Ishita's POV
Mai madad kar dun teri?
Did she just say that!?
I checked out my appearance. I was clad in a knee-length bathrobe and my wet hair tied in a bun with a plain white towel.
I quickly fit myself into a pair of leggings and grabbed a dupatta to cover my upper-half.
I unbolted the door and left it slightly open signalling her to enter.
"Mai aa jaaun?" she asked to confirm
"Haan" I said softly
She checked me out for about 2 minutes while I adjusted my dupatta and pulled the bathrobe trying to make it longer even though I knew it wouldn't budge. Her gaze was making me nervous.
"Nyc! Shadi ki pehli subah saare Iyers isi tarah tayyar hote hain kya?" she asked seriously
I tried in vain to give an answer and she broke into a fit of laughter. This made me even more nervous and I was at the verge of crying.
"Ye kya huliya bana liya hai apna? Itne bade wardrobe me tujhe koi dhang ka kapda nahi mila?" she asked giggling
"Kuch samajh me nahi araha ke kya pehnun" I said choking
That put a full-stop to her laughter riot. She held my left cheek and asked "Arrey isme dukhi honewali kya baat hai? Inme se kuch samajh me ahi araha to apne sath jo layi hai usme se kuch bhi pehen le. Pareshan mat hoiyyo"
Her concern shook out my nervousness. Becoming comfortable I voiced out "Wo mai inhi me se koi dress pehenna chahti thi"
"Ohho ye bath hai. Seedhe seedhe bol dethi ke bhai ki pasand ki dress pehenna chahti hai" she nudged and winked while saying that
I bit my lower lip and lowered my eyes feeling shy.
"Haye haye sharmana to dekho zara. Aise hi sharmati rahegi ya tayyar bhi hogi? Bhai abhi atha hi hoga"
Oh yeah! I have already wasted a lot of time. I need to be quick.
I can't make him wait again for I have made him wait all night.
And it's all because I had slept off my wedding night...đ
"Kya hua? Kya soch rahi hai?" she asked
"Yahi ke kounsa dress pehnun" I said a half-lie, half truth. Could I tell her the whole truth???đ˛
"Isme itni sochnewali kya bath hai?"
"Itna sab kuch hai ye wardrobe me ke kuch samajh me nahi aya"
"Tune note nahi dekhe?"
"Note? Nahi nahi. Maine locker nahi khola" I said panicking. Why was she asking me about money now?
"Arrey yaar tu itna ghabra kyun rahi hai? Mai wo wali note ki baat nahi kar rahi. Mai likhnewali note ki baat kar rahi hun. Sticky notes!"
"Sticky notes!" I said relieved "Sticky notes?" I asked in confusion
"Tune nahi dekhe?" she asked
I nodded in negative
"Isiliye tujhe pareshani ho rahi hai. Ruk mai tujhe dikhati hun" she said walking towards the closet
She took out a dress and pointed towards a note that was stuck in between the hanger "Ye dekh"
"Ye notes kisne lagaye hain?" I asked amazed at the novel idea
"Aur kisne? Bhai ne hi lagaye hain" she stated the obvious
"Aise notes har dress pe lage hain?" I asked interested
"Han sab pe ek ek note lage hue hain"
"Itne sare notes unhone khud likhe?" I asked looking at the number of dresses in the cupboard. There should be more than 50 dresses lined up, I could say even without counting.
"Hamare ghar pe likhne ka shouk ek louthe bhai ko hi hai. Aur is shouk ko wo har jagah istemal karte hain. Isi ka asar hai ye notes"
"Kya mai ye notes dekh sakti hun?" I asked out of curiosity
"Han han...tere liye hi to hain" she said handing the dress she had taken out
It was a Karachi style Green and off white churidar suit.
It was beautiful but I was more interested in the note that was stuck than the dress.
Your favourite colour, I assume is Green
But every colour suits you, My Beauty Queen!
My Beauty Queen I could hear him huskily whispering in my ears.
I am sure my cheeks must have turned red.
I had a spectator and had to hide my blush so I hid myself in the closet looking for the next dress rather the next note.
A simple white floral embroidery anarkali was what I found next.
In our journey of life, I am sure we will never fight
But if we do, to make peace, the colour is white
I chuckled. I liked the dress. It was simple yet pretty. But I put it back immediately because
We did not argue, we did not fight
As I slept off my wedding nightđ
That brought back my guilt. My eyes began to fill.
I reminded myself that Simmi was still here.
I immersed myself in he task of choosing the dress for the day.
Something attractive caught my gaze.
It was a beautiful royal blue dress in georgette with gold zardosi work all over. I instantly fell in love with it.
The note said
It's the beginning of new life with a morning new
How nice would it be to see you in my favourite blue
And without a second thought, I decided this is what I am going to wear. The note is a clear hint from him that he wants to see me in this. At least this could make up for my crime of sleeping off my wedding nightđ
"Lagta hai tune dress choose kar liya hai. To mai chalti hun. Tu ready hoke neeche aaja" Simmi said walking towards the door
"Ek minute" I shrieked
"Kya hua? Aise kyun chillayi?"
"I need help"
"Ab kya help? Kapde choose to tune kar liye. Ab mai pehna nahi sakti. Chaho to Bhai ko bhej doon? Kapde utarne ki trailer to kal rath bhai ne dikh hi diya hoga na" she nudged me with her elbow
I lowered my head in shame (not shy) and nodded in no
"Kya? Kal rath ko bhai ne kuch nahi kiya?" she asked with wide eyes
I nodded in no
"Sach me? Hey bhagwan! Bhai ne to hamari khandan ki izzat mitti me mila di" she said slapping her forehead. I guess she was faking it but I could not digest the fact that she was accusing Raman for no fault of his.
"Unki galti nahi thi" I said in his defense
"Tu rehen de. Bhai ki said na le. Bhai to kotha nikla"
"Sach me galti nahi thi"
"Tu baar baar usko kyun bachane ki koshish kar rahi hai. Aisa kya hogaya jo usne kal rath kuch NAHI kiya"
I took a deep breath closing my eyes and spoke between my teeth "I slept off the wedding night" in a single breath
"Kya?" she asked
I assumed she did not get what I said
"I slept off my wedding night" I repeated the words that my conscience has been repeating since I woke up
"Kya?"
I now opened my eyes, looked at her changed expressions and with quivering lips repeated "I slept off my wedding night"
I had prepared myself mentally for the forthcoming blast from my sister-in-law who loves her brother more than her life. I would not be surprised if she slapped me for spoiling her brother's special night. I deserved it. After all I had slept off my wedding nightđ
"Ye tune kya kiya Ishita? Apni hi suhagrath pe tu sogayi?" she asked sternly
"I am sorry. Maine jaan boojh ke nahi kiya. Wo mai..."
"Bas" she stopped me in between "Tujhe kya laga? Tu mere bhai ki zindagi kharab kar degi aur mai khamosh rahungi? Mai un behnon me se nahi hun jo apne bhai ke sath hue atyachar ko dekh kar khamosh rahe. Mai unme se hun jo..."
She took a pause and I stared at her expecting the harshest of harsh wrath from her
"Jo is bath par...khoob maze le kar hasungi" she said laughing out
My mouth hung open in shock. Seriously? She was laughing?
She was holding her stomach and laughing out hysterically that her eyes began to water.
After a few minutes she realised I was staring at her with wide eyes.
"I am sorry but I can't control. Aisa maine pehli baar suna hai ke koi apni hi suhagrath pe sogaya. Isse bada joke maine apni zindagi me pehli baar suna hai" She said breaking out into another round of laughter.
I was annoyed. Here I was feeling guilty for sleeping off my wedding night and she was finding it funny. If it was Mihika or Akka in her place, I would have strangled them by now. That made me wonder Is this how Akka and Miku will react to the news?
No they will not! Coz I am never going to tell them this!
"Sorry sorry" she said noticing the Not funny at all look at my face.
"Ok ok no more jokes. I am serious now"
Better I thought.
"Seriously ek bath bolun?" she asked and I signalled her to continue
She held my hands in hers and said "Thank you very much Ishita"
"Haan?" What was that for????
"Tune anjane me mera bahut bada kaam kar diya"
"Kaisa kaam?" I asked even more confused
"Bahut tadpaya hai na Bhai ne mujhe aur Abhi ko. Ab uski baari"
Did she just say that!?
----------------------------To be continued-----------------------------
Long enough???đ˛ No???? Itna hi likh payi yaaron...Its 12 am here...kal kaam pe bhi jaana hai...Adjust kar lo please
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
All things Korean
Ganesh Kartikeya
10