"Aj!" The pillow found it's way towards the floor as her heart missed a beat. With a sullen pout on her lips, Lakshmi scratched the side her neck, on the verge of tears.
"Aj!" Saraswati slapped her forehead, her dream of her soulmate, her money, crushed mercilessly.
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Why the suffocation? A look of puzzlement crossed Lakshmi's face in return to the confused looks being shooted in her direction. A few seconds followed by, when she could finally realise that she had the eye mask on her mouth.
"Ab raat ko sare tin baje aise buzzer daba daba kar neend kharaab karenge toh yehi hoga na. Ek toh Babyboo ko aur mujhe chain se sone nehi dete upar se inke dar se main eye mask muh pe pehen kar aa gayi! Yeh sasur hain ya asur pata nehi!" Lakshmi mumbled taking off the mask, earning herself a glare from Durga.
Akshat pressed on the buzzer repeatedly, his gaze fixated towards the door of his room. All has gathered into the hall but there she was, snoring away to glory.
Guddan groaned as the constant buzz interrupted her dreams. Pressing the pillows to her ears, she snuggled further into her cozy blanket. Nothing worked as the buzz kept on repeating itself. Defeated, she sprang out of the couch and marched out of her room, folding up her sleeves. I am going to shoot the one who dared to separate me from my dear dreams!
"Kaun pagal itni raat ko shor macha raha hai? Is ghar mein chain se so bhi nehi sakte kya?" She descended down the stairs, shouting in irritation. Her eyes travelled to Akshat, who was shooting her a menacing look with a buzzer in his hand.
So it was Uncle! Yeah yeah, after all he is the reincarnation of Hitler!
"Waha khari khari muh kya dekh rahi ho. Yaha aake sab ke saath khari ho jao. Tumhe card mein chapwa ke invitation dena parega kya? Buzzer baj raha hain matlab neeche aana hain." Akshat chided.
"Toh aapne kabhi pehle kaha hain ki buzzer daba ke aap itni........ Vardaan ji time kya ho raha hain? Achha, haa toh raat ko sare tin baje buzzer daba daba kar aap aise neend ke parkachhe udayenge, yeh kya sapne mein aaya tha humare! Aur..."
"Shut up and do as I say!" He shouted, having enough of her crap.
"Khadoos!" She mumbled and made her way towards the family gathering, stifling a yawn.
"Kal shaam ko humare ghar mein ek welcome party hain, Mr. Khurana ke saath overseas mein collaboration ka deal finalised ho chuki hain, isliye aap sab kal subha se hi taiyaariyaan shuru kar dijiye. Mehmaan ki khatirdaari mein koi kami nehi honi chahiye, mujhe shikaayat ka koi mauka nehi milna chahiye. Aur dhyaan rakhiye ki koi bhi, I mean koi bhi garbar nehi hona chahiye. Shanti aur tameez se peshana hain party mein....Vardaan, party ko tum sambhaaloge kyunki tumne ek mauka maanga tha mujhse, I hope you won't make me regret my decision..... Ab aap sab apne apne room mein jaa sakte hain." Akshat said.
Did he mean her? Did he mean she behaves abnormally?! She appeared to sulk for a moment as he effortlessly carried himself up the stairs. Urghhh!
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"Aapko neend weend nehi aati hain kya?" Guddan asked, stepping inside the room.
"What?"
"I mean aren't you exhausted after fasting throughout the day?"
"Sorry, what?"
"You should be!"
"Guddan tum.." He was about to start but she cut him off.
"Aapki deal hain maante hain, bahot important hain yeh bhi maante hain, par yeh baat subha batane pe kya aapki naak chapti ho jati? Char ghante baad bata dete, humari neend puri ho jaati."
"Tumhe humesha sone ki kyun pari hoti hain?!"
"Toh aapko bhi humesha hukum chalane ki kyun pari hoti hain? Rukiye, apna lecture aap baad mein sunaiyega, pehle aap humari baat sun lijiye. Point yeh nehi hain ki aapne hume bulakar deal ki baat kyun ki, point yeh hain ki aapki timing galat hain. Bahuyon ne sara din vrat rakha tha, Dadi bhi Karvachauth ki taiyaariyon mein lagi huyi thi aur upar se aapke ghar na aane se pareshaan bhi thi. Karvachauth ke din aapke restaurant mein bhi home delivery ke kayi sare orders aaye honge, isliye Kishore ji, Vardaan ji aur Rahul ji ko bhi sara din kaam karna para. Toh zahir si baat hain ki sab thake huye hain aur unhe kya chahiye? Bas thora sa aaraam chahiye unhe. Hum kuch galat toh nehi bol rahe na? Aapka bhi toh aaj har taraf se stress tha! Phir aap hi bataiye, yeh itni raat ko buzzer daba daba kar bulane ki kya zarurat thi? Aap subha bhi toh baat kar sakte the na, par nehi, aapne nehi kiya. Aadhi raat ko sab apne neend se uthkar daurte daurte chale aaye, par kyun? Kyunki sab aapka izzat karte hain, aur isliye aapka bhi farz banta hain unke bare mein sochne ka, unki sukoon aur khushiyon ke bare mein sochne ka. Unki takleefon ko mehetwa dene se aapka nuksaan nehi ho jayega, utla achha lagega unhe, unki aapki taraf izzat aur bar jayega."
"Mere gharwalon mera bahot izzat karte hain already.....Aur tum kehna kya chahti ho? Mujhe fikr nehi hain apne gharwalon ka?!"
"Hum yeh nehi keh rahe ki aapko apne parivaar ki fikr nehi hain, hum bas yeh keh rahe hain ki aapko samajhna chahiye ki aapke parivaar walon ko bhi aaram chahiye hota hain, unko bhi sara din kaam karne ke baad sukoon bhari ek neend ki zarurat hoti hain, robots nehi hain woh, insaan hi hain, aapke apne hain....... Khair, insaan samajhna nehi chahta toh saakshath Lord Krishna bhi aake unhe samjha nehi sakte. Aadhi neend toh apne kharaab kar hi di hain aur isliye, hum chale sone, agar wakt mile toh humari ki huyi baaton pe gaur zaroor kijiyega!" Done with her words, she crawled back under her warm blanket.
Unbeknownst to them, her words had planted a seed in his heart. She may forget what her tongue spoke, but the mark has been left, and it will slowly stretch far and wide to reach out the changes it has planned.
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He frowned as he felt some slender fingers stroking his hairs. His eyes fluttered open and met with a pair of browns, searching through his hairs with keen interest. Irritated, he pushed her frame slightly and sat up.
"Kya kar rahi ho? Mere baal tumhe koi tijori lagta hain jaha khazana milega!" He remarked sarcastically.
"Khazana toh nehi par haan kuch aur dhund rahe hain. Aap so jaiye na, hume apna kaam karne dijiye." She spoke impatiently, trying to reach for his hairs but he protested.
"Stop! Kya dhund kya rahi ho? Don't you dare believe you can discover your lost items in my hairs!" Has she gone nuts or what?! Well, who was he kidding? She herself is a nut!
"Arey dono mein se ek choose karni hoti hain na, hum wahi kar rahe hain."
"Choose? Kya matlab?"
"Arey humne do options rakha hain, aur woh aapke baalon se related hain."
"Kaise options?"
"Yehi ki agar aapke safed baal hume dikh gaye toh phir haan aur agar nehi dikhe phir na!"
"What rubbish!........ Aur, yeh sab tum kyun kar rahi ho?" Gulping down the anger, he asked.
"Woh...kuch nehi.. Bas aise hi." She tried to go but he caught her wrist.
"And you think I will buy your lie? Kya baat hain batao warna yaha khari raho sara din, mujhe kya hain."
She gave him an innocent look and trailed "Woh aaj Papa ka birthday hain aur hum soch rahe the ki unhe ghar jaa kar surprise de. Par..."
"Himmat nehi juta paa rahi ho unke saamne jaane ki, right?" He asked to which she nodded.
"Apne maa baap ke saamne jaane se darte woh log hain jinhone koi galat kaam kiya ho. Aur mujhe nehi lagta ki tumne kuch galat kiya hain, phir darne ka koi matlab hi nehi hain."
"Par hum unhe sach bataakar pareshaan nehi karna chahte, unhe takleef hogi..."
"Mata pita hain woh tumhare, tumhe tumse zyada samajhte hain. Unhe tumse koi bhi safai sunne ki zarurat nehi hain. Tumhe bachpan se dekha hain unhone, woh samajh jayenge. Agar unke jagah main hota toh main bhi usi tarah react karta jaise unhone kiya hain. Badon ke daant mein hi unka pyaar chipa hota hain. Aur kabhi na kabhi toh unka saamna karna hi hoga na, kab tak chupogi unse?......Jao, jaldi se naha dhokar taiyaar ho jao do ghante ke andar, main tumhe ghar tak chor aaunga. Ab hato saamne se, mujhe taiyaar hona hain, sare utpatang harkate tumhe hi sujhta hain!"
"Suniye!" She called out as he was about to leave.
"Haan?"
"Thank you!"
He shook his head and went for the door.
"Huh! Jaise ek chota sa welcome bolne se inka umar bar jayega!" She muttered, opening her cupboard.
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"Kishore, restaurant ka khayal rakhna, main ek ghante ke andar aajaunga waha." Akshat instructed to Kishore while he nodded.
"Lalla, kaha jaa raha hain beta?" Dadi asked, approaching him.
"Guddan ko mayke chorne. Aaj uske papa ka janamdin hain." Akshat replied.
"Par aaj toh shaam ko party hain na, Guddan kaise jaa sakti hain ghar ko chorka..." Durga had to zip her mouth as her father-in-law shooted her a glare.
"Chaliye Uncle!" Guddan said, moving out with Akshat.
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"Kya hain ismein?" She asked as he handed her a packet.
"Cake hain ismein, tumhare Papa ke liye."
"Aapne banaya hain?"
"Nehi, pados se laya hu!"
She rolled her eyes and trailed "Iski kya zarurat thi?"
"Woh mere bhi kuch lagte hain! Ab yeh lo aur gaari mein baitho."
His words gave an odd soothing to her nerves. He cares! And she smiled.
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"Andar nehi jana tumhe? Jao main aata hu ek minute mein." Akshat said while attending a call.
"Aap andar aayenge humare saath?"
"Haan. Kyun? Nehi aana chahiye?"
"Nehi, hum woh nehi keh rahe, khair aap aajaiyega."
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"Di!" Revati hopped into her sister's arms the very moment of her arrival.
"Arey Chutki, chor hume, warna pakka mar jayenge!" Guddan chortled as her sister's embrace nearly stole her breaths.
"I missed you!" Revati broke free from the bear hug and planted a kiss on her cheeks, tears moistening her eyes.
"Tu toh aise ro rahi hain jaise mayke hum nehi tu aayi hain. Shaadi ke baad pehli baar ghar aaye hain, socha tha drama karenge par tu hain ki shot pe shot deti jaa rahi hain. Ab chal, apni woh pyaari si chutku si smile dikha de hume." Guddan caressed her cheeks affectionately.
"Kya Di! Aap nehi badli na!" Revati smiled through her tears.
"Aur badlenge bhi nehi!"
"Aapko pata hain mujhe kitni tension ho rahi thi, aapka phone switched off kyun aa raha tha?"
"Arey haan! Hum toh bhool hi gaye the, humara phone toh chath se gir kar tut gaya. Tu nehi yaad dilati toh shayad hum bhul hi jate."
Akshat, who had stood aside to give the sisters some privacy, shook his head. She forgot the phone she was about to bid adieu to the world for? What an odd girl!
"Aap bahar kyun khare hain, andar aaiye na." Revati insisted, as she saw Akshat standing out.
"Waise chutki tu apne Jijaji ko kya bulayegi?" Guddan asked, wiggling her brows.
"As everyone calls me Aj, you can address me the same. And, sorry for whatever I said that day." Akshat said.
"It's okay, koi baat nehi." Revati gave in an awkward smile.
"Aapko yeh Aj aur angreziyon ke ilawa kuch sujhta nehi kya?.....Tujhe pata hain chutki, shaadi ke in kuch dino mein itne angreziyan bol aur sun li, jitna nahi apni zindegi mein kabhi bola aur nahi kabhi suna! Aur tu Jiju bulayegi Uncle ko, samjhi?" Guddan complained to which her sister nodded, while Akshat could shake his head no more at her talks.
"Waise Di, mujhe toh bol diya Jiju bulane ko. Par aap khud apne pati ko Uncle kehkar kyun pukaar rahi hain?" Revati whispered in her ears.
"Arey Chutki, hain toh umar mein buzurg hi. Aur senior citizens ko humesha izzat deni chahiye." Guddan told, which being audible enough to Akshat, earned an irritable glare from him.
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"Woh hum...hum...woh.." She stood in front of her father, fidgeting with her fingers.
Placing a hand on her forehead, Bhushan smiled and said "Kuch batane ki zarurat nehi hain tumhe, Papa hu main tumhara, meri beti ko achhe se jaanta hu. Mujhe yeh nehi pata ki tumne yeh kyun kiya, par mujhe vishwash hain ki meri Guddan kabhi kuch galat nehi kar sakti! Mujhe yakeen hain ki tumne jo kiya hain soch samajhkar hi kiya hain aur isiliye main tumhare koi bhi faisle par sawaal nehi uthaunga. Tumne jo bhi tay kiya hain, yaad rakhna ki tumhare Papa ka aashirvaad humesha tumhare saath hain. Yeh sab aise achanak se hogaya ki us wakt mujhe kuch samajh nehi aa raha tha, apni hi beti ko main.... Khair, in purani baaton ko rehne dete hain aur tumne jo yeh naye zindegi mein kadam rakha hain, main bhagwaan se yehi prathana karta hu ki tum humesha khush raho."
"P..Papa!" Tears spilled over, emotions lumping her throat. This was all she had craved for, the warmth of his trust was her solace.
"Tumhe kya laga, Papa yakeen nehi karenge tumpe? Jaan se zyada pyaari ho tum mere liye beta, aur yaad rakhna ki is ghar ka darwaza tumhare liye humesha khula rahega. Tumhare Papa hain tumhare saath!" Bhushan wiped off her tears, enveloping her in his arms.
"Aaj aapka janamdin hain par taufa hume mila, ek anmol taufa! Isse zyada hume kuch nehi chahiye! Isiliye aap humare liye humari duniya hain..." She smiled.
"Main jaanta hu.......Waise Guddan, waha tumhe koi pareshani toh nehi ho rahi na? Sab thik hain na?" He asked, looking into her eyes.
"H..Haan, sab..sab thik hain! Bahot khush hain hum waha, bahot pyaar karte hain sab hum..humse waha. Bilkul ghar jaisa lagta hain! Aap chinta mat kijiye." She stuttered, averting her eyes. How shall I say Papa, each and every second feels like an eternity there! I miss you every second Papa, I miss you in my every breath!
"Tumhari khushi se zyada keemti kuch nehi hain Guddan!" He patted her cheeks, teary eyed.
"Yeh le Guddan, tere man pasand aaloo ke paranthe! Aur tere Papa ne bilkul sahi kaha, teri khushi se barkar kuch bhi nehi! Hume is shaadi se koi shikayat nehi hain! Bas aise hi khush reh humesha!" Kaushalya entered the room with a plate.
"Mummy!!" She wrapped her arms around Kaushalya's neck, whispering her gratitude.
"Haan haan baba, thik hain. Paranthe thande ho rahe hain, nehi khani kya? Pehle toh aaloo ke paranthe dekh ke bari uchalti thi!"
"Haan, khani hain na! Aaloo ke paranthe ho aur hum na khaye aisa kabhi ho sakta hain?!" She attacked the food, satisfaction washing over her face.
Hush! Thank god, I got rid of this clumsy idiot! I should have actually praised her that day. After all, I got a rich son-in-law, it would surely be beneficial for Revati!
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"Aapne bulaya?" Akshat asked, entering Bhushan's room.
"Haan Damaad ji, kuch zaruri baat karna tha aapse."
"Ji zaroor, aap bataiye aapko kya baat karna hain."
He folded his hands in front of him and said "Mujhe Guddan ke bare mein kuch baat karna tha. Aap bahot bare aadmi hain, agar aapka thora sa wakt mil jata toh.."
"Arey aap yeh kya kar rahe hain. Bare hain aap mujhse, aise haath jor kar mujhe sharminda mat kijiye. Aapko jo bhi batana hain aap befikr bataiye." Taking his hands in his, Akshat assured.
"Main nehi jaanta Guddan ne aisa kadam kyun uthaya aur aapko wajah pata hain bhi ya nehi, main yeh bhi nehi jaanta. Par main itna zaroor jaanta hu ki meri beti aise hi bina kisi majboori ke aisa kadam nehi utha sakti, maine kabhi use aisi koi parvarish nehi diya jisse koi uspar ungli utha sake, par pata nehi kyun sabne uske aaine jaise saaf niyat pe kichar uchala. Par aap samajhdaar hain, sahi galat mein farak samajhte hain. Ab aap uska jeevansaathi hain, uske pati hain. Ek aurat har ek cheez se lar sakti hain, par pati ke saath ke bina sasural ke rishtey nehi nibhaaye ja sakte. Aapke saath ke bina woh nehi reh payegi waha, nehi basa payegi apna ghar, isiliye aaj, main Guddan ka pita hone ke naate aapse meri beti ke liye aapka saath maangta hoon. Waha uska koi nehi hain... Kuch bhi ho jaye aap use akela mat chorna, usko sambhaal ke rakhna. Nadaan hain meri bachhi, bholi hain... Duniyadaari ka soojh boojh nehi hain usmein, nehi dekha hain usne insaanon ka asli chehra! Haan, unjaane mein galatiyaan ho jaati hain usse, par niyat mein koi khot nehi hain uski, bachhe jaisa saaf dil hain uski. Abhi tak toh maine sambhaal kar rakha tha use, par ab shaadi ho chuki hain uski, main nehi rahunga uski raksha karne ke liye... Isiliye main aaj uski zimmedaari aapko saupta hoon, khayal rakhiyega meri beti ka, use bikharne mat dijiyega. Aap bhale aadmi lagte hain mujhe, yaad rakhiyega, main apni beti nehi jaan saup raha hoon aapko. Mere paas jo bhi anmol taufa tha, main aapko de chuka hoon. Mera bharosa mat todiyega." Bhushan requested, his cheeks moist with tears.
"Pita hain aap uski, main aapki pareshaniyan samajh sakta hoon. Aap bilkul chinta mat kijiye. Main waada karta hoon aapse, uska khayal rakhunga, use apne parivaar ki kami mehsoos hone nehi dunga. Aapki beti ko humare ghar mein bhi ek beti ki tarah hi rakha jayega, aur main khud yeh dhyaan rakhunga ki aapko shikayat ka mauka na mile." Akshat promised, wiping off his tears.
"Aap sach mein achhe insaan hain, main aapka shukrguzaar hu. Aap nehi jaante aapne kya keh diya hain, ek pita ke liye isse barkar kuch ho hi nehi sakta! Aur sirf Guddan hi nehi, aapka bhi is ghar mein bete jaisa hi hak banta hain. Aap mujhe papa kehkar pukaar sakte hain, jaise Guddan bulati hain." Bhushan caressed his cheeks.
"Papa..." Peace crawled up his body at his words. He got a father, he got a shade! The love he had always yearned for. He felt home!