“Vi”
“I will have whatever is made for dinner”
“Everyone wants different food” he said
She smiled and typed “Roti subzi?”
“Sure Ma’am”
She got up and walked over to the closet, he wasn’t in there, the bathroom door was partially closedthe water was running
She knocked and paused when she heard a “yeah?”
She opened it and said politely “I am going over to eat”
He was shaving
“Great” he said quietly
She stood staring at him for a moment
He paused and turned to look at her instead of staring at her thru his reflection
She didn’t say “thanks for passing my number to Mahesh”
He didn’t ask “Why are you ogling”
He appeared without takinga shower, just wearing clean clothes
The entire family and their aunt was there
Mamaji’s family, Chachu, Kalyani, Rakshit, Lekha
Like a 5 star buffet an array of food had been placed in rectangular covered serving platters with food warming burners underneath
Rakshit’s friends were there as well, he introduced them to her, she told him she had met Swastik and Darpan
“Well you’ve met those two, you’ve met them all” he raised his beer mug
“Bhabhi what movie are we watching?” Kalyani giggle whispered in her ear
“You pick again, tho I will say I can watch half of it, I ccouldnt sleep until your bhai returned”
“Ohhh how romantic”
“No, it’s a new house and it was my first night” she laughed
“I haven’t even met your properly” Mitalee reached out for a hug, speaking in thick Bengali accent
“She taught me Ma, Baba knows” Kalyani bragged
“You are so educated… khoob samponno” Mitalle nodded with a gentle smile
She was short and cuddly, with a large round face
Nupur Dhamija was tall and elegant like Viren and Smrita, and she didn’t bother catching up with Viveka
Everyone looked and acted calm this evening
The food was exceptional as always
Viren finally asked her “There is a wedding in your family right?”
“Yeah my Bua’s son”
“Piyush? Harsha?”
“harsha” she nodded “How did u know?” she asked
“Kamal bhaisaab and I know a sapphire miner in South Africa, he buys from him”
“Oh yeah sorry, he might have told me” she nodded
She felt Raanav behind her, his scent actually, she didn’t turn
“Have you eaten?” he enquired
“Jee nahi” she said
She was wearing a peach silk kurta and a purple chudidar with silver zari vines, her hair tied up high with large silver jhumkas
Lekha wore some designer gown, in crimson as if she was ready for some colonial ball
Viveka wondered how many of those this courtyard may have hosted 120 years ago
Smrita, Rumi? And Lekha were busy chatting about something important
“Grab a plate?” Raanav urged
“I will eat later, Kalyani ke saath” she said with a gentle smile not revealing her inner feelings
“I can wait too” he shrugged
“Nahi aapko hospital nahi jaana?” she asked intently
“Aaapko?” he questioned
“I mean tumhe” she shook her head
“No Chachu is going tonight”
“I don’t have to go until 4 AM”
“Don’t lay there tempting me when I am in a pissy mood” she told herself
“Viveka” he growled
“Yaha to ladoongi nahi main tumse Raanav” she said with a smile looking up into his eyes
“Is it important to wear red or green bangles in UP?” Mitalee asked from behind
“I guess one of them”
“So sweet your Ma arranged everything” she patted Viveka’s back
“I agree”
“I have bought the laakh and shank bangles for you” she said shyly
“thank u” Viveka smiled with gratitude
“At least one person in this house likes me… 3, Satyen, Mitalee, Kalyani… and after some serious 1:1 time I bet I could pull Rakshit to my side too” she thought chuckling under her breath
“My husband says Dada (Satyen) likes you as if you were his own daughter” She waved to Chachu urging him to join her
“He is very kind”
“You are so different, BIBEKA, I never would have guessed Bhabhi would pick you”
“Well she didn’t” Viveka said smiling disarmingly
She had no fear in admitting that
Raanav and Rakshit were in deep conversation
She used the opp to find Kalyani and sat down to eat with her
“BHAIIIII sit with us” Kalyani invited him
“In a minute” he said giving Viveka a long stare
“You can eat wherever you are Raanav, this marriage does not come with those fluff expectations” she thought
Chachu had eaten at the hospital cafeteria and he was sick and Rakshit could not go tonight, since Smrita canvassed on behalf of Lekha and lekha won.
Despite the fact that the couple were in a live in relationship for however many years
Smrita chose to offer up Raanav for night stay yet again along with her brother Viren just so Viveka would not suspect any foul play
Well Smrita did not know Raanav had been derisive and scathing of her forgetting to show up at 11:30
So Viveka really did not mind him not being in bed with her tonight
She decided she would kick Kalyani off (haha) at 10 or 11 and then curl up and watch the Harshu-Varsha sangeet online
Chachu was compassionate enough to ask her why she didn’t go to the wedding
“It wouldn’t be right”
“I am here to do a job” she thought “I was even reminded of it two hours ago” she thought
She went back to the suite and figured out her laptop to connect to the sangeet
She wondered instead of kicking the poor girl out she would ask her if she wanted to watch with her instead
Kalyani was elated
“I had SO MANY PLANS to dance at both bhai weddings”
“Your Ma says “dada”
“I don’t because I think that sounds like grandpa”
The ladies curled up on a comfy couch in the living room of the suite and began watching it on Viveka’s laptop
He had a cabin bag he pulled along as he passed by the room
“BHAIIII” she shouted
“Yeah?”
“Arent you goingt o say good bye”
“I am warm under the blanket” Viveka pulled back Kalyani
“BHAIIIII”
He walked over to where Viveka was
“I am heading o Aurangabad in the morning” he said with a guilty look
“Oh? Thanks for telling me” she nodded politely
Kalyani left them alone, the cool kid that she was
“Will I see you in the morning?” he asked intensely
“Kab ja rahe ho?” she asked pointedly looking at the cabin bag
“9 ish”
“Hmm” she nodded slowly
she lowered her gaze unwilling to argue when he was about to leave
“Are we going to drag this?”
“I am not dragging anything” she mumbled leaning on the back of the sofa
“Vi..”
“I will be there when ever you want me to be” she said
“this is exactly what I meant” he said irritated
“To nahi aaoon subah?”
“You know what I meant Viveka” he sighed
“You wont have to play guessing games Raanav when I say I will show up I will”
“Will you miss me?” he growled
“Should I?” she asked her voice quivering
She was not going to admit to anything
Book Talk
