"Adi! Adi kahan hai aap? Zoya's voice rang through the halls. Sharp sounds of stilettoes echoed throughout, as she frantically searched each room that she passed, looking for her beloved husband, who had seemed to disappear. Managing the fall of her Saree, she huffed in annoyance.
Zoya: "Already itna late ho gaye hain. Aur inhe bhi abhi gayab hona tha. Ya Allah! Kya karun main inka?
She had checked the entire house, which was no small task mind you! In fact, with a house so massive, Zoya had given up her gym membership. Arrey, looking after her man-child and running through the entire house was no less than an entire schedule of cardio. And to think that she did this on a daily basis!
A thought suddenly struck Zoya, and she turned around to go to Arjun's room. Sure, there they were, both the brothers engrossed in their X-Box. Zoya stood their for a full 3 minutes, waiting for either of them to notice her. But both her lovely Dewar and her adorable Pati-dev were so focused on their game, that they didn't even realise that someone had entered, much less that the someone' was waiting to gain their attention.
"uhm, uhm Zoya fake-cleared her throat, hoping to attract their attention. No response. She tried again and met the same result. Finally, a little irritated, she picked up the third remote control, and paused the game. And that, ladies and gentlemen, got both the Hooda Brothers' attention.
Arjun: "Bhabi aap?
Aditya: "Zoya, tum kab aayi came the voices of both Arjun and Adi at the same time.
Zoya gave a smile, a sickly sweet one, which was more than enough indication for both the brothers to know that they were in trouble. Major trouble.
Zoya: "Haan Arjun, main. Aur kaun hoga? And Pati-dev, agar aap bhool gaye hon to yaad dila dein hum aapko ke humein ek event pe jaana hai? Aur aap ki mahaan harkaton ki badaulat hum pehle se hi late ho chuke hain. Ab aap please uthne ka kasht karenge?
Aditya: "Zoyaaa... yaar tumhe pata hai mujhe ye sab events mein jaana bilkul pasand nahi hai. Tum akeli chali jao na? vaise bhi main vahan jaa ke bore hi hunga
Zoya: "Bilkul nahi. Ye event jaisa bhi ho, aapko humaare saath chalna hoga. Aap bhi jaante hain ke humein ye parties pasand nahi lekin hum vahan par "ZoYa ko represent karne jaa rahe hain. Aur business ke liye ye sab zaroori hai.
Aditya: "Haan to "Zoya to tumhaara naam hai na. tum kaafi ho representation ke liye
Zoya: "Aap bhi jaanta hain ke ye "Zoya nahi "ZoYa hai. Zoya aur Aditya. Aditya please na. aap apni ye silly si X-Box ke liye humaare saath itni na-insaafi nahi kar sakte.
Aditya: "Hello Madam. Tumhe pata bhi hai ke ye kaunsi game hai? World of Violence 3. Sabse tough game hai ye x-box ki! Khair tumhe kaise pata hoga. kabhi khela ho tab pata chale na. Silly game'!
Zoya: "Humaare paas ladne ka time nahi hai. Aap aa rahe hain aur ye final hai. Hum neeche jaa rahe hain, aa jaayiye.
"Zoyaa!! Aditya whined at her retreating back, making a face. Turning to Arjun, "teri bhabi naa...! Main nahi jaa raha. Thoda intazaar karegi phir khud hi chali jayegi
Arjun: "Dekh lo bhai. High-society event hai. Bahut log honge vahan. Arre aapko vo yaad hai? Subhanshu Misra? Gratitude events vala? Arre vahi jisne Bhabi ko ek baar aapki shaadi se pehle date ke liye poocha tha? Vo bhi hoga vahan. Vaise yaad hai jab bhabi ne kaha tha k vo engaged hain to usne kya kaha tha? Arre lekin shaadi to nahi huyi na?' hahahha. Kaise kaise log hain na duniya mein. Vo bhi companies ke CEOs. Khair anyway, ab to shaadi ho gayi hai. Game resume karun?
Arjun looked at the seething figure of his brother, face contorted into a death-glare expression, and smirked. Arjun mentally speaking to himself: Bhai aap jo bhi keh lo. Aapki possessive streak ke liye aap shayari competition tak Zoya bhabi ka peecha karte karte chale jayeinge. Vaise bahut ajeeb baat hai. Pooja ke liye kabhi aap possessive nahi the. Pyaar dono se kiya aapne, lekin ye protective streak sirf Zoya Bhabi ke liye hai aap mein. Shayad unki innocence ki vajah se? Pata nahi.'
Aditya: "Arjun, tu... Tujhe kya bahaana banaun, chodh, main...
Arjun: "... Zoya bhabi ke saath jaa raha hun. I know bhai. Go
And with that Aditya rushed out to spend the evening at a boring-as-hell event, accompanying his wife to keep all those dumb-hatters with their drooling mouths away from his wife. Half an hour into the party, he was glad he came. You see, "ZoYa was huge. The success that the company had garnished over the 2 years that Zoya had been handling it was magnificent. Almost EVERYONE knew Zoya, and would come over to say hi, if they knew her, or introduce themselves. Now, Aditya was a part of ZoYa, yes, but a silent one. He would help out in events, attend meetings, look over the finances (because that was something that Zoya, for the love of God, could never do! So, she happily handed that department to first her partner, then her fianc, and finally her husband. One man, different roles.) Zoya was the face of the company, so naturally, she is who people recognised. And honestly, Aditya was happy to take the back-seat. For one, it was Zoya's hard-work that built ZoYa. Secondly, his wife deserved her success and he was happy just as a proud husband. Thirdly, he was a pilot. That was his passion, his profession, not an event management company. However, at parties/events like these, it was a little bit of a nuisance. Not because people would recognise Zoya and not him. God no. he was not that shallow! But because people, read: men, would come over, talk to her, and discover that she was a confident, kind, amazing human, successful and of course beautiful. She was a full package. And naturally, they coveted her. That's when Aditya would slide into the conversation, smoothly, keeping an arm around Zoya's waist, pulling her close into him and giving her a wide smile, which would be returned by his wife with a heart-warming one of her own. That little exchange, ladies and gentlemen, would be enough to show anyone and everyone, that this woman was taken, and in a never-to-be-returned way.
When they returned home, both Zoya and Adi changed out of their clothes into more comfortable ones.
"Thank you. Humaare saath aane ke liye. Zoya smiled at him.
"arre mujhe to aana hi tha. Tumne choice chodi thi koi? Tumhaari vajah se itni mushkil level ko beech mein chod ke aaya. Sharam karo kuch Aditya's witty reply was always at the tip-of his tongue, and it was time to shut him up, Zoya mused.
"acha suno? Chalo mere saath. Zoya dragged him out of their room, down to Arjun's and knocked on the door.
"Yeah? came Arjun's reply, giving Zoya the okay to open the door and go inside, dragging Aditya along with her.
Zoya: "Sorry Arjun. Disturb kiya kya?
Arjun: "Arre of course not Bhabi. Vaise aap iss ghar ki iklauti sadasya hain jo mere kamre mein knock karke aati hain. baki sab to bina bulaye kabhi bhi ghus aate hain. bhai, dad, mom. Privacy naam ki to cheez hi nahi hai iss ghar mein
Aditya: "oh Hello?!
Arjun: "what oh hello'. Yaad nahi jab aap Zoya bhabi se shuru mein mile the aur ek din vo ghum ho gayi thi? Jis din terrace pe phas gayi thi? Raat ko 2:30 baje aake mujhe driver-duty ke liye le ke gaye the aap. Aur phir jab aap dono vo Bella event ke baad jail gaye the? Tab Dad ne aa ke mujhe utha ke driver-duty pe laga diya. Aur to aur, mom to na jaane kab kab ghus aati hain mere kamre mein jaise ke kamra nahi garden ho. bas ek bhabi hain mere side pe.
Zoya: (looking at Adi lovingly) uss din aap aaye the humein bachaane?
Aditya: "Bhabi ka chamcha. Chup kar. Tujhe to koi baat pet mein rakhni aati hi nahi. Aur madam. Aaya nahi tha aana padha. Agar tumhe kuch ho jata to...
Arjun: "toh bhai ka kya hota? Haina Bhai? (winking)
Aditya: "ha. Ha. Ha. Hasun? Nahi. To vo inspector mujhe jail mein daal deta. Vaise bhi tumhaara sabse bada shubhchintak main hi tha un dinon mein. Vaise Bhabi-Dewar milaap ho gaya ho to bataogi ke kyu laayi ho yahan?
Zoya: "oh haan. Arjun, X-box lagao. World of Violence 3. Tumhaare Bhai ko khelna sikhaate hain
Arjun and Aditya stared at her as if she'd grown a third head. On being prompted, Arjun got off the bed to set up the game and attached the three consoles to the system. The three of them, Zoya, Aditya and Arjun sat down on the bean-bags and concentrated on the game. Within the first half-hour, Arjun was out of the game. And in the following 15 minutes, Aditya's shout of horror was heard through the room. Thankfully the parents were out for the night, or else they would have surely got a heart-attack with the sound of sheer terror that escaped out of Adi. Zoya had very cleanly sneaked up on him (virtually) and eradicated his character with one smooth blow. Both Arjun and Aditya stared at Zoya in disbelief, while she put down her control calmly and looked at both the boys.
Zoya: "and that, my boys, is how you do it.
Arjun: "Bhabi.. what... where... how?
Aditya: "Hum ek doosre ko 2.5 saal se jaante hain. 2 saal se dost hain. 1.5 saal se lovers and 6 maheene se married. Mujhe kaise nahi pata tha k tum Xbox khelti ho. aur itni mahaan ho usmein?! Dhoka Zoya!
Zoya: "oh please. Koi dhoka nahi tha ye. Shauhar-biwi mein element of surprise hona chahiye. Aapne kabhi poocha hi nahi isliye humne bataaya nahi. Vaise humein khele huye bhi kafi waqt ho gaya hai.
Arjun: "But how bhabi! That was Epic! Kahan pe seekha aapne?
Zoya: "Arjun, hum 5 saal ke liye shaadi-shuda the ek aise insaan ke saath vo Monday-Thursday Mumbai mein aur Friday-Sunday Mussoorie mein hote the. Bahut free time tha humaare paas. Aapko kya lagta hai? Hum poora time pottery karte the?
She gave them a this-is-not-surprising look.
Zoya: "khair, ab aap dono apne muh band kar sakte hain. humein sirf ye sabit karna tha ke aurat hone ke matlab ye nahi ke humein gaming samajh nahi aati. Aapko haraana humaare bayein haath ka khel hai Mr Hoodas. Vo koi bhi field ho.
Arjun: "I love you.
Aditya: "oye! Bhabi hai teri
Arjun: "mera matlab vahi tha. I love you bhabi
Aditya: "Chal ab nikal. Be a good boy and bhai bhabi ko akela chodh de. Humaari shaadi ko zyaada time nahi hua hai abhi. Itna to tujhe khud samajhna chahiye.
Arjun: "kya nikal? Kamra mera hai bhai.
Aditya: "haan to pehle bolta na. Chalein Mrs Zoya Hooda? Aapke baare mein abhi bahut kuch pata karna baaki hai, aisa mujhe lag raha hai. Aur main time waste karne mein vishwaas nahi rakhta.
Zoya: "Goodnight Arjun. (Whispering to Adi) "Good. Rakhna bhi nahi chahiye.
Xoxo - Sanjana
Anupamaa
