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Hello all!
Here is the latest installment.
Obsessed as I am with the inhabitants of Shanthivan, I'm unable to let any character get away from my clutches, even the ones that were merely mentioned and never seen.
Scroll down for the English Version.
Hope you like it...and, as always, looking forward to your feedback.
12. From... , with love Part 1
Engrossed in his journal, he almost missed the boarding call, "...to New Delhi, please proceed to Gate 42." Thankfully, the words 'New Delhi' weren't commonly heard in his world and stood out enough to bring him back from his fond perusal of ferns. "I need to call up Boris and check if he knows anyone on the team", he thought,taking one last look at the proposed expedition plan, before remembering that all that would have to be put on hold until he figured out his gameplan.
Standing up and moving to the queue behind a noisy family, he waited patiently to have his boarding pass checked. It occured to him to check his seat number only after having walked past the First Class section. Groaning on realising that he had gotten himself one of the dreaded middle-seats, he shuffled to his row and stowed away his bag in the overhead bin. Squeezing past an annoyed lady in the aisle seat, he had settled in, buckled his seat belt and unfurled his blanket when he remembered that he'd left his magazine in his bag. One look convincing him that his next-seat neighbour would not take kindly to him asking her to make way again, he sat back with a sigh, deciding to suffer the in-flight movies for the next eleven hours.
One hour after take-off, having flipped through every available option, he gave up. There was not a single movie or series available that could hold his attention for more than ten seconds. Sighing, he settled back, trying to get as comfortable as he could, stuck as he was between two snoring bodies. Closing his eyes, willing sleep to come, he thought about all that he needed to do once he landed, and more importantly, all those he had to meet.
After all, Dhruv Singh Raizada was going home after three long years.
He remembered all the phone calls and skype chats he had had over the years with his family, especially his mother and Di. With his work coming in the way, the skype chats had dwindled down but the calls had continued. His father and brother being the occasional callers they were, most of the news he had received had been from Di. Ma tended to crib about his absence more than talk about family news, and Dadi just got angry and upset with his excuses. And that brought him to the biggest reason of all for his continued avoidance - his big brother. Pursing his lips at the thought of coming face to face with the person who had once been his hero, his guide, he forcefully re-routed his thoughts elsewhere.
Now thinking about the two new members of his family, who he had been introduced to by Di through pictures and vivid descriptions, he grimaced. His brothers had gotten married to two sisters rather hurriedly and in some convoluted sequence of events which he still hadn't understood fully. Buried deep in the Amazon, he had received Di's and Akash Bhai's frantic emails only a day before his wedding and by then it had been too late to make it, not that he particularly wanted to. The next time he checked his email, about a week later, he received the shocking news that his Bhaiyya had also gotten married, that too to the bride's sister.
Familiar as he was with his Bhaiyya's road-roller approach to relationships, this stunned him enough to call home. After the tearful greetings, Di had, as usual made excuses for what Bhaiyya had done. Not able to digest much of the conversation, he'd hurriedly bid goodbye, with the usual promise of calling soon. That had been over a year-and-a-half ago. He had been informed periodically of the drama that seemed to grip the Raizada family at every turn, including the shocking news of Bhaiyya's kidnapping, Jeejaji's betrayal and Bhaiyya's remarriage.
The kidnapping news had given him many a sleepless night, Dhruv realising for the first time that his seemingly indestructible Bhaiyya was human after all, and the very real fear of losing him for ever had been what had first planted the idea of a reconciliation in his mind. The fact that Di had suffered extreme physical and mental trauma in the hands of her husband sealed the matter and he "had" to see his family.
Maybe it was all part of growing up, this new perspective on past mistakes, both his and his brother's. All he knew now was that time is precious indeed to be wasted in distances, if atleast one party decides that enough was enough. He was, at long last, ready to take the first step towards a reconciliation.
It had taken him three months to finish up his work and hand it over. And now, he was finally going home. No one knew of his arrival. He hadn't wanted to give them hope only to have to dash it. Whether it would mend the fences or make things worse, he didn't know. His only hope was the repeated assurances he had gotten from Di and Bhai whenever they called him that Bhaiyya was a changed man now. Well, he would believe it when he saw it. He for one, couldn't fathom how Arnav Singh Raizada could change because of the mere slip of a girl he had seen in the wedding photos.
*********************
Dawn breaking over Delhi, Khushi opened her eyes, wide-awake all on a sudden. A glance at the clock telling her that there was a while yet before the alarm went off, she knew that she wouldn't be able to doze off again. Cozy and warm as she was, held captive in her husband's arms, Khushi decided to snuggle for a few minutes.
Looking over at her Arnavji who was fast asleep, his face half buried under her hair, she wondered for the umpteenth time why she even bothered to plait her hair before going to bed. He would undo it at some point in the night so that he could sleep with his face buried in it.
"Yeh aur inke aadatein..." she murmured with a soft smile as she looked down and saw how her hand was, as usual, clutched tight in his.
Trying to move away gently without waking him, she had almost reached the end of the bed when she got pulled back roughly.
"Kahaan ja rahi ho?", a sleep-laden voice whispered. Turning to her Arnavji and giving him a quick morning peck, she whispered back, "Dekha nahi? Subah ho gayi. Humein uthne deejiye naah."
"Nahi...kitchen ko wait karna padega. Usse zyada mujhe zaroorat hain apni biwi ki."
"Achcha? Kis kaam ka? Humein bhi bataayiye?" Khushi asked, squishing his cheeks.
"Bataana chodo, dikhaata hoon!" Arnav Singh Raizada smirked as he watched the glorious blush colouring his wife's cheeks as she realised that she would be late getting down to the kitchen today as well.
*********************
The seemingly endless flight finally reaching New Delhi, the weary travellers de-planed. The lengthy queue at the immigration making him wait for over an hour, he finally collected his bags and stepped out. He was here now, no turning back. Time to face the music.
Apprehension beginning to cloud his mind, he tried to decide as to how he would greet his family. "It's my own family, for God's sake! Unse milna mere liye itna mushkil kyun hai?", he mumbled. He did know why it was so difficult for him to meet them, he just didn't want to admit that he still felt partly guilty and partly betrayed. Above all, he dreaded meeting his Bhaiyya.
The taxi coming to a stop at the massive gates of Shanthivan, he drew in a deep breath and got out. Thankfully, the security guard was an old hand, who after a teary, affectionate salam, agreed to his request of not calling the house to inform them of his arrival. Declining his offer of bringing in the bags, Dhruv walked up the driveway in the morning mist.
*********************
Khushi was already in the kitchen, gathering vegetables when Anjali and Payal walked in from the Pooja room. Blushing at the memories of the eventful morning snuggle-session with her lie-a-bed husband who was now out jogging, she continued collecting vegetables absently, paying no heed to their morning greeting.
Taking a long look at her rosy-cheeked sister-in-law, Anjali winked at Payal and asked, "Kya baat hain Khushiji, aaj aap naashte mein phal ke jagah zabzi khilaoge? Kahin aap kisi ke yaadon mein khoye hue toh nahin?"
Returning to the present with a jolt at the sound of Payal's chuckle, Khushi turned to her sisters. Reddening, she stared indignantly at Payal and then smirked, "Di! Humein subah subah tang karne mein aapko bahut maza aata hain nah? Aap iss baar Jiji ko kyun nahin apna nishaana banaa de? Woh hi hain nah, joh kal Jeejaji ke saath romantic dinner aur film pe gayi thi?"
Payal scandalised "Khushi!" got drowned in the ringing of the door-bell. Wondering why anyone would ring the bell, Khushi turned to Anjali, "Arre, itni subah-subah yeh kaun ho sakta hain? Parivaar ke koi ghanti bajaata nahin, darwaza jo khula rehta hain humesha. Aur security ne koi visitor ko announce bhi nahin kiya."
Seeing that both her sisters-in-law had their hands full of breakfast material, Anjali replied, "Pata nahin, hum dekhte hain. Aap log naashta sambhaaliye".
Calling out to Hari Prakash who was now hurrying down the stairs that she would see to the visitor, Anjali walked up to the door. Pulling it open, her welcoming smile morphed into a stunned look. Khushi, who had come up behind her, heard her pained whisper, "Dhruv!"
Author's Notes:
1. My first Multi-Shot. It started off as an OS and just grew and grew and grew...
This will continue in two more parts, which I will be putting up as per the new routine. It might extend to a fourth part as well, at the rate that it is growing!
2. Since the college has re-opened after vacation, I'll not be able to put up OSs/MSs 3 times a week. (To the uninitiated, I'm an Architect and I teach budding architects all about architecture :-D)
Hence the new schedule will be Monday and Friday .
3. Let me know your opinion...
And a word to my 'stingy readers' - Do comment!
And to those who do, please leave a long comment, don't limit yourself to 'nice', 'cute' and 'good one'.
Now to those marvelous souls who take the time to write down their feedback - I love you guys! You make my day!
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