Whi Dastaan

Chapter 20

Shiv

"Anuradha" I said entering the kitchen.

"Ji"

"Aaj Manish, Mera dost seher se wapas aara hai toh dopahar mei udhar hi khana kha lunga"
Today I'll go to my friend's house who has just returned from city. I'll eat lunch there only)

"Theek hai"
(Ok)

"Apna khayal rakhio"
(Take care of yourself)

"Hmm" She said nodding and smiled. There was just something about her face, about her smile that makes me want to look at her for forever.

"Kya hua?" She asked noticing me staring at her.
(What happened?)

"Kuch nhi. Chalta hu mein"
(Nothing)

"Haan" she said and got back to her work.

First I visited panchayat for sometime as my father wanted me to know about all the proceedings and I too had interest in that. My father was earlier the Sarpanch until he retired. He gained immense amount of respect from the villagers and I aspire to be like him.

After seeing the proceedings, I went to the fields to look after the crops and workers.

In the afternoon I went to Manish's house. He had shifted to the city with his wife and a child.

"Kaisa hai tu?" I asked him while sitting down on the sofa.
(How are you?)

"Theek hu bhai. Tu kaisa hai?" Manish asked.
(Fine bro. You tell?)

"Mein bhi. Yeh bata seher mei sab kaisa hai? Bhabhi bacche theek hai?"
(Me too. How's the city?)

"Haan bilkul. Kiraye pe abhi makan liya hai udhar. Mein toh ma baba se bhi bolta hu ki chale mere saath. Unhe hi nahi jana. Tu bata bhabhi kaisi hai? Abhi bhi toh peecha nhi kar rhi tera jaise bachpan mei kiya karti thi jab tu khelne aata tha" he said laughing.
(Just took a home on rent. I was saying to my parents to come with me but they are not ready. How's Anuradha? Is she still following you around?)

"Aree nhi nhi. Kaafi samajhdaar ho gyi hai" I said remembering how as a child she used to follow me everywhere. Well how the tables have turned.
(Aree no no. She is very responsible now)

"Bhaiya, lijiye khana" Manish's wife, Aarti said.
(Brother have some food)

I nodded and she placed plates on the table.

"Manish ji aap ki bhi plate lagadu?" She asked Manish. He said yes and we both ate together. But something stuck to me. Anuradha never called me by name. I want to know how my name would sound from her mouth.
(Manish ji will you also have your food now?)

In the evening as I was returning home, it started to rain very heavily. I ran as my house was just a street away. I directly went to my room and shouted for Anuradha. Even after calling for sometime she did not reply. It was raining quite heavily now. She might not have heard my voice. I went to look in the kitchen but she wasn't even there.

Kaha hai yeh I thought. I heard a faint sound of her Payal from the backside. And there she was running in rain trying to remove the now wet clothes from the rope.
(Where is she?)

Yeh ladki bhi na
(This girl..)

I went towards her. She didn't notice me till now. But in a matter of seconds her feet slipped on the fallen cloth and was about to fall down when I thankfully caught her. I could feel my heart beating so fast. I looked at her. She had her eyes closed tightly. She slowly opened them to directly look at mine. I picked her up and directly took her to our room. Setting her down, I threw the clothes on chair and looked at her angrily.