Let the games begin!
This is a two-part series. Part one is Paro games & Part two is Rudra games. I wanted to showcase a playful Paro & Rudra and give the whole OS a very light-hearted vibe. Some pranks in this OS are inspired by KKGSR of course. The Dhanshak is a nod to Sanaya's Parsi heritage. Hope you have as much fun reading it as much as I had writing it.
Let the games begin: Part 1 Paro Games
She was coming home today wasn't she? "Its not that I miss her .." Rudra convinced himself
Parking his jeep, he walked into the haveli to see Sunehri and Parvati chasing each other, that blue butterfly of hers hovering around. What was the name of that dang butterfly?
"Mohini ? No that was mamisa and she aint no butterfly" thought Rudra sarcastically
"Kamini ? no .. aha Rukmini" He just stood there for a minute quietly taking the scene. Paro was wearing a mint green lehenga looking stunning as always. Sunehri trying to pull a dupatta from Paro's hand and Paro tugging it back both yelling "let it go". As they saw him both came to an abrupt stop, stepping on the dupatta and falling against each other. Rudra caught his sister with his left arm while holding Paro's wrist steadying her with his right with a "Tum teek hai?.
He smiled at them taking in their flushed faces panting for breath & handed the dupatta. Sunehri quickly grabbed hold of it, stuck her tongue out at Paro and walked away smiling "Thank you, Rudra Bhaisa. Now it's mine" He turned to look at Parvati to find eyes that had been smiling a moment ago now shuttered and looking at the floor. He felt himself getting hot under the collar, "Why was she never this happy around him?"
"Sunehri, why are you playing when you have exams coming up? Shouldn't you be studying? Go upstairs now!"
"Ji Bhaisa"
"And you..Parvati Aren't you old enough ? Running around like a little kid! Go do something useful"
"Ji"
Their meek replies made him feel like an old ogre yelling at them. Damn her! He had come home in a good mood and she had dashed it in a minute he thought walking into his room to change.
Both Sunehri & Paro were angry. Sunehri because Rudra's word was law and now the entire family would be expect her to be conjoined to her books. Paro had really looked forward to spending a carefree weekend in the Haveli and was upset that he had dampened her mood.
Back in their room, the girls were discussing him, "We have to pay him back Sunehri, he is always yelling at everyone like this. Thinks he can get away with anything. Jallad" fumed Paaro
"But Paro Bhabisa, who has guts to do anything against the Jallad as you call Bhaisa ?"countered Sunehri stuffing a ladoo into her mouth.
"I have the guts. Just you watch! I will get back at him for yelling at us" vowed Parvati. Let the games begin!
Rudra was doing paperwork when Sunheri brought his tea.
One sip of the tea left him buzzing, there was so much sugar in it! It was a wonder there was any liquid in the cup.
Stalking to the kitchen "Who made this tea? Have you all forgotten to even make tea?" he asked rudely. The Rudra of old would have sent the cup flying but he had calmed down now he thought proudly.
"Whats the matter Rudra banna? Parvati made the tea, any problem?" asked Maamisa feigning innocence. She had seen how much sugar Parvati had added. "Serves him right for telling me that he needed extra sugar after looking at my face" she gloated to herself.
As he stalked off with a gruff "Parvati ? Nevermind" to hear them all giggling.
Trying hard not to laugh, Parvati computed mentally Round One: Parvati 1 Rudra 0.
Rudra sat down with his papers again. The aroma from the kitchen had him drooling "She's cooking" he thought "she's cooking and she is cooking Dhanshak" sniffing the air appreciatively. Parvati had learnt the recipe from his mother the Thakurain and made it exactly like her. His stomach growled in anticipation of dinner.
The family had gathered for dinner, everyone appreciating the aroma of the food as they sat down.
Rudra was pleased when Paro served his food personally before sitting down to eat. One bite of the Dhanshak and his eyes watered a bit. "Ok so she made it spicy .. no worries" he could handle it. As he ate more, his mouth was on fire, his throat burned. Looking around the table, he saw the rest of the family relishing the food without any discomfort.
Parvati struggled to keep her face straight. Sunehri laughed before masking it with a cough as Sumer kicked her under the table. Everyone else studiously looked at their plates. It was then that he realized the little devil had served him from a separate dish, one that had been specially spiced for him. What was she up to?
"Parvati what did you spice the Dhanshak with, it's very good today" asked Dilsher trying to sound innocent.
"Why Ranawat? Planning to start a restaurant? asked Rudra sarcastically.
"Oh it's a special mirchi Bapusa. Its new on the market and it's called the Jallad mirchi" she answered looking at Rudra as the whole family broke into guffaws and howling laughter.
"Jallad mirchi ? What the hell Paro?" sputtered Rudra but no one was paying any attention.
Round Two: Parvati 2 Rudra 0
Rudra spent the rest of the evening holed up in his room or rather his bathroom. On one of his many bathroom breaks, a large glass of cold milk had appeared on his work table. He eyed it suspiciously sniffed wondering what she had added to it. But he was willing to take a chance maybe emptying his stomach would help; he drank it & waited by the bathroom door. "No laxatives.. hmm maybe she has a heart after all" Next bathroom break it was a tall glass of buttermilk. Again the sniff, drink, wait by bathroom door. He felt much better.
The next morning he went to breakfast warily. His internal plumbing had protested quite violently over the night & morning. He was going to eat from Parvati's plate if needed. The whole family tried not to laugh as Major Ranawat surveyed breakfast plates like they were hardened criminals. While everyone's had round, goli rotis as Ranawat called them and gobi curry, his contained amoeba shaped burnt rotis with karela curry made just the way he hated!
"Burnt rotis never hurt me, grew up eating them" he announced defiantly to no one in particular. But having gotten used to good rotis he could just finish one before he was done.
Round Three: Parvati 3 Rudra 0
His phone went off with a loud "Har Har Har Har Mahadevo" as his ringtone. Rudra was stupefied for a minute, not even realizing it was his phone.
"Rudra Bhai it's your phone. I didn't know you had gotten religious of late, Jai Bholenath!" Even Samrat had the guts to tease him.
Round Four: Parvati 4 Rudra 0
Rudra gave them all a dirty look before stalking off to his room to change into his uniform. In a minute, the haveli thundered with a booming "PARVATI".
As the family gathered in the courtyard, Rudra walked in wearing only his white t-shirt, BSD uniform in hand. "Where is she?" he yelled showing his uniform shirt that was sewn shut.
Parvati crouched behind Dilsher and Dhanveer Ranawat, shaking with fear and laughter. They were shaking too, trying to control their laughter. Even the normally staid Mythili snorted once & had to be pinched by Sunehri to distract her.
"Where the hell are you? Did you do this all my shirts or just this one? How am I supposed to get to work? " he kept yelling "Answer me dammit"
A wearable uniform shirt was passed around and slowly made its way to him. He wore it fuming at "idiotic people who didn't grow up at all".
Round Five: Parvati 5 Rudra 0
Watching his darkened foreboding face, Parvati worried for her well-being but there was no way she could undo her last mischief. Bholenath help her!
Rudra sat down to wear his shoes. "What are you staring at me for? Doesn't anyone have anything better to do?" he said looking at his hovering family.
The fact that no one moved but waited expectantly should have warned him! "Weird people" he muttered as he wore his socks and simultaneously slid both feet into his shoes.
For a minute he just sat there imagining wrapping his fingers around a slender neck choking it.
"Juice?" he roared. "You put juice in my shoes?"
"Mango juice" came a small voice from someone running away as fast as she could.
Round Six: Parvati 6 Rudra 0
He cornered her near the stairs catching her wrists and closed in on her pinning her to the wall.
For minutes they stood looking at each other. She saw the maniac anger in his amber and molten chocolate eyes, the muscle ticking in his jaw as he ground his teeth fighting to control it and realized how far she had pushed him. He saw the fear in her eyes, the lower lip she bit to control the tremble and the fact that seemed genuinely scared of him.
Lowering her eyes Parvati, "I am really sorry" whispered shakily.
Parvati's eyes grew round like her goli rotis as he growled out "next time, don't mess with my uniform ok?"
Unbelievable! Before she could stop herself Parvati had voiced her amazement "Next time? You mean you aren't going to kill me? Not even a slap? "
Rudra stopped and turned around. His eyes seemed to speak before he walked away with an indulgent smirk "I'm in a good mood today! I'll let you live!"
The whole family watched slack-jawed. "That's it? That's all? OMG we thought he would chew her out!!"
Rudra got into his jeep and was about to drive off when a glint of sunlight from the passenger seat caught his eye. A stainless-steel tiffin box sat there. His heart almost sang when he found it contained piping hot, perfectly round aloo parathas & gobi curry. A tall thermos of buttermilk sat next to it. So, she wouldn't let him go hungry after all he thought, breaking into a satisfied smile!
At the BSD headquarters Vikas Bajaj the recruit on guard duty all but fainted when a happy looking Major Ranawat asked about his sick child. Vikas hadn't thought the Major knew he existed much less had a child!
It was Aman's turn to be pole axed next as Rudra hailed him with a booming "Amandeep! How are you my man?"
"AmanDeep ? My Man?" what the hell? thought Aman. Had his real boss been kidnapped by aliens? Who did he have to contact for Alien rescue missions? This could not be the Major Ranawat he knew!
Wait a minute ! What was that squishy noise? Was the Major ..trailing juice?
"Ahem Sir, for some reason your shoes look like they are leaking juice" Aman almost whispered.
"I know! Its Mango Juice btw!" Rudra answered rather proudly.
To crown it all, Major Ranawat's phone went off just then with a loud "Har Har Mahadevo".
Aman decided right then that he was taking a sick day! He was seeing and hearing things!
Major Ranawat spent the day planning his payback with the same precision as he would a military operation. After all, he had a reputation to uphold!
Please leave your FB with specifics on what you liked. Inspires me to write better.
PART 2 Rudra Games is on Page 3
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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