Heart is a Fool

Chapter 19: Thinking of Each Other

Palak at Home:

Palak woke up to Rhea and Piya's cries and found herself covered in the blanket that she had covered Ritwik with. She looked up and found the bed empty and the children shrieking away. It was 7.30am and she felt completely drained out by what ever happened the previous day. By the time she could reach the crib, her mother came by with two small bottles of warm milk for the little ones. She handed them over to Palak and went over to check their diapers. She realised they were changed by Ritwik before he left and smiled at her daughter. 

Ritwik on the Way:

Ritwik drove as fast as possible and by the time he was in the outskirts of Delhi; he received slew of calls from Aman, Mamta and his dad enquiring when he would reach home. He made a call to Manjeet when he stopped for tea to tell her that the sandwiches she had packed for him were very yum. The truth is he was sharing it with a beggar who came by just then to the tea stall. She wished him well for Reeva's engagement and hung up since she could hear Palak's footsteps.

Palak and Ritwik remembering each other

Ritwik's note on the table had two lines addressed to Palak's parents ; Now it is 5am, I am leaving for Delhi to arrange Reeva's engagement. Will call once I am a little free. Love to my princesses and regards to both of you. Palak lifted the note and read it over and over again and boiled over grinding her teeth since she was not mentioned anywhere. She went back to her room and lied down on her bed exactly where he was last night; she could feel the smell of his cologne and his warmth. The girls were gurgling in their crib since they had learnt to sit and she was staring at the ceiling. She took her phone to message him but each time deleted what she wrote. 

Ritwik dived into preparations the moment he reached Delhi and was busy co-ordinating the floral decorations; the food and the music. It was supposed to be a Bollywood retro night; since the Khurana's were from London and heavily into all that bolly jaaz. In the midst of all that he checked his phone nearly every 15 mins in the hope of seeing that one message from his heart to his soul. 

Just then the music arrangers were testing their system with 

"Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai; Mujhe Bhi Kuch Kehna Hai ; Pehle Tum Pehle Tum Pehle Tum"

Ritwik smiled at the song which was suited to his moment and went about his work. Palak's parents sat next to her trying to cheer her up and her mother blurted that very few people are fortunate to have a loving husband like Ritwik and she should now open up to him and clear up all the misunderstanding. Palak heard her out and then cried that men like Ritwik also come with a lot of baggage that her mother or the world will not understand since only the wife does. Her mother was shocked and in conversation Palak blurted out that while the Prenup was trashed by Ritwik, it still exists since she signed and Ritwik's family would make her life hell and taint her daughters. Manjeet was shocked and in her usual style wanted to go to the best lawyer in town along with Geeta and Ritwik and teach the Noon's a lesson if they harassed Palak or her children. Just then the radio blared leaving Palak thoughtful...

"Na aankhon mein neend ; Na dil mein karaar; yehi intezar, yehi intezar
Tere bina kuch bhi acha nahi lagta; Sab jhootha lagta hai; sachcha nahi lagta
Na ghar mein lage dil; na baahar kahin par; baithi hoon kahin par; khoyi hoon kahin par"

Ritwik was done with his work and retired to his room and again scrolled his phone to find a message from Geeta and Manjeet asking him to call when he was free. He was standing under the shower when he heard the sounds of music testing wafting by and hummed to himself

"Mujhe raat din nahi aur kaam ; Kabhi teri yaad, kabhi tera naam
Sab rang duniya ke feeke lagte hain; Ek tere bol bas meethe lagte hain"

Manjeet spoke to Geeta and shared what Palak had to say and handed over the phone to Palak. Geeta assured Palak that the Noon's would not be able to do a thing with her around and Palak should have no fears about them at all. She shared about her meeting with Ritwik and their emotional bonding over the last few weeks. She also shared that Ritwik has been given cyclic drugs over time in the name of sleeping pills and how she has managed to get him off it. Palak was stunned into silence and could now connect all that transpired. She thanked Geeta with a "Love you Maa , please come and visit your grand daughters"  and picked up her phone.

Ritwik tried dialing both Geeta and Mamta and found their phones engaged wondering whether these two ladies were talking to each other. He wanted to jig around his room when the much awaited message popped up

Dear Sir,

I will have to take leave for 2-3 days since my twin daughters have suddenly taken ill and require my time and attention. Please approve.

Yours sincerely

Palak Noon

Ritwik speed dialed Manjeet and hollered "Mumma aapne bataya nahi, Rhea aur Piya bimaar hai" leaving Manjeet shocked. She kept insisting that they are fine and quickly sent their pictures smiling and playing. Palak grinned hearing Manjeet and thought of ways to get this Mother In law - Son-In-Law duo on track who were teaming up to corner her. 

Ritwik whispered on the other side that Palak had sent him a message so he reacted looks like she wants him to come to Chandigarh. Manjeet kept the phone on speaker and Ritwik assured that he will be there in a few days time once he completes some legal paperwork for his company and hung up which Palak also heard. 

Ritwik then had a brief conversation with Geeta who advised him to deal with Palak's insecurities with care and take care of his health. He asked her to take care too and he will come by for lunch tomorrow as usual since he needed some guidance. He hung up and realised he never needed to tell Geeta he loved her; they knew it; the umbilical connection is invisible after birth but always holds a mother and her child together

He slipped into his retro outfit " Check Pants with suspenders that tapered down to the ankle matched with a bright yellow shirt ; he selected a pair of shoes from his Versace collection and sprayed his favorite cologne" He took a mirror selfie from his room and sent it to Palak's mom. Then he replied to his official message 

"Dear Mrs Palak Noon,

Your work from home is approved. Wish the babies good health and happiness. In the spare time while tending to them please complete the research reports that have to be sent to our business mentor in KKR.

Thanks in Advance; Ritwik Noon "

Manjeet showed the kids their dad's photo praising his looks so that Palak could hear. Palak was muttering Khadoos seeing his reply when she went over to Manjeet and saw the girls fighting with each other to kiss Ritwik's pic on screen. She smiled at the effect Ritwik born with that invincible charm has on women of all ages.

Reeva's Engagement

Ritwik greeted the Khurana's warmly and continuously went around to see that the glasses were always full, the plates topped with warm bites and the DJ catered to everyone's taste. Jas Khurana's cousin from London who had just parted ways from her English husband showed a little too much interest which amused him; he still enjoyed female attention but was in no mood to give it back except to the select few in his life. She teased him to 

  "Aaj hai sagai sun ladki ke bhai ; zaraa nachke humko dikha; Kudi ki tarah na sharmaa"

and he responded with equal wit ; pointing out to a young male guest

 "Sab Ko Nachaoon Nach Nach Ke Dikhayun, Aa Inko Ko Gale Se Lagaa "

It was time for the ring exchange and the family closed in on the couple ; Ritwik live streamed for his twin siblings Shivam and Shanaya who were away studying in London.  Vijay and Mamta Noon stood next to Reeva with moist eyes; Ritwik noticed his dad's hand quiver in happiness. Rishabh and Saachi were trying hard to conceal their constipated existence behind layers of makeup and dry smiles. Ritwik could now feel the pain of giving away a daughter; he would have to do it twice over some day, the thought of which gave him a hollow feeling in his stomach.  He wished Reeva and Jus and wished them a life time of happiness while Aman looked on from a distance. Ritwik knew his friend Aman's pain and wished that someday he found a Palak in his life who would keep him happy ever after...