A loud opening of the door voice echoed in the room. The house was filled with dust. Spider webs had formed and some other insects too. But the things were at there place. Bani stood at the threshold of the house with teary eyes.
" Baba ne sach kaha tha. Aur Maa ne theek naam diya tha, Ashiyana." Bani walked inside and admiring each and every corner said
" Bohot saari yaadein Judi hau iss ghar se."
She walked infront of the wall where A drawing was made. Maybe she had made when she was 5 year old. Bani thought when she heard him speaking. She looked behind and got shocked.
"5 nahi 4 saal ki thi tu. Pagol mein. Apna hi bachpan kon bhoolta hai ?" Anirudh said narrowing his eyes.
" Baba." Bani whispered. She closed her eyes and rubbed it. And again opened only to see no one. Hitting her forehead lightly she turned and put her attention back on the wall. She caressed it and pressed her head against the wall and closed her eyes. Little drops of tears fell from her eyes as she reminisced the past.
Kabhi yaadon mein aao
Kabhi khwaabon mein aao
A 4 year old Bani was drawing some on the paper with crayons. Bondita was in the kitchen making food. Suddenly Bani got up from the floor and walked towards the wall. She sat down, standing on the floor on her knees she started to draw.
She freaked out when Anirudh whispered near her ears.
" Mishti kya kar rhi hai." Anirudh said sitting beside her.
" Mishti drawing kar rhi hai. Maa Baba aur Bani ko bana rhi hai." Bani said in her baby voice with a pout.
" Maa dekhegi toh gussa nahi karegi?" Anirudh asked while raising an eyebrow.
Bani looked at him blinking her eyes and then at the drawing. Anirudh picked up a crayon and gave a wide smile. Bani gave a toothy smile and both Father and daughter started to draw on the wall.
Bondita coughed from behind while Anirudh and Bani stopped drawing. They slowly turned back and gave a little smile to Bondita who was glaring at the duo. Bani and Anirudh stood up and looked at eachother.
" Kya ho rha hai yeh?" Bondita said crossing her arms across her chest.
" Bani bachi hai samjh aata hai par abhi.." Bondita sighed. Anirudh and Bani downed their faces. Bondita walked towards them. She looked behind them and smiled a little. She walked past them and then sat on her knees.
" Bani Mein itni moti nahi hoon. Itna Mota kyun banaya mujhe?" Bondita asked picking up a crayon and drawing on the wall.
The latter looked at eachother shocked and gave a wide smile to eachother. They sat beside Bondita and the trio drew a happy family on the wall.
Kabhi yaadon mein aao
Kabhi khwaabon mein aao
"Maa..." Bani whispered and sat down with support of wall. She stood up and went to her mother and father's room. She looked around and giggled seeing the photos there. She turned and saw Bondita entering with her in her arms. Bondita made Bani lie down on the bed and covered her with bedsheet. Bondita lied beside her and patted her head. Bani snuggled to her chest while Bondita hummed a song.
She remembered that she was scared after seeing a dream. Laughing at her innocence she looked at the scene with teary eyes.
Bani's revive broke and she looked behind her to see the windows making noise. She opened it and a gush of winds flowed making her hairs flutter. Bani closed her eyes and a smile came on her face as she enhaled the scent of flowers. She opened her eyes and turned to see the bed empty. Again tears pooled near her eyes.
Teri palkon ke saaye mein aakar jhilmilaoo
Main wo khushboo nahin jo hawa mein kho jaun.
She crossed her hands across the chest and rubbed her arms as she felt a little cold.
And again she imagined her past.
Little Bani standing sulking her face while Anirudh rubbing her hairs. Bondita shouting at Bani while folding the clothes.
" Bondita tum kya Bani pe chilla rhi ho? Tum khud bachpan mein bheegti thi baarish mein. Aur jab sardi lag jaati toh school na jaane ka bahana mil jaata tumhe." Anirudh said rescuing his daughter from Bondita's wrath.
Bondita frowned when Bani started to laugh. Anirudh joined her and Bondita too laughed with him. Bondita made Bani change her clothes . Bani jumped on bed beside Anirudh.
Anirudh started to tell a story when Bondita covered them with blanket and then lied beside Bani and she too started to hear the story intently. After a while when Anirudh looked beside him he saw that both Bani and Bondita had slept with open mouth. Chuckling, he kept the story book aside and kissed their foreheads. Covering them properly he slept along with them.
Bani wiped her tears and smiled sadly as again the images faded.
Hawa bhi chal rahi hai
Magar tu hi nahi hai
Fiza rangeen bani hai
Kahani keh rahi hai
Mujhe jitna bhulao
Main utna yaad aaun
She walked outside and saw her mother shouting her name while she was busy hiding.
" Bani Kaha gyi ? Idhar aao. Chalo yeh Daliya Khao. " Bondita shouted from kitchen
Bani saw herself running around the house while Bondita behind her running with a bowl in her hand. Anirudh who had come from the room well dressed to go for the court stood bewildered. Bondita eyes widened when she saw her hand empty. The bowl made a irritating sound as it fell on the ground. The Daliya had fallen Anirudh's shirt while little Bani who was hiding behind Anirudh looked at him with her innocent eyes. Anirudh looked behind him and then at Bondita who was trying to hold back her laugh.
" Bondita..." Anirudh called her and was still in daze. Bondita burst out laughing and between her laugh she said " Mujhe nahi...apni beti se kaho."
Anirudh looked behind him and saw Bani standing looking everywhere but not at him. He bent to her height and called her softly " Bani.."
Jo tum na milte
Hota hi kya dhoond laane ko ho…
" Sorry Baba." Bani said cutely holding her ears and looking at him with puppy eyes. Anirudh giggled and picked her up in his arms and kissed her cheek.
" It's okay meri jaan. Koi baat nahi." Anirudh said kissing Bani's nose while the latter giggled and kissed Anirudh's cheek.
Jo tum na milte
Hota hi kya dhoond laane ko
The latter In the evening Bondita was sitting on the sofa exhausted while Bani was sitting on the floor sulking.
" Kya hua?" Anirudh asked keeping his files on the table and poured himself a glass of water.
" Maa mere saath nahi khel rhi." Bani said with a pout. Anirudh looked at Bondita who was looking at him with innocent eyes. She was very tired which Anirudh could see from her face. Anirudh smiled and nodded.
Jo tum na hote
Hota hi kya haar jaane ko
Anirudh sat down and asked Bani to sit on his back. Bani ran sat on his back while Anirudh moved around.
" Chal mere ghode tick tick tick ". Bani said ordering Anirudh who had become a horse. Anirudh and Bondita laughed. Bondita stealthily came and picked up Bani. As Anirudh felt Bani had come down he was about to sit when Bondita sat on his back.
" Bondita tum kya bachi ho? Utro niche. " Bondita said no and acted as kid while Anirudh sighed. He went two steps when he lied on the floor flat while Bondita rolled over to other side. Both of them sat back and looked at Bani who was laughing her heart out. Anirudh and Bondita pulled her and tickled Bani and three of them lied on the floor laughing.
Meri amanat ho tum
Meri mohabbat ho tum
Tumhe kaise main bhulaun
Bani smiled and went inside her room while the images faded behind her. She looked around and saw that each and every corner of the room was filled with memories. She heard some voices from the washroom . Going over there a wide smile came on her face.
" Toh shuru karein?" Anirudh asked.
" Haan aur jisne pehle brush kiya woh Maa ke haath ke banaye huye chupaye huye ladoo khayega." Bani said. " Done. On the count of three." Anirudh said.
Both of them held their brushes as if it was their weapon and started to brush.
Tu asmaan mera jahaan lage mujhe
Tu asmaan ki manzilein lage mujhe
They stopped their competition when the heard Bondita calling them. She was looking at them wide eyes. Ignoring her they continued their competition making Bondita frown. She walked near them and tried to talk but neither of them heard her.
tu hi meri chandni
raaton ko jo halki si jale
As Bondita didn't stop to speak both Anirudh and Bani turned and kissed her while Bondita made irritating face as they hadn't still washed their mouth.
tu hi meri sham o shaher
jo mere sang chale
Bani couldn't see more. She ran away from the house. She ran aimlessly on the road and stood near a river huffing and puffing. She cried holding a pole.
" Bani.." a man said.
Bani turned and in a swift ran and hugged him.
" Ravi. Ravi uss din mujhse bohot badi galti hui. Uss din mujhe Maa aue Baba se aise baat nahi karni chahiye thi. Meri wajah se door ho gye woh mujhse. Meine Mere chote bhai se Maa aur Baba ka pyaar cheem liya. Mein bohot badi idiot hoon Ravi." Bani cried and cried while Ravi gulping a lump caressed her hairs in order to calm her down.
Bani broke the hug and stood in distance after muttering a sorry. She turned and stood admiring the river. Ravi stood beside her and said " Kab kya kaise Hota hau humne nahi Pata hota Bani. Jo Hota hai upar waale ke marzi se Hota hai. You know what they say umm.. Vidhi ka Vidhaan. Usse koi nahi badal sakta."
Turning her towards him he said " Uss din tumahri koi galti nahi thi. Bani tum Choti thi uss waqt. Ek bachi thi. Mere saath bhi hua tha jab Manav iss duniya mein aaya tha. "
" Par meri tarah kathor shabd toh nahi karegi the na tumne. Tumne uncle aur Aunty ke saath Batameezi bhi toh nahi ki thi na." Bani said with a sad voice.
" Bani jab bache chote hote hai akasar galtiyan karte hai. Tumne bhi ki. Par himmat waali baat yeh hai ki tumne apni galti maani.
Jo har koi nahi karta. " Ravi said caressing her cheek. " Tumne akele hi Rishi ko sambhala. Maa aur Baba , dono ka pyaar diya. Tumhara bas chalta toh tum Ravi ko bhai maane se Inkaar kar sakti thi par tumne toh usse beta maanke sambhala hai. Meri Bani buri nahi hai." Ravi said and pulling her little close he kissed her forehead while a red hue formed in Bani's cheeks and closed her eyes.
They parted away and started to walk silently. They gave eachother smile simultaneously but didn't speak. Bani stopped infront of the house and waved at him. He waved back. Before Bani could go inside Ravi held her hand and said " Kuch kehna hai."
" Kaho." Bani said with a smile. Ravi sat on his one knee and forwarded his hands and said " I love you. Abhi se nahi. Bachpan se. Tumhe jab pehli baar dekha tha toh aisa laga ki koi toh aaya jispe mein Haq jaama sakun. Jisse mein apna man sakun. Jisse mein bohot pyaar kar sakun. Tumhe jab bhi pareshaan karta toh acha lagta tha kyunki uss waqt mein sirf tumhare saath rehta tha lekin koi aur tumhe pareshaan karta toh mujhse bardaash nahi hota. Tumhe jab Devdasi banane ke liye woh log leke gye aue mein jab Tumhe bacha na Sakha toh khud pe gussa aaya. Jab wapas aayi toh maano sukoon mila. I love you Bani. I really do. Kya mujhse shaadi karogi?"
All this while Bani looked at him with teary eyes. She was silently watching Ravi. Ravi waited for her answer but didn't get any.
He got up and said without looking at her
" Bani. It's okay. Agar tum mujhse pyaar nahi karti toh. Feelings ko force nahi karna chahiye. Agar tum kisi aur ko pasand karti ho toh Boldena. As a best friend mein tumhari shaadi ussi se karwa loonga. Aur ...." Ge stopped speaking and his eyes widened. His hands got wrapped around his waist while Bani's hand encircled around his neck. Bani kissed him. Ravi came out of his shock when Bani parted away and said " Kitna bolte ho tum? Gale mein dard nahi hota kya?".
" Yeh..yeh kya kiya tumne?" Ravi asked who was still shocked.
" Jo bhi kiya feelings ke saath kiya. Ab meri baat suno. Ami tomake bhaalobashi. Khub bhalobaashi. Aur mein tumse shaadi karne ke liye ready hoon." Bani said with wide smile.
Ravi gave wide smile and pulled her to another kiss. He held her tightly by the waist while Bani's fingers held Ravi's hairs in a fist.
A milkman was riding his cycle humming a tune when he saw them. He got shocked and fell from the cycle making them come out of their world. Both looked at the man and then at eachother and laughed aloud.
Ravi forwarded his hand while Bani intertwined her fingers with his. While walking inside , she said in her mind.
" Maa. Baba. Aap dono yahan nahi hai par apna ashurwaad banaye rakhna. Jaise aap dono ne Ashiyana banaya tha, aaj mein bhi apne Ashiyana ke taraf kadam badha rhi hoon."
Hawa bhi chal rahi hai
Magar tu hi nahi hai
Fiza rangeen bani hai
Kahani keh rahi hai
Mujhe jitna bhulao
Main utna yaad aaun
Bani suddenly had an urge to look behind. As she did a wide smile came on her face. Bondita and Anirudh standing while holding their hands. They waved at her while Bani too did. Anirudh tried to tease Bani by saying that Ravi wasn't a good match but Bondita hit him and he retreated. Bani laughed seeing them. Bondita made a perfect sign looking at Bani and Ravi while Bani smiled. Bondita and Anirudh again waved at her. Suddenly fog entered and in a sec they vanished. Bani stood there waving at there retreating figure.
She came out of her thoughts as Ravi called her inside. Looking at the spit once again, she smiled and went inside and closed the door.
Kabhi yaadon mein aao
Kabhi khwaabon mein aao
Kabhi yaadon mein aao
Kabhi khwaabon mein aao
Teri palkon ke saaye mein aakar jhilmilaoon.
Another bonus will be there but that would be the last one. After posting the last bonus I would post a chap named Review where if you guys want to then can post your review on the book 🙂❤.
Also please do comment your views on this chap too. The other bonus part i don't know when I would be posting.
Love,
Trupti.