Parvarrish OS-Two Years Later UPDT 2ND POST

Two years later

Sweety woke up slowly. Her eyes opened as the alarm clock rang. She sat up and looked at her husband Lucky snoring away. She prayed and then looked at a photo frame on her bedside table. She smiled at it, took it up and kissed it. Her eyes became moist as she looked at the photo. Sighing, she kept it back and got up.

 

Coming down the stairs, she noticed Rocky already up and about. He was in college now. He greeted his mom. She smiled and told him to go and get ready for college.

 

Ginny came out from the kitchen. She was in her class ten school uniform. Sweety told her to call her cousins and tell them to come straight from college/school to the Alhuwalia house. Ginny nodded her head. Sweety stood in front of the small Mata Rani idol and prayed.

 

The Alhuwalias were getting ready for today. Lucky came down and planned out with Rocky and Ginny as to when they were to be back. The family was having breakfast, when a call came.

 

Sweety felt she knew who it was and went to pick up the call.

Caller- Hello Mausi? Peli pona!

Sweety- Jeete raho Raavi beta. Tum log theek ho?

Raavi- Haan Mausi…. Mausi. Kya Raashi, Sunny aur main aaj early aa sakte hoon?

Sweety- Haan kyon nahi beta? Apnai ghar hai. Aa jao.

Raavi- Kitna baje aaongi?

Sweety- Kareeban chaar baje?

Raavi- Theek hai Mausi… Bye!

 

Sweety hung up and thoughtfully stared at the phone and sighed. She then contacted a number.

A voice- Hello?

Sweety- Dolly?

Dolly- Haan Didi! Good morning!

Sweety- Sab theek hai na?

Dolly- Koshish toh kar rahi hoon… Aap toh jaante ho aaj Papa chup chaap rehte hain.

Sweety- Dolly. Raavi, Raashi, Sunny aa rahe hai chaar baje. Tum bhi aa jao. Lovely, Papaji aur chhoti princess ko le aa jao.

Dolly- Theek hai Didi, Samajhti hoon.

 

Hanging up Sweety was about to dial another number and stopped herself.

Aadat!- She scolded herself.

She turned around as Lucky, Rocky and Ginny set to leave. She wished them a good day and told them to be back by four at least.

At four, Raavi, who was a college girl, had picked up her sister and brother from the Ahuja residence. Raashi and Sunny went home after school to change. The three reached their Mausi's house at four thirty.

 

Sweety opened the door when the bell rang. She saw her nieces and nephew and gave them a tight hug together as they wished her. She asked after their parents and they nodded that they were coming later.

Sweety- Bhaisaab bhi aa raha hai?

Raavi- Haan Mausi.

Sweety- Accha? Theeka hai!

 

Just then Rocky and Ginny came and hugged and greeted their cousins.

Sweety- Chalo. Taiyaari shuru karte hai.

Raashi hugged Sweety – Mausi I missed you!

Sweety- Hai rabba! Meri bacchi! (She kissed her head and embraced her)

Raavi- Toh batao Mausi, kaisa help karun?

Sweety- Bataati hoon. Phele yeh batao tum log kuch khaaoge?

Raavi- Nahi Mausi. Hum teeno vrat rakhi hai. Raat mein khaaongi!

Sweety- Theek hai (softly) Ma ne nahi daanta?

Raavi, Raashi shook their heads while Sunny was on verge of tears.

Sunny- Mausi! Mamma mujhe har baar kuch na kuch kehte hai.

Sweety hugged her nephew and cheered him up.

Sweety- Chalo bacchon!

 

Guests started pouring in. Everyone was in white and cream coloured clothes. The hall of the Alhuwalia house was decorated in a simple manner. In the midst, a puja set up was arranged. A large photo frame, covered in white cloth was kept at a side.

 

Nanu, Dolly, Lovely, and Lovely's little daughter, of one year, entered. Raavi, Raashi, Rocky, Ginny and Sunny hugged the Khannas and Sunny practically started crying till Nanu cheered him up.

 

Nanu then went to Sweety and the father-daughter duo hugged each other tenderly.

Nanu- Sab aa rahe na?

Sweety- Haan Pappaji. Jeet bhaisaab bhi.

Nanu- Jeet? O.

Sweety- Pappaji. Jeet jo galti ki woh ab puraana ho gaye! Maaf karo usko!

Nanu- Pinky ne phone kiya?

Sweety nodded her head.

Nanu- Kya coincidence aaya hai. Jeet ko kya zaroorat tha yeh sab karne ki? Sunny puttar ko dekho? Raavi-Raashi ke udaas chehron toh dekho!

Sweety- Pappaji. Yeh sab bachon ke liye kiya hai. Maafh kar dijiye na!

Nanu- Theek hai. Sochta hoon.

 

Lucky brought in the panditji and the preparations for the puja began. Sweety asked Lucky to phone Jeet. Just then Jeet entered. The entire Khanna and Alhuwalia families looked at him. Jeet quietly stood there and bent his head a little.

Lucky- Jeet praaji! (The two embraced each other) Aao! Aao! Pinky kaha hai?

Jeet- Bas aatei hogi!

Sweety- Aao bhaisaab! Kaise ho aap?

Jeet- Theek hoon! (He saw his kids standing around Nanu)

Jeet went to greet Nanu who unwillingly greeted him back after a glance at Sweety.

Nanu- Woh Pinky nahi aayi?

Jeet- Paanch minute mein aayegi.

Panditji- Samay nikla jaa raha hai.

Nanu- Theek hai shuru karo.

 

Nanu, Jeet and Sweety sat in the front while the rest of the family sat behind. Sunny, Raavi, Raashi and Lovely sat on the opposite side.

As the puja started, a woman entered the house. Just then the panditji asked- Marnewaali ki naam?

Nanu- Pinky Khanna Ahuja.

The white cloth was taken off to reveal the photo of Pinky- Nanu's daughter and Sweety's sister.

The woman who entered the house sat down a little away. Sweety looked at her and tried to smile.

A guest sitting behind asked another guest- Toh yeh bhi Pinky hai?

Haan! Yeh bhi! Kya co-incidence hai! Jeet Ahuja ke dono patni, aur ek hi naam!

 

After the puja, the second Mrs. Ahuja greeted the Alhuwalias and the Khannas. Everyone greeted her coldly. But Sweety, for the sake of peace, tried to be warm.

 

A nosy guest then approached Lovely and asked him as to what really happened. He was the Alhuwalia neighbor who went away three years ago and was now back.

 

Lovely- Do saal pehle meri behen Pinky Ahuja ki accident hua tha aur uski mauth hui thi. Jeet Praaji dere saal ke baad, cchei mahine ki pehle ek Pinky aka Pinanki Chowdhury ko shaadi ki, apne bacchon ke liye. Tab se Pappaji Jeet Praaji ko maafh nahi kiya.

 

The Ahuja children were quietly sitting together and staring at their mother's picture and remembered all the moments they had with her. Nanu was looking at them in pain. Jeet was sitting away from all and stared at the photo and his children and at Nanu. He remembered his wife but was always accused of having forgotten her. His children's bonding with him was strong but they never liked their step mom.

 

Rocky and Ginny and Lucky helped around, serving food and drinks. Sweety, Lucky, Dolly and Lovely talked to guests and saw them off. Pinanki helped in the kitchen, quiet and by herself.

 

When the guests left, there was a silence in the house. Nanu then came up and asked the Ahuja children if they would like to stay with him in the weekend that started the next day. Raavi, Raashi and Sunny glanced at Jeet who quietly nodded his head. Nanu without a look at Jeet or Pinanki left the house after blessing the Alhuwalias. Lovely, Dolly, their daughter and the Ahuja children left after Nanu.

 

Pinanki went up to Sweety and asked after her.

Sweety- Hum sab theek hoon. Bas Pappaji abhi nhi naraaz hai.

Pinanki- I know, I realize that. Maine kaise manaongi?

Sweety- Jaha tak mein Pappaji ko jaanti hoon, yeh sab apne aap hi ho jaayega. Tum fikar mat karo, sab theek ho jaayega.

Jeet got up and the Ahujas decided to leave as well. Jeet gave one last look at Pinky's picture. Then wishing the Alhuwalias warmly, he left with his wife.

 

Lucky, Sweety, Rocky and Ginny stood in front of the wall where they put up the framed picture of Pinky.

Sweety- Pinky meri behen. I miss you. (Tears fill her eyes)

Lucky, Rocky and Ginny sadly look at each other.

Sweety- Pinki. Jo bhi ho, chaahe kuch bhi ho jaaye, koi mane na mane, main tumhaari bacchon ko apni bacchon ki tarah hi dekhbaal karungi. Tu fikar mat…(Lucky quietly kept his hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently)

Rocky and Ginny came forward and held on her arm and shoulder- Mom. Please don't cry!

 

Sweety nodded her head and asked her children and husband to go to sleep. She needed a moment alone. Understandingly, with glances and nods at each other, Sweety's family left. Sweety looked at the photo frame and remembered all the moments with her sister. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she remembered how her sister left her forever.

 

 

Sweety closed and opened her eyes. Then she went to the Mata Rani puja corner and lit a diya and prayed for everyone. With a long look at Pinky's picture, she then turned, switched off the lights and left the room.

The diya's light reflected on Pinky's photo frame.