Samaina SS : Delhi Diaries [Epilogue on pg 40] - Page 10

Naina took a shawl and draping in around her body she decended the steps and reached the living room, where she saw her mother-in-law watching tv. "Maa..." Naina called out for her. "Ghar baite baite bore ho rahi thi toh kya main todhi der ke liye bahar hoke aayu?" "Ofcourse... mujhse permission lene ki zaroorat nahi hai." "Thank you maa."

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Strolling out of the house, Naina's feet took her to a house which was familiar even after not being unknown. She rang the bell and a woman of about her age opened the door. "Amrita?" Naina asked. "Yes, aap kon?" Came the reply. Suddenly realization dawned upon her, the women in front of her was dressed in a simple salwar kameez, her partition tinged with red, mangalsutra handing around her neck, her face was lit with a smile, her eyes were dark brown and beautiful. The way she had addressed her, with excitement and eager. It couldn't be anyone other than "Naina", she said pointing her index finger towards her with curiosity. Haan Naina replied. Amrita took few steps towards her and hugged Naina. Pulling away from the hug Amrita called her inside the house.

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Both took seats in front of the glass coffee table in the living room. Naina's eyes searched around the place before asking, "Uncle aunty ghar pe nahi hai." "Mom aur dad Mumbai gaye hai, dad ke dost ki beti ki shaadi ke liye." "Oh..." "Vishaka aunty ne bata nahi ki tum aa rahi ho." "Woh suddenly plan hua toh shayad isiliye nahi batai." "Waise tum akeli aayi ho? Tumhara Sameer kahan hai." "Sameer conference ke liye gaya hai, raat ko he aayega." "Jab woh aayega toh bata dena ki main usse gussa hoon, Delhi mein hai aur mujhse milne bhi nahi aaya", Amrita said frowning. "Aree aisa kuch nahi, woh toh tumse milne ke liye bohot excited tha..." Naina spoke. "Tha?" Amrita interrupted her. "Nahi, matlab hain, par kaam ke wajah se usse subah subah nikalna pada toh woh tumse milne nahi aaya." "Hmm tum bato kaisi hai tumhari married life".,Amrita asked Naina. Naina's cheeks turn red and a smile bloomed on her face when she heard the question. "Acchi hai". "Aree itna sarmao matt", Amrita said teasing her and later added "Yahi wait karna, main abhi aayi."

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Amrita returned from her kitchen with two tea cups. She placed one in front of Naina and the other one in front of her. Naina took a sip from her tea. "Yeh toh exactly waisa he hai jaisa mujhe pasan hai, tumhe kaise pata ki mujhe adhrak wali chai pasand hai", Naina asked amused when Amrita presented her a tea that exactly matched her preference. "Uska credit tumhara pati ko jata hai. Jab woh Delhi aaya tha, dedh saal ke liye tab bataya tha usne." "Aur tumhe yaad bhi hai." "Haan aur bhi bohot kuch yaad hai, woh hamesh tumhare baare mein he baat karta tha, tum usse dur zaroor thi, lekin woh hamesha tumhare bare mein he sochta rehta tha. I am so happy ki tum dono ka pyaar kabhi kaam nahi hua aur aaj bhi tum dono ek saath ho. Tum dono ne mujhe saccha pyaar ka aart samjha diya. Aur aaj agar tum dono ek saath ho toh thoda credit mujhe bhi milna chahiye, after all main tum dono ke beech messenger joh thi", Amrita said with flipping her hair behind and both of the started laughing. "Sach mein Amrita, thank you, tumne hamare liye joh kuch bhi kiya woh sab keliye. Thank you." Naina said after her laughter got subsided. "Come on Naina thank you bolkar mujhe paray mat bano. I am lucky ki mujhe Sameer jaisa dost mila aur uske wajah se tumse mulakat huyi."

"Aur bato karti kya ho tum, job ya housewife?" "I write, magazines ke liye aur chote chote publication houses ke liye likhti hoon." "That's nice, I wish ki tum aage jakar khoob tarakhee karo." "Thank you, aur tum?" "I am a law associate in a firm." "Aur.." "Aur kya?" "Koi special", Naina asked nudging Amrita. "Haa.. Nahii.." "Haan ya na?" "Pata nahi." "Toh iska matlab koi hai, right." "Ek ladka hai, senior hai mujhse, cute hai par maine kabhi usse baat nahi ki and bina baat kiye he I developed a crush on him." "Toh baat karo na, agar baat nahi karogi toh baat aage kaise badegi. Tumhe pata hai, mujhe bhi Sameer ko dekhte he pyaar ho gaya, par main tab samajh nahi paayi ki joh main mehsoos kar rahi hoon woh pyaar hai." "Naina kya tum mujhe tumhari aur Sameer ki puri love story bataogi." "Haan bataungi na lekin abhi nahi, I am a little busy now." "Busy? Koi nayi article ya story." "Nahi, usse bhi zyaada important. Dadi!!!"

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Naina sat on the sofa in the living room and switched on the television as soon as she returned after her chit chat with Amrita. Vishaka had gone for shopping, Sameer was in his conference, Mr.Somani was in office, Rohan and Deppika had gone to college and school respectively. Dadi was in her room reading a book and Keshav was watering the plants. So only Naina, dadi and Keshav were at home. Meaning a very good opportunity for Naina.

Naina increased the volume of the TV and in no time she heard dadi's footsteps coming towards the living room. "Volume kam karo." Even after hearing it, Naina pretended as if she did not hear it. "Maine kaha volume kam karo", Dadi shouted this time. Naina turned her head and saw Dadi standing behind the sofa, angry. "Oh dadi aap" Naina said and reduced the volume a little. "Oh sorry dhyan nahi diya." "Beheri ho, sunai nahi deta tumhe, itne zoor se tv kon dekhta hai." "Main dekthi hoon. oh mera favorite gaana tha toh volume bada diya." "Kaam karlo, mujhe disturb ho raha tha." "Ok dadi."

As soon as dadi stepped into her room she could again hear the TV, she stomped out to the living room. "Tumne fir se volume bada diya." "Sorry dadi, yeh bhi mera favourite gana hai. Sooo..." "Band kardo isse". dadi said irritated by the loud noise of the TV. "Itna aacha gaana chal raha hai aur aap keh rahi ho ki main isse band kar doon. Aap ek kaam kijiye, aaiye aur yahan baithiye, hum dono saath main tv dekhte hai." "Mujhe koi shauk nahi hai, abhi issi waqt TV off karo. Yeh tumhara ghar nahi hai ki tum joh mann mein aaye woh karo. Joint family hai yeh, yahan par sabki comfort aur wishes ka dhyaan rakha jaata hai." "Toh phir mere wishes ka bhi dhyan rakna chahiye na dadi and I wish to watch TV. Ok toh hum ek deal bana the hai, main TV ka volume kam karke dekhoongi aur aap mujhe pareshan nahi karenge, mera matlab mujhe TV dekhne denge. Deal." Thinking for a while dadi said "Theek hai. agli bar agar tumne volume ko badaya toh mein connection cut kar doongi." "Uski zaroorat nahi padegi." "Keshav.. Keshav..." Dadi shouted. "Jee memsab". Keshav came running hearing dadi's voice. "Agar Naina ne volume badaya toh cable the connections cut kar dena." Putting her hair behind her ear dadi went to her room. Naina sat on the sofa laughing, "Are keshav bhaiya, jayiye aur apna kaam kijiye, jab volume badaoongi, tab aa jayega."

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It had been one hour since the TV incident and Naina was back in her room working on her new story and Vishaka had returned from the market. She heard the door bell ring and stopped writing, closed the book and placed it back on the shelf and descended the steps and found Rohan had returned from his college. "Hi bhabhi" he said as soon as he spotted Naina. "Hi Rohan. College kaisa tha?" "Waisa he jaisa roz hota hai. aap bataiye, Delhi kaisa laga apko." "Not bad", Naina said eyeing dadi from the corner of her eye. "Anyways tum refresh hoke aau main khana lagati hoon". "Apne khana banaya kya?" "Nahi." "Kya bhabhi, aap na keshav bhaiya ko apna khane banane ka secret batakar jao, aaj ka breakfast bohot he delicious tha. Sameer bhaiya bohot he lucky hai." "Yeh tum khud Sameer ko bata do, aab refresh hoke aau."

As Rohan went to his room to freshen up and Naina went to the kitchen to arrange food for Rohan, dadi stood there, in the living room, not able to digest the bond between Naina and Rohan.

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Dadi, Vishaka and Naina had their lunch with Deepika after she returned from her school and Rohan was up in his room, studying. After having finished with the lunch, Deepika followed Naina around the house. When Naina went to her room to continue writing her story, Deepika sat on the bed and played with her toys. When Naina was in the garden, Deepika was with her learning about the plants, talking with them and enjoying the wind. Finally they returned back to the living room for another dose of television.

Naina switched on the TV to find Dil Toh Pagal Hai being aired. "Deepika jake Rohan ko bhi bulakar lao hum sab saath mein movie dekhenge." Hearing this and imagining the fun of watching a movie together Deepika ran to her brother's room and in no time she came back to the living room pulling Rohan with her. "Deepika maine kaha na abhi mera padhai ka time hai." "Par bhaiya aap mere saath time spend he nahi karte. Dekho na bhabhi bhi aayi hai, hum sab saath main movie dekhenge." "No Deepika, Rohan movie nahi dekhega, aur tum bhi apne room mein jau aur apna homework karo." Dadi said ineterferring between the trio. "Par dadi please... hume movie dekhne do na. please..." Deepika tried requesting her dadi. "Maine kaha na nahi matlab nahi, ab jao." "Par dadi dekhne dejiye na, main bas ek hafte ke liye he yahan hoon aur Rohan aur Deepika ke saath time spend karna chahti hoon", Naina said. "Naina tum interfere mat karo, agar Rohan ab movie dekhega toh uska time table kharab ho jayega aur padhai kab karega." "Rohan kya tum movie dekhna chahte ho?", Naina asked Rohan, leaving him in a fix. He couldn't answer this question from his bhabhi. "Rohan jao", Dadi said again before he could come up with an answer. "Rohan bolo, tum movie dekhna chahte ho ya nahi." Looking at dadi for a second and then shifting his gaze back at Naina Rohan said, "chahta toh hoon par..." "Toh tum movie dekhoge", Naina announced her decision.

"Aree aise kaise yeh movie dekhega", dadi got offended with Naina's decision. "Kyu nahi dadi, aap he ne toh kaha ki iss ghar mein sab ka comfort aur wishes ka dhyaan rakha jata hai toh phir, Rohan TV kyu nahi dekh sakhta", Naina came up with her argument. "Rohan ka time table disturb ho jayega". Dadi protested again. Hearing the commotion from the living room, Vishaka came out of her room and saw that Naina and Dadi were engaged in an argument. "Time table? Dadi rohan insaan hai, machine nahi ki sab kuch time table ke according karega." Naina tried to make dadi understand. Vishaka understood the matter of argument and decided to keep quite.

"Par Rohan ko time table ke according chale ka aadat ho chuka hai aur waise bhi uska exams aane wale hai, toh usse padhna bhi toh hai, uske paas faltu ka time nahi hai movie dekhne keliye. Rohan hamesha top karta hai aur ane wale exams mein bhi usse he top karna hoga." "Toh kya top karne ke liye aap chahti hai ki Rohan apne parivaar se dur rehkar, apne aap ko ek kamre mein bandh karke padhe? Dadi aise karne se Rohan bohot kuch miss kar dega. Aur school mein, college mein hamesha main bhi top karti thi lekin maine apne parivaar aur friends ko bhi equal time diya. Aur Rohan ko bhi apne life balance karna seekhna hoga." "Naina tum iss ghar main nayi nayi aayi ho, yeh sab bohot saalo se chalta aaya hai, aura age bhi aisa he chalega." "Kab tak dadi, man lo ki kal Rohan ki shaadi ho jaati hai, tab bhi kya aap yahi expect karenge ki Rohan timetable ke according chale. Dadi aap time table ke chakar mein Rohan ki zindagi ko rigid aur strict bana rahi hai. Usse khul ke jeene toh deejiye. Agar ek din woh movie dekh lega toh kya ho jayega. Rohan ek bright student hai, I am sure ki woh manage karlega."

Vishaka who was witnessing all this stepped into the argument. "Maa mujhe lagta hai ki Naina sahi keh rahi hai." "Sahi keh rahi hai? Vishaka apni bahu ko samjhane ki bajay tum uska saath de rahi ho". Dadi was shocked to see that Vishaka was supporting her daughter-in-law instead of scolding her. "Kyuki Naina galat nahi hai maa. Rohan hamesha time table ke according he chalta hai, woh apne marzi se kuch kar nahi pata, enjoy nahi kar pata." "Tum kya kehna chahti ho Vishaka, main joh kuch bhi karti hoon woh Rohan ki bhalai ke liye he karti hoon, lekin tum sab ko woh dikh nahi raha. Jiski joh marzi hai woh kare." Saying this dadi left the living room and went to her room. "Rohan aur Naina tum dadi ke baat ka bura mat mano, ab movie dekhlo aur badh mein padh lena". Vishaka said looking at Rohan. Naina, Deepika and Rohan sat on the sofa and started watching the movie.

The volume rose up once again and dadi yelled from her room. "Keshav Keshav..." Keshav came running to dadi's room, tensed, knowing that dadi was not in a good mood. "Maine kaha na agar TV ka volume badha toh connection cut kar dena." "Maaf karna memsab apne kaha ki agar Naina bhabhi volume badhati ha toh connection cut kare par volume toh Deepika baby ne badhaya hai." "Jao yaha se" she shouted at Keshav and closed the door on his face. Something has to be done with this girl. She is cleverer than she had imagined her to be. Dadi thought fuming with the sudden changes taking place in her house.