THE MIRAGE by GoldenHaze
Chapter-3 Is It Worth It?
"Thu theek tho hai?" ( You ok?) paayal enquired in a troubled tone!
" Aah. huh! haan jiji"(yeah!) Khushi tried to pacify her settling on the bed back in her room..
"Woh bus hum aise hi..."( Its just that...)
"Rehne dey Khushi! tum ab yeh sab band hi karo ku ki Arnavji ko yeh sab bilkul pasand nahi hai."( Stop being this way as Arnavji does not approve of foolhardiness)
"Tum apnaa paagal pan chodogi tho acchha hoga samjhi?" paayal chided her.( It is better if you stop being an idiot).
"Humne kya kiya jiji. Woh bas hum aise hi tehlthe tehelthey bhoole se ustaraf..."( what did i do Jiji? By mistake i just wandered off...)
"Bhoolesey??? tumhe pathaa hai tum behosh hoke girgayin thi! Buddhu agar Arnavji nai hothey tho?"( By mistake? Do you realise you were about to fall? Idiot! what if Arnavji wasn't there to...?) Paayal left the sentence midway.
"Hosh mein tho tum rehthi hi nahi. Batha dethey hain Khushi!Tumhara honewalaa pathi badaa hi gusse waala hai aur unhey hasi mazaak bilkul pasand nahin hai." ( I am telling you Khushi. Your fiance is a very short tempered man and he does not approve of this tom foolery.)
"Woh bade hi...( He is...) she was searching for an appropriate word when Khushi supplied "khadoos hain!"( Wretched)
" Khushi!" paayal chided again.
"Tum baithi raho hum tumharey liye paani latthey hain! hilna nahi!. " ( you stay put i shall get something to drink!),Paayal left Khushi who was reminded of the incident earlier.
"Is it really worth all this? isn't it a bit to late to think on those grounds! Sheesh Mahal is just not their home! It is their honour their pride! Babuji always told her and jiji that he never regretted not having a male heir to his vamsh. He used to say i am sure my daughters will do much better than any son! Thinking about these things is different but getting married that too in return for something to a stranger ...well almost a stranger is something else! "Hey devi mayya!"
Khushi had no idea what made the earth open up below her feet as she totally forgot where she was! When she slipped she thought that was the end and the emotional and physical exhaution of the past few months caught up with her knocking her off her senses.
Khushi had no idea what made the earth open up below her feet as she totally forgot where she was! When she slipped she thought that was the end and the emotional and physical exhaution of the past few months caught up with her knocking her off her senses.
When she opened her eyes she first felt absolutely at peace safe and warm then she realised she was in someones arms and got to know her groom was holding her when naaniji shouted his name.Her heart beat quickened on its own accord as she was seized by warm hands and was laid down on the stone bench. She tried to settle further by moving back but lost her balance and was howled against a lithe body. She was too confused to relax but how could she react to a total stranger... it was as if her body has a way of its own. She despised him for bulldozing her into this marriage but when he was so close she felt a strange awareness of him his presence all round her!
She tried to stand when Jiji egged her on and was cramped between him and the stone bench and lost her balance! She steadied herself by shooting her palm up and realised it was a mistake. Her palm was branded by searing hot skin that scorched her sending shudders down her spine. Khushi never felt like that before in her life.
...And then she heard a sharp intake of breath as if Arnavji was having some trouble breathing...her name! "did she hear him calling out softly? Was it her imagination?"How good it sounded on his lips! ha! look at her thinking of him like that when she actually dispised him for taking advantage of her and Babuji!
...And then she heard a sharp intake of breath as if Arnavji was having some trouble breathing...her name! "did she hear him calling out softly? Was it her imagination?"How good it sounded on his lips! ha! look at her thinking of him like that when she actually dispised him for taking advantage of her and Babuji!
She managed to just look at him through the veil and although hazy she could clearly see the unfathomable intense eyes of his boring into hers ... a little unsure as she thought smugly as her veil made him disconcerted. so... round one to Devi Mayya! Khushi thought. she wanted to do something anything to intimidate this man as he was famous for his ruthlessness and undaunted attitude! How dare he played with their sentiments!!!
Ever since the phone conversation if one can say so about it with hardly two and a half words exchanged, everything got busy! entire family prepared for the wedding on war footing and she never got a chance to even tell babuji she dint see the groom!
Everyone naturally assumed that she and Arnavji have already met during Paayal's wedding. But in reality they somehow happened to miss meeting each other! Destiny! Khushi thought. Who would have even dreamed of her getting married into the Raizada clan... even Paayal for that matter.It so happened that life has something different chalked out for itself as far as Khushi kumariji is concerned...she mused!She then remembered Jiji's wedding...
ASR turned up smack on time for jijis wedding and he was busy mingling with his invitees on the behest of naani as she felt it was rude of him to be late and not participating in any rituals at all. Khushi was mostly working behind scenes and was so busy that she never even came to see the wedding actually but for the lovely brother in law of ASR Shyam Manohar Jha.
Everyone naturally assumed that she and Arnavji have already met during Paayal's wedding. But in reality they somehow happened to miss meeting each other! Destiny! Khushi thought. Who would have even dreamed of her getting married into the Raizada clan... even Paayal for that matter.It so happened that life has something different chalked out for itself as far as Khushi kumariji is concerned...she mused!She then remembered Jiji's wedding...
ASR turned up smack on time for jijis wedding and he was busy mingling with his invitees on the behest of naani as she felt it was rude of him to be late and not participating in any rituals at all. Khushi was mostly working behind scenes and was so busy that she never even came to see the wedding actually but for the lovely brother in law of ASR Shyam Manohar Jha.
They hit it off very well from the beginning. He was a perfect guest who tried his best to comfort everyone and stepped in once or twice to soften the rough edges when manoramaji tried to create trouble. He was actually the son in law of the house but he took up the responsibility of a son as Aakash jijaji was the groom and could not help much!
Shyamji helped them so many times and by the end of the wedding they were the best of friends. It was Shyamji who asked her if she met ASR at all! she remembered!
"Nahi Shyamji kahan hum yahan se gol baaramda tak hi nahi aapaaye ab mandap tak kahan aayenge?" ( No Shyamji! I couldn't even make it to the gol Baaraamda how can i even reach the mandap?),she asked him!
" Itnaa kaam karogi tho apni jiji ki shaadi kya dekh paayengi Khushiji! ek aap hai aur ek hamaare saale saab! Ek ghanta pehle aayein hai aur naaniji ka dil rakhne ke liye sabse milke unhe uphaar de raheein hain. Uske baad turanth chale jayenge!" If you keep yourself so busy then you will miss attending your sister's wedding. You and ASR are alike! he has come bang on time and is entertaining guests that too to please naaniji and then he would be gone soon)Shyam teased her.
"HAAW! kaise bhai hain Arnavji!"( What kind of a brother is he!) Khushi exclaimed!
"Bade hi zimmedaar! ( A responsible one!) he supported his brother-in-law endearing himself to Khushi as Khushi always liked people who stood by their people through thick and thin. "Aakashji ki shaadi jo jaldi mein pakki hui uss wajahse unhe jo transnational project karnaa tha woh bhi saale saab hi kar rahein hai!" (Aakash's marriage being settled all of a sudden,whatever unfinished jobs are ther coz of this wedding, he is handling them) explained.
"Per yeh humein taajyyub horaha hain koi unse aapko milwaaye kyun nahin? chaliye hum milwaadethey hai aapko unse." (But this beats me as how both of you are yet to be introduced ) Shyaamji had said.
He dragged her out and pulled her towards the mandap and as they reached it he showed ASR and said,"There he is!!! see! let me introduce you". Khushi craned her neck to see a well built man clad in severely formal western outfit standing out amongst all the guests coz of his attire. He was facing the other side and she could only see his back!
Shyamji helped them so many times and by the end of the wedding they were the best of friends. It was Shyamji who asked her if she met ASR at all! she remembered!
"Nahi Shyamji kahan hum yahan se gol baaramda tak hi nahi aapaaye ab mandap tak kahan aayenge?" ( No Shyamji! I couldn't even make it to the gol Baaraamda how can i even reach the mandap?),she asked him!
" Itnaa kaam karogi tho apni jiji ki shaadi kya dekh paayengi Khushiji! ek aap hai aur ek hamaare saale saab! Ek ghanta pehle aayein hai aur naaniji ka dil rakhne ke liye sabse milke unhe uphaar de raheein hain. Uske baad turanth chale jayenge!" If you keep yourself so busy then you will miss attending your sister's wedding. You and ASR are alike! he has come bang on time and is entertaining guests that too to please naaniji and then he would be gone soon)Shyam teased her.
"HAAW! kaise bhai hain Arnavji!"( What kind of a brother is he!) Khushi exclaimed!
"Bade hi zimmedaar! ( A responsible one!) he supported his brother-in-law endearing himself to Khushi as Khushi always liked people who stood by their people through thick and thin. "Aakashji ki shaadi jo jaldi mein pakki hui uss wajahse unhe jo transnational project karnaa tha woh bhi saale saab hi kar rahein hai!" (Aakash's marriage being settled all of a sudden,whatever unfinished jobs are ther coz of this wedding, he is handling them) explained.
"Per yeh humein taajyyub horaha hain koi unse aapko milwaaye kyun nahin? chaliye hum milwaadethey hai aapko unse." (But this beats me as how both of you are yet to be introduced ) Shyaamji had said.
He dragged her out and pulled her towards the mandap and as they reached it he showed ASR and said,"There he is!!! see! let me introduce you". Khushi craned her neck to see a well built man clad in severely formal western outfit standing out amongst all the guests coz of his attire. He was facing the other side and she could only see his back!
"Hai reh Nand Kishore! Ka karke aayee hou parameshwari! ( what have you done now)"Buaji's voice brought Khushi into the present as she hovered in like a dragon and gave her a shove! "Wahan kaise pahunch gayi aur kaa karne? seedha dulhe ke kamre ma jaane waali thi ka? ( how did you even get ther? were you planning to stalk the groom in his room?)"Buaji went on...
"Buaji hum aapse kuch poochein?"( Can i ask you something?) Khushi intervened.
"Kuch khaaneki sochiyo bhi math kaahey ki toh ka vrat hai aaj! "( don't even think of eating as you are supposedly on a fast today!)she bellowed.
"Nahi buaji! hum Babuji se bath karna chaahthey hai! Amma kahan hai?"( No! I just wanted to have a word with Babuji. Wher can i find Amma?) Khushi asked.
"Chup chaap baithi reh. Tohre kaarnaame sunke aarahe hai! pagalaa gayi hou ka?" ( Be where you are. Now enough! I came to know of what you did back there! have you gone crazy?) Buaji chided!
Then she produced a small square talisman.
"Ei Khushi bitiya! Yeh sadaa tumhre paas rakhiyo! NandKishore tohri rakshaa karenge!" (My dear child keep this always with you as a blessing from me. Nand Kishore will be with you aleays!)
Kya hai buaji isme? ( what's there in this?)Khushi asked and got a chiding in return.
"Bus rakhiyo titaliya. samajhlena apni buaji ka aasheerwaad hai!"
Khushi suddenly felt sad! she hugged buaji and wept. "aap sab yaad ayenge buaji. Hum nai jaayenge." ( I shall miss you all! I don't want to go!)
"Pagaliya! jaana hi hai sabko! ek din!" ( Everyone must go one day!) buaji spoke softly.
"Acchha accha ab tayyar ho gayi hou tho chalke tumhri amma ka asheerwaad leike mandap mein chalthey hain chalo!" ( Now that you are ready lets go take your Amma's blessings and go to the mandap!Lets go!)she led the way trying to hide her tears and Khushi followed.
Next...
"Buaji hum aapse kuch poochein?"( Can i ask you something?) Khushi intervened.
"Kuch khaaneki sochiyo bhi math kaahey ki toh ka vrat hai aaj! "( don't even think of eating as you are supposedly on a fast today!)she bellowed.
"Nahi buaji! hum Babuji se bath karna chaahthey hai! Amma kahan hai?"( No! I just wanted to have a word with Babuji. Wher can i find Amma?) Khushi asked.
"Chup chaap baithi reh. Tohre kaarnaame sunke aarahe hai! pagalaa gayi hou ka?" ( Be where you are. Now enough! I came to know of what you did back there! have you gone crazy?) Buaji chided!
Then she produced a small square talisman.
"Ei Khushi bitiya! Yeh sadaa tumhre paas rakhiyo! NandKishore tohri rakshaa karenge!" (My dear child keep this always with you as a blessing from me. Nand Kishore will be with you aleays!)
Kya hai buaji isme? ( what's there in this?)Khushi asked and got a chiding in return.
"Bus rakhiyo titaliya. samajhlena apni buaji ka aasheerwaad hai!"
Khushi suddenly felt sad! she hugged buaji and wept. "aap sab yaad ayenge buaji. Hum nai jaayenge." ( I shall miss you all! I don't want to go!)
"Pagaliya! jaana hi hai sabko! ek din!" ( Everyone must go one day!) buaji spoke softly.
"Acchha accha ab tayyar ho gayi hou tho chalke tumhri amma ka asheerwaad leike mandap mein chalthey hain chalo!" ( Now that you are ready lets go take your Amma's blessings and go to the mandap!Lets go!)she led the way trying to hide her tears and Khushi followed.
Next...
Much awaited Destiny of khushi once again a wonderful update,though a bit disappointed it didn't had much arshi but loved to know khushis opinion on arnav...khadoos haaha
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for more