OS: "Role Reversal"
(by ginu)
Anandi weds ShivRaj Shekhar. What a day that was… full of the action and melodrama that was a part of her life. Final closure of her life with the Singhs… would it ever be the same? The running into the haveli, the shouting out for Ma, Bapusa, Dadisa? Would her future visits to her peehar ever be the same? Or had she left them as a memory on the wayside, just like Bilaria, to be taken out and mulled over, either when happy or sad. How odd this was? Full circle to 18 years ago…
Her wedding day had begun breathless. She had woken with a start, a sense of loss, a sense of beginning… Sitting up in bed, buried under her dhulai, a soft smile curled her lips as she remembered "the" bike ride. Her new beginning. Her new life. How she had been embarrassed when Mahi had insisted that Shiv drop her home on his bike. The red bike, her handsome mangetar, the wind roaring in their ears, the acceleration forcing her onto his back, her attempt to back off, and the haq with which Shiv said "rakhlijiye." The bliss that filled her mind and soul with a soft sigh. The hard shoulder grounding her to the reality that her life had changed; changed irrevocably, irreversibly, beckoning her to her new future.
Shiv's declaration of love was the cherry on top. But, to her deep mortification till date, she had been so stupefied that she had not been able to respond. Her heart urged her to let go, but her soul was weak… unable to forget all the hurt and sorrow caused by the terrible word "love." She had only been able to smile tentatively, and the sweetheart that he was, he had understood – smiling back at her sweetly, all the love he felt pouring out of his eyes and cleansing her soul.
But, that had been the turning point. Nothing that Dadisa and Jagya did after that affected her in any way. They were annoying bees buzzing around her, only to be swatted at. Dadisa's behavior did hurt her, but her heart and conscience were clear – she had done nothing wrong. Oh, but it did gladden her heart when Shiv, the grandmaster of strategy, had shown everybody what Jagya really was and Dadisa was forced to let go of her moh.
The wedding day itself passed in a blur, all that stood out was Shiv's deep brown eyes ensnaring hers and guiding her through the day and the rasams that followed. The light touch of his hand on her waist energized her to face whatever was to come. Though Shiv and she had time to themselves, embarrassment kept them mum.
The pag phera rasam was upon them. Shiv and she returned from Udaipur to Jaitsar, to be warmly greeted by her maike wale. Jagya hovered in the background like an ominous rain cloud; but, who cared?
Another long day of functions and visitors was upon them. She was exhausted and so was he. Dadisa offered them the use of the guestroom for the night. That was a relief… she had been dreading going back to her own room, that too with Shiv. Ma and Taiji led her down the well-trodden trail to the room, which was decked up like a bride. Anandi blushed at the thought of what was to follow… would he? Wouldn't he? She went and sat down quietly on the sofa, waiting for her future.
With a brief knock, Shiv loomed at the door, flanked by a giggling Guli and Phooli, who pushed him in with a shouted "All the best." Blushing furiously, Shiv shook his head and went and sat down on the bed with a sigh. "God, I'm tired!"
She stared at him in disbelief. "Aaj bhi sharmayega?? Mere bhole bhandari ko to kuch bhi samajh mein nahin aata. Kaise samjhaoon ki main bhi unse pyar karti hoon?" Her disbelief changed to concern when she saw him rubbing the small of his back. Walking quickly over to him, she put her hand on his shoulder, "Kya hua, Shiv?" Not taking his negation seriously, she quickly placed his hand over his and tried to soothe the pain. His hand dropped away in shock and he stiffened a bit, but as his resistance faded away, his head drooped forward and he gave himself up to the tender ministrations. As she worked on the knots in his back and moved steadily upward, his bones turned to mush.
Suddenly feeling the lack of her soft hands on his back, his eyes popped open to see her kneeling on the floor in front of him. She took one of feet in hers and started slipping his mojri off. He jerked his foot back, "Kya kar rahi ho, Anandi?" "Aap mere liye itna kuch karte hain, Shiv." Kya mujhe itna haq nahin hai ki main aapko zara aaram pahuncha pa sakun?" Heaving a deep sigh, he gave up and watched as she slowly slipped both his mojris off. A different kind of tension coursed through him as she gently took each toe in hand, pressing the pain out of them, moving slowly upward to his heels and then calves. He flopped backward on the bed, wondering what sweet torture this was. Reaching his knees, she quietly moved behind him on the bed and put her soft, cool hands on his forehead, smoothening his eyes, and working backward to his nape. Her deep maroon sari fell over his face, cloaking them both. As her fingers brushed his nape, he shivered and shot back up. "Anandi, I think that's enough. We are both tired today; let's sleep." At her soft giggle, he looked over his shoulder at her glowing face. "Shiv, maine aap se ek baar kaha tha na ki main apni khushi nahi dikha sakti? Magar maine yeh nahin bataya tha ki pyaar ka izhaar bhi mere liye mushkil hai. Main to aapse bahut dino se batana chah rahi thi ki yeh shaadi main bhi koi rasam rivaaj ke tahat nahin kar rahi hoon. Main to bas din gin rahi thi ki main aapki aur aap mere ho jaayen." Saying that, she blushed deeply and buried her head in his back, holding on for dear life, as if this were a dream that she was holding on to tightly!
He spun around in his place, locking her tightly in his arms, holding on to his treasure… their hearts were thundering in symphony. Moving his hands gently on her back, he discovered the soft, soft skin peeking through the doris on her blouse and took the plunge. "Anandi, aap dar to nahin rahin na? I could not bear it if I hurt you." At the vehement shake of her head, he moved his hands upwards till they were cradling the back of her head. Using his thumbs as leverage, he gently turned her beautiful face up to his. Kissing first the tip of her nose, her cheeks, and the corners of her lips, he paused a beat. Unable to bear the wait, Anandi turned her head and swooped his lips up for their first kiss. The silence was only broken by the soft pants for breath, the moaned words of love, and the thrumming of their hearts. Working awkwardly but swiftly, he undid the doris for access to more of the sweetly scented flesh. She held him closer and even closer as she tried to absorb him whole… Fumbling awkwardly, he tried to undo the folds of her sari. Growing impatient, she stood up and started the process of gifting herself to him. He could only stare in awe. Grabbing ahold of her, he gently lay her down on the bed… lying next to her to watch and adore. Raising her hand, she trailed her index finger over his eyebrows, nose, and finally his lips. Imbibing the sensuous glow on her face was too much for him. He finally wrestled control from her by swooping in for the kill, devouring her as it were. Taking off her ornaments became an exercise in sensuousness… touch, sound, and feel. Keeping her, and himself, from going crazy, he took her into a deep embrace from where they never wanted to return. As the blood roared through their ears, they finally became one… one body, one soul, one entity
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AnSh OS
(By adi/uma)
Runner up😛
There's just something about her. You can't quite put your finger on it. It's the same as knowing how to dream. There's something deep inside that allows you to slip into sub conscious... and then you soar. That's what she's like ... she makes you soar.
It's impossible to say exactly why. She's not the smartest girl you know. She's great at her work... stunningly good at cooking. She's almost better than you actually - even when you get past being distracted by her vibrant smile and laughing eyes, she can beat you in a duel in chess.. This last bit she says with a teasing smile just before her lips capture yours.
The first time you had a real conversation with her... a conversation that lasted over twenty minutes and involved only the two of you together in the barren fields of Jeitsar...She told you what she felt on how the DAM should run thru''. And she was right. She stood across from you.. and she looked at you with big, solemn eyes, telling you about the conviction in her belief'.that fascinated your heart'that you wanted to reach across and hug her... but you didn't. Instead you stared dumbly at her...for so long that she blushed pink on her cheeks' and you smiled at her,... You slept until dawn for the first time in weeks that night. It was only much later that you realized you had forgotten to say Thank you.
It's not entirely possible to put into words why she's so beautiful. She's not a girl with an exotic beauty and near perfection. It's mostly when she smiles and her whole face lights up; a light shining from inside her, spilling out her eyes. She spends more time outside than any girl you know - walking around the streets of Jetsar'from school..to the panchayat...and to the Haveli - so that her cheeks seem to always hold a glow of sunshine. You think perhaps the sun has seeped into her, leaking out when she smiles brilliantly. And you love it... she looks like a child of the sun.
She smells like cinnamon and cloves... like chocolate and tea. Her eyes are so dark they appear black in certain lights, and they study you when she thinks you're not watching ... but once you started looking at her, you could never look away. You're always aware of where she is and where her eyes are looking. You let her study you, though. She seems to find something that makes her smile a secret smile and it's worth it, just to see her smile, even though it always makes you burn to know she's watching.
You remember the day like it was yesterday, when you were walking next to her on the night when you walked her back to the Haveli...after your memorable Dinner date..., allowing your shoulder to bump hers every few minutes, loving the shiver of pleasure that raced up your arm every time you brushed against her. You were rewarded every time with bright smiles and glowing blushes and heart-stopping looks. The most amazing feeling, though, was when you were walking down the street a few days after you have confessed your love for her... you felt her hand slip into yours. It was tiny and soft and dry, with short fingernails... and every time she ran her thumb along yours it created the most delicious sensations ...sensations that made you grateful for having her beside you in your life...
She does not laugh a lot. Yet..its the most amazing sound. It's better than a magic. It heals you. You feel you should tickle her constantly, just to hear her laugh. You've become silly now ... something you never used to be ... making faces at her and telling jokes in the hope that it will cause her to burst into laughter. It seems she's good at making others laugh as well. She inherited that wonderful family trait that gives some innate ability to bring joy to those around her ... to bring you joy.
Sometimes she cries. You hate that she still has fears. You hate the Man who made her this way but you like the fact that you can give her something and offer her solace. You wish there was more for you to give. Someday, you hope to give her the world.
You think about how you might have missed this... If it hadn't all clicked. She's sensible and kind and a little bit better at everything than anyone else ... but when you add it all up, she's amazing. She's sensational really, and you think about how you almost passed her by ... If you hadn't spoken with her, or watched her work, or heard her laugh, or noticed her bright, vibrant , soft, luminous eyes ... if you hadn't saved her life ... you could have gone your whole life and missed this. Maybe never even knowing that something was missing, but still feeling lost and empty with a longing... For someone to love. For someone who would hold you when you wept, and brush your hair off your forehead, and kiss your eyes. For someone to tell you everything would be all right.
She has given you courage. Courage to face Life's mean battles now... And you know tomorrow, when the burden of your accomplishment becomes unbearable, you know she will be there to hold you, to study you with bright eyes, and to make you laugh.
She is your desire. You know that now. She is your heart's desire... She has made you long for a future...So that you can be content with the past.
FINISH
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AnSh OS - In Sickness and Soup
(by anjana)
(Not for Contest)
*The medical information in this OS is invalid and unreliable!*
**Dedicated to the AnSh AT's most sensible member, Khusi
The Shekhars were back at Udaipur and Shiv was away for a one week conference in Bangalore. When DS learnt this, she immediately insisted Anandi stay over at the Haveli while Shiv was away. Her first afternoon back at the Haveli a few hours after lunch, Anandi got violently ill. At first all were excited that she might be pregnant especially Sumi, but Anandi suspected her ulcer was back with a vengeance. She didn't want to worry her family, but she could not very well give them false hopes. When she shared her suspicion, Bapusa immediately called the hospital for Lal Singh, but as he was out of town, Jagya came to treat her instead. He was now working at the Jaitsar Hospital under LS and living nearby in a small house with Gauri and their son, Dukhiya!🤣
Jagya agreed that it was indeed her ulcer acting up. To complete matters, it appeared Anandi had picked up a cold from her students as well. He gave her an antacid injection, something for the cold, and some painkillers to help her sleep. At points the pain and cold made her feverish and she dreamed Shiv was there with her not just Sumi or Jagya, who had insisted on keeping watch till her fever broke given the complications. He arrived all harried near dawn, tossed his jacket onto a chair, rolling up his sleeves immediately took over placing and removing the wet handkerchief on her forehead. He soothed her back when she was nauseous but, had nothing left in her stomach to toss.🤢 He held her hand when the pain and had her squeeze it to her hearts content when the pain was unbearable! It wasn't real but, imagining him there gave her peace and strength.
'Shiv - aap itne aachee or handsome kyun hai?!" She mumbled happily when he wiped down her bro once more for the umpteenth time. Shiv blushed tamatar red as Sumi smiled shyly at her son-in-law. He had indeed rushed back to Jaitsar for once pulling every official string and then some ...first to get a flight from Bangalore to Delhi and then another one from Delhi to Jaipur, lastly riding the final overnight bus from Jaipur to get Jaitsar early morning...home to Anandi's side in hours instead of days.
Jagya watched and remembered how he had refused to visit Anandi when she was first diagnosed with ulcer...now watching Shiv care for Anandi was better than listening to Gauri's constant taunts and Dukhiya's collicky cries.
It was eight in the morning when Anandi's fever finally broke. Relieved, Shiv insisted both Sumi and Jagya get some rest while he kept watch. After they left, Shiv crawled into the bedside his wife for a quick nap himself. Her face was still wan but, he could feel the lack of fever in the coolness of her cheek against the back of his hand.
Anandi woke an hour later to find Shiv cuddled next to her holding her pulse near his face. Disbelieving her dreamy reality, she pinched herself and then Shiv's cheek!
"Soo jao Anandi" Shiv scolded in his khadoos cranky Collectorsaab voice as he opened his eyes a midge.
"Aap kab ayye?" Anandi still disbelieving he was there in the bed beside her. How had he managed to return from Bangalore this fast? He really was her SuryaBadal...always there when she needed him. With that thought Anandi fell asleep a happy smile on her face once more. Shiv pulled the covers over the both of them spooned her into his body and fell back asleep himself.
That's how Jagya found them cuddled asleep under the blanket in Anandi's former room when he came to check on Anandi an hour later. Swallowing the bitter lump in his throat, he woke them up so he could administer another antacid shot to Anandi before making her drink some pheeka soup he had asked Taisa to prepare just for Anandi.
As Jagya readied the needle and filled it with the antacid medication, Shiv held Anandi's arm..and babbled that it would not hurt much and she had to be a good patient. He had almost convinced himself all would be well, but then felt lightheaded when he saw the needle about to go into her arm. With her free arm Anandi grabbed his Shiv's face and forced him to look at her face.
"Mein bilkul teek hu! Dekhiye!" Anandi gave Shiv her brightest smile and a wink that had him blinking and blushing in sweet surprise as Jagya inserted the sui in her other arm and tried helpless not to watch. Had he and Gauri ever loved so sweetly? He could not even remember the last time they had even said a kind word to each other. The only thing they spoke about these days or rather ranted over was Dukhaya.
Gehna brought in the bowl of steaming soup for Anandi just as Jagiya was leaving to return to the hospital confident his patient was in much better hands. 😭 Shiv had shifted to the chair beside Anandi's bed once more and immediately stood up to take the tray with the soup from Taisa. He placed it on the tray on the beside table and took the bowl and spoon in his hands.
"Shiv tum bhi neeche jaake nashta karlo. Mein Anandi ki saath rehti hu...tum kal raat bhi kuch nahi khayaa" Taisa told Shiv, but he refused to budge from Anandi's side so she said she would bring up a tray for him as well in that case. Shiv nodded his head to that, got up and whispered something in her ear that had her leaving with a teary smile and a nod. The soup bowl in hand Shiv sat down back down. He scooped a spoonful of steaming soup for Anandi. But, she sealed her lips together and refusing to have any... wrinkling her nose in disdain.
"Yeh soup bahoot pheeka hai... mujhe nahi peena hai!" She made a puppy face similar to the kind Shiv made whenever he was sick and she tried to feed him such stuff.
"Meri sherni...mujhe hi grrr" He laughed at her nakal, determinedly chasing her mouth with the soup spoon till she consumed it.
"Not fair - mere liye peeka soup...aur aapke liye aachhee pakwaan" Anandi continued her "Shiv"personation. Shiv tucked in a strand of hair behind her ear and tugged on it while he fed her some more soup.
Jagiya cleared his throat from the door, putting a stop to the lovebirds game. He had forgotten his stethoscope and Taisa had asked him to take up Shiv's tray when she had seen him on the stairs heading back up.
He handed the second tray to Shiv and picked up his stethoscope from the desk he had left it at.
"Soup? Aapke liye bhi? Yeh khaya Shiv? Mein toh sirf aapko chhed rahi thi" Anandi softly asked Shiv with a watery smile.
"Agar tum mere liye Soup pee sakhte ho jab mere tabiyaat kharab hota hai...to mein tumhein company nahi de sakta hu kya?" Shiv replied back as he spooned the soup into his mouth. It was indeed pheeka but, to him it tasted as sweet as Anandi's halwa.
Jagiya felt nauseous seeing the fond and proud look Anandi gave to Shiv. He was the one who had been there the whole night taking care of Anandi, but she didn't even see him. Compelled to disrupt, he started to cite off the items Anandi should eat and avoid while she recovered. Shiv immediately handed the soup bowl and spoon off to Anandi and grabbed a paper and pen from the table. He then asked Jagiya to repeat the list, diligently noting it all down while Anandi fed him the soup!😳
Frustrated Jagdeesh stomped off as soon as he finished the list again mumbling something about returning to check on Anandi later in the day.
Alone once more, Shiv tucked Anandi tightly into the bed and made her sleep some more while he showered, changed, and skyped the presentation he was supposed to give in Bangalore. As he finished, he spotted Anandi looking at him with "THAT" look! Blushing, he shook his head in the negative.
"Nahi tum theek nahi ho!" He said with quick kisses on her forehead, eyes and a slow soft one on her mouth. Slipping away before she could hold him!
By tea time colour had returned to Anandi cheeks and Shiv carried her downstairs when she refused to stay in bed any longer. They were near the staircase landing when a harried Gauri entered with baby Dhukya in her arms. She had baby spit up all over her the front of her salwaar and a splotch of what looked like baby powder on her neck. Before AnSh could or anyone could even properly greet her, she rushed off toward the kitchen only to be rebuffed out by Sumi, who coldly told her she would warm baby Dukhaya's milk while Gauri waited.
Putting Anandi down on the sofa, Shiv too headed off to the kitchen with a determined look of his own while Anandi chatted with Bapusa and Taisa. Gauri tried do quiet the baby, who was once again crying. DS tried to help, but the baby threw up on her...forcing her to go change. Jagya returned to check on Anandi just as Sumi and Shiv returned from the kitchen with afternoon tea. Jagya tried picking up the baby to help, but with a glare Gauri snatched the baby back from him.
"Woh tumko nahi jaanta! Aur bhi rooyega!" she hissed at him. Shrugging, Jagya turned back to ask Anandi how she was doing now. She was happily smiling at Shiv while he handed her a cup.
"Yeh kya Shiv? Mere coffee kaha hai?" She questioned with a puzzled look after taking a sip from her cup.
"Yeh green tea hai... hum aaj se yeh peenge...jab tak tum teek nahi ho jaate ho" Shiv informed her while picking up his cup. The hot coffee cup Jagiya had just picked up slipped from his hand drenching him with hot coffee. He went up to quickly wash the coffee out. Shiv and Anandi had already left for CH by the time he returned. Anandi had wanted to go "home" and the Singhs were confident Shiv would let nothing awry happen to her. Who afterall could take better care of Anandi then Shiv?😃
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Edited by anshbalikavadhu - 11 years ago
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