Chapter 3

It was again a very pleasant morning for everyone but except for Inaayat because she and pleasant can't be in a same line. When early morning she woke up, no one was in the haveli, so as usual she did all of the chores and when it was about the time for everyone's waking up she started preparing breakfast until the maids join her.

All the members of the Thakur family came downstairs and started having their breakfast together at the dining table. Suddenly Thakurain's phone rang and she received it. She started talking with the person on the other side of the line and the more she was talking the more her smile got wider.

"Hello." she greeted the person on the other side with a small smile.

"Hello maa." someone's reply came from the other side of the call. She gave the members present there a knowing look and again spoke.

(Translation: Hello mother.)

"Kaisa hai tu?" was the first thing she asked because only she could understand the pain of a mother who's only son is living far away in a foreign country.

(Translation: How are you?)

"Mai theek hoon maa aap kaisi ho?" a manly voice asked with so much affection in his voice.

(Translation: I'm fine mother, how are you?)

"Tere bina kaise thik reh sakti hoon mai?" she asked him back while getting emotional. Her voice shaking a little.

(Translation: How will I be fine without you?)

"Arre maa aap baar baar aise roya mat karo. Mai yahan kaam ke liye aaya hoon aur saara kaam accha chal raha hai." the man made his mother understand.

(Translation: Oh mom, don't you cry again and again like this. I came here for work and everything is going smoothly here.)

"Lekin teri bohot yaad aati hai beta. Paanch saal ho gaye hain tujhe wahan gaye hue, tu to jaise hume bhool hi gaya hai." his mother said as usual like a typical Indian mother doing melodrama to get their point across.

(Translation: But I miss you a lot, son. It's been five years since you went there, it's like you have forgotten us.)

Meanwhile, Urvashi who was hearing the conversation silently understood that it's her brother's call so she immediately stood up and bent down to where her mother was sitting to take the mobile from her hands but she slapped her hand away softly and glared at her.

Urvashi mouthed "Mujhe bhi baat karni hai bhaiya se."

(Translation: I also want to talk to bro.)

Her mother shook her head in denial and then mouthed back "Abhi nahi, abhi mai baat kar rahi hoon."

(Translation: Not now, I'm still talking to him.)

"Arre maa aisa nahi hai kuch bhi. Mai aap logon ko kaise bhool sakta hoon?" the man said trying to convince her.

(Translation: Oh mom, it's nothing like that. How can I forget you people?)

"Aisa nahi hai to ye bata kab aa raha hai wapis? Bohot waqt ho gaya hai tujhe dekhe hue." her mother said and sobbed lowly. He shook his head at the other side of the call.

(Translation: If it's not like that then tell me when are you coming back? It's been a long time since I've seen you.)

"Arre maa aise udaas to mat ho. Mai jaldi hi aa jaunga aap sab se milne." he said consoling her.

(Translation: Oh, mom don't be sad like this. I will come soon to meet you all.)

"Nahi milne nahi. Tu aayega aur kam se kam do teen mahine yaha rukega bas mai aur kuch nahi sunna chahti." his mother said stubbornly this time.

(Translation: No, not to meet. You will come and stay here at least for two- three months, I don't want to hear anything.)

"Maa do teen mahine? Yaha par sab kuch kaun sambhalega phir?" he asked her in utter shock.

(Translation: Two-three months mom? Then who will look after work here?)

"Koi bhi sambhal lega mujhe nahi pata aur tujhe zaroorat ki kya thi itni dur pardes mein jake business karne ki? Yaha kya jagah kam pad gayi thi? Beta hum par bohot paisa hai koi zaroorat nahi hai tujhe wo business karne ki." she said without giving him any chance to argue.

(Translation: I don't know who will take care of it and why did you need to go to such far away places to do business? Was there a shortage of space here? Son, we have a lot of money, you don't need to do that business.)

He was stunned hearing her and didn't know how he could make her understand that it was never about the money, it was his passion. Since his teenage, he wanted to become a successful business and after many ups and downs he was there and now she is telling him to quit all that and come back to his native land.

"Maa aisa nahi hota hai. Ye kaam hai mera ise chhod ke mai kahi nahi jaa sakta. Mere paanch saalon ki mehnat hai ye." he said in a little offended tone.

(Translation: Mom, it doesn't work like this. This is my work, I cannot leave it and go anywhere.)

"Accha theek hai. Mat kar band, abhi ke liye kisi aur ko sambhalne ke liye de aur yaha aa jaa. Pacchees ka ho gaya hai beta tu, teri shaadi bhi to karwani hai." she said and heard him sighing from the other side.

(Translation: Okay, fine then. Don't stop, let someone else take care of it for now and come here. Son, you are twenty-five years old, you have to get married too.)

"Maa maine kitni baar bola hai abhi mai ye shaadi wagera ke liye taiyyar nahi hoon." he said straightly turning down her offer.

(Translation: Mom how many times I have to tell you? I'm still not ready for this marriage and all.)

"Isme taiyyari kaisi? Ek baar shaadi ho jayegi to apne aap hi tu zimmedar ho jayega. Wo ladki bohot sundar aur sanskari hai beta, acche ghar se hai aur accha dahej layegi." his mother said trying to lure him but he was not ready still.

(Translation: What preparation is needed in this? Once you get married, you will get responsible at your own. That girl is very beautiful and cultured, son. She is from a good family and will bring a good dowry.)

"Maa aap ne mere liye ladki bhi dekh li? Aap ka kuch nahi ho sakta. Mai abhi wapis nahi aa raha hoon." he declared firmly not realizing what's waiting for him next.

(Translation: Mom, you selected the girl for me already? You are impossible. I'm not coming back yet.)

Suddenly he heard sobbing sounds which were a little loud from the last time. He sighed that his mother will do emotional drama when he will not listen her and she exactly did that. She started emotional blackmailing him.

"Theek hai mat aa tu! Reh wahin videsh mein. Ek din teri maa mar jayegi na tab tujhe pata chalega ki kitna tarasti thi tujhse milne ko." she said sobbing more loudly. While all the members present at the table were silently looking at her knowing her acting skills very well.

(Translation: It's okay, you stay there in a foreign country. One day your mother will die, then you will know how much she longed to meet you.)

"Arre yaar, maa. Aap bhi naa kuch bhi bolti ho, aap kahan se kahan pohoch gayin." he stated with slight annoyance in his voice but in response only got her sobbing voice.

(Translation: Oh God, mom. You say anything, you jumped on which topic from which one.)

"Accha theek hai rona band karo. Mai yaha ka saara kaam nipta ke agle hafte tak aa jaunga, India. Ab to khush ho?" he said giving up because for him his family and relations comes first and immediately a wide smile came upon his mother's lips.

(Translation: Okay, stop crying. I will finish all my work here and come back to India by next week. Are you happy now?)

"Sach bol! Kha meri kasam agle hafte aayega tu. Bol na jaldi." she asked him excitedly and he was stunned for a moment.

(Translation: Tell me the truth! Swear on me, you will come next week. Tell me quickly.)

"Maa abhi to aap ro rahin thi?" he asked suspiciously but she was too much happy to think rationally at that moment.

(Translation: Mom weren't you crying a while ago?)

"Arre tu wo sab chhod aur kha meri kasam ki tu aayega agle hafte." she said sticking to her words.

(Translation: Hey, you leave all that and swear on me that you will come next week.)

"Haan haan, maa aap ki kasam. Chalo ab mai chalta hoon kuch kaam hai mujhe." he said hastily and some voices could be heard behind him.

(Translation: Yeah, yeah mom I swear on you. Let me go now, I have some work to do.)

"Chal theek hai beta apna khayal rakhna. Bye." saying that she hung up the call with a widest smile ever at her lips but stopped when she saw Urvashi's face.

(Translation: Okay, fine son, take care of yourself. Bye.)

Her mouth was hung open and eyes wide. She couldn't believe how her mother did a little melodrama and convinced her brother to come back.

"Maa, aap to bohot badi actor nikli." she exclaimed with a stunned expression but her mother shot her a glare.

(Translation: Mom, you turned out to be a great actor.)

"Chal ab baatein kam bana aur jaldi se taiyyari shuru kar de apne bhai ki swagat ki." she said to Urvashi and stood up from her place leaving the breakfast behind in excitement while the Thakur, Dadi and Urvashi continued to have their breakfast.

(Translation: Now cut the conversation and quickly start preparing to welcome your brother.)