Expression
“Bhabhi shaayad car rakhna chahti hongi, main lekar aa gayi” Garima cackled in the safety of Bua’s house
Anu was right there listening
“Koi baat nahi, Delhi itna unsafe hai” Anu said calmly
She thought Garima was being childish
“Jeeji ko tumhari chinta hai” savi said with pride
“Umm.. hamey to nahi lagta” Garima sighed
“Abhi main kaise prove karoon aapko” Anu said distractedly looking at her phone
She had texted Veev , no response
She should have gotten home 5 hours ago, it was almost 9 PM
“Aapki baat hui Veev se?” she texted Akash
“Nope”
“She is not answering”
“Umm.. hafte baad gayi hai, ghar ka kaam hoga” he said politely
“That’s fine… I wanted to know what we should buy for him”
“Let her rest”
“Oh…”
Anu realized what Akash meant
She leaned back and stared at Savi’s expansive kitchen
Harsha and Varsha were in a corner trying to beat each other in a video game
Piyush was on his phone
She wondered if Viveka and Raanav had the same camaraderie
To Anu Raanav seemed like a great guy, the way he tolerated Dadi alone, he deserved a gold medal
She missed Viveka, she would be in Kamal’s library with her nose buried in a book
She worried about every inequity and injustice, a rare kid indeed
It was ironic that she married into a family that was extraordinarily wealthy, Viveka didn’t know where the Parashars were on the fairness scale, Satyen seemed like a decent man
He employed 10s of thousands across India
He certainly could not be a tyrant or a crook
She herself was learning to loosen up and let go, Naina did not conform to her ideas, what use was rigidity
Anu sighed and reached for a pakora
“Jeeji abhi bhi jet lag chal raha hai aapka?” Savi enquired serving sizzling pakoras
“Abhi ek do din aur” Anu laughed
“Beti ki soch mein hain? Yeh bhi keh rahe they, library khali hai aaj” Savi smiled
Anu teared up
“It all happened so fast”
“Khush hai maine suna”
“KIS SE?”
Anu wanted to know real bad
“Piyush usko SMS karta hai raat ko mostly SOYI hoti hai” Savi whispered conspiratorially
“Pichhle 4 5 sin se to Rohini mein hai”
“Arey nahi Jeeji” Savi was sure all was well
“Achha?”
“Main keh rahi hoon”
“Thank u” Anu smiled
“waise aapko DAR kis baat ka hai?” Savi asked suddenly
Anu froze, “Oh how could she tell her she had anxiety from the fact that her daughter had rushed into marriage with a man who she had safely rejected not too long ago”
“Umm.. mujhe u know, Varsha ki Ma bhi chinta karti hongi”
“KIS BAAT PAR?” Savi whispered and winked “Varsha subah kamre se 10 baje, 11 baje, nikalti hai”
“Hmm.. nahi Veev to subah 7 ya 8 baje Shahpur Jat mein hoti hai”
“Oh why?” she wondered
“waise Bhayya ko chance miley to samdhi ji se baat karwayen ki Raanav ki responsibility thodi dino ke liye kam kar dein, bache hain enjoy karenge”
“Enjoy” being the synonym for s—among middle class mothers
“Akash?” “Is janam mein aisi baat nahi kar paayenge” anu laughed
“Main INKO keh doon?”
“No way… no… no”
“Agar who log enjoy nahi karenge abhi to kab karenge?”
“waise Amma ne taana maara Raanav ko ki hamari beti ko soney dein aap”
“Ammmaaahhh” Savi laughed and laughed
“To who hasker baat ko taal diye”
“To phir? Sab theek hai Jeeji” Savi hugged her and groaned “Aap Delhi mein nahi hotey to mujhe achha nahi lagta”
“Mujhe bhi” she teased
“Mandir ki mannat baaqi thi is liye gayi main Jeeji”
“Naina aayegi?” Anu asked her cautiously
“Kaha to hai”
“Koi achha ladka ho Varsha ki side batao” Anu whispered
“Pakkka? Phir mukarna nahi” Savi was all excited
“Ma did you call?” Veev texted
“Yeah beta”
“Sorry I was asleep”
“Dadi ki baat maan li Raanav ne” Anu smiled as she got up to go speak in another room
Varsha’s parents were entering with a another couple
“Kaafi obedient hai Ma” Viveka shook her head
He had NOT let her sleep and that was the point, but too awkward to let Ma know she was having a romp the first 2 hours after returning home
“raanav kaise hain?”
“Ma AAP MILI HO 4 ghante pehle”
“I know I know… its courtesy”
“He is asleep”
“Good”
“hahahaha”
“Achhha Lohri mein kya dein usko hum?”
“Kyon?”
“We never gave him anything nice”
“Why do you need to, is this dahez?”
“Pagal ho?”
“Phir?”
“GIFT HAI BETA”
“Hmm… I don’t know”
“Great, itni interrogation ke baad nothing?”
“hahah sorry I can ask him”
“Pay attention.. I said GIFT”
“Oh haan haan” “Umm… I don’t know, hes a picky eater, he runs, just give him shoes”
“Maroongi tumhe, first gift son in law ko shoes dein?
“He will like it”
“Tumse baat karna beqaar hai I will ask Piyush” “Or Harshu”
“Ma…Ma Ma Ma Ma Ma”
“Bolo”
“I missed you” Viveka said softly
“I did too jaan”
“Raanav said “My eyes light up when I am around Papa, but for the first time they lit up when I saw you”
“Chalo rehem hai” Anu mumbled sadly
“Can I get him something?” Viveka asked
“yeh MAIN bataoon?”
“Sorry I am thinking out loud” Viveka mumbled
“Haan ruko” Anu spoke into the phone “Veev baad mein call karti hoon”
“Dadu theek hain?”
“Hes fine”
Viveka hung up
Walked over to the bed and climbed on and leaned over him
“My Mom likes you” she whispered on his cheek
Kissed him and got off the bed and went to her corner
“
Seher Hone Ko Hai
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Cricket
Indian Mythology
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