TAMED AND TAINTED

BLACK TAJ

Meera and Abhimaan descended the stairs towards the garage where other Rathore siblings were waiting. Upon reaching Meera was questioned

"Bhabi ma apke kaan mein yeh laal nishaan kesi?" Sanyukta asked
(Bhabi ma what kind of red colour spot is it on your ear?)

"Nishaan kahan?" Meera checked her ears in the jeep's mirror giving a stink eye to Abhimaan
(Red spot, where?)

"Woh earing.... mein dusra press wala earing pehen rahi thi shayad wahi nishaan reh gaya hoga" Meera said awkwardly laughing
(Earings....yes earings..... actually i wore another kind of press earings and perhaps because of that i got this spot)

"Acha toh thik hai jeep mein chalaunga" Aviral said and his siblings screeched
(Ok then i will be driving the jeep)

"Nhi bilkul nhi hume ghumne jana hai marne nhi gadi Abhiraj bhai chalayenge" Sanyukta said
(No absolutely not....you are not the vehicle, we are going to the fair not to the funeral so Abhiraj bhai will drive the jeep)

The Rathore siblings left in the jeep where as Meera and Abhimaan left in Abhimaan's car.

Amrita Devi was standing with her son Rudra Pratap Singh Rathore and was admiring the happiness of the younger generation

"Abhimaan pehli baar itne saalo mein mela ghumne gaya" Amrita Devi said
(Abhimaan for the first time in so many years went to enjoy the fair)

"Abhimaan dheere dheere apne shell se bahar aa raha hai..... jo itne salo se koi nhi kar paya wo Meera bina jane kar rahi hai" Rudra said
(Abhimaan is slowly yet gradually coming out of his shell........things which no one could do till now, Meera unknowingly has done those successfully)

"Par beta Meera ne abhi tak Abhimaan ka gussa dekha nhi hai.....Meera seh aur sambhal payegi ya nhi yehi baat khaye jaa rahi hai mujhe"
(But dear Meera has not yet confronted Abhimaan's anger.........am worried of Meera could handle him and his anger issues)

Rudra smilingly replied "Meera se behtar Abhimaan ke liye koi nhi, maa"
(No one is better than Meera for Abhimaan, mom you don't take stress she gonna handle everything)

"Maan" Meera said loudly when Abhimaan rashly overtook another car.

"Haan" Abhimaan innocently responded
(Yes)

"Drive slowly" Meera said

"Am driving safely" Abhimaan replied

" Maan aap na......" Meera opened her mouth to say something but didn't utter anything else and turned her head in opposite direction.
(Maan you are......)

Abhimaan slowly touched her palm and brought her hand over the gear shift and said "Dheere chalaunga, okay.......agli baar, kuch mann mein ho toh bol dena ese adha mat chodna"
(Will drive slowly, okay..... from next time onwards, if you have something in your mind then voice out your thoughts but don't leave them unsaid in the middle)

"Aap sunte kahan hai meri baat" Meera complained
(You don't hear or consider my sayings)

Abhimaan mumbled under his breath "Shayad tumhari baat hi sunta hun"
(Perhaps I only hear you, considering your thoughts)

"Kuch kaha apne?"
(You said something?)

"Reached at destination" Abhimaan replied

All the younger Rathore generation reached at the great annual village fair.

"Bhai you promised me to purchase everything I will like" Sanyukta said to Aviral