Compassion & Coffee
She met him in NOIDA Sunday evening unwilling to let him come by all the way to society
She had to go to her tailor in sector 27 she said
It was still raining after 6 PM
He met her outside her tailor in the wet corridor where people carrying steaming hot samosas and jalebis bumped into her as they avoided walking out in the open
He waited in the car, she had taken Aadhya to Kanika's at 3, in a rickshaw, unable to sleep she had headed out to NOIDA
He just opened the door for her
She bend down and peeked
"I can drop you home" he said
"Ghar mein kya bolne ka?" she asked
"I am not 8 Suvechha" he said irritated
"Mera name waise Suvi hai" she said
"Andar baithkar argue karengi please? Gaadi geeli kar rahin hain aap" he said
She sat down, he slid the window up furiously
And stared at her soaked face
"Couldnt the tailor wait until it stopped raining?" he asked baffled
"It could I didnt want you driving all the way to society" she murmured softly
He smiled... sensing care and affection
"I drive a car... I dont have to fight slush and dirt" he said
"Auto mein paani nai hai" she said
He leaned back and smiled
"Coffee pilayengi?" he asked
"Ghar pe?" she asked
"Nahi" he said
And started to drive
He listened to Shubha Mudgal as they wove through Sunday twilight travelers
Street lights glistened in motor oil stained rain water puddles
It was a different world with him... for her
Classy, and quiet and homely and warm
Like being in Nasik
Not the classy part... but the rest
She watched his hands grip the steering as he stuffed his blue tooth in his left ear
"Haan hum laate hain amma" "4?" he asked
Amma spoke two pages
"Haan theek hai... to phir aap mana kar dein... jab baarish khatam ho jaaye uske baad hum managkar lenge, aap chinta na karen" he explained
"Keh chukin aap" he was irritated
"Theek... ok sorry... bas ek kilo?" he asked
"Jee" "Hum laaten hain" he nodded, the baby cried and a lil boy screamed soon after
She quit breathing... afraid
She relaxed... and exhaled when he hung up
"things to do list?" she asked nosy
He smiled
She wanted to be part of the confusion, the forgetting, reminding... calling someone on the way to the store, crying babies... cooker whistles
"Ghar zoo ho chala hai... kya kahen" he shook his head
"Apne teen, Preet ke do... Gags ke cousin aayen hain Bhatinda se... unke do" he smiled
"Dinner ka plan hey?" she asked
"Amma ne paneer mangwaya, hamara kaam laana hai... aur haan khaana bhi... beech ki baaten humse na poochhen" he said cheerfully
"4 packet kya?" she asked
"Oh... ya I forgot... MILK" he rolled his eyes... "bache nahaate honge shaayad doodh mein" he smirked
He pulled into the drive way of a posh Golf Links bungalow with a stripey awning... and fancy lanterns swaying in the rain
The inside was dark and warm and cozy, smelled like java
He found a corner with ease and sat down
She sat across from him
"There is room for two" he urged
She smiled and shook her head
"Coffe garam hoyega... elbow lagi mere ko to spill karegi mai" she explained
"Do u have a single romantic bone in ur body? Suvechha?" he asked leaning forward looking into her eyes, pained by her matter of fact decline
She blushed... strongly... and rapidly
"Both hey" she whispered
"Kidhar?" he asked
She couldnt respond... shaken up so badly by his bold flirting
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