As they stand at the entrance of Tripathi House, Rupali turns towards Imlie and says
"Before we go in, I need you to wear this blindfold since we have a surprise for you!"
"A surprise? For me? But why? It's not even my birthday" Imlie exclaims, touched despite the instantaneous disbelief.
"Surprises don't have to be given only on birthdays Imlie. Anyways all your questions will be answered, let's go in first" Rupali says smiling.
Imlie nods her head, an excitement she cannot conceal twinkling bright in her eyes. Rupi ties the blindfold making sure to secure it before she holds Imlie's hand and guides her in.
_
It feels like a long walk because she cannot make out where in the house they are leading her to. But then they halt in front of something and slowly her blindfold is removed. What she sees has her jaw dropping in shock.
The room is big and beautiful and everything she has never seen in her life. Embellished in shades of blue and white, it is ethereal. She would not believe it is for her had they not ushered her in with enthusiasm and joy. And the disbelief still stays as she takes in this room that they call hers, slowly running her eyes through every nook and corner. Like a celestial abode, the stars, the sea shells and everything they have designed this room with, call out to her, touching her in the depths of who she has.
She has never asked for anything from anybody, always been content with what she's given, always had the desire to give more to people than sparing too much thought to what she receives. But these wonderful people, these beautiful, kind people who are her family by marriage despite them not knowing it - they have made this heaven on earth for her despite being the servant. They have always called her family, never made her feel like one but what they have done for her today, it is beyond words.
All the agony, the anguish - it stalls for a few moments as she relishes this love and belonging enveloping her from all corners, in a place she has left everything of hers to come to.
She cherishes these moments, gratitude and affection rising within her even as the family she sees as her own, which is unbeknownst to them her very own, see her as their own too. It's a beautiful feeling and for these few precious moments, all her misery takes a back seat. She feels loved.
It is more than she can ask for!
_
"Did you love your room Imlie?" Aparna asks caressing her head with affection.
Tearful eyes filled with gratitude look at her
"Of course I love it Choti Kaki! How can I not? It's so beautiful! But how can I accept this.....this is too much for me...I..." she stutters only to be hushed affectionately.
"This is not too much my child! Don't ever think that! This is your room from now on and you'll stay here okay?"
"Thank you Choti Kaki! Thank you family" she says looking at all of them, her heart full.
It's indeed the best surprise she has ever received and she takes a moment to thank Sita Maiyya for this blessing.
_
After briefing her about what they have kept where and brushing off all her protests of the need of accessories, they leave her alone to get situated in her new room. She closes the door and locks it. Making her way back in with slow gradual steps, she takes it all in over and over again.
They had told her they decided to go with the theme of beach and she loved each and every part of it. Not just how beautifully it stood close to the theme but also how much thought they had put into this to make something like this for her.
The hammock is easily her most favourite thing - her love at first sight! She giggles at that thought, feeling as carefree as she did when she skipped through the fields in her village and got drenched in the rain. Slowly lowering herself on the said hammock, she slowly rocks it, gazing at the wallpaper and the sea waves, a sight they have bestowed her with the ability to see each day.
_
Her next favourite thing is her tent-themed mattress. She slips under it and cannot help but think to herself about how it feels like a canopy of stars enveloping her right before she closes her eyes and right after she opens it.
She lazes on the beautiful mattress for a few moments more before she moves towards her in-built wardrobe and opens it. When her sight falls on her potli neatly placed is when the first dregs of panic hit her. The potli had her marital symbols and her bridal saree! What if they had seen it?
"Hey Sita Maiyya!" she sighs, trying to reign in the panic because clearly they haven't! They would have questioned her relentlessly if they had. She repeats that thought over and over again to calm herself down. It takes a moment but she gets there and soon gratitude replaces it - that they respected her privacy warms her heart further. How lucky is she to be able to associate herself with such a wonderful family!
"Hey Sita Maiyya, none of them know what relation I hold to them. They don't even know me well enough. Yet they have treated me with such respect and adoration unlike my own village people. I don't know how to thank them, how to let them know how grateful I am" she speaks to the idol of Devi Sita.
"I'll spend my entire life repaying them for this kindness, their love!" she decides. Yes, she'll do everything for this family. She'll do anything for them. And maybe along the way, her efforts will be enough to repay at least a part of this debt, to convey this gratitude!
*Not proofread*
Love,
Pratyusha
YOU ARE READING
Lakeerein - Ties That Bind Us
Fanfiction------ Can Be Read As General Fiction ------ One night. One event. Lives of two people altered completely. When Aditya Kumar Tripathi, Chief Executive Reporter at Bhaskar times stepped into Pagdandiya and met Imlie, he did not know how his life woul...
