Say a No for a Yes
She wasnt told there was a price for quitting SW Sales, and that was giving up a team, direct reports and the opportunity to be a supervisor.
They changed her floor, she was now going to be on the 18th, no longer the 7th
She wouldnt see Bally everyday. It nagged her
She missed the old times, 3 years ago when she lived and breathed her job
After the whirlwind romance, the wedding, and shuttling between two countries, and having a child and post partum depression and losing another one recently work had taken back seat some where
"We can all get our nails done and then go out to eat" Sam was group texting, her and Manny
Manny was back in town
The wedding was supposed to be "soon"
Makarand had proposed to her in Goa
R&B's flowers to her had still managed to make Manny jealous.
"I dont get anything from Makarand" she growled
II had placed it in the 2nd floor runner table in the living room
The brother and sister watched soccer drinking beer
Nivi climbed up down, up down up down, picked up things from the coffee table and then dropped it behind the sofa and went back to retrieve it
Manny squeezed her and cuddled her, Nivi arching and complaining.
"His parents want a big wedding" Manny muttered
"Great" he reassured his sister
"Tujhe to great hi lagega, I dont want to go through a grand tamasha again dimpal" she whispered
II flitting in and out of the living room, Nivi cooing and calling for her
"Mummumumummuma" she drooled all over R&B's shoulder
"Go chase her" he urged setting her down
But nope!
She wanted to be by her man
"Can u imagine I go through the same thing, and something happens?"
R&B lowered his Fast Co. "Why wud u think that after getting engaged?" he enquired
"Well I am not lucky in love dimpal, pati, Vik and now Makarand" she said sadly
"Umm... whatever" he dismissed it protectively
"Hey II, are u going with us to get ur nails done?"
It was two days after bringing the flowers home
"Umm... I have to arrange navaratri," she said quietly leaning on the door
"Does it have to be done today?" he asked hoping to provoke her
"Aaj amavasya hai, Amma said I should do it today, I have spent too much time picking up behind her to do anything meaningful. Vaa dee inge what have u done to ur hair?" she shouted to her daughter
"Mmma" Nivi sounded out but didnt budge
She sat on the rug chewing on a blue toy phone, alternatively talking into it, she did something with her hair that Ii did when she talked animatedly
"How are u feeling?" Manny asked not intending to put II in a spot
But she was... in a spot
"I am fine... now" II said quietly
"Atleast you have one, meri socho I dont even have any" she said
II nodded sympathetically
"At the rate its going I dont know if I will have any" Manny said
"Dont say that 33, 34 is not old in any country" II stroked Manny's ego
"I am sorry u had to go through that while on vacation" Manny continued
II nodded, taken aback... she hadnt called her in August in Paris, nor later, up until Oct 15... today
"Umm... yeah" II nodded
"U can have another one next year... or the year after" Many was actually encouraging II
II couldnt believe it
WONDER WHAT HAS CAUSED THIS TURN AROUND?
MAKARAND?
GEE THANKS
"Ma wanted 5 kids for dimpal, abhi count poora nahi hua" Manny laughed
R&B smiled gloriously
"He loved kids... Chachu's kids were his best friends" Manny teased
"I dont think so" he smiled nodding at a childhood anecdote, secret the siblings shared
"Thats nice" Ii said blandly
"Do u think so? Isne carry nahi karna hai 5 bache toone karne hai soch le" Manny laughed hysterically
"She put me through the wringer Manny" II pointed to Nivi sucking on the plastic phone cord
"Hope u remember, agle time isko kehna zaroor" Manny reminded
II didnt answer
I WANT MY TUBES TIED
I DONT WNAT THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN
THE THOUGHT CHILLS MY BONES
"Maybe we will have just Nivi then" II gently injected her recent plan
His ears cocked up
"Main jaati hoon neeche to set stuff up"
"We can skip nails and just go to dinner" Manny insisted
"Will u watch her?" II asked R&B
He grunted
"Arey he is very paternal" Manny defended him
"No doubt" II nodded
He cornered her near the mandir and pulle dher hand
"U are hoping I wont watch Nivi so u can bail from ur nails appointment?" he nailed her
"Umm... no... no... absolutely not" she fumbled as she lied
"U are a very bad liar II" he pinned her to the wall
"I was just afraid u were going to have a meeting and cant do it"
"And then make me the bad guy in front of Manny?" he whispered
His breath fanning her warm cheeks
"Tum ladne ke liye aaye neeche?" she accused
"what do u think?" he said looking at her from beneath his half closed lashes
She squirmed like a bloated squirrel...
"I will go if I can" she said
"Dont accuse her of not being nice if u dont return the favor" he said his eyes like chips of ice
"Ofcourse not... how can I accuse a Bhalla of wrong doing? Meri shaamat aayi hai?" she said whimpering as he layered his lower body on hers
The passionate ridiculing from her got his goat
He nipped her neck
"I am astonished, every attempt Ive made to be nice to her or talk to her she has shunned me, aaj MERI
galti hai agar main girls night out par nahi gayi?" Ii was pissed, hurt at his unreasonable support of his sister and her erratic moods
"U want her to be nice and when she is you are too indifferent to be nice?" he asked
"I wish I could pander to your ego, but I just told her why I cant go. I have to arrange golu. The rejection of Manny is all in your head" she lied
"Oh really?" he held her chin, her eyes were closed, his thumb stroked her red ruby nose ring
She almost gasped
His right hand caressing her arm, fingers slowly snaking near her ribs... stroking the soft curve they encountered
He didnt care at the moment
She was here and in his arms
"So u admit she is not your favorite then?" he rubbed his face on her neck
"I dont look at it that way... ughhh... ummm" "Let go of me" "Mujhe kaam hai, for someone that doesnt have time to talk you seem to be spending too much times cooking up incompatibilities"
she pleaded
"Saying a yes when u really want to say a no is dishonest, dont u think?" he chalenged
"Go to hell" she cursed
"I might just take someone for the ride" he said kissing her fully
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
