"Not a vacation"
Sam started getting hourly calls from her MIL about how Nandu was acting out
"Aapko ghar ki fiqar haigi ki nahi puttar" her MIL asked not so pleasantly
"Mom this is my first visit" Sam said shortly
"Hun tey sair sapaate di koi ummeed nahi haigi, to laut aayen aap"
Sam hated her place in life presently
Her MIL had made it her business to annoy and nag her
She was taking out all her angst abt her own daughter on Sam
"Tan ko lekar khushi hai Dad ko aur mujhe... Bhalla ji ke saath jo hua so hua, Tan ne koi baat mann mein lena nahi hai" "Nandu kisi ki sunta hai nahi"
"Mom you should leave my Dad out of this" Sam hissed letting herself out of the apartment
"Arey" "Kee hoya puttar" MIL cooed
"Dad ne aapka kya bigaada hai? Mere ghar pe jo hua us se Di ki shaadi mein kya asar pada? Unhoney apni shaadi apne aap destroy kara hua hai" Sam said mercilessly
"Yeh to galt baat kee toone puttar" her MIL was hoarze, shaking in anger
"Main yaha aayi kuch pal ki chain ke waaste, idhar mere bhai ki life mein kalesh hua, abhi chhodkar fatafat waha aakar kya karoongi?" Sam challenged
"School khul chuka hai, aapko yaad nahi hoga, Nandu ab 8th mein hai, agle saal US mein kehte hain "high school" its very important" her MIL gave her school 101
"Main jaanti hoon"
"Aur... ruko... ek second... ik second... ruko... aapne apni nand ke liye jo gall kari hai na... ekdum tameej waali nahi hai" her MIL hissed
"Mere Dad ke liye aap 8 saal se jo keh rahi hain?" Sam breathed fire
"Mainnu kaam haiga"
Her MIL hung up
Sam paced the elevator lounge, sitting down on the over stuffed King Louis chair
Her head hung
"arghhh" She let out a passionate cry
Wiped her tears
Within seconds Tan called her
"Hua kya yaar tujhe?" he demanded
She began to weep loudly
"Mera dimaag kharab kara hua hai Tan... she thinks u are doing charity by living with me despite what Dad did"
Tan was silent, only breathing audibly
"Sono" he said
"IF you want to defend her I am hanging up. I have to call Nandu anyway"
"Mujhe chain se kaam karne dega koi?" he thundered
"Main to hoon hi nahi Tan waha. Direct ur pissy mood at ur mother teresa"
She hung up
Dialing Nandu
He didnt answer
It was 7 in the evening in Delhi
Long after he wud have technically returned from school
R&B stepped out of the elevator
"hey" he said walking over to give her a hug
He had his hair secured in a band at the back, his longish curls bunched up
"Yeh kya hai?" she asked disliking it
"I tie it on the subway... for the subway" he said
"II ko maloom hai?" Sam asked
He chuckled "I cud never compete with her, so she lets me do what I like" he smiled
His lips twitched adorably
"What are u doing here
"Kuch bhi nahi" she said
They went in Sam made chai, II was walking with the girls downstairs
R&B texted her
Ranjan came out of the office
"Kadon aaya?" he asked
"A half hour ago" he said
"Nave model di inni demand haigi, Navraton mein backlog ho jaana hai" he told his son about a new model Maruti was releasing in September
"Aap lautne ke bahaane na banayen" Sam scolded
Ranjan whimpered and sat back on the couch deflated
Nandu called her
"Kidhar ho aap?" she asked sternly
"Shravu ke ghar" he said
"Kis se poochhkar gaye?" she asked
He didnt answer
"I asked u something" she shouted
Ranjan sighed in despair
"Sam... quit it" R&B warned
"Chup... ekdum" she warned him back
"Mom she stalks me... I HATE HER... she keeps telling me what to do... she doesnt knock, she turns my music down... she only gives me roti for lunch. I cant have my friends over.
I cant have money. She forces me to get a haircut, she wants me to SHAVE." he sounded disgusted
He was lets say... blessed with his Uncle's hair gene... that was an achievemnt of sorts at DPS RK Puram
The boys that grew out their first scruffy whiskers landed more chicks
"She has no business telling me what to do" Nandu was angry
"Bakwaas mat karo, woh aapki Dadi hain" Sam tried to sound convincing
"Well she never lived with us, until Bua separated from her husband she never gave a damn about us" Nandu was shooting off
"Nandu enough!!!... ghar jao turant, aur sorry kaho Dadi ko" she shouted
"U are not even here why do u care man?" he shouted
Bala and Vandu were hearing the whole thing...
"I am not on vacation" she shouted
"Oh really? Dadi said u are going places and shopping and doing things" the 14 year old's jealous rant spilled over
"U dont have to Nandu... ITS NOT A VACATION" Sam shouted
Nandu missed Sam, he hated his Dadi and he wanted his Mom to know
R&B was sipping beer laying on the couch, eyes closed periodically
Until he heard chatter, the door opened his wife walked in with the girls
They climbed on him
She looked lost
Sam was really agitated
Ranjan got up and wandered back to R&B's office where he was working all afternoon
It had been 10 days since the miscarriage
II had begun to work remotely as well
R&B played with the kids a bit and followed her to teh bathroom
She was washing her hands
He pulled her gently and bend down to kiss her
She panicked and stepped back, alarmed
"I dont want to be kissed..." she whispered
Staggering she looked at him sadly
"I am sorry" he said
And watched her turn off the light and leave him...