||Better Late Than Never||CHAP 8 new on pg 36 *New - Page 23

"JIJI" came the loudest ever squeal from J n Manyata was damn sure within a few minutes of talk with J, Manyata will have to put on a hearing aid. " how r u jiji? Kitne dino baad phone kia, I just don't even remember aapne pichli baar kab phone kia. Aap humko bhool toh nahi gayee?? And don't forget aap sabse pehle ek yuvraani hain, devgarh ko bhi aapki jarurat hoti hain much more than that useless bas***d Akash and that gutter chawl" J said within a breath and soon incurred the wrath of each n every person sitting before her. Wide-button eyed, all stared at her and J became helpless within no time. "Sorry" she muttered after a few seconds. Exception to the wrath was Vijay who was sitting back and trying to suppress his laughter. "meri pyari behana, how r u? how can I forget u all? Waise tumhe ek khabar sunane keliye phone kia tha" Manyata said. "WHAT??!!??" J screamed at top of her voice.her face as white as a ghost. Unbelievable was happening!! Her evil mind had to put to be work again. "Yeh shaadi tudwani padegi. Jiji crossed her limits" all these thots had raced in J's mind within the fraction of second. (hope u understood what J was thinking. If no do PM me ASAP. She thought that the khabar is THE GOOD NEWS)"kya hua J, chilla kyun rahi hain? Tu theek to hain na?" asked Manyata in a very caring voice. Even all the royals sitting before her were a bit confused. "nahi, aap batyo, kya khabar batane wali ho aap?"J asked her. "wo hum devgarh arahe hain rehne" Manyata said. "JIJI… sacchi love u love u love u so much" it was a squeal lower in volume than the first. That was enough for Menaka. "J beta aap rajwaade hain thoda rajwaadon jaise bardaav karenge toh jyada accha hoga, will be preferred" she said in a much plain tone, and J apologized. Immediately she told everyone Manyata's message and all were happy. Komal really wanted to squeal n shout out that her daughter is coming, but seeing what happened with J, she sat quietly and just showed sheer happiness on her face. Vijay snatched the phone from J as soon as he heard Manyata's message. "areh Vijay bhai this is not fair. Hum baat kar rahe hain na jijise, u cant snatch away the phone" J argued trying to get the phone from Vijay. "no J bhai, u talked with her for a long time. Now it's my turn" Vijay said and J sighed and sat back. "manyata bhai, jo J bhai keh rahi hain wo sach hain? Seriously u r coming?" Vijay asked innocently. "haan Vijay bhai, hum sach much arahe hain" Manyata said happily. "I am so happy" Vijay said excitedly. He looked at Komal and could simply deduce how much she wanted to talk with her daughter. "ek minute, Aunty komal se baat karo Manyata bhai" h esaid as he handed over the phone to Komal. Komal blessed him thousand times in her mind. Manyata chatted with each n every person and was so happy to know all their reactions. She just wasn't able to wait for the next day to rise, how much she longed to be with her family- her people who really cared for her. The phone ended and the discussion changed from whatever topic is was to, to Manyata.

"I am so excited! Finally jiji arahi hain! Hmm... kuch awesome stuff plan karna chahiye, hain na Vijay bhai??" J said building dreamy castles of fun in her mind. "yeah sure" Vijay agreed. "chalo lets go" she said holding Vijay's hand. "Kaha?" Brijraj asked her. "bahot sari planning karni hain n we just don't have time to waste!" J said and started to pull Vijay. All smiled and Vijay helplessly got up and went away with J like her tail.

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Manyata ended her call and satisfaction spread all over her face in the form of a pleasant smile. She was collecting her clothes and packing her bag. "kya kaha ghar waalon ne?" asked Akash. he was home today becuz he had a holiday due to some reason. "kuch khaas nahi. Sab bahot khush hain aur besabri se mera intezaar kar rahe hain" Manyata said as she pressed some clothes inside. She wasn't actually planning to take anything because she already had everything at there. She planned to take some dishes which she had prepared. "kitne dino tak ja rahi ho?" Akash asked sitting on the bed beside her small bag. "pata nahi. Abhi tak decide nahi kiya kuch" she zipped the bag and turned around to go. "meri yaad ayegi?" Akash asked. God knows shy, but he did. Manyata with bewilderment stared at him for a couple of seconds n then turned away to go. He sighed and rested his hands on the bed. His mind all blank. Manyata returned with a small Tiffin. She kept it in her bag. "tumhe drop karne keliye ayu?" he asked her without looking at her. She looked at him thru the corner of her eye. After a while she answered "nahi koyi jarurat nahi hain. Kal car bhijwa rahe hain, I'll go" she said. "ok" Akash said and left. Manyata felt weird.

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"Uday…" J squelled. God knows why but right from the morning she was behaving like a typical teen girl, getting excited in every little thing. Uday nearly dropped the phone from his hands. "kya hua J! don't shout. Why r u so excited? Umm… let me guess. Koi nayi machli jaal me fasi? I mean any new guy? Or is it related to K n L??" Uday replied smirking. J made the worst irritated face ever. "ughh shut up. U know what…" J continued after a pause " jiji is coming." Uday was stunned. "Really? Devgadh arahi hain! That's great!" Uday excitedly replied. "wait, abhi pura batake nahi hua. she is going to come for lunch so u n Unnati come over for lunch" J said settling down on her bed. "well umm… that's great. I'll check whether I hav a work or meeting. If no I'll come or otherwise I'll send Unnati" said Uday. "Uday," J sighed "make it for the lunch. I am not going to hear a NO from u. did u just get that?" J said bossing over him though she hated that. "ok J, I'll come for the lunch with Unnati" Uday replied. "ok then see u tomorrow. Bye" J chirped. "The Singhs…tick" she said. "Vijay bhai… Uday n Unnati in" she called out to Vijay who was just outside the room doing something. "Great" Vijay said. "now that's going to be fun" J said to herself

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Come night. All had just finished their dinner. J ran in DS's study. "areh beta, aap agayi? Vijay kaha hain? Dikhayi nahi de rahe" DS said to J. "he must be coming. Might be talking with bua sa or washing his hands" J said as she sat on one of the two chairs before DS. Vijay came in running. "am I late? I am sorry" he said as he made is place on the remaining chair. " Nah its ok u r on time" DS said as she closed the file in her hands . "the same, which was a few months ago…" J n said Vijay said in unison. DS sighed and looked at them.

~FLASHBACK (A FEW MONTHS AGO. The night before the day of Manyata's marriage to Akash)~

"DS, jo kuch horaha hain wo sahi nahi hain" J barged inside her office without knocking. DS was standing behind her chair resting her one hand on the chair while other held the phone. Seeing her talk on the phone, J apologized and went out of the study. Vijay came at the gateway of DS's office. "kya hua? tum andar nahi gayee?" asked Vijay. "DS phone pr baat kr rahi hain" J replied. Soon both were called inside by DS. "kya huaJ aap aisi bina permission liye andar kyun aayi? Kya sahi nahi horaha?" DS asked asked as she sat down on her chair. J n Vijay looked at each other and said together. "Manyata jiji aur Akash ki shaadi." And that led to an hour long conversation between the grandmother and her grandchildren. And finally the conclusion was that Manyata should be given sometime. She would realize, living in chawl, that the palaces are the place for her and she is born for being and working as a royal and not for being housewife. The grandchildren loved the discussion with their grandma. And soon it was decided that every night, both will come in the office after the supper. After Manyata now they both were to be responsible for all the Riyasat work. Every night both will come, sit n discuss with Ds the happenings in the whole day, their views on that, her views on those things, and the Riyasat work.

~END OF FLASHBACK~

"aap ne toh kaha tha that she would realize n she wud return" J said. "haan. And now toh she is really getting adjusted back in chawl" Vijay added with a frightened expression. DS relaxed back in her chair. "kuch karo DS or otherwise it will be too late" said a worried J. "let's see ab wo aayi hain to kuch karenge. I'll go and talk to her" DS said. "DS ab I think its high time that we use our bramhastra" Vijay said seriously. Ds looked stunned. "kya kehna kya chahte hain aap Vijay?" DS asked. "DS aapne bhi toh kisise vadaa kia hain ke Uday aur Manyata ki shaadi hogi. Aur aap ki jubaan ka maan rakhna ye Manyata bhai ka pehla kartawya (duty) hain. The contract with Giri uncle" said Vijay. DS looked at me realizing how bright her grandson had become. "Vijay, hume bhi ye baat yaad hain. Hum bhi ye contract ke naam pr use rok sakte the, but then, Manyata khush nahi rehti. Hume pata nahi wo kaise react karti. Aapne dekha hi, hum sab jab use rokne ki koshish kar rahe the tb wo kaise react kr rahi thi?" DS said. "jab tak use realize hoga, bahot der hogayee hogi shayd" J said sadly. DS looked at her and flashed a bright smile. "Better late than never. Jyada door nahi hain wo din. I know" DS assured both of them. The other discussions started as usual of Riyasat work and the day's happenings.

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