hi people, i am back, late again, but with an update. i have no excuses this time for being late, anyone has any punishments, please let me know. till then, please have a look at the update.
'sjain' ji, my dear sjain ji, ye part bhi aapke liye, i mean, do u post one comment every time u come online. itne comments dekh ke mujhe guilty feeling aa jati hai, lols, so enjoy ur update, short, but hopefully satisfying :))
Part 7 (AR)
Clad in a denim jeans, and a white t-shirt, with a superman's S glaring at the front, Armaan got out of the car holding the box of cake in his hands. He was standing at the main entrance to Riddhima's house. Right after him, Anjali got down from the driver's seat. It had been a surprise for her when she'd seen her mom prepare the cake early morning. She was happy to know that it was for Riddhima, but surprised again that Armaan was going to Riddhima's house to give her the cake. She went to fight with Armaan, for going to her best friend's house with the cake they both relished like anything, without her. As soon as she entered his room, she saw him checking himself out in the mirror, with a stupid grin on his face, but his eyes gleamed with a certain delight. As soon as he realised of her presence, he came to her and engulfed her in a big bearly hug. This was perhaps the limits of surprises for her. When he finally came out of the hug, he asked her if she wanted to come with him to Riddhima's house, and she happily obliged. So she dressed up hurriedly, and came down to the car. Another surprise awaited her when Armaan asked her to drive his 'favourite baby', as he wanted to make sure the cake did not get spoiled. Anjali was happy as long as she was being treated with so much royalty. The final result being, here were they, on heights of cloud 9, totally ready to face the goods of the day.
As soon as Anjali had entered the big gates, Armaan saw the way things were going on. He remembered the day he had first come here, and compared the treatment Anjali was getting, to that which he'd got. And to his disappointment, he didnt stand a chance against Anjali. Armaan had seen her being treated as a princess back home, it had always been like that, since she'd come home, she'd been everyone's princess. But right now, he saw her being a real princess, a queen for that matter. The guards opened the gates at top speed, they walked besides her as she walked towards the big door that opened to the house. Armaan was being ignored high scale, but he found it funny, instead of being infuriated at this. The way the whole scene took place, he was half expecting Anjali to suddenly give some death punishment to one of them. Even when they went inside, the servants rounded Anjali as she moved. Anjali asked to him to settle on the sofa, while she went to call the others. Armaan saw her walk around, as if she owned the place, and a warmth filled his heart. Finally, Anjali came out of one of the rooms, with Bi. He immediately glanced over the stairs, to look for Riddhima, but he was disappointed. He saw Bi approach him, and moved to touch her feet.
"Hi Bi, kaisi hain aap?", he asked.
"Main achhi hoon beta, tum batao, kaise ho? Kitna time ho gaya jab tum pehle aaye they. Ye Anjali to har roz aati jai hai, tum bhi aay karo iske saath, mujhe achha lagega", Bi smiled.
"Ji Bi, bas wo kaam itna hota hai na, isliye. Aap bataeeye sab kaisa hai? Aur, Riddhima kaisi hai?", Armaan hesitated a bit.
"Kya Bhai, aap aur Bi itna formal kyun behave kar rahe ho? Areh iseh apna hie ghar samjho, aur ye Bi to apni hain hie. Rahi Riddhima ki baat, useh main sambhal lugi. Ab batao Bi, kahaan hai wo madam?", Anjali hopped in happiness.
"Anjali beta, kya bataoon. Tum to jaanti ho na us pagal ladki ko, bilkul sarfiri hai, ek number ki badmaash hai. Subah subah hie nMallikal gayi kisi kaam se, aur mujhe bata ke bhi nahi gayi. Zaroor kuch zaruri kaam aa gaya hoga. Uska phone bhi utha rahi hai", Bi said.
"Bi, kahi useh kuch...", Armaan couldnt even bring those words to his lips.
"Areh nai nai beta, dont worry. She's always been like this, so much that i've gotten used to it. I'm sure she'll be busy with something, free hote hie call karegi...", the phone rang and Bi was cut in between as she took the call.
"Hello... haan ji rani sahiba... fursat mil gayi aapko humein phone karne ki... sachi Riddhima... main bohut gussa hoon aapse... nahi, kuch nahi sun na mujhe... pehle ye batao ki tum ho kahaan... kya, itni subah tum apne us designer ke pass kya karne gayi ho... tum jaldi se ghar aao, kya, mere liye surprise bhi hai... tumhe yakeen hai mujhe pasand aayega... theek hai, tum aa jao... main sab sun na chahti hoon... aur thoda jaldi aana... kal dopahar se nahi dekha hai tujhe, pehle hawan ki wajah se, aur fir tu late wapis aayi na... dil bechain ho raha hai... ab teri soorat dekh ke hie tasallee milegi iseh", Bi wiped a small tear from her eye, and cut the call.
"Bi, aapki aankhon mein aansoo...?", Armaan questioned.
"Wo Armaan beta, tum nahi samjhoge. Riddhu bachhi hai na meri, aur maa ka dil aisa hie hota hai. Usi ka chehra dekh kar to jee rahi hoon main, uski kami bohut khallti hai dil ko, par useh kaun samjhaye. Kaam se fursat mile tab na...", Bi's voice choked of emotions.
"Bi, aap kahein to aaj hie suna doon Ridzi ko, aakhir samajhti kya hai apne aap ko...", Anjali started off.
"Nai Anjali, tum to jaanti ho na useh. Aisa thodi hai ki wo mujhe time nahi deti. Nai nai, aisa kehna to nainsaafi hogi meri bachchi par. Kaam se jab bhi fursat milti hai, wo mere saath hie bitati hai. Bas isliye aadat si ho gayi hai, ki uske khaali samay par sirf mera hak ho. Shayad main bhi khudgarz ho rahi hoon, haina?", Bi asked Anjali, who just came and enveloped her arms around Bi. Armaan was amazed to see it. Try as much as he did, he couldnt compare his place to hers, in Riddhima's life. Anjali stood way deeper than he'd thought.
Armaan and Anjali waited for sometime, but it was getting late, and both had work to do, Armaan had to get ready for office, whereas Anjali, who was an intern at an event management company, had to go to her office. They both bid farewell to Bi, and giving the place one last wistful look, Armaan headed to his car with Anjali.
After an hour of Armaan and Anjali's departure, Riddhima entered the house, along with Leo and his mother, and her car full of her shopping bags, all full of things for Leo. The guards set into motion, and so did the numerous other workers in the house. The 'Ice Princess', as they all called her, had returned, and would turn them all numb any second. Riddhima was an employer, whom her employees called Ice Princess, just suiting her nature. She was beyond stern with them, just to be kind, someone could call her a strict professional. Riddhima didnt bear any indiscipline in work, and one small mistake, led them to doom. Yes, she was a fair person, when it came to anything, and everything, but they just wished she treated them a bit warmly. It wouldnt hurt her, would it? Amongst all the workers, she was a disliked boss, at her firm, as well as her home. At office, people loved to find new issues to talk about her, to poke at her, be it big or small, but Riddhima lived indifferently. She was well aware of what people thought about her, and she cared least about them. Infact, many times, she herself gave them many a topics to gossip about her. And in the end, she laughed about all these stupid things. Despite all this, there were a few people, who did think otherwise. In the office, it was Atul, Amit, and Mrs Briganza, Riddhima's secretary. In her home, the chief security guard, Mr Briganza, who was almost Riddhima's grandfather's age, considered himself lucky to be employed by Riddhima. Mr and Mrs Briganza had known Riddhima since the time she'd been a kid. They had been living a life of meagre subsistence, next to the orphanage, after their only son had left them and run off to abroad. Riddhima had employed them as soon as she could, and they'd observed her almost as much as Bi had.
Riddhima got out with Leo, whose face glowed like the early morning sun, and ordered the guards to take all the things inside. As soon as she entered inside, she saw Bi's surprised face when she saw Leo and his mother. Riddhima asked both of them to go to the guest room, while she made Bi sit in front of her and told her all about yesterday night. She saw the frown lines form on Bi's forehead.
"Riddhu, beta itna bada faisla lene se pehle tune mujhse ek bar bhi poochna sahi nahi samjha?", Bi asked. Riddhima sensed the pain of betrayal in her voice.
"Bi, i know maine aapko hurt kiya hai, and am truly sorry for that. Par Bi kal raat jo situation thi, usmein main kuch soch hie nahi payi. Bas Leo ko dekha, aur aisa laga ki mujhe uske liye kuch karna hai. I have to help him somehow or the other. I felt an invisible connection between us, a bond that compelled me that i should be there for him, to protect him from everything, to safeguard him. Bas, itna hie tha us time dimaag mein, i couldnt think about anything else. Ghar aate hie i wanted to talk to you sabse pehle, par aap soyi hui thi, and i knew you'd been little unwell, to baat nahi ho payi. I know Bi, maine aapko chot pohunchayi, par mera koi irada nahi tha, sachi", Riddhima ended.
"Riddhu, ek bar ke liye teri baat agar maan bhi jaoon, to ye soch ki you want to take care of a kid, jabki tu khud bhi to ek bachchi hai. Tu kaise le payegi iski zimmewaari?", Bi questioned. Riddhima sat down and massaged her temples.
"Pata nahi Bi, ye baat soch soch kar dar lagta hai ki maine Leo ki responsibility le li hai, but what if i fail him? What if i dont prove myself to be a good guardian? Par Bi, Leo ko dekhke jaanti hain mujhe kaisa laga, jaise ki meri family mujhe mil gayi ho, aur bas itni si baat mann mein aate hie sab kuch asaan lagne lagta hai. Aur phir aap bhi to hain mere saath", Riddhima looked hopefully at her.
"Riddhu, main jhooth nahi bolugi, mujhe tera ye faisla pasand nahi hai, lekin tera saath main dugi, aakhir maa baap yehi to karte hain", Bi said and Riddhima hugged her.
"Mere liye itna kaafi hai Bi, i am sure kuch time baad aapko mera decision sahi lagega. You too will fall in love with Leo, wo bohut pyaara hai", Riddhima smiled, and Bi also smiled a bit. Just then they heard a cough. They turned to see Leo's mother standing there.
"Areh aap, aaeeye na, aaeeye, please baithiye", Riddhima said, as all three of them took a seat. Bi scrutinized the lady in front of her, who sat looking at her hands in her lap.
"Aap kuch kehna chahti hain?", Riddhima asked. She saw the woman try to speak, but she seemed to think something, and stopped herself. Riddhima knew she was feeling uncomfortable, so she decided to do something.
"Is se pehle ki aap kuch bolein, mujhe ek cheez samajh nahi aa rhi. Aap Leo ki to mummy hain, par mujhe aapko kya bulana chahiye. To maine socha ki Leo mera bhai ban gaya hai, aur aap uski mummy, is hisaab se aapko main aaj se maasi bulaoongi, theek hai na", Riddhima said but was greeted with silence. After a five second or so, she heard the woman finally speak.
"Main Leo ki maa nahi hoon"
This time she was greeted with shocked silence from both the people sitting in front of her.
"Haan, Leo mera beta nahi hai. Na maine useh janam diya, aur na uski dekh bhaal ki hai...", she looked at Riddhima as she spoke.
"To phir...?", Riddhima was in so much shock that she couldnt speak up.
"Leo mujhe tab mila tha jab wo kuch ek do maheene ka hoga. Useh koi mere darwaze par chhod gaya tha, saath mein ek chithhi bhi thi. Usmein likha tha ki main unke bachche ka dhyaan rakhu, aur bohut saare paise bhi chhodke gayye they wo log. Mera pati Leo ke aane se kuch din pehle hie mujhe chhod kar chala gaya tha. Paiso ko dekh kar mujhe laalach aa agaya. So maine Leo ko rakh liya. Par ab main useh aur nahi sambhaal sakti. Khud ki zarurat to poori kar nahi sakti main, uska bojh apne saath leke kaise phiroon. Ab Leo ko aap mil gayi ho, ab mujhe chhutkara mil gaya hai. Waise bhi mera pati wapis aa gaya hai, main usi ke pass jake rahugi", she finished speaking.
"Aap soch bhi sakti hain ki Leo ko jab is sachchayi ka pata chalega, to kya beetegi uske dil pe. Areh, 11 saal ka chhota sa bachcha hai wo, uske masoom dil ko kitni chot pohuchegi, kya aapko is baat ka andaaza bhi hai? Lekin nai, aap to apne us pati saath jaake rehna chahti hain, jiska jaise mann kare aapke saath waisa hie karta hai", Ridhhima's tone was raising due to the anger that was building inside her. Just then, they all saw Leo enter the room. His eyes were fixed on 'his mother'. Riddhima couldnt make out from his expressions if he'd heard anything, or not. After staring at her for about 5 minutes, he moved to Riddhima.
"Kal raat se apun ko neend nahi aayi thi. Apun tere is bade se ghar mein ghoom ghoom kar pagal ho rela tha, par apun ne kuch nai toda, sachi. Fir apun bahar nMallikal gaya, jaha tere sab guard log ghoom rahe they. Apun ko dekhkar unhone apun ko tere baare mein bataya. Aisa lag raha tha ki us jamane ke hitler ne aaj tere roop mein janam liya hai. Par phir apun ko Mr Briganza mila, usne bhi tere baare mein itna kuch bola, ki apun ko laga ki bas is ghar ko nahi chhodna chahta apun. Raat ko uske baad aaya tha apun tere kamre mein, aur tere chehre pe wo smile dekhke apun ko bhi achha laga, uske baad apun ko bhi neend aa gayi", Leo paused for a while as he said this.
"Leo...", Riddhima started to say, but was stopped in between.
"Rukja, abhi apni baat khatam nahi hui. Pehle ek quetion ka answer de. Apun ki maa ne to apun ko paison ke laalach mein rakha tha (he looked at her with his eyes full of pain), aur apni asli maa ne apni ijjat ke laalach mein nahi rakha, tu ye bata ki tu kis laalach mein hai?", he asked. Riddhima's heart felt the slashes his words had procurred on her, but she imagined what Leo must have gone through to speak all this, and answer came readily to her lips.
"Mujhe bhi laalach hai Leo, ek pyaare se bachche ka, jise dekhke mere dil ne khud ba khud faisla kiya useh apne saath rakhne ka. Laalach hai ek shararti se chhote bhai ka, jise main daant saku, jise pyaar kar saku, jise main wo sab de saku jo mujhe apne bachpan mein nahi mil saka, jise main itna pyaar karu ki useh kabhi ye yaad hie na rahe ki duniya mein laalach bhi hota hai...", tears flowed through Riddhima's eyes as Leo came and hugged her tight.
"Apun tere saath hie rahega, tu apne ko chhod to nahi degi na?", he asked timidly.
"Nahi Leo, main hamesha tumhare saath rahugi (she wiped his tears) Kal hie main court mein tumhari custody ke liye apply kar dungi. Aur aap, aap ab yaha se ja sakti hain, aapka koi kaam nahi hai yahaan pe (she left from there, and Riddhima's eyes fell on the box that lay there on the table) Bi, is box mein kya hai?"
"Anjali aur Armaan beta aaye they, tumhare liye cake dekar gayye hain", Bi said a bit coldly, and walked away. Riddhima did not miss the significance of using the word 'beta' for Armaan. But she decided she would let Bi see the righteousness of her decision later. Right now, she settled her attention on Leo. They both immediately broke on the cake, and had a lavish fill.
After they were done, Riddhima took Leo out in the garden. They sat on the swing, and Riddhima started talking. She told Leo about her time at orphanage, about all her struggles of the past, how she'd achieved what she was today. She told him about the people who mattered to her, annd whom she cared about. Bi, Anjali, Atul, Naina Aanty, Amit, all of them, who were few in number. She did not share her hatred for the Malliks with Leo, except telling him the general reason, she avoided them as seeing them all together as a family would remind her of her hollowness. Something in Leo's eyes told her that he didnt believe her at this one. His next question confirmed her doubts.
"Tune bola apun ke aane se teri family complete ho gayi hai, to ab to tujhe un logo se koi problem nai hogi???", Leo raised his eyes in suspicion.
"Leo, tum bohut samajhdaar ho, haina? Kisi din main tumhe poori sachchayi bhi bata dugi, par tab tak kya tum mujhpe trust kar sakte ho?", she was relieved to see Leo nod. After this, she told him about the new life he was about to start.
"Leo, maine yaha ke topmost school mein tumhara admission kara diya hai. Aise shocked mat dikho, main sach bol rahi hoon. Kal se tum school jaoge. Lekin tumhari nayi life aaj se shuru hoti hai. Tumhe kuch cheezon ka khayal rakhna hoga Leo. Ab se tum mere bhai ho, tumhari poori responsibility meri hai. Tum jo kuch bhi karoge, sahi ya galat, us sab ke liye jawaab mujhe dena hoga. Main tum par koi pressure nahi daalna chahti, nahi, aisa bilkul mat samajhna. Tum jo chaho kar sakte ho, jo khana chaho khao, jo khelna hai khelo, jitna padhna hai padho, jaise rehna hai raho, jo chahiye wo maango. Bas itna dhyaan rakhna, ki tumhare har action ka seedha asar meri life par bhi padega, to kuch bhi karne se pehle, ek bar mere baare mein zaroor sochna. Theek hai. Ab jao jaldi se ready ho jao, aaj main tumhe apne office le jaati hoon", with these words, Riddhima and Leo both parted to different rooms.
"Hello Bi, haan Bi, sorry main nahaane gayi thi, isliye aapka call nahi le paayi. Achha wo chhodiye, Bi aap jaanti hain abhi kuch der pehle hie Mom ko white lillies ke itne saare bouquets mile. Mom ke favourite flowers hain na, Ridzi ne bhijwaye they, mom khush ho gayi unhe dekhkar. Waise cake aapko kaisa laga, achha tha na Bi?", Anjali asked in her super excited voice. Few hours had passed since Anjali had come back from Riddhima's house.
"Anjali, meri baat sunegi ek minute. Apni hie chappad chappad mein lagi huyi hai. Cake ki to baat bhi mat kar, ek single bite bhi nahi khayi maine uski. Saara cake Riddhu aur wo ladka Leo kha gayye", Bi said exasperatedly.
"Bi Leo kaun hai?", Anjali asked.
"Yehi to baat karni thi tujhse. Riddhu meri baat to maanegi nahi, tu hi samjha useh zara", Bi said.
"Bi mujhe kuch samajh nahi aa raha. Aap theek se samjhaoge please", Anjali replied.
"Beta tu uske office chali ja, sab pata chal jayega", saying this, Bi cut the phone. Anjali dressed up hurriedly, and bursting with curiousity, she bumped into Armaan downstairs.
"Hey Anjie, wassup huh? Kahi pe earthquake aaya kya, jo tum yoon tsunami ki tarah bhaagi ja rahi ho?"
"Bhai, eathquake to nahi aaya, par us se kuch kam bhi nahi hai. Bi ne call kiya tha. Ridzi se related kuch problem hai shayad, to main usi se milne uske office ja rahi hoon", Anjali explained. Armaan's ears raised at the mention of Riddhima being in a problem.
"Aisa hai to tu mere saath chal le, meri uske saath already appointment hai, dad ke case ke baare mein. Tu bhi us se jaldi mil legi, verna to wo aur uske appointments ka chakkar", Armaan suggested.
"Theek hai Bhai, main aapke saath chalti hoon, par aapko ek baat bata doon, Ridzi se milne ke liye mujhe appointment ki zarurat nahi hai, aur ye aap jaldi hie samajh jayenge kyun", Anjali grinned wickedly. In the car, Anjali briefed Armaan about this guy Leo and both of them eating the cake, and his instant reaction was, 'Riddhima ka doggie hoga'. Anjali laughed off at this, while Armaan felt waves of tension bubble inside him. Imagining Riddhima with a certain Leo caused a sense of insecurity in him, which made him all the more curious, thereby he speeded up his car.
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so people, that was the part, i know, no Riddhima and Armaan, but i just couldnt put them up here abhi. hope to do that soon,
if anyone wants pms, plz add my id- kweetrockstar1, pms will be sent only from that id
love
pooja
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