Chapter 4

Shravan sat in his cabin late in the evening glancing through his files when he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in!", he called out.

"Sir! It's 6.30 pm. I'm leaving now. You should go too!", informed Mishra ji, his assistant.

Shravan looked at his wrist watch.

"You carry on Mishra ji. I'll just finish a bit more work and then go home.", informed Shravan.

"Okay sir.", he replied and walked out.

Shravan quickly read through a few more papers and signed them and walked over to the locker and placed them safely and secured the lock. He then picked up his briefcase and phone from the table and walked out of his cabin to the parking lot.

He checked his phone and saw his mother's text message.

From: Maa

"Don't forget to text Suman. She will be back home by 7 and I don't know what time you intend to finish your work and get back."

Shravan smiled.

"Maa bhi na!", he chuckled.

He saw the time on his phone.

6.45 pm

"Thodi der baad message kar dunga to kya jayega?", he wondered and sat in his car and zoomed back home.

Malhotra Mansion (Mumbai)

"Badi Maa! Kya hua?", asked Pushkar looking at her pacing back and forth in the hall.

"Shravan abhi tak nahi aaya. 7 baj chuke hain!", said Nirmala.

"Zyada kaam pad gaya hoga Badi Maa. Why are you worrying so much? Bhaiya comes late many a times but I've never seen you so worried.", replied Pushkar wondering what was wrong.

"Aaj usse Suman se baat karni thi Pushkar!", informed Kamini.

"Really? Shaadi fix ho gayi?", squealed Pushkar.

"Agar wo Suman se baat kare to!", replied Nirmala with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't worry! Just wait till..", he trailed off as he heard Shravan's car pull over in the parking.

Within minutes Shravan walked in the house to be greeted by his mother's questionnaire.

"Shravan! Itna late kaise ho gaya? Tumne Suman ko message kiya? Kya kaha usne? Baat karli tumne? Batao na? Arey bolo bhi ab!", she chattered.

"Maa, relax!", he announced and held her by her shoulder and made her sit on the couch.

"Main abhi message karunga change karke. Aur aap, mere room mein nahi aayengi!", he ordered.

"Kyun?", pouted Nirmala.

"Maa! Main comfortable nahi rahunga! Please understand. Agar mujhe contract discuss karna hota to alag baat thi. Ye shaadi ki baat chal rahi hai yahan!", replied Shravan trying to make his mother understand his point of view.

Shravan looked over to Pushkar for help.

"Badi Maa! Bhaiya will manage! Please aap tension mat lo.", said Pushkar.

"Fine! As you like it!", replied Nirmala shrugging her shoulders.

Shravan sighed and walked over to his room.

"Pushkar! You are also not allowed till I don't say!", said Shravan.

Pushkar laughed, "Samajh gaya bhaiya, but am I allowed to call Sumo and tease her?"

"No!", he annouonced.

"Oooh.. Abhi se possessive!", teased Pushkar.

"Shut up", Shravan rolled his eyes and locked the door of his room. He pulled his tie neatly and hung it in his wardrobe and unbuttoned his shirt and got out of it. He picked up his towel and walked over to the bathroom to have a quick shower after the long tiring day.

Tiwari Qila (Delhi)

It was 7.45 pm, when Suman had walked out of her bathroom in her night suit after a nice bubble bath. The fruity aroma spread in her room.

"Suman? Dinner?", called Manju.

"Nahi Maami ji! We had snacks in the Annual function. I'm full. Aap khaalo. I'm going to sleep now!", she announced and went over to bed and lay down.

Suddenly her phone beeped. She picked it up and saw and unknown number.

From: +919887944610

"Hi! Are you free to speak now? - Shravan"

She smiled and saved the number on her phone and further replied to the message, "Yes"

And finally, the most awaited phone conversation took place.

Shravan hit the call button and cleared his throat. It rang on the other end and within 2 rings the call was greeted by silence.

"Hello!", he said.

Suman smiled at the other end hearing his voice.

"Hi! How are you?", she asked rather nervously.

"I'm good. You?", he replied.

"I'm fine! Thank you!", she replied.

There was silence yet again.

"Umm.. Main nahi jaanti humein kya baat karni chahiye.", confessed Suman.

"Same here! This is all very new to me!", replied Shravan with equal honesty.

Silence yet again.

"Aapko mere bare mein jaanna tha na? Papa bata rahe the!", he said.

"Jee wo Ramnath uncle se meri baat hui thi kal raat iss bare mein. I don't have a problem in getting married Shravan par kya aapko nahi lagta ke ek phone conversation ke baad aisa decision lena impossible hai?", asked Suman genuinely.

Shravan smiled at the way she said his name.

"I agree! And aap mujhe tum keh sakti hain!", he said.

"Aap.. I mean, tum bhi.", she smiled.

"How can we take a decision of living together our entire lives with just one phone call.", replied Shravan.

"Hmmm..", she hummed.

"Tumhe abhi ke liye jo jaanna hai.. You can ask me.", he said.

"Main tumhare bare mein bas itna jaanti hoon ke tum uncle ke saath unka law firm handle karte ho. Ab tumhe mujhe apne bare mein jo batana hai, tum bata sakte ho.", she replied.

"Ummm.. Mujhe books padhne ka shauk hai. I love cleanliness. Mujhe zyada shor nahi pasand. Cricket dekhne ka shauk hai agar free time miley. I'm really passionate about my work. Maa kehti hai ke main ek workaholic hoon. Well, hoon to hoon!", he said and let out a chuckle in the end.

Suman giggled.

"Well, books padhne ka shauk to mujhe bhi hai. I love watching movies. I too want my surroundings to be clean but cleanliness freak nahi hoon. Mujhe gaane sunne ka bohot shauk hai.  I absolutely love love love cooking so I'm passionate about my work too. Main ek orphanage mein catering service chalati hoon.", she replied.

"That's nice. So, what if we get married. Tumhare kaam ka kya hoga?", he asked concerned.

"Iss bare mein socha nahi hai. But, mera staff yahan manage kar lega aur issi bahane mujhe expand karne ka mauka mil jaayega..", she said.

"Okay! Hum ek doosre ke bare mein jaan to gaye but do you think this is enough?", he asked.

"Not at all! We should talk a few more times. See how compatible we are. And if possible, we should meet in person too.", she replied.

"Maine tumhari pictures dekhi hai, Pushkar ke facebook par.", he smiled.

"Maine bhi.", she replied.

"Aur?", he asked expecting her to say something.

"Aur kya?", she asked.

"Main tumhe kaisa lagta hoon?", he asked smirking a little awaiting her response.

"Tum ache ho.. Tumse baat karna bohot hi easy hai. Par, sirf wo to kaafi nahi.", she replied genuinely.

"Tum bhi and I agree.. humein do teen baar phone par baat karna chahiye. Probably over the next few days.", he smiled.

"Hmm.. so good night!", she wished.

Good night! Uhhh Suman..", he trailed off.

"Haan?", she replied smiling at the way her name sounded in his husky voice.

"Kal bhi issi time call karoon to chalega?", he asked.

"Chalega! Bye!", she said smiling.

"Bye!", he replied and waited for her to cut the call and soon it was disconnected.

He quickly went to his facebook and searched for Suman Tiwari' and clicked on her profile picture and smiled. He quickly sent her a friend request.

"Beautiful!", he said unknowingly and walked out of his room to get some dinner.

Suman lay down on her bed when her phone buzzed. She saw a facebook notification. She smiled as she saw his friend request and accepted the same.

She kept her phone aside and switched off her night lamp and snuggled into her cozy blanket, drifting off to sleep.

--

Suman sat in the cafeteria reading a book since it was her free hour and suddenly her phone rang.

"Sumooo!", sang Pushkar as soon as she answered her phone.

"Kya hai Pushkar? Mujhe chain se book bhi padhne nahi dega.", she complained.

"Arey yaar, bata na tu ne bhaiya se kya baat ki?", he asked as he walked into his bhaiya's cabin at the law firm as he was to have lunch with him that afternoon but found it empty.

"Bas yunhi, general baatein ki thi.", she replied.

Pushkar settled on the sofa, "General baatein matlab?"

"Tujhse matlab?", she countered.

"Arey, tu meri dost hai yaar.", he said.

"Asli baat bol. I know tu ne mujhse meri aur Shravan ki baaton ke baare mein poochhne ke liye phone nahi kiya hai.", she announced.

"Kitni intelligent hai yaar tu.", he replied.

"Bachpan se.", she giggled.

"Yaar, mujhe na Preeti bohot pasand hai.", he said.

"Tu jaanta hai na ke wo meri behen hai?", she replied.

"Obviously, isliye to tujhe phone kiya. Mujhe uske baare mein sab kuch bata de please!", he requested.

"Pushkar, jaake padh le aur mera peechha chhod. Main tujhe kuch nahi batane waali.", she said.

Pushkar made a face and Shravan entered his cabin.

"Sumo yaar! Tu bohot boring hai. Ja aur apni boring si book padh.", he sighed making Shravan wonder what he was speaking to Suman about.

"Bye Pushkar!", she laughed.

Shravan glared at Pushkar and snatched his phone putting it on loudspeaker and heard Suman laugh. He smiled looking at which Pushkar smirked at him.

"Aur has meri haalat pe.", he complained.

"Pushkar, tu jaake padhta kyun nahi hai? Aur Preeti ke baare mein mujhse kya jaanna chahta hai? Tu aur Preeti to dost ho.", she said.

"Yaar, kuch aisi baat jo mujhe na pata ho.", he said.

"Jaakar ussi se poochhle.", she laughed again.

"Sumooo!", he whined.

"Sumo, dinner ke liye kya banana hai?", came Preeta, her sous chef.

"Ek second ruk Pushkar.", she said and turned to Preeta.

"Baingan ka bharta, dal aur paratha and aaj mitthai mein sooji ka halwa.", she ordered.

"Theek hai par sooji khatam ho gaya hai.", replied Preeta.

"Main Ramesh ji ko call karke order kar deti hoon. Tu baaki dekhle aur kal saamaan ki list bana dena.", she said.

"Chal tu jaake kaam kar. Main aur pareshan nahi karunga aur bhaiya ko teri taraf se hi bhi bol dunga.", chuckled Pushkar.

"Pagal insaan.", she muttered rolling her eyes.

"Bye.", she said and cut the call closing her book getting back to work.

--

After his lunch with Pushkar, Shravan sat in the conference room studying a new case for a property in the outskirts of Mumbai, close to the National Highway. Once he finished going through all the documents, he told Mishra ji to get in touch with the client for the additional documents needed for the case..

He walked to his cabin and loosened his tie and slouched on his chair. He picked up his phone and opened his call list to tell Pushkar that he may be late tonight as he had to study another urgent case but his eyes fell on the name that brought a smile.

"Mujhe Suman ko batana chahiye that I might not be able to call her tonight!", he thought to himself.

"Message karoon ya directly call karoon?", he questioned in his mind when he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in!", he called out.

Mishra ji walked in, "Sir! Client ko bata diya hai. He will arrange the additional documents in a week. And that other client, divorce case wala, he will come by 7.30pm." he informed.

Shravan just nodded and Mishra ji walked out. He then picked his phone and swiped on her name to make a call.

*Ring Ring*

*Ring Ring*

*Ring Ring*

*Ring Ring*

*Ring Ring*

The call got disconnected. Shravan scrunched his eyebrows.

"Pata nahi kya kar rahi hogi!", he wondered and within a few seconds his phone rang. He smiled at seeing the caller. He picked up the call.

"Hi!", he said.

"Hi!", she said ever so sweetly.

"I hope I did not disturb you?", he asked.

"No no.. I was just going through the inventory.", she informed.

"Oh! And lunch?", he asked.

"Had it an hour ago.", she smiled.

"I had mine before my meeting!", he replied.

"How was the meeting?", she asked, not knowing where the conversation was heading.

"Okay! Usual.", he replied with a chuckle.

She smiled and there was silence.

"You had called. Anything important?", she asked.

"Umm.. yeah.. Actually I have a client coming to meet me at 7.30 today so I may not be able to call then. May be later in the night or tomorrow!", he said.

"That's fine! I'll be late today since the inventory has to be ordered tomorrow. Need to go through all the stuff in the storage.", she informed.

"Oh, okay. Be safe and text me once you reach home.", he said.

"I will.", she replied with a faint blush rising her cheek.

"Suman.. What time do you generally hit the bed?", he blurted out the question that he has been waiting to ask.

"Umm.. Depends. I slept extremely early yesterday coz of the Annual Function. Otherwise I'm up till 11, 12 o' clock!", she replied.

"Fine then I'll call you then!", he replied in a calm voice.

"Alright! I'll talk to you later then.", she said.

"Yup! Until tonight then.", he said.

"Until tonight.", she said and cut the call.