Chapter 21

20. Buta’s Bhaiya

Kirti's mind was made up. She was going to kick this manipulative man where it hurts the most and run away.

His attentive eyes made the job difficult.

'Why did you bring me here,Tejas? You said you'd something important to discuss.'

'Yes, this is where we are going to discuss it.'

'At Nishit's place? When you took a turn, you clearly said we aren't heading to Nishit's place.'

'He doesn't stay here. Let's go inside. Sana will be here in sometime too.'

'I don't want to!' She refused to put her foot outside the car.

Tejas clicked his tongue in frustration.

'Kirti, I had a long day. Come inside.'

'I had a long day too! I didn't even get time to have lunch. My stomach is grumbling and I am raging mad because you brought me here!'

'What's wrong with this place?'

Kirti wrung her hands before revealing, 'I was invited by Prasanna last week and kind of... stood her up. Now, to come here with you...what will she think?'

'She will think nothing of it. Come on, now. And it's not like you came here on your own. Tell them I kidnapped you.'

'Why don't you ever listen to me?! I don't want to go in. That's it!'

While they were quarreling, a woman draped in what looked like a handwoven, embroidered tussar silk stepped in. Her style was still the same with minimal makeup and hair tied in a low bun. She looked not a year older than when Kirti had last seen her.

'Tejas, what are you doing here?' She asked, her heels clicking as she approached them.

'Who's in the car?'

Kirti was obliged to step out of the car.

'Hello Ma'am'

'Hello,' the woman greeted in a warm, velvety voice.

'You are....I cannot recollect. You used to come here.'

'Kirti'

'Ah, right! Kirti Singh?'

'Yes, Ma'am'

'Why are you both here? Go inside. Tejas, I have asked Buta to make all arrangements as you asked. Anything you need, ask him. You know where to find him right?'

'Before a TV?'

Rimjhim laughed heartily.

'I will have to leave you now. Nice meeting you, Kirti,' she said before proceeding to half embrace her nephew.

Kirti was forced to follow Tejas for Rimjhim stood watching them as her own driver wheeled out the car.

Inside the resplendent bungalow, Tejas took her straight to the dining room which was a continuation of the huge living room, both of the rooms divided by a crystal bead curtain.

'Buta, khana kuch bacha hai? Agar haan to in Didi ko lunch karwa do.'

'I’m okay, Tejas.'

'Main nahane ja raha hun. Tab tak inki ache se khatirdari karna.'

Buta, who had been sitting on the sofa,peeling peas and watching songs on a huge LED screen that hung on a wall, stood up wiping his hands in his shirt and surveyed her with an impassive face as if assessing if she deserved to be served by him or not. 

He was a teenage lad, not more than seventeen or eighteen and was wearing a T- shirt and half pants.

'Pehle kya laun? Starters? Ki sidha lunch karengi?' He asked.

'Guide me to the washroom, first'

Kirti splashed the cold water over face and ran her hands down her neck. He had dragged her here right from work without even giving her a chance to freshen up. Looking into the eyes of her reflection, she debated how she’d deal with a confrontation with Prasanna.

XxxxxX

‘Which do you prefer? Thai or Italian? Aaj dono bana hai’

‘Kuch bhi halka sa de dijiye. Or maybe aap chai bana dein?’ She had biscuits in her bag which she could eat with tea.

‘Bhaiya ne lunch ka kaha tha’

‘I have a weak stomach. Main Thai-continental ye sab nahi khati.’ The boy nodded gravely.

‘Sir bhi plain khate hai. Bina lehsun pyaz ke. Jeera rice aur gatte matar ki sabzi hai. Le aaun?’

‘Ji, vahi behtar hoga.’

XxxxxX

‘You can return to what you were doing. I won’t need anything,’ She told the boy who was hovering over her. ‘I will take time to finish this. I am a slow eater,’ she added consciously. The only person who had the patience to eat with her had been her father. When little, she had cried once thinking she was a glutton because everybody finished earlier while she kept eating and eating. From the next meal, her father had switched to being a glutton too.

‘Ooo can I get ya? Ooo can I touch ya? Zara zara touch me touch me…’ Buta had his eyes glued on the screen where Saif and Katrina were in heat. Acutely aware of the fact that there were only two of them in the room, Kirti dug in her food hoping Tejas would arrive soon.

Instead Nishit walked in looking very unlike the CFO he was. Polo shirt and brown carrot pants. Bending across the sofa, he picked up the remote and switched off the song. 

‘Bhaiya aap?’

‘Mend your ways,’ The Bhaiya said. 

‘Bhaiya main toh bas...Didi aap kuch lengi,’ Buta, trying to escape the ire of Bhaiya, directed all his attention to Kirti.

Bhaiya’s gaze landed on Didi too. His impassive face did not betray his thoughts.

‘Hi,’ Kirti waved a spoon awkwardly in the air.

A slight nod of head and he was gone. Before being back again.

Pulling a chair right across hers, he sat down and looked at Buta.

‘Khayenge kya Bhaiya?’

‘Hmm’

‘Par aapne abhi toh khaya tha’

‘So?’

‘Nahi aise hi...aap ki toh fixed timing…’ Buta stopped midway when found himself blazing under the stare. ‘Nahi nahi khaiye khaiye. Itna kaam karte hai zaruri hai pura poshan mile.Abhi toh aapke badhne ki umar hai’

‘Thoda sa aur badh gaye aapke Bhaiya Buta toh aapki madam ko darwaze remodel karwane padenge,’ Kirti said in a flow before realizing what she had said. Clamping her mouth shut, she pinned her eyes on her plate.

‘Bahut badhiya height hamare Bhaiya ki! Aap mazak na udaye, Didi. Diya leke dhundne par bhi hamare Bhaiya jaisa handsome ladka nahi milega’

‘Sorry, Buta. Aapko hurt kar diya maine. Aapke Bhaiya sach mein bahut good looking hai.’ 

The next ten minutes of the lunch was a silent affair with Kirti wondering if she should ask Nishit about Prasanna.

‘Nishit, Prasanna...is she angry with me?’

He need not answer for the girl herself appeared in the room.

‘Buta, make me a coffee...uh-oh Who do we have here?’

Kirti stood up to greet Prasanna.

‘Aren’t you a little late to arrive though Kirti? Sunday passed away a week ago? Or did you mistake our meeting date to be today?’

‘I’m sorry, Prasanna’

‘Are you, really? Then you wouldn’t have come today with Tejas to rub it in my face.’

‘You came in with Tejas? I thought you were here to meet...’ Before Buta’s Bhaiya could finish, Tejas swooped in ‘Sorry, luv, you had to wait. Got busy on a client’s call. Finished lunch? Let’s go.’

 [NOCOPY]

[MEMBERSONLY]