O.K a lot of complaints for short update, so here is a loooooooooooong one...
Chapter 11 - The Proposal
WHAT, but I thought you said…
Smiling, Jai left the room…….
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Bani was putting water bottles & glasses in every room…nothing unusual, she did it everyday as now the few servants left were part-timers and Dai Ma was getting old, she had pain in her knees so every night Bani did her chores, putting water in the rooms, making bed for her grand-parents.
The servants today prepared the guest rooms but now Bani was checking if everything was o.k. and keeping water….She saw Pia and her family storming out of the room, Pia wanted to come towards her with her fist clenched but bua stopped her…whispered harshly…keya kar rahi hai, Jai dekh lega….
Bani went about…she first went to the rooms at the ground floor, Ranveer watched her as she came in his room to keep the water….with the corner of his eyes he saw her putting the water next on his bedside table…straightening the pillow, she is only a girl, a beauty no doubt but not sophisticated, at least not the type mamaji went around with….
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Bani went upstairs, she could hear Pia in their family sitting room, shouting …yeh kali billi unko pasand hai, ajeeb admi hai…their was father very angry…he is plain and simply blackmailing us…he wants the property…aur mujhe apni beti ke saath agreement sign karna parega….Gulab Singh intervened ….saanth ho jayo tumlog…Ghar me woh hai aur use sunai nehi dena chahiye…
Bua started saying…yeh uske koi chaal hai…sabhi jante hai..Jai Walia goes around with the latest beauty in Mumbai….aur uski sister….dayan hai, dayan…..achhe achhe ladkio ko bhaga diya…toh Bani keya cheej hai…Pia ke baath kuch aur hai….
Kiran was sitting in one corner…she felt helpless….she did not know Bani at all, inspite of being her daughter, Bani was not her daughter, Kiran was too distraught on birth of another daughter…she refused to breastfeed her …it was then jetji who brought Dai ma to the house…her child was still born…she took care of Bani…and stayed on to help Kiran raise the children….but Bani was brought up by Jetji and Dai ma…Kiran had no role to play till 2 years ago when Jetji died…then Bani asked if she needed anything, mostly money to meet her basic needs…informed her if she was going to the city for something, other than that she kept to herself except now she interacted with Dhruv more and Pia sometimes…she still went to village everyday….taught children and ladies there, Kiran had heard from the servants and in home if she was not helping Dai-ma she remained in her room mostly…..Kiran was surprised by Jai's choice but not unhappy…but hearing Janaki's statement she only hoped Bani will be happy…after all she is her mother…
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Bani entered her room, locked the door…she heard all her family had to say ….but she did not feel frightened….she was surprised by Jai's action, the way he put the proposal in front of her family but she trusted him….she did not know why but she felt he won't let her down…she sensed the same loneliness in him…
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Jai walked into his room, he could hear voices upstairs, he had chosen this room knowing fully well she was in the room above…Jai saw his bed was made and his night dress laid out…as he changed, he could smell jasmine, saw a fistful kept in bowl at his bedside table…so she does not want me to forget her even when I sleep….Jai picked the bowl to inhale….
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The invitation was for two days, Jai woke up on hearing a soft knock next morning, he opened the door expecting Bani but was disappointed to see a man servant with his bed tea….
At the breakfast table she was missing, so was Pia and Dhruv but they might be sleeping and Bani did not look to be late riser….Rathore Saab, where is Bani, he asked Gulab Singh who looked around and asked Kiran who in turn went in the kitchen and came out to say that she has gone to the village….after breakfast he took the keys from the driver and drove towards the village….he asked some villagers if they have seen her….yes, didiji is now teaching the children in school, they directed him, Jai went as per direction….in a shade he saw Bani sitting surrounded by children…she was helping them with their work…he took out his small digital camera and took some pictures till one child noticed him, and pointed out to Bani….
She instructed them something and got up came towards him…she was looking fresh as a dew drop with a happy glow on her face…..aap idhar…
Tum udhar se idhar a gayi toh mai bhi a gaya…
Aaj mera idhar parane ka din tha....
Mujhe bula leta, mai le ata tumhe...
Aap sow rahe the...
Tumne sone kaha diya...
Maine? Maine keya kiya...
Jai took out his hankie and opened it to show the jasmine...isse raakh diya mere bistar ke pass and iski khushboo mujhe sone nehi diya...raat bhar kisiki yaad dilati rahi...
Bani lowered her eyes, bit her lips...
Jai asked the children…ghumne chalo ge….
They looked at Bani, she nodded….they screamed with delight…Jai opened the car…the children climbed in, one top of another…Bani sat in the front with two of them, while Jai took the steering …they drove through the village with the children popping out of the windows waving to their parents and finally drove out towards the next village and stopped at a sweet shop, inviting the children to have whatever they please……
He saw a different Bani, shouting and screaming with the children, singing with them, playing antaksari and equally inquisitive when Jai explained how the car operates….as the children ate to their fill, he clicked pictures…Bani was partial to jalebis he noticed…liked them hot…finally they drove back…
They dropped off the children and Jai again turned around the car....
Ghar uss taraf hai, Bani said…
Mujhe ghar nehi jana hai….
Toh?
Tum batayo, mai tumhara mehman hu…mujhe kaha le chalogi
Aap jayenge mere saath…
Jai looked around…doosra koi toh dekhai nehi de raha hai….
Bani looked happy and started giving directions…
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It was a mela ground, pre Holi mela was being held…..Jai parked the car and got down, waited for Bani as she covered her head with her dupatta for sun protection……they went in…foreigners and tourists were already there crowding the stalls of local handicrafts, colourful glass bangles, costume jewelry but Bani was not interested in those, she wanted to watch the tricks the locals were showing the tourists…rope trick, balancing act, basic magic show, her eyes were sparkling with excitement seeing the tricks, jumped with joy seeing the balancing trick….after it was over….she turned around to him….Chale?
Kuch kharido ge nehi….
Idhar jo bhi hai bahut mehenga milega abhi….
Tume kaise maloom?
Mai local hu....aur woh abhi mujhe bechenge bhi nehi....
Kiyu....
Mujhe pehchante hai isiliye jaida le nehi sakte lekin itne saare tourist hai kaam bhi toh nehi le sakte na...
He understood...so that is why he is getting those inquisitive glances…they were wondering who was he….saw Bani speaking to some of them in local dialect….he got hold Bani's hand, chalo mere saath…
He took him to the bangle shop….the shopkeeper looked at Bani and smiled…said something which Jai did not understand…..
Woh pooch rahe hai…kaunsa colour chahiye aapko….
Bani was wearing a blue dress today so he chose the colour and instructed the shopkeeper to put in on to Bani ….
Mai yeh pahenti nehi hu….toot jati hai...
Mere liye? he asked…. She put forward her hands to the shopkeeper…while he choose few more colours and asked them to pack it for her…he paid….
Jai had noticed a photo shop, the typical melawala shop where you can have your photo taken in local attire in front of a gaudy scenary…Jai took her in there…Bani was amused…the photographer put a colourful turban on his head, while Bani stood with a pallu over her head with her bangled hands holding her ghoonghat, Jai's arm went her, he brought her closer to his chest and both of them posed.
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They got into the car while Jai drove upto a hillock he had seen….udhar ek mandir hai…Bani informed….he was not interested in the temple but the spot was secluded he could make out and with the sun getting stronger he wanted to cool down, he drank water from the bottle in the car, and offered to Bani….yes it was a beautiful spot….the pujari must have left for his afternoon lunch and down below he could see the mela in progress…he parked the car under the lone tree…got down to survey the place…
Bani was standing in the shade, she was feeling tired, she wondered what was he upto…..a little later…Jai came and leaned against the tree, looking down at the mela…..
Hum idhar kiyo aye hai…she asked tentatively…
Kiyoki mai us ladki ke saath thora pyar karna chahata hu jisse mera shaadi hogi….he came and stood in front of her…
Aap ka shaadi kisse hogi…she asked softly…
Kiu tumhe nehi maloom…he replied…she nodded her head saying no…
Saach me nehi maloom ?
Kaise maloom hoga, aapne poochha kaha…she replied lowering her head…he could see she was trying to hide her smile…….so she was teasing him
His hands went around her waist …poochna jaroori hai, he whispered…
Sabhi poochte hai….she whispered back…
He hugged her…mujhse shaadi karoge…he asked in her ear….
Her hands went around his neck…..yes, oh yes…she replied back….
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Health and Fitness
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