Hello everyone! Thank you for all of your love and appreciation! Happy reading!
Twinj: My Lifeline: Episode 21
A quick recap: Twinkle’s first day as Kunj’s manager. He tells her that she would be accompanying him to his upcoming concert. They visit Leela’s place and spend time with Leela and Chinki.
“Good morning, Ma!” Kunj greeted Usha as he took his seat at the dining table for breakfast. He picked up the newspaper and was skimming through the headlines when he heard a familiar voice, “Hi Kunj!” He looked up from his paper to find Chinki standing in front of him. He smiled at her initially, but turned gloomy as he recalled her allegation at him. “Such a pleasant surprise!” He said nevertheless, asking her to sit down. She took the offer and sat in the chair opposite him, explaining that Usha had asked her to come over without specifying the reason. “I’m sorry for being so rude the other day, Kunj! I didn’t really mean it. I see how happy Twinkle is with you; I think I was just being her possessive best friend, who’s really worried for her!” She added, looking up at him guiltily. She was relieved when he smiled at her with an understanding nod. “Don’t worry, I do take pretty good care of my best friend!” He said, emphasising on ‘My’, making Chinki giggle. “Does Twinkle know you are here?” He asked curiously, and Chinki shot back with “Why? Do you think she doesn’t want me to come here?” But before Kunj could answer, they heard Twinkle come in and scream excitedly, “Chinki! I didn’t know you were coming!” While Chinki stood up to hug her, Kunj and Usha who had just come there chuckled at them. “See! I didn’t want to miss this excitement! That’s why I asked you if she knew that you are here.” Kunj said winking at Twinkle as the laughter subsided, while Chinki nudged Twinkle in a teasing manner, whispering “He didn’t want to miss your excitement!” Twinkle glared at her although she was having a hard time hiding her blush.
“I’ll leave now, Ma!” Kunj told Usha as he finished his breakfast. Twinkle was about to get up when he said, “I think you should stay home today. There isn’t much important work happening anyways. Enjoy your day off! You’ve been working for a week now after all. Your boss is a good man!” He began to laugh as he got to the end of it, Usha and Manohar exchanged an understanding glance and smiled, while Twinkle asked him if he was sure about that and he nodded. “You’ll remember to meet the producer with regard to the instruments, won’t you?” Twinkle called after him as she stood up to give him a file. “I think I will. Either way, would you leave me a message to remind me?” He asked, as he came back to take it. She nodded at him, both of them smiling at each other. “I’ll see you in the evening!” He said after a minute of silence and Twinkle nodded again. “They are so cute!” Chinki whispered with a sigh, cringing when she realised that Usha had heard her. “I think so too!” Usha replied, surprising her. “Ma, would you come over for a minute?” Kunj asked Usha, and she walked to him gladly while Twinkle returned to the table. “Could you please be nice to Twinkle?” He asked, keeping his voice low, confusing Usha. “I don’t know what happened between the two of you, but she seems to be a little bothered..” He explained, recalling the numerous occasions where he had noticed Twinkle maintain her distance from Usha, and although things seemed to get better recently, he just wanted to be sure. “Kunj, I was the one who brought her here, I’ll take care of your wife, is that okay?” Usha asked, smirking at him while he shook his head embarrassedly and headed out.
“I need to help Twinkle to pack?” Chinki asked Usha to make sure she had heard her right. Twinkle, Usha and Chinki had come to Twinkle and Kunj’s room after Manohar had left when Usha told them the reason she had called Chinki for. “Where is she going?” Chinki asked again, glancing alternatively at an equally surprised Twinkle and an ever friendly Usha. “Mrs. Sarna, Ma I mean..” Twinkle began, reminding herself strictly against committing that mistake, and continued, “Do you think I should really go to Udaipur? Don’t you think it’s going to be weird for both of us? We’ve just begun to get used to each other after all!” Chinki quipped in delightedly, “You’re going to accompany Kunj for his concert? Of course you should go, Twinkle! What is wrong with you?” Usha smiled at that and told Twinkle, “I knew I wouldn’t be able to convince you like her!” After a number of failed attempts from Twinkle’s side, she finally gave in and brought her suitcase from the closet, walking in just in time to see Chinki and Usha giving each other a high five. “Not these boring Salwar suits, Twinkle!!” Chinki strictly warned her, picking out her casual wear instead. Twinkle wasn’t even allowed to protest. Chinki selected clothes and showed them to Usha, on whose approval they were put in the suitcase. “Twinkle, you can spare this devoted daughter-in-law look for the endless boring occasions here! When you have the opportunity, wear what you like and are comfortable in!” Chinki said as she zipped up the suitcase, whispering, “Be yourself! Who knows, the prince of your dreams might fall in love with the real Twinkle, and not this one that you need to be so that the society doesn’t freak out!” Twinkle nodded at her although she wasn’t sure if she wanted to do that.
Later that evening, Kunj briefed Twinkle about their schedules in Udaipur as she helped him pack. She was surprised when he asked her to put his guitar in its bag, since she knew he normally didn’t trust anyone with his guitar. “I know you’ll be careful with it!” He said as though he had read her mind. As Twinkle cautiously placed the guitar on the bed and opened the bag, Kunj watched her, smiling to himself. He froze as she picked up a receipt from the bag, realising what it was for. She seemed to have been shocked too, for she just stared at it for a long time. “That is..” Kunj tried to explain, his voice jerking her out of her thoughts, for she handed it to him immediately and returned to her work. She batted her eyelids repeatedly, trying to keep the tears from flowing as her mind analysed what that meant. Kunj began his justification again, but she stopped him, saying “You don’t need to! I understand!” She noticed that all his enthusiasm seemed to have been sucked out by that piece of paper and added, “You could tell me about it if you want, not that I need an explanation, but it could make you feel better.”
“I had proposed to her so many times before she had finally accepted the ring on the very day that she met with the accident.” Kunj said, sitting down beside Twinkle on the bed. He sighed as he realised the cruel irony of fate. She placed a hand on his shoulder gently, smiling at him with teary eyes, her heart unable to take the burden of her unrequited love. She took the receipt for the ring that he still held firmly in his hand from him, blinking at him assuringly. “This way she’ll always be with you!” She managed to speak as cheerfully as she could as she put the picture of him and Alisha that had been in the drawer of the bedside table with his guitar, although she thought she couldn’t hold back her tears anymore. She knew she had to be strong right then for him, he needed his best friend. She let him cry his heart out, realising that probably nobody had listened to the agony he felt when he had seen Alisha on the hospital bed, the helplessness he had felt when he had to leave her in that state in a rehab facility. She brought him a glass of water when he seemed to quieten down and waited patiently for him to bounce back, she knew he would, stronger than before.
“Twinkle, you have a ton of messages from Chinki!” Kunj told Twinkle, annoyed by her phone vibrating continuously. She looked at him and giggled, glad that he looked much better after he had slept well the previous night, for all the crying had worn him out, and she had insisted that he went to bed and she would do the remaining packing for him. He frowned when another series of messages announced their arrival. “Would you take a look at it?” He asked irritated, bringing her phone for her. His eyes caught the last message right before she took it from him, and he voiced it out loud, “Enjoy your honeymoon!” Twinkle looked at him nervously and rushed into the closet and closed the door, avoiding eye contact. “What does she mean honeymoon? Who told her that?” Kunj demanded, but Twinkle was busy leaving angry replies to Chinki, and didn’t say a single word. She hoped Kunj would have left the room when she didn’t hear any noise for a minute, and quickly changed into the tunic top and jeans that Usha had selected and walked out, bumping into him in her hurry.
“Tell me now!” Kunj urged Twinkle, holding onto her to prevent both of them from falling, but he decided not to let go as he found it convenient for his interrogation. She was too lost in his eyes to even process his question or recall that she had been running from him before that. He cast a quick glance at her, mentally appreciating the way she gracefully carried every style of dressing he had seen her in, which had only been traditional so far. “I didn’t see anything!” Usha said as she walked into the room, but immediately stood looking the other way when she had seen Twinkle in Kunj’s arms. They parted quickly at that, sharing a quick glance as Kunj proceeded to defend themselves before Usha, who had a hard time holding back her laughter. She smiled at Twinkle, complimenting her and left after telling them that the driver was waiting for them to leave for the airport. They followed her quietly down the stairs, stealing looks at each other. Twinkle watched in admiration as Kunj asked Manohar and Usha to bless his concert, so sincerely as if its success entirely depended on that. He then turned to her and smiled as he led her out. Usha and Manohar smiled as they watched them leave.
That’s it for now, guys. Lots of love!