Courage & Trysts
She saw Ranjan after work, he sat on the swing with his drink, though it was a muggy 43C
"Kitne text beta?" he chuckled
"WHERE were you?" Ii asked upset
"I had my annual physical" he smiled
"U were at a hospital?" she shrieked
"No... at a clinic on Tughlaq Rd" he smiled
"Mujhe kyon nahi kaha?" she asked offended
"Because between the various Docs and all the tests and blood work it usually takes up atleast 4 hours
"How come nobody at work knew?" she argued, hands across her hips
He burst out laughing
"Coz when I block my calendar out for personal reasons I dont tell them" he explained
"How come even Sam did not know?" II actually tapped her foot
He laughed uncontrollably
"Kyon ki usko bhi nahi kaha" he smiled
"Did ur driver know?" she asked
He nodded
"Umm... unacceptable"
"Idhar aaja puttar" he blew an air kiss
"Umm... nahi... I spent the whole day worrying so u dont get anything" she stood sulking
"Idhar aa ek baat dasan tuannu" (let me tell u) he cajoled her
"Koi bhi baat ho mujhe nahi sun na" she sulked
"Betaaa" he pleaded attempting to get up
"WHY are u sitting here in the heat?" she asked again
"Baap rey phir shuru?" he asked startled
"Bus mera favorite hai yeh jagah" he smiled
"How did the Doc visit go?" she demanded
"Good"
"Define good" she ordered
"Yahan ao pehle" he coaxed
"Nahi..." she was hurt...
"Tch tch tch" he groaned
"Is everything OK?" she asked
"Haan andar rakhi hai report ja dekh le puttar" he said
she looked... Phew!!
"Mere liye kya laaye?" she asked smiling but grumpy
"Aaja aithey vaith" he said pointing to the rattan chair across
She sat down
He dug under the pile of newspaper and magazines to fish out a bluish velvet box
Her heart skipped a beat, she stood up nervous as if caught stealing
"Dad, I meant rasmalai" she protested
"Woh lene gaya, tey ay mainnu free mileya see" (got it for free)
"U are a liar... like" she stopped
"Tey aur kinne jhoote maloom haingey ne?" (how many liars do u know?)
JUST ONE.. JUST ONE...
He looked at his DIL's flushed face... he knew who she was referring to...
He was happy... his son was getting his way
"Aapne apni baat to rakhi nahi... I wanted u to prove to me the marriage is real"
"Not again Dad" she squirmed
"So?" "Mujhe chaida hai poti tey pota... kaise karke vi tu bata" he ordered
He handed her the box
"Khol to lo" he ordered
She opened... it contained the most exquisitely strung pearls with a sapphire in the center
"I cant take this" she said
"Kyon?" he asked
"Umm.. I only want rasmalai" she said
"Woh vee kha lena puttar... this is for u for being especially brave and courageous" his voice quivered
"About what?" she asked
"U know" he removed his glasses and wiped his tears... "I sent this to ur husband"
"Good luck" kaha usne he said baffled
Ii squirmed unconfortably
"We have been unfair to u" he said softly... "Umm..." "U must beta" he mumbled trying to change his train of thought
"i cant take expensive things... I took so much at the wedding"
"Uve given so much" he said firmly, almost inaudibly, thanking her for the tremendous ways she has inadvertently tried to bridge the canyon between him and his son
"I am going in to have milk shake and rasamali and going to Sam's" she ordered
"Aap le lo, nahi to aap aaj kahin nahi ja rahe" he ordered
"REALLY DAD?" she shouted
"REALLY!!" he said leaning back and smiling
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They returned from Sam's around 11, Sam almost tied II up not letting her leave
she missed her skype appointment at 9...
She changed and curled up in bed, on his side
He called
"our Outlook doesnt pop reminders?" he asked
"I was at Sam's" she said trying to be normal
"Are u by your computer?" he asked wanting to see her
"No I am in bed" she said
"wearing what?" he asked gruffly
OH! NO!! DONT... DONT EVEN TRY THAT
WITH ME RIGHT NOW
MR. VAGABOND... MR URBAN WANDERER
WHEN UR DAY IS DONE BIWI YAAD AAYI TUMHE
"Umm.. clothes" she said
"I am going to try and call u"
"From a off the grid vacation?" she asked hurt
The link he sent was of a "mountain biking trip off the grid"
"Ive spoken to the groupe leader"
"Dont make any concessions for my sake" she said shrilly
"Its no big deal"
"Tumhe jaate hi u want to connect with nature, when u talk to me u act like u are doing me a favor" her voice quivered
"did u accept the gift?" he asked bluntly
"Tumhe kya... NYOB" she ordered
"Listen II... I am back at work, the last trip I took was in October" he argued
"Back to ur work and lesiure life" she asked
"what did u want me to do... u refused to go with me" he was losing his cool
"I am sorry if I cramp ur lifestyle" she sat up in bed
"Did I imply that?"
"Umm.. maybe... when u said talking to me would require special Parliamentary approval" she was sarcastic
"Would u have rather I sit at home?" he asked
"I am going to" she spat back
"Have I ever stopped u from going out?" he barked
"Oh! right... u havent... have u" she agreed softly
"Its just a fricking 4 day biking trip"
"Doing things u were doing before, and cant now... because u are married... that would be wrong" (she choked up on the last part)
"U shud go" she said as if he offered to cancel
"I shud have just called u" he said angrily
"Ya not revealing u are in the middle of Mont Blanc... mere liye to Paris Mont Blanc sab even" she whispered
"I did not mean that II" he warned
"U feel u must lie to me in order to stay in touch?" she asked
"I was being honest and u didnt apperciate it" he grit his teeth
"I should have been honest and done what I felt like too" she responded coolly, her tears drying up
"what the hell does that mean" he demanded
"Umm.. nothing" she said through a clogged nose
"I am taking the SNCF after work on Thursday at 4" he said glumly
"Enjoy ur tryst with nature" she said
"Back at taking pot shots?" he asked silkily
"No... JUST PLANNING MY OWN TRYSTS" she thought hanging up😈
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
