Being & Knowing
The house looked cheery and beautiful inside and out.
Nivi and Lasya both circled R&B's legs
Laughing hysterically when they came face to face
Tan, Bala, Bally and MAKARAND all stood in the 2nd floor balcony laughing and chatting
"Are u part of some cult now?" Tan enquired
R&B chuckled shaking his "froot loops" bracelet clad wrist
Nivi wore, two necklaces and two bracelets
When Ii was asleep they had worked on a craft project together
Both eating more than crafting
Lasya reached and yanked Nivi's necklace tryingt o stop her from reaching her own(Nivi's) sippy cup
The loops shattered all over the balcony floor
Nivi began to cry loudly as the thread scored her skin
"She didnt mean to" R&B promised
Nivi looked at her cousin with teary eyes and SMILED
Thats all it took with that one
One reassurance
II came up dressed in a dark green clingy chiffon
Her blouse was pearly gold mesh
Two scraps of meshy metal
"Mahavir is saying he sent two trays of appetizer" she said
"Count karke khilayegi kya?" Tan shouted
"Umm... not that... I am thinking I am going to serve dinner" she said surveying the mess of plates and appys and liqor bottles and glasses, all high on a perch so the girls cant get to them
Nivi called out "Ummma" she called
R&B kissed her cheek as a reward
"Yennadi?" II asked
Nivi waved
"What did u do the necklace? Thinnuteya?" (did u eat another one?) "Hyper girl" II scolded
"Lasya tore it off her neck" he said
II looked sad
"Main neeche leke jaaoon isko?" she offered
Nivi clung to R&B
"Aaj aaya hai woh, kal room mein ghuske calls karne lagega then she is all urs, if u still feel maternal, u can have mine" Tan offered
"She will make her own man" Bala laughed
"Haan yeh bhi theek hai, aa gaye hain ab hamare saale saab" Tan laughed
None of them were looking at II, her expression had changed to sadness
"Can I have some more of the shrimp cocktail please?" Makarand asked politely
II nodded
"I can buzz for it" R&B offered
"Nahi, main neeche ja rahi hoon" she said looking up at him with big moist eyes
Neeche... Ritu was making small talk with Suman and Ranjan in the lawn
She wore a shimmering blue sleeveless dress with a red shawl draped around her, cold shoulder
"I never thought about operations as something I need to spend my day analyzing. I have good people" Ranjan said
"Thats why consultants like KMPG come in and tell people what they are doing well and what they are not" Ritu said
Ritu had suddenly "shed" all her SW sales cloaks and now was a "Consultant" like II
I MEAN
GIMME A BREAK
DONT U DARE FOLLOW ME TO MY NEW ROLE
I AM SICK
I DONT NEED MY EX BOSS THERE
ARENT U A SW SALES PERSON?
ISNT CONSULTING "MY" NEW ROLE?
HOPE BALLY DIDNT TRICK ME
"Dad its after 10 khaana laga doon?" II asked
"Ghar tuadda hai raje, tussi tay karo" Ranjan said smiling
Chachu drank in a corner with two of his sons, Utkarsh was heading up when II was coming down
One of Chachu's sons eyed Ritu... over and over again
II bristled
But didnt say anything
SCUM
"states main haigi family?" Ranjan enquired
"Umm... no longer" Ritu said expressionless
"Good enjoy urself... marriage, kids... then life gets crazy" Ranjan said
"I am told Mr Bhalla" Ritu muttered surveying the well lit lawn, there were toys every where
"I can be old fashioned and find u a suitable boy" Ranjan laughed
"Thank you... I will let u know" Ritu smiled
"Daddd" II hissed in a warning tone
"I was kidding I apologize, more than one gin beta, I am sorry"
"Thats too much" II said firmly
Ranjan's heart trouble had taken a back seat after II's miscarriage
"I knew someone that went to CMU Unc... I mean Mr Iyer" Ritu said
"U are from there... u can say Uncle" he invited
OMG
SO SHE KNOWS THE DUDE?
HOW COME I NEVER HEARD BEFORE?
SERIOUSLY?
"There is only a thousand Indians there" II chuckled
"I know... I know... I will be specific... I knew someone from the graduating class" Ritu said a lil miffed
"My husband?" Ii teased again
"Umm... no... I mean I know him... too... but" Ritu's voice tapered off
Suman came out again
"II Ankur Anay ko khila doon khaana?" she asked smiling
II nodded
Ranjan ended his phone call
Ritu looked up at the balcony, I found R&B and Makarand in conversation... to her it seemed like they were looking at Ritu
"
