Big Dog
She was still asleep when he went downstairs, worrying him, Cleo laying on the foot of the bed leapt up for cuddles he tickled her neck and got in the bed beside his wife
He sidled up by her and gently stroked her bottom lip
“Her lil one” he whispered on her nose
She made a face stirred and tried to turn away
He held her in his arms and lay there
He stared at the fan, beep had hit the fan
It was going to be hard to trace his path back to his Mum, he sighed
She woke up with a start and pulled away
“WHERE were you?”
“Upstairs at breakfast”
“Cant you take ur dog with you?” she demanded
“Cleo?”
“She is NOT a person dude!”
He lay there smiling, gently caressing her back with his finger tips
“Love ur hair” he muttered softly, feeling the tumbling curls
“Tumhe subah subah kuch nahi milne waala”
“WHYYYY?” he groaned
“I had to get up to go brush my teeth, she sat there starting and everytime I attempted to get off the bed, she cocked her ears, and stared at me like she was going to jump me”
“You’ve been with her in London… that’s crazy”
“To MAIN jhooth bol rahi hoon?” she was livid
She turned around and faced him reaching for a scuncie without letting go of the locked gaze
He gently lifted himself up and felt the vee of her tee shirt
She pushed his hand away
He pulled her on to his body, she fell face down on him
“We had a 20 minute staring match and I went back to sleep”
“I had no idea” he let his arms wrap around her… gently stroking, as they felt each others’ bodies
“This could be a great imprisonment tactic”
“I would have jumped out ran and shut myself in the bathroom but I was sure she would be sitting outside the door”
“DON’T do that Vi, Ive told u… u fear her, she KNOWS it” he warned
“OK send me to dog… or human dog whatever training school”
“Its simple, act like you know her and are comfy and just CHILL”
“Its harddd… even the slightest movement she wants to know WHY”
“Because she wants to protect you”
“SHE” “She looks like a giant ball of fur, like a bale of hay covered in fur”
“That doesn’t make sense…”
“Like a giant animal pillow”
“Yes… exactly, why would she hurt you”
“Because she thinks I am stealing her “MAN” she did air quotes
He laughed until his whole body shook, he turned towards her and they spent the next half hour pleasuring each other almost fully clothed
“I am going off to work, I might have a couple of road shows… ironically one in the craftspeople’s hometown Gujarat” she chuckled
He returned her tee back to her she wore it the wrong way and tied her hair and left him sleeping
Cleo followed her
“I returned your man… go away” she whispered
Nope, Cleo followed her to the shower and while she got ready
Viveka went down on her knees and gently tickled her neck like she watched Raanav do
“Get over it… stalking me is not going to get rid of me” she whispered
Cleo just licked all over her face
“Ufff” she scowled and and washed her face off and picked up her things and went over to the music room to her study desk
She almost did not notice Smrita bent over the night stand WRITING her son a note
Cleo sniffed and nuzzled and sniffed and snuzzled Smrita
“Yep, u are doing the right thing, she is the lady of the house afterall” Viveka thought in her head with a chuckle
Raanav had covered his head with a pillow
“Hi!” Viveka mumbled
Smrita froze and stood up startled, the pen rolling off the nightstand
“He is just taking a nap, you can wake him he is giving me a ride to work”
Smrita scanned her saree and her and her glasses book bag, and purse
“That’s fine” Smrita shrugged
“Have a good trip” Viveka said politely rearranging a stack of books and journals
“Oh I will” Smrita mumbled bending down and not giving her any more attention
Raanav stirred
Smrita stiffened
“I have to go”
Smrita didn’t respond
Viveka leaned on the bed and, and gently lifted his pillow
“See you in the evening” she whispered
He immediately threw the pillow to the side and sat up and noticed his Mum bent over the nightstand
“Hey” he mumbled
“Gimme me 5 Vi” he growled
“No… go back to sleep” she whispered
He got off the bed on her side and pulled her braided hair
“KYA kar rahe ho” she scowled
Smrita observed sideways
“Hey Mum”
“Hi!... u can “ “Well I will give it to you when u return”
“I am heading to work, I just need to change my shirt” he said running to his closet
Smrita folded the page and and folded it again
To Viveka it seemed a bit theatrical to write her darling son a note
But hey… she wants to make a point
Viveka didn’t say a word
“Was it your idea to move out?” Smrita quizzed
“Oh no” Viveka was shocked
“Well you can celebrate because, his Dad is letting him go live whichever place u picked”
“Ive never seen… I mean I hadn’t seen it until last night”
“I probably appear like a television mother in law to you” Smrita blurted
Watching the brief flash of amusement pass over Viveka’s eyes she hated herself the next instant
“Oh?” Viveka smiled
Viveka DID actually, she watched TONS of those in the afternoons with Dadi, while writing papers on deep boring subjects
“I DON’T watch them but I ….”
“Ah” Viveka played along
“That’s besides the point, my goal is not to corner you when my son is not around. I am disappointment you would use him to get back at me”
“I have not done that” Viveka smiled calmly shrugging
“U can move out before I return from Europe if you want” Smrita offered
“I will not actually” Viveka smiled
“Umm… uh… U don’t have to pretend to like it here I can understand how hard it must be for you”
“Do you?” Viveka inhaled and exhaled audibly not saying anything else
“I used to be in your shoes once”
The next second Smrita realized she had again put her foot into her mouth
Something about this girl caused her to lose her s---
Each time she tried to insinuate who the boss was, each time Viveka just by being herself seemed to outwit her
“I meant A NEWLY WED” smriti over corrected
Sure” Viveka nodded confused she had no idea how broke Smrita’s parents were and how rebellious a college dropout 19 year old Smrita Dhamija was, so she was plainly confused by her MIL’s words
She watched Smrita as she was walking out of the suite