Chapter 7 - The Phonecall
“Anujjj!”
“Bhai?”
Coming back to the present, Anuj was faced with the two confused faces of his family. Obviously, he’s missed something. “Huh? Sorry What?”
“Bhai! Aap kaha Kho gaye? Aap kuch bolo na!”
“Anuj Beta, tum kaise feel kar rahe ho?”
They were both obviously concerned about his impending return to loneliness.
“Arre yaar! Mukku, Mummy! Can you both please relax… I am okay! I am okay! Yehi sahi hai. Main bus khush hoon ki mujhe ye waqt mila aap subke saath. Mukku tu wapis aagayee. Anu bhi thi hamare saath. Isse zyaada kya, maine to yea bhi nahi expect Kia tha. Toh mai theek hoo! You two relax!”
Both looked at him with utter confusion… “thi? Anu THI BHAI? Honestly Bhai. You have already given up, you are useless!” With that Mukku threw her hands up in the air with frustration and left the room muttering to herself.
GK, equally baffled came closer to him, peering into his “Anuj, tu sacchi mai theek hai mun?”
Smiling lightly, he tried to assure him, his bubbling guilt translating as feigned surety, “Yes GK! It’s ok! We still work together. She is in my life. We are still friends. That’s enough for me”. Well, that’s not all we are but I can’t tell you that yet mummy!
Giving him a quizzical look, GK also muttered as he shuffled out of the room.
Oof. That was a tough one Anuj! Clearing his glasses and settling his heart, he smiled as he turned to his phone to call Anu.
“Hello?” Anu’s breathless voice rang sweetly through the phone.
“Anu? Tum teek toh ho na?”
“Haan haan. Main theek hoon. Abhi ek dance class khatam ki thi. Voh… naiy waali jo auruto ki fitness key liye start ki hai. Usme torah zaada josh lagta hai ne…to bus….”
“Oh haan! That’s amazing Anu! Kaise thi? Kitne students aye? Mujhe lagta hai ki tumne ye wali class start karke bohot accha kiya hai. So women can get fit and have fun. That’s amazing! I’m so proud of you! Bataao, kaise laga participants ko….” He rattled off…
“Are Arrey… bas kijiye Question Kapardia! Pahle saans toh lejiye aur mujhe bhi lene deejiye!”
Blushing slightly, “Oh haan Anu. Sorry, accha tum mujhe ghar par batana ok? Waise bhi I want to know about your travel plans. Pehele ghar chhor kar jaarahi ho, aur phir sheher chhor kar”. His pout almost audible.
Chuckling, Anu said, “Haan baba main bataungi. Shaam ko bata dungi. Kuch hi din ki baath hai na. Bohot bada competition hai. I have to go!”
Pouting still, “Haan haan Anu. Aur mera kya hoga. Tumhare bagair? Tum Kaiti ho ki Kuch hi din ki baath hai. Tumhe to koi farak hi nahi parta na? Mai yaha akele tumhare bina jiyu ya maru”.
Anu, suddenly enraged… “Anuj! Aap bacche hai kya! Kaisi baatain kar rehe hai! Don’t say anything like that ever ok?! Nahi toh no Choco fudge for a Month!”
“Arre Anu, main yaha cute hone ki koshish kar raho hoon aur aur tum daant rahi ho. Waise bhi meri favourite cheez ban kardi, aur ab Choco Fudge ko bhi. Ye kya hai yaar?!”
“Aap aise baatein karenge toh daant hi padi gi. Koi cute vute nahi hai aap”. Hah! What a lie Anu… “Aur waise bhi… kaunsi hai ye favorite cheez jo maine band kardi?” Anu honestly had no idea what he was talking about.
Silent for a beat, Anuj simple said, “tum”.
No Anu! Be strong! Don’t let him get you mixed up so easily. Fighting to keep her strict visage, she said, “maine ka na, don’t try and be cute! Aap ye sub bolke mujhe rukne keliye manaa nahi sakte”
“But Anuuuu….” A dramatic whine, followed by a huskier tone “Jaan, when you are in my arms, it feels like I can finally finally breath properly. Tumhari khushboo mera oxygen hai. Tum meri jeene ki wajha….main kaise rahunga, tumhe dekhe bahgair, tumhe chhooe bahgair.”
Now she was out of breath for an entirely different reason.
No chance of survival Anu. It had not even been full day and his words were already overwhelmed her… he overwhelmed her…
“A… a… Anuj!” She could barely think… “yeh aap…ky… Erm…. Waise bhi, aap bhi toh jarahe hai na?! Toh phir?” Distraction her only hope.
Hrumffff. He could not win with this woman. He mumbled… “haaan, main bhi jarahahoo.” Slightly kicking the floor with toes a few times. “Only for a few days! And it Doesn’t mean I won’t miss you like crazy”.
“Haan t…toh maine kab kaha ki mai nahi karungi… miss. Bohot bohot bohot zyada.” Her cheeks coloured all too quickly.
Blushing himself at her response, he whispered, yearning reassurance, “really?”
Anu smiled softly at his innocence, “haan! Aapse bhi zyaada!” Gathering courage as she blushed profusely, turning a deep pink, “apke ghar se jaake, competition ke liye jaake, a…aur aapke bahoon se toh sabse zyaada jaake”. Her hand instinctively going to the bridge of her nose, not that anyone was around to see her. Clearing her throat, she felt the need to steer the conversation, lest it completely derail and leave her a complete mess “Aaaaurrr…. Erm…. Aapne bhas aise hi flirt karne ke liye phone kiya tha ya koi aur baat thi?”
Anuj, still dum struck by her open words, took a second to respond… “ha…haa. Vo hai ki…. Erm…. Voh hai ki… haan! Voh hai ki maine Mukku aur GK to batadiya ki tum kal jaarahi ho.”
“Oh no, how did they react?” Unhe kitna bura laga hoga…” Anu was immediately worried.
“Haah, they were not happy obviously. Mukku admitted that she asked because she wanted to push us to you know… do exactly what we did” both smiling “they are very confused why I’m letting you go. That you want to stay. They think I should do something to stop you”.
“Haan waise hain toh aap bholuraam” Anu laughed
Anuj frowned and said in a mock grumpy voice, “dekho Anu, tum mera aise mazaak udaogi toh mai tumhe abhi aake mandir lejaonga”
Anu laughed, “Arrey aise kaise, ye kya gunda gardi hai? What happened to mister no-umeed zone Kapadia?”
“Haan haan huslo huslo! Main bhi tumhe dekh loonga” he grumbled.
With laughter still in her voice she faked an apology, “Accha sorri baba.” And then got a bit serious, “waise Mukku aur Kaka ko zyaada tension to nahi hui ne? Unko bura to nahi lage?”
“Nahi Anu. Woh dono theek hai. I mean thore frustrated hai. What can I say, I have been slow to reach you. But it’s ok. Once they know eventually and understand why we waited, they will be so happy! Till then, let’s enjoy!
“Theekche! Toh mai phir rakhti hoon. Aaj main sabke liye ek accha sa dinner banati hoon. Saath mein khaenge.”
“Bye Anu… I love you.” He didn’t want to stop talking to her
“Haan. See you later” she blushed once more. About to cut the phone.
“Are Anu ruko!…..I love you!” He was having too much fun.
She didn’t think she could blush anymore. Whispering “Hmm. Raktihoon…”
Again urgently, “Are are are ANU!”
“Haaaaan?” Honestly this man!
Huskily he said, “Main bolta rahoonga jab tak tum nahi bolo gi… I love you”
Was there any blood left in her that wasn’t burning at her cheeks?
Honestly this man… she was in the studio! Anyone could hear her! Especially with the cafe next door! Ridiculous man!
Still she couldn’t resist. Cupping her phone, she whispered… “I love you….OkAbBye!” And she rushed to close the phone. Grinning ear to ear.
Anuj, cradled his phone as if it were her and pulled it to his face to give it a kiss. “See you Anu”.
“Oh Mr Shayaar Kapadia, thora zyaada nahi horaha? Control bhai control!” He said to himself. Not that he was going to listen.
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Here is part two of this episode! Hope you enjoyed it! Please continue to share your lovely feedback! 😃
CID
