Hello everyone. I am so sorry for the long delay in posting the next chapter. I'm having cousins over for a holiday and with classes and wandering about the countryside with them, I haven't bee able to update. Also, I must apologise upfront for this chapter. It's rather silly, I think but I hope you will not be too disappointed. And a short note about the game played in here. It's Monopoly, I haven't played it much but I remember that my elder brother used to play it all the time with his friends and they used to have one of them keep bank. So just borrowed that from there. So, sorry for rambling on. On to the update. Thanks in advance for reading. Have a great weekend. I'm going to dream of Meet all weekend. Meet was so sweet today*swoons*.......
Sorry, another note. Meher is studying Law. In this fic, she's almost finished with her course work. She just needs to submit her Project for her Last Semester and sit for her final examination/Bar examination.
Chapter 3
"Meher Maami, come and play with us," pleaded Tannu, her face scrunched up cutely. Meher looked up from the Project she was working on for Law School. It was due in a couple of days and she still had to compile a list of arguments. But, as usual, she couldn't resist Tannu's soulful look, which she privately thought, Tannu had copied perfectly from her Preet Mamu and so she hit the save key on her notebook and pushed herself away from the table she was hunched over.
"Only for a bit, okay Tannu. Maami has to finish this Project by Thursday," she told the little girl, as they walked (well, Tannu skipped along!) towards the playroom.
When they reached the playroom, Meher stopped short at the door, taking in the scene before her.
Preet was grinning back at her, seated with Vikas and another kid from the neighbourhood (Amit, Vikas's friend!) at the board games table.
"Preet!" she said, very surprised, "When did you get back?"
They were playing Monopoly, she observed, rolling her eyes at the saucy wink Preet directed her way.
Preet was such a rascal!
An adorable one, to be sure! But one nevertheless! And Honestly! If he wanted her to help him cheat and win against these little ones (like some of the times with Prem Bhaiyya and Heer Bhabhi, who were so oblivious to everyone and everything else when they were next to each other, that he always got off scot free!) he had another thought coming!
"Some time back," he informed her, smiling ruefully. "I was hijacked!"
"Maami," Vikas shouted with glee, "Preet Mamu just lost another game to us. He's now bankrupted."
"Bankrupt!" she corrected automatically, her face breaking into a big smile. Preet stuck his tongue out at her.
"So, Mamu said that you would be his lucky charm and help him win this next game," Tannu told her, pulling her towards the table.
"Oh! He did, did he?" Meher said, shaking her head at Preet and taking a seat next to him. "I'm not helping you cheat, do you hear me! It's terrible that you want me to!" she muttered under her breath, only for his ears.
"I've lost a game every day this week against them. I can't take it anymore!" he sighed dramatically, his voice a whisper against her ear. She shivered as his cool breath fanned her cheek. She felt her cheeks warm up and cursed silently.
She hated it that Preet could make her blush by merely existing! And she didn't want to look at him, she could so not resist the 'I'm so appealing! Help me!' look in his chocolate brown eyes.
"I'm not helping you cheat against the kids," she again muttered fiercely, still refusing to meet his eyes.
"Soch lo sweetheart! If you don't help me cheat, I'll…I'll…."
"You can't hold me to ransom," she told him calmly, feeling her pulse rate increase as she registered the 'sweetheart'. She raised her eyes to his finally and noticed the gleam in his eyes. She suddenly felt apprehensive.
"If you don't help me win," Preet whispered, his eyes moving softly over her face, "I'll kiss you!" his voice suddenly husky as his eyes caught hers again.
She stared back at him, shocked, wondering if she could have heard him right. She could feel the warmth climbing into her cheeks.
"Oy hoy!" he whispered "Tera sharmana! Hai! Main Mar Jawa!" She glared at him which only amused him further and he winked at her.
"In front of the kids," he continued softly, flicking a finger across the tip of her nose. She tried to say something but found she couldn't think or say a thing.
"Maami, Mama, what are you doing?" Tannu and Vikas both demanded at the same time and Meher jumped. Preet, she noted, to her annoyance, was smiling lazily at her, cool as a cucumber.
"No…Nothing! Nothing at all," she hastily recovered herself and smiled at the three children in front of her. Mama was just telling me that….that…you all play very well."
Preet sniggered and she shot a killing glare at him.
And she felt like an idiot when Tannu and Vikas looked at her, identical disbelieving looks on their faces.
"I'll tell you what I was telling your Maami," Preet drawled, enjoying the horrified look on Meher's face.
"Let's…Let's start playing," Meher said quickly, her voice sounding rather squeaky to her ears. "Tannu, Vikas, sit down. I'll keep bank," she found herself saying.
She was going to kill Preet later. She glared at him again.
"Okay, okay," he whispered softly, "no cheating! Okay!" She looked at him. He was mouthing a 'Sorry!' and the 'appealing look' was back in his eyes. She sighed! He caught her hand in his under the table and didn't let go ("Just moral support" he whispered) and she couldn't help the smile that broke out on her face, mirrored immediately by one from him.
Some time later….
Preet let out a whoop of joy. "I won! I won!" He jumped up and punched his fist in the air, "I won….nnnn!"
He caught Meher's hand and pulled her up. "Dekha, Tannu, Vikas, Amit, Maine kaha than na! Your Maami is my lucky charm!" he twirled Meher around like a ballerina.
"Aap enjoy karo Mamu," Tannu piped in mischievously, "Aap bhi kya yaad rakhenge! Hume pata hai ki aap dono kya kar rahe the! You can't fool us!"
"Haan Mamu, Maami, hum sab dekh rahe the," chortled Vikas, grinning.
Meher's jaw dropped. Preet caught Tannu and lifted her up. "Bahut shaitan ho gaye ho tum sab. Maroonga!" he said, trying and failing to look stern. Tannu giggled. He couldn't help it. She was so adorable! He hugged her and set her down.
"Mamu, catch me," she shouted, running out of his reach and he obliged, setting off after her. He reached the door, turned back, winked slowly at Meher and exited the room.
Well, that's it! It was like a filler. Will try better next time. Thanks for reading! Love:-Nonee
Edited by noneeM - 16 years ago
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
