Sparsh
I don't like hiding.
I want to be genuine, spontaneous, and me.
But you've got to help me.
You've got to hold out your hand
Even if that's the last thing I want.
Only you can wipe away from my eyes
The blank stare of the breathing dead,
The loneliness that I so dread.
Each time you understand because you really care
My heart begins to grow wings'.
Very small wings,
Very feeble wings,
But wings.
Part XII
"What? Have you gone mad Gayatri? We can't have a widow handle such an auspicious occasion. Even the shadow of a widow is considered bad luck, and you have asked her to come so close to my grandsons. Do you want our children's lives to be ruined? You woman….you leave…now!!! I shall not allow you to even step into this house. We will get someone else to manage the wedding."
Aarti's eyes glistened with tears as she turned toward the exit. Suddenly she felt someone hold her hand from behind. She looked down to find Palak smiling at her, who then proceeded to give her a tight hug. Mishti automatically knelt down and put her arms around the child.
"Aunty, aunty, you have come to our house….Did papa get you? Where is Ansh? You didn't bring him?...Come…come…I'll show you my room."
Palak started pulling Mishti toward her room. Maya was livid at seeing the scene unfold before her eyes.
"Oh my God…have mercy on us…the woman seems to have put black magic on everyone in the family. Why are you still here? Leave."
"Badi daadi…why are you scolding aunty? She is very nice. I love her. Nanu and Nani also love her. Aunty's son Ansh is my best friend, and I….."
"Palak…shsshhh…"
Mishti interjected Palak's upset rant by turning her to face her, and putting her palm against her cheek spoke to her softly, smiling.
"Palak beta…badi dadi is not scolding me. She has given me a job to do, so I was going….Hmmm…..Will you do something for me?"
"Yes Aunty." (Believing her, yet giving badi dadi the suspicious looks.)
"Please get me a glass of water? I am so thirsty."
"You will be here?"
Miahti nodded sadly. After Palak had happily pranced of, having to do something for her would-be mumma…Mishti turned to the senior ladies and folding her hands spoke politely.
"I am very sorry if I hurt your sentiments. I promise you I will not involve myself with the arrangements; Neema can take over completely. But please let the company handle the wedding."
Gayatri was in a fix. She knew her husband and sons will never agree to ammaji's reasoning but was helpless in front of her domineering mother-in-law. Gayatri was a follower by nature, so never ever contradicted what ammaji believed by way of customs and rituals. So she did what was expected from her at that moment. She asked Mishti and Neema to leave.
"Please leave now. We shall let you know about our decision later."
"What's there to decide, Gayatri? Didn't you hear what I said?"
"Yes ammaji…but Yash's father has to be told and he…."
Mishti and Neema collected the things and walked out, just as Palak came in, walking slowly balancing a tray with a glass of water. She looked here and there.
"Dadi…where did Aunty go?"
"She left beta….she had some work."
Palak kept the tray on a nearby table and backed off, tears forming in her eyes.
"She wouldn't leave without drinking the water. She left because badi dadi scolded her."
So saying she ran up crying, only to bump into Yash who was coming down. She jumped into his lap, burying her face into his shoulders and weeping softly.
"Why are you crying, princess?"
"I don't like badi dadi…(saying in between the sobs)..I don't…I don't. She scolded her (sob)…and she left (sob)…Now we can't go to buy the ring…(sniffle)…and we cannot props her."
Yash walked down with her in his lap, pacifying her softly, and gently put her down, noticing the absence of Mishti and Neema at the same time. He saw Prateek walking toward them.
"Bhaiya, I have something to request you. Pari's cousin Madhu is in town. Remember you met her during our engagement? (Yash vaguely remembered a clingy girl who seemed to be wherever he was during those few days). Pari and I are taking her family out for dinner tonight to the Avons. Pari's parents are engaged elsewhere so can't join us. Please come bhaiya; Pari wants to meet you too."
"I'll let you know later Chote, after I sort something out. Do me a favor. You are going to Pari's…right? Please take Palak with you. I have to talk to dadi. Palak, go with chachu. I promise everything will be fine….OK? And no crying…Smile now. That's my girl….Go!"
After she had left, assured now that papa will take care of everything, Yash turned to his mother.
"Is there a problem, ma? Why did Aartiji and Miss Parekh leave?"
"Actually, Yash beta…ammaji wanted…that is, she was saying…(looking helplessly at her mother-in-law)…."
"Yash…I asked those women to leave. There is no way they are coming near these marriages."
Yash controlled his temper and crossed his arms, looking at his dadi for the first time since he had walked in.
"May I know why?
"One of them is a widow, and I won't have a widow bode ill for you and Prateek with her dark presence in your marriages …."
"Dadi, I'll say this just once. If all of you want to see me married, then you will have to get used to seeing Aartiji around me all the time….because only she will oversee this marriage and no one else. Ma, is that clear?"
Gayatri nodded mutely, as Yash walked out, leaving dadi fuming.
***************************
Mishti and Neema stepped out of the auto in front of the VM offices. Before going in, Neema stopped Mishti.
"Are you OK, Mrs D? You were quiet the whole way. Please don't let that old hag upset you."
"I am fine Neema…and don't be so disrespectful toward her. She is an elder after all. She can't help being a prisoner of her beliefs."
"Yeah…right. OK, Mrs D. Thy boss is always right (smiling cheekily, trying to bring that sweet smile back into her idol's face)….You know Boss…you are too good for your own good."
Suddenly they were aware of a commotion happening inside the offices. They looked at each other and hurried toward the main door. Bunty Sharma, the son of the owner of Shubham Decorators, was having an argument right in the Reception area with Dharmesh and Akhil, the overall manager of Dcor and Catering department. Shubham Decorators was under VM's contract as their main suppliers. Bunty was a rowdy, brash, and foul-mouthed young man who was handling his father's business by proxy as his father was taken ill a few weeks back. This was the third altercation with him in as many weeks. Earlier two occasions were tackled by the VM men, but this time it seemed Bunty was hell bent on creating problems.
"What's the matter Mr Sharma? What are you so angry about?"
"Oho!…Madam Dubeyji…there you are….looking all prim and proper. (The snicker turned to a shout)…You are all cheats…and you are the biggest cheat of all."
Mishti was taken aback by this verbal assault. She never liked the look of the man. He was as uncouth as his father was soft spoken and cultured. There was a reason Sharmaji had never let his son near his business…now she knew why.
"Excuse me!! Mr Sharma you cannot stand here and make such accusations."
"Well, can't I? And who will stop me? You? You are the one who is responsible for not giving me the complete payment of last month's events."
Mishti looked at Dharmesh, who answered stoically, throwing a disgusted look at Bunty.
"The payments were done as per the contract Ma'am…but he is demanding for more, asking for compensations on various unreasonable issues."
"Mr Sharma, please step into my office and we'll talk there."
"Why in your office? Why not here? Oho…now I know…I know you working women. If you think you can seduce me in private with your beauty and make me go easy on the bill, then (coming closer near her ear and whispering with a leer) you think right. Where do you….."
Before he could say another word, he was taken by the collar and thrown across the opposite wall by Yash who had walked into the ugly scenario. Everyone was stunned….but not more than Bunty himself. Before he could collect himself and get up, Yash was towering over him, whispering menacingly.
"If you don't apologize to the lady now and then get out of here, I'll personally see to it that you rot in jail for years."
"Wh…who…do you think you are? How dare you l…lay your ha…hands on me?"
"Yash Scindia….that's my name, and the lady still awaits your apology."
Bunty knew exactly who Scindias were and what their status was in the city. He knew better than to lock horns with one of them, so he got up and brushed himself, muttering sorry under his breath. Yash took a step toward him, when he found his hand being held in a soft grip from behind and then he was being pulled away. Mishti dragged him to her office unmindful of the grinning faces of her staff who had thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle and unmindful of the fact that Yash had just gained a few fans for making the man who had dared insult their nice boss bite the dust.
***************************
Mishti pulled Yash into the office and banged the door shut. Obviously she was furious and badly shaken. He waited near the door as she paced toward the window and then turned, running her fingers through her hair, chewing her lip. Then she came near him, put her hands on her hips, and looked up at him with angry eyes (Yash smiled inwardly at the gesture…"what's it with my girls and hands on the hips…first Arpita, then Princess, and now my adorable Mishti"). Taking a deep breath she spoke, pronouncing each word distinctly.
"What.Was.That. Mr Scindia?"
"What? What did I do? The man dared to be offensive to you. I saw it and couldn't stand it so did what I had to do." He shrugged.
"So what are you now? My official bodyguard? (She was visibly agitated now)….How could you make such a scene in the office? Do you think that is the first time someone has made a pass at me or been insulting? No, Yashji, I have my share of it…on daily basis…and I know how to handle such hooligans and take care of myself. I have learnt it the hard way…A man like that took my life away from me once. Do you think I'll ever let myself be vulnerable again? There are better ways to handle such matters other than violence."
Yash stepped forward and held her by her shaking shoulders, trying to calm her down.
"Shshh…it's OK. I am very sorry if I upset you, but I am not sorry for what I did to that lowlife. In fact I controlled myself because of you otherwise I'd have…(closing his eyes) never mind. You don't have to worry about him. I'll take care of…"
"There you go again," Mishti sighed. She lifted her hands and put them on his, lingering on them for a few seconds, and then removed his hands from her shoulders and turned toward her desk. It was amazing how just by the mere touch of his hands, she had felt calm. She was totally composed when she turned back to look at him.
"You have to do nothing, Yashji…I'll speak to his father. In fact I am not even sure what you are doing here. VM is not handling your marriage anymore."
"But it is. That's what I came to tell you. You don't have to worry about what my grandmother says or believes. Important thing is what we believe and what we want. And both Palak and I want you. "
"Prateek…"
"What?"
"You said Palak by mistake."
"Oh…did I? Anyway I apologize for my dadi's behavior."
"But I didn't take any offence. She is your dadi…obviously she will want to believe and do what is best for you. And marriages are very sensitive matters for elders in the family. You are lucky to have such a nice family where everyone is so concerned for you. What I am should not come in the way. So if we are still in, then Neema will take over."
"No…nothing changes. You will be in-charge as before. I don't want anyone other than you taking care of our marriage."
Yash looked at her pointedly as he said that and noted the cloud that passed over her face, as she sat down to take a call in her landline.
I'll be damned if I let you suffer for something that you are not and don't deserve to be Mishti. You don't grudge anyone…you are too nice. But I will make sure my family accepts you…Oh my God!! (Yash sat straight)…That's it, isn't it? You are scared my family will not accept a widow…Well then I'll have to remove that misconception, as soon as I make you admit the truth.
Yash shifted in his chair; a sudden glint had come into his eyes, and Mishti who happened to look at him while on phone raised an eyebrow in question. He shook his head, mouthing "nothing." He took out his cell and texted someone. As he waited for Mishti to finish her call, he realized what she must endure in this false life that she was leading…dealing with women like his dadi and men like that rascal….He marveled at her resilience and calm courage. He hated himself for not being there for her for every moment of humiliation she faced at the hands of people who never went beyond her front. Not any more…not if he could help it. Mishti needs to open up and that too soon.
Mishti put the phone down and looked across at him. She had been watching him while talking. There was something going on in his mind….she was sure.
"So Aartiji, are you coming with me to buy the ring?"
"Yashji, I told you, I won't involve myself…I won't hurt the elders' sentiments with my presence."
"And what if I say dadi has agreed…I didn't finish what I was saying earlier. My father had a talk with her. He gave me a call while I was coming here. So we are all good here…OK? So shall we…"
Just then his mobile buzzed. He smiled apologetically at Mishti and pressed the button. Mishti nodded and picked up a file, which she dropped immediately as she heard a female voice shriek loudly in his phone.
"YASH…I don't believe this. You remembered me!! I have been dying to meet you; it has been so long since I saw you….We are meeting tonight, right?"
Mishti's hand fisted her dupatta and she kept her eyes averted when she heard him respond to the girl huskily.
"Of course we are, sweetheart. I am so looking forward to this."
To be continued…….
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Edited by InduG64 - 12 years ago
Marathi TV
