Opposite Poles..Part 137

Part 137

“Jiji, I am still puzzled.  I don’t know.. but I think I have heard that voice somewhere...! That damn pressure cooker had to whistle at that time only...!” Khushi said this again irritating Payal.

“Khushi you old me this a hundred times since morning..!” Payal said angrily and went inside. 

“Look, I am going out! Will be back in half an hour!” Payal said sternly.  “Subji laani hain! And come out of your hallucination! And work!” Their routine had started.  But Khushi was still in Raizada House mentally.  She was uneasy.  She couldn’t see the person but his voice was too familiar.  She stared unfocused and kept on telling her Jiji.

Sham walked in and Khushi got up with a jerk.  “Sham ji.. “ she said excitedly.  “Khushi?” Sham looked at her confused.  “What happened?” he asked.  She again was lost.  “N..Nothing!” she said going in the kitchen.  He smirked.  The phone rang.  Khushi ran and picked up the phone.

“Hello, this is Sham Manohar Zaa! Mrs. Anjali Raizada-Zaa’s husband.... Can I talk to Ms Payal?” asked the other person.  Khushi looked at Sham sitting at the table.

“N..Namaste! Jiji has gone out!” “Ok I will call later!” she kept the receiver down.  She again looked confused. This was a different voice.  “Let it be!” she dismissed the doubt and went inside.  Sham followed.

“Who was that?” he asked

.  “Anjali ji’s husband!” Khushi answered.  Sham went out again smirking. 

“So my dear smart sisters.. you will pay for this..!” he thought to himself playing with his mobile.  “Now time to go home .. Raani Sahebaa is waiting..!” he got up !!

********  ********   ******

“Aray where did you disappear in the morning?” Anjali asked the obvious question.  Sham smiled slyly and hugging her said,

“You ordered me to enquire about that another Sham Zaa! I remembered that when I heard that Khushi’s name and went to get the information..!” he gave a perfect answer  Anjali looked satisfied.

“And you got the information...!” she said smiling at her husband’s smartness.  He nodded and took out a large directory.  

“See! There are thousands of practicing Lawyers in this part of the country..And... umm.. there are hum.. let me see... umm... say around  sixteen Sham Zaas!  Umm this Sham Zaa I had to find out...!” He said giving full statistics.  She looked at him fondly.  “Humm  see... there are twelve of them who are married like me! So I could find out this young, dynamic, boy Sham Zaa through my friend!” he said slyly .  She waited.

“Raani Sahebaa! He is a gem of a person.  Very intelligent and good looking!  He has a very good repuration among our lawyer community.  I mean he is young, and smart with flourishing practice.  I think they should go ahead with the proposal..!” Anjali nodded happily.

“You know, Raani Sahebaa? I had called on the number you had given me! But Payal ji had gone out.  Now you call them up and give this information.  I got to go!” he said smiling and going away.

“Aray... ruko!” Anjali called out loudly.  He stopped.  “woh.. Chote was asking me about our trip..!” she said blushing.  He came back staring at her.  “You mean, our second Honeymoon?” he asked naughtily.  She flushed.  He smirked.  “Where did we go after our marriage?” he asked teasing her.  

 “Kashmir!” she said missing those magical days.  “Humm..!” he hugged her again.  

“You know Raani Saheba.. I am thinking of postponing it for some more time.  You know.. looking at the condition here in the house..!” he started off.

“But everything is set right now... Khushi also has returned..!” she said a little disappointed. He frowned looking away.

“You know, Raani sahebaa.. I still believe everything is not alright between Nani ji and Saale saab! I think we should stay here for their sake.  They need us, Raani Saheba!” he said getting emotional.  She looked at him passionately.  “You care for all of us so much!” she said with tears of content. 

“Humm.. Whatever is mine, is yours and whatever is yours is mine.. right? So your sorrows are mine..!” he hugged her tightly lifting her off the ground.  She moaned with pleasure.

“And you know. I don’t want you to come with me with the baggage of worries... I want you to think about starting a family..!” he said kissing her passionately. 

**********  *****   *********

 “Khushi, you don’t have to worry now! We got the information from Anjali ji~ He is a good person.”  Payal was satisfied with the information and was happy to have this Sham ji as her Jijaji! Khushi looked lost.

“If Anjali ji has said it.. it must be true! Sham ji must be a very good person.  I think I shouldn’t doubt his intentions again...!” Khushi was not sure though.

“Dekh, Khushi... Devi mayya showed you the way.  I think Sham ji ....!” Payal said trying to convince Khushi.  Khushi nodded nervously.  “Jiji...!” she called out in anguish.

“It is ok Khushi! Don’t worry about it now!” Payal gave up.  Khushi hung her head. 

“Khusii...” Buwaji called out after dinner and Khushi shuddered.  She came out of the room to find Buwaji with her inhaler.

“What happened, Buwaji?” Khushi asked concerned.  “N..No..Noth..Nothing.. Na..Nandki..!” Buwaji said gasping.  Khushi went inside to get her inhaler capsul.  Buwaji felt better after some time. 

“Khusii... I want to talk to you..!” Buwaji said seriously and Khushi looked at her Jiji.

“Chalo mere saath, Nandkishore!” said Buwaji dragging her along.  Khushi followed to the backyard.  Buwaji sat on the stairs and looked at standing Khushi.

“Baitho, Sanakadevi!” she pulled her hand.  Khushi sat with a thud.  For a long time Buwaji didn’t speak.  Khushi kept gazing the stars.   

“Aray, what is going on?” Amma came and sat next to Khushi.  Buwaji looked at Amma angrily and said, “I wanted to talk to this Sanakadevi!” Amma sighed.  “Jiji, she is tired now.  Can you not talk to her some other day?” asked Amma politely.  Buwaji frowned.  

“Ok! But let me warn you, Khushi! You are getting engaged next week.  Tomorrow I will go and get the date from Panditji.  We  should do it before your planetary conditions change.. Understand?” she asked sternly.  Khushi was looking up in the sky.

“Khushi..!” Buwaji screamed.  “Yeah Buwaji, I am asking the planets to stay for some more time...!” Khushi said giggling.  Her Amma looked away.  “Ignorance is bliss for you, Khushi! Hope your Buwaji won’t talk to you at all!” Amma pulled Khushi nearer. “I won’t be able to save her for long..!” she thought gravely, tears rolled down on her cheeks.  

“I don’t know, what is in store for you Khushi...!” she sobbed.  Khushi brought her gaze back from the sky to her Amma.  “Don’t worry Amma! Devi Mayya hain naa?” she said consoling her Amma.  Garima gaped at her brave daughter wondering her strong faith on her Devi Mayya.

“Please .. give her strength.. Devi Mayya..She needs your blessings!” Amma prayed for her daughter.

“Chalo Khushi.. so Jao!” she got up and brought Khushi in.

******  *********  ********

Both the sisters were busy in their routine work.  Buwaji had got the date for engagement to Khushi’s dismay.  Sham was all the time lurking behind her whenever she was at home.  Her Raizada house visits annoyed him.  She didn’t care.  That was the only time she enjoyed without sham presence.  Lavanya had become very close and over dependent on Khushi, so was Nani.  She could sense some uneasiness between Arnav ji and Nani still lingering.  Anjali had postponed her trip with her husband.  Mami ji had suddenly become quiet looking lost in her thoughts.  Aakash kept meeting payal.  Everything was running smoothly except for Khushi.  She was worried about her engagement date approaching.   Buwaji had insisted and Amma had no other option.

“Aap ko pata hain naa? Mujhe yeh shaadi nahi karani hain? You know, I don’t want to get married..!” she was looking at her Devi Mayya with some hope.  Her devi mayya was smiling.  “Yeah.. you are taking pleasure in troubling me like this.  Just once.. only once.. show me my destiny book, devi mayya.. I want to know what is in store for me! Please? Just once?” she asked her devi mayya.

“Beti.. you want to know your future? Come, show me your palm..!” A sadhu baba was standing before her in the Mandir and asking her.  She frowned.  She got up and touched his feet.  “No Sadhu baba..! I don’t want it from you.  I have a direct connection with my Devi Mayya..! I will read it from her!” she said smugly and went out of the Mandir.  Pandit ji standing behind the Sadhu baba smiled shaking his head.  

*************   *********  ******

“What happened, Khushi? Why you are so red faced? And why were you late?” Payal bombarded Khushi with questions.  Khushi went in without a word.  

“Khushi..!” Payal stood there thrusting her hands on her hips.

“No..woh.. Arnav ji had a head ache.  I.. I gave him a head message!” Khushi said stuttering.

“So?” Payal looked at her questioningly.

“Umm.. I mean.. I slept off..!” Khushi blushed furiously.

“You slept off? While giving head message?” Payal asked flabbergasted.

“What to do, Jiji.. He asked me to shut up..! You know naa... I cannot keep quiet like that.. I dozed off..! So this late!” Khushi concluded going away hiding her red face.  Payal shook her head hopelessly.

“Chalo Ab.. Today there is order for Jilebees..!” Payal shouted back.   Khushi changed and was ready to make Jilebees.  

“Nandkishore... be ready in the evening for shopping!” Buwaji ordered and Khushi frowned banging her forehead with her fist.  

“Ok!” she said grumpily.  Sham smirked sitting outside.  Khushi prayed her Devi Mayya!