ANUGAAMINI- The Boundaries

15. Repeat Telecast

Waking up the next day wasn't easy but Anupamaa managed it all on time, from tiffin to dusting to everything else no matter how trivial.

She dressed up in a nice saaree, in green chiffon, and sat behind Vanraj with a lot of butterflies in her stomach.

She tried hard but still couldn't hold him the way she wanted - him not being much of an encouragement. She tried saying something when he dropped her off to college but he didn't listen and bid her bye as if in a hurry to leave unwilling to be seen by anyone else dropping his wife.

~

"Haash... Chalo aaj time par aa gayiii...", Anupamaa thought sitting in the front row.

"Anu aa gayi...", Devika nudged Anuj as they shared the last bench.

"Oh yeah... Vaise green suits her na?", Anuj sought Devika's confirmation as his gaze fixated on Anupamaa all clandestinely but unfettered.

"Vo kuch bhi pehen ke aati hai tu yahi bolta hai...", Devika ignored.

"Yeah well what to do!! Every colour suits her!! But... Why is she looking so tired!! All these dark circles and just look at her yawning in the first period!!", Anuj expressed all concerned.

"Looks like she didn't sleep well maybe completing her assignment till late..."

"Yeah... Possibly..."

Professor entered and the class began.

~

"Mummy... Please jara mujhe poha de do...", Dolly demanded before leaving for her college.

Leela rushed to the kitchen unwilling to see her daughter getting late for college. She saw methi thepla in the casserole and served the same to Dolly.

"Kya mummy maine bola tha na poha banaane aaj aapse...", Dolly complained.

"Haan to apni bhaabhi ko bolna tha!! Ab vo maharaani to college chali jaati main akeli kitna karoon...", Leela reasoned.

"Bhaabhi ne banaaye to koi baat nahi main yahi khaa loongi... Aur vaise bhi unko kitna kaam hoga college me itne din ka pending...", she spread spearmint condiment over her thepla.

"Arey aise kya roj tu tera mann maarti rahegi... Aaj Anupamaa aaye to use bolna... Bhaabhi hai teri... Tera haq hai usse farmaaish karne ka... Jo khaane ka mann ho use bata diya kar vo bana degi... Aur tu nahi bolegi zid karegi to kaun karega?? Chal accha tujhe sankoch ho ra ho to... Main bol doongi use k-", Leela was trying her best to get the most negative emotion out of everyone.

"NAHI!! Koi jaroorat nahi hai... Vo poora kaam kar ke to jaati aur das jagah naashta thodi na banega ab! Aur mujhe kya baat karni kya nahi vo main aur bhaabhi aapas me samajh lenge... Aapko interfere karne ki jaroorat nahi hai!", Dolly rebuked at Leela's idea and it enraged her further.

"Par...", Leela tried to convince her further as she saw her eating her thepla.

"Mummy maine aapse bola tha poha banaane ke liye mujhe aapke haath ka khaana tha... Bhabhi ke haath ka khaana hota to unko bolti par aapne to sab kuch hi bhaabhi par daal diya hai jab se vo aayi hain shaadi kar ke... Vo kya poora din kitchen me hi rahengi kya! Unki bhi padhaai hai! Please let her study okay! Ummm... (She took a bite) Aur ye theple bhi bahut acche hain! Aapke waale se acche banaaye hain unhone... seekhiyega aap bhaabhi se ", Dolly picked up her bag, rolled her theplas to be eaten in rickshaw and left.

~

"Okay... So... Everyone submit their assignments as I'll call by roll number. You'll be graded for it!", Prof. Ashwin, the English Professor, pointed at his table with a strict frown.