Shiv Ki Gauri
Chapter 7
10pm in Kapoor house a few hours after the wedding, a somewhat quite atmosphere throughout the house with a few housemaids are walking around cleaning up the remains of the mess left by guests.
Members of the family tired from the day's events have taken to their bedrooms whilst Shiv and Prateek still in there wedding outfits take rest on the sofas whilst sitting talking. Shiv and Prateek are in-between a conversation. Prateek had forced Shiv to sit down after the wedding rituals indenting to spend 5, 10 minutes discussing gauri's depression and how it could be treated. Even though Shiv insisted that he was aware of Gauri's condition, Prateek was having none of it.. he wanted to make sure Shiv was fully prepared. Having said only 10- 15 minuets the conversation had gone on for well over an hour without them realising that the subject matter was also fading away into more general talk.
Shiv's face is expressionless possibly due to the fact he really didn't have anyting to say…he was just listening to what Prateek had to say. Prateek makes a note of how shiv has been listening to him endlessly saying very few words. To incite a response from Shiv Prateek asks "are you ok shiv?"
Shiv: "You know what I'm really just glad it's all over now….i mean we didn't have any major problems"
Prateek:"so your tinking about the wedding?...Kya baat hai shiv aaj toe hamne shiv kapoor ki sensitive side bhi dekhleya, vaise kaafi kush lagrahete tum shaadhi mein."
Shiv: "I was happy and what do you mean by sensitive side."
Prateek: "Meine dekha ..gauri ke saath kaise behave karahe te tum. You know what over 20 years of friendship shiv and I still don't understand you… I know you do have a caring side which people often don't see…I mean everyone sees businessman tycoon Shiv Kapoor rock hard personality…stature, authority, power and all that but there's another side to you Shiv."
Shiv: "I have no idea what you're talking about…and what are you trying say… Tumhe ne toe kaha tha be gentle with her, I was just being gentle." Shiv acts ablivous to Prateek's comment but somewhere deep down he knew Prateek was right. There was much more to shiv kapoor then he let on. Prateek gave shiv a look filled curiosity which Shiv ignored and tried to reinforce his explanation by repeating himself.
Shiv: "I Was just doing what you told me to, being gentle that's it…"
Prateek: "Yeh I know but I just hope this being gentle lasts."
Shiv: "What do you mean by lasts?"
Prateek: "Come on shiv we all know you have an uncontrollable temper and not to mention tremendous expectations that you have for everybody around you, when they don't meet your expectations…that's when your anger comes into It. Look all I'm trying to say is remember what we talked about this morning….Gauri is still recovering."
Shiv: "yey I know… but I think you're wrong… I have high expectations of people, muje lagta tha ke tum gauri ke depresstion ke bare mein baat karna chate ho…aren't you going off the topic"
Prateek: I'm not going off the point… Your behaviour is going to effect Gauri's recovery. I know I've spoken to you before and you think I'm just going over the same thing over and over again but I'm Gauri's doctor so…in that sense I'm just reminding you.
Anyways I've spoken to the rest of the family about this so that should help. Just give her time and space that's what will help her the most, it's likely she'll avoid you for a while…until she feels a little more comfortable…and o yes I forgot to mention keep Gauri away from certain places in the house..Samars room, things she associates with Samar… places that remind her of the incident. At a later stage she will have to confront all these but not now….
Prateek is about to continue…when dadi walks into the seating area in her nightgown it looked like dadi had woken up midway from her sleep.
Dadi: "aap dono kya bate kar rahe hai…yey koi vakt hai.
Dadi's comment both prateek and Shiv to take a look at their watch. It was 11.30pm.
Dadi: Shiv aaj tumari shaadhi huee hai aur tum yaha bhet kar bate kar rahe ho…"
Shiv: "Dadi…hum woh gauri ke bare mein baat kar rahe the"
Dadi: "mein janti hoon par tum ne vakt dekha hai…yey saab bate toe baad mein ho sakti hai"
Prateek: "dadi theek khe rahi hai shiv, aur kal subhe kaam..woh bhi early in the morning so I should go." With that prateek gets up from the sofa ready to leave." oh yeh …gauri ko remind kar na…kal appointment hai uska.."
Shiv: "yeh ok" Shiv gets up off as well to see prateek out.
Prateek: "its ok shiv I'll see myself out, don't forget to tell gauri.."
Dadi: "Theek hai..Theek hai agar shiv bhool bhi jayega toe mein hoon na.. don't worry"
Prateek: " ok bye, prateek walks towards the hallway when he stops part way and turns back. "hah aur tumara mobile phone" Prateek pulls out Shiv's phone from inside his sherwani pocket and hands it to him. "yey lo..tumara phone, tumare bed pein tha, and what was so important anyways…phone toe kabhi bi miltaja."
Shiv: Actually nothing woh, important business contacts stored hai naa is leiye
Prateek: "meine notice kiya tha..kafi miscalls the.. "
Shiv: "yeh who business associates…Its ok I'll get back to them, thanks Prateek..for finding it"
Prateek: "no, no it's not a problem, vaise tumara kaam nahi karta toe shaadhi ke baad muje hi maar padte!" Prateek smiles at shiv " muje ab jana chayiey, bye." Prateek leaves
Dadi: ab shiv tum jao gauri tumara intasaar kar rahi hai. "
Shiv looks at dadi and pauses thinks about what Prateek has been explaining over and over again, giving gauri space, time… and all that.
Dadi notices how shiv seems lost in thought at her comment.
Dadi:"Kya hua beta…muje maloom hai prateek ne bataya tha, gauri ki halat. Woh guest room mein hai..jab tak uski halat thodi sudhar nahi jati….meine socha….. theek kiya naa?."
Shiv: "meri dadi kabhi wrong ho hein nahi sakti" Shiv gives a smile and makes his way upstairs.
Walks down the corridor he walks past numerous rooms, shiv gets to his room turns the door handle pushes open the door and takes a step in to see his room just as he left it…it looked a little shifted here and there from when Prateek had searched his room. Shiv stood and looked around his room when a thought crossed his mind.
"gauri guest room mein hai"
he turned back and walked out of his room into the corridor, the guest room was parallel to shiv's room. Shiv took a few steps from outside his room towards the guest room and stopped at the door where he saw rays of light coming from the gaps in the door way. It looked like the lights were switched on in the room, shiv thought to himself.
"lagta hai gauri soyi nahi, khaee mera Intasaar toe nahi kar rahi"
Shiv paused a little turned the door handle slowly pushed the door open gently trying not to make any sudden noises he walked in slowly to find Gauri sleeping. Shiv took a few steps into the room and stopped as he got to the bed. He looked at Gauri who was comfortably sleeping all curled up in bed on top a layer of rose petals. It looked like dadi had gone to the trouble of having the room decorated even though she was aware of the whole wedding scenario it looked like she still had hopes. Shiv overlooked these details and surroundings as he couldn't take his eyes off Gauri who looked so angelic as she slept. Gauri was curled up innocently like a baby, still in her vibrant wedding outfit. Shiv couldn't take his eyes off Gauri who wore a sweet expression on her face, a tranquil smile which Shiv felt content to see, this was the very first time he had approached Gauri and the very first time past events seemed faded in the moment, nothing mattered.
It was a perfect moment ….
A gust of wind from an open window interrupted, Shiv watched as the breeze hit Gauri's skin and how Gauri shivered in response to the harsh touch of the chilling breeze. The slightest chill disturbed the tranquilly on Gauri's face which made Shiv think on just how sensitive gauri really is.
Shiv removed his shoal from around his neck and placed it on top of Gauri, feeling the warmth of the shoal, Gauri clutched onto the material, curled up tightly like a child and an even more beautiful innocence became apparent on her face, which Shiv could not help but smile at.
gauri awakens, sits up in bed find her self rapped in shiv's white shoal. She looks a round estranged to the fact that shiv had entered the room and it was his shoal she was rapped in A strong frangrance of aftershave came from the material.
Thinks to herself: "yey shoal…?" As that thought crossed through her mind there was a knock at the door.
A calls voice from behind the door "Gauri!!!!"
Gauri rubs her eyes to try and awaken from her tiredness, looks around the room in search of a clock, on the sidetable was sat a clock which read 8am.
""aath bajgaye" gauri gets of the bed, to be faced by a mirror on the left of the room. Gauri looked exacty the same as she had done before she fell a sleep, still in her wedding outfit all her jwelerry, mangal sutra and sindoor, there were only a few minor details that were out of place.
Looking into it she straitens her out fit out which had become a little crinkled from the way she was sleeping at night. She adjusted a few strands of hair which were out of place, tried to rectify her smuged eye makeup which she rubbed away a moment ago.. and quicky walked towards the door pulling the shoal over her self a little more as she walked.
The voice again from behind the door "Gauri!!! Beta uttho"
As Gauri walks to the door she recognises the voice as being dadi and she is right. Gauri opens the door to find dadi all ready dressed in a vibrant purple saari all cheerful and awake smiling at her.
Dadi: Good Morning beta,
Gauri touches dadi's feet, "good morning dadi" and smiles
dadi smiles back having noticed how gauri was all wrapped up in Shiv's shoal "Kafi der ho gayee hai, tum ab tayar ho jaon, yey lo, yey phenlena. " dadi hands gauri a red sari and smiles. "Dekho beta mein aur tumare dadaji kuch der ke leiye bhaar ja rahe hai…
Gauri looks up at dadi and gives a worried look which dadi notices.
Dadi:"fikar maat karna hum kuch der mein aajayege..tum sirf tayar ho joan..aur breakfast kar lena, waise raamu kaka hain naa..mein raamu kaka ko khe diya hai..woh saab naasta tayar rakhe ge"
Gauri is just about to say something when dadaji calls from downstairs
Dadaji: "chalo Krishna ji…kaha hai aap…hume der ho rahi hai!!!"
Dadi looks at gauri, placing one hand on her right cheek, "dekho beta hume jana hoga..prateek kehrahata ke tumara appointment hai bhoolna mat."
Gauri: "jee dadi"
Dadaji calls once again: krishnaji!!!!!
Dadi shouts back in response: "ayeee" with that dadi leaves.
An hour later Gauri walks out of her room all ready looking as beautiful as ever in the simple yet elegant red saari dadi had given her, her usual light makeup, an array of gold and red bangles on each hand very little jewellery only her mangalsutra and simple earrings, sindhoor filled In her parting with her hair which she wore down neatly parted and straightned.
Gauri walks down the staircase to find kapoor mansion completely empty there is no one to be seen, not even any cleaners. Looking around all areas of the house are empty and Raamu kaka is no where to be seen. Gauri walks into the dining area to find the table filled witth different breakfeast dishes from traditional panjabi paratas and chai to orange juice and toast, it looked like raamu kaka had left breakfast for Gauri. Even having seen the prepared breakfast Gauri eyes still wonder around the house in search of people as she feels a little reluctant to do anything without permission, still her eyes in search around the house she notices the mandir. She leaves the dining area and heads for the mandir. Having had walked to the entrance of the mandir gauri sees a statue of bhagvan Shiv, Gauri and Ganpatiji. The murti is beautifully unique and not to mention spectacular in its artistic sense. At its first sight it manages to put a smile on Gauri's face. She pulls her saari pallu over her head and just as she is step into the mandir she hears a loud tone of voice coming from upstairs.
"RAAMU KAKA..!!!, KAKA….
MERE LEIYE CHAI COFEE KOI LAAYEGA…KAKA!
"EK KAAM BHI DHANG SE NAHI HOTA IS GHAR MEIN!"
Upstairs Shiv was going mental whilst getting ready for work, he mumbled to himself angrily putting on his shirt..
"useless, yaha yey rammu kaka aur vaha woh so called secratery jisko coffee aur tea mein farak hein nahi karna aata"..shiv was recalling on how he last attempt to have his morning drink in the office resulted In him throwing coffee back at his secretary.
On the other hand Gauri alone downstairs, having realised that the person shouting upstairs was shiv was feeling worried.
"KAHA MAR GAYE SAAB!"
Having heard shiv again she thinks to her self In shere distress:
Hai bhagvan Ab mein kya karoon, yaha toe koi nahi hai…she walks to the kitchen to see if raamu kaka is around but the kitchen is empty.
"ab kya karoon…" gauri puts her hand on her cheeks and starts to panic …
"hai bhagvan ab aap hein meri maadat kejeeye.."she looks up with a pleading expression
when she sees a tray lying on the kitchen counter with a cup and saucer. Gauri walks up to the counter to see the cup filled with tea, or was it coffee. Gauri stares at the hot drink in front of her to figure what it is but there was no way of knowing. The steaming drink in front of her was of a light brown liquid…but both It could be either tea or coffee.
Gauri thought to herself: ab mein kya karoon, yey chai hai ya coffee..??? ine chai chahyiye ya coffee… chak bhi nahi sakti…aaj toe mera vraat hai.
Gauri's thoughts are distured by shiv's shouting which was getting louder and louder each time…."KOI AYEGA BHI KE MEIN KHUD AAJAAOON!"
Gauri was shook by Shiv's voice..an even deeper nervousness filled her within. She then came to the conclusion that best thing to do would be to take this drink upstairs and whatever it was, it would be much better than shiv storming down in anger, then how she face him, she was already terrified as It was. She took the tray and headed out of the kitchen towards the staircase.
Meanwhile …
Upstairs Shiv rapidly loosing his patience was repeatedly looking at his watch. it was nearly time for him to leave and there was no sign of Rammu kaka who on a daily basis under no circumstances is aloud to forget to bring shiv his morning drink. One thing about as well as being rich power and authorative he was fiarely stubbon when It came to cetain things and his morning reachme was one of them, he expects on the dot service wether it was In the office or at home.
Shiv Thinks to himself…."ane do.. saab ko kaam se nikalta hoon, just wait.."
Gauri slowly walks into the lounge trying not to spill any of the drink.. as she walks towards the stair case she passes the mandir area, and stops there for a while to catch a glimse bhagvan before she has to face her husband. Looking towards the murti…she takes advantage and asks god for a little courage. "Bhagvan aap please kuch keejye muje nahi maloom ke is mein kya hai…"she looks down at the cup front of her… "Par job hi ho sahee ho" she looks back at the murti… "aap samaj gaye naa"
"KAKA….!"
Hearing shiv screaming..again.. gauri makes way upstairs, she walks through the corridor. Having seen that the door to Shiv's room is open she reluctantly walks towards the entrance of the room. Worried of what shiv's reaction would be. Gauri in her nervousness and fright decides to keep quite and wait until Shiv notices her presence.
Shiv fails to see gauri waiting at the door as he is to busy fiddling with his tie and grooming himself until he looks in the mirror to straighten his tie and sees gauri standing at the entrance of his room with a tray in her hand. Still staring at what he was looking like in the mirror..he called gauri into the room.
Shiv: "vaha kyun khadi ho..come inside" shiv's tone is rather serious… where as his facial expresstion seemed somewhat relaxed for someone who had been angrily shouting for the last hour or so.
Gauri gave no worded response but the way she was behaving said it all. She was so nervious..shiv's presence was making her heart thud in anxiety. She stood still in the same position with her eyes lowered clutching the tray In her hands tighter to try and reduce her nerves.
Shiv stilling standing In front of the mirror this time adjusting his blazer buttons looks at gauri again through the mirror noticeing that even having asked her to come in she was still standing in the same spot. Shiv gave Gauri a smile though mirror which Gauri failed to see he then turned around to face Gauri.
Shiv standing in a black vintage suit and purple shirt and tie all ready for work looking handsome with his hands in his trouser pockets staring at gauri in Shiv makes a note of how pretty gauri was looking In her sari and not to mention her fright which could be clearly seen in the way she had composed her self with her eyes fixed to the floor.
Shiv: "Come in Gauri" this time in a much lighter tone.
On the second time of Shiv asking, Gauri takes a few steps into the room and stops quite a distance away from Shiv. Shiv notices Gauri's hesitancy and comes to the conclusion that building a relationship with Gauri was going to be the easiest thing. It took twice for him to ask her just to come into the room and even then she seems so frightened.
Shiv tries to make conversation "so, what do you think, how do I look?" Shiv pulls up his tie up proudly and smiles at Gauri.
He gets no response… "so bura lagra hoon?"
Gauri "Mein, Jee woh"
Shiv: "Kya?, bura lagraha hoon"
Gauri: "jee..woh"
Shiv: "kya…"
Gauri: "nahi…"
Shiv: "hum..vaise tum bhi kuch buri nahi lagrahi, nice saari"
Gauri looks up surprised at shiv's words: "jee??" As soon as shiv makes eye contact gauri shys away in fear and again lowers her head which shiv notices and gives a smile in response.
Shiv looks at the tray Gauri was holding and walks a few steps closer to gauri as shiv moves closer gauri's anxiety starts to overflow and her hands start to tremble slightly,as a result she spills some of the drink into the tray. Looking at gauri he relaises that that his moving close was disturbing her and in response he stops and takes a step back increasing the distance between them whilst observing Gauri's reaction and noticing the change in her posture which had become a little more relaxed as Shiv moved away.
Shiv looking at the tray in gauri's hands asks.
Shiv: "yey mere leiye hai?"
Gauri nods a yes avoiding eye contact with Shiv and in a quite voice replys : "Jee"
Shiv walks towards still with his hands in his pockets..totaly relaxed and he felt even better having seen his morning drink. He walks towards gauri to take his drink…but seeing gauri's nervousness creep in again stops part way and smiles at her rubbing his forehead a little, he wasn't angry but a little worried thinking to himself: Kya really mein itna darata hoon?
Shiv looks at gauri:"ok ek kaam karon…apni anken band karlo "
"Jee"…..Gauri thinks to her self anken bandkarloo??, meine kuch gatalat toe nahee kiya?
Shiv repeats: "Anken band karlo, just do as I say" this time in a more forceful way.
Gauri squeezes her eyes tightly shut and as the darkness falls on her eyes her nervousness starts to rush up and down her body uncontrollably, with all these feelings she feels lost confused…what was he going to do??? "agar meine kuch galat kiya aur.." the fear within her was growing as she started thinking of reasons…why he had made her close her eyes. She just wanted this encounter with Shiv to end. Hoping someone will call for her give her a reason to escape and run away…she knew that was near enough impossible.
Shiv smiles at Gauri's innocence, she was so nervous around him, so reluctant. Shiv walks towards her slowly pacing himself to make sure …His footsteps sound against the tiled floor as he walks towards Gauri.
………………………
Hearing Shiv's footsteps coming towards her makes Gauri's heart thud. Shiv watches as gauri's facial expression changes with his each footstep fear increases as he approaches closer and closer. Shiv stops at touching distance picks up the cup off the tray and takes a look at its contents and then at Gauri who still had her eyes firmly closed.
Shiv: "tum ab anken khol sakti ho"
Hearing shiv's voice gauri paused a little before she opened her eyes, shiv was so close she could hear his breathing and not to mention a strong aftershave fragrance lingering. Opening her eyes, she looked up a little and saw shiv standing with the cup and saucer in his hands staring at the drink.
Shiv looks towards gauri, who looks down at the floor to avoid eye contact :"yey kya hai?"
Shiv: "coffee ?"
Gauri starts to stumble with her words: jee woh….nahi
Shiv: "chai?"
Gauri: nahi woh….mein
Shiv: Toe yey nahi coffee hai, naa chai…kis ne banaya yey raamu kaka ne, vaise hai who kaha kab se chila raha hoon, ane do use…kaam se nikal ta hoon. Shiv sounded a irritaited with the fact that he had been waiting so long.
Gauri: woh…mein yey...
Shiv: toe tume banaya hai???
Gauri:Nahi…matlab…woh
shiv: Ok forget it mein try kar ke dekhta hoon agar yey…galat drink hua naa toe I wont be responsible for my actions, ..sab jante hai..ke I cant stand people who make stupid mistakes…and yey kaka..une toe kitni baar batana subhe time par muje chai chaheeye aur evening mein coffee…. ..une toe mein baad mein dhekloonga.
Gauri: thinks to herself…chai chaheiye… bhagavan kare ke yey chai hien ho, nahi toe yey kafi ghuse mein lagte hai.. agar yey…
Shiv sees the fear on gauri's face and tries exploiting it for a little for fun. He began to speak In a much more firmer tone then before "Har galti ke sasa hoti hai..agar yey galat drink nikla toe …tum uski simidar hoge…is leiye saasa bhi tume milige, mansoor hai"
Gauri nods in a yes
Shiv takes sip from the cup…whilst maintaining his eye contact with gauri.. who was standing with her head lowered hoping the drink she had bought for him was right, a more pleading epresstion took shape on her face "o god please make sure it turns out to be what he wants". just as he takes a sip of the drink and swallow his phone rings. He reaches his one free hand into the pocket of his blazer pulls the phone out.
Phone Displays:
Unknown number calling...
Shiv picks up the call
"yes shiv speaking, yes I'm just on my way now" he walks out of the room past gauri with the cup still in one hand and phone in the other carring on with his phone conversation he leaves the room and just as he leaves gauri relaxes and becomes some what more comfortable again. Looks up in the air…thanks god or even the person who made the phone call saving her just at the right time "thank you shivji" just as she is about to leave the room she notices the wall clock which displays 9am and she realises that she is late for her appointment and rushes off.
In city hospital: Prateeks office, prateek and gauri are sitting at the desk inbetween a conversation.
Prateek: "tumara aajka therapy session to complete hua, now tell me hows married life, saab kuch theek toe hai naa?, tum kuch worried se lagrahi ho..shiv ne kuch kaha??"
Gauri: "nahi woh actually aaj subhe raamu kaka ghar mein nahi the toe..." gauri was just about to explain when prateeks phone rings.
"Ek minuit gauri, mein yey phone call leiyloon, is that ok?"
Gauri replies with a smile and prateek picks the phone up:
Prateek : Hello Prateek Mehta.. the caller turns out to be shiv.
Shiv: Hi prateek, shiv bolraha hoon…I was just ringing to make sure ke aaj gauri ka appointment tha..did it go well?
Prateek: yey nothing to worry about all is well, vaise appointment toe finish hogaya, mein abhi free hu..agar tume koi kaam na ho toe its stills morning so chai ke leiye chale.???
Shiv: gauri ne already piladi..woh bhi coffee
Prateek: "o I see ..is leiye thode stressed sound kar rahe ho, magar tume gauri ko is bare main sataya toe nahi.
Shiv: "no.kuch nahi kaha….not yet anyway"
Prateek: "uski galti nahi hai… she was not to know waise bhi if I get any complaints from her.." making a note of gauri's presence Prateek stopped in-between his sentence.
At this point gauri had figured out that the person on the other end of the phone was shiv and the whole nervous feeling started making its way within gauri.
Prateek smiled at gauri as he spoke on the phone "ok..gauri yaha hai tum use baat karna chahte ho?"
Shiv: "teekh hai use phone doe.. vaise bhi hamarey bate thodi adhoori se reh gayee thi"
Prateek passes the phone to gauri and smiles "shiv ka phone.."
Gauri:"mere leiye"
Prateek: "aur kis ke leiye hoga..lo" Gauri takes the phone.
Shiv: "prateek kehra tha..ke appointment acha raha…good, aur this moring kuch kaam Agayatha is leiye hamari bate puri nahi hue, vaise jo drink tumne muje diya tha..coffee woh agar tumhe yaad ho toe ….muje chai chayetee..
Shivs tone of voice was fairly serious which enforced the nervousness in gauri. Vaise coffee kafee ache thi..magar galti toe tumne ki…is leiye saasha bhi meiligi.
Gauri: "ji..??"
Shiv: kya saasa hogi… voh tumhe mein ghar ake bataoonga
Gauri kept silent… she was slightly embarrassed as well as scared, she was going all nervous just by listing to shiv's voice.
Shiv: ab mein rakhtaa hoon,…meri baat yaad rakhna …
Shiv puts the phone down and sitting in his office smiles to himself on how innocent gauri really was and how much his presence effected her behaviour. There was that one sweet side to it but also a worry that what Samar did to Gauri has effected her badly…what would it take for her to recover???
On the other hand in prateeks office gauri was still recovering from the conversation she had had with shiv, or even the conversation he had with her. Prateek makes a note of gauri's behaviour and comments. "toe ishq ne apna aasar dikha na shuru bhi kardeeya..ya yey…. woh coffee ka asar hai???" Prateek smiles at gauri…who begins to shy at his comment and also feels a little embarrassed to the fact that even he knew.
Prateek: "Toe hum chale… don't worry not coffee or tea then..juice." Prateek smiles at gauri. both of them get up and leave the office
Edited by jagrutid - 16 years ago
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