Originally posted by: Deepti1808
Magic absolute magic Indu.
How do you do it every single time?The game and the game within the game for AarYa, the naughtiness, the hunt, the gift, the thought behind the gift, the understanding, the LOVE. WOW WOW WOW!Each character is a standout and has uniqueness of its own.WOW! ( I know I am repeating myself...but do not have a better word with me right now 😳) Loved this update.Keep the updates coming...will be waiting for the next.
Originally posted by: miti16295
di sorry for delay in replying and sorry i will post very short comment because i m really busy these days with my studieswow di awesome part👏loved the game for yashu's gift & aarti gave him a beautiful giftsome part of her past is bothering aarti right??i m waiting for another beautiful part and also want to know aarti's past
Samarpan
When you surrender your
head to your heart,
you allow your heart to give you a wider, higher
intelligence perspective.
Part 3
"DON'T!! DON'T you ever say that or even think that…do you hear me Payal? Do you?" Aarti had caught Payal by the shoulders and was quivering as tears rolled down her eyes.
"Mumma??? What's wrong mumma? I am sorry. I won't say such a thing if it hurts you…I promise. Papa, tell mumma I won't…" Payal was in tears seeing her mother so agitated. Yash had rushed across to their side in a jiffy and had embraced them both, as Payal clung to her mother who had just as suddenly quietened down. Aayu had got up to follow but badinaani had caught his wrist and held him back and held her hand up for Pari and Prateek, halting them as well.
"Payal, it's OK. Mumma only worries for you sweetheart. After all you are her little angel….Right Aarti?" He felt Aarti nod once as she lifted her head and mouthed, "I am fine." She looked at him before turning to hold Payal's frightened face within her palms, as she whispered, "I am sorry I scared you, Payal. I am so sorry." Yash shifted as Aarti wrapped her arms around Payal. "I love you so much…I just can't bear you thinking such negative thoughts. It scares me to see my daughter not giving herself a chance. Don't idolize us so much beta that you start shutting doors when it's time to open them…..Hmm! Papa is my husband. He loves me…yes…but he also loves you and Aayu as well as everyone in the family. He hasn't shut his heart to all the love that surrounds him…then why should you? Why are you judging an emotion that hasn't yet entered your life? By doing that you are only being unfair to yourself…and to that special person who is out there somewhere."
Payal wiped her eyes before snuggling closer to her mother's heart, "It makes sense when you put it that way, mumma. I never thought it from that angle. I do have a one-track mind where you two are concerned. No wonder you got disturbed. I am sorry…I must have freaked you out."
"Knock-knock!! May I enter the hug zone." Aayu couldn't be held back anymore. He ducked his head under the arms and surfaced in the middle. "What Di? You are such a girl…crying because mumma scolded you a little. Look at me…I am getting scolded all the time, but do I get scared? Nah…. Do I cry? Nah…."
"What are you trying to say Aayu? That my angry scoldings don't scare you?" Aarti paused as she felt ripples of laughter float through Yash, "Now…what are you laughing at?" Before she could finish, the trio burst into amused laughter, as the other three elders grinned from across the fire.
"Mumma…do you even know that you being angry is the cutest moment for the family?" Payal sat up. "This monkey here sometimes rattles you just so you turn on him with your big-big eyes and say things like "You better put that earthworm back in the lawn or else I shall serve you dinner at its home and you can have it with him."
"Di remember that day when mumma got angry on Ram Dulare bhaiya?…Tell badinaani…." Aayu joined in. He adored his mother when she got angry…. She had no clue how to scold effectively and would always melt down the moment he made his eyes all doleful. The only time she would get really angry is when someone even thinks of harming him and Di.
"Oh yes…it was hilarious badinaani…even dadaji laughed. Mumma went from scolding and chiding RD bhaiya to happily fixing his marriage date in two minutes flat."
"Really?...Actually I can very well imagine that…What happened?"
"You see that day mumma had gone out to the market after instructing RD bhaiya to give dadaji his midmorning medicine with his tea. As usual bhaiya forgot…When mumma came and found out the lapse, she….Wait, I and Aayu will show you. Aayu you be RD bhaiya, and I'll be mumma….ready?"
Aarti's mouth fell open as she watched her children enact the scene and speaking verbatim what had transpired that day.
"Ram Dulare ji, how could you forget the medicine?"
"I am sorry, bhabhima…it slipped my mind?
"What? Even after I made you repeat after me three times?"
"Yes…are you angry bhabhima?"
"Of course I am. What kind of question is that? Can't you see how angry I am? What were you doing that you forgot?"
"I was talking to Vimla."
"Vimla? I thought her name was Kamla."
"No...no, bhabhima. Now you are forgetting."
"Am I? Oh…sorry. Is she OK?"
"No…she is not (sniffle-sniffle). She was crying. She says if I don't marry her in a month, she will never talk to me. I told her you are going on vacation, but she wouldn't listen."
"Oho!...Wait! Babuji, is it OK if we fix their marriage date before we leave. In fact let's get them engaged and then when we come back from Nainital, we can have the marriage. There…are you happy now?"
Aarti was dumbstruck as her kids regaled the audience with her so-called anger. Yash sat next to her, not only laughing but also elbowing her, tickling her in the sly, riling her with deliberate pleasure, till she turned to him and narrowed her eyes, giving him the look he knew so well…the "don't get me mad otherwise you know what will happen" look. He just lifted his index finger and flicked the tip of her nose. She got up abruptly, gesturing Pari to come with her. By the time both had cleaned up and switched off the kitchen lights, the kids and naanimaasi had already gone to bed They met Yash and Prateek in the corridor as they stepped inside after putting out the bonfire. Yash cleared his throat noisily and walked ahead after wishing Pari and Prateek goodnight.
Prateek took Aarti's hands in his, "Bhabhi, is everything alright? Is Payal OK? What happened earlier?"
"Everything is fine, bhaiya. Pari will tell you all about it. I want to thank both of you for going out of the way to make this day a success….even leaving Ansh when he isn't well."
"No bhabhi…don't say thanks and stuff like that. It sounds too formal. Ansh is fine and having a ball being pampered by Dada/dadi, without Pari's hawk eye on him."
"Yes bhabhi…we wouldn't have missed Yash bhaiya's birthday for anything….and more than that his happiness on seeing the book. I am so proud of you. Congratulations once again!" Pari hugged Aarti, with Prateek joining in. "Goodnight bhabhi! We shall leave after breakfast tomorrow."
Aarti went to check on the kids before going to her room. As she bent down to kiss Payal, she heard her whisper, "Mumma, may I ask you something personal?"
"What's it Angel?" She whispered back.
"Did nanaji love you as much as papa loves us?"
Aarti was glad for the darkness as she felt the familiar coldness engulf her and she swayed.
"Mumma?"
"Yes Payal…he did. Now go to sleep."
"Mumma, you didn't say, I love you."
"I love you my savior Angel…you have no idea how much."
Payal drifted away as Aarti walked out in a daze…as floodgates of memories opened with one innocent question.
************************************
Tears were threatening to fall down when Aarti stopped them, rubbing her eyes furiously with her palms. No, not tonight….It's Yash's big night. She cannot take away his moment of jubilation by dwelling into the past. That time is gone and has been replaced by the promise of a blissful eternity. All she has to do is not let the scattered remains of the memories of yore affect her present….if not for herself, then for Yash…the man who had gathered the broken pieces of her life and had remolded them with love and caring….the man who nurtured her identity, and because of whom her character transformed, ripening and blossoming with self-confidence, strength of conviction, awareness, and love. Slowly but surely he had done the impossible….erased the emptiness in which she sought comfort, filling her life with joy and laughter. Now he was her shield against all ills, overly sensitive to her feelings, and completely tuned to her moods. He knew her too well. She couldn't let him see her like this. Aarti took a deep breath and entered the room with a smile.
Yash was on the bed, reading the book. On seeing her, he took off his reading glasses and placed a bookmark before putting it on the bedside table. As he turned to talk to her, she quickly walked toward the closet and took out her nighty. Stepping behind the wooden partition she took off her saree and placed it on the side shelf. As she bent to unhook her blouse, she saw the ugly, large marble-sized scar tissue just at the beginning of her cleavage, as also the little scars surrounding it. She touched it and shut her eyes tightly, as sounds of chair falling and the wall clock come crashing down because of books being thrown across the wall came back to her in torrents and a soft hiss escaped her lips as if it had happened moments back…and not years. The very next moment she felt Yash's arms circle her from behind as he dropped a kiss on the her back of her neck. She felt him open the knots of the blouse doris with his teeth. Before he could turn her and see her, she swirled around and pulled his face down in a soul-searing kiss, pressing her body to his as her arms tightened their hold on him. Yash kissed her back with equal fervor, giving her what she wanted, in a passionate bid to ease the ache that was racking through her being. They were both breathing hard as she pulled away. She refused to let him see her face as she kissed his chin and rested her head against the crook of his neck.
He caressed her back as she clutched his kurta, "Aarti!!"
"Hmm!!!"
"I love you. You trust me, don't you?"
He felt her nod. Pushing her back a little, he held her cheek and tilted her face, trying to read her beautiful face as she smiled at him through glistening eyes. His own shone a little as he bent to kiss the scar gently. Bringing his hands up, he unhooked her blouse and took it off, keeping it on the saree. The petticoat followed suit. Aarti held his eyes as he reached across for the nighty and put it on her. Once he had buttoned it, he picked her up and walked across to the bed. Placing her tenderly on his side of the bed, he slipped in beside her gathering her closely to him. Aarti nuzzled her head into his shoulder as she wrapped her arm across his chest.
"How do you do it Yash?"
"Do what darling?"
"Know me so well. I just can't hide myself from you."
"Why do you even try then? I have told you so many times…I shall never let you suffer alone. As many years as it takes, I am going to be with you…we'll ride this off together."
There was a tranquil silence as she calmed down listening to his heartbeats.
"What did Payal say?"
"How do you kno…oh, never mind!"
"You were fine when I left you with Prateek and Pari. So, it had to be Payal when you went to give them the goodnight kiss. We both know Aayu is off to dreamland even before his head hits the pillow."
Aarti knew she could not hold back anymore. That was one pact they had made on their suhaag raat….that they will never hide anything from one another, howsoever grave the issue is. Both knew that even after more than twelve years of marriage, Aarti still felt hesitant and found it difficult to open up at times, especially if she felt he would be upset. But in the end he always figured it out.
"She asked me if…if…baba loved me as much as you love her and Aayu….and I said Yes."
Yash nodded…It was the book, he realized. The book along with Payal's innocent comments had somehow triggered the memories. Maybe it was for the good. Maybe this will make her look at her past fearlessly. Maybe this'll finally help cleanse her off the horror of what she had borne.
"Yash…I am very scared for Payal. We'll have to tell her soon. She will be devastated if she gets to know from someplace else. I won't let my angel go through what I…."
"She won't Aarti…I promise. There's no way she can know from anywhere else. We decided we'll let her know after her seventeenth birthday and we will. (A long pause as both reminisced)….Aarti, thank you for a fantastic day. The book made it a day I'll remember till my last breath. There'll be many more books, but this will always remain very special….I am so proud of you my love."
"But you didn't get your just desserts," she murmured sleepily.
"Yeah…that I didn't," he laughed as he cuddled her to him tighter. "Don't worry…I'll live to see another day…with double the anticipation."
She chuckled softly before closing her tired eyes and falling asleep in moments.
***********************************************
Yash felt her even breathing as sleep refused to come to him. Very gently he disengaged her arms and legs, covering her with the duvet, as he sat up. He tried to get down but felt a tug. He smiled…he should have known. Whenever she was disturbed, she twirled her finger around his kurta or shirt before shutting her eyes to sleep. It was a long-drawn habit…from those early days when a part of her was still convinced that he too will leave her one day. He did what he always did if he needed to get up….he took off his kurta and placed it next to her. Getting up, he grabbed the shirt he had worn in the evening and tiptoed out.
Yash walked silently to the key basket kept next to front door and picked a key. He turned and climbed the stairs up to the store room. The door creaked a little, as he opened it. He reminded himself to oil the hinges before leaving. In fact he already had a To Do list ready to give to Madan and his wife Bela, the couple who stayed in the side quarters and looked after naanimasi and the house. At the moment they were visiting their families and would be back a day before they left.
Yash switched on the light and approached the trunk kept in the far corner. He unlocked it and opened the lid. There they were….her diaries…her life story over the years of her growing up. Every year he resolved to finish reading all…and would fail to…cause some of the content would so disturb him that he would just lock them back and rush out…like a coward. It would be days before he would be himself again…thinking all the while that he couldn't even read what she endured. This time too he had planned to go through them but had pended till now. He had seen that forlorn look in Aarti's eyes as she had entered the room with a smile….smiling for him just so he didn't get disturbed on his birthday. She never ceased to amaze him with her selfless actions.
He picked up a diary at random. The cover said: Aarti Dubey, Age 10 years. Naanimaasi had diligently chronicled them over the years. He opened a page and read:
I was bad again. I am a very bad girl. I hurt baba again. He hates me…I deserve to be hated…..
To be continued...
umm i'm not sure how to say it but i'm...hesitant with this fic.
umm i'm not sure how to say it but i'm...hesitant with this fic.
you have this amazing way of getting my emotions involved. and i have a feeling this one will make me cry. in a heartwrenching sorta way i guess i'm feeling a little like your yash in the atticand eventhough i know there's light at the end of the tunnel- the darkness faced during the journey through the tunnel is making me hesitant....yet despite it all, i know i'm going to be involved so could you be a sweetheart and not completely break my heart?
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