Fitoor

Chapter 28

Abir Bharadwaj

"Amma? Aap kab aaye?" I asked waking up groggily. Last I remembered was Kunal's apartment, where the great plan was being formed. And my body was completely heated up. I knew I had got a fever and I couldn't care less. Kunal was important.
"Just few minutes before." She sighed and sat beside me.

"Ab kaisa lag raha hai?" Amma questioned as I took her hand in mine.
"Ab bilkul theek hu. Don't worry. It was just a slight fever." I smiled. She nodded and handed me khichdi.
"Mishti to bahut ghabra rahi thi. Jab tumhare temperature kam hua, tab jaake usne thoda aram kiya. Phir Vijay bhai aake Mishti ko leke gaye." She explained while I ate quietly.

She was here the whole time. And she took care of me. Why?
"Kab gaye?" I asked.
"Do ghante pehle. Tu itna peacefully so raha tha to Mishti uthaane se mana kiya." Amma patted my cheek and smiled.
"Aap aise kyu has rahi hai?" I questioned. She indeed was smiling weirdly.
"Jis ladki ko tum hate kar rahe the, jis ladki ko tumne itna tang kiya, aakhir wo hi ladki, tumhare dekhbaal ki." She chuckled.

"Amma!" I whined like a kid. She was directly teasing me. Where was my innocent mother who was supporting me each time? All because of that Pranav!
"Uth gaya? Are ab tak kitna shaant tha ghar." The devil said and landed directly on my bed beside Amma. Resting his head on her lap, he smirked at me. That's his way of saying that he's the favourite kid.
"Tu abhi tak soya nahi? College haina kal?" Amma scolded him.

"Are first hour bunk karunga." He showed off as Appa threw a paper on his face.
"Dekho apne report card. Phir bunk karne ka sochna." He said and sat beside me.
"Theek ho ab?" He asked while checking my temperature.
"Are baccha thodi na hu. Thoda fever aagaya to sab itna drama kyu kar rahe ho?" I giggled as Appa smacked my head.
"Kal off le lena. I'll handle the meetings." Appa said.

"As you say boss." I bent my head and he patted my hair lovingly.
"Lo! Uthke paanch minute bhi nahi hua sab iska side chale gaye. Ab tak kitchen me, office me kaun help kiya jab maharaj so rahe the?" Pranav grumbled.
"Tu pehle apne assignment finish kar. Engineering kar rahe ho. Atleast be serious." I said.
"Is ghar me child labour to mere janam se chal raha hai. Ab protest karke kya faida?" Pranav remarked.

"Jayega ya Bengali movies ke baare me batadu?" I whispered smirking as his face paled. Sir was learning Bengali through movies, to impress someone.
"Yaar! Tu to bilkul apne baap pe gaya hai." He said and ran away.
"Kya bola tune? Bhaag gaya bechara!" Amma asked whilst laughing.
"Kuch nahi. Aap dono bhi jao. Neend, rest wagera kuch yaad hai ya nahi?" I joked as they too left.

There was my brother, who was watching Bengali movies for Niharika. And then there was me, who couldn't even thank her for taking care of me. I am really a waste fellow like he says.

Or am I?

Mishti Bose

"Roopa ka call aaya tha." Maa said as I sprinted across the hall and went to the kitchen.
"Kaisa hai wo? Fever reduce nahi hua? Wound infect to nahi hua? Dolo injection hi diya maine. Tablet to asar nahi karega." I rambled on and on until Maa filled an apple piece in my mouth.
"Temperature kam hogaya. Abhi dinner khaake usne tablet liya. Subah tak pura ka pura fever kam hojayega. Ab khush?" She asked.

I sighed revealed and took the plate of fruits into the hall. I was awake to read obstetrics and gynaecology. After this was dermatology and then psychiatry would finish our first practicals. Then immediately after that, we had another camp in Kerala, this time. I hoped it would be late but it's so early. That is why Maa was also awake with me, studying some case of hers.

"Tu kisi aur patient ke liye kabhi itna stressed nahi thi. Ab kyu?" She asked suspiciously.
"Are wo mera friend hai. Tension to hoga na." I covered up quickly.
"Friends? Ye kab hua?" She chuckled.
"Maa yaar! Kena emana interrogate karchena?" I freaked out.
(Aise interrogate kyu kar rahe ho?)
"Enquiry nahi baba. I was just asking. Kya ek Maa apne beti se baat nahi kar sakti?" She asked.

"Maa beti se baat kar sakti hai but this mother? Kya chal raha hai dragon mom?" I questioned. We heard a big sound of an utensil falling down. When I hurried towards kitchen I saw Baba and Niha completely covered in atta.
"Vijay! Chote bacche ho tum? Naile bachadera mato harkat karacha kena?" Maa shouted as I was still laughing holding my stomach.
(Nahi to bacchon wale harkate kyu karte ho tum?)

"Apani hasale, eta shahay karabe?" Baba asked mockingly.
(Hasna hogaya to help karegi?)
"Baba yaar! Maine kaha tha ki snacks ka dabba yaha hai. Aapke suggestion ke karan dekho kaise dono comedy piece bangaye." Niha groaned.
"Haww! Aap mere bina is chudail ke saath planning ki? Mai aapko help nahi kar rahi." I folded my hands and said.
"Are tu busy thi na padhne me." Baba whined.

"Haye Durga Maa! Ekhane ki hoyche? Vijay! Bhutera mata ghure beracha kena?" Dadi shreaked.
(Kya chal raha hai yaha? Tu bhoot ki tarah kyu bhatak raha hai?)
"Maa! Aap andar jaao na." Baba grumbled.
"Tu ruk re shaitan. Aaj to amavasya ki raat hai. Isiliye tujhe ye sab ho raha hai. Mai abhi nimbu aur kari patthe lekar aati hu." Dadi hurriedly said and went towards the fridge.

My condition was not even explainable. I was sitting on the ground and laughing.
"Maanav ka call hai. Lo." Maa handed me my phone and I took it still giggling.
"Dracula ki tarah kyu has rahi hai? Abir ne propose kar liya kya?" He chuckled. Shi- Abir! I had forgotten about him totally.
"Bolna." Maanav wailed like a dinosaur stuck in traffic.
"Tu phone kyu kiya? Pehle wo batao." I asked back.

"Tu phantom ki tarah full speed uske ghar nikal gayi aur phir phone bhi nahi uthaya. Plan ke baare me discuss kaun karega ab? Tumhari dadi?" He asked sweetly.
"Dadi ko beech me mat laana paglait. Plan wlan sab exams ke baad." I told off handed.
"Exams ke baad ya kisi ke recovery ke baad?" Maanav sang the last part.
"Tujhe zinda rehna pasand hi nahi haina?" I questioned seriously.

"Theek hai. Now serious topic. Yaar kal kuch dikhade! Mereko ghanta nahi aata. Subject ka naam bhi yaad nahi hai." He whined.
"Tera bestfriend haina Kuhu. Puch usse. Bada uska side le raha tha aaj." I scoffed.
"Mishti. Tu mera jigar hai re. Kaun hai wo Kuhu! Tere aage kuch bhi nahi hai. Help karna yaar. Tere wo marvel ke saare movies baithke shiddat se dekhunga." He promised.

"Bappa ke kasam?" I asked giggling.
"Are awaz nahi aa rahi. Kaha hai tu?" He started acting. And then I realised sir was bluffing.
"Mar mat. Theory dikhaungi par practicals tera headache hai." I offered as he agreed.
"Chal jaake padhna. Kya baat kar rahi hai? Seriousness nahi hai aajkal ke bacchon me!" He groaned and cut the call.
This idiot!

But what about that another idiot?

To be continued

Guys guys guys!

Updates will be irregular. College yaar! I get so exhausted when I reach home. And my bed is such a nonsense fellow, it calls me immediately and I fall asleep.

Will post this Friday.

Love love😙