PART 40--I
FLASHBACK XI
The events from the evening seemed almost unreal to Bani. After Pia walked in sobbing, it was almost as if the the dinner with JW hadnt even happened. Pia was sleeping, she had finally come out with all the truth about her relationship with Pushkar shukla a fellow student in a closely related Hospitality Mgmt program called Event mgmt . She had been "Seeing" him for around six months now, they had gone for dinners and movies together and she had wanted to "marry" him", much to the shock of Bani. She felt fear curl in the pit of her stomach at the thot of papa finding about about all this. Chances were, he would ask both of them to quit what they were doing and pack their bags and return to Mt Abu. He wouldnt tolerate such antics from any of his daughters, most of all Pia. He was extra disciplined towards her anyway, Bani was able to understand why that was. It was as if all of Papa's advise/reprimands/discipline had worked on Bani the most.
Pia was someone who strived for her own happiness and went all the way to get it. The teen childishness/ flirtatiousness/immaturity had now been replaced with an adult impudence........... except even more confident, defiant and brazen.Bani knew Pia was different from her and rano but this was news to her. Even in Mt Abu there were many "boys" who rode their bikes back and forth on the street they lived in all wanting to "befriend" Pia and catch her attention. Her school bag starting 8th grade or so was always more than half full with roses cards and "love notes" on Valentine's day!! She had tried her best to convince Papa to get her a cell phone exclusively. But Papa had refused point blank B was sure it was because he couldnt afford it.
Pia was always late coming home from school. And all her Bday parties had her male classmates on the invitee list and she frequently attended their Bdays as well (all without Papa ever finding out).............
B had definitely wondered many times how Pia must feel to be the center of attention like that and how so many boys could "love" her all at the same time. She had even asked Pia about it, but Pia strangely hadnt given the whole thing any thought, and just revelled in the adulation. She didnt care she was breaking some sincere hearts . She only knew, she didnt want to marry and live in Mt Abu all her life. She wanted to get away from it all as soon as she could.
Acc to her, she was sure "a wealthy incredibly good looking sexy guy, a Page 3 industrialist type would be attracted to her, fall in love at first sight, and would sweep her off her feet, in a whirlwind romance. She would not take the Borivali superfast to go on a date nor eat vada pao at Chowpatty for "date" dinners, she wud be ensconced in the back seat of a plush Merc or BMW and would only eat at places like India Jones or PD Changs..... she would meet him one day, marry him the next and go off to Paris or Switzerland on the third and live a life of ultimate luxury in a mansion with butlers and servants at her every beck and call, alternating between homes in Mumbai and abroad. He would get her a Honda Accord just coz...... and maybe De Beers diamond for their anniversary, never have to work one day of her life. Her hotel mgmt degree was aimed at "meeting such suitors" " she had admitted candidly.
But tonite.................
Pia had discovered about Pushkar being "plain old lower-middle class like us" (yes thats the term Pia had used between racking sobs).Pia's friend who also worked part time at the University's billing office had casually mentioned to her about Pushkar's second and third sem fees being over due and his name being shortlisted for posting outside the fee office!! It had come as a rude shock to Pia. She was sure Pushkar cudnt be "poor". She had confronted Pushkar and had a showdown publicly at his apartment in front of his friends and hers. Unpleasant things were thought of and said and Pia had decided she didnt want to see him again and have nothing to do with him ever again.
Maybe he wasnt wealthy at all but how should that matter to Pia if she really loved him?.................... That made B wonder........ "how can you "choose" to be attracted?" With Bani it had just happened........... her thots went to JW.......... OK I am not attracted........ she corrected herself.......... but I still dont think u can "choose" The spark is either there or not..............If the spark is there for Pia then it shudnt matter if Pushkar is not wealthy.
She had never won any arguments with Pia. Pia had too much resilience and stamina. B usually gave up within the first 10 minutes......... she had started conving her again tonite but, had wearily given up sooner than her 10 minutes.
It had taken Bani hours to calm her down. She wished Anjali wasnt away on a biz trip and had been at hand to help out with resolving this "lovers crisis". Bani had no experience......... ok well limited experience, if her fights with Mr Walia are included........... theirs was always a private battle. No one else knew what happened between the two when they exchanged angry looks................. and JW was NOT her boyfriend so B didnt know how that worked.....................
B liked to keep her things private, part of her shy, introverted personality............
Maybe she doesnt have to worry too much, it is a good thing that it all ended with pushkar, there will be nothing to share with papa and she wont have to quit her job. Pretty soon Pia wud have forgotten it and moved on. May be Papa can indeed find for her a rich Rajasthani Brahmin man, wealthy, successful and good looking?
B stood in her tiny balcony, gazing up at the sky, wondering if there was any truth in what JW had said abt sharing his Bday in future with "family". Her hand instinctively travelled to her lower belly, she placed it there, stood there trembling, eyes shut, face flaming.......... no......... it cant be........... He had warned her not to jump to any conclusions, so probably he must NOT have meant anything when he said that she concluded. Spending two days with a woman automatically did not make her a candidate for a wife, esp for a man like JW!
Her cell phone rings shrilly from under her (what is now Pia's) pillow, Pia stirs in sleep, she quickly grabs it, noise is accelerated as she pulles it out, as the pillow no longer muffles the ringing..............
Even before she sees who it is she knows...........
The blue screen glows with "Jai Walia calling"...........
Her heart ready to explode, in its final seconds starts deactivating her hands and legs... she fumbles with the answer key, Pia's tear swollen eyes open a crack, a questioning look in them wondering who has called Dee so late at nite, B manages a reassuring smile, sending her back to where she was......
B: Hello! (softly....... walking twrds her balcony again, shutting the door behind her)
JW:Its me!
She knew THAT!
B:Hmmm
JW: How is she? (still sulking)
B: Abhi so rahi hai
JW: is she sick? (concerened)
B: Ummm..... No! (blushes) Woh....... uski........
JW: Hmmm?
B: Uski Pushkar ke saath........
JW: Who is Pushkar? (angry at B's lack of cohesiveness in speech)
B: Her friend! Aapko kya? Aap so jaaiyye na? (irritated)
JW: She ruined my nite!!! I have every bloody right to know what upset her!! (authoritatively)
B: She did not! (bristling)
JW: I am sorry.......
B: Its OK
Silence!!!
JW: Baneee thanks for the tee.
B: Oh? Thanx, I mean u are welcome..... Iam sure you must have gotten other things thatw ere really expensive........... I...... mera matlab
JW: What did I say abt jumping to conclusions?
B: Iam sorry
JW: Do u want to go out for lunch sometimes next week? I will wear what u gave me, you can see how it looks on me (smiling)
B: Ummmm......... I am busy.......Ummmmm
JW: Do u want to go or not? (warning)
B: Hmmm
JW: fine I'll call you........
B: Agar main busy hoon to?
JW: Baneee I have something for you. (ignores her struggle with herself)
B: (spontaneously)Kya?..........(biting her lower lip) Mujhe nahi chahiye.
JW: OK
Silence!!!
B: Kya hai?
JW: So u do want to know?
B: Achha theek hai dont tell me.............
He laughs huskily.......
B: Plz..........
JW Chocolates. Which one is ur favorite?
B: Cadbury, fruit and nut!
JW: (smiles warmly at her middle class-ish choice) Oh! this one is called called Pierre Marcolini, and its from Brussels (Belgium). They make some of the best chocolates Baneee, ........It has Sicilian hazelnuts and Turkish raisins in them...............they source their cocoa from Venezuela and Guatemala
B: Iam sure a lot of drug cartel money gets pumped into growing those, I dont want any........ (stiffly....... pompous)
JW: (stunned at her smartness)U need to quit being so bloody smart. Do u know that? How the hell do u get so much time to read?
B: Kaam ke baad, raat ko.........(innocently)
JW: We need to find you an alternate nightime leisure activity that takes more than an inanimate book and a light! (throatily)
B: No! (getting the implication)
Silence!!!
He is the first to start talking.........
JW: Koi aur ladki hoti to she wud be thrilled her boyfriend buys her chocolates that cost Rs 4000 a lb. But not mine........ all she cares about is how it was made.
B: OMG!!!(her hand flies to her mouth) OMG! Itna expensive? I cant accept it.....(forgetting that he referred to himself at her boyfriend)
JW:If u say that one more time. Main abhi aa raha hoon and am gonna give those to you.
B: No!!!! (horrified)
JW: its settled then!
B: Who asked you to buy such expensive chocolates. I justed wanted Cadbury's......... (trails off and sulks)
Silence while he lets her get over it.........
B: How does it taste?
JW: What? (pointed)
B: Stop it!
JW: Baneeee!! (she is sure he is running his fingers thru his hair, she colors warmly imagining it) I havent tasted it. A friend travelled to Brussels last week, usko kaha tha maine to bring some for you.
B: For ME?
JW: Hmmmm! (matter of fact)
B: Oh!!
JW: I havent opened it, my friend Mohan got it. He is a commodities trader who also happens to trade in a commodity called diamonds! (she is sure he winked)
B:Wow!
B: Aaap usko bhejiye nahi. I will take it when I see u for lunch.(she is thinking of Pia when she says that, she is not sure when Pia will leave. With Dushera vacation next week)
JW: So tum milna chahti ho lunch ke liye!
Oops!
B: Ummmm....... Main aapke office se le loongi. Aap Mrs Singh ko de deejiye.
JW: What shud I tell her when I give it to her?
B: Yahi ki main lene aaoongi
JW: Tum kaun ho?
B: I dont want your chocolates!! (trembling)
JW: Baneeee..........
Silence!
B: Pia jaag jaayegi mujhe andar jaana hai
JW: Kahan ho tum?
B: Balcony mein
JW: Itni raat ko bahar kyon khadi ho? (angry)
B: Woh so rahi hai andar
JW: Go inside right now and lock the door (demanding yet protective)
A sudden wave of joy bubbles up to her throat from her insides........... its a strange lovely feeling of being cared for and protected........
"protector finding her own protector"!
B: Hmm (starts walking inside, bolts the door, secures the twist lock thing) mujhe neend aa rahi hai............. I have to go......
JW: Banee, can u take the afternoon off after lunch?
B: No!! I want to work, .......... mera matlab go back to work
JW: Very well then.... we can work together after lunch. I will ask Ms Singh to put it on my calendar!
Click!
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Tum Se Tum Tak
Cricket
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