Dreams...To each her own
She fled the room as she sensed who it might be at the door. Went to the balcony sat the cat down on her lap and imagined the kiss
The most gentle yet possessive, erotic kiss she had ever felt... well the only man that had kissed her was Jayadev
Jayadev...
Her insides smashed to bits when she realized she was reliving the sensation of Ashvin's kiss
She swept her lips with her tongue, it was sore, yet not. Her body knew she had been kissed but there were no visible scars
Her friend was calling her on the phone, the ring note indicated
She crouched on the lounge chair knees drawn up, eyes closed
the cat, being selfish and possessive as it was circled her feet, and tapped her calf with its tail enjoying the attention.
He walked inside without tapping on the door found her in the balcony a half hour later
"Trisha??"
"Umm?" she tried looking at a spot behind his head on the open glass door
"Dinner" he said
She wanted to say she was not hungry
But did not want Mandira's questioning.
The cat scowled at him
"Get over it" he muttered
"Can I eat later?" she asked
"how much later? Its 10:22" he demanded
Since he would not leave she had to get off the lounger
He stood there and watched her step off the lounger
Pulling up the folds of the skirt from under the foot frame
"Here, let me" he instructed
Picked up the cat and set it down
"did you just touch me?" the cat looked at him like that
He didnt give it a second look but the cat followed them out of the room
"I havent seen you all day" Mrs Narang smiled
"I was home until 3 I think" she said politely
"You love jasmine?"
"A lot" Trisha clutched Ashvin's favorite strand.
"I do too" "But after a day or two I want to smell something else"
Trisha looked at Ashvin, who politely refused to take sides
"I like the smell a lot" she told Mandira instead
"You must get out of your room and see Bangalore" she advised sitting down
"Thank you"
"You are new here, I am sure Ashvin has people that can arrange tours"
Ashvin sat across from her
The help served rotis to Mandira subserviently trying to make small talk
Trisha wondered if she should tell her about Sharanbir's visit
Later decided against it, as it was none of her business
Mother and son talked about Delhi and Bangalore traffic and how Metro was not even easing Bangalore's pain.
"She must be bored Ashvin. We must talk about something she likes" Mandira said graciously
Ashvin looked straight at her
"Trisha?" he offered with a "do you want to suggest a topic" tone
"You can talk. I dont have any topic" she muttered
"You are not a quiet girl I know that" Mandira smiled knowingly
"I have seen Bangalore" she said
Mandira then began questioning her about what when where and how
"Ashvin comes to Delhi a lot" Mandira informed
Trisha nodded without looking at him
"You shouldnt feel bad about going to Ullal"
"I dont. I like Ullal" Trisha said firmly
The first signs of clash between proverbial MIL and DIL
"And try eating chicken. Fish has protien I agree but Indian food has the best chicken dishes"
"I dont think it tastes like anything" Trisha said boldly
"May be it was not made right" Mandira said all knowingly
Trisha looked at him like "I dont like your mother!!"
He pretended to not get the signal
"I dont eat much bread, unless its home made roti, but I eat my eat" Mandira informed
"I dont like roti I like rice" Trisha said bravely
"Rice has more carbs" Mandira said dismissively
Trisha gave her a "do you really want to go into the carb starch chemistry of foods with me?" look
Oscar called Ashvin again
"I am going to let you two finish up" he said pushing his chair back decisively
"Are you checking out?" Mandira asked coolly of her son who was headed out for a night out.
"Yeah I might get to see Riz for an hour at the airport"
Trisha ate quietly not looking up at him
"Good night Trisha" he said directly
She had to look up at him
"Are you taking the cat back?" he asked
"No I think I will keep him" she nodded
"I cannot understand love for cats" Mandira said
Ashvin chuckled and left them
"Enjoy your stay in Bangalore" Mandira began condescendingly her tone indicating a "terminal" fact
"I will try" Trisha said politely
The cook waved to her when she picked up her own plate
"Koi plate nahi uthaata" which dump did you grow up in, elite never pick up their own dinner plates tone
Trisha adamantly did anyway, emptied the leftovers in trash and rinsed and placed the plate in the dishwasher and turned
"Good night"
"Are you going to study NOW?" Mandira asked
Trisha nodded
"Its 11:30" she exaggerated when it was only past 11:10
"I have to read many articles" she said
"I am going for a walk in the complex. You should walk it off with me" she offered
"umm... no... I think I will study"
"OK" she shrugged dismisively at trisha's health habits
"If you try to study this late its not going to stick" she insisted
Trisha nodded
Her son was out at midnight spending two hours to go to the airport to see a friend for an hour, and she was being told to go to bed.
She hated her mother in law!!!
Her insides lurched when she realized she had referred to her as her MIL
She went to her room shut the door and leaned on in
Realized it was how she stood when he kissed her by the front door
She stepped away stumbling
The house was quiet, she wanted to return Mrudula's call and vent
But curled up on the bed... got up, returned MJ for the night
And came back to bed.
Mandira walked the complex, delighted
she had spent an hour in Sharanbir's office at 4 PM.
He had claimed he was meeting a dear friend until then
She wondered who it was... but didnt bother digging as she spent the whole hour telling him how horribly wrong Trisha was for
Ashvin and how there was no compatibility and how she knew how to make it all right.
How unglamorous and simpleton she was, how easy it will be to let go of the girl and focus on Ashvin's future.
She was from now going to treat the girl like an acquaintance or a guest until they decide to part ways.
She had rearranged Ashvin's future fully in that one hour at his office energetically chalking everything out
She had appeared giddy with excitement to Sharanbir
Mandira paused mid way on the street waiting for a Toyota to park, and realized Sharanbir strangely did not argue or protest or deride her in any way
He let her speak out, he never did that usually. Wonder what happened today?
Mandira yawned "Maybe he also realizes Ashvin needs a break" "I am glad he didnt disagree to anything I said" "Soon everything will be back to where it was"
When Mandira's thoughts went to Trisha she couldnt believe how opinionated the girl was. How could she?
Does she not know they are not allowed to have an opinion? Does she not know?
Eat all that rice and go sit down to study? Who does that? Fish smells how can she eat so much fish?
Good it will all be over soon...
Mandira went to bed and dreamed about returning to Ashvin's house and spending the evenings with him alone in the balcony, and also had a dream of shopping in Bangalore with a younger person.
Trisha dreamt of Ashvin.. for the first time... wearing glasses, barefeet, jeans rolled up to his calves, walking the Ullal beach
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