This
is the 6th part, Khanak's first day at her In-Laws (present) and in
office (flashback). Very long one as per my standards, but hope you like it.
Part6:- Accepance of the new Surroundings (First Day at
In-Laws)
14th
May 2011
Shaan
had held the door to the car as Khanak threw the last set of lavha (also called
as kurmura used in bhel J) behind into
her Bai's extended saree pallu.
She
had looked back with tears in her eyes for one last time before sitting into
the car. Shaan was sitting in back seat and the car moved ahead towards her new
home.
All
through the 30 mins drive, Shaan had held her trembling hands as she fought the
tears still flowing down her cheeks. They reached Khandelwal house in Juhu
around 4:00 pm.
She
was awakened from her memories when the car halted outside Khandelwal house.
She had looked at Shaan to confirm that they were married now and going towards
his house. He had squeezed her hand and raised his eyebrows asking what
happened. She had shook her head in a nothing and smiled reassuringly at him.
The driver opened the door for her where as Shaan walked out from the other
side and moved to be on her side in a jiffy.
As
Shaan and Khanak descended from the car and walked towards the 2-storey bungalow
entrance, the family had gathered at the door.
Madhavi
has already reached and is waiting at the door with Dadi for the aarti.
Khushboo hurries from the car behind and stands beside Madhavi.
Dadi:
"Ruko bachon, abhi kuch rasme karni baki
hain"
Madz
does the aarti and asks Khanak to push the vessel filled with rice grains with
her right foot into the house.
As
Khanak raises her right leg slightly to do so, she finds Shaan holding her left
hand for balancing her. She slowly pushes the vessel and the rice scatters in a
pile just inside the door frame. Everybody claps and cheers them while they
enter forwarding their right leg into the house, walking around the pile of
rice.
Khushboo
has brought a big thali (plate) with the sindoori water (red coloured).
Dadi:
"Khanak beta, usme dono payr rakho aur
phir who bicha hua safed kapda hain na uspar chalkar andar aao."
Khanak
steps into the thali, and slightly squeezes Shaan's hand, which he is still
holding, on feeling the cold water. She puts her right foot out of the plate
and walks ahead on the white cloth. Her red footmarks are left on the cloth.
Once
she crosses over, Khushboo rolls the cloth and gives it to another lady for
safe keeping.
Dadi
says: "you can relax and then prepare for
the reception tonight."
Khushboo:
"Shaan, Apni biwi ka hath ab chod sakte
ho, kahi bhag nahi jayegi!" Everybody giggles ...
Shaan
if embarrassed does not show it, while the color on Khanak's face clearly shows
that she is embarrassed. She looks down, goes and stands beside Dadi.
Madz: "Khushboo, stop making her conscious. Mom,
baki rasme abhi karni hain ke reception ke baad?"
Dadi:
"Reception ke baad kartey hain. Abhi inhe
bhi tayyar hona hain na. Khushboo, please take her to Shaan's room."
Khusboo
walks over to Khanak and holds her by the shoulder turning her towards the
staircase. "Tumhara aur Shaan ka kamra
upar hain, third on the right. Yaad hain na hmm?" Smiles mischievously as
she teases about the last time she had come during the wedding finalization ..."Come, let's go."
Khanak
shoots a glance at Shaan, sees him assuring her to go ahead by patting his
eyelids, and walks towards the staircase with Khushboo ... hears Madz say "Harilal! Shaan ki Gadi mein se Khanak ke bags
nikal kar Shaan ke kamre mein rakhwa do"
The
room is all cleaned up except for the couple of clothes strewn across the bed
and the chair beside the study table. Last minute clothes that Shaan must have
thrown while he got ready in the morning she guessed and a faint smile appeared
on her face.
Khanak
remembered the London apartment of Shaan, where he would make her wait outside
the apartment for couple of minute's every time she went there without
informing. She had found out the reason later from his friends that it was to
tidy it up so that she does not see how he kept his clothes strewn across his room.
Khushboo:
"Khanak, thodi der aaram kar lo. Maine parlor
se attendant ko 5:30 bulaya hain. We need to start from here by 6:30 for the 7
pm reception."
Khanak
sees Khushboo bhabhi go out the door, shutting it behind her. She walks over to
the bed, folds the clothes and walks over to the laundry bag to dump Shaan's
used clothes there.
She
walks to the dresser in the center of the wardrobe and see her reflection. Her maroon
wedding attire, her mangalsutra, the sindoor on her forehead - everything
giving her the proof that she was married ... Married to the man who had
penetrated into her heart with his deep brown eyes, given peace to the agitated
Khanak who was out to make a point to everyone's conceptions of woman having a career and prove that girls can be anything they want and much more in this world !
Khanak's
smile widens as she remembers the way she had treated Shaan on the first day of
office in London.
19th
April 2010: First Day at London office
Natasha
had put the alarm for 6:30, so that they both could get ready by 7:30 and reach
office by 8:00 am. The alarm rang for a long time and finally Khanak had to come
running from the bathroom to switch it off as she shook Natasha to wake up.
Natasha grumbled "5 min yaar, abhi uthti
hoon"
Khanak
smiled and moved to the kitchen to make tea, she now knew Natasha only had
coffee without sugar. She keeps 1 cup of water for tea in the vessel. Adds the
fine sugar and tea powder that she had carried from India (Thanks to Bai's last
minute additions in her bagJ)
Lalit
had said Natasha will tell her how they commute to office the first day, else
if any issues, she should call him. But she had decided she will not be a
trouble to him and start managing on her as much as possible.
She
again went to wake up Natasha and saw that she was already in the bathroom. She
had her tea and waited in the hall for Natasha, all set to start the first
working day in London ... she said a silent prayer in her mind while waiting ...
She
remembered her Bai's words from yesterday night's call, telling her to pray and
God will take care of everything. The call had been one reason which had not
let her sleep, she was feeling home-sick.
Natasha
ran around the house, drinking her coffee with 1 hand, wearing her sandals with
the other, searching for her mobile, its charger, her purse, checking its
contents, id, wallet, etc. Khanak just watcher her zapped by the fury of
activities she was carrying out within 2 mins.
Finally
they had locked the door and were on their way to the train station. Natasha
showed her the shortcut and gave details of where to collect the ticket from, where
the train arrives, while going and when coming. Khanak was trying to register
everything as much as possible.
The
train halted and they climbed in and settled on a seat. She was looking around and
observing the interiors and faces around. Natasha was continuously jabbering
around as usual.
Khanak
turned towards the closed window, which had dark glass fitted. And she saw a
pair of most intense eyes looking at her through the glass. She knew those eyes
from somewhere. The person had a book in hand and his eyes were peeping over
the book edge. She turned around just as the person put the book down and she
was face to face with Shantanu!
Before
they could greet, Natasha shrieked, "Shaan! I thought tum pehli wali train se
gaye honge"
Shaan:
"Got late today" softly trying to avoid any further conversation.
Natasha
was going to ask some more questions, but her phone rang, her smile widened
another inch and she got up with the phone and walked to a secluded area near
the door, speaking softly into the phone.
Shaan
looked at Natasha with a knowing smile and went back to his book, but not
before glancing at Khanak one last time. Khanak had been watching him all
throughout their interaction. But as she felt him move his face towards his
book which held in his hand, sitting right across her, she turned her face
towards the window to avoid his gaze.
Half
the compartment got down at the Canary Wharf station.
London,
Wharf, huge business area, with lots of companies
Khanak
had been warned that the first day goes by in a jiffy, busy in getting all the
setups done ... Id creation, Entry Access, Laptop arrangement, network id setup,
etc..
Khanak
had got her initial shock of the day when she turned out to be the only one
with a kurta and tights, though it was looking sober and official for Mumbai,
but she stood out among the others at Comfin Wharf office, very few Indian
women were around and most of them were in formals.
Shaan
and many other guys had glanced at her looking at her attire, a white kurta
with dark blue stripes and a dark blue slack and her black sweater pulled over
it. Natasha had assured her that she was looking like a CHICK! Lalit had just
whispered "Don't worry"
Khanak
had smiled and moved on about her work with help of Natasha and Lalit.
It
was just 10 and Khanak was feeling so hungry, as if it was already past lunch
time (which it was but in India).
Lalit
was busy in meetings held in the mornings and so was Natasha. Khanak had not
been given a laptop yet, hence was free. She asked the directions for the
canteen to Rajesh who was running to get his morning coffee with a coffee-mug
in hand.
Rajesh
smiled and said "lemme show you", and
took her to the canteen on the ground floor. He showed her where the queue was
and the payment mechanism and then rushed for this next call at 10:30.
The
canteen was a big one, but was still being arranged for the lunch time. She
picked a veg sandwich, hot tea (with milk and sugar). She walked over to the
closest table balancing her tray in the right hand, her wallet in left and her
big purse on her left arm. As she took a seat, she saw another person take the
seat opposite her with a cup in his hand. And again she was looking into those deep
brown eyes ...
Shaan
was pleasantly surprised to see her there and smiled saying "Good Morning, we
meet again"
Khanak
does not trust that this was a coincidence and glares at him speaking harshly "Why are you following me?"
Shaan
is taken aback and almost shouts "What??"
Khanak:
"aur nahi tho kya, jahan jati hoon wahi pahoch jaate hain ... are u alright?"
Shaan
fumes, but calms down before speaking softly: "I could say the same for you, u
are always there where I am, I was in the train before you came and sat across
me, I had my tea and was already taking a seat when u walked with your tray here.
So should I ask you - Why are YOU
following me?"
Khanak
is at a loss of words... and just stares at him as if she saw a rare species of animal
across the table ... those deep brown eyes were sparkling, looking right into her ... hers
were spitting fire and his were calm, at peace, just holding her gaze ...and penetrating straight to her heart!
Coming
up ... Shanak Moment...
Next part:
https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/43451496~Cheer,
Dish
Edited by dishbhan - 12 years ago
