FF: Solid Soul Part XXI / PG 66 - Page 30

Dear all,

This one is relatively short. I am almost done with the next part. Hope to have that soon.

Thanks for those instant feedback, keeps me going.

Hoping to give you a longer update soon

CHAPTER XVII

She was in the seventh heaven, her spirits were sky high and nothing and no one could deflate her sky high spirits. She had heard heart beats today during her check up. The gray blurry figures on the sonogram were indecipherable except for the pulsating heart beats that indicated evidence of life growing within her. Her joy had doubled when the technician had turned on the sound for her to hear the rapid thumping emanating out of the speakers. The joy had become a miracle when the technician detected a second heart beat and announced that she was carrying twins.  As she walked back to the Maheshwari residence, she almost stopped at the sweet vendor for some Jalebis. But the asking price for those coiled sweetmeats brought home stark realities and she decided to keep her euphoric meanderings at bay and do some serious thinking. Staying indefinitely with the Maheshwaris was not a viable option in the long-run and it would be a matter of time before ASR's sleuths located her if they were tailing her. Returning to ASR household was not an option as she had started the divorce proceedings. She was going to make sure that her children would not get caught in any kind of future tug-of-wars and be the recipient of ASR or his family's wrath or/and indifference. As she headed towards her sponsors' home, she formulated her plan.

It was well past lunch time before Khushi reached the Maheshwari home. That afternoon she made some major decisions. During her tenure at the factory, she had been saving every dime and forwarding the same to Buaji's account.  She had jumped at every opportunity to make more money working over-time. Her bonus, increments, and cash incentive awards had been set aside to build up a modest nest egg in her savings account. She emptied her nest egg of Rs.5 lakhs into Buaji's account so that the meager monthly interest would provide some support to her family. She had hoped to catch a glimpse of them, but decided to move on lest her emotions pulled her back. She informed Dr. Nalini Singh of her intention to move to Sharanalaya, the women's shelter in Ujjain at the earliest.  

Dr. Nalini Singh knew that her ward would move on as many had done over the years. But with Khushi she had formed a special bond so letting her go was not going to be easy. She knew that once Khushi left she would not keep in touch to preserve her anonymity. This young lady was a rare uncut gem with a lot of potential yet to be tapped. But with not one, but two children on the way, it would be a big stretch even for someone as optimistic as Khushi to go on relentlessly. She fervently prayed for this young lady and hoped for a miracle.

"So much of thought with no action is no use Nalini", rebuking herself, Nalini curtailed her thoughts and went into action donning her professional hat.  She procured the sonography reports to ensure that all was well. The lab reports too hadn't shown anything abnormal. She amassed iron tablets and folic acid supplements received by her office as samples to build up Khushi's stock. That evening at 6.00 pm she called her counterpart, Dr. Karuna Shankar, in Ujjain and provided details of Khushi's tentative arrival and her medical case history.  As luck would have it, Panditji was able to procure a rail reservation for the same evening by Nizamuddin-Indore Express. Khushi had found a place in the heart of the ever poker faced Panditji who hovered over her like a protective hen.

At 9.30 pm, Khushi accompanied by Panditji bid Dr. Nalini Singh her final goodbye and started towards Delhi Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway station. Panditji made sure Khushi was well settled in her A/C three tier berth/seat before bidding her goodbye.  

Khushi sat at the window and glanced throngs of people go back and forth on the platform. Some were picking up snacks, some were buying books to read, some were idling their time making small talk, while some were taking leave from their relatives before the train departed. And of course there were the last minute travelers who were running behind a frazzled conductor (or TC) for reservation. It seem just three years ago when she like these last minute travelers had traveled to this city from Lucknow. She hadn't been alone. Jiji and Buaji had been with her. And again she had been the youngest of the three, but this time, she was alone and was responsible for two lives.  

"Devi Maiyya, pata nahi aur kya kya dekhna hai, par aap saath hain to humain kuch nahi hoga", thought Khushi.(Devi Maiyya, don't know what all is in store for me, but with your benevolence, I know I will be ok)

The insistent ringing of the phone broke Khushi's reverie.  The screen displayed an unfamiliar number making her wary to pick up the call. She decided to answer it

"Khushi, mujhe tumhari zaroorat hai" (I need your assistance Khushi)

Khushi: Mohinididi, aapko yeh number kahan se mila.(Where did you get this number?)

Mohini: Dr. Nalini ko maine phone kiya aur unhone yeh mujhe yeh number diya. Mujhe tumhari sakt zaroorat hai. Kya tum Jhansi aa sakti ho?

Khushi: Kab aana hai, hum to Ujjain ke liye nikal pade hain abhi. Ab 10 minute mein gaadi nikalnewali hai.(I called Dr. Nalini and she gave me your phone number. I badly need your assistance. Can you come to Jhansi ASAP?)

Mohini: Teek hai mera address le lo aur yahan jitni jaldi ho pahoncho.(Here is my address, try to reach hear at the earliest)

Mohini Rawal (Mehta, Maiden name) her best friend at the Sardhana factory, had lived at Dayavihar with her 5 year old son. The abused housewife had sought refuge at the women's shelter after running away from her tyrannical husband and in-laws. After living at Dayavihar for six years, she had made contact with her parents in Jhansi, who were more than happy to take their daughter and grandchild back to their home in Jhansi.

Khushi noticed that as the departure time was nearing, throngs of people crowded near the conductor for tickets. Khushi made up her mind. She pulled all her luggage from under the berth/seat and got off the train. There at the platform near the conductor, she targeted a girl who needed a ticket to Ujjain. Khushi traded her 3 tier A/C sleeper ticket for hard cash. Armed with the ticket price (Rs.800.00), Khushi walked from the Northern Railway (NR) section to the East Coast Railway (ECoR) section of the railway station. She found reservations lounge, filled out the reservation form and walked to ticket window to make the reservation for herself by the Link Superfast Express that was to depart for Jhansi in an hour.

The ticket vendor at the window took her form and indicated availability of a 3 tier A/C sleeper only at a price of Rs.550.00. Khushi gave her confirmation as the vendor punched in the details from the form.

Suddenly the ticket vendor extended the form at her

"Kya likha hai, apna naam angrezi mein likna nahi aata to hindi main likhiye. Kesar ki spelling galat likha hai" (What have your written? If you cant spell in English, write it in Hindi. Kesar has been incorrectly spelled)

Khushi took the form and glanced at it. She had jotted her name as K ASR Gupta. She had inadvertently put her husband's initials ASR. The rebuke from the ticket vendor seemed god sent. She quickly changed her mind against putting down her correct name, but opted to use KESAR. In a span of 10 seconds she had a new identity ' KESAR GUPTA. She handed over the form along with the money with a grateful thanks to the irate ticket vendor.

Armed with the ticket, KESAR GUPTA boarded 12272 Slip Dakshin Express that would roll out of New Delhi towards Jhansi in less than 20 minutes. She bought a bottle of water and a cup of tea from the railway platform before settling in her seat. She made a call to Mohini indicating her change of plans and arrival into Jhansi the following morning at 5.00 am. An ecstatic Mohini agreed,

Mohini: Khushi , tum nahi jaanti mujhe'''''''''''''..(Khushi, you dont know...

Khushi cut Mohini short

Khushi: Didi, aaj se aap humain KESAR bulana, KHUSHI nahi''''''''humara naam KESAR GUPTA hai. Milte hain hum aapse kal subah.(Didi not Khushi, I am KESAR GUPTA,  you know me as KESAR GUPTA. I will see you tomorrow morning)

Promptly at 22.50, 12272 Slip Dakshin Express rolled out of New Delhi with KESAR GUPTA on board.