OS: Chapter 3 : My Pleasure. - Page 6

Part 3: My pleasure.

Kokila turned to Gopi, and saw the gloom that had come over the soft features of her daughter-in-law's face. Kokila realized that her primary concern for the past few days was manifesting itself…Both Ahem and Gopi were fighting their feelings, each for their own reasons…leading them to misconstrue each other's actions. Gopi didn't know that Ahem had finally fallen in love with her. Her son himself didn't know. She could sense that Gopi was being cautious and wary of the attention she was getting and Ahem was frustrated at the distance he himself had created. "Hey Krishna bhagwan! What should I do?" Kokila thought to herself, but before she could think further, she got the solution and it came from her Gopi vau herself.

"Maaji, can I say something?" Gopi asked hesitatingly…

Kokila looked at her daughter-in-law's face…One of the most expressive faces she had seen…Like a clear lake…any emotion in her heart would be etched clearly in those eyes… which at the moment were filled with an unusual mixture of guilt and sadness. She knew how bad her Gopi vau felt at being bedridden and helpless, having people take care of her. She would try to hide it, but at that moment she could see the intensity of the guilt she felt and was deeply saddened by it.

"Yes Gopi, what is it?"

Gopi hesitated. How could she say what she wanted. She had never been outspoken in her entire life. Not once had she asked for anything from anyone. She simply didn't know how to phrase herself. But she had to, it was for the sake of her love that she had made this decision. She had to be strong.

"Maaji, since I fell that day…I have been feeling really weak…And I want to get well really soon, so I can help around the house again. Maaji, for the sake of my own health I have a request…Maaji…Is it possible…for…I mean…If I return to the hospital…The doctor anyways comes here everyday now along with his nurse to monitor my condition. I even heard him whisper to the nurse day before yesterday that it would be better off in the hospital where he could be able to conduct proper tests and all…." Gopi's voice became extremely faint at that last sentence.

Kokila knew instantly that Gopi vau was making this up…whenever she lied, which was hardly, her voice would fade and she would avoid eye contact. Kokila felt a combination of anger and pride at her. How could she be so selfless. She knew perfectly well that she was not comfortable with the argument that she and Ahem had few days ago. She was touched at the utter courage Gopi had mustered to even bring this up.

Kokila knew Gopi loved her home to the extent of worshiping it. And how hard this must be for her. Kokila said she will think about it. "Please Maaji, I am not saying this because I think you all don't take care of me…I just…" Gopi tried to clarify… "Gopi…Don't worry I understand…I will just need to discuss this with Mota Bhabhi and Baa…That's all.. I will have to consult your Papaji also…right?" Gopi nodded, glad that Kokila was understanding. Kokila had already made the decision. But the drill of consulting the family was necessary to her plan. She stroked Gopi's hair and asked her to rest for now.

Gopi heaved a sigh of relief. She was sure Maaji would understand. She felt lighter at the thought of no longer being a burden on the family and her Ahemji. She thanked her Kanhaji and closed her eyes for a few minutes. Gopi was definitely feeling better, much lighter…Maaji would definitely convince the others. Gopi smiled and tried to distract herself with a book.

Kokila left the room, thoughtful. She had to make sure that Gopi is in no way hurt during the execution of the plan. For some reason, she was more concerned about Gopi than she was for her own son. She knew he wasn't at fault. But Gopi was like a daughter to her now…And if Ahem had to come close to her, he would have to prove his worth. Kokila nearly laughed out loud at the thought. Her own son prove his worth to her. The idea was hilarious and Kokila was amused at the twist of fate. The things Gopi had seen in the past year, Kokila could not let her hopes shatter again. She had almost lost her Gopi… the girl who worshipped her… adhered to every word she said. Kokila would not be able to bear her broken again in any which way.

Engrossed in her thoughts she reached the dining table…Instinctively her eyes moved to Ahem…She chuckled inwardly at the look of pure anguish on his face.

"Come on Ahem…This is the food you ate before SHE came into your life…To think of it, it is not that bad…Just not as tasty…."  Ahem thought to himself as he forced another morsel into his mouth. He had become so accustomed to each and every thing, from the tea to the food, to the arrangement of his clothes and his bed…everything to be done by Gopi…that without her fussing over every detail.. it all seemed to be off. He had hated her, avoided her, done everything to keep her away in the past year…But he was human. "Human…really?...Oh for the love of God…Shut up"  Yes, he was human. He had noticed that she took care of the smallest of things for him. How he liked his tea, not just the taste but also how it was to be served, when it was to be served. Ahem accepted grudgingly that though in the past year, he had treated her like a stranger…She had spoilt him silly..

It was really late and they were all sleeping out on the terrace. The dust was really killing him. Why did they even do all this. He could hardly breathe. Unable to sleep he decided to go to the kitchen and have some water…Maybe that will help. But what good was that. Can't even think of searching for some medicine in the mess around him. Shit! I will sit down here for sometime, and rest my back. He sneezed once and got up to leave, he turned and spotted her standing at the kitchen door with a vessel in her hand. "What the hell…does this weirdo cook in her sleep or something? Aah! Who cares anyway." He started walking away when she stopped him… "Ji, one minute." "What now? I am not arguing with her at this time of the night…I have other problems…" "Ji, this is for you"… "And no way am I gonna taste that thing, if that is what she wants" "Mani is sleeping and I have been listening to you sneeze for quite some time…" She hesitated, her eyes searching for some courage to continue talking. " I know that you don't like me doing anything for you…" "You've got that right…" He shook his head… "But Maaji had told me that once you catch a cold, then only taking steam helps you." Ahem looked at her shocked. "She knows these little things about me?" He didn't know what to make of that… He just stared at her. Gopi crumbled under that stare… "That''s why I…" she lost the courage to continue…She just placed the vessel on the dining table. He was still staring, disbelieving. He could sense that she was shivering inside.God! he really scared her. She glanced at him once, covered her face with her saree and walked away. He stared after her till she disappeared. He sneezed again and decided what ever it is that she playing at…I need that steam….

 "Ahem dikra… Why aren't you eating? You are always one of the first to finish the food these days… what happened now?"  his Kaki asked, worried. Ahem came back to reality…he had been so lost in his thoughts, he had completely forgotten that he had to return to his room. He gobbled the remaining food on his plate, denied the seconds Kokila offered him. Excused himself, saying that he had remembered something important and rushed upstairs. "Do they know that I rush through my food these days? Is that suspicious? Who cares anyway?"  Ahem literally didn't care about anything these days, except of course Gopi. He was looking forward to the post-lunch conversation with Gopi…. "Gopi, you had your lunch?" "Ji...did you?" "Yeah. And the medicine?" "Ji.." "Do you need anything?" "No, if I do I will ring the bell…" Ahem rolled his eyes as he entered his room…to find her waiting for him.

If his heart could perform somersaults…well, then even that would be an ordinary feat compared to what his heart did when he saw her staring at the door, waiting for him. She instantly took a sharp breath on seeing him, and played with her fingers nervously. "She definitely wants to say something to me… Come on, Gopi just say it…"  "Ahemji?.." "Yeah, tell me…" Ahem frowned at the obvious excitement he heard in his own voice. "Ji actually I was wondering if you could help me out with something…" Ahem's heart was dancing… "What is it?" "I am not interfering with your work?" "No, I was going to take a break anyway" "What??? Didn't you just come back from lunch...you moron…what break?" Gopi was probably thinking a more polite version of Ahem's thought…She frowned slightly and looked at the table covered with files…Before she could retreat into that insane shell of hers…Ahem said "I mean, I just had lunch…so am not feeling like working immediately….You forget all that…What do you want?" "Ahemji, I was reading this book and I don't know what this word means…"

Ahem was intrigued. Most of the times the books she read were her own school books and she knew them cover to cover…As Ahem walked up to her, he remembered what an excellent memory she had… Ahem sighed…Had it not been for that mishap in the kitchen, she would have definitely topped the class. Ahem sat next to her, where he had during the Ludo game, he leaned in and read the title of the book… "The little engine that could" Ahem was shocked…This was his book, his favorite book when he was 8…He had read it so many times that it looked a hundred years old. Ahem gaped at Gopi… "Where in the world did she find this?"  "Gopi? Where did you find this book?" "Ji, Kakiji gave it to me a few days back along with some other books when I told her to give me some work…I read all of them…But I love this one the most." Gopi smiled at the book like a little child… Ahem thanked all the Gods that his mother believed in…He had been dying to see that smile.

"I have read it so many times already, but I am just not sure of what this word means…" Gopi pointed at the word and looked up at Ahem, doe-eyed… she seemed to have completely forgotten that she was half broken… bandaged across her limbs and her head…Even in this state…her smile completed her…She looked whole and pure as she gazed at Ahem with curiosity. Ahem smiled after what seemed like ages… He leaned in closer, unknowingly draped his left hand over her shoulder and read the word she was pointing at…She didn't shy away from his touch or how close he was to her…she was too excited at that moment to find out the meaning of the word that had been troubling her for so long… "What do you think it means…?" "Umm…based on the sentence it could mean…clean and shiny?" She looked up at Ahem hoping she was right…Ahem stared at her dumbstruck … "She isn't human…she can't be…Such purity of character? Such innocence…After all that he had seen her go through…here she was excited at the fact that she may be right about a word… She had to be an angel of some sort… In this day and age, he was sitting next to a soul so pure…he just could not accept that she was human…"

"It means something else?" She frowned and looked at the word again… Ahem leaned in closer and gently put his hand under her chin and turned her face towards him , "That's exactly what it means…" Gopi smiled radiantly. And looked at the book again. "Ahemji, this is one of the best stories I have read or heard…" She went on to tell him the story and Ahem listened as if he had never heard it before, though he knew the story word by word. Just so she would keep talking, in that beautiful voice of hers…A voice he had been pining for, for the past three days.

Kokila was witnessing the entire conversation, from behind the door. She had followed her son quietly to see what he would do. Poor grown up Ahem Modi, thought he could hide his excitement from his own mother. She had ideally meant to scold Ahem if he spent a minute extra with Gopi than was casual…but she could not move…she could not blink…The sight infront of her…It was too sweet..too complete…too perfect for words. The way Ahem looked at her, made her realize how deeply in love her son was. Yeah well, Why wouldn't he? Look at her Gopi vau…an angel on earth…who would not fall in love with her? And look at her, she was so comfortable with him… Joy radiated from every cell of her body.

She looked on as Gopi finished the story, beaming with happiness. Ahem had encouraged her at multiple points, given her undivided attention. Kokila wiped the tears in her eyes and beamed at her children. Gopi closed the book and turned a little to keep the book on the side table when she became aware of Ahem's hand resting on her shoulder. She froze. "Shit! No please no… " She suddenly transformed from the little girl to a fully grown woman aware that she was extremely close to the man she loved. She became so conscious of him that her hands began to shiver. Ahem could feel the wall rising up again. He slowly removed his hand and shifted so that their bodies weren't touching.

"Well, Gopi is there anything else that you need?" Gopi nodded in the negative.  "Then, I will get back to my work. And thanks for telling me the story" "Thanks for talking…thanks for asking…Thanks for existing in my life…" Ahem smiled just to make her feel comfortable. Gopi gave him a weak smile "My pleasure"… she uttered in such a faint voice that had he been even an inch farther from her, he would have missed it. Ahem smiled again, and got up to sit on the sofa and begin working. Ahem was more than happy, he had gotten way more than he had been hoping for. But within seconds resentment filled him, and he found himself looking at her again. How he wished he could go back to her…How he wished the story had been a little longer…

Kokila noticed the tension rise again. As Ahem had walked away, Gopi had looked at him nervously and bit her lower lip. "Poor Gopi vau", Kokila thought. She knew that Gopi was beyond confused. She noticed Ahem sneaking glances at Gopi, almost yearning to go back to her. Gopi, on her part, was trying to avoid his gaze and was doing it very well. Not once did she look at him... and that just convinced Kokila about how much Gopi worshipped her Ahem. She knew the plan had to be executed, it had to be done now. Kokila gave her children one last look and walked away, determined. 

----------------------------------

Waiting for your comments

Cheers

Aish3003