Lakshman and Urmila drabbles updated on Pg 14- 16/3 - Page 8

HAUNTING MEMORIES

Lakshman walked around their cottage at Panchavati to pluck berries for his Bhaiya and Bhabhi. As he plucked them, his mind went back to a memory; one filled with joy, happiness, hope and love.

They had reached the outskirts of Dandakvan. Lakshman looked around, and saw that his Sita Bhabhi smiling, and his two other sisters-in-law, scared, but trying to put on a brave face. He looked at his own wife, his Urmila, to see her looking around the area calmly, as if she were trying to survey the entire place with just one entire glance. He smiled. She wasn't scared. Neither here, nor when she wanted to go get the Neel Kamal from the lake back in Mithila. She just decided that Bhaiya and Bhabhi should be together, so she manufactured a plot to drag him away. Lakshman couldn't help smiling at the memory.

He heard her say, "Adhbut"

His smile widened when he realized that she had seen berries, and wanted to go pick them. He smiled widely. She is too unique! Only she would think about berries at a time like this.

Telling her he would take her berry-picking, they got down their chariot, and after convincing Arya Sumantra that nothing bad will happen, the couples had separated away.

Each of them had gone in one direction.

Lakshman watched, as Urmila looked around the beauty of nature.

"This place is so beautiful, isn't it?", asked Urmila to Lakshman.

"I don't see anything when you are there, Urmila", said Lakshman, in a husky voice, wanting to make her blush at that time. It had been a while since she blushed at his irreverence. "Your beauty dims the beauty of nature"

"Sumitranandan", said Urmila, blushing, feeling utterly embarrassed.

Lakshman continued staring at his bride, a smile on his handsome face.

"Don't look at me like that, Sumitrnandan", said Urmila.

"Like what?", asked Lakshman, an innocent look on his face.

"I am pretty sure everyone knows you are mischievous", said Urmila, smirking at her husband.

"Me? Mischievous? I don't know the meaning of the word", said Lakshman, smiling lightly when his wife bit her lower lip lightly.

"Don't fool me. I've seen how much you prank and tease your brothers, especially Bharat Bhaiya", said Urmila.

"I've always been fond of teasing Bharat Bhaiya", said Lakshman. "But if anyone tries hurting him, they would have me to answer to"

"That sounds like Mandavi Didi and I", admitted Urmila. "I tease her all the time, but I will hurt anyone who tries to hurt her"

"No doubt you will, my little tigress", said Lakshman.

"Little?", said Urmila, though blushing at his usage of my'.

"Yes. Well, you are short. So, little", said Lakshman.

"That's not fair. Sita Didi and I are the same height. And we are tall, for women", protested Urmila.

"If you say so", said Lakshman, quirking his lips at the sight of his wife's angry glare.

Urmila pouted at Lakshman, making Lakshman want to pull her into his arms, and keep her there for eternity.

"How often did you all berry pick in Mithila?", asked Lakshman, trying to get to know Urmila's happy memories.

"A lot. Me more than the others. I love nature, like Sita Didi. So, I used to run off to pick berries early in the morning, and return only late afternoon, inevitably getting yelled at by Ma for not having had my lunch", said Urmila. "I have always been the rebel in the family; but my parents never curtailed me. They brought all of us with the freedom of choice and action, but with values that I will take with me for life. Who I am now is due to their lessons, and Sita Didi's love and affection"

"I have noticed that you defend Bhabhi the way I defend Ram Bhaiya", said Lakshman.

"Yes. I am very protective of my big sister. She deserves all the happiness in the world; even that won't be enough. She is that pure and good", said Urmila.

"She is", agreed Lakshman, adding in his mind, And so are you'

"I've also noticed", continued Lakshman, "that you are Sita Bhabhi's very soul; you are her other half"

"That's the way you and Ram Bhaiya are, as well", said Urmila. "The world knows it. As children, Pitaji used to tell us tales of the Raghukul brothers, the son of the great king Dasarath; of their famous love for each other, and of their mutual love and respect for one another. We were all very impressed. You sounded so much like us"

"Destiny has its own ways, Urmila", said Lakshman, sighing.

Urmila nodded, and suddenly spotted the berries. Getting excited, she rushed to them to pluck them. Lakshman shook his head fondly at his wife, before going after her.

Urmila seemed to have forgotten the fact that she was in heavy clothes, and not the light ones she wore in Mithila. She tried to climb the tree. Her foot slipped on her heavy lehenga, and she almost fell, only to be caught by a strong pair of arms, just in time.

Urmila looked up, to see her husband looking at her in concern. She smiled at him, and looked down, embarrassed. Lakshman grasped her chin, and softly pulled her face up.

"Urmila, look at me. Why are you so embarrassed? Don't you know that I am not just your husband, but also your best friend? Don't we do things like this in front of best friends?", asked Lakshman.

"No... it's just that...", said Urmila, faltering.

"Janak putri Urmila faltering?", asked Lakshman, trying to tease her out of something that was obviously bothering her.

"It's not funny Swami", said Urmila, pouting.

"Swami, huh?", said Lakshman, grinning as a dark blush formed Urmila's face.

Continuing, he said, "Urmila, tell me. What's wrong?"

The love and affection Urmila saw in his eyes made her heart almost burst out of her chest. How could she have even...

"Urmila", said Lakshman, the concern in his voice even more pronounced.

"Ji", she said, looking at the ground yet again.

"Look at me", said Lakshman, his soft voice compelling her to look at him. "What is it? I know there is something bothering you. Won't you tell your Lakshman?"

This was the last straw. Urmila blurted, "I thought you could barely tolerate me"

Lakshman looked confused.

"Why would you think that?", he asked.

"I behaved so atrociously to you, teasing you all the time. Yet, all I see in you is love and affection for me. How? How can you tolerate me after all that I've said?", asked Urmila, almost crying it out.

"I enjoyed it", said Lakshman, simply. "For the first time my entire life, someone had the guts to stand up to me, and argue with me. It threw me off a little. And also, I could see that you have a heart of gold hidden beneath all your sarcasm"

"How?", said Urmila, awed.

"I could see it in you. Every time you smiled at your sisters, every time you looked around and made sure no one would hurt any of your sisters, the way you stood in front of Bhabhi for everything, the way you carried out her orders, I could see it, my Mila", said Lakshman, softly, surely.

Urmila blushed at his new name for her.

"I don't possess what you say I do", she said, shyly.

"I also happen to know that you don't do well with compliments", teased Lakshman, smiling at the blush covering her face. "In all seriousness Mila, you are my soulmate, my other half, my better half. When we did the Saat Phere, I promised myself that you would be my guiding light, and I would take your advice on everything"

"And I promised that I will do whatever it takes to make sure that you are happy; that I will be your pillar of strength and support all the time, for anything and everything. Your happiness is mine, your sadness is mine, your Dharma is mine", said Urmila.

They smiled at each other; the air suddenly grew passionate. They moved closer to each other, not taking their eyes off the other. They were just a hair's breadth apart, when...

"Lakshman!"

Bharat was calling out to Lakshman franctically. The two lovers separated. Lakshman's eyes promised a continuation to Urmila, causing her to blush, before both of them took off towards the direction of Bharat's voice.

Lakshman jerked out of his reverie, seeing his Bhaiya and Bhabhi standing in front of him, looking concerned. Sita took the berries from him, and looked at him with motherly love and worry.

Ram stared at his brother; suddenly getting what was going on in his Lakshman's head, he pulled Lakshman into a tight hug, offering him the comfort he needed. Lakshman hugged Ram back, eyes moist.

"You will see her soon, my brother", whispered Ram. "Just one more year"

"Yes Bhaiya. Yes", said Lakshman, hugging Ram tight. To himself, he thought, My love, my Mila, I am coming to you soon. I am coming to you soon'

Miles and miles away, in Ayodhya, a beautiful woman smiled. Her Lord will be with her soon.