Hey, you all! Thank you for your responses, Please keep them coming. This episode is a lengthier one, compared to the previous two. Happy Reading!
PREVIOUSLY, Twinkle and Kunj meet to talk about their lives.
EK TUKDA PYAAR – EPISODE 3
Kunj returned home later that day, after finishing his client meetings and ensuring that their recent platter launches – which were supposed to be coming up the next week – were plated and tasted, both equally well. This wasn’t the first time they were launching new additions to their menus in the restaurants, but it certainly, made a difference due to the mismatch of the originality of the platters with their otherwise traditional menu.
The lights inside the house were dimmed and a ray of the bright LED illuminated the area around the dining table. His mother had gone back to bed, and he was grateful. It wasn’t everyday that they didn’t converse, but today was just a hectic day and he didn’t want his mother to wait for him that late at night. He strolled up the stairs and switched off the lights that led his way to the room, and then walked inside his room to change.
When he came downstairs, several minutes later, his mother was waiting for him at the dining table. He sighed and hurried to the table.
Kunj: Why haven’t you slept, yet? (he saw her serving dinner on two plates) You haven’t had your dinner yet? It’s quite late and the time for your medicines has already gone by.
Usha (sighing): If I have it late for a day, nothing would happen. Stop worrying so much, all the time. (she waited for him to settle down) How was your day?
Kunj: It was fine, I think. Based on what I tested and approved today, I think the new platters should do just as fine. And about the client meetings and tie-ups, I don’t know. I guess, we’ll just see. We’ll have to arrange more meetings and see how we can make all of it work.
The two of them fell into silence after that. The tiredness was crawling onto Kunj, and he couldn’t wait to retire for the day on the bed. He noticed his mother was curiously looking at him, and he looked up from his plate.
Kunj (arching his brows): You want to talk about something?
Usha (curiously): How was your meeting with Mrs. Taneja’s daughter?
Suddenly, a reminder plunged into his mind and his mind reeled back to the meeting that had occurred in the morning. After Twinkle had left, he’d gotten engaged in the plethora of the work that he was bound to complete for the day, and he hadn’t given much thought to it, until now.
Kunj: It was fine. It was … (he racked his brain for the right word) very formal, I think?
Usha (confused): Formal? Out of all the things it could be, it was formal?
Kunj (gulping a spoonful of rice and nodding): I think; It was very business-like.
Usha (sarcastically): So, what did you discuss about; Our shares and her court judgements?
Kunj (a soft laugh escaped past his lips): Definitely not, Maa. We were talking mainly about her, so it was personal, but it just seemed like, none of us could really get the professionalism out of the conversation. We must try that the next time; That’s what we’ve decided.
Usha (excitedly): So, there will be a next time?
Kunj nodded his head, although confusion unwhirled within his veins and again, he was unsure if he and Twinkle would meet again. There was not a lot to the meeting that he could analyse. The meeting was very outspoken and was scrutinized, thoroughly, within the period that they were seated together. But what really held Kunj’s interest was Twinkle’s honesty. He presumed it was brought down to her from her profession, but regardless of anything, he decided, it was worth the appreciation.
Kunj had always been a patient listener and a very keen observer. He loved observing how people behaved around him and it was so fascinating to see their behavioural changes. When he had met Twinkle, earlier in the day, she had worn a beautiful shade of green to compliment her dusky skin, and her hair was tied, with a few strands falling out in a messy updo. When he’d called him and she’d turned around, her brown eyes – warm and beautiful – had enlarged, before realisation had dawned on her, and it was in that minute second, that he wanted to capture the innocence of her face. But besides that, He’d noted the contradiction in her behaviour, too.
While he was observant, she liked to look over what felt unnecessary. He procrastinated, while she was outspoken. It was these minute differences that swarmed him with questions and uncertainty. And while they were differences that could be sorted and adjusted, Twinkle did not appear to him like the one who’d want to compromise and sacrifice. Or perhaps, she could change, but he wasn’t sure if he was willing to take the risk, yet.
He also realised, belatedly, that the marriage wouldn’t be about the two of them only, for one another time. It involved a union of several families and relationships, and may be, just maybe, he’d rethink his decision once more. Although, on the contradictory, Kunj had liked talking to her, and she’d made him feel in peace when they had met. And perhaps, it was why, he wanted to take a chance and meet Her again.
————
He couldn’t tell why he was happy. He just chose to be, and that filled his insides with contentment. His fingers lingered over the strings on his guitar, and he, softly, strummed the guitar while the cold wind of the night swept past him. The sky was dark and clear, and he could see the stars shining bright amidst the darkness. It was later in the night, when he hadn’t been able to sleep, that he decided to sit outside, under the dark sky.
On other occasions, he might’ve had walked to his study to work and concentrate on the pending client meetings, but sitting outside, in the balcony, just felt right at that time. And he was happy he chose to, because the satisfaction that now unwound within him cleared his mind, and erased the images and thoughts that his mind was previously filled with.
It was very unusual of him to not be able to catch sleep after such a hectic day, yet he found himself staring at the ostentatious work of the ceiling while images of Twinkle whirled in his mind. He couldn’t quite understand what really had struck out to him; yet, he thought he knew what really had touched him. He thought, it was the trust which she imbibed in him, in their first meeting, but it also unravelled guilt within him.
As much as she had trusted him, he had refused to. And while he could present a number of excuses in his defence, he thought, it, perhaps, wasn’t the correct thing to do. If she could’ve trusted him, without meeting him before at all, he should have, too. But he had always learned to be by himself – curled up in small world of his own. And as much as he enjoyed it, he knew if they were to build something meaningful, this wouldn’t be the approach he’d want to prefer in their marital life – if they ever had one, together.
————
Twinkle sat Aarohi on the swing in the porch and nudged her nose, before sitting down next to her. A small, tired giggle escaped past her lips and she leaned onto her mother for dear support. Twinkle looked down at her daughter’s little form and affectionately caressed her hair, while contentment and satisfaction filled the insides of her. She had a spent a whole day accompanying her daughter – right from when she had picked up her daughter from the school – and it was after a long time that she’d gotten the time to spend with her daughter.
It wasn’t very often when Twinkle felt emotions within her brimming over the edge, but Aarohi always brought the softness and weakness out of her. Despite the strong, tough exterior that Twinkle always carried, a small sound from her daughter’s lips could make her knees weak and destroy the tough exterior she held so exceptionally well.
She looked down at her daughter, whose eyes had begun drooping with sleep and tiredness. Twinkle wrapped an arm around her daughter and asked, “I’ll tuck you to bed?”
Aarohi (sleepily): Can I stay beside you for some more time?
Twinkle (worriedly): You can, but it’s getting cold here, baccha. And you’re almost sleeping on me.
Aarohi (with a deeper lisp): Can I use your shawl, then, Maa?
Twinkle (smiling): Come here. (she picked her up and settled her down on her lap; She let her daughter nuzzle her neck while she wrapped the shawl around the two of them) That’s it. Are you comfortable?
Aarohi hummed and Twinkle gently patted her back, drifting her to sleep.
When her mother rounded the corner and sat down beside her on the swing, handing Twinkle her regular dosage of coffee, she looked back at her mother resignedly, yet happily.
Leela: You want me to tuck her to bed later?
Twinkle (shaking her head): No. (she balanced her daughter and sipped the simmering coffee) I’ll put her to bed. I’ve spent the entire day with her, I think I can manage the last bit, too.
Leela (nodding her head): I’m so happy you listened to me and picked her up from school. She couldn’t stop talking about it, all day long.
Twinkle (smiling back at her mother): I always listen to you, because I’m no expert when it comes to emotions and psychology. (she held her mother’s free hand) But with you by my side, I never have to worry. You know how to weave your way, when around people. You know too well, what pleases people.
Leela (sipping her coffee): It’s not that difficult of a task, Twinkle. You just need to try and spend more time with people around you. It is always the small, affectionate things that count and make someone happy, you need to understand JUST that.
Twinkle looked out at the empty street and stared at the quietness of the city. It was so relieving.
Leela: How was your meeting with Kunj?
Twinkle (confused): Kunj?
Leela (scrunching her face): Mrs. Sarna’s son?
Twinkle: Oh, Mr. Sarna! (she paused and smiled) It was good. I think, he is very understanding and mature.
Leela: Did you refer to him as Mr. Sarna? (sighing) Were you in a business meeting with him?
Twinkle: I wasn’t. But I can’t just go and call him by his name. That feels out of my character.
Leela (laughing): Alright. What do you think of him?
Twinkle: He’s good, I think. He tried giving me the comfort and maturity I needed to talk to him about my life, and it was easy to talk to him. We decided to meet a few more times, and he wanted to meet Aarohi, too.
Leela: He wanted to meet Aarohi? That sounds good. So, when are you planning on introducing them?
Twinkle (thoughtfully): I don’t know, but definitely, not immediately. I’d meet him once or twice more, just to be sure myself. Then I’d think of it. I, also, need to talk to Yuvraj of it. I can’t snatch away the rights he has on his daughter’s life.
Leela (nodding): I understand. Will you talk to Yuvraj tomorrow?
Twinkle: May be, not. I think, I might rush everything that way. (recollecting the meeting) And also, I don’t know how comfortable Mr. Sarna was around me. He couldn’t really open up to me.
Leela (in a confused voice): And why do you think that?
Twinkle: Because I could tell him about my past, but he couldn’t tell me why he hadn’t gotten married yet. He asked me to give him some time, before he disclosed anything to me.
Leela (thoughtfully): Or may be, you couldn’t provide him the comfort he needed to talk and open up?
Twinkle looked at her mother, and held her silence. The thought hadn’t crossed her mind all throughout the day, but it seemed like a genuine contradiction. She, herself, knew how uncomfortable she felt around people who couldn’t provide her the comfort and congeniality she needed, and yet, she had failed to provide it herself – most possibly. A pang of guilt coursed through her and she shut her eyes, trying to avoid the small load of disgust she felt.
Leela (caressing Twinkle’s hair): You can always try harder.
Twinkle nodded and opened her eyes when Aarohi stirred in her deep sleep. She handed her cup to her mother, and murmuring a small good night, she walked inside the house to tuck Aarohi to her bed.
When she walked back to her room, she almost fell down on her bed, and her mind resigned with blankness. Her energy had exhausted into thin air and she couldn’t keep her eyes open for another minute. That was why, when Leela walked back to her room later, she pulled the blanket over daughter and dimmed the lights in her room, before returning to her own room.
————
The next morning, Twinkle had woken up when the first streak of sunshine had glimmered through the drawn curtains. She’d had a good night of sleep, and the memories from the previous day still filled within her the feeling of contentment and happiness. She sat up on the bed and stretched herself, before walking toward the windows to push away the curtains for illuminating the room. She inhaled the smell of fresh air and wrapped her arms around herself, gleefully.
After minutes of solitude, she strode to her daughter’s room while the strong smell of breakfast drifted through her nose. Her mother was making Aarohi’s favourite pancakes before sending her away for the next two days. Twinkle was sure, her mother was spoiling Aarohi infinitely, but she did not complain. After all, someone ought to love her more, while she was away at work for several days.
When she walked inside her daughter’s room, she heard her daughter’s soft snores and she smiled. Twinkle realised, belatedly, that her daughter’s luggage hadn’t been packed and thus, she woke up her daughter in haste. Aarohi groaned wanting to sleep more, but woke up when Twinkle continued to insist. With droopy eyes, she sat on the bed, agitated, and looked at her mother with a scrunched face. But the determination on Twinkle’s face got her out of bed, and she packed her bags for the next two days of her visit to her father.
————
Twinkle stood at the gate of her compound, opposite to her ex-husband while the mild warmth of the sun engulfed them in the pleasantness. She kept scrubbing her footwear against the granite of the road, while the two of them stood in silence, in the empty neighbourhood.
Yuvraj: Twinkle, for how long would we do this? It feels too wrong to me.
Twinkle (shrugging): I don’t know, Yuvraj. But this is the best we could come up with. I don’t know what else we could possibly do…
She stopped not wanting to think, anymore.
Yuvraj (resignedly): Besides, getting together, that is.
Twinkle: Stop bringing up that, all the time, Yuvraj. The idea doesn’t sound convincing to me. (pausing for a brief moment) And it doesn’t change my opinion, regardless of the number of the times you say it.
Yuvraj (frustrated): But it is okay for you to see your daughter suffering?
Twinkle (defensively): Of course, not. I’m trying to give her the best, and so, are you. But that also doesn’t imply, I’ll move back together with you, when the two of us clearly have nothing between ourselves left, besides a solicitous relationship. And if you repetitively try to convince me of getting back together, I’m not sure if I’d be able to maintain that any longer, either. I respect you, and you still are a good friend to me. Can we please maintain that? If not for anything, at least, for Aarohi?
Yuvraj (resignedly): I don’t know, Twinkle. All the time I see you, I’m not sure if you WANT to prioritise your daughter above everything else. And that really makes me worried. I’m worried because I feel, in the process of wanting to find our own happiness, we’re tearing apart Aarohi and her childhood.
Twinkle held her silence. His words always stung her and despite the respect she held for him, their conversations always left her feeling frustrated. He knew her too well to not comment on her inabilities, and despite the years that had passed, what really felt vexatious was they had no mutual understanding between them. He never made efforts to understand her, but she did not have the impudence to blame him. She, herself, lacked the ability to understand him and there was always a guilt that resided within her, because of that.
“Papa,” Aarohi nudged her father’s leg and smiled at him. She was unknown to all the problems her parents dealt with each other every day, and hoped for them to be together, some day. He sighed and picked her up, to settle her inside the car. He spared Twinkle one last glance, and drove away with his companion of the next two days, without giving his ex-wife an opportunity to speak.
That’d be all for this episode, I’d love to know your thoughts.