Silver Linings

Judas

Saturday at breakfast time, The Raizadas were settling down on the breakfast table one by one, Payal came out of the kitchen, giggling into her phone, holding a platter of fruit "Paagal! Chal ab rakhti hu, sab aagaye hai nashta ke liye." (Crazy! Okay I am hanging up now, everyone has come down for breakfast) She placed the platter on the table simultaneously listening to what was being said on the line "Haa haa tumhari taraf se sab ko namaste boldungi.. Acha khayal rakhna" (yes yes.. I will tell everyone namaste on your behalf) She cut the line and kept her phone on the table

"Khushi bitiya ka phone tha?" (Was it Khushi on the phone?) Devyani asked with a smile, "Ji Daadji, aap sab ko namaste bolne ko kahan tha" (Yes Daadiji.. she asked to say namaste to all of you) and then shook her head with a smile "Kaa hua... aise kyun ismile karat ho" (What happened.. why are you smiling like this) Manorama asked as she served herself some food "Kuch nahi maaji, bas khushi ki baatein yaad aagayi.. isiliye..." (Nothing Maaji, I just remembered what Khushi said.. that's why) she chuckled again "buaji ne bilkul sahi naam rakha hai khushi ke liye - sanka devi. Bilkul sanki hai" (Buaji has named her aptly - Sanka Devi - totally crazy she is)

Just then Arnav arrived at the table "Good Morning" he said with a small smile and sat at his seat. Payal waited for him to serve himself his food, and then nudged at Akash who understood her message "Waise payal... Aise bhi kya kiya hai meri pyaari saali ne jo aap usse paagal bulaa rahi thi." (By the way Payal.. What did my lovely sister in law do that you were calling her 'crazy') The smile on Arnav's face at Khushi's mention didn't go unnoticed by anyone at the table. They also saw the mischief in Payal's eyes, and everyone knew what had to be done

"haan bitiya hume bhi bataiye na" (Yeah, share with all of us as well) Devyani said, Manorama and Anjali nodded their head eagerly. Arnav just pretended to be engrossed in his food, but his senses were all focused on what ever Payal was going to say "phone pe keh rahi thi ke jab se humaari shadi hui hai, usse raat mei achi neend nahi aari" (She was telling on the phone, that ever since I got married, she has not gotten a good night sleep)

"kyun" (Why) Anjali asked with a smile "Di... Jab khushi gehri neend mei hoti hai na... Wo humse aake chipak jaati hai... Adhe waqt jab hum subah utt the hai tho woh bilkul humaari upar hoti hai... Par ab hum wahan nahi hai... Tho Amma uski paas soti hai na.. Aur amma ko aise chipak ke sona achi nahi lagti.. Tho amma usse hatathi hai.. Aur Khushi ki neend khul jaati hai... Issiliye subah subah phone karke amma ki shikayat kar rahi thi" (Di.. When Khushi is in deep sleep, she ends up cuddling me.. half the time when I wake up in the morning I find her almost on top of me.. But now since I am not there, Amma sleeps next to her right.. And Amma doesn't like to be cuddled, so she moves her away, and Khushi's sleep gets disturbed.. That's why early in the morning she has called to complain about Amma)

The whole table laughed even Arnav couldn't help the soft giggle that left his lips, "paagal" (Crazy!) he whispered fondly to himself and took a bite of his toast. "bechari khushiji..." (Poor Khushiji) Anjali said when her laughter died down "Hello Hi Bye Bye Anjali Bitiya.. bechari oo phatti saadi nahi.. bechare tho oo hai jiske saat ooki shadi hojaigi.." (That Phatti Saadi is not to be pitied... we should pity the poor lad to whom she will be getting married to) Arnav felt the gaze of the entire table on him, but he just focused on his food

"bechare... poori zindagi ki neend ispoils huigava" (Poor thing... His entire life's sleep is spoilt) Manorama laughed and everyone watched Arnav's reaction, he had his head bent down, trying hard to supress a smile that was forming on his face despite his best efforts, making the tips of his ears red "jethji" (Brother in law) Payal called out sweetly, Arnav lifted his eyes up to look at her without lifting his head, when she addressed him like that, it only meant one thing - more trouble.