Hello my dears... I’m back after years, literally!
Very glad to be back….
To those who missed the regular OSs that offered a regular sneak-peek into life with the Raizadas, here’s one...
A sort-of sequel to an earlier OS, which was one of the most preferred ones...
Enjoy!
29. In Flight Mode
”Sab taiyyaariyan huyi gayi, bitiya?”, asked Devyani Singh Raizada, coming into the living room.
Looking up from where she was sitting, zipping up the carry-case, Khushi smiled. “Ji, Naniji. Sab packing ho gayi. Ab bus Arnavji ki Laptop, tab aur mobile chargers check karni hai. Woh dekhne ke liye Arnavji oopar kamre mein jaye hain.”
“Khushi, pichli baar tumhe beech mein bahut dhand lagi thi, naah? Shawl pack kiya?”, asked Payal, as she looked up from her own checklist, where she was making sure all things had been packed in the bags Akash and she were taking.
“Arre haan! Woh toh hum bhool hi gaye the, Jiji! Sukriya, yaad dilaane ke liye. Hum abhi lekar aatein hai.”
Khushi had just gotten up when two voices rang out from the balcony above her.
“Khushi, I’ve taken your pashmina, just in case you feel cold again...”
“Khushiji, humari shawl laayein? Phir se dhand laga toh...”
Laughing delightedly, Khushi exclaimed, “Yeh huyi naah asal bhai-behen ka rishta! Do-do mooh aur ek hi baat!”
Coming up behind Arnav and Anjali, Dhruv linked his hands through theirs. “Aur Bhabi, donon ki concern aapke baare mein!” Grinning wickedly at his Bhaiyya, he continued, “Apparently poore parivaar ko yeh hi lagta hai ki aapko apna khayaal rakhna bilkul nahi aati! No matter how many trips you have taken, and where all you have accompanied Bhaiyya to! Hence the multiple offers of shawls, sweaters, whatnot! Bhaiyya ke bus ke baat hota toh flight mein ek fireplace laga deta!”
Earning a swift whack on his arm from his Di, the young man ran downstairs laughing before the well-aimed cuff from his brother connected.
“Aur ka? Arnav bitwa to apan wife ke around circle karat ni rahe ka?” contributed Mamiji, sending a snide look sideways at her husband. “Seekh liyo aap bhi! Humre pati toh hello-hi ke jagah bye-bye bolke bagat rehat hai!”
This show of familial solidarity was in light of Khushi’s first solo trip. In the two years past her marriage, she had accompanied Arnav to multiple national and international destinations. However, this time, while the initial plan was for Arnav, Akash, Khushi and Payal to fly down to Mumbai for a business meeting and go on to Goa from there for a weekend, there had been a last minute need for one of the girls’ presence at Gupta Sweets at Lucknow. Deeming it better that Khushi goes, the plans had changed. So now, the other three were off to Mumbai while Mrs. Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada was off to Lucknow, a fact that displeased ASR, but was accepted as a professional necessity, seeing how his wife was turning out to be a successful businesswoman in her own right. The pride he took in her was visible to all.
Come down the stairs behind his brother, Arnav moved to her side. “Sab le liya na tumne? Don’t forget that I’m taking your big suitcase with me. Toh overnight stay ke liye aur kuch chahiye toh le lena. And better if you don’t check it in. Unnecessary delay ho jaayegi warna.”
Smiling up at him, Khushi replied, placing her hand on his arm,”Aap chinta na keejiye. Sab le liya humne. Waise bhi ek raat ka maamla hai na. Kal dopahar tak hum aapke paas Mumbai pohonch jaayenge.”
Pulling her close to his side, he murmured,”I know you’re perfectly capable. But I really wish you didn’t have to go alone. Mai apna ticket change karvaaun kya? I’ll go with you and join Aksh and Payal at Mumbai tomorrow. He can manage well on his own.”
Before Khushi to respond, there was victorious whoop from behind them. Turning around, Arnav’s brows drew together in a frown as he saw Dhruv holding out his hand to NK, who had been lounging on the sofa. His face settled into stunned disbelief as he saw his Di, his sayani si Di, hold out her hands, hands!! Watching Payal and Pooja pay up, he turned to Akash, who was looking on with a self-satisfied smirk. Sensing Arnav’s scrutiny, he lifted both hands, palm out, gesturing at his wife, as if saying ‘Not me, Bhai’, knowing full well that his Bhai had a soft-spot a mile long for his gentle, sensible wife, and would never in a million years subject her to the tongue lashing Akash would have received.
“Di! Payal!Seriously?”, Arnav exclaimed. “Ab kis topic pe betting chal rahi hai?” he snapped at Dhruv.
“The number of minutes after you come down jab tak aap Bhabhi ko ye bole ki aap aapke tickets cancel karvaake unke saath chalenge”, Dhruv laughed, jumping out of his Bhaiyya’s reach.
“Unbelievable!”
************************************
And so went on the preparations until NK called Mohan to bring the car around. With hugs and good-byes and aashirvads flying around, the foursome left, leaving the family in NK and Dhruv’s capable hands.
The SUV allowing the couples to sit together, the long ride to the airport was spent double-checking and cross-checking the itineraries and planning out the day that Khushi would be away. The plan being that Arnav, Akash and Payal would drop Khushi off at the boarding gate, seeing how they had a later flight, Khushi was exclaiming in happiness that she wouldn’t have to sit and wait alone.
“Aur Lucknow land karte hi mujhe call karna. I’m sending you our company driver’s number now. I’ll call him to wait right at the ext. Ussko maine kaha hai ki kal tumhe airport chodne tak stand-by pe rahein. Kuch bhi cheez ki zaroorat pade ya kaheen bhi jaana pade toh bata dena.”
“Shukriya Arnavji”, Khushi pressed his hand that was resting on her lap. “Aap itna pareshaan mat huyiye. Babuji hai na wahan, hum unko bhi bata denge kuch bhi chahiye toh.”
“Mai nahi chaahta ki Babuji ko koi takleef uthaana pade, Khushi, just because I couldn’t come. I know he’s there, but use Zakeer for all your errands.”
Payal spoke up from the back seat, “Haan Khushi, dhyaan rakhna apna. Maana ki Babuji hai wahan, phir bhi hume fikr ho rahi hai ki tum kuch na kuch pagalpani kar baithegi!”
“Haun! Jiji, tum na bilkul apne Jethji ke paksh lete ho! Jeejaji, kam se kam aap humara side leejiye!”
“Nahi Khushiji, nahi! Bhai ke khilaaf main phir bhi aapko defend kar paaun, lekin aapke Jiji ke saamne toh…itni himmat mujme nahi hai, maaf keejiye”, Akash grinnned at Payal’s smack.
At Arnav’s burst of laughter, Khushi hmpffed and sat grumpy, until it tickled even her funny bone and she joined in the laughter.
*********************************
At the airport, with the check-in done, they proceed to the first-class lounge to wait until the boarding call came. It was then that ASR was noticed by one of his aptly-named-by-Akash “sky-high fan-club” members.
Having caught glimpses of Khushi before, but never having had them in close proximity in the lounge area before, the girls in the lounge rushed to serve ASR, so that they could get a good long nalysis of Arnav Singh Raizada’s elusove wife, the same miracle worker who was responsible for his contented avatar.
Totally oblivious to the scrutiny, Arnav and Khushi were lost in their own world, softly talking and laughing with eachother, perusing the available magazines. Having never, ever seen ASR read anything but business, economics or world news when travelling alone, it was with stunned disbelief that the stewards stood gazing at him reading with his wife.
With Akash buried deep in one of his books, Payal got up after a while to wander around. After exploring the boutiques, she was on the way back to their seats when she ended up noticing the girls hovering in the background. Puzzled, Payal walked closer to hear the hushed conversations with only ‘Raizada’ legibly said.
Reaching out to touch one of the girls on her shoulder, she almost jumped out of her skin as the stewardess leapt a foot in the air.
“Maaf keejiye. Aapko kuch kaam tha, humare parivaar se? Hum bohot der se dekh rahe hain ki aap sab unhe hi dekh rahe hain”, she said politely.
Reddening at being caught in the act, the girls mumbled their excuses and escaped, leaving her gaping after them. Thoroughly puzzled now, she walked back to her husband. Sitting down next to him, she asked, “Akash, wahan dekho naa, lounge stewardesses ko. Kya aap ya Arnavji unhe jaante hain? Bohot der se humare seats ke aas pass bhatak rahi hain,”
Looking up at this, Akash grinned, “Bhai ke fan-club members honge Payal, tum Bhai ke saath pehli baar air-travel kar rahi ho naa, ab toh bohot kuch dekhne ko milega.”
“Akash…”
Laughing at Arnav’s warning note, he looked at Khushi who was looking at him in confusion.
“Fan-club? Matlab?”
“Arre Khushiji, aap hamesha Bhai ke saath jaate ho naa, iss liye aapko farak nahi pata chala hoga. Even in first class, the kind of special service Bhai gets, aur kisi ko bhi nahi milta. Saare airhostesses and stewards ASR fan club members jo hai! Jab bhi main akele jaata hoon, mujhe woh farak nazar aata hai.”
Grinning at his glowering Bhai, he quipped, “But still, mujhe reflected glory main better than others service milti hain, akele me bhi. Thanks Bhai!”
Looking over at a sputtering Arnav, Khushi grinned wickedly, “Achcha! Yeh toh fir hume dekhna padega, Jeejaji!”
It was sheer coincidence that Payal asked what Arnav was about to say. Gazing at Khushi with a mix of suspicion and laughter, Payal asked, “Kya pak rahi hai tere pagal dimaag me?”
Authors Note:
Not a cliff hanger, but an interesting point to stop, I think!
Please do let me know your thoughts… I’m a little rusty, having been away so long. I’m just getting the hang of writing the perspectives and tones of our favourite family.
Leave lots of comments!!!!
comment:
p_commentcount