din ke baad ane wale the na………
D: Haan beta, par 3-4 ghante pehle ma ka phone aya tha……..Bahot pareshan lag rahi thi Kripa ko lekar………Dilip told him about what Avantika told him and sighed…….Mein nahakar hospital jata hun…….Tum so jao……..He said quickly going to the room………He was soon back and left for the hospital, after asking Angad to lock the door………
Avantika who had atlast dozed off in mere morning hours, was still near the bed, when Dilip arrived………
He slowly went and touched her shoulder and Avantika woke up immediately with a jolt……..She looked at Dilip with surprise……..
Av: Aap?
D: Kaisi hai Kripa………? He asked looking at her with concern…….
Av: Raat ko injection dene ke baad uthi nahi………She said with a frown……..Bahot ro rahi thi aur Gayatri ko yaad kar rahi thi……..She said with tears and Dilip sighed sitting besides her………Teen saal ho gaye par abhi bhi………She said with tears and Dilip patted her shoulder……….
D: Kayin ghav bahot gehre hote hai Avantika……..Suryabhan aur Gayatri ka yun achanak chale jana……he shook his head looking at Kripa with sympathy………..They had tried their best to fill in for her parents and tried to be there for her……..But still they knew that no one could fill that void ever………
They sat there talking for a while, when Dilip noticed Kripa moving a little………He went to her immediately and slowly Kripa opened her eyes and after a while smiled looking at Dilip and Avantika lightly………
D: Beta, tabiyat kaisi hai? He asked keeping a hand on her forehead and Kripa smiled shyly……..
K: Mein thik hun uncle………She said weekly and Avantika sighed in relief………
The nurse and doctor came in and said that Kripa was much better and they could take her home by evening, if she felt better……….Avantika and Dilip thanked them and soon Avantika left, after Dilip insisted……..Avantika came in the afternoon, after all her work was done and Dilip went home to rest, as he couldn't sleep the whole night………Angad took their car and went to hospital, after Avantika called, when Kripa was given release papers………
Kripa was weekly sitting on the bed with pillows behind her, sipping some juice, when Angad walked in……..
A: Hey Kripa…….Kaisi ho….?
K: Thik hun…….she said smiling slowly and Avantika smiled relieved to see her normal again……..
Av: Chal beta…….she said keeping Kripa's glass aside……..Kripa started getting up, but felt too weak to stand and Avantika held her immediately……..
A: Mom, ek minute ruko…….Mujhe nahi lagta ki ye chal payegi…….Mein wheel chair le ata hun…….
Av: Beta, wheelchairs nahi hai filhal………Do the, to woh occupied hai………Angad nodded………
A: Ek minute…….mein leta hun usse…….He said going to her and slowly lifted Kripa in his arms, while Avantika smiled at him with appreciation……Kripa looked at Angad a little uncertainly, but he smiled at her gently and took her to their car…….They were soon on their way home and once again Angad lifted her and took her up to their home, where Dilip was waiting for them………He sighed when he saw them coming in and went to Kripa's bed and adjusted her pillow and blanket…….Slowly Angad kept her down and adjusted the pillow behind her……..Ok? He asked and Kripa nodded with a smile……..He stood back and Avantika came in asking her to rest for a while………
Avantika fussed over Kripa for next two days and even slept with her, not wanting her to be afraid like she had when she was in hospital………After two days, Kripa started feeling better and soon joined her school once again……..Those 3-4 days she spent with Avantika constantly, bought her close to Avantika as well……..She became a mother figure and for some reason, Kripa felt even more comfortable, knowing how much Avantika cared and regarded her as her own, including Dilip……..Even Angad and Aliyah constantly pampered her and sat with her for hours, talking and playing games with her……..!
Suddenly, she was not lonely any more and she found a perfect sanctuary in them and the smile returned on her face……..Though still she never talked about her parents or her loss to anyone…….Neither did they ask her about her fears, thinking it would be paintful for her and it was best to burry it aside……….
Edited by vamita - 12 years ago
Book Talk
Cricket
