Part 4B:
DD's eyes widened and Sid nodded. "Now, may you guys join my wife and I?" he asked the clients who nodded their heads eagerly.
He looked over to DD for her answer. She shrugged. What choice did she have?
As Sid and the others sat down, DD introduced Roshni to the clients through clenched teeth.
"Meet my daughter Roshni Patel" DD told the clients with a smile on her face.
"Sasu Mom, you mean to say Roshni Siddharth Khurana?" Sid told her calmly, his smile never leaving his face.
"Yes, good that you caught that" a client said while chuckling.
"Yes my mouth slipped, no problem" DD said in her strangely sweet voice. "Meet my daughter Roshni Sidhu Khurana" DD told everyone.
"Have some food" Sid gestured to everyone as the waiter arrived.
"Anything else?" the waiter asked.
"No I believe not.." DD said looking around.
"Actually.." Sid told the waiter brightly. "My Sasu Mom is confused!" "I think we will have a sweet dish once we are finished..but I don't blame Sasu Ma for not knowing that!! Her khadoos manner shows that she hasn't had anything sweet in ages!!"
Everyone at the table gasped in shock. "Well okay..maybe I
did see her eating a sugar cookie once" Sid said innocently. "But
that's certainly not the point!"
"Tell your so called husband to shut up!" DD hissed into Roshni's ear.
Roshni only giggled and kept admiring her husband; much to DD's annoyance.
The clients shot each other looks, obviously trying to hide their smiles.
"So tell me about yourself" a client said to Sid.
"Well I.."
"Let me" DD said interrupting Sid. "My Jamai is very irresponsible, middle class, and an emotional fool!" But what to do..a mother has to succumb to her daughter's wishes.." DD said with the click of her tongue.
Roshni went bright red and the clients looked awkward.
DD went on. "Owning a mere hotel will not make someone wealthy, truth will always remain that the daughter-in-law is more rich."
Roshni had had enough and stood up. "DD, don't you dare insult my husband."
"Husband?" DD said standing up and laughing at her daughter. "He practically dashed in and put some color on your forehead without any preparations, my dear."
"You wouldn't realize the importance of vermilion anyways" Roshni told her mother.
"Woah chill guys" Sid said glancing at the clients.
"And Sasu Mom" Sid told her. "Just check online who won businessman of the year, you'll find out who it was."
"Here" Roshni said taking out her phone and searching on Google. She shoved it under her mom's nose.
DD was quite shocked on knowing Sid's status.
This middle class guy could
not be richer than her. It hurt her ego and her eyes watered up a bit. Clutching on to a chair, she managed to look at the clients and give them a faint smile. "That's my Jamai hehe" she told them.
DD flashed Sid a you are dead look and Sid grinned right back!😳 He was relieved now. DD could not insult his parents or him now about their status.
~*~
That day Durga Devi ended up getting a
REAL heart attack. After lunch, she had gotten up when suddenly her chest had started paining and she put her hand to her heart. "Roshni.." she murmured before blackness took over her.
Mangal Lakshmi
