Dinner, Wishes, and Uncertainties…
"Dari honey you have to finish your vegetables…be a good girl..." Raina instructs her daughter at the dining table as she places her proportioned plate down in front of her…Shaantanu and Madhavi have just walked in the dinning area…
"Aunty Thank you so much…app Dari ko pre-school se lay aii…I couldn't make it because of the blizzard…" Raina takes her seat at the far end of the table while thanking Madhavi who is at the opposite end….Shaantanu is by his daughter…he is feeding her with his fork.
"Koi baat nahi beta…bus mujhe laga iss barf mein mushkil hoga tumhara aur Shaantanu ka Darya ko lena issi liye maine jaldi pick kar liya…"
"Hmm…Dari we have to catch up on what you missed in school today…" Raina looks over at her daughter who is too busy indulging in a fork-fight with her daddy...Raina seems a bit bothered but she overlooks it for the sake of her daughter's laughter and smile.
"Shaantanu theek se kahao na…naashta bhi nahi kar kay gaye thay…" Madhavi moves the dishes in front of him and instructs her son to eat well…his eating habits were not his best...
"Aunty Shaantanu diet conscious rehtay hain…voh lay le gay…app bother nahi huye…" Raina interrupts Madhavi's motherly intentions in a polite manner…Shaantanu and Madhavi exchange a faint smile…and then he moves to help himself to some rice off the platter.
"Maama can I have some juice…"
"Dari dinner kay saath juice nahi…baby finish your food… and have some water…"
"Daaddyyy…" Dari turns to Shaantanu with a pouty face and tugs his arm that was resting of the table….Shaantanu looks at Raina momentarily and then his attention is back to his daughter…
"Darya ko juice chahiyay…?" Shaantanu questions with a smile.
"Darya ko Berry Fusion vaala juice chahiyay right now…." Darya answers her father in third person…Raina looks on...she didn't like how her husband always fulfilled their daughter's wants…obviously as a couple they differed in their parenting styles…
Shaantanu scoops Darya up in his arms and in no time they are off to the kitchen to get juice…
"Raina…"
"Jee Aunty…"
"Main Shaantanu se baat karogi…ussay Darya ke saamnay aise tumhari baat ko…"
"It's okay Aunty…main jaanti hoon Shaantanu apni beyti se bahut pyaar kartay hain…"
"Haan per…"
"It's really okay Aunty…app please dinner keejiyay…" Raina gets up and passes the curry bowl towards Madhavi with a smile…she goes on to share a delicious dinner with her affectionate mother-in-law while her husband and daughter have their own fun in the kitchen…
…………………
"…And here is our bedroom…I hope it's comfortable for you…" Armaan's casual declaration after leading her in to a very huge and lavishly furnished bedroom is quite an understatement…she notices how the life-size windows look out to the city's skyline…it's a spectacular night view and she is sure that the day is no different.
"Thank you…"
"For…"
"Table per…app ne baat ko divert kiya…Thanks…"
"Oh come on...we don't need to be so formal…"
She seats herself down on the curvy off white divan…he is settling her bags in one corner of the room…she hasn't changed out of her sari, nor has he said anything about it…Yuvraaj Malik had left the pent house after dinner…
"Khanak…"
"Jee…"
He walks over to the divan where she is seated…her reflexes are cautious suddenly…
"Aunty ka…I…"
"App ko kuch kehnay ki zaroorat nahi hain…app pehlay he…"
"No..I..I mean..I want to…main kehna chahta hoon…"
She looks up at him…their third eye contact since they met…this one has her nervous…
"I know Dad ne bahut jaldi…I mean…we can take it slow…"
"Jee…?"
"Mera matlab… tum apna time le sakti hoon…to figure things out…hmm...?" He looks at her…she is looking down…not sure…uncertain of everything…
"Main change kar leti hoon…"
"Okay…" He nods and watches her move away…She never turns or stops until she reaches her suits case…he steps out the room when his phone goes off.
…………….
"You got these for me…??" Raina questions as she settles the white lilies in a vase for their room…he is immersed in one of his patient's files.
"Hmm…"
"I love white lilies…" Raina feels the soft petals with her fingers, but he isn't responding...she turns and finds him working..."Shaan thodi dair kay liye can you please put away the files and your work…"
"I am seeing this patient tomorrow morning…gotta prepare myself…"
"Do you remember when I used to prepare myself to see you…it hasn't been that long…"
"Raina…"
"Hmm…"
"Darya ko chooti chooti baatoon per manah nahi kiya karo….she is just a child…"
"Our first date…it was magical…I prepared everything…tipped off the guy at the restaurant…I knew you were meeting a client of yours there…" She is recalling it all in a trance…he is listening...but only passively…
"Raina I am telling you something…"
"I know…sirf Dari ki baat kartay ho tum…nothing else…" She moves away from the white lilies and expresses her complaint with the change in mood and tone.
He sighs heavily…makes a quick note on the sticky and then closes the file…she is at the dresser so he goes up to her…Holds her shoulders…
"Darya is a priority…meray liye…she is my world…"
"I am your wife…"
"Jaanta hoon…just don't stop her from being a child…bahut chooti hain abhi voh…"
"Okay Mr.Perfect Daddy…" Raina nods and then moves away from his grip…he pulls her back and hugs her to him…they exchange a small smile.
"I have to get to work early…good night…"
"Night…" Raina looks on as he walks back to the bed and turns his side of the lamp off.
...
Mangal Lakshmi
Hindi TV Shows
Ishaani
