Hi everyone, this is my first OS ever after 5 years on IF. Its my small tribute to this wonderful show and to all the members of this truly special forum.
(This scene takes place after the hut incident and before the naamkaran -based on the OLVs)
OS - That Night at the Dharamshaala
It was getting dark as they reached the Dharmshaala. Mukhiji and Aru got down from the autorickshaw and silently walked in. The manager gave them the keys to their room. He had arranged a special room when he got the call from Mukhiji that he will be staying the night with his new bride.
As they walked away, the Manager wondered why their clothes were soiled in such a manner.
Mukhiji walked towards the room in silence. He was not in a good mood. Aru was not making it easier for him. He hoped to convince her that staying back in Ahmedabad is best for her. But with her silly behavior the past days, he did not know whether to be upset with her or to feel sad that she would be leaving for good. He couldn't bring himself to talk to her.
He made sure they left Amboli right after the Hut fire incident without even giving her time to change
He opened the door and told Aru to go and freshen up. He went to the kitchen, ordered dinner and brought the plates to the room.
Aru had changed and was sitting on the bed, waiting with bated breath. It's been over 6 hours since the incident in Amboli and Mukhiji had not spoken a word to her. She could feel he was very upset in every look that he gave her. She could not bear his silence. She knew she was wrong in doing all those silly things to stay back at Amboli. She tore up her tickets, she hid herself in the hut and when Mukhi came to find her, the lamp accidently toppled and the haystack in the hut caught fire. How was she to know that Rami had locked up the hut from the outside... Silly silly me' thought Aru, he must be thinking that my behavior is so childish' she muttered to herself.
Mukhiji entered the room and looked at her talking to herself and shook his head. 'Daffod'. He set the plates on the table and started eating. He watched her sitting stubbornly on the bed. He finished and was getting up. He noticed that she still had not touched her food.
Sighing, he went up to her, What is wrong with you now? Come and have your dinner and go to bed. We'll talk tomorrow'. Vaise, hum Naamkaran ke liye jaldi nikhalna padega... Baaki mehmaan se pehle pahunchna padega. Jaldi kha aur so ja' ... He turned to walk away.
Aru held his arm. He turned around. Ab kya hogayaa Gaurani?' Aru looked at him, her eyes filled with tears Aap se kuch kehnaa'.
He sat down next to her and looked at her. His beautiful dafford Gaurani with her big big doe shaped eyes overflowing with tears. His heart was just bursting with love for this crazy girl in front of him. Why can't she get it into her head that she is asking for the impossible. She wanted to be with him?? She wanted to live in Amboli for the rest of her life? Dafford, dafford! How can he convince her that it is not the correct thing to do? How can he convince her when he was unable to convince himself?
'Bol na, kya kehna hai' said Mukhi, trying to look away from those eyes.
Aru wiped her tears , turned away from him and said 'I have decided not to come to Amboli ever again! On the way here, I realized how wrong I was to have hidden in that Hut and got us locked in that fire. Thank you Mukhiji for saving me once again. I don't know how to repay you for all that you have done for me. That is why...'
Mukhi was shocked and he could hear nothing beyond the word Amboli'... He turned her around to face him.
She looked at his shocked face and said 'That's why I decided to do whatever you asked me to. You know what is best for me and you feel it is best that we part. So, well , here I am, telling you that tomorrow will be our last day together ever!'. She removed his hands from her shoulders, went and took his plate and her untouched one and left the room.
To say Mukhi was shattered would be an understatement. This was what he wanted all along, but his heart was saying something else. He felt like his world had suddenly become colourless. What would he do without this dafford.
When Aru returned from the kitchen, Mukhi had left the room and made his cot on the adjoining terrace.
Both shattered hearts unable to sleep. Mukhi gets the diary out and starts reading and inside the room, lying on the bed, Aru takes out her new diary and starts writing.
Mukhi is not able to read beyond a single sentence. He gets restless. He sits up. He looks at the book, throws the book on the cot, shakes his head and laughs, Gaurani, kya se kya banaadiya mujhko... This book doesn't seem interesting anymore, mann nahi hai isse padne ka... I would rather just keep looking into your eyes or watch you sleep. I would rather watch your stupid activities. I would rather listen to your dreams and ambitions and how you plan to fulfill them. My dear dear Aru, how will I ever go back to my home, my room... the one you made into yours.'
Mukhi got up from his bed and looked out onto the road. Silent at this time of the night, not a soul to be seen. He suddenly started feeling very very lonely. He starts to get very uneasy. He rubs his chest and places his hand on his heart. He knows... he knows the reason for his desolateness. He knows what his soul is yearning for... He slowly turns around and walks to the door. He watches silently from the doorway and sighs Let me look at her jee bhar ke' to my hearts content...enough for the rest of my life'. And he looks on... storing away memories for a lifetime of loneliness.
Meanwhile, Aru starts writing Dear diary, I am at a loss of words to explain this heavy feeling in my heart. I want something so badly that I am doing just the opposite so that he is happy. How can that make sense. He does not realize that when goes, he takes my heart and soul with him. I will not just miss him dear diary, I will miss myself too. .. All my dreams are nothing if he is not by my side. Where I live does not matter. I can reach for the stars if only he accepts me and never leaves me. I don't ask for anything else, just one word Mukhiji, that you too feel the same...
Then she suddenly gets that feeling... that he's close by ... And slowly ... she turns around... And there he is... her dearest Dukhi Mukhi... but wait... yeh kya hai ?. Is something wrong? Mukhiji?? Kya hua? Aap ke aankhon me aansoon? Bataayiye Mukhiji... Kuch hua kyaa?? Aru is worried. She has never seen that look in Mukhiji's eyes. He seems happy... sad ...and something else... something new... Love?
Mukhiji who was earlier standing near the doorway, had slowly walked over to watch his Gaurani lying on her stomach and seriously writing something. Silly girl, why does she have so many expressions on her face?? Yeh kya likh rahi hain? Never knew that she could lose herself in deep thought, let alone write them down!
And the closer he goes, he finds something familiar. ... the handwriting...the style...wait a minute...ho kya rahaa hai yahaan...yeh...woh...yeh...dafford aur achche vichaar wali...ek hain??? Aise kaise???? Meri Gaurani...meri daffod...meri Aru...? His eyes tear up and at that precise moment she turns around...
Aru: " Kya hua Mukhiji??? Aapke aankhon me aansoon? "
Mukhi: "Nahin, kuch nahin Gaurani... who baahar soh rahe hain hum aur who dhool.. aankhon me..."
Aru : "Ek minute Mukhiji, paas aayiye'"
And just like that Aru kneels on the bed and pulls him closer. She leans over, holds his head gently in her hands and blows softly into his eye. He puts his hand around her, hugging her close...his heart and his eyes memorizing her forever...my dear dear gaurani...tuhi woh acchche vichaar wali aur hum ko itne din patha nahi"... The girl who intoxicated his mind and the girl who holds his heart are one and the same. He wanted to hold on to her then and there to be with him forever.
Aru feels something is different in this hug. His eyes are saying something too. What is it? She steps away from him and asks him again, gently... 'Kya hua Mukhiji, aap itna emotional kabhi nahin dekha maine...'
Mukhiji has recovered by now and tells Aru that he's fine and that its getting late ... she must sleep. Aru gives him a long look and turns away. She knows how to convince him. Tomorrow is yet another day! Dekhlenge!
And so he walks out into the balcony with a smile on his face. He looks at the diary again and flips it to the first page. He has decided. For so long, the only dreams that Aru spoke about were the ones she described to him, but he would be damned if he is going to let such an intelligent, thoughtful, hardworking and loving girl to be tied to him for the rest of her life.
Sach me Gaurani... tu to azaad panchi ke tarah, iss sapno ke shehar me udne ke liye paida hua... aur main tumhare raste main nahin aaunga'. He smiles to himself, confident that he has taken the right decision ! Tomorrow is a new day and he has a lot of lecturing to do to his dear dear daffod, nahin not dafford.. dear dear achche vichaar wali thodi si dafford wali Gaurani !
Ishaani
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