hey people š
it's been a few weeks since i last wrote..how has everyone been?
the forum feels haunted :(
Rathore family fanfiction...as promised š
as always, comments are welcomeš³
and man, you people are never gonna believe who and who reads are post! š
*
Dear diary,
I've decided to complete my education.
Papa says that to be a successful businesswoman, one must be qualified; and completing one's education is a must. "I built this empire with the hope that one day, I would find youā¦and when I found you, I wanted you to own the worldāor at least a significant part of it" He'd say.
I know that he hopes that one day I'll be able to take over his business. He hasn't told me, or even tried to hint about itā¦but I know; I just do.
Getting back to college will be strange. My life has changed so much. Things and people in my life have changed so much.
Living with ma and papa is so different. At the beginning, when we'd first arrived at papa's house (which had been closed for so many years), it felt very strange. I keep expecting to see bade papa or badi ma when I walk down the stairs in the morningsā¦or Ichcha ma coming out of the prayer roomā¦or Meethi's things with mine.
Instead, it's ma I find; making breakfast...or tying papa's tie as he tries to eat, read his emails and watch tv at the same time :)
Not that I'm complaining! It's lovely to finally have my parents around; to share with them everything I've wanted to share all my life.
It's just that I miss everyone else.
After the divorce, meethi decided to complete her education abroad. I think she needed to change the sceneā¦to start afresh. Ichcha ma and veer uncle miss her a lot. But they speak oftenā¦they're even planning on a trip to visit her :)
Anyway, I'll stop here for todayā¦I can hear them downstairs!
Mukta Rathore.
It was on a Friday afternoon that Mukta found herself smiling and joking with her friends. The week had been hectic for all of them, exams being just a few weeks ahead. Like always, at the end of her last class, she walks out with her friends, listening as one of them gushed about some actor or other. Smiling at the dreaminess of her friend's voice, she was startled when her phone beeped suddenly.
Taking the vibrating mobile phone out of her bag, she saw that it was a message from her papa. Already smiling, she opens it, and slowly the smile slips away.
"HELP!"
That's all it said.
Just that word.
Mukta was confused. If it had been from anyone else, she would have been really worriedāterrified even. But this was from papaā¦her own "super hero". She could only stare at the message in confusion.
"Muktaā¦? Isn't that your parents?"
Jerking her head up she saw that it was indeed her parents. Her ma, looking beautiful as always, and her papa; looking harassed.
They waved at her friends, but made no move to come and meet them.
Sensing that something was definitely wrong, she hurried towards them, waving goodbye distractedly at her friends.
* * * * * *
"Surprise! We thought we'll pick you upā¦" ma said when she got close enough to hear them. "we've been shoppingā"
"Since 9 in the morning." Her papa said, letting out a long suffering sigh.
As understanding dawned on her, a smile broke out on her face and the tension left her body. "So this was the reason behind the harassed look and the message" she thought.
"Really, Mr.Rathoreā¦I think you're growing old. You have never complained about a little shopping before" ma said, winking at me.
"Tapasya, nearly 7 hours of shopping isn't a little shopping. Besides, I had to push back two of my meetings" he replied, grumbling a little.
"And anyway," he continued "I'm back to being Mr. Rathore nowā¦"
Looking at me mischievously , he says " have you noticed Mukta? Whenever your ma wants something, or she does something wrong, then I'm Raghuvendra. But otherwise, I'm just Mr.Rathore" he says, winking at me.
"In fact, there was this one timeā"
"Mr.Rathore! Are you forgetting that this is our daughter that you're speaking to" ma said reproachfully, cleverly stopping what seems like, a very embarrassing storyāfor her at least!
"But then, I'm also his best friend" I said, smiling and leaning into papa's side. "Right papa?"
"Right princess!" he said, laughing as we high-fived.
"So anyway, I thought you'd like to join usā¦finish up the shopping" she said, smiling and shaking her head at our antics.
Immediately, I felt papa deflate next to me. It continues to amaze and amuse me how easily ma can change papa's moodā¦or how prettily she keeps him wrapped around her little finger. This is my papa, the man whose temper can reduce a grown man into puddle of tearsā¦the man who has a cool head even at gun point; who is now standing next to me, looking very much like a little boy who was being punished.
Looking at ma's exited expression, and papa's resigned one, I knew what to do.
"Why don't we make it a girl's day from nowā¦just the two of us. We can finish up the shoppingā¦go in for a little professional pampering" I said, smiling when I saw the happy smile on ma's face, the warmth and excitement in it fueling my own.
Next to me, I felt papa relax slowly.
Looking up at him, I couldn't help it; I had to laugh! He looked so relieved!
Poor papaā¦he'd lived alone for 18 years; and got used to a set pattern of living. And then we came alongā¦ adding chaos into his orderly life.
It was only when his face turned serious that I realized; I had spoken out loud what I had been thinking.
Laying his palm on my cheek, he smiled softly at me. "And I welcome this chaos" he said "welcome it with all my heartā¦" he lifts his eyes, including ma.
I held still as love and happiness shimmered in the airāfeeding my own soul.
Unfortunately, with us still standing in the busy campus grounds, the moment passed rather quickly.
"Right!" he says, clearing his throat, suddenly all business like " I better get going before the two of you change your minds."
"Enjoy" he says, squeezing my shoulder and kissing my hair.
Reaching for ma, he pulls her close and kisses her as well, absently tucking a stray strand of hair back into place."I have a feeling that the two of you are going to put a significant dent in my wallet todayā¦I better start earning; damage control!" he says in a teasing tone, lifting his hand in farewell as he walks away from us.
And we watched him leave together, shoulder to shoulder, smile in place, and my hand enfolded in hersā¦
Hindi TV Shows
