Happy Villa Society

Vineet Kapoor, a serviceman, owned a three room flat in the society. He was the kitchen preparing food. A girl in her late twenties came running by his side and clinged on him. She was holding a teddy bear in her hand.

"Tum kya kar rahe ho?" she asks innocently.

He smiled...

"Tumhe bhook lagi hogi na. Bas 2 minutes mein khana ready ho jayega." he said.

She looked at him...

"2 minutes mein toh noodles banti hai. Tum itni derr se yahan ho.... One... one hour se. One hour thodi na lagta hai khana banane mein." she said childishly while moving her hands.

Vineet looks at her.. "Tumhe bilkul waqt nahi lagta tha Ruhana. Mujhe bahut waqt lagta hai." he murmurs.

"Arey ye kya kar rahe ho, tumhe chot lag jayegi." she said as she pulled his hand.

He realised he was about to put his fingers on the pan and it would have hurt him. He looked at Ruhana and found her staring at him.

"tum apna dhyan kyun nahi rakhte? Mujhe toh dant dete ho tum. Lekin khud ko nahi dekhte." she said.

"Arey kuch nahi hua. Main thik hoon." Vineet said.

Ruhana eyed him...

"Uspe lag jati hai na... Wo aag hai.. Tumko bhi lag jayegi. Aise nishan ho jayega. Zor se dard hota hai isme. " she spoke as she pointed to some scars on her hand.

Vineet looked at her while she was speaking continuously. Maybe she already felt the pain. He smiled and patted her cheeks.

" Mujhe kuch nahi hua.. Okay chalo ab table pe baitho. " he said.

" Tum nahi sunte meri baat. Jao main baat nahi karti tumse." she said and sat on the couch making a serious face.

She placed the teddy bear in her lap and was talking to it.

"Main gussa hoon. Main usse baat nahi karungi. Wo apna dhyan nahi rakhta lekin mujhe dantte rehta hai. " she complained to her little companion.

Vineet was watching her from the kitchen. His eyes were not this way always. This little girl was not actually that little which she seemed to be. She was a responsible and confident girl with whom he fell in love. Her name is Ruhana. They worked in the same company. His mother also liked Ruhana and soon they got married. Everything was going fine when four months ago, everything was devastated.

They were returning home and she had decided to treat him because they had finally completed the project and the clients were happy as well. But as they say happiness is short lived. A big car knocked into his car. It's not that he didn't try to save them but the other car went out of control and caused the accident. Ruhana rolled out of the car and went unconscious. Vineet gained his consciousness and found himself in the hospital. He was bewildered. Some people got them into hospital. He asked the nurse about Ruhana and she took him into the ICU. He was told that she was hurt on her head and had a lot of blood loss. Vineet was teary eyed and wanted to meet the doctor. Few hours later, he was called by doctor and what he was told broke him. The doctor said that his wife is no less than a kid now as she has lost her memory and is a little girl of six years of age and would be dependent on him.

He went to meet her but she didn't recognise him at first. When he said he's her friend, she agreed. He took her home and started taking care of her. Ruhana was now mentally unstable and she'd do anything she liked. His mother asked him to send Ruhana for treatment and remarry but he didn't agree. He loved Ruhana and won't be able to love anyone else. He asked his mother not to talk about that. His mother was angry but left his house and went into the native house. Now Ruhana and Vineet were left alone.

His trance was broken as a teardrop escaped his eyes. He glanced at Ruhana who was still sitting with grumpy face. He had prepared biryani, which Ruhana liked the most, when he prepared it. He served it into a plate and moved to Ruhana. She turned away...

" main gussa hoon. Mujhe tumse baat nahi karna." she said.

"Par bhook toh lagi hai na?" he asked.

"nahi lagi. Tum kabhi meri baat nahi maante. Aaj main bhi nahi maanungi." she said angrily.

"Dekho Ruhana zidd mat karo. Dekho maine rice banaya. Tumhe pasand hai na. Chalo khalo." he said lovingly.

Ruhana glared at him... "no! Main Nahi khaungi." she said and ran away from there.

Vineet followed her in her room as he knew she would be there. He found her sitting on the bed holding her teddy bear. She looked at him angrily. He smiled as he was used to her pranks now. He sat on the bed near her but she turned her face away.

"jaane bhi do, ab chhodo bhi!" he said.

"no! Tum mere dost ho na?" she asked.

"Toh tum meri baat kyun nahi maante? Tumko chot lagti hai na toh mujhe acha nahi lagta. Dard hota hai mujhe bhi. Lekin tum dost ki baat nahi mante.. Main bhi dost hoon na tumhari?" she said.

He was looking at her. Ruhana used to scold him in the same way for his carelessness and was doing the same today. But today she wasn't in her true self. She was a little girl scolding her dost.

Vineet held his ears...

"Acha baba sorry.. Ab maaf kardo." he said cutely.

"pehle promise karo, meri baat maanoge?" she said.

"acha maanunga. Aur apna dhyan bhi rakhunga. Lekin tumhe ye khana finish karna padega." he said.

Ruhana eyed him.. "Pehle tum khao." she said and filled a spoonful of rice and made him eat it.

Vineet ate the spoonful and then asked her to eat. She looked at him...

"roz toh tum khilate ho na." she said childishly.

Vineet eyed her... "ek shart pe ki ye sab finish karogi tum." he said.

She nodded her head cutely and he started feeding her. She was being a little girl who was getting happy on being pampered and he also pampered her like a caring parent. After having the food she laid on the bed. Vineet tended to go away but she held her hand and made him sit beside him. He sat and she kept her head in his lap. He began smearing her head and she slept off getting his warm touch.

He was glancing at her. Their life was perfect but then everything turned topsy turvy. He has to look after her, their home. He has opted for work from home and is immensely dedicated to it as well. He makes sure he isn't at fault towards any of his responsibility. Meanwhile his phone buzzed. It's work call. He shifted Ruhana on the pillow and got his laptop. He knew if he will leave, she will wake up and would not let him work. He sat beside her and began working. At the same time, he realised that its a festival approaching soon. It's karvachauth day after tomorrow.

He remembered the last year karvachauth when both of them fasted for each other and enjoyed the day.. Luckily, last year it was Sunday and this year, he doesn't know how will it go. He decides to keep the fast and gets busy with the work.

The days passed. It's Karvachauth. He has to go to office as it's urgent. He calls for the nurse who was appointed for Ruhana. Ruhana didn't like her and was angry when Vineet asked her to stay with her.

"Mujhe nahi rehna uske sath. Mujhe tumhare sath hi rehna hai." she said.

"bas thodi derr ke liye." he tried to convince her.

"No means no. Main nahi rahungi.. Wo bahut daantti hai. Main bhi tumhare sath chalungi." she said.

"Mujhe kaam hai na Ruhana. Main jaldi se aa jaunga." he tried to explain.

"Tumne promise kiya tha tum meri baat maanoge. Mujhe aana hai tumhare sath. Main pareshan nahi karungi tumhe." she said.

He sighed. He can't take her with him and she won't stay with the nurse.

"Ruhana kyun nhi samajhti ho. Main nahi le ja sakta tumhe wahan.. Hum baad mein jayenge ghumne" he shouted loosing his cool.

Ruhana got scared and her eyes turned teary. Afterall she was unaware of his frustration.. She didn't like it when he shouted at him.

"tum jao.. Main pareshan nahi karungi." she said tearily and ran inside the room.

Her teary voice alarmed him. He wasn't supposed to shout on her. He had to explain her softly. But he shouted on her venting his anger. He moved to the room and he could hear her sobs.

" open the door Ruhana" he said.

" nahi tum jao.. Mujhe tumse baat nahi karungi. Ab se tumhe pareshan bhi nahi karungi. Main idhar hi rahungi." she said.

Vineet sighed. She was upset. The nurse said that she will see her and Vineet leaves for office.

The day passes in the blur. Vineet reaches home later than he thought. The nurse informed him that Ruhana didn't eat anything, neither she opened the door.. He asked the nurse to leave and Vineet opens the door with his key. He finds Ruhana sitting on the bed. He called her name but she didn't respond. He sat beside her...

"I'm sorry." he said.

She didn't reply to him. He made her face himself but she turned in the opposite direction.

"Mujhe bat nahi karna tumse. Tumne mujhe danta." she complained.

"sorry na! Tab mujhe gussa aaya tha. Maan bhi jao." Vineet said.

Ruhana nodded her head negatively. She wasn't agreeing to him. He sighed. He has to do something in order to cheer her up.

"Acha thik hai, main tumhari favorite dish banata hoon." he said for she thought she might agree to him.

"Mujhe nahi khana kuch." she said kiddishly.

"kyun? Bhook nahi lagi?" he asked.

She looked at him.

"Nahi! Tumne bhi nahi khaya na. Isliye mujhe bhi nahi khana." she said innocently.

He is left surprised. How does she know that he hasn't eaten anything. She is not in a state to understand the ritual he was doing for her. Unknowingly, she practiced the same. He glanced at her and found her staring at him.

" Mujhe pata hai tumne subah bhi khana nahi khaya. Tum khud ka dhyan nahi rakhte. Bas promise karke tod dete ho." she complained.

He smiles... "Acha hum dono sath mein khayenge. Ab maaf kar do." he said.

She stared at him for some good seconds and then hugged him. He freshened up and set to prepare the dinner. Ruhana was in the balcony such that he could see her from the kitchen window. It was 8:30 when he finished preparing lunch. Suddenly a joyous shout reached his ears.

The moon had risen in the sky. It had a beautiful aura and it looked extremely beautiful today. Moon had always left Ruhana in awe and today is no different. She is chuckling with joy seeing the moon. She doesn't know if it's special today, but for him it is. He had seen her doing the puja and did in the same way. Ruhana was watching him curiously and the moment he went on to offer water, she put her hand on the vessel and gave it a light push. He smiled, unknowingly, she gave her offer in the puja.

Finishing with the puja, he saw her forwarding the ladoo towards him. That's intuitive.

"tum jaldi se khalo ye. Fir hum khana khayenge." she said.

He smiled and fed her with a bite and ate it. She rushed to the dining table and opened the dishes. It was all her favorite. She chuckled.

"chalo khana khayenge." she said.

Vineet sat and was about to serve in her plate when she looked at it...

"tum mujhe aur main tumhe khilaungi." she said.

Before he could react she forwarded him a spoonful of halwa that he prepared. And he followed the same action. She chuckled tasting it and began serving the food, while he watched her praying for her recovery.

*****
Happy Karvachauth to one and all. Cherish the love that u have.

E

very day is love day if your loved ones are with you. Selfless love is hard to find. Nurture it if you receive some.

Anamika_anu thank you for the idea. Hope you like it. Love you 😘😘