Yuhn Hota Toh Kya Hota- Rikara FF

Chapter 6

"Aise akele akele kya muskura rahi ho, Gauri didi? Kahi phir se Salman Khan ke baare mein toh nahi soch rahi?" (Why are you smiling like this to yourself? Are you thinking of Salman Khan again Gauri didi?) teased Gaurav, a teenage boy, one of the many teenage boys who were part of Gauri's gang of friends. 

"Arey tu yahaan kya kar raha hai?" (Arey, what are you doing here?)

"You forgot. You had promised to teach us the steps of the dance for the upcoming programme in the neighbourhood. Anyways, I came to tell you, that Panditji was looking for you, regarding something about the recent order." replied Gaurav. 

"It just slipped my mind. I hope you remember the steps I taught you last time. You revise the steps, while I'll just quickly go and meet Panditji and come back." said Gauri.

"Which steps? The Salman bhai steps?" Gaurav teased further. 

"Bhai honge tere. Hamaare to saiyaan hai. (You call him brother. For me, he is my beloved) Gauri smiled to herself. 

"Didi, Salman bhai is not going to come here to Bareilly." jeered Gaurav lightly.

"Aayenge. Hamaara vishvaas hai ki hamaara Prem yahaan zaroor aayenge" (He will come. I have faith that my Prem (which also means love) will definitely come here.)

Saying this Gauri quickly made her way to the temple, passing through the narrow gallis (sort of narrow paths between buildings) of the temple road.  

A strong wind blew and her dupatta flew a little off the ground, softly caressing the shoulder of a tall man going in the opposite direction. The man looked back, but couldn't see the face of the girl to whom the bright yellow dupatta with red embroidery, belonged to. 

Gauri kept walking until she almost stumbled and fell to the ground. She looked down to see the source, thinking of pushing the errant stone away, so that other passerbys don't stub their toes, but found herself looking at an expensive smartphone. She picked it up and looked behind her to guess who might have left it behind. Only one person fit the description. Gauri knew that such an expensive model could only belong to a city-dweller. She saw the man, with tailor fitted clothes walking swiftly towards his destination, his long hair tied in a half-ponytail swaying behind him. 

"These city-dwellers have weird hairstyles." thought Gauri to herself, as she ran after him to call him, but he walked too fast for her to catch up. She lost his trail, and remembered that she had to go to the temple to talk to Panditji. 

As she made her way to the temple, the stranger's phone in her hand buzzed. It flashed a name in English. After two attempts, Gauri could make out the words, 'Annika Bhaabhi'. it must be that stranger's sister-in-law she thought. 

Should I pick up the call? Or should I leave it? Looking up at the sky as if to take Shankarji's permission, Gauri received the call. However, before she could utter a word, the caller on the other side started.

Annika asks "Where are you? Why were you not picking up the call?"

Gauri replied, "I'm in Bareilly."

As both the women heard each other's voices, the same thought flitted through their minds. As if the voice on the other end belonged to someone they knew, someone from another lifetime. 

 Annika went on in a flow, "I know you are in Bareilly, but.... this is some girl's voice." stating the obvious. 

Gauri replied, "Well, I sound like a womaniya, because I am a womaniya".

Annika is puzzled,"Womaniya, who are you?" 

Gauri replied,"I'm Gauri Kumari Ssarma, paachvi paas from Bareilly, Namaste."