Colors... Laundry & Love
"this is all so bizarre" Neel muttered
Ruchi and him dried laundry on the terrace Sunday morning, exactly a week and two days after Amma's JNU meeting with Suvi
One day after Neel's meeting with Suvi at Delhi University...
Amma had summoned her to Delhi, she was going to come by to Mumbai in July but Amma wanted her by her side to "figure things out"
Pushkar was downstairs feeding his boys, Ruchi had two lil ones Pranav and Rehaan
Nihar was having ablast basically to have bua show up unexpectedly like this
Amma was busy, the kitchen was a mess, the lady chef was allowed to take time off so Amma can take over
Preet peeked in every few hours looking longingly at the chaos at Pandits
Ruchi was going to be here until Amma headed to Mumbai on 30th and then return to Scotland on July 15th or so
Her husband was not talkative like Neel and Ruchi he was quiet and moody
But he was polite
Amma pampered him with food and service
Ruchi admonished Amma for doing that
"Its not bizaree, u met someone at work, u happen to like her, she happens to like you and Amma thinks u shud be happy"
Amen to all except last" he muttered
"Amma aapse single rehne ko keh rahin hain?" she asked pausing stretching a balled up wet sock
of her son now died pink thanks to being washed with a hot pink kurti of hers
"I dont think she cares for Suvechha...he said
"aur aap?" she asked
I cant seem to comprehend what I am feeling for her" he said in shock and awe
"To bas... baat khatam... shaadi aapko karni hai"
Everytime the word shaadi was used his heart raced
He had gone from moving to Delhi in April and now being on the verge of marrying someone in July
It had been a tumultuous three months...
Before all that
They walked along the Kamla Nehru Ridge near Delhi University on Saturday morning, gomphrena and morning glory and zinnias bloomed in manicured perfection,
raat ki raani floweres dipped with every stroke of breeze, hoping someone would look up and take notice
"I am sorry if you felt she crossed the line" he said abruptly
"she didnt Neel" Suvi smiled
He was careful not to hold hands or walk too close she wore a green vine-y khadi kurta and a lemon yellow chudidar, and wore her sunglasses on her head hiding the helical springs
He wore tan linen pants and a navy shirt
It was a "not too bad" Saturday morning, 9 AM ish, she had taken Aadhya to day care for a couple hours
They both felt the need to talk
He had kissed her with insane amounts of passion that evening, the Thursday evening... before her Friday JNU meeting
After meeting with Amma he didnt pry, or dig deep just let it slide
"Amma hamey akele nahi dekh paa rahin" he said feeling a sudden surge of self pity
"U are a lucky man" she smiled
"Did she ask you what you thought of me?" he asked eagerly
"Abhi mere ko laga u are insecure, ab lag raha hai ki u are full of urself" she smiled biting the plump lower lip
He laughed
To onlookers and passers by they appeared like Ph D students wearing the pavement out trying to get some early morning Library research in
"I told her I like you" Suvi said softly
He had to pause, it was unexpected just like she was, mellow, muted and the opposite of dramatic
She had admitted to his Amma and she sounded like she needed a new power cord for her phone
He felt waves of foaming frothy delight whip through his insides like milkshake in a blender
Mahua, fiery champa and cool harsingar trees lined the walkway... Delhi mornings were the best he decided his heart rate soaring
"Amma ne kya kaha?"
She couldnt remember...
"My loneliness was driving me to options that werent even right" he admitted
"Dating?" she asked
He nodded
"My in laws and parents believe that marriage is the only option"
It was her turn to freeze, stone cold or red hot?
They stood by a sunshiney yellow amaltas.. the most stunningly beautiful yellow bloom hiding every leaf forming a golden canopy
she didnt know
She didnt have any experience of being proposed like that, they had gone to Mahalakshmi and Rutwik and dramatically draped a mangal sootra
There was no courtship, no flirting or chatting
Lots of sex though...
"YOU shud get married?" she asked confused... like a fool
He nodded and smiled, they paused by a fork on the walkway and he stepped over some landscaping rock and went to her left, and walked lazily
"Jee" he said again "Aapka kya vichar hai?" he asked seriously
"Thats very nice" she stumbled, missinga step... he held her elbow
Are u still adamant about not wanting marriage?" he asked
OH BOY!!!
WHAT A Q
She blushed... "Mera record ekdum bakwaas hai Neel" she chuckled
"Kitni shaadiyan kee hain waise aapne?" he asked softly teasing as they stood facing each other
"Ek" she whispered, the scent of the pearly meetha neem flowers wafting through the air
"Phew" he said theatrically, deliberately exhaling with relief
She smiled lowered her flaming face, quite appropriately near a palash tree with scorching orange flowers
He smiled again, as they stepped forward together... maybe half a yard
"Humse karengi shaadi?" he asked politely. JUST LIKE THATT... JUSTTT like that...
As a purple jacaranda flower floated down in a zig zag pattern landing on her shoulder...
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
