FF: It's My Journey-Updated-pt 6-pg21-3/11 - Page 3

precap...

"Meethiii come fast get the poori everyone is waiting" says kokila... Meethi runs out with pooris... modis are all excited and talk about Ahem coming back... "ji did you check the fight status " koki asks parag... parag takes out his blackberry to check the flight status..."koki, the flight is on right time, will land at 12:00 noon,. we can go by 2:30 to pick him up, as it takes time for the immigration and baggage"... saying jai shree krishna to baa '.chirag, parag and jigar left for the office...

tring tring... tring...tring... "hello" "jaan what are you doing" "ji what is this... behave properly it's been so many years since we are married and still...it does not look good...now our daughter is at the marriageable age" says Gayathri..."so what...i am calling my wife...and not somebody else's wife" says Aadarsh laughing out loudly... "and did you talk to kokila bhabhi at what time is Ahem coming?" asks Aadasrh to which Gayathri says "Ji Ahem should be coming home bye 3:30p.m. we will go there by 6:30...after gopi comes from college" "ok then see you in the evening jaan" saying so both of them hang up...

@MM:

time 3:30 p,m...door bell rings... "Meethiii open the door"...says koki while coming from the mandir with aarti ki thaal in her hands... all the family members assemble in the hall ...meethi opens the door...everyone sees Ahem with a broad smile... standing there at the entrance, in a tanned Cargos and a white casual short-sleeve shirt...along, with other modi men... koki comes with aarti ki thaali... does Ahem's aarti .. and lets him in...

once inside...he takes blessing of all elders...kinjal runs and hugs him... jigar and ahem have brotherly hug...everyone sits down and Ahem says "Mom " the whole house bursts into laughter...Ahem and koki give a confused with a not again look '. they all laughed because when Ahem is at home, he says mom..mom...mom..mom.. mom... mom ..and the saga continues... and when they are done with laughter Ahem stands up and was about to say "Mo.." he stops and says "i will go and freshen up and take some rest"

"Kokila give lunch to Ahem...it's way past lunch time...he might be starving. ...kyun Ahem" says Baa..."Nahi baa...i had my lunch in the flight just before landing but mom can you send my green tea to my room".says Ahem while going up the stairs... "Ahem dikra go and rest for a while. .. we will wake you up in 3 hours.."... "why mom", ahem asks still going up the stairs..."woh, i forgot to tell Gayathri aunty, Aadarsh uncle are coming to meet you" and "oohh wow great then.. woh parrot, is she also coming" asks Ahem..."what parrot...what is that Ahem dikra" '."nothing mom" says Ahem biting his lip...//.parrot is gopi's nick name given by Ahem, Jigar and kinjal when they were kids... as gopi is keeps on saying pappa...pappa like a parrot... pappa's chamchi...always sides her pappa... no matter what...just as Ahem says mom...mom..mom... gopi keeps on saying pappa...pappa...pappa...pappa all day. (in hindi it is called thotha sound better than parrot)..//

@college:

"As we are lagging behind in economics syllabus..I will be taking an extra class for you...from 6-9 for this whole week...that way at least we can complete some chapters... call your parents and inform them." saying so the professor leaves the class room..."ohh nooo smitha i can't attend this class" "but gopi, this is the most important class, you can't miss this one as some percentage of marks are also tied up to this class" "but i have to go in the evening...woh Ahem " gopi bites her lower lip... "kyaa Ahem came back...when...how..you did not even tell me..." says smitha... " today...of course in the flight" says gopi making a blushing face..." "ohhh that's the reason,, you have been checking time almost 5 times a minute" and smitha giggles saying so...payal also breaks into a giggle... and gopi bends her head down blushing and smiling...

@MM...evening door bell... meethi runs to open the door before anyone shouts for her...Gayathri and Aadarsh come in.. modis and mehtas meet (they catch up almost every weekend for the last 30 years) and talk .. ..15 mins later Ahem comes down in a track pant and a t-shirt (this is how he dresses at home)... sees Gayathri and Aadarsh ...takes their blessings... and looks around..."how are you Ahem? how was the journey? beta" asks Aadarsh...still looking around towards the entrance Ahem answers" ji uncle i am fine... journey was ok" and is still looking at the door without looking at Aadarsh "Gopi has extra class today" says Aadarsh... Ahem just says "ohh" and looks at Aadarsh uncle...smiles and relaxes..

.they all continue talking, drinking tea... having snacks...At dinner time ...everyone has dinner and koki packs some food for Gopi and asks meethi to leave the bag in Mehtas car... it's almost time to go and pick gopi from college... the Mehtas take the leave from Modis and leave '.

Gopi's college ...during the break..."Gopi please come yaar...it will fun..see we won't get these days again..let's have fun... go-carting is real fun Gopi..." "no no no...i can't come '. i have some important assignment to work on during the weekend" says Gopi raising both her hand near her shoulders..."Saturday and important assignment" both Smitha and Payal break into a laughter...Gopi justs pouts and folds her arms and says "why are you both laughing ...i swear i have work" "oh yeah we know your work .you look so desperate to meet him... its written all over your face" says Smitha winking at Gopi '.Gopi gives her broad smile with a blush on her cheeks and bends her head down...Payal starts..."Now we will not get Gopiji during the weekends...all her weekends are reserved for only ...'." gopi screams "oh noo" "now what" "break time is over" saying so Gopi rushes to the class to escape from her friends '.followed by both her best friends to the class room... ..

Mehtas reach the college by 9... Gopi jumps into the car "Pappa...pappa...how is Ahem... did he talk to you,..did you talk to him...did he ask about me... what did he say pappa...how is he looking... did he change in looks...when is he coming to meet me..." ..."Gopiii" says her mom... Gopi is calm and bends her head down '."beta he was looking around for you." and i said "you are in extra class" and all he said was "ohh" '."ohh...that's it pappa" saying so...again bends her head down looking at her mom...they reach home.. her mom feeds the food sent by koki aunty to Gopi '...after dinner... Gopi and her pappa were having coffee in the artificial lawn in the top floor of their duplex apartment talking for some time... and her mom was watching some hindi serials...

Ahem having jet-lag is not able to sleep... goes to kinjal's room and is shocked to see the scene with all the gifts around the room and some on the bed '.kinjal is just sitting on the bed and counting and organizing these gifts... Ahem smiles and enters..."what is my little sister doing " kinjal looks up at Ahem and jumps from the bed and drags Ahem to the bed... "thank you bhai ..so many gifts ...thank you... thank you... you know what... i will call my friends and show them how many gifts my bhai has got for me..they will be jealous bhai as i have the world's best bhai" kinjal still continues "no no i won't call them home... they all will be eyeing you bhai " and stands there pouting..

.Ahem smiles and places a small kiss on top of her head and says "ok now you go to bed,,..you have to go to college as well and how is the law course going...do you have any idea of the sections of ipc '. do you even know what ipc(indian penal code) stands for" "what bhaiii you know i am the topper in my college" saying so she smiles and hugs him from side..."Good Night little sister" '."Good Night bhai" and Ahem heads towards his room even though he is still not ready to sleep...

The next 2-3 days are similarly hectic for gopi with her college and economics classes in the evening...and Ahem is just getting out of his jet-lag...the next day is weekend...gopi is all excited about it...

On Saturday morning gopi opens her closet and goes through the dresses after half an hour Gopi screams ..."Maaa can you please come here" Gayathri goes to Gopi's room and is shocked to see the state of her room..." Gopi beta what is all this...what did you make out of your room" gopi literally has almost all her churidhars on the bed and some on the floor...which she has been trying for the last half an hour...Gopi pulls her maa's hands and makes her sit..."maa please help me... i am not able to pick one dress...please maa" "but you can wear any dress you wear everyday " says her maa "but maa we are going to Parag uncles house na ..so..." "so what gopi beta just wear any dress why are you thinking so much in picking a dress and it's not that you are going to parag uncle's family for the first time..we go there very often but you never did so much of mess to pick a dress" said her maa by folding all the churidhaars and placing them on the hangers...

.Gopi dragged her maa towards the door and said "ok maa you go '. i will clear this up and get ready" her maa left ,..Gopi closed her room and said it loud "is she my maa or a question bank...can't she understand a simple thing ...God knows how much pappa had to go through to get her maa into marrying him...even after love marriage she does not understand anything bhuddhu maa '.buddhu maa..." saying so she picks a dark green churidhaar - plain top and printed bottom and a printed dupatta...and gets ready with lot of matching bangles and matching bindi...big long ear rings and hair just clipped ...comes out and screams "maa papaa...i am ready...how am i looking? do i look nice ?" both her parents laugh and say "you look beautiful beta" and his dad winks at her and..Gopi with the excitement of meeting him...and the apprehensions and anticipations... about what he says when he sees her... and with various other mixed feelings in her heart...gets into the car to head to MM...