Nawal - Missing Moments

32. Karwa Chauth

32. Karwa Chauth - I

Quite some time had passed since Dhama's discharge and things had settled down. Natasha had moved back to Makhwana House and back to the same old routine and household chores. Dhama's health had put a pause on her MBA preparations and Pandya Store's reconstruction was almost complete now so she was quite busy going there almost daily to check up on the progress, arranging for the reopening soon.

Dhawal too went once a week for update but these days he was busy a lot being involved in their family's construction business. He had quite learnt a lot in a short time and Amrish had given him serious responsibilities in the company. He had been given his first project some time back and he was adamant to see it through successfully to show Mots that he was capable. This was resulting in a lot of late nights for him and he had been missing the family dinners a lot these days.

It was again one such night when he returned just as everyone was winding up and the bahus were sitting down to eat.

"Arey Bakuda, tu aa gaya...itna late ho gaya aaj! Kuch khaya piya bhi nahi hoga tune. Aaja!" Amba started frittering around him, worrying.

"Nahi Maa...thoda snacks kuch le liya tha mene...aap tension mat karo" he replied, setting down his bag and stretching. He was tired. He had been hurrying from one site to another all day today.

"Aise kese...usse pet thode hi bharta hai. Tu aajkal kitna kamzor ho gaya hai. Khata hi nahi hai theek se kuch! Beth idhar" she pulled him to the dining table. "Choti Ben tu khana laga iske liye. Bakuda ko ache se khana khila pehle. Uske baad hi tu khana. Dekh kesi halat ho gayi hai iski!"

"Ji Maa..." she replied quietly.

Dhawal looked over to see where Natasha was setting up the table with reheated dishes for the ladies to eat. She too was looking haggard today. It must've been a hectic day for her too, he guessed.

"Arey Maa, main Bhabhis ke saath hi kha lunga na...Natasha bhi saath me hi kha legi. Itna late ho gaya hai wese bhi. Koi problem nahi hai" He pulled out a chair and sat. "Aajao Bhabhi...bohot bhookh lag rahi hai. Natasha betho tum." He pulled out a chair for her too and tugged her hand to make her sit next to him.

Natasha looked over at Amba who's eyes were spewing fire at seeing Dhawal trying to make her sit next to him. She pulled out her hand from his hold.

"Main tumhe khana daal deti hu pehle" she told him and gestured with her eyes towards Amba. Hetal, Pranali and Dolly too had come and sat down.

"Its fine. Main khud le lunga. You sit" he replied, understanding her actions but ignoring them completely. It was totally unreasonable for Maa to expect Natasha to eat alone in the end like some help. He was not going to let that happen. As he wasn't relenting, and Maa too hadn't contradicted him, she sat down and all of them had dinner together.

"Maa kal subah kitne baje tayyari karni hai ?" asked Hetal, once everything was winded up and done.

"Hetal, pata to hai tujhe har saal 4 baje hi karte hai...iss bar kuch naya thode hi karna hai. Han ye Choti Ben ka pehle vrat hoga to uske like main alag se dekh lungi" Amba replied, confusing Dhawal.

"Kal subah kya ho raha hai 4 baje?" he asked everyone, curious.

"Arey bhool gaya kya tu? Karwa Chauth hai kal. Subah hum sab uth ke jaldi khaa lenge and maa sargi dengi sabko. Aur Natasha ka to first hai to tu kal jaldi aa jana. Aaj ki tarah der mat karna!" Hetal explained to him.

"Han maine to Chiru ko pehle se hi bol rakha hai. Ek minute bhi extra wait nahi karungi main!"

Dhawal was surprised. Natasha hadn't told him anything about this. He knew his Bhabhis celebrated it every year and he had seen them dress up and break their fast at night. He had always thought it must be so difficult to not eat or drink anything all day! But he also admired the gesture of love it symbolised. He would never admit it but since long he had always wondered if a girl would ever fast for him like this...and well with everything that was going on, he never realised that Natasha would be doing this for him too this year. But a second later worry started creeping inside him. She already had a health condition and to not drink water the whole day...no, it might cause her more harm than do him any good.