Part 78
What had gotten into him that he asked her for coffee? But now that she wanted he would make it for her. Coffee ... coffee ...coffee ... he kept mumbling as he searched the coffee powder in the kitchen. Ultimately when he found it he wondered how come there were no cappuccino sachets like the ones she stocked in their house. He had started drinking cappuccino only for Riddhima He hated the bitter taste but when she made it for him it somehow never registered. 'I love cappuccino!!!' ... Sid get hold of yourself ... ok the next thing ... milk ...' He opened the refrigerator to search for some milk and found only an unopened pack of milk. 'Boy this needs to be heated before use ... Chalo Sid kaam pe lag javo'
He had invited this work his way just to keep away from where the conversation was heading to but somehow he seemed to like doing what he was now ' making coffee.
He quietly cut open the pack of milk to put it for heating and settled down to brew the coffee. Unknowingly he started humming a tune which he had heard that morning on the radio.
Riddhima trail of thoughts was broken on hearing the humming. Surges of joy spread through her hearing Sid hum a tune. She tiptoed towards and kitchen and stood at the entrance watching him
'Done!!!' exclaimed Sid shutting off the gas heating the milk.
Riddhima: yeh kya kar rahe the tum...?.
Sid: Coffee bana raha hoon? Surprised at silly question...
Riddhima pointed towards the pot of milk sitting on the gas stove.
Sid: Dudh khatam ho gaya tha ... aur fridge mein yeh tehli wala dudh tha ... holding up the milk bag which the milkman must have delivered that morning... 'isliye garam kar diya'
Riddhima: Itna sab karna tha toh mujhe bol diya hota ... tum kyu itna sab karte baite...
'No its ok ... no big deal ... apne ghar pe toh sab kar leta hoon ... except heating the milk ... we only get cartons of milks there ... open and use ... so it's really no big deal' Sid chatted as he set himself to make the coffee.
Riddhima by then was oblivious of Sid's talks kept watching him fondly make coffee. Trying to make sure that it turned out perfect.
'par tum kyu uth ke aa gayi ... Your knee must be still hurting... chalo ja ke bait jao ... mein coffee le ke aata hoon it's done... Riddhima ... Riddhima!!! ' Called out waiving his hand in front of her face
Huhh!!! ... Riddhima came out the daze ...
Sid: Kya hua?
Riddhima smiling away just nodded her head to indicate nothing.
Sid: Chalein!!!
Sid followed Riddhima into the living room to find that the candle was going to burn out very soon. 'Bahar chalen ...balcony mein baithate hain'
Riddhima: 'Channd ki roshni mein?'
Sid: Hmmm waise bhi candles kum hain aur poori raat katni hai
Riddhima's apartment had a small balcony Sid shifted two chairs and they soon settled down sipping their coffee.
It was just matter of few moments and Riddhima was again lost reminiscing the good old days.
Those were magical days of her life. Sid had come home to check JP who was faking an illness and the lights had been turned off It was a new moon night 'Amavasya ki chand ki roshni mein baite hai'
A small laugh escaped
Sid: Kya hua?
Riddhima: Yaad hai ek baar tum JP ko check karne aye the tab tumhe kaha tha Amavasya ki chand ki roshni mein baite hai?
Sid thoroughly amused at his stupidity. Those were indeed the golden days of his life Life was different then for him There was hope. 'Haan aur kaise armaan ne jhooti baarish create ki thi'
Riddhima: 'Uska bachpana kabhi nahi kum hua'
'Hmm usme bachpana bahoot tha He would have been a fun father' He naively commented going with the flow of the conversation.
Riddhima: Hmmm
Suddenly realising what he had said he quickly started making amends. 'I am sorry... mujhe...
Riddhima: Sorry?
Sid: woh ... tumhare baache nahi ...
Padma: Shayaad ek baar baache ki zimedari aaye toh woh kudh bhi zimedaar ban jayega Riddhima
Riddhima: Nahi mumma ...abhi main uske baare mein sochna bhi nahi chahati
armaan: Baache ke baare mein kaise soch sakte hain ...Right Riddhima !!!
Padma: armaan tum kab aye tum baito mein tumhare liye chai laati hoon
armaan: So Riddhima baache!!! ... Bache hone ke liye husband wife ko ek saath reh padega aur ...
Riddhima: armaan!!!!
armaan: Oh yes!!! we are not prepared for parenthood... Itne saare problems ko hai ... Main career change kiya hai ... financial support hona chahiya ... tumhara career etc etc etc sab bahane hai ...tum toh kabhi hamare relationship mein initiative bhi nahi leti toh baache kaise honge???
Riddhima: armaan !!!
Riddhima: Bahoot muskhilo ke baad jo hum saath aaye the ... woh nahi chahata tha ki koi hamare beech aaye ... he wanted to enjoy his married life... woh toh kissi problem ko toh kabhi seriously nahi liya ... aur phir jab usse ...jaane do ...
Sid could see a flash of disgust on Riddhima's face as she spoke about armaan and his attitude. But then that was true there had been close to losing each other Maybe he just wanted to bask and rejoice their reunion. But maybe for Riddhima the agenda was different.
Riddhima: Tumhe bhi toh baache pasand the then why did you not
Sid: Aaj bhi shayaad amavasya raat hai?
Riddhima understood that Sid did not want to talk about his life with her. After her betrayal he possibly could not trust anyone 'I think he is scared to let anyone close to him'
Riddhima: Nahi it's just the fourth day from new moon
Sid: Coffee theek hai?
Riddhima: Hmm bahoot achi bana lete ho
Sid: Khana bhi acha bana leta hoon ab... namak ke bajay cheeni nahi dalta ... laughed remembering the time when he messed up food
Riddhima: Sirf pre-made food khate ho toh galti kar bhi kaise sakte ho
Sid: Aisa kuch nahi ... but par tumhe kaise bata chala main premade khana khata hoon?
Riddhima: Juhi ne bataya
Sid: Juhi bhi na ... ek baar usse khana banake khilana padega ... toh hi woh meri badnami karna bandh karegi
Juhi's mention seemed to sting Riddhima. 'Juhi right !!!' How much she hated her since she had seen Sid and Juhi together. Now also he was more bothered about what Juhi's opinion about him
Sid: Actually I am mostly out to get work done so don't want to hassle myself with cooking and cleaning
Riddhima: Kaam? Tumhare dost ke liye ...
Sid: Hmmm
Once again her chance to find out and she was not going to let it go this time round. Who was so important that Sid came down after 10 years Riddhima: Tumne bataya nahi Kaun thi woh
Sid nonchalantly replied 'Tum usse penchanti nahi' not wanting to take the conversation towards Shilpa Riddhima had wronged her and now she did not have reason to know anything about Shilpa or Rohan.
Riddhima: aur woh dost tumhari ... kya woh ussi ka risthedaar hai ... ?
Riddhima had set her mind on it. He knew once she set her mind on something she would not defer from her resolve. Sid closed eyes took in a deep breath and yet again dispassionately answered 'Yes!!!'
Riddhima: Kaun hai?
Sid: Woh dono mere dost hai ... sabse kareebi dost...
Riddhima: India mein kaise?
Sid: Woh kuch saal pehle India aye settle hone ke liye... Haal hi mein meri dost guzar gayi ...
Riddhima: Was she ill?
Sid: She was suffering from cancer. After a long battle we lost her.
Riddhima: What kind of cancer was she suffering from? Par ab bahoot improvements ho gayi hai ... Sanjeevani itself has a specialised cell for cancer treatment plus Tata Memorial hai ... it's the best !!! Why ...
Sid lost his cool which he was holding on for so long and lashed out. 'Damn it agar maloom hota toh yeh kabhi hone hi nahi deta ... tumhe kya lagta hai main usse chod deta uske kismet ke sahare to fight it out alone ... to die a lonely death ... Shit man why did this have to happen to her? I so hate myself ... I feel disgusted ... how could I let this happen to her?
Riddhima was quickly by his side. She so wanted to hold him and soothe his pain. She slowly extended her hand towards Sid who was sitting with his eyes closed as if reliving those moments of pain.
'I just don't want to talk about this Please ... anyways kiski ko iss sab se kabhi farak nahi pada toh ab kya fayada unn sab logo ke baare mein jaanke...'
Those embittered words hit Riddhima. Sid's anger was directed towards her. It was because she had wronged him but had she wronged the person who had passed away. Did she really not know her? Whatever was the case her words of compassion were not welcomed. She quickly withdrew her hand and returned to her seat waiting for Sid to cool down.
Link to the new part
https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/42772741
Edited by DJ.. - 14 years ago
Writers Corner: Books, Stories & Poems
Anupamaa
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