Reawakening

Part 6 - Gone

"You hate me right? You hate my middle class status right? Good, be happy, I am going away from your sight. I am going to Lucknow, forever... forever)

"Tum aise nahin jaa saktin Khushi,... KHUSHI"

(You can't go like this Khushi... KHUSHI..)

He woke up with a start, sat upright, sweating all over. He saw his surroundings, wasn't yet sure where he was.

He can't get away from those words she spoke long back.

He could still see her fading figure going away, with her words still ringing in his ears

"hate me right?...."

"Out of your sight ... "

"forever.."

"Lucknow.."

With each passing moment and each of her remarks ringing constantly in his ears, he came back to his senses, relief writ on his face. It was only a dream.

Busy preparing and helping in the kitchen for breakfast, Anjali, Nani, Lavanya and Mami all looked at one another's face puzzled .. Did they all just hear ASR shout? The happy and jovial environment suddenly turned dense, each giving their own reasons. Though not very sure, Lavanya somehow felt everybody's gaze was on her, until,

"Hello hai, Bye bye, Whys Arnav bitwa shoutings? Has this phati saari disturbed our Arnav bitwa agains in the mornings to shout at her like THAT? Have we not done bye byes to her, then who is he shouting at?" mami was animatedly speaking, looking at everyones expression, she continued cackling "He can only get angry on phati saari, is she troublings in dreamwa too? .. hello hai bye bye."

However none were too keen to laugh at her joke. How to bring the Shyam fiasco out was nagging Nani, Anjali worried after his outburst two days ago along with Shyam having gone again, and Mami's joke only fuelled Lavanya into thinking worse..

The tense mood continued even at breakfast, except of course for Mami who was unaffected

"Arnav Bitwa? Did yous hab (have) any dreamswa? Anybody troubles you? You did not do joggings today? Did you knows, some peoples say, early mornings dreamwa comes true??"

He choked on his toast, and every one stared at him, while Anjali passed a glass of water. He kicked himself for shouting out loud.

When Mami did not receive any reply from anybody what so ever, she tried to change the topic, well at least she thought. "Anjali bitiya, phati saari has not come. One day she comes and says its her engagement, now what, is the wedding also over or will she directly comes with a childwa?? Ho ho ho", she found it so funny she would not stop laughing, while Nani rolled her eyes and was going to inform about the cancelled engagement, Mami stopped her cackle seeing Arnav had started to now cough without breath.

Anjali went over to him, stroking his back, offering water, while Lavanya watched with mixed emotions. Things were getting more and more clearer, however she did not still want to give in to her doubts without solid proof. Or did she not want to accept or let go? However, from another angle she wondered, "why was it, she was never the caring type, why did she not run to stroke his back or give water. It never occurred to her. Or did she not care.. oh this is so confusing"

"Manoroma, I think you should stop your jokes now" Nani spoke sternly, turning to Lavanya, "By the way Miss. Kashyap, I think you should call Khushi bitiya, it has been a while now, you seem to have forgotten. Anjali told me she has started working part time in a canteen. Ask her to see me after work if she can."