From upstairs, standing besides the pillar, DM watched his family, chatting, working and enjoying themselves in the holiday spirit. Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way, Suraj sang off-key along with the CD-player as he handed the popcorns to Ba and Champakali for the garland that would go around the huge 8ft Christmas tree that Hiten, Shashank and Maulik had brought inside the house. Toral along with Kaddu was making a list of things that needed to be done before Christmas. His friend Rasik and brother-in-law Kanji were talking and laughing about something while untangling the lights from Diwali. Motiben was in the corner grumbling and scowling like a child, as she watched everyone and made faces. "Nanaka, I will not participate in this holiday, as it's not in our culture." Toral and others' faces fell but Kanji stepped in and said:. "Taru you can watch in the corner. Don't listen to your Taru Foi. She is grumpy and sad because she wasn't nice this year, and Santa won't visit her with presents". DM smiled to himself at the way Kanjibbhai dealth with Motiben with humor and firmness.
"Chalo Birwa lets go and get some sweets made" Bapuji said and almost dragged Birwa to the kitchen before Ba could say something. In the kitchen Bapuji is telling the ladies Megha, Birwa and Santo about his childhood memories, as he munched on the warm gingerbread cookies followed by Christmas sugar cookies. "Santu go and give DM his tea and this cookie, while I help Birwa get these snacks out in the living room along with the tea." a smiling Meghna said to her friend. Ji Meghnaben, nodding her head, Santo prepared a tray for her hubby, while the trio exited the kitchen.
DM saw his wife come out from the kitchen holding a tray in her hands while walking up stairs. Suddenly, a mischievious idea formed in his brain and he headed toward his room, quickly before any one saw him.
Part 1
CVS: Rakhie_08, *Piku*, Mallika113, Fuzzyface, bumtrinket, soap-critic, chaila. Vrsharma, leena04, hamdasgh, Mrick
Entering her bedroom Santu saw a naked man sitting on her bed, clipping his toenails. He looked up and Santu gasped in shocked and shut her eyes. DM (clad in red kurta and pajama )said " Yay, my priya Santudi, open your eyes!"
Santu saw Hades sleeping coz he got tired of waiting for Santu. She then goes to Suraj's room. She saw Suraj licking his candy cane, and gave him that parent look. But the candy cane was giving Santu ideas. "Hmmm," she thought. "Everybody is eating decorations and sticks." Santu grabs some candy canes from the basket and takes them to DM's room and shyly gives him one to eat.
DM says: Aa shun che? What is this? Why are giving this to me? Can't you see that I am not Suraj but Suraj's father? Saav duffod che.
Santu: Malik, it is sometimes essential to become a child and enjoy oneself. Thats why i gave the candy cane to Suraj's papa and Suraj. So saying, she pops the tip of a candy cane into her mouth and savours it. DM watches her with hunger.
Then Santu drops her candy on the floor. She is all sad. DM goes n get another one for her so they can share Suddently Suraj enter into the room and asks santu to sing a lori for him.
DM gets annoyed and shoves a candy cane into his mouth and tells him to run outside and throw a ball. He turns to Santu who is giggling and says, "Yes, so where were we?" Then Suraj says that he is very sleep now he can't play with ball. by saying this he will jump on to the bed and sleeps there only. DM see towards SANTU with disappointed eyes. Suddenly there is a knock on the door Birwa comes and tells that, she is not feeling (suffering with fever) well today. So she want her mother (santu) to sleep with her.
Khaddu comes to take Suraj away and asks Birwa to come along and then she shuts the door behind her.
DM looks at Santu wickedly and says "Aaayyy Santuurrri"....... he twirling his mouche, and the twinkle in his eyes....awww. But this is interrupted by another knock on door SANRAJ is siting on bad.
DM is angry and goes to open the door. He sees Birwa and she is back to their room.
DM shocked, he asked her what happen? She runs towards Santu and tells her some thing in her ear. Then Santu take her inside and tell her some thing. After that she takes birwa along with there to their room and ask her also to sleep with them. (as a perfect mother, who gives first priority to their kids)
DM smiling towards SANTU(actually he proud on her)He tells SANTU he going out to look out of preparation.
Santu: what preparation? She looks at DM, and thinks while he is thinking also. He tells her that, he need to look for suitable alternate place where he can have a sound sleep. Santu: Maalik storeroom is safe and sound place. No one will distrub you there, expect mice and lizards.
DM says" Don't you miss the Village pond" with a twinkle in his eyes..."I am going there for a swim"
Santu tells him that No I am not. Now I am thinking exactly what i am for you. you can go there and have a nice swim. But take a mosquito coil and match box along with you, if you have plans to sleep there and Santu continues by saying I bid you gud night! Oh from now on I am sleeping with Suraj only.
DM looks at her. Santu (sweetly) don't forget the sleeping bags. Yawns Good night Maalik I am sleepy. Tomorrow the girls and i made Christmas shopping plans
DM: Good santudi........and don't forget me when you are buying something............alright malik..............also buy red saree because you look sunder in it.........( Santu all shy)...............ji malik
Part 2
CVS Ayushi, Vrsharma, Maalika 113, *Piku* Fuzzy Face hamdasgh, bumtrinket
Next scene at the shopping mall.......Kaddu: Santu can you try this dress?
Santu: No NO I cant its all ripped from many sides
Kaddu: its a fashion and dad will love it, Happy Christmas.
Santu: he will love this ? gaps, no i think he will have high blood pressure.
Kadu: it's a fashion and dad will love it
Santu says that no matters how good it is, i am not at all going to wear this dress
Santu buys DM some books. The books are " How to apologize to your wife" and "How to treat your wife- for dummies and " How to stick with your wife" She wraps these books in gift paper and puts them under the tulsi plant until Christmas morning. Unkown to her DM bought her similar gifts, "How to Call your Husband" He also bought her a cassette recorder and radio/cd player for Suraj.
Meanwhile the guys are cooking breakfast
Santu runs in to the kitchen and tries to peak in to the pots to see what the boys are preparing DM looks at her sternly but with a twinkle in his eye and says today i will prepare "dall dhokle" as i know only that
Kaddu: Shanky I want some Kachoris please.
Shanky says, "Kaddu, no kachoris for you today! You are getting too close to Khemi and I don't like it!" Kaddu makes a long face and complains to DM by saying "Papa, Khemi is my bhabi, right?" and DM answers Khemi is your babhi right? But Shashank is your hubby right? You should not maintain any relation, which Shashank doesn't like
DM: I also want you to stick with Santu, and not be Ping-Pong between the two sisters.
Khemi who is in the background listens to this n plots to separate Santu and DM.
Meanwhile the girls play dress up. Santu is wearing a long maxi dress while Khemi is sulking. Then Kaddu ask Khemi to try on the pregnant gown she bought for her. Khemi knows that the pregnent dress won't suits her, as her pregnancy was not true. It's a fake one to get attention from other family members and to stay back in m-mansion
DM comes, grasb Santu by the hand, takes her upstairs, shuts the bedrooms door behind them, looks at her in the eye & says seriously bheja maa akkal nathi ke? (Do you have mind your head or not)
Santu: Kya hua Maalik?
DM: what are you wearing? You should wear proper dress as you are a Malkin of Dharampur. But you can wear this dress when we will go for honeymoon
To which Santu says, "But Maalik, every day in this house is like a honeymoon for me - I get screwed over and over."
DM: Besharam. Atleast you should wear it inside our room. Don't go out from this by wearing this kind of dress. Mera ijjathka bhi kuch kayal ker. Me Dharampur ka malik hu.
Then Santu says well I am thinking of a make over Malik coz I am young but I don't expect you to understand fashion at your old age.
DM: "I've never cared about fashion neither when i was young nor now !
I'm always handsome & good looking.... girls gets dizzy seeing me in my OLD black kurta.... so is you " he gets closer "can you deny ????"
Then he sneezes and can't find a hanky to wipe his nose. Santu tells him to wash his hands. "This is how germs spread, Maalik," she says. "This house will soon be infected if you don't take care."
Part 3 CVS Anna44, Mallika113, soap-critic , fuzzy face, vrsharma, chaila, bumtrinket
Santu runs to the Tulsi plant and brings her packages for DM! DM is suprised and smiling. They both go upstairs to their room, DM sits down on the bed with his legs stretched out, hands behind his head. Santu runs over to him and smilingly gives her gifts. DM grabs her hands and makes her sit next to him and kisses both her cheeks loudly. Santu is blushing like a beet root, but says "Maalik, open the gifts that I got for you". DM excitedly opens the books Santu got for him about being a better husband He reads the titles and starts to .........twirl his mooches. He gets up from the bed and starts pacing up and down the asks Santu "Do you think I need to read books on how to be a husband?' He then walks up to Subhi portrait and starts his monologue with her.
He asks the portrait should i take 101 classes on how to be a Perfect husband, and Anger management classes?
He turns to Santu and says: "Chal Santudi, let us go and ask Ba-Bapuji if Subhi ever mentioned to them that I needed 101 or anger management classes."
"Ave ubhi ubhi maaru modhu shu juve che? Chaal ave."
Santu says "No Maalik, it should be between husband and wife. Now you tell me what I need to learn and I will do it for you if you read these books for me. Kaddu helped me to select them! I hope that you are not upset about this."
DM turns to Santu and says what you need to learn Santudi is to have a spine and stand up for yourself. Speak up when you are being bullied and injustice is done towards you. Don't keep taking everything in and just keep quite.
Then Santu asks him that, why are you not asking our children to call me as mom, when they accepted me as mother?
Santu says, "You are right Raj, I am not going to call you maalik anymore. You are my husband, not my boss From now on, I will stand up for myself. Nobody will take advantage of me anymore, not even you!"
DM smiles and says anyway Dm says Raj hmmm Raj ... I like that.
You can call me Raj, Santuudi. Eh Sannttuudii, really?
What about the cricket team?
Santu blushes and says, "I'd like to get in a little practice before I make my cricketing debut. I saw an ad on TV and asked Meghna-ben about it and now I'm on the pill. Surprise!"
DM says, " Very good idea, Santu! Practice makes perfect" Santu blushes and says that it was all Meghnaben's idea. DM says that next time he sees Meghna, he will thank her. Santu then rushes and says, "oh, no, Raj. Please don't!!!!" DM twirls his moochi and says that he was just joking.
Santu says in that case I think I will go and see if Suraj is settled in.
Good night Raj :p
DM: 'Goodnight Santudi".
After Santu leaves DM says to himself: So Santudi wants to play games. Hmmmm.........Well then, let the games begin.😉
