Silent Love Part :14
Radhika sat silently all thru the way, in between she wiped her wetting eyes, but she tried to sit straight and stern, her eyes were simply staring at the front road. Nani looked at her once, and to the photo she is holding. She extended her hand out to take it from Radhika, but Radhika held them tight , resisting against her force.
With a smile Nani gave up
“Sekhar, do you remember, around this age only Padma left us, and see now her daughter is coming to replace her space, what a destiny, I always knew that I was right and see what happened now, she has to live alone all these years, it was her decision, that’s the fate of all those who don’t listen to their parents”
Sekhar just looked back to acknowledge Nani’s words
Radhika tried to sit deaf near her nani
After hours of journey, they reached near a big gate which was open wide. The car moved further in to get to the front yard, and as the car stopped Sekhar came out and opened the door in front of Radhika.
Radhika hesitated to get down, but “UM” sound of her nani forced to get out, and she stood there looking at the big mansion in front of her.
Nani looked at Radhika’s face, and with a smile said : this is your home now
Radhika hesitated to forward her feet, and stood in place looking at the huge building
Nani again with a smile: see Padma left all these in the name of her love, now it all belongs to you, come”
Radhika still did not move
“UMmm”
Again that ordering sound of her nani’s throat made her to walk mechanically.
Suddenly a little girl came running towards them and stopped at the door step seeing Radhika
Nani: call your mom
Te girl ran back quick and soon few faces peeked out from different doors and open spaces, and one lady came with aarthi in her hand.
Radhika stood near the main door
“Mohini, um”
Suddenly the lady did the aarthi welcoming Radhika into the house. She stepped in and nani followed her with a smile
“um, so everyone is here now, good”
“ha, when we got the news, we couldn’t stay back, we also wish to see Padma’s deedi’s daughter, and we are happy that you brought her here’.. Mohini said as she followed them.
“ha, Ammaji, so did everything went on well?’
One of the middle age man asked Nani.
“ ha ha, everything went fine, and there was no delay in anything, and I was doubting the weather, but luckily it didn’t pour till we left”
Saying that Nani sat on the sofa.
They all sat around too. Radhika stood there holding onto the photo frame, she felt all alone inside that big hall, so she held that frame too tight in her hand.
“so ammaji, what actually happened?, heard, it was an accident and”
“ha Nakul, it was an accident and” but then pausing herself she looked at Radhika
“mohini, show her the room, its all ready, right?”
“ha”
“um , her neighbor’s were packing her stuff and all, I said no, didn’t let her bring anything from there, and ha Mohini take her to the room, let her freshen up and all”
“ji” saying that Mohini went near Radhika, and Radhika just followed Mohini silently.
The words of Nani were fading as she climbed those circular marble steps.
Mohini opened a big door in front of her.
“come”
Radhika just looked at her and then followed her. She saw the luxury all around in her room. The satin spread was shining over the bed, and the windows which were opening to the outside garden were very huge and the soft curtains were flying up with the circling breeze
“this is your room, and ha…” she walked near to the almara and opened it to show a huge collection of new dresses “this is all your dresses, and whatever you need you will find here, or if you need anything else, let me know ok.”
Radhika nodded her head in agreement.
“ok then you carry on” saying that Mohini walked out from the room....
Radhika followed her and closed the door behind, and she walked back to the center of the room, and then slowly sat on that bed. She moved the frame on his hand to look at the image and looking into Padma’s eyes she said “mom, I am here, in your house, nani said it's all mine, but no mom, it doesn’t belong to me, it belong to you, and I am here in a huge room, like you used to tell me that one day you will buy a big house and we two will live in that, I want only that house mom, that big house which you dreamed, and I can imagine the size of it, in my image it was always the one next to our home, susheel uncles house is the biggest one I have seen ever..but your mind might have seen this big , right, no mom, I don’t want this big, I feel suffocated here, I prefer to be in our small house rather than this big house mom, which is still holding your breath mom…. But then her throat went garbled and she asked “why you left me mom, how can you? You should have told papa na that I will be alone, um, you should have taken me also with you na, why you left me alone to stay at home asking me to wait for Nalini teacher, if I have been with you then I might be living in our home only now , right.? With you, near to you, you might be arguing with me now. Moooom , why you left me……” she fell back onto the bed resting her face on the frame…..
Time ticked by
Hearing a knock at the door, Dev opened his eyes
He stood on his feet and was about to open the door
But then the dress in his hand drags his attention and he suddenly threw that on bed and covered it under the sheet. He straightened himself and brushed his hair with his hand, but then the saree grabbed his attention. Picking that up, he folded it all in a bundle and kept that inside his cupboard quickly. And looked around one more time and then went and opened his door.
“how long I am calling you Dev, come, I made some soup, mom is coming too, come and eat something”
Gopal noticed his swollen red eyes which clearly conveyed how hard he cried.
Trying to walk away Gopal : Dev, wash your face before coming down, ok.
“ji”
He closed the door behind as Gopal left the space.
Dev came down after freshen up, and sat along with his parents on one of the dining chairs
“so, you have office tomorrow, right?
Gopal asked
“ha Dad, we have a project meeting too, so I need to be there early’
“um, and Maheswari is coming with me tomorrow, ok’
Mahi just nodded her head
“and if possible take off on Friday , let’s all go to village, ok’
“ji, I can try dad” saying that he tried to take spoonful of soup, but then the image of Radhika who was fainting flashed in his mind that it got difficult for him swallow it down and he coughed.
Gopal looked at his son, and Dev tried to normalize himself, He grabbed the water jug and took few gulp
“it is difficult for us too Dev, but you need to understand it too”
Dev looked at his dad’s face
Maheswari : hope RAdhika might have eaten something. She didn’t even took few sips of water here, and I had to scold her, and now in that new atmosphere, how she might be…
The words got stuck and continued as a moan from her throat
The spoon from Dev’s hand dropped down into the bowl
Seeing it Gopal: Maheswari, you should not say like that, she went with her nani, and you think they won’t take care of her
wiping her tears: that’s not what I meant, I am just worried, can we call and check
Gopal: um, nice idea, but do you have their number?
Maheswari: I don’t, but I can get it, I mean may be it is the same number but I forgot , its been years since I used it, so
Gopal: don’t go behind it now Maheswari, let her learn to live there with all her near ones, she never been to lucky to feel that, now atleast she is not alone.
Maheswari: ha , but how can we just forget everything like that
“you need to, maybe you didn’t notice but I noticed Ammaji’s hatred eyes on you, as if because of you Padma left her”
Maheswari gaining her voice back: how can she, it was Padma’s decision, I didn’t tell her about it, that’s it, otherwise it was all Padma’s and Hari’s decision. I was knowing everything about it as I was her friend..
Gopal: but you were her best friend who was knowing everything but still hidden from Ammaji who was considering you as her daughter only
Mahi: ha, Padma’s house door was always open for me, and I had the freedom to get in and out and any time, and Hari used to send the massages thru me only, and
“see that’s what I said, you are a part of it, and ammaji knows it well”
Gopal concluded.
Mahi sat there silently and then taking deep sigh: but now what about Radhika?
Gopal: in one month her college will reopen , right, so let’s wait till then
Dev just scooped the soup with his spoon listening to his parents talk. One month, will I be able to hold that long? he thought inside
He got up carrying the bowl in his hand and put that in the sink and running the water he let it flow out to the drainage…
He went back to his room, nearing the window corner, he looked at the window side. Remembering something he went and opened his cupboard, and took the dress bundle out. It was all wrinkled, and he getting the iron box , managed to get it all straighten, and then folded to his ability to make it look better. With a smile he kept that inside his cupboard. He then picked Radhika’s dress, and ironed it too, and then folding it well like a shirt, he kept that over the saree. As he was about to grab the iron box, his leg got stuck on something, and as looked down the white duppatta was found on the floor in a wavy pattern, he realized it might have fallen down as he was separating it all for ironing.
He picked it up, and held that close….. he lay back on the bed, and held that duppatta close to his heart. He could easily see her adjusting the length of that material as she was handing it on one side with nice pleats. The image of her eyes glancing at him flashed again in his mind that he rolled on to his tummy, over that white material, and his eyes started wetting again.
Radhika sat silently all thru the way, in between she wiped her wetting eyes, but she tried to sit straight and stern, her eyes were simply staring at the front road. Nani looked at her once, and to the photo she is holding. She extended her hand out to take it from Radhika, but Radhika held them tight , resisting against her force.
With a smile Nani gave up
“Sekhar, do you remember, around this age only Padma left us, and see now her daughter is coming to replace her space, what a destiny, I always knew that I was right and see what happened now, she has to live alone all these years, it was her decision, that’s the fate of all those who don’t listen to their parents”
Sekhar just looked back to acknowledge Nani’s words
Radhika tried to sit deaf near her nani
After hours of journey, they reached near a big gate which was open wide. The car moved further in to get to the front yard, and as the car stopped Sekhar came out and opened the door in front of Radhika.
Radhika hesitated to get down, but “UM” sound of her nani forced to get out, and she stood there looking at the big mansion in front of her.
Nani looked at Radhika’s face, and with a smile said : this is your home now
Radhika hesitated to forward her feet, and stood in place looking at the huge building
Nani again with a smile: see Padma left all these in the name of her love, now it all belongs to you, come”
Radhika still did not move
“UMmm”
Again that ordering sound of her nani’s throat made her to walk mechanically.
Suddenly a little girl came running towards them and stopped at the door step seeing Radhika
Nani: call your mom
Te girl ran back quick and soon few faces peeked out from different doors and open spaces, and one lady came with aarthi in her hand.
Radhika stood near the main door
“Mohini, um”
Suddenly the lady did the aarthi welcoming Radhika into the house. She stepped in and nani followed her with a smile
“um, so everyone is here now, good”
“ha, when we got the news, we couldn’t stay back, we also wish to see Padma’s deedi’s daughter, and we are happy that you brought her here’.. Mohini said as she followed them.
“ha, Ammaji, so did everything went on well?’
One of the middle age man asked Nani.
“ ha ha, everything went fine, and there was no delay in anything, and I was doubting the weather, but luckily it didn’t pour till we left”
Saying that Nani sat on the sofa.
They all sat around too. Radhika stood there holding onto the photo frame, she felt all alone inside that big hall, so she held that frame too tight in her hand.
“so ammaji, what actually happened?, heard, it was an accident and”
“ha Nakul, it was an accident and” but then pausing herself she looked at Radhika
“mohini, show her the room, its all ready, right?”
“ha”
“um , her neighbor’s were packing her stuff and all, I said no, didn’t let her bring anything from there, and ha Mohini take her to the room, let her freshen up and all”
“ji” saying that Mohini went near Radhika, and Radhika just followed Mohini silently.
The words of Nani were fading as she climbed those circular marble steps.
Mohini opened a big door in front of her.
“come”
Radhika just looked at her and then followed her. She saw the luxury all around in her room. The satin spread was shining over the bed, and the windows which were opening to the outside garden were very huge and the soft curtains were flying up with the circling breeze
“this is your room, and ha…” she walked near to the almara and opened it to show a huge collection of new dresses “this is all your dresses, and whatever you need you will find here, or if you need anything else, let me know ok.”
Radhika nodded her head in agreement.
“ok then you carry on” saying that Mohini walked out from the room....
Radhika followed her and closed the door behind, and she walked back to the center of the room, and then slowly sat on that bed. She moved the frame on his hand to look at the image and looking into Padma’s eyes she said “mom, I am here, in your house, nani said it's all mine, but no mom, it doesn’t belong to me, it belong to you, and I am here in a huge room, like you used to tell me that one day you will buy a big house and we two will live in that, I want only that house mom, that big house which you dreamed, and I can imagine the size of it, in my image it was always the one next to our home, susheel uncles house is the biggest one I have seen ever..but your mind might have seen this big , right, no mom, I don’t want this big, I feel suffocated here, I prefer to be in our small house rather than this big house mom, which is still holding your breath mom…. But then her throat went garbled and she asked “why you left me mom, how can you? You should have told papa na that I will be alone, um, you should have taken me also with you na, why you left me alone to stay at home asking me to wait for Nalini teacher, if I have been with you then I might be living in our home only now , right.? With you, near to you, you might be arguing with me now. Moooom , why you left me……” she fell back onto the bed resting her face on the frame…..
Time ticked by
Hearing a knock at the door, Dev opened his eyes
He stood on his feet and was about to open the door
But then the dress in his hand drags his attention and he suddenly threw that on bed and covered it under the sheet. He straightened himself and brushed his hair with his hand, but then the saree grabbed his attention. Picking that up, he folded it all in a bundle and kept that inside his cupboard quickly. And looked around one more time and then went and opened his door.
“how long I am calling you Dev, come, I made some soup, mom is coming too, come and eat something”
Gopal noticed his swollen red eyes which clearly conveyed how hard he cried.
Trying to walk away Gopal : Dev, wash your face before coming down, ok.
“ji”
He closed the door behind as Gopal left the space.
Dev came down after freshen up, and sat along with his parents on one of the dining chairs
“so, you have office tomorrow, right?
Gopal asked
“ha Dad, we have a project meeting too, so I need to be there early’
“um, and Maheswari is coming with me tomorrow, ok’
Mahi just nodded her head
“and if possible take off on Friday , let’s all go to village, ok’
“ji, I can try dad” saying that he tried to take spoonful of soup, but then the image of Radhika who was fainting flashed in his mind that it got difficult for him swallow it down and he coughed.
Gopal looked at his son, and Dev tried to normalize himself, He grabbed the water jug and took few gulp
“it is difficult for us too Dev, but you need to understand it too”
Dev looked at his dad’s face
Maheswari : hope RAdhika might have eaten something. She didn’t even took few sips of water here, and I had to scold her, and now in that new atmosphere, how she might be…
The words got stuck and continued as a moan from her throat
The spoon from Dev’s hand dropped down into the bowl
Seeing it Gopal: Maheswari, you should not say like that, she went with her nani, and you think they won’t take care of her
wiping her tears: that’s not what I meant, I am just worried, can we call and check
Gopal: um, nice idea, but do you have their number?
Maheswari: I don’t, but I can get it, I mean may be it is the same number but I forgot , its been years since I used it, so
Gopal: don’t go behind it now Maheswari, let her learn to live there with all her near ones, she never been to lucky to feel that, now atleast she is not alone.
Maheswari: ha , but how can we just forget everything like that
“you need to, maybe you didn’t notice but I noticed Ammaji’s hatred eyes on you, as if because of you Padma left her”
Maheswari gaining her voice back: how can she, it was Padma’s decision, I didn’t tell her about it, that’s it, otherwise it was all Padma’s and Hari’s decision. I was knowing everything about it as I was her friend..
Gopal: but you were her best friend who was knowing everything but still hidden from Ammaji who was considering you as her daughter only
Mahi: ha, Padma’s house door was always open for me, and I had the freedom to get in and out and any time, and Hari used to send the massages thru me only, and
“see that’s what I said, you are a part of it, and ammaji knows it well”
Gopal concluded.
Mahi sat there silently and then taking deep sigh: but now what about Radhika?
Gopal: in one month her college will reopen , right, so let’s wait till then
Dev just scooped the soup with his spoon listening to his parents talk. One month, will I be able to hold that long? he thought inside
He got up carrying the bowl in his hand and put that in the sink and running the water he let it flow out to the drainage…
He went back to his room, nearing the window corner, he looked at the window side. Remembering something he went and opened his cupboard, and took the dress bundle out. It was all wrinkled, and he getting the iron box , managed to get it all straighten, and then folded to his ability to make it look better. With a smile he kept that inside his cupboard. He then picked Radhika’s dress, and ironed it too, and then folding it well like a shirt, he kept that over the saree. As he was about to grab the iron box, his leg got stuck on something, and as looked down the white duppatta was found on the floor in a wavy pattern, he realized it might have fallen down as he was separating it all for ironing.
He picked it up, and held that close….. he lay back on the bed, and held that duppatta close to his heart. He could easily see her adjusting the length of that material as she was handing it on one side with nice pleats. The image of her eyes glancing at him flashed again in his mind that he rolled on to his tummy, over that white material, and his eyes started wetting again.
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