Veer checked his phone for the umpteenth time.
Neither had Rani seen his message yet nor had she called him back.
Veer: Pata nahi knaha gayab hojati hai ye ladki! Subah se na message na call....
It was Veer's day off and he wanted to spent the day resting, talking to Rani and roaming around the city.
But---
He looked at his watch. It was 11 a.m.
"Last time", he murmured and called her up.
Veer: Rani knaha thhi aap?Na phone utha rhi hai na--
He asked as soon as the call was received.
"Dacter saab hum Pinku bol rhe hai"
Veer: Pinku?...umm...Rani knaha hai?
Pinku: oo bahan to bahar gyi hai. Phone le jana bhul gyi sayad....
Veer: ohh..kab tk wapis aayengi wo?
Pinku: pata naahi Dacter saab. Oo kachu batake naahi gayi hai.
Veer: thik hai koi baat nhi. Aap sab kaise hai?
Pinku: jii hum sab thik hi hai.
Veer: Okay. Mai baad mai phone karta hoo.
Veer cut the call and rested his head against the headboard with a frown on his face.
______
"Subah se pure gau mai ghumat rahi hai. Kam se kam ab thikse haath muh to dhole. Dekh haath payr par kaise mitti lagi hai!", said Dadiamma scolding Rani.
Rani: arey dadiamma khelte waqt mitti lag gayi... kaa kare😕
Dadiamma: Rani, ab to shaadi hogayi hai tahri, khel kud ki umar thodi na hai🤦♀️
Ramadheer: Arey amma, humari bitiya ki shaadi hogayi to kaa hua? Abhi to oo ki padhai krne ki, khelne ki hi umr hai. Agr abhi khel kud naahi kregi to kaa humare umr mai karegi?
The father daughter duo chuckled and hugged each other.
Dadiamma: aur bigado apan ladli ko🙃 ghar ka ektho kaam bhi naahi aata🤦♀️ eeke sasural waale pata naahi kaa sochte honge...
Ramadheer: amma...
Dadiamma: Thik hai naahi bolate kachu bhi. (To Rani) Damadji ka phone aaya thha..unse baatiyalena...
Rani: 😳...jii jaate hai...
Ramadheer: hum kaa keh rahe thhe amma..aaj hum or Pinku sheher ke liye rawana honge saam ko.
Rani: aaj hi bauji? Hum to abhi tk tumse batiyae bhi naahi thik se..🥺
Ramadheer: arey pagli.. dukhi kaahe horhi hai? Hum kal-prso aajayenge wapis. Bujhi?
Rani: jii bauji...
Rani gave them a smile and left.
_____
Rani: humare shaant se dactor saab ajkl batiyane ke liye bare utavle hojate hai🤭 kaa baat hai😉
She said once Veer was done complaining over the phone.
Veer: ab ye dactor shaant kaha reh pata hai... kisine to iska neend, chayn dono jo chura liya...
Rani: achhaa...to kaun hai ooh?🌝
Veer: hai ek apsara, jisne madhosh kr rkha hai humme apni baaton se...😌
Rani: hmm...aur bataiye aapne iss apsara k baare mai?
Veer: unke baare mai batane ke liye shaand kam pr jaayenge Rani...phir bhi agr aap keh rhi hai to ek choti si poem sunata hoo...
Rani: beshak! Sunaiye...
Veer exhaled and continued speaking.
Veer: Kuch Is Tarah Se Wo Muskurate Hain,
Ki Pareshan Log bhi Unhe Dekh Kar Khush Ho Jate Hain,
Unki Baton Ki Aji Kya Kahiye,
Alfaaz Phool Bankar Hothon Se Nikal Aate Hain.
Hum To Fanah Ho Gaye Unki Aankhen Dekhkar,
Na Jane Wo Aina Kaise Dekhte Honge.
Rani: Arey waah! Dactor saab, aap to din ba din...oo kaa kehte hai..umm... multi-talented..multi talented hote jaa rahe hai... dactor, daku or ab shayar bhi😂
Veer chuckled at the mention of daku and felt bad at the same time.
Veer: Mohabbat cheez hi aisi hai Rani...insaan ko kya se kya bana deti hai...
He said shrugging off his thoughts.
Both of them smiled on their own and continued talking until Rani started to feel little uncomfortable and she made an excuse to end the call.
Rani: Matarani...ee pet mai itna dard kaahe horha hai...
She said groaning in pain.
Rani: Dacter saab ko batate ko khamaka pareshan hojate... Unke dawai ka baksa to hai humre paas..khud hi kauno intejaam krlenge.
"RANI!"
Rani: aaye dadiamma! (To herself) baad mai dawai le lenge pehle kuch kha lete hai... Shayd thik se khana na khane ki wajah se hi aesa horaha hai...
______
Rani sat with everyone for lunch.
It was her favourite dal and rice but she didn't feel like eating at all.
Ramadheer: kaa hua bitiya? Tu khaa kaahe naahi rhi hai? Sab to thik hai na?
Rani: haa bauji--
Dadiamma: sab kaise thik hoga? Subah se isne kachu bhi naahi khaya...
Rani lowered her head.
Dadiamma took a morsel and brought it near her mouth. Rani ate.
Dadiamma: aa hum khila dete hai tujhe...
Rani: naahi dadiamma aap khaiye, hum khud khaa lenge...
After reluctantly eating a little, she felt like throwing up and immediately ran outside.
Kajri too ran after her.
.
.
Kajri: aram se...baith ynaha...
She said making her sit and rubbing her back.
Kajri: Bahan tu thik to hai na? Achanak ka hua tujhe?
Rani: pata naahi..Kajri..
Pinku: Ee lo bahan...paani pi lo...
Said Pinku coming with a glass of water.
Dadiamma: dui din ke liye humri bacchi aapne ghar aai or dekho kaa haal bana liya..
Rani: dadiamma..hum theek hai abhi...
Dadiamma: Oo dikh raha hai humka...Kajri, bahan ko kamre mai le jaa...thoda aaram karne de.
Kajri: jii....
Kajri took Rani to her room.
__________
Rani sat up on the bed.
She was feeling much better after sleeping but at the same time she was hungry too.
Rani climbed down her bed and moved out.
Rani: Dadiamma! Kajri!
She called out but there was no reply.
Rani: Sab kahan chale gaye?
Rani walked towards the kitchen to find something to eat. She picked up a container and smelled it.
Rani: kaa khushboo hai... Achar!😌😍
Rani immediately sat down on the floor to eat.
"Rani!?"
Rani turned to find Dadiamma and Kajri standing behind her.
Kajri: tu kaa kar rhi hai bahan?
Rani: Achar khaa rahe hai? Kaa hua? Aap dono aese kaahe dekh rahe hai?
Kajri: bahan, ee Achar dadi ne tohre gharwalo ke liye banaya thha🤦♀️
Dadiamma: oo sb to thik hai par bitiya khaali pet kauno Achar khata hai kaa? Aur tohri tabiyat bhi to thik naa hai ...tu jaa, apne kamre ma jaa, hum kuch khane ke liye le aate hai.
Rani: jii...
Rani turned to leave but suddenly she felt unsteady and before she could hold something for support,
Rani fainted on the floor.
_____
"Ab kaisa feel horha hai?"
"Ab thoda behtar lag raha hai", replied Rani glancing at Veer's tensed face through her mobile screen.
Kajri and Dadiamma were also present in the room. The latter indicated Kajri to come out.
Veer: abhi jo aapne dawai khai...vo raat mai bhi khalijiyega...
Rani: jii...
Rani could well understand from Veer's voice that a nice thrashing was awaiting for her.
_____
Dadiamma: kaa hua itna muskura kaahe rhi hai?
Kajri: oo dadiamma...apne ektho baat gaur kari hai?
Dadiamma: kaunsi baat?
Kajri: bahan kaa pet mai dard hona, ulti aana, chakkar aana aur phir oo to aachar bhi khaa rahi thhi.. maane khatta kha rahi thhi...
Dadiamma: haan to kaa hua?
Kajri: arey dadiamma aap samjhi naahi kaa...
Dadiamma thought for a while and then finally understood what she meant.
Dadiamma: tu galat to naahi keh rahi Kajri ee baat... Ruk hum jaake Rani se ekbr batiyake aate hai.
Kajri: naahi naahi dadiamma abhi mat jaiye... Hum jaate hai...
Kajri took an about turn towards Rani's room.
_______
Veer: Kyu khayal nahi rakhti aap apna Rani?
Aapse kitna dur hu mai abhi Rani, chahkar bhi is waqt aapke pas nahi jaa skta. Kyu aese pareshan karti hai aap mujhe?
Rani: kaa aap bhi dactor saab, aese bimar bacche ko kauno daanta hai kaa?
She said in a cute voice trying to melt his anger but ofcourse in vain.
Veer: ye cute si shakal bna lene se koi fayda nhi hoga samjhi aap😒
Kajri: kaa jijaji, kaahe humri pyaar si behan se naraj horahe hai?
Veer: Kajri, aap khud he dekh rhi hai na kya halat bana rakhi hai inhone apni....
Kajri: accha theek hai jijaji, aap bahan k saath ee mamla baad ma nipta li jiyega....filal humri baat dhyan se suniye....
______
"Vikram batao to sahi kya baat hai? Tum ne sabhi ko ynha ikattha hone k liye kyu kaha hai?", asked Nandini as the entire Rajawat family except Ranisa assembled in Rajmata's room.
Digvijay: Ha beta baat kya hai? Aapne humme ynaha kyu bulaya?
Rajmata: Vikram, sab theek to haina?
Vikram: Dad, Dadisa, Nandini, aaplog tension mat lijiye, sab theek hai...(clearing his throat)
Actually aaj maine aaplogo ko isiliye ynaha bulaya hai kyunki mujhe aap logo ko ek Good News
deni hai...
______
Veer: Good news?
Veer asked after Kajri was done explaining her point.
Kajri: jii😀
A confused and nervous expression came up on his face.
Veer wasn't thinking of anything but Rani's career and her dreams.
What if Kajri was right?
Kajri: thik hai jijaji, hum bahan ko phone dete hai, aap baat karlijiye...
Kajri said breaking his trance.
Veer: jii...
Veer replied with a smile.
He definitely needed to talk to Rani just now.
************