Jahnvi finlalized the arrangements for the havan and ratjaga today.
She remembered what her mother had advised her yesterday. Jahnvi felt a little cowardly going to her mother, instead of her father, with her marital woes. She knew that her father would probably discourage any reconciliation with Tej, and her mother, being more traditional is likely to suggest patching it up with him. This only meant one thing: that Jahnvi's traitor heart wanted to stick to her marriage even after all that had transpired.
Was it weakness of character, that she was inclined to forgive to him? Certainly it was. But it was only Tej's actual guilt and trying to make up for his past, that had somewhat melted Jahnvi's heart. But this time Jahnvi will hold her own in the marriage, she had something else in her life to look forward to, so not for a moment will 'saving her marriage' be the only reason why she sticks to this marriage. Her kids were grown up, so holding up her marriage for her kids wouldn't be a concern either.
This time she would not surrender her self-respect for love, because it was undeniable that even after three decades, her love for Tej hadn't faded. Love was a disastrous emotion, Jahnvi reflected. It takes away all agency from a person, and makes them helpless in the face of the tiny hope of all the joy that it can bring.
Omkara's eyes followed Gauri around the mansion: when she helped Jahnvi with the preparations, when she talked to Annika bhaabhi and Rudra, when she spoke on the phone, everywhere. He was helpless to do so, and at the same time helpless to explain her why he was like this, why he couldn't communicate with her without confusing her any more. He hoped that somehow she would sit next to him during the havan, but it looked like she outmaneuvered him, to have Rudra to sit between them. He knew Rudra; his brother was going to sit next to Prinku as he wanted Chulbul bhaabhi to sit with O. But Gauri was too sly for his little brother. Omkara smiled at this.
Gauri managed to sit next to Rudy bhaiyaa. Gauri was sure Rudy bhaiyaa with thinking of sitting on the other side of Omkaraji, with Prinku, but she brought Prinku to her side, and asked Rudy bhaiyaa to sit down as the havan was about to begin, ensuring that he sits between her and Omkaraji. Gauri didn't want another interaction with Omkaraji until he gives her some answers. She didn't like this scenario at all: this, him taking all of her and giving none of himself, wanting her to have faith in him, while he didn't trust her completely. This was not a fair bargain, and Gauri was practical enough to admit that ek tarfah rishta nahi nibhta (one-sided relationship doesn't work).
Pinky looked over Shivaay and Annika participating happily in the havan. They were starting the havan as they were the youngest couple in the house, and the eldest in their generation. In other circumstances, Pinky would have been really happy, to see her son, the eldest son of Oberoi family do the havan with his wife. But look at the circumstances....she herself had destroyed everything with her very own hands. When she saw Annika struggling for life, that's when she realized that she almost had a life on her hands, because of her madness. Her insanity, that she would share Shivaay with no one, because her entire life she had only her son. And even her son didn't love her, like Omkara loved Jahnvi, her Shivaay was just obligated to her because she was his mother. And why was it like this? Because she had taught Shivaay that everything in life is a deal. When she saw Shivaay falling in love with Annika, her soul inflamed with rage: her son never loved her, free of any preconditions. Pinky had made peace with Shivaay choosing his brothers over her, because they were after all his brothers, but despite everything she did for her son, the one woman he truly loved without any obligation was Annika. And that made Pinky mad. Now that she looked back on her months of insane planning, she realized how foolish she had been, she should have been happy that her son found love, unlike herself who never did, instead she sought to take that away from him. Pinky sighed, maybe Shivaay won't talk to her ever again.
Tej didn't know how to broach the topic. He and Jahnvi were sitting together at the havan, as a couple, but the reality was that now with the Restitution decree over, Jahnvi was free to divorce him and leave him. How should he say, ask, beg her to stay? After years of emotional abuse he had heaped on her. Jahnvi hadn't shown any sign of either wanting to continue to stay in the marriage or break it off: what would she do? What should he say? What can he say?
The havan was over. Everyone went to have lunch, as the havan took up most of the morning. Omkara got a call from his art gallery owner, they needed to discuss something important related to business with him. He nodded and turned to leave, when he caught Gauri with Annika bhaabhi and Rudra. He was sure something was up, what were these three planning? And about what? Omkara shook his head and left for his work, that Shivaay would handle it.
It was evening in the Oberoi mansion. Gauri thanked the staff for handing her the box of sweets. The Ratjaga was about to begin.
"Dadi, my mother sent some laddoos from Bareilly, wishing me and Annika bhaabhi on our good fortune, and blessing both of us. Will you and the family also have it with me, please?" asked Gauri innocently.
"Of course, Gauri beta, what is there to ask, we will all have it" said Dadi.
Gauri was glad. Her mother did send her the laddoos, but what she didn't tell Dadi was that she had mixed some bhaang in some of them, specially meant for Pinky aunty and Shivaay bhaiyaa. Once the bhaang goes in, all suppressed emotions and frustrations will come out of their mouths. And when the poison is out, the happy feelings would resurface.
Gauri took the plate of laddoos, and placed the plate on the food trolley, ready to serve everyone, but her misfortune that she collided with Pinky. The laddoos got mashed up amongst themselves.
"Not to worry" said Pinky, who seemed deflated after the havan, and was not her usual spiteful self. "I'll just ball them in again." And she proceeded to reshape them into balls, mixing the adulterated laddoos with the non-adulterated ones.
'Gayi bhains paani mein!' (a proverb that literally means that the buffalo went into the water, basically that the work got spoilt) thought Gauri. Now what?
"Wow these look good" said Pinky having one, and others also came over to have one, seeing her. Gauri distributed them to everybody, feeling trapped by the minute. In a matter of minutes the entire house was going to be dozed in bhaang, guests included.
At the end, only one laddoo was left.
"Ab Bareilly ke laddoo hain, bhaang hain, shankarji ka prasad, khaa lete hain harharaike, hamaara kaam toh ho gaya" (Well, these ladoos are from Bareilly, its bhaang after all, Shankarji's prasad, I might as well have it, my work is done), thought Gauri.
A while later Pinky was sitting in the corner and weeping on Shaktiji's shoulder.
"Shivaay would never talk to me, he will never forgive me " she said, hiccuping slightly.
Dadi, who had taken to ignoring Pinky, came over to her.
Under the influence of the bhaang, all her anger over Pinky ebbed away. "Its okay Pinky, I know you realize your mistake, I will call Billu and Annika, and ask Billu to not stay angry with his mother anymore" she said.
Dadi called Shivaay and Annika, who were also slightly swaying due to the effect of the bhaang.
"What happened, Dadi? Why did you call me?" said Shivaay, his speech slurring.
"Look your mother is crying, you made your mother cry, now make up with her. Forgive her, Billu" said Dadi.
"Yes, please, Shivaay, forgive Pinky aunty. I have forgiven her too. Lets all be a happy family, I wanted to be part of a big family always, won't you fulfill the dream for me?" asked Annika pouting.
Shivaay also broke down, crying. "Mom, don't cry, I was angry, and I can't see you crying" said Shivaay.
The five of them: Dadi, Shakti, Pinky, Shivaay and Annika, cried and smiled, reconciling Pinky with Shivaay.
On the other end of the mansion, Tej was begging at Jahnvi's feet, in a very sorry looking state. "Jahnvi, please give me another chance. I didn't want to pressurize you by asking, I knew I was not worthy of you. But I don't know what happened, all these emotions just won't stay in my heart, it all just poured out. Something's wrong with me" said Tej, holding his head.
"Yes, something's wrong with me too, thats why I want to start with you all over again" said Jahnvi, holding her own head.
"Really?" asked Tej, not believing his luck.
"Really. Maa convinced me on this, and she thinks we should see a marriage counsellor" said Jahnvi.
"I approve. We'll go tomorrow" said Tej.
"You don't find this silly at our age?" said Jahnvi.
"No, Jahnvi. We wasted a lot of time. We have very little time left with us to make up for all the lost years. So we shouldn't lose it in thinking about how silly it will look" said Tej.
Jahnvi smiled.
Meanwhile, Rudra was boring Chubby and Prinku, with the details of his first date with Soumya.
"We don't want to know, Rudy bhaiyaa" said Prinku, her head lolling slightly. Chubby too, felt really asleep, with the combined effect of the laddoo and Rudra's sappy love story.
But Rudra continued to no avail, putting his sister and best friend to sleep on his shoulders, on either side of him.
Gauri watched all this happening and laughed with glee. People were behaving so oddly under the influence of bhaang, it was immensely entertaining to watch.
Omkara opened the door, next morning. His family, especially Dadi, would be upset that he missed the Ratjaga, but he had some important buyers to meet yesterday, who really liked his work. But he had gone there to assure that one of his paintings which was really close to his heart, wouldn't be sold. He wanted it returned after the gallery was done exhibiting it.
He opened the door to a strange sight of his family members and several guests strewn across the giant hall of the mansion, lying on their seats or on the floor dozing off. So much for the Ratjaga. At once he knew who was responsible for this.
Gauri's head was heavy, as she woke up.
Of course, she had consumed that laddoo happily yesterday, and now it was time to suffer the consequences. She got up slowly looking around. Of course, everyone else was still in their bhaang-induced slumber. She managed to rise to a sitting position, and looked around. There was somebody standing at the door, but his outline was too hazy to make out.
"Is it....Omkaraji?" said Gauri to herself, as the person started walking towards her.
Omkara sighed and smiled slightly. His Gauri, always up to crazy ideas. He went and plopped down beside her on the floor.
"Maybe I'm dreaming" said Gauri. "You look better in dreams, like a shaant chirota (silent/good boy)"
"This is not a dream" said Omkara.
"This is not a dream?" exclaimed Gauri. She immediately got more alert.
"You took something intoxicating last night, didn't you?" asked Omkara.
"Intoxicating? No. I just had some bhaang vaale laddoo. Not just me, everyone. I got them for Chhoti Maaji and bade bhaiyaa to sort out their differences, I had them by mistake" said Gauri giggling slightly.
Omkara's eyes twinkled. He knew that she didn't have it by mistake.
"I better go and see if the idea worked or not" said Gauri getting up shakily.
She took one step but her head was so heavy that she almost fell on her face, but Omkara got up to hold her. He held her shoulders, to keep her from falling, and this brought Gauri in close proximity to him.
Gauri steadied herself, and slowly extricated herself from Omkara's hands. Omkara noticed this; she is still angry with me and its justified. But what do I tell her?
"I'll go and check" said Gauri, and slowly walked away leaving Om behind.