Connected: A YHM Story ✔️

Chapter 65 - The One With Karwa Chauth

Bhalla House – two months later, Friday, 9 November, 6 pm

"Offo Bhalla ji, tussi badaam toh lana bhul hi gaye!" Toshi groaned, as she dug into the grocery bags her husband had brought. "Kal sargi mein badaam ke bina mazaa kaise aayega?" [Oh come on Bhalla ji, you forgot the almonds! How are we going to have a proper sargi without almonds?]

"Hey mataarani..." Omprakash groaned. "Oh mainu maaf karo Toshi ji. Main ab waapis market nahi jaa raha. Subah se teen baar jaa chuka hoon. Ab maine aaram karna hai." He flopped down onto the couch and grabbed a newspaper. "Waise, itni sab taiyyari karne ki kya zaroorat hai aapko?"

[Oh god... Sorry Toshi ji. But I'm not going to the market again now. I've gone three times since the morning. Now I want to take rest. Besides, why do you have to do so much anyway?]

"Zaroorat kaise nahi hai?" Toshi retorted, as she put away groceries in the kitchen. "Kal Mihika ka pehla Karwa Chauth hai. Aur to aur, Ishita aur Raman ka rishta sahi maayno mein mazboot hone ke baad yeh unka bhi pehla karwa chauth hai. Hum toh badi dhoom-dhaam se manayenge. Madrasan bhi aa rahi hai kal, Mihika aur Vandu ke saath. Simi bhi sargi ke liye yahin aa rahi hai."

[Why shouldn't I? Tomorrow is Mihika's first Karwa Chauth. In fact, it's even Ishita and Raman's first karwa chauth after they solidified their marriage. We're going to have a huge celebration. Madhu's coming tomorrow as well, with Mihika and Vandu. Even Simi is having her sargi here.]

Omprakash chuckled at Toshi's enthusiasm, but even he couldn't find it in himself to tamp down her excitement. It had been eight weeks since the nightmare and they were finally well on their way to healing as a family. It was high time to celebrate. And there was no better occasion than Karwa Chauth.

"Thik hai, koi nahi..." Toshi sighed. "Aap baitho aaram naal. Main Madhu ke yahan se badaam le aati hoon." [Fine then... You sit and rest. I'll get the almonds from Madhu.]

While Omprakash stretched his back and cracked his knuckles, Toshi went over to the Iyer house only to run into Ishita, Romi, and Rinki in the corridor.

"Aa gaye tum log? Ishita, teri woh fiski... woh kya bolte hai...?" [You guys are back? Ishita, how was your... fiski... what is it called...?]

"Physical therapy, mummyji," Ishita finished for her.

"Haan haan, wohi. Woh kaisa raha?" Toshi asked. [Yes exactly. How was it?]

"Sab kuch sahi raha mummyji. Therapist ne kaha recovery bahot acche se ho gayi hai. Ab waapis jaane ki zaroorat nahi hai." [It went well mummyji. The therapist said my recovery's been well. I don't have to go back now.]

"Ae to badi changi gal hai puttar. Accha ek kaam kar, tu andar jaa ke aaram se baith. Main teri amma ke paas jaa rahi hoon. Kal ki sargi ke liye badaam leke aati hoon. Tum log andar jaao." [That's great dear. Why don't you go inside and sit? I'm just going to your mother's to get some almonds for tomorrow's sargi.]

Toshi adjusted her dupatta and walked away as Ishita, Romi, and Rinki made their way into the Bhalla house.

"Bhabhi, aap baitho. Main aapke liye paani lekar aati hoon." Rinki urged her bhabhi to sit down on the couch before she filled up a glass of water and brought it over from the kitchen. [Have a seat bhabhi. I'll get you some water.]

"Rinki, ab tum bhi shuru mat ho jao," Ishita sighed, taking the glass of water from her sister-in-law. "I'm fine now. You just heard my therapist say I've gained full mobility. And next week, my doctor is going to say the same thing. I assure you."

She took a gulp of water before setting her glass down on the table in front of her.

"That may be the case bhabhi, and honestly... I do believe you. But I'm more scared of bhai. He gave us strict instructions to take care of you," Rinki replied. "And we're not about to invite his wrath by going against him."