MM- Ch 16

The cook came to ask Meer, if she should heat up the dinner again. Meer sighed and blinked a yes to her as she fed the last spoon of food to Haadi who was strapped in his high chair for his already late dinner.

Meer’s anxious feet then took her to the large window facing the gate of the house with Haadi in her arms, her eyes showing signs of defeat at another night gone by with plans foiled for dinner like it has been ever since Haider joined their firm.

Asma walked towards Meer, with her phone in hand. Also looking out to see if there is any sign of a car approaching their front gate.

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Jassi ji had freshened up in the guest room downstairs in which Daijaan was to rest. The girls fell asleep with Daijaan on the bed whilst waiting to be called for dinner. Jassi woke up Geet and Roop and asked them to freshen up so they could leave for their hotel as it was getting quite late in the night.

She decided to step out and find Mohinder so she could relay the same to him.  She saw him coming towards her from one of the reception rooms where the men were sitting with tea.

As the two met in the hallway, Jassi ji said to Mohinder ‘Suniye, hum chalte hai hotel, ladkiyan thak gayi hain aur aap ki subah flight bhi hai, hum ne chai ke saath bohot kha liya tha. Shayad Meer humara intezaar kar rahi hai dinner ke liye, humein disturb nahi kiya warna Haider agaya hoga aur aap miley Haider se? (Listen, let’s leave for the hotel. The girls are tired and you also have a flight this morning. We had plenty with tea in the afternoon. I am sure Meer is waiting on us for dinner she must have thought we fell asleep otherwise when Haider came she would have asked us for dinner, did you meet Haider yet?’).

Mohinder was just about to say ‘ Nahi woh nahi…’ but he was interrupted with the noise of the main door that flew open and in walked Haider, briefcase in one hand, his other holding the phone to his ear and him speaking loudly:

‘I am telling you that I want it done by 9am. I don’t want any excuses on shipment that is already late by a day!

Meer turned to the door with Haadi in arms, Haider glanced at her and handed his briefcase over whilst loosening his tie. Sameera quietly took the briefcase and attempted to say something as she stepped forward but his mother followed Haider instead and called him from behind ‘Haider! I have been calling you constantly for the past half an hour! Where have you been!?! You know you had promised…’

Haider turned to his mother and loudly whispered ‘What Mom!? At least I am here now, I was busy. I have a lot going on at work!’.

Asma replied ‘you know your father in law is here today! You should have been home early! Everyone is waiting here for dinner, Haider!'

Haider just shrugged his shoulders and whispered ‘I couldn’t leave earlier, Ma! I am coming for dinner now, get it ready…let me just freshen up at least’. 

Haider continued to walk down the hallway, he then waved his hand and smiled briefly at Mohinder and Jassi ji, who were standing to the side of the stairs which he took whilst continuing his call on the phone.

‘Send a message to Rai that I want the samples delivered to me on the airport, I will have a look through them in my flight tonight. I will tell you the rest of arrangements in a short while, family obligations just come up’.

Jassi looked at Mohinder with a worrisome look settling in her eyes. 

Asma noticed them and came rushing saying ‘Oh Jassi ji, good you are here, did you rest well? We were just waiting on Hai… I mean everyone to serve dinner, I will just tell the cook to bring the food out, you come with me.’ 

And she gave Jassi ji no chance to say otherwise and hurriedly took her towards the dining area. Asma also called out to Meer and said ‘Sameera beta, bring your Daijaan and your friends to the dinner table as well’.

Mohinder saw Sameera walk towards him, with her eyes downcast and unsure as to what he might ask. To put her at ease, he just said to her ‘I will go and call Bhai ji, beta you bring Bi Jaan to the table’.

Sameera nodded with a smile and left to the guest room.

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Dinner was an awkward affair with Haider discussing mostly business with his father and not really paying attention to his father in law or their guests Mohinder. Asma tried interjecting to steer the conversation to include the other two men and asked them about Hoshiarpur and their old neighbours.

But Waleed Ulla who was ofcourse proud of his son and his dedication in his work thought this was a perfect time to show him off in front of his old friend whose daughter he made his own. Haider looked up at them with a grin and nodding at dad as dinner went on.

Geet and Roop were sitting across Meer with Jassi jand Daijaan, all discussing the difference in food and air between Hoshiarpur and Delhi.

Haider overheard Meer saying ‘Oh here there are loads of amazing restaurants with different cuisines, I love Chinese so much now, I will take Geet and Roop to a place closeby where the food is amazing’.

‘Oh! Will they enjoy any other food besides desi? They might not be used to of such different tastes as you have become used to of since you have moved here’.

Roop responded quickly ‘We eat all sorts of foods at home, Dulha bhai. Ma makes us all sorts of variety and Chinese is my favourite too, especially the chicken rangoons’.

Asma laughed and said ‘then we should definitely have Chinese once with you here in Delhi!'.

Haider just half smiled, shrugged his shoulders and carried on eating. Although Meer’s face looked dejected but when she noticed Geet staring at her across the table, she quickly smiled and turned to speak with Jassi about something.

After dinner, Haider had to attend a call so he left for his study/office room and didn’t see Mohinder leave with his family for the hotel. Although Asma and Meer insisted for them to stay in their big home but Jassi and Mohinder politely declined and made their way to the hotel.

Mohinder hugged Meer and said ‘Tumhe aur tumhare pyare bete ko itne din baad dekh kar bohot khushi hui, bas khush rahe bete ji, hum sab hai tere saath, door hai lekin paas hai, bohot khayal rakh apna aur tere bachoun ka’(Seeing you and your child after so long makes me so happy now. But you just stay happy always, we are all with you. In distance we may be far but not at heart. take care of yourself and you little ones now)'.

Meer nodded quietly and hugged her uncle once again and bid him goodbye.

On the way to the hotel, Geet seemed really quiet and Mohinder noticed that she was in her own deep thought, he felt that she also saw the same changes in Meer’s life as he and Jassi earlier noted. 

He thought to have a word with Jassi to tell Geet not to ask Meer much as she is pregnant and such anxious questions might make her stress or worry.

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In the morning as Mohinder took a cab to the airport, Jassi and the girls sat to have breakfast at the hotel.

Daijaan called Jassi soon after, letting her know that Meer has sent a car for them to come over. By the time they got to Meer’s house, Tea was being served to Daijaan and Asma with Haadi sitting in Daijaan’s lap and she relaying a story to him.

Meer was just about to take the girls upstairs in her room, that the door bell rang. One of the servants opened the door and let Savitri Devi inside. 

Haadi got off Daijaan’s lap and ran towards Savitri Devi calling out ‘Dadimaaaa’. The old lady hugged the cute toddler who ran into her knees and held her tight.

He pulled at her hand and walked her inside and said to her ‘ Dadima, look new Nani ma here’. Pointing at Daijaan. Everyone laughed at his cuteness and Meer picked him up so Daijaan could Savitri Devi properly.

A servant from behind held a bouquet of flowers that Savitri handed over to Daijaan and said ‘Asma told me that you all are coming to visit Meer and I was also looking forward to meeting you again, its been so long’.

She then saw Jassi ji who she hugged and showed genuine happiness at seeing her. She then inquired after her daughters, who were standing near the stairs.

Geet came forward and said ‘Satriakal Dadima’. Savitri looked at her and her eyes brightened with a big smile on her face. ‘Oh Geet, how can I forget you! Come here and hug me, look at you so tall and pretty’.

Geet shyly smiled and came close to Dadima.

Roop also said hello, to whom she handed a box of sweets, Roop hugged her happily and said ‘thank you Dadima’.

‘After meeting you all again, I am feeling really good, especially that you both remembered to still call me Dadima! Oh Jassi over the years, I have seen plenty of girls from family and friends circles but your girls are an exception. There is just no one as good as them!’.

Jassi ji laughed and said ‘Dadima, it’s because you see them with so much love’.

Everyone settled in, Geet and Roop sat next to Dadima as she asked after their school and studies.

Daijaan noting this to be a good time to have this conversation, proceeded to tell Asma ‘Jab Meer ki pehli aulad ho rahi thi, toh hum yahaan nahi aaye, Amritsar se Delhi ka safar bohot mushkil tha jab humari taangoun ka operation hua tha’. (I couldn’t come when Meer was expecting her first born, the travel from Amritsar to Delhi was difficult for me due to my knee operation’).

She called Meer to sit next to her and held her hand and looked at Asma saying ‘Lekin ab main meri eklauti naati ke liye woh sab karna chahti hoon jo main nahi kar payi. Jaswinder yahaan kuch din ke liye hai aur jab tak yeh sab yahaan hai, main Meer ka Satwasa karna chahti hoon aur uske liye dawat rakhna chahti hoon. Aap apne saare rishtedaar aur doston ko dawat dijiye humari taraf se.

(But for my only grand daughter, I now want to do everything that I couldn’t do earlier. Jaswinder is here for a few more days and whilst they are still here, I want to host a baby shower for Meer and just a party for her. You can invite all your family and friends on my behalf).

Asma smiled warmly at Daijaan and said ‘If it’s your wish Daijaan, we would be happy to introduce you and everyone to our family and friends here, especially those who couldn’t attend their wedding, whoever has met Sameera so far, they all love her and her exceptional manners that she has due to your upbringing’.

Savitri Devi said ‘I would love to be a part of it too’.

Daijaan said ‘Ofcourse, you are our special guests, you are the hand on Meer’s head here in Delhi’.

Savitri Devi replied with ‘ No, I don’t want to be a special guest but rather help you to host, you are all visiting here, and yes we can hire a grand hall or a hotel for this event, but a mother’s or grandmother’s home is what brings love in this special gathering for Meer. Here you have my house to host the baby shower at and it would be a blessing to have such a happy occasion being held at my humble house, please don’t say no and make things formal’.

Daijaan looked between Dadima, Meer and Jassi  not sure if she should accept with Savitri Devi’s kind offer.

Savitri then side-hugged Geet sitting next to her and said in a dramatic voice ‘it would bring great joy in this old lonely woman’s life to have you all celebrating at my house’.

Geet giggled quietly at her and Dadima winked at her indicating to help her with it. 

Geet cleared her throat and caught Jassi ji attention, who saw that she wanted to say something. She blinked at her to go ahead and so Geet said ‘Daijaan, agar Amritsar hota toh aap ke ghar par dawat hoti aur Hoshiarpur main Bade Baba ke paas. Lekin yahaan Delhi main ab Dadima unka Maika hai, toh dawat toh unke paas honi chahiye na’.

Dadima looked at Geet with a heart warming smile for calling her home as Meer’s mothers’. Geet’s simple yet genuine words of recommendation to accept her proposal felt so endearing and as her own to Savitri Devi that she was moved to tears. 

She got up and placed a gentle hand over Meer’s head and held her other hand to Daijaan saying, ‘you had welcomed me in your home at their wedding as Haider’s Dadi and now I want to welcome you and your family in Delhi as Meer’s Dadi, my home is now yours’.

Daijaan stood up and reached out to hold Savitri’s hand. The two elderly women hugged with tears breaking out from their eyes over the joy that they were to welcome in their beloved Meer’s life.

Geet looked at Meer and saw the first true smile on her face since the time they had been there with her. 

It then dawned upon her that this is what has been missing in Meer all this time.

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Thank you for reading this long chapter, hope you enjoy the small details as they are well needed to pick up the pace of the story and bring some Maaneet into the picture. So coming up will be the next phase in Geet and Maan's lives.