Biskut & Swatch
He followed her to the kitchen watching her make chai, unload the dishwasher, and put things away "however she liked it"
She stacked things like a tower, or a trail, cleaning the counter
"What should we eat for dinner"
"dad!!?" she called out he looked up from his laptop
Smiling... "Kuch vi kha laanga betaji" he smiled "Soye khoob?" he asked
She nodded self consciously
"Doctor ko dikhao yaha appointment miss nahi hona chaida beta" he reminded R&B
"No... not here" she whined
"Arey nahi beta... it will be quick" Ranjan promised as if he knew
"what will u eat for dinner?" she asked him politely
"Friends ne bula rakha hai" he tilted his head towards the dude
"WHO?" asked II as her heart skipped a beat
"The guys from work"
"Alex?" she asked fearfully
R&B nodded disarmingly
"Umm... u should go" she said furiously
"Arey, mujhe buddhe se kya milenge woh?" Ranjan asked
"Manya can go" II poured tea out
"Arey na betaji... chalna to padega"
II looked at R&B "I dont want to go" "is Sukrit in town?" she asked cautiously
He shook his head
"I like his wife" "Umm bas" she shook her head
She opened cabinets pulling containers of namkeen and cookies out
"The "indian way of chai aur biskut" she said
He looked at that strangely, and then burst out laughing at the way she said it
"whattt?" she asked
He half smiled
"U dont have to have it then" she hissed
"Dad dont they have tea with biscuits in India?"
"Aur nahi to kya?" he asked supporting gudiya
"see" she poked her husband "Everyone knows" she whispered
He bend down and kissed her lips
"DADS HERE" II whispered loudly
He licked her lower lip, one stroke two, three, like it was a lollipop
She licked his back smiling
"Beer?" she said making a face,"u had beer already?" she asked sadly
"I want chai now" he said
She nodded giving him a mug
Ranjan turned away not looking at the youngsters
"I have something for u" she whispered
"I know that already" he teased, reaching for her lower belly
"Cheesy" she smirked, letting him rub the mound
She gave Ranjan his stuff, popped a candy from the center tray into her mouth, it was almost empty
Chewed walking over to the closet
He followed with his cup of chai
"Amma said Akka is returning" she whispered
And told him how she will miss baldie, and told him about Selvi's cousin Malar and how she cant come by because she lives in Dwarka
she told him about Malar's kids and Malar's delivery
She told him what brought Selvi to Delhi and how she bumped into Amma at Sector 6 subzi market years ago... and how even now Selvi is the one that brings fresh palak
It was a good 20 minutes
He listened and nodded
"Inda" she said handing him the lil silver striped case
"I checked Cartier" she declared proudly "i dont think u will ever get those from me... I will go broke" she admitted sadly
He opened the box to reveal the Matterhorn picture embossed box.. he peered carefully and opened it to reveal the slate blue watch
"Its only a Swatch" she said softly selfconsciously... a lil embarrassed
He gazed intently at her as he got it out of the box...
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P.S. I am going to be running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to get set up for Navaratri golu (an arrangement on dolls and figurines in a stair step form) and the associated open house I have next Friday. I will write the next chapter hopefully within the next three hours
