The Mela was a very large and famous one, situated in the middle of the triangular villages of Surajgarh, Balwantpura and Kelwa. People from all these villages flocked to this month-long festival. There were stalls, food, jewellery, handloom, Rajasthani stoneworks, clothes and rides. The cars stopped as people folded their hands for “Khamma Gani'' to the royal party. Mr. Rathore had insisted them to take two guards whom Heer refused much to Shakti’s relief. Guards with them would mean Dadabhai and Jija would behave all formally again. Something that would affect their plan.
“Merry go round! Bada Chakka!!” Rukaiya caught Heer’s hand who smiled excitedly. “Let’s go!”
“But…” Heer pulled a reluctant Ajabde by the hand as Shakti went to buy the tickets.
“I so hate you,” Sau exclaimed to Chaks. “Why?” he frowned.
“For you I can’t ride the rides, everyone is having so much fun.” She frowned as Chaks gave her a loving smile and held her bump consolingly as she narrowed her eyes on him.
Shakti’s eyes met a soft nod from Jalal’s as Pratap missed it, busy on his phone.
“Damn, the signal here.” He looked engrossed in work.
“Dadabhai lets go!” Shakti grinned as he stared clueless. “Where?”
“Come with me!” Heer came up from behind Shakti and dragged a clueless Pratap to the line. “Bada Chakka !!”
In the line, Heer stood with Ajabde followed by Shakti with Pratap as the last in the lot. Sau decided to utilise the time shopping. As the line approached the cubicles of the Ferris wheel each for two people, at the last moment Heer turned and smiled “Come to Shakti.” who was just waiting for the call and went past Ajabde with a grin as both said a small “But…” in unison.
The first cubicle had Rukaiya and Jalal, the second Heer and Shakti and above them Pratap and Ajabde. Ajabde sat in the small space carefully keeping her distance as he felt amused. He knew her fears for heights and that added to his thrill. Ajabde could read his thoughts like always. She knew how much he liked to see her in trouble since childhood.
As soon as the wheel started to move Ajabde inhaled. No way could she show that she was scared. She stared at her feet instead of the view. Pratap smirked to himself. Heer held Shakti’s hand in excitement.
“The height is good. Oho!” She giggled as he smiled first at her face then at her hand as it held his shirt sleeves. He put a hand over hers and pointed far out in the horizon. “That way is Udaipur.”
“Home.” She said softly with a smile.
Jalal was staring up to catch a view of both the couples in vain.
“Girna hai?” Rukaiya frowned. “What are you doing?”
“Ohho I am just curious how my twin plans are working.” He grinned. “Twin plans?”Rukaiya raised her eyebrows.
“Yes!” Jalal smiled a proud smile. “Your Shauhar is so smart …”
“Acha bas!” Rukaiya stopped him. “Ya Allah! You sound like a teenager.”
“Complaints Madam?” Jalal frowned.
“Ji haan! You forget me in your plans.” Rukaiya looked away as Jalal caught her hand making her stare.
“Aap toh dhadkan mein basti madam, apko kaise bhool jau?”
Rukaiya giggled trying to hide her blush. “Ohho aap bhi na!”
Shakti looked up to see the silent upper cubicle while the wheel started its second round.
“Come on, you two talk!” He wished and prayed. Suddenly the wheel stopped mid air with a jerk that made Ajabde lean over to Pratap’s side.
“Sorry.” She murmured looking down to see what happened.
“Not that I mind.” He murmured to himself as Ajabde frowned. “Pardon?”
“Nothing.” He shrugged.
“Why did we stop?” Heer asked, alarmed.
“Umm… maybe because…” Shakti smiled. “ Bhaijaan paid the man to do so…”
“Shit! Really?” Heer asked wide eyed.
“Yup but just ten minutes, to get them talking.” Shakti shrugged.
“ Great! It stopped.” Rukaiya frowned. “And am midair! Without a phone signal.”
“ Umm… will you kill me if I say…” Jalal spoke up as she looked wide-eyed.
“You did this? For them?”
“ Them both.” Jalal smiled as Rukaiya shook her head and smiled back at him.
“Although….” He added holding her hand tightly, “We can also spend some time...” He smiled as Rukaiya blushed and stared at the hand.
“Jabse aya hai musibat hi musibat laya hai saath.” Ajabde frowned. “Now this stopped.”
“ Kisine kuch kaha mujhe?” Pratap asked amused.
“Ji nahi!” She spoke firmly as eyes met. His eyes smiled amused as her’s tried to resist that smile.
“They are talking…” Heer smiled. “Can I ask you something?” She asked as he nodded. “Which friend of yours is getting married?”
“Kya?” Shakti asked cluelessly. “ Married?”
“You said a friend is getting married… umm… is it Emma?” Heer tried to sound as normal as she could, still she felt… wifely.
“Umm … actually…” Shakti gulped. “Since you asked… I… umm… lied…” He looked away confused as Heer looked wide-eyed.
“Lied? To me?” That never happened before! “Why?”
Her tone made him smile as he managed to say “Since we are talking….. umm… The gift...It’s for you.”
“For me?” Heer frowned. “Why?”
“ Everyone insisted on a wedding gift…” He shrugged. “Why did you lie?” She cut in.
“I dunno.” He shrugged again. “Really.” His confused face made her laugh as he felt foolish.
“ When were you planning to give it?” She narrowed her eyes at him. “I was thinking of that.” He scratched his head.
“Still thinking?” She asked, amused. “Haan.” He nodded. “You want it today?”
“You brought that expensive thing with you?” She frowned now. “Are you mad?”
“So?”
“Give it when we reach Delhi …” She bit her lips. “Tabh tak...” He frowned at her.
“Kya?” She shook her head.
“Now look who is hiding.” He pointed a finger at her.
“All right, Don't make me feel guilty! I am creating a line of men’s wear.”
“Woah! That’s great.” Shakti smiled.
“Yes, and the first piece is for you, which you will receive in Delhi.” “Itna late?” He raised his eyebrows.
“Ji haan, banana mein time lagta!” She frowned.
“Ok Madam, first I will investigate mine then decide whether to give yours!” He struck out his tongue as she said “Haan haan thik hai!”
“But…” Shakti asked, reading her face. “If it was for Emma?”
Heer tried to hide her conscious face in vain as she looked funny and adorable she flared her nose and said “Toh??”
“ Would I be in some sort of trouble?” He smiled.
“No, not at all.” She looked away. “She is a friend right?”
“ Not really!” She looked up at his words as he laughed to say “I must admit I will like to see her suffer someday.”
“You are so bad, so so bad.” Heer shook her head with a smile. “When will this begin?”
“Why? Am I so boring?”
“Nahi mujhe churiyaan leni.” She made a face to make him laugh.
Ajabde smiled hearing them laugh.
“What are you amused at?” Pratap frowned cluelessly. “Tumse matlab?” She frowned.
“General questions can't be answered simply?”
“It is a personal question not general.” “Uff.”
“ I need to take something for Ranima” She spoke normally. “Kya?” He asked.
“I can see once I get down from this thing!” She frowned. “Have you noticed some change in them?” She couldn’t sit with him silently ever!
“Whom?” He asked cluelessly.
“Choti and Shakti!” She gave him a hopeless look. “They are… normal?” He asked cluelessly.
“Leave it.” “Ohho Madam, we are here for them, okay?”
“Kya matlab?” She frowned.
“Woh Jalal ne kaha ke yaha sab aayenge toh Heer and Shakti will ease out more… islie usne plan kia ke…”
“Jalal should be a professional matchmaker.” She murmured unmindfully.
“True, he gives good ideas.” He agreed, remembering Jalal’s advice to him.
“Kya?” She frowned.
“Kya?” He asked in the same tone.
The wheel started to move as with the starting jerk Ajabde leaned again and this time Pratap’s hands caught her almost like a reflex. Eyes met as she looked away. He let go of the upper arm as the wheel moved.
“Wasn't that fun?” Shakti’s words met with Ajabde’s narrowed eyes scrutinising him as his smile faded.
“Churiyaan!” Heer dragged Ajabde by the hand to the stall. “Aapa.” She called Rukaiya. Sau was already at the store, and she had already bought a colourful mix-and-match bunch.
“What took you all so long?”
“The wheel stopped.” Ajabde shrugged. “Unexpectedly,” Heer added.
“Must be some technical glitch.” Rukaiya shook her head as Heer agreed.
Ajabde moved away from the bangles as the others got engrossed in them and looked around to see what she should buy for Ranima and Maa. A shop of silver earrings attracted her attention. Pratap looked around after not seeing her with the others, his eyes following her to the earrings shop as she asked “How much for this?” on a small stud. He moved towards her.
“Should I take this one?” Sau asked Chaks. “Le lo.” He said.
“This?”
“Haan.” Sau frowned and looked back at him to see he was busy on his phone. At her stern stare, he put it in his pocket and grinned. “Take it.”
“Laal dikhaiye… woh peela bhi…” Shakti pointed. “They are too bright.” Heer frowned.
“No, they are not. They suit you.”
Heer stared at him busy selecting bangles as a smile curved her lips. He did surprise her, not in her wildest imagination did she feel Shakti would be someone choosing bangles for her.
“Where are you lost?” He asked, snapping his fingers. She shook her head. “Bhaiya neela wala dikhana…” “Nahi… woh nahi, baju wala…” Shakti added.
Rukaiya was watching the duo with a smile as Jalal said “Dekho maine kya lia!”
“Kya?” She asked as he held out a showpiece. “Yeh yellow limestone ki hai, Jaisalmer ki, isko sone ka patthar kehte thee…”
“Har cheez mein gyan na bato…” Rukaiya frowned. “Yeh living room showcase pe acha rahega na?”
“Haan.”He agreed.
“Bhaiya isse thoda bada wala dikhaiye na.” Ajabde pointed at another pair of earrings.
“ Woh Jhumka dekhna bhaiya…” Pratap’s voice made her frown as he appeared beside her pointing at a pretty pair of Jhumkas.
“Main jhumka nahi …”
“Tum?” He cut in with a frown. “Maine socha Ranima ke liye dekh rahi ho. Chaliye chodiye bhaiya, yeh madam kisi ki nahi sunti.” He walked away with a smile.
“Bhaiya woh jhumke dena. Ha wahi.” He stopped and turned to see her try on the pair he had chosen a faint smile appeared on his face as he walked away.
“Yeh de dijiye.” Ajabde told the shopkeeper after making sure he was gone.
“Bhaiya yeh mirror kitne ka hai?” Pratap and Ajabde asked in unison and stared at each other. The shopkeeper looked confused as he said “500”
“Maine pehle dekha that toh mujhe dikhaiye.” Ajabde asked for the mirror.
“Yeh kya baat hui, main pehle aaya, mujhe dikhaiye .” “Aree, maine pehle dekha!” Ajabde raised her voice.
“Toh jo kuch tum pehle dekhti sab tumhara hota?” Pratap frowned. “Bhaiya woh dikhao na.” She ignored him.
“Rajkumar hai hum Surajgarh ke, dikhaiye.”
The man raised his brows at that as he said “Hukum” and handed him the mirror as he smiled a victorious smile. Ajabde fumed. She did what she always did with him, snatched the mirror out of his hand and surprised the shopkeeper.
“Aree!”
“Rajkumar hai na Surajgarh ki?” She taunted. “Toh dusra mil jaega, 500 1000 3000 kya fark padta hai? Ha? Yeh mera hai, maine dekha bas!”
“ Maine kharida yeh,” Pratap spoke up.
“Accha? Maine toh na dekha paise dete huye.” As soon as she spoke both took out the money and said in unison “Bhaiya yeh lo.”
“Dekhiye, pehle aap vichaar kar lijiye aapas mein ke kaun lega.” The man looked confused.
“Maine le liya na.” Ajabde spoke up.
“Cheen ke liya, mujhe diya tha inhone.” He protested.
“Lo! Surajgarh ke Rajkumar ko Shobha deta ek mirror ke liye larna?” She frowned.
“Acha tum ko Shobha deta baat baat pe taang arana?” He copied her tone.
“ Main…” Ajabde fumed. “Maine…”
“Haan haan tumhe… jo maine dekha tumko bhi chahiye.” “Maine pehle dekha tha.”
“Oh no, they are fighting!” Chaks pointed at them alarmed. “Umm… kaun jaega beech mein shahid hone?” He stared at the group. Jalal and Shakti’s smiled confused him.
“ Mil gaye wapas.” Jalal gave Shakti a high five. “Haan, Princy aur strange girl.” Shakti grinned. “Main jaati hoon rokne.” Heer giggled.
“Dekho tum…” Pratap pointed his finger at her. “Kya dekhu dikhao.” Ajabde narrowed her eyes.
“Aree aree! Aap dono larr kyun rahe?” Heer exclaimed as both complained to her in unison “Isne mera…” and stopped.
“ Ohho, acha batayiye aap dono ko mirror kyun chahiye?” Heer looked like a teacher managing her students as the others approached amused.
“Ranima ke liye.” Both said in unison as they looked at each other.
“Dekha! Toh problem kya hai! Saath mein de dijiye.” Heer exclaimed. “ Baat lena price.” Heer turned at the gang. “Chale ab wapas?”
“Haan haan” they all started planning who would sit whereas they headed for the car leaving the duo silent.
“Bhaiya 250 cut lijiye.” She spoke up.
“Mera bhi.” Pratap murmured. “Maine pehle liya tha woh.”
“Uff dekho Princy…” As soon as she said it Pratap looked at her wide-eyed as if he heard wrong. She felt a warm feeling on her cheeks as she looked away to take the change and ran for the car, making him stare at her go with a smile.
Why did I even say that? Suna nahi hoga… yeah right! Her inner thoughts brewed up a storm. You can’t ease up to him, you just can’t! Why is he even here? Why am I here? I was so stupid to come here in the first place. This place is like a haunting past.
As Jalal drove the car and everyone was discussing the best buys, Pratap from the front seat looked back at her from the rear view mirror as she looked out at the dusk setting in, in complete silence lost in thought. He smiled. It felt like an eternity after which he had heard “Princy” from her. It felt…hopeful.
