Vani - Zehnaseeb

Chapter 19 - Memories

Bahu...tumaari tabbiyat theek nahi kya? Party parr nahi aana? She asked. Bani looked at Gayatri in confusion and shook her head. Nuy...nuy toh. Aap aisa kyun pooch rahe ho? Gayatri looked at Bani up and down and then ran her fingers along the cloth of her saree. Lekin yeh saree kyun pehni hai? Humaare khaandaan ki bahu aisi saree pehne gi? Sabh kya soche ge? Bani gulped. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fist, trying to hold herself back from saying anything mean. Yeh saree mere chotte bhai ne gift kiyi muje. Aur...aur itni achi toh hai na? Gayatri smirked and then called for Madhu. Baddi bahu!

Madhu came back from the kitchen and smiled at the both of them. Kitni sundar lagg rahi hai na meri beti? She asked. Gayatri arched her eyebrow and said Bahu...aaj itna badda jashan hai. Sabh rishtedaar aur business partners hoge. Aur chotti bahu yeh saree pehne gi? Aur dekho...galle mein sirf manglasutra aur khaanon mein chotti si baaliyan. Aur haath mein sirf yeh chaandi ki bracelet. She looked over at the bracelet Bani was wearing. Bani looked at the moon and sun pendants and shook her head. Main isko nahi hataaoongi. Yeh muje mere patti ne gift kiyi thi. Gayatri chuckled and said Aur maine jo itni sareean tume gift kiyi uska kya? Usme se ek kyun nahi pehni? Madhu took in a deep breath and put her hand on her shoulder. Maaji aap baat ko kahaan se kahaan lekhar jaarahe hai. Itni sundar toh lagg rahi hai na? Sabki nazrein hogi meri parri jaisi beti parr. Maaji aap- Gayatri put her hand up, forbidding her to say another word. Sabh shaadi shudda auratein iss party parr apni sabse mehngi saree aur zevar pehne gi aur humaari chotti bahu sirf yeh saree? Kham se kham Veer ka socho. Bani scrunched her eyebrows and looked down at her saree and then at Gayatri's and Madhu's. She noticed that maybe she was underdressed and now that she thought of it she would even look underdressed next to Veer as well. Ji...main...main change karke aathi hoon. Before she went upstairs Gayatri put her hand on her elbow and smiled. Yeh hui na baat. Aise baddo ki baat sunn-ni chaahiye beta. Apne uss patti ko bi kuch sikhaado. Bani flared her nostrils at that comment and muttered Muje Veer ko kuch nahi sikhaane ki zaroorat. Voh jaisa hai, bauhat acha hai. And then she stormed upstairs to change.

It was now thirty minutes into the party and Veer was looking around at the guests trying to spot Bani. He had just finished an important phone call in the office and was wondering what was taking Bani so long to come downstairs. Mom. Bani abhi takh neeche kyun nahi aayi? He asked his mom. Madhu cupped his cheek and smiled at him. Main dekh rahi hoon. Kitne beychain ho apni biwi ke bina. Oopar change karr rahi hai. Veer nodded and then turned to leave. Ek second. Change? Lekin change kyun? Did she spill something on the saree? Yah firr shayad pleats mein maddat chaahiye? Madhu sighed and looked at Gayatri in the distance. Beta...voh...maaji ki zidd thi. Keh voh change karre. Koi...koi mehngi saree pehne. Veer's expression changed immediately. What? Daadi made her change? Aur...aur Bani maan gayi? Mom maine pehle bi kahaa tha. Aggar daadi visit karne aaye gi toh voh Bani ko kuch matth kahe. I told you that if she says anything negative then I won't hold back. Subah se voh kuch na kuch kehrahi hai. Madhu nodded her head in agreement. Beta maine bi kahaa ke saree mein koi problem nahi. Lekin Bani maan gayi...abh oopar change karr rahi hai. Veer groaned and put his drink down on the tray, then ran upstairs to his wife.

He knocked on the door which was locked. Gharwali main hoon. Veer whispered. Bani finished putting the safety pin in place to keep the pleats together and then unlocked the door. When Veer opened it he saw her holding the pallu over her elbow and lifting the heavily embroidered saree with her right hand so she could walk back to the vanity. Baby...yeh kya? He asked and locked the door again. Bani sprayed some perfume on her chest and stomach and frowned. Veer I'm really irritated. This saree is so heavy...how will I walk? Aur yeh design kitna chubb raha hai. Veer looked over at the stomach and smiled as she itched away at the red marks already created there. He came up to her and back hugged her while rubbing her bare stomach. You're so beautiful. He whispered and kissed her neck. Bani turned her face to the right and pecked his lips. Naaraaz ho? Ke maine daadi ki baat maanli? Veer nodded his head. Hmm. Bauhat naaraaz. Now you're looking like daadi's mini me. Itni bhaari saree, yeh gehne, aur baal khulle bi nahi? You hate wearing it back in a low bun. Bani nodded and turned around to hug him. I'm sorry. Lekin baat toh uski sahi thi. I was going to wear something so simple. Aur yeh itni baddi party hai...and you're wearing a tuxedo too. It would look really bad. Veer kissed her chin. Do you feel beautiful right now? He asked. Bani looked down at his chest and stayed silent. She shook her head gently while playing with his bowtie. Toh voh green vaali pehno na? Baby you looked so adorable in it. He said. Bani sighed and turned back around. She bent forward to pick up the remaining bobby pins and Veer wrapped his hands around her stomach as she did. Veer it's fine. Bass ek raath ki baat hai. Here...help me pin the pallu. She held her right hand up with the pin but Veer didn't take it. Bani looked at his reflection in the mirror and let out a breath. Gussa chodd do. It's fine. Really. It's just for one night na? Aur voh vaise bi ek hafte ke baadh jaa rahi hai. Veer took the pin from her and waited for Bani to pull the pallu up and put it on her shoulder. This is what she does Bani. She starts with small demands and then slowly they increase. Just please...please don't let her start controlling you the way she did with mom. Bani nodded and winced. Ouch! Veer looked at her in worry and noticed he poked her skin with the pin. I...I'm sorry baby...are you okay? He asked. Bani blushed and turned around. She kissed his nose and wrapped her hands around his neck. Theek kaise nahi hoongi? Itna handsome aur caring patti hai. Abh challe gharwale? To make our grand entry? Veer rolled his eyes and pecked her lips. Chall bi paao gi? Bani pursed her lips and laughed as he kissed her pout several times. Fikkar math karro. Jabse tumaara haath mere haath mein hai main harr muskil paar kharr jaaoongi.