SOLID SOUL - THREAD 2 - CHAPTER 30 / PAGE 49 - Page 22

ASR: Haan Di...woh main thoda busy hoon...main thodi der ba... (Hello Di, I am busy...how about if I call you...)

Anjali: Cchotey, bahot pyaare bacche hain. Tumne hamein nahi bataya ki Khushiji pregnant thi aur tumne unhe jaane kaisse diya? Tumhein pata thaa na? Bolo na Chotey. Ya tumhe pata nahin thaa...kyonki tum hamare saath the'...Sorry hamare kaaran...(Cchotey, the kids look beautiful. You never mentioned that Khushi was pregnant and how could you let her go? You knew about it right? Say something? Or did you not know? And you did not know because you were with me ...Sorry because of me...)

ASR was in no mood to listen to his sister. Over the last decade and a half, the brother in him had been there for his Di and he knew that he would continue to be there. But today the husband and the father were getting more agitated and more impatient with his Di. There was no dilemma today; he just wanted to focus on his wife today and he abruptly in ASR style terminated the call. He was in fact kicking himself for transmitting all the pictures and videos so quickly to Aakash and Di. He should have anticipated a barrage of calls and text messages. But the deed was done. And now he had to go at least into a semi-ASR mode to keep the brood at bay. From his peripheral vision, he was keeping tabs on Khushi, lest she slipped into slumber-land while he was distracted by all those incoming phone calls. He turned to see her straightening the blanket/comforter/quilt over the children securely. She powered the tower fan and set it on oscillating mode. She then proceeded to adjust the ceiling fan's speed. The lamps were doused to let the soft glow from night lamp permeate the room.

Khushi walked out of the bedroom and motioned to him that she was going downstairs.

ASR (curtly): Di...main keh raha hoon baad main phone karoonga, ab thoda busy hoon. (Di, let me call you back, I am busy right now)

And the call was terminated.

Anjali Raizada's Room

Anjali looked at the phone in her hand wistfully, fully understanding her Chotey's unwillingness to talk to her. She had not been able to help herself after seeing the pictures of Khushi and the kids. Khushi must have been pregnant and that meant that there was more to Chotey's marriage than what he had let on. Her Chotey had not confided in her about a lot of things and the sense of betrayal was a kick in the gut. The tears rolled down her cheeks and the heartache rose to gigantic proportions. An hour later, Anjali found herself dejected, alone and curled up in a foetal position on her bed, and feeling utterly desolate for being left out. Then suddenly it dawned on her that she was spiraling down the same path again and wanting any attention to wallow in.

She had been eighteen when tragedy had struck - her parents' suicide had left her brother and her orphaned on her wedding day. The next blow had come minutes later when she was jilted at the altar. Then overnight their uncle reduced them to paupers and drove them out of their own home. But fate and life had been very benevolent after those three successive blows. Her brother, her maternal grandmother, her uncle and his wife and her cousin had rallied behind her, protected her and had made her the center of their lives. She was so used to lapping up all the attention that she had failed to realize that her Chotey and her family had also been hit by those same tragedies. Her then fourteen year old Chotey probably had no time to think. He had grown up overnight. He had set goals and then had single-mindedly and single-handedly pursued and achieved those goals within a span of ten years. In pursuit of those goals, her fun-loving Chotey along the way had morphed himself into becoming ASR - a ruthless operator. And they all had let him because it suited them. The cloak of financial security was far too comforting and all of them had been guilty of enjoying the comfort at Chotey's expense. She claimed that she could do without this security and had fought with her Chotey the day before Rakhi. But her tall claim was never put to test and Chotey had become the fall guy. She had given up studying very early, because her marriage had been fixed. When it broke, she could have pursued studying along with Chotey, but it suited her playing the grand lame diva and when things did not go her way, she sought refuge in one of Devi Maiyya's temples around Delhi.

And during one such visit to the temple, she had met her ex-husband, Shyam Manohar Jha - her monumental judgmental error. She pretty much had picked up a con artist off the street, nurtured his defrauding skills to an art form of gargantuan proportions at the expense of her brother's sweat. And if she was honest with herself, her Shyamji was her exact male counterpart. She had ruthlessly and willfully manipulated everyone including her ever-loving Shyamji around her to get what she wanted - her vision of what love should be, what a married couple should be and what a loving family should be. And Shyamji had also done the same thing; he had manipulated all and sundry and helped himself proprietarily to the Raizada wealth to maintain his lifestyle. Under the tutelage of Mr. Jha, her diva skills were honed. And over the years she had picked up her brother's ruthlessness, masked it with her brand of charm and had very successfully put it to practice on two women. She had compelled Khushi to come to work at Shantivan to train Lavanya. She had witnessed Khushi's humiliation time and again, at the hands of her Chotey, but that girl had to set aside all the humiliation and turn up to work at Shanitvan day-after-day to keep the Gupta household running. At the same time, she had convinced Lavanya to get training from Khushi to fit into the so called "Raizada daughter-in-law" mold.

The crowning event now on hindsight; seemed to have been her Chotey's shotgun wedding. Between the three of them, they had spectacularly doled out punishment to a young girl who had been their well-wisher all along and had done absolutely nothing and had almost lost her life. Her Chotey claimed to have risen to defend and safeguard his Di's marriage, by marrying Khushi six years ago. She had been treated like an outcast and had been housed at the farmhouse. The first two years of Chotey's wedding had brought her (Anjali) more grief because every now and then Shyamji had complained of Khushi's harassing phone calls. She had promptly bleated the same to Chotey with unerring accuracy. She shuddered at the enormity of what all Khushi had put up with - unwanted attentions of an amorous leach, tangible contempt and censure of the Raizada family members during her visits to Shantivan and then the wrath of a perpetually angry husband.

The worst had yet to come. That day, 4th November, 2011, was etched in her mind - she had fainted when Shyamji had narrated his version of Khushi's suicide attempt to the entire family. The entire clan had closed ranks and had stood by the Jhas. Her Chotey had been with Khushi for just over twenty four hours at the hospital and had returned home to tend to her. Two weeks later on the scheduled discharge date, her Chotey found out that Khushi had walked out of the hospital against medical advice and had disappeared for all practical purposes. When did they all become so heartless? They hadn't the courtesy to inform the Guptas about their daughter being hospitalized nor had they informed them of her disappearance till the whole truth had come out four weeks later. The horror of what had been revealed was unbelievable. And she as usual had taken the easy way out - had gone to the factory and had taken up tending to Khushi's projects that did not need tending. But again working on Khushi's projects had given her an insight into the lives of the women that lived at Dayavihaar - the battered women's shelter. She had thanked her Devi Maiyya a thousand times for blessing her with a family that was so supportive and also for according her good fortune to come out of all the dire situations relatively unscathed. And then her association had brought her close to the shelter's physician, Dr. Maya Vishwanathan, and her current beau, Gaurav.

And now four years later she was still being petulant wanting all the attention. She looked at herself in the mirror and did not like what she saw. Her brother had enough on his hand and it was not going to be easy for ASR to eat this big a slice of humble pie. She looked at the pictures again and zeroed in on Khushi's picture. The smartphone's resolution was good, but it was not enough. She forwarded all the pictures to her email account and logged in from her laptop. Six years later she was looking at Khushi properly. She looked a little older, motherhood had softened all the angles in her body, but she still glowed. She had been aptly named Khushi and also Chamkeeli. She seemed to have retained that happy persona and emanated warmth that was visible in the picture. The children looked really happy, healthy and content. Looking at the surroundings in the photographs, Khushi seemed very comfortable and successful at whatever she was doing. And that worried her. Her Chotey had never been a proponent of marriage and children. She had witnessed his cynical view of love, his preference for a "live-in" relationship, and his dislike of children. If those views on matrimony and children had not changed, she hoped that he would let Khushi go than bind himself into a dead-end relationship. However, if he really wanted get his wife and family back; it was not going to be easy. And then it had dawned on her that they were her Chotey's kids, and also her nephew and niece. She yearned to get to know the kids and resurrect the relationship with Khushi. Her elation soared to new heights. Well something so beautiful had come out of the nightmarish fiasco. But what had been the price? Will her Devi Maiyya be benevolent again and give the Raizadas another chance to redeem themselves?

For once she wanted to be the elder sister for her Chotey rather than the other way round. She dragged herself and went down and was met by a distraught Nani and Mami. Payal was talking on the phone with her parents about Khushi and the kids.

Mami: Ka kare is daughter-in-law ka? Kahat rahi apne maternity homes jayeegi is halat ma. Abhi chaar hafte poore bhi nahi hue, yeh apni morning, afternoon aur night sickness lekar jaane ke liye khadi ho gayee hai. Humre Aakhash bitwa ki baat bhi taal gayee sasuri. Eee dekho, humra Aakash bitwa bhi maternity homes jaane ko tayyar hui gawa. (What am I going to do with this DIL of mine? She has set her mind to travel to Lucknow to visit her parents. She has just stepped into her second month of pregnancy and plans to travel with her morning (thru night) sickness. My Aakash has not been able to dissuade her and now plans to accompany her to Lucknow.)

Nani: Manorama, kuch to lihaaz kijiye. Sab kuch jaan lene ke baad, yeh bachhi hamare ghar rahi and aur hum sabko apnayee, kya yeh badi baat nahi hai? Ab jaane dijiye na, wapas to aa jayegi na. Aur Aakash bitwa jaa rahen hai na unke saath, sab kuch sambhalne ke liye.(Manorama, please control yourself. Your Payal after knowing everything about what has transpired in this house with regards to her sister, has accepted all of us and has made her home here, don't you think that in itself is commendable? Let her go, she will come back. It is an emotional moment for her. Let us respect her need to be with her parents. And your Aakash will be there if need be.)

Mami: Hello hai bye bye humri to kono value hi nahi karta, hmph. (No one values me or my opinion in this house, Hello Hai Bye Bye)

Aakash: Maate...sambhalo apne aap ko. Hum do din mein aa jayenge. (Mom...please. We will be back in two days.)

The couple took off to the airport, leaving the three pensive ladies behind.

Nani: Anjali bitiya, aapko lagta hai Chotey Khushi bitiya ko aur bachon ko, apne saath vaapas le ayenge? Bahot der ho gayee na. In tasveeron ne yadon ka pitara khul diya aur thodi yaadein nasoor ban gaye hain. Himmat nahi hoti apne aap ko aaine me dekhne ki. Us bacchi ke apradhi/gunehgaar hain hum. (What do you think, will Chotey be able to convince Khushi, will I get to see the children? It is too late is'nt it? I did not realize, those pictures have re-opened old memories. Some memories are like these old wounds that look healed from the outside, but are very much raw inside. I can't bear to look at myself in the mirror. I have terribly wronged that girl.)

Anjali: Ji Nani ...hum bhi to chahtein hain ki Chotey, bacchon aur Khushiji ko lekar jaldi se ghar aa jayen, par itna sab hone ke baad, kaisse aayengi Khushi, aap hi bataeye Nani? Agar Khushiji nahi chahengi to hum chahakar bhi kuch kar nahi sakte, (I do hope so Nani, but if Khushi refuses to accompany Chotey, we have no recourse. We will have to pay the price for what we doled out to Khushiji six years ago.)

Nani oblivious to Anjali continued: Chaar saal se hamre pad-pota aur poti hai aur hamein iska ilm he nahi. Dono bachon mein hame Chotey ki jhalak dikti hai. Ab Devi Maiyya se yehi prarthana hai, ki bachon ko yahan laaye hamare jeete jee.(Four years...I have lost four years of my great-grand-children's childhood. I am praying fervently that I will live to see these kids run around this house.)

Anjali helplessly watched Nani ramble on, while Mami had a thoughtful expression on her face as she walked towards her niece and mother-in-law from the mezzanine level.

Mami: Such kahiye sasuma, agar phati saree hospital mein se go, gone nahi ho jaati aur uke bacche yahan paida hote, to ka hum sab uke bacchon ko apna lete? (Tell me honestly, if Phati Saree would not have disappeared from the hospital, would we have really accepted her children.)

LONG COVE,

MASON, OHIO

ASR jogged down the stairs after Khushi to the kitchen. He saw her at the kitchen sink filling water in a stainless steel electric kettle. She then proceeded to house the kettle on its base and the power was turned on.

Khushi: Aap baat karna chahte the' na...kahiya. (You said, you wanted to talk...ok let us talk)

ASR: Tumhe nahin lagta hamein baat karni chahiye? (You don't think we should talk)

Khushi: Kiss baare main? Aur kya baat karna chahtein hain aap? (Depends on what you want to talk about.)

ASR: Tumhare bare main, tum teek to ho na? (About you, are you ok?)

Khushi (smirked): Haan, hum teek hain aur kuch. Bas yehi baat karni thi? (I am good, is that all you wanted to talk about?)

ASR knew he was vacillating. He had spent four years trying to find his wife. The search for Khushi had been an arduous one, and so involved was he in the search, that he never thought what he was going to tell her once he found her. Very rarely did one catch a fumbling ASR. He hated being in such a defensive position. Hence in order to shield his current situation, he took the only way out - go on the offence.

ASR: Mujhe mere bacchon ke baare main baat karni hain (I want to talk about my kids)

Khushi: Aapke bacchon ke baare main... aap mujhse kyon baat karenge? (You are going to talk to me about your kids...why would you do that?)

ASR: Kab batanewaali thi tum mujhe Kiran aur Rohan ke bare main? College se graduate hone ke baad? Dammit main unka baap hoon. (When were you going to tell me about my children? After they graduated from college? Dammit I am their father.)

Khushi: Aapke bacche...? Yeh kisne kaha ki yeh aapke bacche hain? (Your children...? Who told you that these are your children?)

Well this double offence strategy from Khushi was not expected.

ASR: What the...?

Khushi's eyebrows rose fractionally and she calmly responded: Itne saalon ki baad bhi wohi - What the? Is muhavare ko ek baar poora bol hi dijiyega? (We are still only at What the'. Why don't you just complete the phrase for once?)

ASR: Don't you dare talk to me like that Khushi.

Khushi: Warna kya? Ek minute, itna tilmilane ki zaroorat nahi. Ab aap gaur se suniye. Mere bacchon ke bare mein main aapko kuch nahi batati, kyunki aapka inse koi sambandh nahi. (Or what will you do? Stop and spare me the histrionics and listen to me carefully. I will not and don't want to discuss with you anything about my children, because it is none of your business.)

ASR: What?

Khushi: Haan jab mera aur aapka sambandh he nahi to mere bacchon se aapka kya sambandh? Yaad hai aaphi ne kaha tha, hum jaisse ladkiyon ko kya, ek gaya doosra aa jayega. Aapki baat sola aane such nikli - pehle aapke jeejaji, phir aap, aur aapke baad aur ek...na? (Yes, what is your relationship with my children when our relationship does not exist? When we met the first time, you told me not to worry about my sister's wedding not going through that night, as girls like her would find another groom to replace him soon. And your prophecy did come true in my case. Four years ago at the hospital, you accused me of cuckolding you. Thereafter, guess what, both of you were replaced by guy number 3.)

ASR: Shut up Khushi, just shut up. Chalo maan leta hoon ki yeh mere bacche nahin hain. Apne bacchon ki kasam khao, aur kaho ki inse mera koi rishta nahin, aur mein yahan se chala jaoonga. (All right, I will accept that these kids are not mine. I will leave once you swear on what is most precious in your life, your children.)

Kushi: Teek hai, yeh to bahut asaan si baath hai. Chaliye aap hi bataiye ke kiss bacche ke sar haath rakhkar humain ye kasam khaani hai. Chalein? (As you wish, this is should be easy. Lead the way, and point either at Mohit, Rohan or Kiran and I will swear accordingly.)

ASR: Unbelievable, Ab tum itna bada jhoot bologi. (You are going to lie now?)

Khushi: Itna aascharya kyon? Hum jaissi ladkiyaan apni baat manwaane ke liye kuch bhi kar saktein hain. (Why so surprised, girls like me will do anything to get their way.)

ASR: Chup bilkul chup. Meri baatein dohrana band karo. Jab tum aur main, hum dono jaante hain ki such kya hai. (Stop quoting me again and again, you and me, both know the truth.)

Khushi: Kyon nahi dohrayen? Aur such, kaunsa aur kiska such? Aap ne jo kaha w.oh such? Ya jis suchayee ki duhai hum de rahe the, w.oh such? Os suchayee ka kya anjaam hua, humse behtar kaun jaanta hai. (Why shouldn't I? Truth - whose version of truth are you referring to, yours or mine? No one other than me knows better than what happened to my version of truth, right?)

Khushi: Chaliye maan leten hain, main aapko in bacchon ke baare mein bata deti. Kab batati main - hospital mein?... hosh aane ke baad, jab aap taana maar rahe the'. Yaa yeh jaante hue ki aapko baachon se kitni allergy hai tab? Aur main kabhi bhoolhi nahi sakti ti ki aap Lavanyaji ke amanat the. Rishte bahut ulaj chuke the aur main aapko in rishton mein aur kyon uljati? Yeh to sab per na-insaafi hoti. (When was I supposed to tell you about the children, let me see, after I regained consciousness at the hospital and you were accusing me of pursuing your precious BIL; or after knowing your intense dislike for children. And I never forgot that you were meant to be Lavanya's husband. It would have been unfair to everyone.)

ASR: Haan?

Khush: Aur aapke jeevan ka dhyey - Anjaliji. Yehi to sabse bada sach hai. Unke sivay aap par nirbhar karnewale aapka poora pariwaar aur aapki companiyaan. Sochiye isme ek unchahi biwi aur uspar unchahe bacche. (Your life revolves around your sister, her happiness, her comfort. Then you have your immediate family and your AR Group of Companies relies on you. Think, why would I add an unwanted wife? And saddle you with unwanted children, a tangle of unsolicited relationships in this mix.)

ASR: Listen to me carefully Khushi, tum meri biwi ho aur rahogi, chahi ya unchahi, w.oh tum par depend karta hai. Mein jaanta hoon, Kiran aur Rohan dono mere he hain. Aur rahi Mohit ki baat - mere nazariye se dekhoon toh, chodo mera nazariya, tumhari nazariye se dekhoon toh lagta hai ki Mohit ko tumhe sowpa gaya tha ya tum Mohit ko apna kar kissiki madat kar rahi thi. Bolo ab main galat hoon. Aur ek baat ka to yaakeen hai, chahe kuch bhi ho jaye, tum apno ka saath nahi chodti aur apne farz se kabhi nahi katrati. (Listen to me carefully Khushi, you are my wife and will remain my wife. To be wanted or not wanted, that depends on you. I also know that Kiran and Rohan are my children. And as for Mohit, if I look at it from my perspective, oh let's leave my perspective aside for a change and look at it from your perspective. Either Mohit was left in your custody or you are helping out somebody by taking care of Mohit. Now tell me that I am wrong. Finally I know for sure that come what may, you do not abandon your near and dear ones and you dont shirk away from your responsibilities.)