FF:Tujhse Naraz Nahin Zindagi NOTE+UPDATE pg89 11/11/13 NO PMS - Page 41

**Part 14**

Riya had reached home by 7:30pm but there was no signs of Ankur or Nikki. She began her daily chores, while she prepared food for the night (Special karvachauth food) It's been years since she celebrated KarvaChauth with his family she thought. Now that she celebrates alone she doesn't prepare to many dishes or anything rich! It's simple, just like the past few years. Riya prepared daal makhini, she stired the curry with her right hand, as she continued to knead the dough for rotis.

The bell rang as soon as her right hand was wet, and dough all over the other hand. Ohhooo aa rahi hoon she replied as she walked towards the main door. She struggled but some how opened the door with Nikki and Ankur pushing from the other side.

Riya: Itni der kyu laga di tum dono ne? kaha gaye the

Ankur signalled Nikii with his eyes and eye-brows she ran in: Maasi voh mai Niki ko lekar galti se apke bhai ke ghar gaya tha. Thank God voh vaha nahi the.

Riya: kya? Maine kaha tha na mai ghar aajaungi fir vaha kyu gaye tum dono?

Ankur: Massi Chodo na vaise bhi voh bhabhi ki Maa se mil payi I mean nani right?. Aur mai bhi mujhe bahut acha laga.

Riya: Aacha kya kaha unhone?

Ankur: Kuch nhi ki aap bahut achi hai voh apki bahut tareef kar rahi thi.

Riya remembered ohnooo mera curry..she ran into her kitchen and turned her gas off.
Ankur walked into her kitchen 'Ankkk chappal bahar rakho rasoi se please'

'Sorry Maasi' he apologized immediately.

Riya: Acha aaj khana khane ruk rahe ho na?

Ankur: Maasi haan ruko mai aata hu ek ghante mai tab tak apke chand bhi aa jayege right? Toh hum saath mai khana khayege theek h.. mai ata hu.

Riya: okay theek hai, tum mujhe call karne mat laga na khud aajana please.

Ankur: haan Maass.. he walked over to Riya and hugged her Thanks for being there for me always Massi..

Riya: Anytime baccha don't be emotional.she replied hugging him and comforting him back.

Ankur left from there. Mean while Riya continued her cooking, but continusly kept calling Nikki. But there was no response from her side. Riya walked out of her kitchen to lounge and noticed nikki all dressed up wearing a traditional cute little lehanga that Riya had picked and placed on bed for her little girl. Nikki's tiredness had engulfed her completely, but still Riya kept calling her as there was response at all she gave up. She went into the kitchen continued her work for another half an hour it was time for her fast to be broken and she needed her daughter to be there for her. Just like every other year she thought.

Riya went into her room changed into her wedding saree that she had woren when she was wedded to him. *Flashback'I'm so happy God, iski hasi kabhi bhujne mat dena' Riya sent silent prayers as she sat in front of the fire with her then would-be husband.

'He looked at her with questioning eyes' 'She smiled back at him reassuring everything is alright'

'He smiled at her lovingly and placed his hand on her's assuring everything will be fine'

---

The flashback ended with him putting verimilion in her maang, and Riya putting verimilion in her maang all alone in her present as she was seated glued looking at her own image in the mirror. She had hot tears rolling down her eyes. Profoundly this time, she couldn't control herself. 'Compose yourself' she said out loud ordering her inner emotional heart and soul not to react this way.

But they continued, as she wore the mangalsutra over her head, she had a short flash back of him trying the knot around her neck for his safety, their future. Riya screamed at her mirror image staring at herself coldly this time.

By the time she was all dressed up, Nikki had woken up by Riya's self composing tactics

Nikki came into her room rubbing her eyes, 'Mom, kya hua why are you screaming' she questioned with worriness all over her face, she stood dumbfounded at the entrance of the room.

Riya: Bub..tum uth gayi she asked wiping her tears away.

Nikz: yes, mamma'

Riya: Chalo pooja karte hai jaldi se aur fir khana khate hai

Nikz: Ankur bhaiya ayege na? Aur mumma Moon ji nikle kya??

Riya: Haan, unka nikalne ka time hogaya hai sweetheart..

Riya got up from her seat finally putting a mang tika and a bindi on her forehead..

Nikki: Mumma you miss dadda a lot na..

Riya stood there with her feet feeling jiggly and her hands becoming numb with Nikita's question, she was out of words to express her feelings..Suddenly Riya felt dizzy, she stumbled herself towards the bed.

She some how controlled herself by taking a seat on the bed this time. She pushed her body backwards with her feet but there wasnt much difference because her body was weak, it was totally out of energy. How would your body react without food or water questioned her brain, she faintly smiled as she noticed the worried lines that built up on Nikki's forehead observing her mother.

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RATHORE'S house...

The preparation for karvachauth was on full swing at Rathore's place he had arrived just half an hour after Riya left.

Reema: Aap aagye. Riya abhi thodi der pehle nikli..

Rathore: Tumne usse jane Kyuu diya?? Tumhe pata hai na usse aise akele nahi rehna chahiye kamzor hai voh..

Reema: Aapki behan hai zidi toh hogi hi na.. Humari majal jo hum kuch kahe..

Reema's mom: Sameer beta maine bhi usse rokne ki koshish ki lekin voh...

Rathore: Maa aap he walked over and touchs her feet. Aap mile usse..

Maa: Khush raho she blesses him and continues. Haan usse kya uski pari jaisi beti se bhi mili mai bas kuch der pehle.

Rathore: aacha Nikz baby ayi thi..lekin kiske saath..

Reema: aarey wahi Ankur keh saath.. Bahot hi pyaara ladka hai..

Maa: mujhe toh lafanga lagta hai..

Rathore: voh uska chamcha hai.. haha maa voh lafanga nahi hai acha ladka hai voh Riya ko Maasi bulata hai aur Maa k jaisa pyaar karta hai bechara..

Maa: ruko aaj raat ko hi Riya se kehti hu usse Nikki se dhur rakhe kahi baachi pe bura asar na pade...

Reema: Ohhoo maa aap bhi na.

Nachiket comes running.. Daddd and hugs Rathore...

Maa: Reemi tu tyaar hone lag time ho raha hai mehmano ke ane ka..

Reema: Haan maa jati hu... Aap suniye zara andhar ayiye na baat karni thi..

Rathore silently follows Reema into their room. Reema locks the door from inside..

Reema: ji voh apne sabko invite kar liya hai na..??

Rathore: Haan sabko bola hai lekin Arjun ke chances kaam hai..

Reema gets upset listening to that. Koi baat nahi shayad naseeb mai hi nahi hai humara milna.

Rathore hugs Reema comforting her 'Aarey voh aa bhi sakta hai Tum dukhi mat hona.. I hope tum dono ki meeting aachi ho jaye..'

Reema: dont worry everything will be fine...Bas Riya time pe aajaye..

Rathore: Kyuu time pe Kyuu I mean voh ye saal for a change humare saath toh nahi... But his words were cut short..

Reema: aarey nahi baba humare saath kaise ho sakta hai... Vaise pata hai Aman aa raha hai jaldi uska call aya tha keh raha tha do din mai aajayega voh..

Rathore parts his hug in shock 'what Aman aa raha hai mujhe kisine bataya Kyuu nahi specially Shree ne bilkul nahi bataya..'

Reema: Shayad voh bhool gaya hoga.. abhi aap bahar jao hum aate hai'
Rathore: Aacha theek hai
Rathore leaves as he checks all the setting of his house.

---

On the other hand, Nikki gets water for Riya but she refuses to drink it. Instead she asks Nikz to call Ankur. But Ankur's phone comes as unreachable. 'Uff ye ladka kaha gaya hai' mumbles Riya.

'Beta Chand ji aagaye hai kya check karke aaoo na' requests Riya as she gets up from her bed and walks into the kitchen to prepare her thali. Nikz immediately runs to her balcony and checks the sky for any signs of the Chand.. 'Nahi mumma...' she replies disappointed. 'Okay beta andar aajao please thand lag jayegi' says Riya. Nikki obeys her mother and gets inside, just inside the house she stands at the door step watching the sky closely attentively. 'Mommm, mummaaa'. Jaldi aaoo voh aagye hai Nikki called out. Riya walked out really quickly and saw the Moon, she felt he was smiling at her. Riya then walked in and brought the thali and started the rituals.

But before she started Riya requested Nikki to sit in her room until she finished all the pooja. Nikki being mumma's daughter never questioned her mother, instead obeyed her. She walked into her room closed the door and climbed the long chair and opened her window. From there she watched her mom carefully and silently

Riya did all her rituals and pooja. She looked at the Moon from her chalni and then looked at a picture she had held in her other hand. Her husband, it was her husband's picture a person who she missed immensely specially on karvachauth. She was upset but happy at the same time that even today she is able to carry out all the rituals without any disturbance. She felt peace in her heart. She picked up the glass of water, and closed her eyes she had the picture still on her left hand. She drank the water in a sense that he was holding the glass and feeding her. She continued to keep her eyes closed while she picked up the sweet and his presence was what she felt and once again the invisible husband fed her. She was complete, her pooja was complete her fasting was complete and accepted her heart felt. She opened her eyes with a new ray of hope looking intently back at the moon which seemed like it was smiling at her this time, like never before.

At the same time Nikki through the window sent silent prayers to God, today its only your night chandoba (moon ji) she whispered as she looked at the moon and back at her mum who held the picture in her hand. That was my dad, you know mumma doesn't let me see his picture. Kehti hai its not for me. I hope soon I can see him. Dad I miss you she said out loud with tears rolling down her eyes.

---

Elsewhere, Arjun stood in his balcony watching the fresh new moon that appeared today in the sky, carrying its bright unseen light as if he was happy keeping the ladies all over India hungry just for him, huh he said it all with a weird smrik.

* Flashback.

'Roshni tum ye nahi karogi' ordered Arjun. 'Arjun mai ye vrat rakhungi' teased Roshni.

'Agar tum rakhogi toh mai bhi rakhunga' said Arjun as a challenge. 'Aap aur vrat, nahi please mat karna' she requested him. 'Aarey agar patni apne pati ke salamati ke liye vrat rakhegi toh pati ka rakhna bhi jayas hai kyu?' he questioned her.

'Jo karna hai karo, lekin baadmai mat kehna Roshni tum kaise kar sakti ho' 'Roshni mujhe bhook lagi hai' 'Roshni ye' Roshni voh''

'ohhoo madam, get a grip mai Arjun Suryakanth Rawte hoon, mai ek din bhooka reh sakta hu samjhi' he replied proudly

'Arjun, bhooka sirf nahi pyasa bhi rehna hai' Roshni teased him..

Arjun was successful in keeping his fast, and so did Roshni. It was their 1^st karvachauth's flashback'.

---

The flashback ended with Arjun walking out of his house banging his main door behind him as he ran down the stairs to the lonely road, just to catch up with his bestfriend 'the darkness' that he had lately found for himself.

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Riya on the other hand ate the sweet completely breaking her fast, and bend down to take her invisible husband's blessings with a huge smile playing on her face. She touched the invisible feet, and tried to get up but imbalanced herself, she stumbled as she got up but hit her hand on the plate that was kept aside on a stool. She tried to get a grip but everything fell on the ground while she herself couldn't control her fall her head hit the corner of the stool as she fell backwards in force. She called out Nikki's name just before her unconsciousness engulfed her completely. She laid there unconsciously with a satisfied smile that was stuck on her face.

Nikki heard the plate crashing onto the floor, she looked at her mother through her window but there were no signs of her. Soon, in seconds she heard her mother call out for her, and she ran in worry. Nikki's heart beat fastened as she heard the plate crashing, and soon her mother calling out weirdly was shocking her even more.

She reached the balcony and found her mother on the floor, smiling but bleeding profusely at the same time. Mummaaa'. Nikki screamed out of her lungs' Hot tears rolled down her eyes in worry, sadness. The little girl had no idea what to do, soon she remembered she could call someone and inform and ask for help. ..

She called Ankur, Rathore, Shree, and Chotu.. no one answered their phone, either it was busy or not reachable. She tried everyone abh mai kya karu'.!!!

She knocked on her neighbours door but there was no sign of anyone, 'Nikki pagal hai tum she talked to herself inbetween her sobs, yaha kon rehta hai? Koi bhi nahi she screamed. She went back to Riya and sat near her calling for her mother, pleading her to get up.

'Mummma... she inhaled a long deep breath.. Mummaaa.. she screamed aapp-mujhee-daaara-rahi-hoo-na..' Nikki questioned in between her sobs!!! Mumma uthoo na jaldi Ankur bhaiya ayege toh kya bolege...Please maaa

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Thank you all for reading, I hope you liked the long update...