Chapter 3

Tiwari Qila (Delhi)

At dinner she mustered the courage and spoke to Ramnath directly about the alliance and him being extremely forthcoming smiled and advised her what Pushkar had already.

"Talk to him beta!", he smiled.

"Haan Suman puttar, Shravan se phone pe baat karle.", Lala ji seconded.

She sat on her bed cross legged in her pajamas and tank top. She sighed and lay down and took the switch of the night lamp in her hands and played with it switching on and off the lamp.

*on*

"Shravan!", she whispered.

*off*

"Mumbai?", she thought.

*on*

"Par mera kaam?", she pouted.

*off*

"Jo hoga dekha jayega!", she whispered and closed her eyes.

Malhotra Mansion (Mumbai)

Ramnath and Lala ji had just reached home from the airport and walked into the house when Nirmala bombarded her husband with questions.

"Ram! Ladki ne kya kaha? Maine kaha tha aapko ke kal raat phone karke bata dena aur aapne nahi kiya! Bataiye na? Ladki ne kya kaha?", she questioned.

Shravan had just finished his breakfast and walked over to his father.

"Maa! Let Papa sit down first. Aap unke aate hai shuru ho gayi!", complained Shravan making Lala ji laugh.

Ramnath chuckled.

"Suman ko shaadi se koi problem nahi hai par decision lene se pehle wo ek baar Shravan se baat karna chahti hai!", announced Ramnath.

"Haan to is mein kya problem hai. Shravan bhi to yahi chahta hai! Haina Shravan?", asked Nirmala flashing a wide grin a Shravan.

Shravan rolled his eyes at his mother.

"Jee Maa!", he sighed having no other option left.

"Shravan, main tumhe Suman ka number message kar deta hoon. Tum jab time miley, just call and talk to her. Preferably in the evening ya night because she is working as well.", informed Ramnath.

"Jee Papa. I have her number alrady. Pushkar ne de diya tha!", replied Shravan.

Ramnath smiled.

"Bhai sahab, Sameer ji ko call karke keh deta hoon ke hum ghar pohonch gaye!", Lala ji announced and dialled Sameer's number.

*Ring ring*

"Hello!", came a melodious voice.

"Suman puttar? Sameer ji ka phone tumhare paas? Aaj kaam par nahi gayi tu?", asked Lala ji. Nirmala and Shravan looked up at on the mention of Suman's name.

Nirmala quickly took the phone and put it on loudspeaker wanting to listen to her voice. Ramnath smiled at his wife's childishness.

"Niklungi thodi der mein. Aap Mumbai pohonch gaye kya Lala ji?", she asked.

"Haan puttar!", he replied.

"Tum kitne baje ghar lautogi Suman?", Ramnath butted in.

Shravan and Nirmala stood there listening to the conversation curiously.

"I'll be back by 7 uncle! Aapne apne bete ko mera number de diya na? Mami ji mujhse sawaal jawaab kar rahi thi aaj subah!", complained Suman.

Ramnath chuckled.

"Manju ji ko bas tumhari fikr hai beta!", he explained.

"Oh please uncle! You were in Team Suman until yesterday, weren't you?", she complained yet again.

"Of course. Iss mein koi shaq?", asked Ramnath.

"Haan! Bilkul shaq hai mujhe. Aap na Mami ji aur Mama ji ke saath milkar game plan kar rahe ho mere against. Mujhe to aisa lagta hai!", replied Suman making Ramnath laugh.

"Arey.. Aisa kya kiya maine?", asked Ramnath.

"Uncle aapne na..", she trailed off.

"Maine kya?", asked Ramnath.

"Arey.. Parso raat se Mami ji ne ratt laga rakhi hai. What have you decided? What have you decided? Aur kal raat aapse baat karne ke baad, naya ratt shuru ho gaya.. Ramnath ji se kya baat ki? Arey.. main unhe kyun batau?", pouted Suman.

Shravan hid a smile.

"Suman puttar, main aur Pushkar to teri team mein hain na!", laughed Lala ji.

"Haan. Wo hai!", she smiled.

"Tum Manju ji ke poochhne se itna chidti kyun ho?", questioned Ramnath.

"Aap jaante nahi hain uncle. Koi tumhe baar baar yahi bolta rahe, Shaadi karlo Suman. Shaadi karlo Suman. It's your age to get married. Arey tum shaadi kyun nahi kar leti. Arey Suman, tumhe maaloom hai, aaj khala ke ghar pe US se unke mama ke mausi ka chahere bhai ka beta aaya tha! It's ridiculous. Ab main aise hi kisiko dekhe bina jaane bina shaadi ka decision kaise loon?", she explained exasperatedly.

Ramnath and Lala ji laughed out loud where as Nirmala chuckled at the explanation.

"Exactly!", Shravan mumbled agreeing to what Suman had said.

Nirmala eyed Shravan and smiled as he rolled his eyes yet again.

"Suman! Calm down beta. Just relax. Ab koi pareshan nahi karega tumhe. Aaj sham ko ya raat ko Shravan tumhe call karlega. Theek hai?", he informed.

"Uhhh..", suddenly she became conscious which Shravan and Nirmala could make out.

"Kya hua?", asked Ramnath.

"Umm.. Wo kitne baje call karenge? Uske hisaab se main khud ko room mein lock karlungi. Wo kya hai na, main Mami ji ke saamne nahi baat karna chahti. Warna koi baat dhang se nahi hogi.", whispered Suman.

"Why are you whispering all of a sudden?", asked Ramnath.

"Mami ji aa gayi room mein!", she whispered.

Ramnath laughed.

"I'll tell Shravan to text you before calling so that you can lock yourself in your room!", said Ramnath chuckling.

Suman giggled.

"Uncle and Lala ji! Main phone rakhti hoon. Mami ji aur Mama ji ko bata dungi aap pohonch gaye. Phir mujhe jaake taiyaar hona hai. Bye!", she said.

"Jindi reh Suman puttar!", Lala ji said and cut the call and looked over at Nirmala and Shravan.

"Badi pyari bachi hai.", smiled Nirmala.

"Shravan, just text her before you call okay!", said Ramnath.

"Suna maine Papa. Don't worry. Feelings are mutual. Main nahi chahta ke Maa phir se phone lekar loudspeaker par daal de!", said Shravan.

Nirmala pouted.

"Don't give me that look Maa! I too want to talk to her alone. We have a lot to discuss before taking a decision about marriage so don't you dare try any of your crazy plans on me.", said Shravan.

"Theek hai theek hai! Araam se baat kar lena! Main tumhe akela chhod dungi!", giggled Nirmala.

"Waise wo bilkul sahi keh rahi thi!", said Shravan.

"Kaun? Kiski baat kar rahe ho Shravan?", asked Nirmala acting innocent smirking at him.

"Suman ki. Aap log nahi samajh sakte what we go through when you guys come up with random people to get us married off or keep pestering us to get married.", Shravan remarked and walked to his room and took his briefcase and walked out of the room.

"Main office jaa raha hoon Maa! Aap aaj rest kijiye Papa. Aapko aaj aane ki zaroorat nahi hai! Have a nice day all of you!", he said and walked towards the main door.

"You too!", wished Ramnath and Nirmala in unision.

"Zyada na soch Shravan puttar. Main teri bhi team mein hoon!", winked Lala ji making Shravan chuckle.

He got into his SUV and ignited it. He picked out his phone to check if there were any calls from Prasad Mishra, his assistant and saw a message from Pushkar.

From: Pushkar

Bhaiya, main jaanta hoon apne Sumo ka number nahi save kiya hoga. This is a reminder for you to save the number. Have an awesome day!

He laughed and clicked on add contact and typed S-U-M-A-N and hit the save.

"Suman!", he whispered and chuckled remembering her phone conversation this morning with his father and Lala ji and zoomed away to the office.