Shaadi ani saree
Neel was at the airport to receive her. She was extremely self conscious, thinking everyone at the airport knew she was dumped by her cheating husband and now she was rushing to tie the knot with another man
She turned around and gazed at the crowds in all direction
"Hum idhar hain" Neel texted
She looked at her phone and then straight up
She smiled nervously
Aadhya was delirious
"Nihaad kidhad hey?" she asked eagerly
"Woh ghar par hain" he smiled warmly
Another man crept up to them, Suvi looked on nervously
It was Saksham
He was skinny and tall, with lots of hair
"Welcome" he smiled trying to do a "Hi!" a "Namaste" and trying to be modern to shake hands
Suvi was petrified she did her namaste as her mouth dried up
She wasnt sure what she would say to him
"Hindi baat kar leti hain na aap?" Saksham enquired
"Means.. mere ku Neel jaisa pakka Hindi bolne ko nahi hota" she stuttered
Saksham stared shocked
"Sorry" Suvi clarified
"Arey aap to bahut achhi Hindi bol leti hain, Mumbai ki hain, hum to mazaak kar rahe the" he laughed nervously wiping his own brow sweat
It was a muggy 44C in Mumbai
"Bus do suitcase?" Neel asked
Suvi nodded
"Arey aap inko yaha se dilaayen dheron saadiyan" Saksham patted Neel's back
Neel nodded sincerely
"Mereku idea nai tha" Suvi said
"Shaadi ka idea nahi tha ya SAREE ka" Saksham roared with laughter
Suvi giggled and nodded
"She writes copy for ads. Bhayya uve stolen her thunder" Neel warned
"Chalen ghar?" Saksham offered
"Neel" Suvi stuttered
"Hmm?"
"Mereko hotel" she whispered
"Arey bilqul nahi ghar rahengi aap hamare saath. Neel Worli apni Amma ke saath, Ruchi aa chukin hain, humne unke husband ko kaha, woh last minute mein zara vyast ho gaye" Saksham lied
Suvi nodded
They got to Saksham's Toyota Corolla
"New caad hey?" Aadhya enquired
"Aaadu" Suvi hissed
"Haan bhai aapne to ekdum jaan liya" Saksham smiled
"Mede ko golden color favreet hey" Aadhya touched the gleaming metal
Suvi quickly pulled her hand down
"Arey bache ko bachi rehne dein aap" Saksham scolded
"Aap Amma jaise keh raey hey" Suvi smiled
"Haan bhai Amma bua jo thehri hamari" Saksham, turned the AC on full blast
The car smelled like some flower... clean and spotless
"Hamari betiyon ki kitaaben hongi pichhe" Saksham peered
"No its clean" Suvi nodded
"Woh dono uchhal rahin hain" he smiled
Neel sat down by Saksham
"Amma doodh ka keh rahin hain" Neel said
"Haan woh corner se le lenge" he nodded
"Aai aamhi aata yethe rahatila?" (will we live here now?) Aadhya savored the beatiful car and the company
"Nakko shakkara" Suvi whispered
"mala hey kaka avadat" (i like this uncle)
"Aur hum?" Neel pretended to be sad
Aadhya was shy, she hid under Suvi's dupatta
"Mee nihaad aavdathey... maajhi aayi vichaaru...tee kadachit apalyala avadatila" (I like Nihar, check with my Mom maybe she likes you?) Aadhya said firmly
Suvi dissolved into millions of drops of shy crystals
Saksham was laughing heartily
"Suvechha?" Neel called her name for the first time in Mumbai