Chapter 7: The Great Houdini, David Copperfield, Annika Singh Oberoi and other such Great Escape Artists
Fuming and perplexed Shivvay, strode heatedly after Tia catching up with her just as she entered his mother room.He could not fathom for the life of him what had gotten into her.
"What the hell has gotten into you Tia", I bellowed as she sat down on the day bed in my mother's room and patted the seat next to her with a coy smile.
"She did say you would react this way!! It's amazing how well she knows you", Tia replied with sugar coated sarcasm.
"What in the devils name are you talking about Tia? Stop speaking in riddles and hand over my stuff before the chat room closes down", I thundered reaching the tail end of my patience with my exasperating would-be wife.
I was in the middle of a chat discussion with Mishra about the takeover we were coordinating of Swati Mills when Tia seemed to have completely lost it.
"Annika!!! Who else??", she replied, both perfectly arched eyebrows raised in surprise at my question.
Suddenly my mind flashed back to the scene that had played out downstairs in the living room. I had assumed that seeing no way out of the situation, she had retired to our bedroom to call and change her plans for the day. But obviously I had misjudged her and been so very wrong about it.
The smile on her face as I strode angrily past her should have alerted me that Mrs. Annika Oberoi had orchestrated this act and was not going to take me putting her under house arrest lying down.
I sucked in a sharp breath and my eyes widened as all the pieces fell in place.
I could imagine her downstairs right now doing her crazy Egyptian dance and sticking her tongue out at me as she succeeded in making, what they call a "Pappu" out of me, in her crass language.
I whipped around to the dismay of my mother, who was frantically calling out to me to come back, and sprinted down the stairs like a, what does she say?? Oh! Yes, like a rabbit on skates.
As I dashed down the stairs, taking two at a time, I was hit by the amused thought that at this rate, I would have to give up being a businessman and try my hand at the 100 meters dash at the next Olympics. I was sure to be a serious contender with speed and reflexes like these.
I sprinted into and skidded to an ungraceful halt in the living room, making a very uncharacteristically Shivvay entrance to the shock of a very startled Om, and an equally startled Dadi and Soumya who happened to be deep in conversation.
As I doubled over with the effort of the chase to compose myself and regulate my breathing, hands braced on my knees, I was aware of being watched by a very baffled group of spectators.
I straightened up, fixed my vest and flicked imaginary lint from it, picked up the Business Times from the table and sat down to read it nonchalantly.
"What was that Billu??!!!", asked a very bewildered Dadi.
"Yes Shivvay, what was that??", asked a equally curious Om. "You know the rules about running in the hallways, don't you??" he continued in a serious tone trying hard to control his smile.
I completely ignored the brother I love so much but could kill right now and answered Dadi. "Nothing Dadi, I wanted to get to the Business Times before Papa did. You know how I hate it that he creases the pages when he reads it."
"Suuurreee! ", Om said in a teasing tone, "The marathon you just ran had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Anni just walked out on your guard and gave you the royal slip", chuckled Om.
I continued to ignore him and went back to pretending I had found a very interesting piece of news in today's paper.
"By the way Shivvay", asked Om with a puzzled look, "how come the very essential extension of your body parts, the phone and laptop, are missing today? This is the eighth wonder of the world."
I continued to ignore him hoping someone would walk in and change the topic. Unfortunate for me my wish was granted too soon.
"Shivvay!!!", scolded my mother as she approached me, "what is the meaning of running off like that? I told you Annika was considerate enough to give us her wedding planner diary for reference and all that is missing, as she rightly pointed out, was your input from the start. How right she was about it being difficult to pin you down. I almost feel sorry for her now", lamented mum.
"Sorry for HER!!!", I asked taken aback and almost choked . "Since when did you start feeling sorry for Annika mum?"
"Listen Shivvay", continued mum with her usual motherly tone, "don't change the topic. Just come upstairs and give us your input and you can have your phone and laptop back. Annika was right; it is the only way to get you to pay attention"
From the corner of my eye I could see the trio hold their hands to their mouths trying hard to cover their laughter that was waiting to burst out.
I was infuriated at the sassy-ness of Mrs. Annika Oberoi and retorted irately, "Well since she obviously knows me that well why don't you ask her for input on my behalf. You don't really need me do you?"
"Shivvay!!! How can you say that?", replied my mum in her melodramatic voice, "You know we are planning a ShiTia' wedding don't you?"
I visibly grimaced and cringed at that word, ShiTia'. I was going to dismember Rudra limb from limb for coming up with that name.
"Yes Shivvay", countered Om barely able to contain his laughter while he spoke. "It's a ShiTia wedding not a ShivIka one, remember?"
Fhat the wuck??!! I thought in alarm at Om's casual word. Where in blazes did these guys come up with such names? Did they just pull them out of thin air?
As if Shi - Tia was not enough now I had to attach a Shiv - Ika with my identity. I better keep it to just the two marriages before I forget my real name if this is how it continues. It seems my family is on the war path to ship my name to hell and back no matter how many names they have to come up with for that.
"It's only ShiTia OM!!", rebuked my mother with a wag of her finger.
"Ok...ok Mum", can we stop using that word over and over again", I cut in as I felt a shudder run through me at that word." Let's just stick to good old Shivvay and Tia, alright? And no, I am not coming upstairs to discuss anything and neither are you two coming downstairs for that. This is to be handled by you and Tia exclusively. Annika did it single handedly for pete's sake and did such an outstanding job too. You can't tell me that the two of you cannot do better?"
There I thought smugly, I had thrown the bait that I knew would make my mum bite.
She immediately started reciting the many virtues of Tia and how similar they were in their choice and thinking and of course we could do one up on Annika and so on and so forth.
"Good!", I said with a satisfied smile. "That's settled then. Now please ask Tia to return my phone and laptop asap."
I had to catch a very clever and practiced escape artist, I thought with a smirk. It's as easy as following the beard crumbs in the deep and dark "Black Forest" that will lead to our Gretel.
Chapter 8 - page 18
https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/ishqbaaaz/4762067/the-heart-gets-what-the-heart-wants-ff-shivika-ud-may08-ch-34a-pg141?pn=18
Edited by asya34 - 8 years ago
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