Posted:
Excellent update Poo 👏👍🏼
and thanks to Peu to force Poo for bringing her hidden talent
Waiting for the next part
and thanks for the PM😃
Page 6:
Till Mohan and Nanhi got into the car, they did not realize that tears of joy had been peeping through and they both tried to wave it away without sharing with each other. It was a very quiet drive when Mohan finally stopped the car in front of the house. He found the 20 minutes' drive longer than his wait at the railway station. He released a sigh when he entered the house with Nanhi and took her directly to her room. He wanted her entry to be special before she goes through any other moments in the house. He put her bag inside and was looking at her adoringly. He just felt himself and his home very complete.
Nanhi was amused to see a huge portrait of her own smiling at her from the bedside wall. She could see a collage photo frame filled with photos of her, at various occasions during her past years, decorating the room side wall. She turned around to look at Mohan with awe and couldn't help slipping out of the emotional control that she was holding till then. Mohan rushed to her and wanted to wipe her tears. Just then Guru made his entry looking for them.
"Bhaiya, What happened? Has Nanhi come with you?" The moment Guru saw Nanhi his face brightened with a big grin.
"Nanhi!" He went to her and gave her a hug as naturally as if he is seeing her after just yesterday. Mohan was surprised to see how easily Guru brought himself with Nanhi. And he was taken aback with wonder when Nanhi reciprocated the same ease and comfort with Guru.
She said smilingly "Guru, Look! You got dirt on your shirt. Did you forget to wear your apron?"
"Oh yeah! I was just in a hurry to prepare something for you before you arrive" Guru said happily and was amazed at Nanhi's thoughtfulness.
Guru gave a proud look back at Mohan and raised his eyebrows as if to say 'See, I told you that she will be the same sweet Nanhi'. Mohan gave him a mock angry look to say 'I know!'
"Where is my little friend?" Rimjhim showed up like a flash. Everyone turned around to look at the kid standing at the door. Nanhi's eyes met Rimjhim's for a while and then looked away to see Mohan. He smiled at Rimjhim and then sensed those questioning eyes on him. He turned to look at Nanhi who had by then hidden all her glances from anybody in the room. She kept her fingers crossed at her sides not sure what she is hoping for. Mohan didn't miss to watch this and he could feel her pain. It hurt him so much to know what Nanhi must be thinking then and he just tilted his head as if to say to himself 'Arrey yaar, Chavvanni!' He wanted to take her into his arms, to say that she means everything to him as earlier and nothing has changed between them, ever since he knew her. Guru's voice brought him back into senses.
"Baby, look, this is Nanhi. Your little friend"
"But isn't she big enough to be little?!" She giggled.
Guru and Mohan looked at each other and then turned to look at Nanhi who is looking nowhere.
"Jaan" Nanhi looked up at his endearment which Mohan didn't fail to notice. He continued "This is my little Chavvanni who is just grown up into a lovely girl. You will sure find your little friend in her and then you will forget me and Guru here"
Rimjhim laughed at this description, went to hug Mohan "I will never forget my pappu who so loves me!" She pulled him down to her to place a kiss on his cheeks. Nanhi looked at them only to give way for more restlessness in her and her eyes met Mohan's. He quickly changed the track of conversation.
"You should be hungry. Shall we go for breakfast?"
Nanhi told indirectly to him "I need to freshen up before that. I will join you all later"
Though Mohan looked disappointed, he consoled himself and felt happy for those first few words she spoke with him. Before he moved out of the room, he just stopped for a while at the door, turned to look at her. He saw her putting the flowers that he gave, into an empty vase kept on the table. She then opened the card to read those words 'To my Best Friend! Our Friendship is forever!' signed as 'Spiderman'. She felt a shiver in her and a tear of happiness rolled over her cheek. He felt contended at this scene and walked out touching his chest, as if to soothe himself.
Megha was busy in the kitchen when she got call from Nanhi.
"Nanhi, I have been waiting for your call, why so late? Is everything fine, beta?"
"Yes, mummy. I am fine but I can't say whether I am fine with everything here. I don't know yet."
Megha couldn't help getting worried but hoped it must the initial hiccups for Nanhi there.
"Don't worry, Nanhi. You will be fine."
Megha did not know what else to say. She didn't dare to ask anything about Mohan. Knowing about him and his well-being over the letters was different. She couldn't believe that she gets to sense his presence while talking to Nanhi. And the thought of he being anywhere near Nanhi when she's on the phone, thrilled her. She couldn't compose herself to hear his voice anytime when she's on the phone with Nanhi. She could feel butterflies in her stomach out of excitement brought by the sudden change in her life. She wanted to enjoy this change but wasn't sure whether this is a change for good!
"Mummy!" Nanhi's voice brought her back from her thoughts.
"Nanhi, Do call me whenever you need to. I will wait for your call"
Nanhi understood what Megha wanted to say. She decided to call Megha only when she is alone.
"Ok Mummy, I will talk to you later."
"Ok beta, Bye. Take care of yourself!"
Megha was relieved on getting disconnected from the call but wasn't sure whether she was happy about that. She thought to herself 'I am sorry, Mohan. I don't know how I can gather myself if I ever have to talk to you but then not be with you. I don't want to punish ourselves like that and we will be safe this way.'
She then realized that she hasn't asked about Rimjhim and Nanhi's meeting with her. And she hoped that Nanhi be able to find a friend in that little girl. Nanhi has always been good and loving with kids. Megha remembered how much Nanhi loved Addu and helped him come out of his insecurities. She had always compromised her preferences with Megha for his sake. Megha smiled in pride thinking how Nanhi would manage and share her Spiderman with Rimjhim.
Nanhi walked into the kitchen and was amused to hear Guru singing some Bollywood song very badly.
"Guru, you still haven't learnt to sing any song correctly?" She giggled and placed herself on the kitchen platform looking around the food items. Guru gave a sulking look at her comments but was cheerfully singing aloud to make her laugh again.
"Nanhi, check the taste and tell me how you like it?"
"It's just perfect, Guru!" She then looks at Guru from top to bottom, finds his apron intact and then she stares at his pants.
"Guru, when did you change to centimeter from millimeter? Finally you listened to me and started wearing pants now"
They continued their chatting and laughter, while Rimjhim walked in.
"Why is it so noisy here?"
"Baby, Nanhi has so many jokes to share. Do you want to hear some?"
"I don't want jokes. Do you know stories? I like stories"
"Yes! I know lot of stories. What kind of stories do you want?"
"I don't know but my paapu tells me very good stories about animals, birds and anything"
Nanhi just shut herself down on hearing this and couldn't help thinking about the special bond her Spiderman shared with this little girl. Guru noticed this in her.
"Nanhi, what food items do you like. Give me the list so that I can prepare one or the other every day for all through the three months"
"No Guru, I will not stay here for that long. I will be moving into my office accommodation in a day or two."
Just then Mohan entered there and was shocked to hear this. Nanhi saw Mohan and did not say anything more. Rimjhim jumped onto Mohan's shoulders and waved him to ride her to the dining hall. As they moved out, Nanhi grabbed something to eat from the bowls.
"Guru, I am going to my office to check everything for my work tomorrow. I may be late, so don't wait for me for dinner."
"But for lunch and today is Sunday. We will have lunch together at home"
"No problem Guru. I will pack something from this"
As Nanhi walked past Mohan in the dining hall, Mohan just stared at her in loss. But he was determined to do something about this silence between them. He smiled at the thought that waved inside him.
Late into the night when Nanhi entered the house, she thought everyone must have slept. She wanted to vanish into her room without anyone noticing her. When she was about to enter her room she heard a bell ringing.
"Hey Chavvanni, Sunna!"
A small smile spread across Nanhi's lips and she turned to look at Mohan standing there at his door, smiling at her. He walked towards her slowly.
"I want to show you something"
He took her hands and walked her to the balcony. A beautiful swing was sitting there which was just absorbing the pleasant moonlight on it. She rejoiced the feel that this sight brought in her. She reminisced those days when she shared beautiful friendly moments with her Spiderman on a swing back home. He found himself pleased too and took her to sit on the swing.
"I missed you so much, Chavvanni?"
"Doesn't that tell you how much I to must have missed you too, Spi'" she held herself back from saying it. Mohan could feel the hurt in knowing her forcefully breaking her sentence.
"I am sorry, Chavvanni. I would want to make it up with you in every way. Will you let me?"
Nanhi couldn't let herself look at him but she kept quiet. Taking her silence as an acknowledgment to his plea, he continued.
"This is your home. I don't want you to stay anywhere outside."
When Nanhi was about to object Mohan stopped her. "Please, Chavvanni! Give me the chance to make things right with you"
Nanhi did not speak anything. "Arrey yaar, sunna! Please!"
"It's only with you, I have asked so many please, any time! And you know that"
Nanhi smiled at this statement as she remembered Mohan's Lovely Singh avatar. Mohan smiled back and gave her a questioning look.
"Arrey yaar, Where were you this late?"
"Ohho Spider'" when Nanhi tried to disconnect her statement again, Mohan looked at her with a pout, but she continued to detail her day's adventure.
"On the way to my office, I met with an accident. This guy without even seeing me just came dashed me on his bike. As he applied sudden brake, I wasn't hurt but he slipped off, only to break his TV" She was laughing at her own little adventure and how she fought with him on the middle of the road.
She started narrating the incident with the man who is going to hold a special place in her future, which she did not know then. Mohan was looking at her in pride and missed to give attention to the rival who is going to steal his little Chavvanni's heart.
Pages to be continued...
Page 7:
"Mummy, I and my friends are planning for two months Industrial Training program, this summer" Addu came inside the kitchen with full enthusiasm.
"That's very nice beta!" Megha joined him in his excitement and she gave him a sweet as a little celebration.
"I have applied for few companies here in Indore and some out stations as well"
"Hope you get it in Indore itself. I will be alone if you are gone too" Megha looked at him with a pout.
Addu put his hands around Megha's shoulders lovingly "Then why don't you come with me too"
"You know that I can't!"
"Oh yeah! Your summer camp and kathak classes!"
"Did you talk to Nanhi?"
"No Mummy. She too didn't call me. See she is already forgotten us"
Megha looked at him not knowing what he meant by this but she then did not want to put too much thought into his simple statements. She thought he must be missing her. Just while she was indulged in her thoughts, her phone started ringing. It was from Nanhi. Addu jumped in to pick it up.
"Hello Ms. Navika Madam! How are you?"
Nanhi was startled to hear Addu but composed herself. "Hey Addu! How come you are at home at this hour?"
"Oh WOW! You have become a detective instead of a super duper reporter!"
"Haaa Haa Haa Very funny!"
"Madam, have you forgotten me after going there?"
Nanhi shocked but realized it must be about her not calling him.
"I think your girlfriends were keeping you very busy, and so I didn't get through your line"
"You liar! Anyway I can accommodate my hopeless sister amidst my busy girlfriends"
Megha looked at him with wide eyes while Addu winked at her smilingly. She listened to their conversation before Addu gave back the phone to her.
"Nanhi beta, How was your first day at the office?"
"Awesome Mummy. I like everything about the office here. And also the home"
Megha heard it as a whisper from Nanhi and her face brightened with happiness.
"I am very happy to hear this, Nanhi. I know'"
Nanhi cuts her in to say "But I am still worried, Mummy and I am unable to be myself" She thought how she could not get herself to call her Spiderman with endearment and how she gets sensitive whenever Rimjhim is around with Mohan. But she did not want to say everything to Megha making her worry more. Nanhi wanted to give a try to handle her feelings on her own. She hoped to get through them sooner or later without letting Mohan or Megha know about it.
"Nanhi, Don't stress yourself, beta. We are fine with anything that you want to do."
"Yes Mummy, I know that and I love you, Mummy"
Just then Mohan crossed her room when he heard this. He just froze where he was and felt a sudden rush of pleasure inside him. He felt as if he could hear his heartbeat on knowing that a few steps away, his world of happiness is waiting on the other side of the phone. He just picked his own phone and opened Megha's photo from there. He traced his fingers softly on the picture and felt a shiver running through him. 'I am sorry, Megha. I would not want to hurt ourselves this way'. He walks off from there without turning back.
As Nanhi was finishing her talk on the phone, Rimjhim jumped in front of her scaring her "Booohhh"
Nanhi was alarmed "Huuu' Oh You!"
"Whom are you talking to?"
"My Mummy" Then she held back her tongue realizing what she just said.
"Oh!" Rimjhim just put her fingers on cheeks as if to be seriously thinking or trying to remember something. She went running outside only to come back like a flash.
"Is this the one?" She was holding a frame with an old photo of MMNA together.
Nanhi got emotional looking at it and took it from Rimjhim's hands. She started thinking of those few good old days of their togetherness.
"Can I also talk to her?"
Nanhi was taken aback on Rimjhim's request.
"Pappu has this picture on our bedside table. He says that this is our family. Every day he tells stories about her which makes me want to see and talk to her, always"
Nanhi gave a pained look at her and tears flow through her cheeks. She did not realize what this little girl had been going through all these days. She wanted to think what a beautiful family they would have made if they were all together.
"You want to talk to her now?" Nanhi asked her wiping her tears.
"Oh yeah!" Rimjhim said excitedly.
Nanhi dialed Megha's number again. She ensured that she heard Megha's voice the other side then handed over the phone to Rimjhim.
"Hello" Rimjhim's voice was like a murmur.
Megha trembled on the other side knowing the little voice. She tried to pull out her voice but couldn't. She rejoiced the moment with tearful eyes.
"Jaanu!" finally Megha managed to utter her affectionate address.
Rimjhim pushed herself up in excitement on hearing a voice that she has been waiting for. She had never wanted to trouble Mohan asking for anything beyond the stories that he had shared. She always believed that her Paapu would not deprive her of any happiness. And she chose to understand him by not misunderstanding his disconnect from the family that matters the most to him. She, just like Mohan, decided to wait for the happiness to fall in place when the time comes for it.
"Can I call you often to hear your voice?"
"Sure beta, anytime!" Megha responded with a troubled voice and did not know what else to tell her.
"What shall I call you?"
Megha was unable to react when she heard Rimjhim herself saying something from her side.
"Shall I call you Jhansi Rani?"
Megha chuckled and asked "Jhansi Rani? Why?"
"Paapu always tells stories about you and he describes you as Jhansi Rani in them"
Megha reflected a glow on hearing about Mohan and his description for her. She felt those sleeping butterflies fluttering inside her, awakening every sense of hers.
"Ok Jaanu! Then Jhansi Rani, it is!"
"Jaanu and Jhansi are friends now" Rimjhim gave a hi-five to Nanhi sitting next to her, who was watching her adoringly all this while.
"Ok bye Jhansi. I will talk to you later. Now I have my kathak teacher coming in to trouble me"
"Ok bye Jaanu!" Megha smiled thoughtfully remembering Mohan's letters about Jaanu's chase away mission of Kathak teachers.
Nanhi wanted to bring those enthusiastic smiles fixed on Rimjhim's face forever. She sensed the feel of missing in that little girl; same as that she had in her age.
It was just a week since Nanhi had started living in Bhopal's house, but she could feel a sense of belonging there already. Fun and laughter filled her talks with Guru; teasing and playful moments with Rimjhim; carefree talks with Mohan about her work and day's events. But she still kept a cover on her emotions that she had forced upon her and did not want to come out of it. She had the need to safeguard herself from becoming weak. She had to do this so that she doesn't have heartbreak if the situation arises to leave Mohan again.
Mohan understood the need for Nanhi to protect her heart. And he did not try forcing her to get out of the shield. He decided to wait for the day to come on its own and just hoped that it happens soon, so that he can rebuild the confidence in his little Chavvani, once again.
Mohan made it a habit in these few days, that he sees a peacefully sleeping Nanhi, before he retires for the day. He finds the pleasure of fulfillment of those lost days kissing her good night in her sleep. Many times he hadn't realized that he gets the good night back after he moves out of the room. Nanhi realized herself slipping off her guard but still tried to hold onto it.
One fine morning at breakfast, Rimjhim announced "I want to go for Summer Camp"
Mohan surprised but responded happily "Mast decision! I know kids enjoy and love summer camps"
He gave a smiling look at Nanhi remembering the day when Nanhi explained him about her Summer Camp.
"But I want to join a camp where they teach Kathak!"
"Ok let us search for camps like that" Mohan said in a cool tone.
"Search and get me in soon! I will be bored otherwise"
Mohan found some centers listed on the internet search when his eyes caught upon one name there, Nanhi too announced the same name from her side.
"Sunshine Summer Camp, Indore"
Guru pitched in "But how can baby go there all alone and stay without us?"
"Not to worry, Guru! They have special accommodation for outstation kids as well" Nanhi supported her choice.
"Is kathak dance good there?" Rimjhim had her doubts.
"Ekdum best! The Kathak Dance teacher there is the best and you will not find anybody else loveable like her" Nanhi looked at Mohan's changing expression when she said that.
She did not intend to hurt him but she wanted to give a try to get their family happiness some way or the other. More than anything, she wanted Rimjhim to experience a mother's love. And it had to be her mother's love which is all the more special. She smiled to herself before sitting next to Mohan.
"Hey sunnna!"
Mohan choked on the juice that he was drinking on hearing Nanhi's addressing. He gave her an admiring and adoring smile, which had traces of pride for his little Chavvanni.
"Rimjhim will be very happy in this summer camp because they have the special caretakers out there" Nanhi winked at him to which Mohan chuckled.
"But isn't it true that kathak teachers are scarier than Monkey Man" Mohan teased her for which Nanhi pointed her fingers at him as if to warn him. Mohan acts as if to bite her fingers and both laugh at each other's childish behavior.
comment:
p_commentcount