Aarohi

1

It was a beautiful winter morning in Rampur, a small town near Jaipur with sun rays peeping in to offer the needed warmth and the light cool breeze swaying the curtains in a beautiful motion. The desk with neatly piled books and the big pink teddy in the pastel pink room sat in a corner with a small four postered bed in the center.

"Di, wake up. Wake up. Di, please di, wake up." Screamed Vani.

"Oh, Please Vani let me sleep. Just 5 more minutes, please" saying so Aarohi pulled the duvet back on her face.

"Okay, I will tell papa you aren't up as yet" Vani teased Aarohi in a serious tone.

"Uff, okay. I am up." Said Aarohi as she sat up on her bed with a jerk and looked at her younger sister Vani.

Vani though was a step sister to Aarohi but, she loved her from the moment she saw her for the first time. Aarohi's mom had passed away in a car accident when Aarohi was just 2 years old. Her dad Anand Ajmera had remarried to Veena. 

Veena was a very conservative lady who came from a remote town in Rajasthan. Vani was Veena's biological daughter who always compared both the sisters and was always ready to pull Aarohi down.

Anand Ajmera was a contented business man who only wished for his family's happiness. He tried his best to give them all the comfort and made sure Veena and Aarohi got along. He was indeed happy that atleast Aarohi and Vani were inseparable though their mother had differences.

Anand was reading his newspaper when he saw his wife pacing around the verandah. He put the newspaper aside, removed his specs and called out "Veena, what happened? Why are you tensed early in the morning?"

"Oh, so you forgot. Of course, how can I expect you to remember anything which relates to my daughter. You only have memory left for your favourite one." Veena said sarcastically.

"Ohho, Veena, what have you started early in the morning. When have I ever differentiated between both my daughters. They are both apple of my eyes. They are my pride. Stop your stupid baseless assumptions and tell me what have I forgotten?" he said standing up from the wooded chair.

"It's Vani's 12th results and I don't know where the newspaper guy has disappeared. He had to come late today only of all days. I don't know what this girl must have done. I want her to become a doctor. Imagine, Dr Vani daughter of Veena, oh god!! She will the first one to become a doctor from my village, she will make my proud Anand, just wait and watch." Veena looked at her husband dreamingly.

Anand nodded his head and murmured "Hey Bhagwan, kya karu iska" and went inside the living room. He was well aware that his wife was a day dreamer and expected way too much from Vani. At times, he pitied Vani but he knew Aarohi was there to handle her sister.

He saw Vani coming down the stairs and was about to greet her when Vani asked excitedly "Papa, today's paper? Did you see my result?"

"No Vani beta, It's not today's newspapers, it's yesterdays. The newspaper man has not yet come. He should be here any time now."

He saw Vani getting nervous and called her near him and made her sit on the sofa next to him. "You know Vani, we should worry about things which are in our hands only. Preparing for your exams was in your hand, and I am sure my darling daughter did a honest job but now worrying for the results and getting so nervous is not done. Have trust in yourself, you will do well."

"Yes papa, I know but mama" Vani said but worrisome eyes and her papa squeezed her hand and said "Don't worry, I will handle her. By the way, where is Aarohi? Still sleeping?"

"No Papa, I am up. Good Morning!" said Aarohi who was climbing down the stairs and looking at her papa lovingly explaining basic fundamentals to her sister. Aarohi always thanked god for her papa, he was someone she always looked up to. She had never ever seen him losing his temper and always was a balanced person who would explain things to his wife and daughters.

Aarohi came and joined her papa and Vani and assured Vani about her results.

The bell rang and Vani rang to take the newspaper. Her mother too joined her in the verandah and both anxiously started finding for her number.

Aarohi and her papa looked at each other and smiled and joined the other two in the verandah. Vani located her number and her face fell.

Veena stormed back and started yelling "I told you study hard and stop wasting your time with your useless sister but no, who will listen to me. You wanted to loiter around all the time with her and her friends now see. What will you do? Huh? Which medical college will take you with just 60%? Ask this father of yours to bribe them if he has money. Huh" she bombarded them and left from the verandah.

Vani sat on the floor and started sobbing when Aarohi sat next to her and consoled her saying "Vani, please it's okay. 60% is also good. It's a first-class sweetheart. Don't cry please. It was mama's dream to make you a doctor not yours. You wanted to get into Arts right? So, you will. Cheer up please. You know mama nah. Please Vani"

Vani looked at her sister and saw her father standing there smiling at her. "Congratulations beta, it's a first-class you should be happy. And I just told you, live your expectations and not others" he hugged both his daughters and went inside to calm his wife.

Aarohi was sitting all alone when Vani had gone inside to freshen up. She thought of her mama's words blaming her but, she knew she was always her punching bag. If anything went wrong it was always her fault. At times, she missed her own biological mother. She wondered how it would feel to have felt love whole heartedly by a mother. She gave a tight smile and got up and went inside.