Part Twelve goes out to Preet because he gave me weird dreams. (Dreams NOT related to Preet, so get your minds out of the gutter! I had dreams that involved buying chocolate...and something else a little morbid.) And also because Meher is so lucky to have him. Oh I read a quote by some lady that said you should marry guys with ear piercings, because 1) they understand pain and 2) they know how to buy jewelry! 😆
Kuch Kum
Part Twelve
It was the late afternoon. Preet had left work a little earlier, feeling way too distracted to concentrate. So he sat on the tree, eating an apple. Eating apples on the tree helped him relax and think.
Right now, he was thinking of Ash. How to get Ash to agree to a date with Harman, to be precise.
He bit into the apple, chewing thoughtfully.
Let's see, he thought. Ash likes red roses. She hates Harman. She hates me. She loves the kids.
He glanced down into the Maan yard, where Varun and Tannu were throwing a ball around with Ash. She loves the kids. He frowned slightly. She loves the kids… A slow smile grew on his face. She loves the kids.
He had an idea.
-||-
Meher came into the house, happily humming Socha Hai from the movie Rock On. She blamed her boss, who had been playing the songs from Rock On the entire day at the gallery, thus effectively getting them stuck in her head.
She bounced up the stairs. She peeked into Tannu's room and found her eating a chocolate bar while rereading the Nancy Drew book Ash had given her. Meher raised an eyebrow. Chocolate before dinner? Kuldi hardly ever gave her kids chocolate to start with, so how was Tannu eating chocolate at 5 in the evening?
"Tannu, beta, tum yahaan par akeli chocolate kyun kha rahi ho?" she asked subtly.
Tannu looked up, breaking out into a grin as she saw Meher. "Meher Maasi! Woh Preet Uncle hai na, usne mujhe chocolate diya."
Preet had given her chocolate? Meher frowned.
"Usne kahaa ki agar main Ash Maasi ko roses doon toh voh mujhe chocolate dega, toh maine Ash Maasi ko roses diye aur usne mujhe chocolate diya!" she said happily. She offered it to her. "Aapko chahiye?"
Meher smiled a little and shook her head. "Nahin, beta, tum kha lo. Lekin Mama ko mat batana ki Preet Uncle ne tumhe chocolate diya, theek hai?"
Tannu nodded, and Meher left the room.
Her insecurities from earlier in the day returned. Preet was sending roses to Ash through Tannu?
She swallowed. She had to find Ash.
-||-
"Di, I can't do it, it's bubbling too much!" Ash whined, standing two feet away from the pot, holding a bowl full of cubed potatoes.
Kulraaj rolled her eyes. "God, Ash! How are you supposed to learn to cook if you don't jump right in?" she replied, taking the potatoes from Ash and dumping them in.
Ash rolled her eyes back. "It's my first time, Di! Gimme at least a couple of days!" Don't forget that I didn't sign up for this, she added silently.
Meher silently entered the kitchen, a rather troubled look on her face.
"Meher, tell Ash how easy it is to dump potatoes into a pot of sizzling garlic!" Kulraaj requested, glancing at her sister. "Meher, sab kuch theek hai kya? Tum itni pareshaan kyun lag rahi ho?"
Meher looked up. "Hmm? Oh, um, no, I'm fine, Di," she said, smiling absently. "Um, Ash Di, mujhe aapse kuch baat karni thi."
Ash sent a tremendously grateful smile Meher's way. "Chalo, hum kahin aur chalte hain. Nahin toh hum Kuldi ko disturb karenge, na?"
Meher let herself be led listlessly to the living room by Ash. Ash sat down in an armchair, and Meher lowered herself onto the couch.
"Toh bolo, kya baat karni thi?"
Meher hesitated. "Um, Di, aapko roses mile kya?"
Ash made a face. "Yeah, it was from one of those Junejas. Kyun?"
"Oh. Uss par kuch likha tha kya?"
"He asked if I wanted to go for dinner with him. I said no. I mean, come on, yaar! Prem watches Heer Di from his window, Preet stares at you from the tree, aur voh Harman ka gaddha? Don't get me started on him!"
Meher wasn't listening. So Preet had asked Ash out. Her stomach was in knots, and she thought she felt one in her throat as well.
"Meher? Arre, Meher, kahaan kho gayi ho?" Ash waved a hand in front of Meher's face.
Meher blinked. She forced a smile. "Sorry, Di. Thanks. Mujhe kuch kaam hai, I'll see you at dinner."
And with that she left, leaving a rather puzzled Ash behind.
"Ash! Potatoes jal rahe hain!"
She groaned and dragged herself back to the kitchen.
-||-
Meher paced the length of her room, the door closed. She played with her dupatta, trying to reason with herself.
Ash Di just said that one of the Juneja boys gave it to her. That doesn't mean Preet. It could have been Prem or Harman, right? Well, maybe not Prem, he's got eyes only for Heer Di. It must have been Harman, then, who the flowers are from.
But then why did Preet ask Tannu to give it to Ash Di? Is that why Preet asked me what Ash's favourite flowers are? Why couldn't Harman give Ash Di the flowers himself? Why ask Preet to do it?
The sneaky voice that had fed her insecurities throughout her entire life reared its ugly head again: Unless the flowers really are from Preet.
Meher swallowed.
Come on, Meher, look at yourself.
She obeyed, stopping in front of the mirror.
Compared to Ash and Heer, who would give you a second thought?
Meher stared at herself, forcing that voice away. Preet loves me. I know it. He would never hurt me.
Right?
-|end of part twelve|-
I know, I know, sad part. But come on, I know you guys liked it! So yeah, in case you guys forgot, the next part shall be up on Saturday! Oh, and for those of you reserving, you don't have to make animal noises anymore! 😆 Though cookies to all those who did! (Even if you didn't, help yourself to a cookie anyway!) See you on SATURDAY!
Love,
Bhav (:
P.S. Please don't hate me for what I did to Meher! :(
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