P&P Part III - Page 12

Hey Kalpana,

Had been reading things on Twitter but this is crazy.

So sorry that you guys had to go through this.

Is this normal to hike electricity charges at will ? Here we abuse rickshaw fellow if he charges more due to rains. Woh to fir bhi gareeb hai.
Is there no regulation/board which controls electricity charges there ?

Hope the worst had passed and good to know that you are back home.

Sorry to read about that accident as well. I guess past one year one would have had difficult time being doctor. And now to add further woes this accident.

Stay safe.

I hope all others are safe.

Nisha, I really hope you are not having tough time.

Jasmine, how is it for you today ?

Shilpa ?

No word from Nisha. I hope she's doing ok.

The Punjabi connection

Sunday Smrita had to make the trip to Rohini. Satyen must have had “many” words with her in private. She looked stoic and expressionless when Viveka stepped out of her suite to meet them in the courtyard

Rakshit and lekha were invited too

But Rumi had texted Smrita that she didn’t want her daughter going to Rohini and eating greasy UP ka khaana

Rakshit backed out Sunday morning citing “Tandons have family visiting from Japan”

Satyen was disappointed but he had no clue why Rakshit declined so suddenly

Viveka wore a designer suit gifted by Smrita as part of the wedding trousseau, she was asked what she would like, and Viveka had chosen Indian outfits

Raanav wore a navy kurta with a churidar, Smrita raised her eyebrows when the couple appeared

“Tumne bhi traditional pehna?”

“Umm.. yeah”

“I am not in the mood for it” she claimed, admring herself in her jeans and chiffon blouse

“Dad cannot eat too much, please tell your parents” “OK?” smriti smiled gently

“Oh yeah, they already” Viveka mumbled

“In fact he is not even supposed to leave home” Smrita tacked on more

Satyen had been out and about the week he had been home, wobbly, limping, with a cane but he wasn’t going to let anything stop him

“Oh?” “No” Viveka was shocked

“I mean Rohini is so far, he has just been meeting friends in Central Delhi, arey he didn’t even go to the airport to drop my brother off, he has never missed that” Smrita lied

“I am sorry yeah that must have hurt them”

“My brother and Satya are SO close”

Viveka nodded

“I doubt he will think of anyone to be that close”

Viveka smiled

She knew exactly what Smrita was talking about

She realized Satyen must have gushed about Akash in the bedroom while getting ready and so his wife was dutifully triggered

“Family always comes first” Viveka shifted uncomfortably

Raanav was still upstairs with his Dad

He needed help coming down the stairs

When they arrived at Rohini closer to 1, it was already late

But Smrita had never shown up any place on time the last 30 years

Yes, when she was a failing middle class DU student, she showed up to class on time

But Satyen was her goal

He was extremely punctual

In order to ensnare him she did her best punctuality game

Now she had no such compulsion

Akash was in fact at the gate returning with paneer in a bag when Parashars stepped out of the car

“I am so happy Bhabhiji aap aayin” he told Smrita

Smrita DEFINITLEY was not ready to be his Bhabhi she nodded politely

The whole family was waiting upstairs

Bua, Kamal Fa, Dadu Dadi

Ma did an arti at the front door for Satyen for making it back from the car wreck

Smrita looked like she had spotted a ghost

“Aap logon mein arti nahi hoti?” Dadi poked her

“Hmm.. shaayad, pata nahi, I don’t do all that” she nodded

“Amma… bas… rehne do aap” Akash hissed

“Itni swagat hamari hamare ghar par par nahi hui” Satyen was moved

“Arey sir kya baat kar dee aapne” Akash scolded him

“Anuji aap bas ek ke baad ek cheezen late jao main yaha bas baithe baithe kha loonga”

“satya you cant be hungry, you really cant be” Smrita mumbled

“Hungry nahi bhi hue to kha lenge yaar”

He asked Anu about her job, long enough that Anu had to ask the twins to mind the stove

Dadi sat across from Smrita and just stared

“Bas shaadi mein pehni ho tum saaree kabhi aur din nahi”

“I don’t like sarees aunty”

“Amma kaho hamey hum to sabke… jey inn sabke bhi amma hi hain” Dadi was proud

“Umm.. I cant get close that fast” Smrita explained to Akash

Viveka thought to herself

“Unless the person is a politician or a movie star Dadi”

Bua gushed over Smrita’s rubies

Viveka went looking for Naina

“Naha rahi hai” Anu whispered softly in the kitchen

“Ma ITNA saara khaana?”

“Arey tumhara pehla ceremonial lunch hai Veev”

“Ive already visited 5 times

“Shhhh” Anu laughed

“Ma don’t give me sarees or jewelry”

“Bas… shhhhh kaha na maine?”

“Ma… please no… Bua, hai, Dadi hai, plus u know”

“Don’t worry it wont be crass”

Viveka laughed

Viveka had made it a point never to say anything nasty about her in-laws or their home or their habits

Ma had always told the girls that’s how she was, she NEVER took anything back to Jabalpur

Nana Nani never ever found out how toxic Dadi was

“Baatein shuru?” Akash peeked

“Aapke best friend aaye hain, aap mauj karo” Anu winked

“Arey BFF TO TU HAI meri yaar”

Viveka laughed out loud

She wanted that so bad

She peeked Raanav and Piyush were in the balcony chatting animatedly about something pointing to some cars

Naina stepped out of the shower and found Veev on the bed flipping thru one of many Nain’s subscriptions of interior mags

“Hi! Veev” she nodded

Viveka jumped up and hugged her, and let out a sob “I am so happy you are home”

“I will be home na, its my day to oil my hair, on Sunday” Naina grabbed a wet lock and smelled

“thanks for being home” Viveka sniffled

“I was going to be home” Naina spoke primly

She was never going to tell Viveka how much she missed her too

“Bahar to aao, sab se mil lo”

“I came to your wedding Veev”

Viveka’s expression crumpled

“I will come out in a few minutes

“You look lovely aise hi” Viveka gushed

“U are funny” Naina shook her head

Naina was the most gorgeous of all four

No doubt

Viveka always felt like a geek with her glasses and messy buns

“You look gorg today babe” Naina said

“Oh reall? Tumhe lagta hai?” viveka twirled in front of Naina’s mirror

She was wearing a ivory self embroidered kurta with burgundy pencil pants and a gorgeous mile long phulkari silk dupatta with embroidery in every imaginable color

Raanav had watched her try out different dupatta styles with rapt attention

When she had spotted him staring he had looked away

They both were treading carefully around the other person the last 3 days

He was in meetings with Satyen at home late into the night so no funny biz was happening either

“Rich people buy expensive clothes” Naina mumbled

“You knew it was a GIFT?” Viveka was shocked

That dupatta alone costs . Around a lakh I bet” Naina said slowly

Viveka cringed, she did not know

“Ouch!” Viveka mumbled

“They make so much right, where will they spend it” naina clarified

“His Mom is a Punjabi she loves Phulkari stuff”

“I know… she is a Dhamija” Naina said abruptly ending the conversation “Lets go meet”

“

Whether or not Naina gets married to Inder, it forever going to be awkward between these two it seems.

Naina, please open your eyes and do whats best for you. Don’t hurt loved ones for people who probably don’t care for you.

Inder might not propose coz of his own insecurity. He might have if Viveka had not married Ranaav. Now probably he is skeptical.

Ranaav aaj damaad banke aya hai. Lovely to see him dress in Indian.

I hope Smrita too enjoys herself. Maybe she will not spill it out but does enjoy herself for a change without pretense.

Nisha, hope it’s not too cold at your place.

Omg Kalpana, you had go through so much, I know how difficult it's here without power (even when it's scheduled ). Hope everything gets back to normal at the earliest.

We are good Pritee, thanks for asking dear.

Thanks for all the updates Nisha, amazing updates, the story is progressing beautifully...thanks to your skill.

Waiting for Raanav and Vivekaa's slow emotional bonding , opening up to each other about their innermost and honest thoughts. How they will support each other with their failures and successes...be it personal, professional.

Smrita and dadi😂😂😂

It’s always the little things that show people’s character. Raanav helping his Dad down the stairs when there are a number of staff, and no doubt a nurse or two, to do that, says a lot about his. As does him wearing a Kurta to visit the Guptas.

Aakash and Satyen are just so sweet together. Love the way you brought out the contrast between their wives' reactions to that. Smrita is a product of her insecurities and I can't see her changing herself enough to actually care for Viveka. The only thing that will hold her in check is if her son stands up for his wife to his mother.

I find it difficult to find empathy or even sympathy for Naina. She's saying things and behaving in a deliberately hurtful manner.

I'm oscillating between my favourite part being Raanav staring at Viveka as she tried on dupattas or Dadi staring at Smrita 😈 😆

Kalpana

OMG What a nightmare. I am so sorry! My head was hurting so I just went to bed after writing the next chapter. I should have checked on you sooner, I apologize!

When the work week begins its just one useless project after another that sucks all common sense out of my brain (as if any one is going to care or remember what we do in our lifetime!😡 for corporate america!)

I am left with no decent bone in my body at the end of the workday to check on friends or family!

I am truly sorry!

After reading your post I read a few articles in NYT this morning. It just seems horrible

I am glad you guys are OK

I didnt quite understand the part about exorbitant power bills. Why would you pay more?

What you said about filter coffee you can say that again! We are afraid to go anywhere because we will miss the freedom of making our morning cuppa and have to wait until the family wakes up

I love the filter coffee more and more as years go by

If I want to grin before I start my workday...I should read your update. So I did 😍

I smiled first when Smrita claimed that Satyen cannot travel except central Delhi..then grinned when she was jealous of Satyen getting more friendly with Akash rather than her brother. The thought was how petty and "yeh nahi sudragi". She actually commented on what kind of outfit her son wore 🙄 My thought was what kind of airhead did a man like Satyen marry.

Then we got a glimpse of young Smrita's. She was struggling in college,was not uber rich but was breathtakingly beautiful and targeted the rich Satyen(hopefully she liked other things about him).

She now looks down upon middle class ? Not too uncommon...example folks who have lived in suburbs (or small city) all their lives if they move to big city start calling the burbs boonies . 🤦This kind of list is long,being comfortable in your skin with what you do and who you are (Viv) is not everyone cup of tea. It was sad to see Naina added the cost of Viv dupatta to how gorgeous her her sister looked.

See I digressed from laughter. So Dadi new target was not Raanav but his mom. Smrita got a taste of her own pill when her outfit was considered a misfit for the occassion 😁

Last not the least the uber rich lawyer is aware and astute..wore an indian outfit for an occasion at his traditional inlaws house. He again assisted his dad rather than the help (just like he was always present when Satyen was in ICU).

When everything seems to be not working..thank you for bringing a smile Nisha 😍