Paradise ~ A Devdutt Padikkal Story

5.

Vedangi made her way to the jogging track near her society. It was six in the evening with the sun about to set. The sky had mixed hues of orange, pink and powder blue that made her stop and click a picture.
She definitely was a 'pretty sky' girl.

The jogging track had more of older folks than young but Vedangi enjoyed watching them. The way a group of middle aged uncles sat in a circle and laughed, talking about politics. The way a group of grandmas chatted happily as they walked slowly on the track. Or the way one of the grandpa made his wife drink water. All of it seemed so adorable to Vedangi's eyes.

She was running when a commotion made her stop. Going nearer to the crowd, Vedangi saw a middle aged woman lying unconscious on the bench and her husband trying to wake her up.
Understanding the urgency, Vedangi stepped forward, "What happened?"
"I don't know, she felt dizzy so I asked her to sit on the bench and now she's not opening her eyes." The lady's husband replied in distress.
"Okay Uncle it's most probably dehydration. Do you have water?" Vedangi asked urgently.
The man nodded in a yes and Vedangi asked him to wait for five minutes and bolted towards the gate.

Returning seven minutes later, Vedangi hastily opened the Glucon-D and took the bottle from the man.
"Try to wake her up until I make this!" Vedangi urged the people around.
After a few attempts, the lady slowly opened her eyes but she was still weak and dehydrated.
Vedangi shook the bottle a few times and then approached the lady.
"Aunty drink this, it's Glucon- D, you'll get some energy." Vedangi sat beside the lady as she drank the concoction, rubbing her back occasionally.

"Do you feel better?" Vedangi asked worriedly.
The lady nodded and Vedangi smiled.
"I feel fine now, I'm okay." The lady replied and Vedangi let out a breath of relief.
"Tumhe bohot thankyou beta, I don't know what I would have done." The middle aged man thanked her wholeheartedly.
"Uncle, it's my duty as a good citizen and my parents are also the same age as you both. I'd have done the same if it were my parents!" She assured them.
"Naam kya hai tumhara? Aur kaha rehti ho?" The lady asked Vedangi.
"Vedangi Shukla, I've just moved to Bangalore aur mein Citadel Society mein rehti hu." Vedangi introduced herself.
"Are waah, we live exactly next to Citadel, tumhe humare sath ghar aana chahiye." The man urged Vedangi. She refused initially but the lady personally invited her and she agreed ultimately.

Vedangi was taken by surprise on seeing Chandni at the door, who was perplexed herself.
"Vedangi? Tum yaha kaise?" Chandni questioned.
"You both know each other?" The lady asked her daughter.
"Yes Amma, remember I told you about the interns joining our office, Vedangi is one of them." Chandni explained.
"That's great and Chandu let us come inside!" Chandni's father said as they entered the house.

Vedangi observed the walls and shelves that were decorated with trophies, awards and frames. It then struck Vedangi that this was the star cricketer Devdutt Padikkal's house.
"Vedangi sit na, be comfortable." Chandni urged while offering her water.
She could make out a similarity between Chandni and her brother, particularly the eyes.

"Vedangi, do you want tea? Mein abhi banati hu." Saying so, Ambili Padikkal got up but was stopped soon after.
"Aunty! Aap abhi das minute pehle dehydration se behosh thi, bhul gayi kya? Aap baitho." Vedangi scolded affectionately.
"Behosh? Amma what happened?! Are you okay?" Chandni's voice conveyed worry and urgency as she sat beside her mother.
"Yes ma'am, Aunty fainted with dehydration in the park, we made her drink Glucon-D and then we came here." Vedangi narrated the incident while Chandni listened intently.
"I suggest ki ek baar blood sugar, vitamin and thyroid test kar lo, its always better to be safe." Vedangi added and Chandni nodded as she stroked her mother's hair.
"Also Amma, Dev called, he'll be home in fifteen minutes." Chandni informed.

"Vedangi stay for dinner." Chandni urged her but she refused because she had already made dinner preparations.
"Are you sure? Atleast take the Gajar ka Halwa with you, meine aaj subah hi banaya hai." Ambili requested to which she couldn't refuse.
Ambili returned from the kitchen a few minutes later with a cloth bag that had the Gajar ka Halwa packed in a steel dabba.
Vedangi smiled and took the bag in her hands before she bent down to touch the Padikkals feet.
"Bohot pyaari bachhi ho tum, khush raho!" Ambili Padikkal blessed Vedangi.
"Aap bhi bohot pyaari ho, mujhe meri Maa ki yaad aagayi aap ko dekh ke, dhyaan rakhna!" Vedangi smiled and then bid them goodbye.

Devdutt climbed the stairs to his house leisurely, unaware of the girl climbing downwards. Vedangi's eyes were focused on fitting her water bottle in the cloth bag when she bumped into a masculine figure. The impact made her lose her balance and she fell to the floor.
Looking up, she saw Devdutt Padikkal holding the railing of the stairs, observing her and the bag in her hands.

Knitting her eyebrows together, Vedangi rebuked him, "Have you got no eyes?! Or are you blind?!"
"I could say the same to you." Devdutt replied calmly.
"The eye is an organ that is supposed to assist you in vision but I guess you have more important things to do than focus on the stairs infront of you!" Vedangi stomped her foot.
"Oh my God, I'm scared!" Devdutt provoked her before laughing.
"Just because you are a famous cricketer does not give you the right to walk as if you own this place!" Vedangi stepped down, looking up at him.
"Thankyou for the recognition little miss arrogant." Devdutt replied coolly yet again.
"And I don't know about the place but I definitely own the bag in your hand." Devdutt added.
"Yes your mom gave it to me and I suggest you tone down that arrogance!" Vedangi started walking down the steps.
"Oh I would if you never show me your face again. I don't waste time on insignificant people, bye!" Devdutt retaliated and went his own way.

_________________________________________

Are you guys not liking the story?
Because I've not received much response like I did previously.