Episode 8 – Part 1
Dhaani : (looks at Daadi) By the way Daadi! At what time will Pankaj bhaiyaa & Shalu come here?
Shalini : We are here bhabhi!
Everyone gets to turn to look towards the voices’ direction and falls on Pankaj & Shalini, standing there with a broad smile, Pankaj pulling a luggage on each of his hand while Shalini was holding a little girl’s hand. With the tummy much bigger, the once again soon-to-be-mother was shining in joy. Dhaani stands up from her chair and goes to receive her sister-in-law. Both women carefully hug each other, trying not to hurt the child. Leaving each other’s grip, Viplav joins them. He hugs his sweet sister circling round her back and caressing it.
Viplav : How are you my moti behen?
Shalini : (breaks the hug) Stop it bhaiyaa, at least not during pregnancy. And what about you? Mumbai changed your entire look huuh?
Viplav : Isn’t it ? Looking more handsome and all.
Dhaani giggles while Shalini laughs loudly.
Shalini : But the sarcasm is still here.
He softly pats on her head and she rubs her hair. His eyes then fall on the little girl accompanying his sister and smiling at her, bends down closer to the doll.
Viplav : Arey re! Look who is here! Come and hug your maama.
The little girl who was smiling big, adorably circles his neck with her tiny arms and hugs him while, with a broad smile, he covers her little back with his strong palms. He then kisses on her hair showering his love.
Viplav : I missed my Pooja baby so much.
Pooja : I also missed you so much.
She gets off his hug and looks at him.
Pooja : Maama! Where is Dhanush bhaiyaa ?
Dhaani : Acha? Then (crosses her arms) where is my hug?
The little girl turns to look at Dhaani who was showing fake anger on her face. She runs to Dhaani and catches her pair of legs raising her head up.
Pooja : Maami, I missed you the most.
Some words that just touched her deeply and made her heart wipe. She controls her emotions and looking at the small child, lifts her in her motherly arms.
Dhaani : And I also missed you the most.
She holds her face and kisses on her baby cheeks, while Viplav was looking at them with admiration. She then gets her lips off her face and smiles at the kid.
Dhaani : Have you had breakfast?
Pooja : Haan.
Dhaani : Not hungry na?
Pooja : No. Maami, where is Dhanush bhaiyaa?
Dhaani : Oh yeah! He is in his room. Do you want to go now ?
Pooja cutely nods her head in yes and Dhaani, smiling broadly, lets her niece down. Once on her feet, she runs upstairs while Dhaani looks at the others. Viplav was busy with his best friend aka jeejaji, with a big smile.
Viplav : How are you yaar Pankaj?
Pankaj : We are good. (breaks the hug) What about you all? Where is my little champ ?
Viplav : (pointing the stairs) He is upstairs in his room. Shall I call…
Pankaj : Arey nahin yaar! I just wanted to see him but he will be here na for some days.
Shalini : By the way, when are you going back ?
Viplav : Day after tomorrow.
Shalini : (sad) What bhaiyaa? Functions are tomorrow, and you are saying that you will go the following day. Can’t you remain here longer ?
Viplav : Actually Shalu… Dhanush’s school is soon to start next week. We have to complete the missing formalities before. Dhaani told me that she will manage them all alone but …
Shalini : But you cannot remain without your wife, right ?
Viplav nods in yes like a baby making Dhaani blush, and then looks at her smiling.
Viplav : (looks again at his sister) And even I have lots of work in Mumbai. Some new cases came yesterday and I couldn’t have a look at them.
Kanak : Haan toh stay here 1 or 2 days more and then go na betha. You will still work after the functions. So first take some proper rest spending time with your family. If she says she can manage alone, then what is the problem in it ?
Viplav knew she was telling that mostly to make Dhaani go from here. The latter also understanding, tries to cover up.
Dhaani : (smiling at Shalini) Shalu, Pankaj bhaiyaa, why don’t you join for breakfast ?
Pankaj : Yeah sure.
Dhaani : (looks at Viplav) Viplav, go and assist your sister and brother-in-law. I will check what the children are doing.
And she goes from there before Viplav could open up his word. Hiding his inside pain regarding his wife, he smiles at the others and regains his seat for breakfast. He was not feeling hungry at all, especially when his eyes kept looking at her uneaten plate of food. Mixed feelings of happiness for his Shalu and concern for his life companion kept crashing his mind. Adding a smile here and there whenever his family was looking at him, he let all their conversation enter in an ear and evade frm the other.
The children were playing and talking to each other, while Dhaani, smiling at them, was busy tidying up their things.
Pooja : Dhanush bhaiyaa, look! I have drawn this for mothers’ day. And my teacher said “it was very good!”. Then baba offered me an ice-cream.
Dhanush : And I have won a medal at school for a poetry competition. My papa was so happy and we all went for a picnic with Naani, Maya maasi, Prem maama and Radha maami.
Pooja : (sad face) But why didn’t you call me ? I also want to go on a picnic ?
Dhanush : But you were not in Mumbai.
Pooja : (sad face) I want to go to Mumbai.
Dhaani, listening to the conversation, goes close to them and hugs her doll.
Dhaani : Why is my baby sad? (breaks the hug and looks at her) Of course she will come one day to Mumbai, and (brushes her small hair with her hand) we all will go on a trip. What say?
The little sweetheart nods at her maami with a happy smile.
Dhaani : But before that, you will have to study very well at school and prove how clever my baby girl is. And you also have to take care of your mummy. Baby brother or sister will soon come na ? So mummy will need his or her big sister to help her, being a very good girl.
Dhanush : (stands up on the bed and hugs his mumma taking hostage of her neck) Mumma, when will baby come ?
Dhaani : (turns her head quite on the side, smiling and holding his arms into her hands) Soon betha. (softly pats his head with hers)
Pooja : And then we all will go on a picnic together.
Dhanush : Yaaay! And will baby come with us ?
Dhaani : That’s why you will have to wait quite more. He or she has to grow a bit and then we all can go out.
Dhanush : It means that Pooja will soon come to Mumbai to stay with us, right ?
Dhaani : Betha! We can’t say this. Shalu bua, Pankaj phupa and Pooja live in Banaras na. Pooja baby’s school is here. How can she leave her school ?
Dhanush : UFFO mumma! She can transfer to Mumbai’s school you know? Meri buddhu mumma.
Dhaani : (laughs) Acha! You are calling your mumma buddhu? Let me show how your buddhu mumma is going to punish her lovely son.
Holding his two wrists, she makes him lay on her laps and starts tickling on his bare waist. Pooja joining her, the baby boy was quite unable to manage both of them. He was rolling on the bed while the ladies were busy on their work.
Dhaani : (laughs) Tell now! Tell now!
The door getting open, it stopped Dhaani who looks towards it and waits to see the person behind it. Falling on Viplav, she grins discretely and makes Dhanush stand up.
Dhaani : Dhanush, get up betha!
Viplav : (sits on the bed and takes Pooja on her laps with a smile) What is happening here ?
Dhanush : Mumma was telling that soon, we all will be going on a picnic with Pooja.
Viplav : (eyes widely open and a cute smile on his lips) Really? Yeaaah!
He sweetly holds the little girl’s hands covering her arms from back, and hugs her with a cute smile, quite similar to his doll’s.
Dhanush : But before, we have to do well at school.
Viplav : Oh! But I know, that my two superstars will make it easily. My champions!
Pooja : And we will take chotu with us.
Viplav : (confused) Chotu?
Dhaani : Hmm she means to say…
Viplav looks at her.
Dhaani : … the baby.
Viplav : Arey haan! Of course we will go with the baby. But for now, let me show what maamu and maami brought for you from Mumbai.
Pooja : (excited tone) Gifts ?
Precap – Dhaani’s nightmare
Thanks for reading. Keep commenting and telling your views.
Hey guys! How are you all? Here I am back with a new part of IKRS-AIFF. Hopefully you like it.
Btw who has seen Sanjeeda’s insta story? Seeing those IKRS banner and sets were so painful. It made me miss it even more…
Anyhow! Thank once again for reading.
With lots of love!