And there was Heer gazing down at him and Prem again feeling silly sitting between his parents like he was a 2 yr old. How to get up effortlessly when he was buried in the soft centre of the leather sofa, his mother's hand resting on his forearm, his dad's entire arm round his shoulder?
Panic was something Prem wasn't used to but he felt suffocated. He came to the puja to keep his parents happy. He liked their company most of the time, except when Juneja Sr. started harping on about the mitti back home, that he could still remember and how it called him back. Prem used to cup his ear and pretend he could hear the mitti calling. But that's as far as he was prepared to play along.
Prem struggled out of his seat and almost bowed to Heer, " Sorry, didn't mean to raise my voice. Just took me by surprise."
Fari smiled sweetly and took Prem by the arm and pulled Heer along to the dining room.
"Doesn't matter, doesn't matter! Here we are! And here I go!"
Fari darted into the kitchen,"Chachi! Can I help? I can eat anything!"
"Are you a pious person?" Heer asked Prem.
"Me? No, not really. Parents like to think I am."
Heer was walking towards the kitchen to help. Prem followed.
"Why is the kitchen so crowded all of a sudden?" Daljeet Maan's dulcet tones were not directed at anyone in particular.
She was actually quite pleased that all these young things were dying to help. Except Fari, who was scoffing Jalebis just as fast as they came out sizzling.
"And who's this yeng man?" Daljeet could never resist.
"Chachi this is Prem Juneja. I thought you knew him!"
Heer looked a bit exasperated, honestly! Doesn't Chachi know anything about anything.!
"Kya? Gay3's beta? I shaw him when he was chota bloke! And Now? Aai haai!must put black tikka on you!"
Heer had her hand on her forehead, Fari choked on a jalebi,Prem smiled indulgently at Daljeet and let her fuss over him. His cheeks got patted, his ears tugged,his arms felt for muscles. Finally he was told to sit at the kitchen table. Fari moved obligingly to make room for another chair.
"Heer should be seated here, not me" Fari thought, and Heer knew what her friend was thinking and didn't bother to hide her smile. Fari narrowed her eyes at Heer.
"Chachi, I didn't know Heer was your niece!" Prem was getting into the spirit of things.
"I don't visit out here a lot. Your parents probably don't know either." Heer busied herself with plating up some finger food.
"Beta, even I forget that she's my neesh sometimes! And Heer, we're not living in jungle here! This is Birmingham! Also a city!" Daljeet's laughter was something that only Juneja sr. appreciated, "It'll keep burglars away!" he used to say.
Heer marched out, plate of samosas in hand and served the Junejas. Prem's parents smiled politely while giving her the once over. So this was Heer Maan. They hadn't seen a picture of her. Prem had refused and said it was not right. No girl's picture was to be entertained. They had to agree, no picture would have done justice to Heer. She looked stunning, yet seemed completely unaware of it.
As much as Gay3 hated what she was feeling, she couldn't help feel a twinge of resentment. She was going to lose Prem to this girl. Why couldn't Prem have stayed in London this weekend?
Edited by locman - 15 years ago