Part 4 B
The dinner finished and everyone assembled in the living room, when Jai kept looking at his watch, hoping that someone would take the hint and excuse both him and Bani as early as possible. But with Tarun and Aditya around, it looked impossible for some time at least! Tarun had arranged for a game to play and despite Jai’s protests, ended up agreeing him and Bani to play.
Tarun cleared his voice dramatically and announced the rules of the game, ‘Well as it goes…Adi and I have come up with a list of questions which we will ask Jai and his much better half, Bani…to see how much they know each other!’
Smiling flirtatiously at a very shy looking Bani, Tarun said sweetly, ‘Bani, being the lovely lady that you are, the first question is for you. What is Jai’s favorite color?’
Everyone looked towards Bani and Jai felt confident that she could never guess it in one go, since he did not ever remember mentioning such a thing to her, but without missing a beat, she answered back softly, ‘Black.’
Tarun gave an approving look back at the paper he was holding and said, ‘That’s bang on target! Well done! Jai, you have a tough act to follow, since your wife has started out so well!’
Turning to look comically at a confident looking Jai, he said, ‘Okay Jai, now your turn. Tell us Bani’s favorite color?’
Jai arched his eyebrows and looked a bit embarrassed now till Rano, not able to withhold her laughter at the predicament his brother-in-law was facing, helped him out. ‘Jeeju…I will give you a hint…it starts with the letter P.’
Jai smiled and said, ‘I knew it…Its purple.’
Everyone looked towards Tarun and Rano and they both burst out laughing and yelled, ‘Wrong…’
‘Is it Puce?’ and the added wildly, ‘Pomegranate Red?’
Tarun almost doubled with laughter and said, ‘Pomegranate Red? Kya baat hain, genius.’
Rano hit her head and laughingly said, ‘Its Pink.’
Jai looked stupefied and remembered how once he had selected a Pink colored Sari for her and she had told him that it was her favorite color.
‘Bani, its your turn and I know you will outdo this duffer easily.’
‘Hey, whom are you calling a duffer?’ retorted back an amused Jai.
‘Tujhe hi bula raha hoon, Mr. Pomegranate Red.’
Everyone burst out laughing uncontrollably at Tarun’s humor.
‘Bani, this one might be slightly tough…but lets see if you can give it a try. If you can answer even 3 out of 5, you win this round. How many colors of shirt does Jai have?’
Nachiket grinned and said, ‘Come on Tarunji, this is too tough…how can Bhabhi remember Jai Bhaiyaa’s shirt color?’
Before Tarun could answer him back, Bani spoke in her subdued, soft voice, ‘7 Whites, 5 Oxford Blues, 7 Blacks, 3 Grey’s and 2 Khakhi colored.’
Everyone stared at Bani, stunned and she felt so embarrassed, that she refused to look up, twiddling the edge of her Sari.
Till Tarun started clapping and said, ‘Bravo…Well done Bani’ and then looking at a flabbergasted looking Jai said, ‘Learn something! Pomegranate Red indeed.’
When the jovial laughter had died down, Tarun took the paper in his hand and coughing in an exaggerated manner addressed Jai, ‘Now is your chance for redemption…tell us what is Bani’s favorite dish?’
Looking like a fish out of water, Jai hazarded a guess, ‘Um…is it Chicken Tikka?’ and then looking at the expression on Bani’s face, he hastily added, ‘Or some Chicken dish…definitely…’
Tarun grinned like a monkey and said, ‘Wrong my dear friend…it’s neither Chicken Tikka or any dish related to the feathered species…’
Rano added not able to hide her smile at Jai’s complete lack of knowledge in regard to Bani and said, ‘Jeejaji…don’t you know, Bani di is a vegetarian. And she likes Paneer Kofta the most.’
All that Jai could say was, ‘Oh…’
Tarun turned to look at Bani and said, ‘I have given up all hopes on your husband, now you answer me. What is the one dish that Jai hates the most and would never eat knowingly?’
She added quietly, with a smile on her lips, ‘Methi Palak.’
‘Correct again! Clap for the lady!’ Tarun yelped till Jai said in an agitated voice, ‘But I ate Methi Palak once…’
The usually quiet Ranveer chipped in, ‘Only because you didn’t realize the taste of the dish till you were told about it…she cooked it so well.’
Rano gave an appreciative look at Ranveer and wondered when he would get over his ‘Bramhachari’ nonsense once and for all.
‘Alright, Jai one last question for you…salvage your fast sinking reputation by this one…’
Jai interrupted Tarun and looking at Bani, smiled and said, ‘Let her ask the last question.’
A collective sigh went around the room, making Bani blush furiously and after much prodding and instigation, she managed to look up at Jai and spoke with extreme shyness, ‘I have no question to ask…’
‘Oh come on Bhabhi…yahi mauka hain! You have to make Bhaiyaa do something atleast.’ A chorus of approval went around and Jai shrugged his hands across to Bani, indicating that there was no other way of escape.
She spoke shyly, almost inaudible, ‘Then please tell him to sing a song…’
Aditya immediately yelled out, ‘Oh No…torture…Bani, what did you ask him to do? Did you forget the last time Jai took on the mike? My ears still sting.’
There were wild guffaws and Jai kept refusing to sing, till Bani looked up at him and spoke softly, ‘Gayie na…’
Tarun said, ‘Uff…Bani, if you speak so sweetly, not only will be sing, he might dance for you too…’
Jai went, ‘Oh God, you guys…’
Aditya and Tarun immediately begged him to sing, ‘Promise, we won’t laugh Jai…just make sure we get the medical insurance for our ears!’
Laughter followed and a very awkward looking Jai complied for Bani and sang a tuneless but heart-rending version of, ‘Tujhe dekh dekh sona…’
Bani started clapping first and the loudest and kept clapping till Tarun, Nachiket and Aditya started teasing her mercilessly for listening to Jai in such a mesmerized manner.
Jai looked around for some way of escaping to his bedroom, as the clock ticked by and it was Massi to the rescue once again as she rubbed Jai’s hair and remarked to Tarun in a crossed manner, ‘Kyon mere Munna ke peeche pade ho? Its almost 11, and both of them look so tired…let them go now.’
Tarun coughed deliberately and said, ‘Of course…when did I stop him?’
Laughter followed and Bani was taken to the bedroom by a quiet yet happy Pia, Rano and Raashi, who kept giggling and making Bani feel more bashful than ever before.
Before they left the room, Pia stopped and turning to face her sister sitting in the flower bedecked bed, held her hand and spoke emotionally, ‘I wish you and Mr. Walia every happiness in the world, Di…no one deserves to be with him more than you and no one needs you more than Mr. Walia does…keep smiling like this always.’
Bani’s eyes moistened and they both hugged one another warmly.
Part 4 C
Jai was about to enter his bedroom, when Nachiket came from behind and hesitating a bit, spoke up, ‘Bhaiyya…shall we go?’
Looking bewildered, Jai answered back, ‘Go where?’
Nachiket replied in the same serious tone, ‘To the study…the conference call is about to begin?’
Completely at sea, Jai said, ‘What conference call are you talking about Nachiket? And this time of the hour?’
‘Yes Bhaiyya…the concall with Mr. McWilliams and his team…and this hour is perfect…since its just struck 9 am in New York…’
Looking astounded, Jai said, ‘You kept a conference call with the client for tonight?’
Nachiket, giving an innocent air of one who has no idea about anything said, ‘Yes, isn’t it great? Ranveer and I were finding it so difficult to get a convenient time slot and Mr. McWilliams finally agreed for tonight…it won’t be long I guess…just 3 or 4 hours at the max.’
Jai spoke slowly, ‘It would get over at 3 in the morning?’
Nachiket replied back, ‘Yes…but incase they want to discuss some additional points, it might get stretched up till 4 too…but not later than that, I guess.’
Looking trapped and dazed, Jai said, ‘So I have to come NOW?’
Getting a sweet smile on his face, Nachiket said, ‘If you start walking to the study now, we would be able to join Ranveer and the others in 5 minutes. Chale?’
Jai stood at the door, stumped, wondering what was happening and then shrugging off his head, spoke in a despondent voice, ‘Okay…I’ll just tell Bani to go off to sleep…’
Nachiket could contain no longer and in-between a flurry of apologies and laughter confessed that they were just playing a prank on Jai.
When Jai held Nachiket’s neck in the grip of his fingers, he squealed and yelped between laughing out, ‘It was Tarun and Adityaji’s idea, Bhaiyya…I was just made the scapegoat…honest, Bhaiyaa…Ouch…that hurt.’
‘Its going to hurt further…you brat!’ Jai laughed when Tarun and Aditya joined in.
‘Tarun, tu sudharega nahin…and Adi, you too?’
Adi flayed his hands and said, ‘Kya karoon? The last time you got married, you sent off poor Bani packing from your room…so I just felt that the roles had to be reversed this time…but this Nachiket couldn’t continue our drama!’
Tarun added, ‘And we just wanted Bani to have that extra time for the idea to sink in that she is one of the lucky ones to be married twice in one life…but unfortunately to the same person, twice over.’
Everyone began laughing and Jai said, ‘unfortunately, ah?’
Tarun and Aditya suddenly went emotional and said, ‘Nahin yaar…we are just really happy for both of you…so happy, that its becoming tough to hold back our emotions and tears…that is why we are trying to pull your leg…you know, guys are not supposed to cry and all in such occasions!’
Jai grinned at his two best friends and bear hugged them both, followed by Nachiket and Ranveer and finally got to his room, securely locking the door from inside, not wanting to risk any of Aditya or Tarun’s pranks on him and Bani anymore.
Jai found Bani standing near the huge French window of their bedroom, staring at the full moon that had alighted everything in the sky.
‘Did the moon tell you how jealous it is tonight?’ Taken aback at his sudden arrival, Bani turned to face him, only till she saw the look of passionate love in his deep, dark eyes and blushed profusely, followed by lowering her face.
Lifting her chin delicately, Jai looked into her lowered eyes and said, ‘I wish I had a way around words….and I could tell you what this night means to me…what being with you means to me…what having you in my life once again means to me.’
Bani looked up at him and finally finding a voice said softly, ‘I never needed words to understand you feelings…they just came to me on its own.’
They kept staring at one another, till Bani noticed with shock that Jai’s eyes had moistened a bit and keeping her henna clad palms on his cheeks, she said, ‘Tears?’
He replied back quietly, ‘When there is so much happiness, the only way to let some out is through them…’
Without any other word, he clasped her bangle laden hands and pulled her towards himself, drawing her in a warm embrace and beginning the endless night with a deep, passionate kiss.
It was the start of a new life…yet the continuation of a love for which fate had chosen Jai and Bani.
The dinner finished and everyone assembled in the living room, when Jai kept looking at his watch, hoping that someone would take the hint and excuse both him and Bani as early as possible. But with Tarun and Aditya around, it looked impossible for some time at least! Tarun had arranged for a game to play and despite Jai’s protests, ended up agreeing him and Bani to play.
Tarun cleared his voice dramatically and announced the rules of the game, ‘Well as it goes…Adi and I have come up with a list of questions which we will ask Jai and his much better half, Bani…to see how much they know each other!’
Smiling flirtatiously at a very shy looking Bani, Tarun said sweetly, ‘Bani, being the lovely lady that you are, the first question is for you. What is Jai’s favorite color?’
Everyone looked towards Bani and Jai felt confident that she could never guess it in one go, since he did not ever remember mentioning such a thing to her, but without missing a beat, she answered back softly, ‘Black.’
Tarun gave an approving look back at the paper he was holding and said, ‘That’s bang on target! Well done! Jai, you have a tough act to follow, since your wife has started out so well!’
Turning to look comically at a confident looking Jai, he said, ‘Okay Jai, now your turn. Tell us Bani’s favorite color?’
Jai arched his eyebrows and looked a bit embarrassed now till Rano, not able to withhold her laughter at the predicament his brother-in-law was facing, helped him out. ‘Jeeju…I will give you a hint…it starts with the letter P.’
Jai smiled and said, ‘I knew it…Its purple.’
Everyone looked towards Tarun and Rano and they both burst out laughing and yelled, ‘Wrong…’
‘Is it Puce?’ and the added wildly, ‘Pomegranate Red?’
Tarun almost doubled with laughter and said, ‘Pomegranate Red? Kya baat hain, genius.’
Rano hit her head and laughingly said, ‘Its Pink.’
Jai looked stupefied and remembered how once he had selected a Pink colored Sari for her and she had told him that it was her favorite color.
‘Bani, its your turn and I know you will outdo this duffer easily.’
‘Hey, whom are you calling a duffer?’ retorted back an amused Jai.
‘Tujhe hi bula raha hoon, Mr. Pomegranate Red.’
Everyone burst out laughing uncontrollably at Tarun’s humor.
‘Bani, this one might be slightly tough…but lets see if you can give it a try. If you can answer even 3 out of 5, you win this round. How many colors of shirt does Jai have?’
Nachiket grinned and said, ‘Come on Tarunji, this is too tough…how can Bhabhi remember Jai Bhaiyaa’s shirt color?’
Before Tarun could answer him back, Bani spoke in her subdued, soft voice, ‘7 Whites, 5 Oxford Blues, 7 Blacks, 3 Grey’s and 2 Khakhi colored.’
Everyone stared at Bani, stunned and she felt so embarrassed, that she refused to look up, twiddling the edge of her Sari.
Till Tarun started clapping and said, ‘Bravo…Well done Bani’ and then looking at a flabbergasted looking Jai said, ‘Learn something! Pomegranate Red indeed.’
When the jovial laughter had died down, Tarun took the paper in his hand and coughing in an exaggerated manner addressed Jai, ‘Now is your chance for redemption…tell us what is Bani’s favorite dish?’
Looking like a fish out of water, Jai hazarded a guess, ‘Um…is it Chicken Tikka?’ and then looking at the expression on Bani’s face, he hastily added, ‘Or some Chicken dish…definitely…’
Tarun grinned like a monkey and said, ‘Wrong my dear friend…it’s neither Chicken Tikka or any dish related to the feathered species…’
Rano added not able to hide her smile at Jai’s complete lack of knowledge in regard to Bani and said, ‘Jeejaji…don’t you know, Bani di is a vegetarian. And she likes Paneer Kofta the most.’
All that Jai could say was, ‘Oh…’
Tarun turned to look at Bani and said, ‘I have given up all hopes on your husband, now you answer me. What is the one dish that Jai hates the most and would never eat knowingly?’
She added quietly, with a smile on her lips, ‘Methi Palak.’
‘Correct again! Clap for the lady!’ Tarun yelped till Jai said in an agitated voice, ‘But I ate Methi Palak once…’
The usually quiet Ranveer chipped in, ‘Only because you didn’t realize the taste of the dish till you were told about it…she cooked it so well.’
Rano gave an appreciative look at Ranveer and wondered when he would get over his ‘Bramhachari’ nonsense once and for all.
‘Alright, Jai one last question for you…salvage your fast sinking reputation by this one…’
Jai interrupted Tarun and looking at Bani, smiled and said, ‘Let her ask the last question.’
A collective sigh went around the room, making Bani blush furiously and after much prodding and instigation, she managed to look up at Jai and spoke with extreme shyness, ‘I have no question to ask…’
‘Oh come on Bhabhi…yahi mauka hain! You have to make Bhaiyaa do something atleast.’ A chorus of approval went around and Jai shrugged his hands across to Bani, indicating that there was no other way of escape.
She spoke shyly, almost inaudible, ‘Then please tell him to sing a song…’
Aditya immediately yelled out, ‘Oh No…torture…Bani, what did you ask him to do? Did you forget the last time Jai took on the mike? My ears still sting.’
There were wild guffaws and Jai kept refusing to sing, till Bani looked up at him and spoke softly, ‘Gayie na…’
Tarun said, ‘Uff…Bani, if you speak so sweetly, not only will be sing, he might dance for you too…’
Jai went, ‘Oh God, you guys…’
Aditya and Tarun immediately begged him to sing, ‘Promise, we won’t laugh Jai…just make sure we get the medical insurance for our ears!’
Laughter followed and a very awkward looking Jai complied for Bani and sang a tuneless but heart-rending version of, ‘Tujhe dekh dekh sona…’
Bani started clapping first and the loudest and kept clapping till Tarun, Nachiket and Aditya started teasing her mercilessly for listening to Jai in such a mesmerized manner.
Jai looked around for some way of escaping to his bedroom, as the clock ticked by and it was Massi to the rescue once again as she rubbed Jai’s hair and remarked to Tarun in a crossed manner, ‘Kyon mere Munna ke peeche pade ho? Its almost 11, and both of them look so tired…let them go now.’
Tarun coughed deliberately and said, ‘Of course…when did I stop him?’
Laughter followed and Bani was taken to the bedroom by a quiet yet happy Pia, Rano and Raashi, who kept giggling and making Bani feel more bashful than ever before.
Before they left the room, Pia stopped and turning to face her sister sitting in the flower bedecked bed, held her hand and spoke emotionally, ‘I wish you and Mr. Walia every happiness in the world, Di…no one deserves to be with him more than you and no one needs you more than Mr. Walia does…keep smiling like this always.’
Bani’s eyes moistened and they both hugged one another warmly.
Part 4 C
Jai was about to enter his bedroom, when Nachiket came from behind and hesitating a bit, spoke up, ‘Bhaiyya…shall we go?’
Looking bewildered, Jai answered back, ‘Go where?’
Nachiket replied in the same serious tone, ‘To the study…the conference call is about to begin?’
Completely at sea, Jai said, ‘What conference call are you talking about Nachiket? And this time of the hour?’
‘Yes Bhaiyya…the concall with Mr. McWilliams and his team…and this hour is perfect…since its just struck 9 am in New York…’
Looking astounded, Jai said, ‘You kept a conference call with the client for tonight?’
Nachiket, giving an innocent air of one who has no idea about anything said, ‘Yes, isn’t it great? Ranveer and I were finding it so difficult to get a convenient time slot and Mr. McWilliams finally agreed for tonight…it won’t be long I guess…just 3 or 4 hours at the max.’
Jai spoke slowly, ‘It would get over at 3 in the morning?’
Nachiket replied back, ‘Yes…but incase they want to discuss some additional points, it might get stretched up till 4 too…but not later than that, I guess.’
Looking trapped and dazed, Jai said, ‘So I have to come NOW?’
Getting a sweet smile on his face, Nachiket said, ‘If you start walking to the study now, we would be able to join Ranveer and the others in 5 minutes. Chale?’
Jai stood at the door, stumped, wondering what was happening and then shrugging off his head, spoke in a despondent voice, ‘Okay…I’ll just tell Bani to go off to sleep…’
Nachiket could contain no longer and in-between a flurry of apologies and laughter confessed that they were just playing a prank on Jai.
When Jai held Nachiket’s neck in the grip of his fingers, he squealed and yelped between laughing out, ‘It was Tarun and Adityaji’s idea, Bhaiyya…I was just made the scapegoat…honest, Bhaiyaa…Ouch…that hurt.’
‘Its going to hurt further…you brat!’ Jai laughed when Tarun and Aditya joined in.
‘Tarun, tu sudharega nahin…and Adi, you too?’
Adi flayed his hands and said, ‘Kya karoon? The last time you got married, you sent off poor Bani packing from your room…so I just felt that the roles had to be reversed this time…but this Nachiket couldn’t continue our drama!’
Tarun added, ‘And we just wanted Bani to have that extra time for the idea to sink in that she is one of the lucky ones to be married twice in one life…but unfortunately to the same person, twice over.’
Everyone began laughing and Jai said, ‘unfortunately, ah?’
Tarun and Aditya suddenly went emotional and said, ‘Nahin yaar…we are just really happy for both of you…so happy, that its becoming tough to hold back our emotions and tears…that is why we are trying to pull your leg…you know, guys are not supposed to cry and all in such occasions!’
Jai grinned at his two best friends and bear hugged them both, followed by Nachiket and Ranveer and finally got to his room, securely locking the door from inside, not wanting to risk any of Aditya or Tarun’s pranks on him and Bani anymore.
Jai found Bani standing near the huge French window of their bedroom, staring at the full moon that had alighted everything in the sky.
‘Did the moon tell you how jealous it is tonight?’ Taken aback at his sudden arrival, Bani turned to face him, only till she saw the look of passionate love in his deep, dark eyes and blushed profusely, followed by lowering her face.
Lifting her chin delicately, Jai looked into her lowered eyes and said, ‘I wish I had a way around words….and I could tell you what this night means to me…what being with you means to me…what having you in my life once again means to me.’
Bani looked up at him and finally finding a voice said softly, ‘I never needed words to understand you feelings…they just came to me on its own.’
They kept staring at one another, till Bani noticed with shock that Jai’s eyes had moistened a bit and keeping her henna clad palms on his cheeks, she said, ‘Tears?’
He replied back quietly, ‘When there is so much happiness, the only way to let some out is through them…’
Without any other word, he clasped her bangle laden hands and pulled her towards himself, drawing her in a warm embrace and beginning the endless night with a deep, passionate kiss.
It was the start of a new life…yet the continuation of a love for which fate had chosen Jai and Bani.
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