OS Series - Vignettes - Part 4. Sleeping Patterns

Hello all...

Here comes the fourth OS in the series...

To those who missed the earlier ones, this is a series of one-shots, basically moments in their life that I wanted to see. Well, in my head, these moments did happen!

Please do me a favour and read the OSs in the order that they are written. That way you'll get a feel of how their relationship has progressed.

English translation is on Page 2.

Hope you enjoy...and please do leave your comments...

Lakshmi was one happy goat. Wondering why she was so happy? Well, let's see. A goat who has been feeding on the choicest of leaves for the past half-an-hour had to be happy, didn't she? And that too from the hands of Devyani Singh Raizada herself, and even better, in the middle of the night!

You see, Nani was pondering. And when she ponders, she has the habit of fondling, feeding and generally making life blissful for Lakshmi. Leaving Lakshmi to her happy fate, let us focus on our Nani. Why was she lost in thought?

*********************

Devyani Singh Raizada had lived a long life. Her 75 years had taught her a lot, shown her a lot. She knew that change was the biggest constant in life, but one thing that had never changed was the established habit of her grandson. She knew her Chotte well, his "gussa" very well. He could never tolerate any changes in his routine or all hell would break lose. Knowing this, she couldn't fathom how this was possible - "this" meaning what she had just witnessed in her choti bahu Payal's bedroom.

Akash had accompanied Arnav in his business trip to Mumbai and the two bahus of Raizada family had decided to have a sisters' night out in Payal's room. By the time Nani woke up feeling thirsty, they had long since fallen asleep, leaving the lights on. Smiling to herself, she stepped in to switch them off, it was good to have young girls in the house again. Turning to look at them fondly, she noticed something - Khushi slept all over the bed! She was sleeping on her stomach, one arm streched out to a side, the other across her Jiji's shoulders; one leg hooked over Payal's thigh and the other dangling off the side of the mattress. Grinning from ear-to-ear, Nani pulled the quilt over her and quietly left the room.

The thought hit her when she reached her room - was this how Khushi slept always? With Chotte?! This was something that deserved some pondering. She sat down on her easy chair and sure enough, Lakshmi jumped up on to her lap. Stroking her absently with one hand, Nani reached for the leaves, feeding Lakshmi helped her think.

Nani remembered the multiple complaints she had heard over the years from Chotte...

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This was Arnav. Totally intolerant of any disturbance to his sleep. Just how did he sleep now-a-days?

She had just settled back after setting Lakshmi down when she heard the front door open. Getting up again, she went to investigate what the matter was, only to see her grandsons enter the house.

"Arre, aap donon wapis aa gaye? Itni jaldi? Ka hua, kauno gadbad hua ka?"

Akash smiled at her, "Nahin Dadi, meeting unexpectedly jaldi khatam hua, toh hum evening flight hi pakad liya."

Smirking at ther grandsons, Devyani replied, "Hum jaanat hain. Byaah ke baad, aap donon ghar se door jaavat hi kahan ho?"

Reddening, Akash glanced at his Bhai, who was as usual, completely unruffled.

"Khana lagaa doon, bitwa?"

Arnav shook his head, "Nahin, Nani. We ate on the flight. We'll just turn in for the night."

Calling a goodnight to his brother and Nani, Arnav strode up the stairs to his room, only to come barging out in a second.

"What the! Khushi kahan hain?"

"Aap shaanth ho jayiye, bitwa. Oo apan Jiji's ke kamre mein hain. So gayi hain. Aap aaj ke liye Akash ko apan kamre mein le jayiye. Itni raat ko unko jagaane ka kauno zaroorat nahin, hai ka?"

"Nahin, Nani. Mein jaake use le aatha hoon. Use jagaaoonga nahin. Akash, give me a minute, I'll go get her."

Nani shook her head at him, "Theek hain, aapki marzi. Chaliye hum aapko le chalath hain."

Walking in behind Nani and Akash, Arnav spotted his wife, asleep in one of her usual Taekwondo poses. Smiling gently, he gathered her up, only to have her sigh in her sleep and latch on to the lapels of his coat. Involuntarily dropping a kiss on her head, he cradled her close, the gesture not going unnoticed by his brother and grandmother. Nodding his goodnight to them, he was just stepping out when Nani put out a hand to stop him.

"Chotte, Khushi bitiya hamesha aisan hi sovat hain, ka?"

Grinning down at his sleeping wife, he replied, "Haan, Nani. Aisi aisi poses mein soti hain ki maano neend mein Taekwondo practice kar rahi hain." Cuddling his wife closer, he murmured, "Pagal!"

"Aapko isse kauno dikkat nahin hovat hain, ka?"

"Nahi Nani, adat ban gayi hain. Ab agar yeh shanth hokar soti hain toh pareshani hoti hain mujhe. Goodnight, Nani, Akash."

Watching her gussewala grandson happily carrying his tossy-turny wife towards their room, a glorious smile spread over Devyani Singh Raizada's face, "Chotte apan Sangeet ke din sach kahat rahein. Ishq toh Arnav Singh Raizada ko bhi badal sakat hain!"

Lakshmi was one happy goat. Wondering why she was so happy? Well, let's see. A goat who has been feeding on the choicest of leaves for the past half-an-hour had to be happy, didn't she? And that too from the hands of Devyani Singh Raizada herself, and even better, in the middle of the night!

You see, Nani was pondering. And when she ponders, she has the habit of fondling, feeding and generally making life blissful for Lakshmi. Leaving Lakshmi to her happy fate, let us focus on our Nani. Why was she lost in thought?

*********************

Devyani Singh Raizada had lived a long life. Her 75 years had taught her a lot, shown her a lot. She knew that change was the biggest constant in life, but one thing that had never changed was the established habit of her grandson. She knew her Chotte well, his "gussa" very well. He could never tolerate any changes in his routine or all hell would break lose. Knowing this, she couldn't fathom how this was possible - "this" meaning what she had just witnessed in her choti bahu Payal's bedroom.

Akash had accompanied Arnav in his business trip to Mumbai and the two bahus of Raizada family had decided to have a sisters' night out in Payal's room. By the time Nani woke up feeling thirsty, they had long since fallen asleep, leaving the lights on. Smiling to herself, she stepped in to switch them off, it was good to have young girls in the house again. Turning to look at them fondly, she noticed something - Khushi slept all over the bed! She was sleeping on her stomach, one arm streched out to a side, the other across her Jiji's shoulders; one leg hooked over Payal's thigh and the other dangling off the side of the mattress. Grinning from ear-to-ear, Nani pulled the quilt over her and quietly left the room.

The thought hit her when she reached her room - was this how Khushi slept always? With Chotte?! This was something that deserved some pondering. She sat down on her easy chair and sure enough, Lakshmi jumped up on to her lap. Stroking her absently with one hand, Nani reached for the leaves, feeding Lakshmi helped her think.

Nani remembered the multiple complaints she had heard over the years from Chotte...

**********************

**********************

**********************

This was Arnav. Totally intolerant of any disturbance to his sleep. Just how did he sleep now-a-days?

She had just settled back after setting Lakshmi down when she heard the front door open. Getting up again, she went to investigate what the matter was, only to see her grandsons enter the house.

"Arre, you're back? So soon? What happened, anything wrong?"

Akash smiled at her, "No Dadi, meeting ended unexpectedly early, so we caught the evening flight."

Smirking at ther grandsons, Devyani replied, "Hmm, I know. After the both of you got married, when have have you spent the night away from home?"

Reddening, Akash glanced at his Bhai, who was as usual, completely unruffled.

"Shall I set out your dinner, bitwa?"

Arnav shook his head, "No, Nani. We ate on the flight. We'll just turn in for the night."

Calling a goodnight to his brother and Nani, Arnav strode up the stairs to his room, only to come barging out in a second.

"What the! Where's Khushi ?"

"Calm down, bitwa. She's in her Jiji's room, asleep. Do you need to wake her up now, can't you take Akash to your room for the night?"

"No, Nani. I'll go bring her, and I'll make sure that I don't wake her. Akash, give me a minute, I'll go get her."

Nani shook her head at him, "Ok, as you wish. Come, I'll take you to them."

Walking in behind Nani and Akash, Arnav spotted his wife, asleep in one of her usual Taekwondo poses. Smiling gently, he gathered her up, only to have her sigh in her sleep and latch on to the lapels of his coat. Involuntarily dropping a kiss on her head, he cradled her close, the gesture not going unnoticed by his brother and grandmother. Nodding his goodnight to them, he was just stepping out when Nani put out a hand to stop him.

"Chotte, does Khushi bitiya always asleep this way?"

Grinning down at his sleeping wife, he replied, "Yes, Nani. She sleeps in such weird poses that it looks as if she's practicing Taekwondo in her dreams." Cuddling his wife closer, he murmured, "Pagal!"

"And it doesn't disturb your sleep?"

"No Nani, I've got used to it. Actually, I get worried if she sleeps peacefully without kicking and punching me. Goodnight, Nani, Akash."

Watching her gussewala grandson happily carrying his tossy-turny wife towards their room, a glorious smile spread over Devyani Singh Raizada's face, "Chotte was speaking the truth at his Sangeet ceremony. Love can reduce even Arnav Singh Raizada to this!"