“Not ours”
Smritabarely smiled at Viveka the next morning. It was time to return to Delhi
Raanavdid not ask her if she was taking the job, she wondered if he was going toemploy a different strategy.
He wasthe most easy to get along with, live with guys. She was closest to her cousinsand best friends with her sisters, Raanav was different
Thosedark jeans and gingham shirts and having a dog, arghh the running habit going from intellectual discussion tocomplete seduction in less than 10 minutes. He was even willing to getpiercings if she wanted him to
Shetexted Rhea about it as she began eatingbreakfast
Satyenand Rakshit and Raanav were all at the office their bags were packed and pulledup by the front lounge
Smritacould be heard talking on the phone
Raanavsent her memes he found funny, usually in the mornings
Theywere beginning to have a good dynamic she realized blushing, he expected hercomments on the most provoking ones
“Idon’t think so” she commented on one that was too risqué for her taste
“We cantalk about it”
“Wecertainly may not” she responded and looked up chewing and smiling
Smritaappeared frazzled she noticed, she looked fit and was always well dressed
“doesn’teat paranthas and makhan like her DIL idiot!” her mind voice told her
“YoungerDIL bol na” she corrected her mind friend
“Yes…that too”
Shegiggled, and looked at her plate
“Yep…REAL food” she gently let her fingertips feel her hip, “Yep… its all here” she muttered to herself
“Wereall your girlfriends skinny?” she had asked him during honeymoon
“I willnot answer that” he had told her
“Youjust did” she smiled cornering him
She wasrewarded with purposeful lovemaking the next hour
Vivekawondered of Raanav wished she was skinny like his Mum and and his Bhabhi Lekha
“Hemust be a practical man… he knows it aint happenin in this lifetime so heprobably wont seek it”
“Hi”Smrita walked past
“Hello”she smiled
Smritawas gone
“Ican’t, Satya knows I am leaving you have to give me other dates or have someoneelse do ribbon cutting, I cannot do charitable things if I don’t have the time…we donate millions every year… haan I know… I know… OK… but (listening) This isnot my life…. I am not a”
Vivekawondered who was at the other end
Shecuckled when her mind voice spoke
“Shemust be wanting to tell the woman at the other end my DIL is a charity workernot me don’t expect me to slum for u”
“IsRaanav asleep?” Smrita asked
“Atwork I think”
“Oh”she turned and walked away
“thanku” Viveka muttered to herself
“She islike MY DAUGHTER in fact SHE IS A DAUGHTER” Smrita was again on the phone
Sheassumed the conversation was about Lekha
Shewent back to her room to pack up
Satyenkept her busy in the car when he conferenced Mr Nahar about the endowment tosome crafts initiative
Raanavchecked in her bag, Satyen was still nottalking to raanav she noticed
Raanavhad sent her a picture of a creatively cooked omelette at a local joint, it wasshaped like a rooster
Sheassumed father and son were patching up
But notso…
Theywaited for the plane by the gate
Smritisat by her and did not say a word, Raanav Rakshit and her her played a word game, she let Raanav win and told himshe did
She gotup to use the rest room as the brothers wandered, and satyen was taking a quicknap
“I amgoing to the rest room” she said pointing to her purse
Smritagot up with a smile and said “Oh sweetie I wish I could I have to go buy gum”she smiled
Walkingaway after apologizing silkily
Vivekawent to the rest room and returned for boarding
Rakshitsat by Satyen, Smrita actually took the center seat, and kept Raanav immersed in some inaneconversation the whole time
Shethought it was odd but wore her airpods and listened to music and took a nap
Thebehavior continued after they landed in Delhi, though much of it went unnoticedby Viveka. She was too busy texting family and talking to work team and friends
Smritahad guided the airport worker with the cart containing her and Satyen’s bags,
Inorder to leave Viveka’s bag behind she accidentally ignored her darling Rakshit’sbag as well, Raanav only had a cabin bag
Hepicked up the remaining bags off the carousel
“Ummyou might have forgotten these Mum” he laughed as Rathiji was about to shut thetrunk
“Oh,Rakshit’s? Oh no…” she was seriously upset
“Haha”
“Whoseis that other one, galat le aaye shaayad” she told her son”
“Its Vi’s”he said shaking his head
It wasnot LV or Aviator or Terminal 1 luggage of course
“Weneed to get her decent bags” she muttered
HopingRaanav heard it
But hewas busy pulling the air pod out of his wife’s ear
“RaanavvvDO mujhe” as he dodged and she chased him thru the airport, dropping the sheafof papers and journals she read on the plane after her nap
Thecouple picked it all up, Raanav kept her airpods, as they went to the secondwaiting car
Smritawould do overt and covert things from then to signal Viveka about her loathing.
Satyencould have approached it differently
Hewould realize later