Tumhari Preyasi

Chapter 7

Bhairav

I tell her to take care of the kids and she gives me the biggest smile. She is nice.

"Aur sunn aaj se saari Ghar ki zimmedari Teri hai. Naukaro ko abse tujhe hi dekhna hai. Agar kuch samajh na aaye toh mujhse pooch liyo"
(And listen from today on the responsibility of this house is yours. Also you have to look after the servants. If you have any doubt just ask me)

"Ji"
(Ok)

She always says ji to me. Except for the one time. I remember the moment and look at her face. I take a deep breath to clear my mind. What am I even thinking?

Sakshi and Aarambh come running down the stairs.

"Aaram se dono" I say in my usual tone and they immediately become calm and sit beside me. Meera gives them food and we start eating.
(Be careful)

"Bhabhi aap kyu nhi kha rhe?" Aarambh asks her.
(Bhabhi why are you not eating?)

"Tum log khalo phir mein khalugi" she replies to him smiling.
(First you guys eat. I will eat after that)

"Bhabhi bohot accha khana banati hai aap" Sakshi chimes in.
(Bhabhi the food is soo tasty)

I like that my siblings like her. She is adjusting well to the family. Ma- baba, Anuj, Priya would have liked her.

"Aap aur roti lenge?" She asks breaking my train of thoughts.
(Would you like more chappatis?)

"Nhi. Baccho jaldi karo, school bhi jana hai"
(No. Kids eat faster, you have you go to school too)

"Ji bhaiya"
(Yes bhaiya)

Meera gives them their lunchboxes and kissing on their forehead says goodbye to them. Sakshi hugs her tightly. Seeing this I realize they needed a motherly figure in their life even though they never said and I am happy that they are able to find it in their Bhabhi. I drop them off to school and go to my factory. I look around to see everyone is doing their job and then sit down to read the papers of new proposal. Her images flashes in my mind. Her eyes. Her smile. I try to clear my mind taking deep breath. This is my workplace I need to focus.

I hear a commotion outside, so I go out of my cabin to look at it. Two workers are fighting.

"Kya ho raha hai?" I ask in a calm tone but my voice holds an authority. They immediately stop, seeing me and bow their heads.
(What is happening?)

"Malik yeh meri Jeb se paise chura raha tha" one of them said.
(Sir he tried to steal money from my pocket)

"Jhooth bol raha hai yeh malik" other one, Ramu replied but his body language was fidgety.
(No sir he is lying)

"Shant" (Quiet) I said. I asked other workers and they too had a similar experience with Ramu. My men checked him and indeed he had more money than any other worker. Immediately realizing his mistake he fell in my legs "Maaf kardijiye Malik. Galti hogyi" he cried.
(Please forgive me sir)

I asked my men to get him out of my sight. I hate liars and betrayers. They have no place in my heart and they should be punished. My men would not kill him ofcourse. He would just get the apt amount of beating required to set his brain straight.

I go to school in my car to pick Sakshi and Aarambh up. Whole journey they both bicker and are only silenced when I tell them to stop. As we reach home, they both jump out of the car and run inside the house. I calmly walk behind them.

"Bhabhiii" they both shout.

"Aagye tum dono" she says smiling at them and when she notices me, she immediately gets shy. The red blush on her cheeks is pretty evident.
(Welcome back)

"Dress change karlo aur hath phair dholo. Itne khana lagati hoon mein" They nod their head in sync and go in their room.
(Change your dress and wash your hands and feets. Until then I'll put your food on table)

"Aap bhi khayege na?" (Will you also eat?) She asks me and I nod. She gives me a smile and goes to kitchen. Washing my hands I come to our table to find Sakshi and Aarambh already sitting there.

Meera serves us the food and we eat. She makes amazing food. Before her  the maids were doing all the work. After eating I decide to visit one of my properties and ask Meera to look at children's homework. She says "mein dekhlungi. Aap chinta mat kare" So I leave.

On the way I see our old house, in which I used to live with my parents and 4 siblings. Only 2 of them are left now. They all died in the car accident. A deliberate accident. But no worries. I got my revenge. The fact that my own mama wanted my family dead. Well to beat him I myself became like him. Asur. But I won't let anybody hurt my family again. I believe in karma and maybe one day it is going to catch up with me.

I think of Meera, her smile. Thinking of her makes my heart calm.

After completing my work, I return home in the evening to find all of them watching television with intent. They were watching Karamchand at DD1. Meera sees me and immediately stands up to go to the kitchen and gives me water. I freshen up and then close the television as we all were about to eat. They don't protest as already they know I wouldn't allow it. They tell me about their school and what happened. I listen to them quietly. Eating dinner I go outside to walk. After a while I go inside my room and start reading the book.

Before she even enter, I hear her payal's sound. It's like melody to my ears. She goes straight to the bathroom. Coming outside, she ties her hairs in braid. I act like I am reading but from my peripheral vision I watch her. She looks so pretty.

She sits on the edge of our bed and looks at me.

"Ji suniye"
(Ji listen)

"Haan"
(Yes)

"Aap bhi sojaiye ab. Kaafi time hogaya hai" she says while fidgeting with her fingers. I nod and keeping my book. I lay beside her.
(You should sleep. It's getting late)

"Aapko keetabe bohot pasand hai?" (You like books a lot?) she asks and I know she is nervous with the way she speaks. I turn to look at her and she is already looking. But upon seeing me she lowers her eyes.

"Haan. Kabhi kabar padh leta hoon. Tujhe?"
(Yeah. I read them sometimes. What about you?)

"Mujhe kavitaye, shayariya, ghazal bohot pasand hai"
(I like anything lyrical. Poems, ghazals everything)

"Accha"
(Nice)

"Aapko konsi kitab sabse zyada pasand hai?"
(Which is your favorite book?)

"Mahabharat"

"Acchaaaa. Toh phir aap phirse padh rhe hai usse" she says. "Mujhe toh usme sabse zyada bheem pasand hai. Aapko kon pasand hai?"
(Ohhh so you are reading it again. I like the character of Bheem in it. Who is your favorite?)

"Sab bhi aur koi bhi nhi"
(Everyone and no one)

"Yeh kaise ho sakta hai?"
(How is that possible?)

"Soja Meera" (Sleep Meera) I say. She mumbles something and closes her eyes. As she drifts to sleep, moonlight falls on her face through window making her look divine. I want to touch her but I control and close my eyes to sleep.