Chapter 33
Part2
Yet another
morning!! The naturally programmed body clock incited he's later to wake up
than the regular schedule, but the burdened lids are soliciting to give them
more rest. Batting the non-cooperative lids, Jalal glanced at the digital
calendar on side table. 28.09.2014
Sunday 7:50am it displayed!!
"Sunday!!"
the heavy lids closed again. Off late, his detestation for the lethargic
Sundays exponentially increased as he's running out of ideas to engage himself
in some activity - Monday to Saturday, days turn into minutes and pass away in
a flick but on Sunday each minute becomes an hour for him. He didn't like
disturbing his friends, as it's the only day in week they get to cherish family
time. With no office and no friends, he spent most of the Sundays in his garage
toying with unused cars. Off late, even that was getting mundane. He tossed
under sheets again thinking of the schedule for the day, but the clogged nose
diverted his attention.
"Hmm...
hmm", taking deep breaths to clear the clog, Jalal wondered why he caught
on cold overnight. He then remembered spending two thirds of the night in
balcony, open air. Inhaling again, he recalled why he ended up sleeping in
swing. The instant he arrived at the answer, his eyes opened. "Jodha is
here!!" Alacrity returned, shoveling passiveness and the sluggish Sunday
morning no longer felt sluggish.
Ten minutes
later, decked in a snug fit sports shirt and trousers he stepped out eagerly
glancing at the opposite door. The wide opened door, with no signs of Jodha's
presence inside, turned him doubtful. "Where is she?" he turned back
to check in the balcony when a faint laughter from downstairs reached his ears.
As he swiftly trekked down, the sounds become more audible - it was an
amalgamation of laughter and exclamation coming from the kitchen.
"Did
you do that?" he heard Mani asking in part amusement and part disbelief.
Briefly halting at entrance, he peeked into kitchen expecting Jodha, but he
found only Mani leaning against the exit door and looking out.
"Yes
Mani. It wasn't intentional, a blooper on my part!!" Jodha's voice came
from outside and he perceived why Mani was looking out. Predicting her to be
seated on the steps that led to patio, Jalal silently tiptoed in, and stopped
by the kitchen island.
"A
perfect blooper which ended up in disbanding a rich alliance," he heard
Jodha giggle. "What a
morning!!" he felt
satiated with the life her giggles brought along. Curiously slanting
against the island, he prepared to listen to her story of rich alliance.
"What
happened Amma?" Vasantha's enthusiastic voice echoed from outside.
"It
happened last year, a few months before my parents' death..." Jodha began
narrating.
"Oh!!
She told them about it? How come the cat is out of its shell so soon?" he smirked.
"There
is this rich & haughty distant relative of my mother who wasn't interested
in us until a year ago. Then they suddenly started socializing with us,
increased the frequency of their visits to our home and we're dazzled by their
sudden interest in us. One fateful evening last year, they stopped by our home
when I was experimenting with Upma. Those were my initial days of learning
cooking, let me confess, I'm not quite enthusiastic about cooking, but these
mothers na..." her head shook in contempt. "My mom was hell bent on
grooming me as a prospective bait in the matrimonial fishing. When I returned
to the living with Upma plates and teacups, I saw this rich couple in serious
discussion with my parents. Since I cooked only for three of us, I had to offer
the plates to the guests. They're clean bowled, as they didn't except me to
cook. They praised my mom left and right saying - You taught her cooking? That's
great!! Which girl cooks these days? Jodha is smart, intelligent, obedient,
this, that, what not!!" The listeners giggled at her style of
narration.
"After
done with singing glories, they took the first spoon in, and their faces paled.
We three instantly realized something went wrong and my mom skeptically asked
them how it tasted. With great effort, they gulped the morsel and nodded in
fake delight. My mom heaved a sigh of relief while I sympathetically glanced at
the couple trying to analyze what went wrong." Muting his giggles, Jalal
glanced at Mani who barked a loud laughter, trying his best to hold the coffee
cup from tripping.
"After
two more tormenting morsels they kept the plates down and hastily sipped on tea
and..." looking at Mani, Jodha gave a teasing pause.
"...and?"
Vasantha prodded.
"...and
their eyes popped out!!"
"Oh my
God!!" holding her stomach, Vasantha snorted.
Finding it
too difficult to be silent, Jalal too laughed out but it got muffled in the
domineering laughter of Mani and Vasantha. "While we three stared baffled,
they furiously got up gritting under breath - If
you don't like our proposal, there're better ways of saying it. This is wrong...
very wrong of you!! And then
they're gone!! Forever!! Later, when we met in a family function, they turned
their faces on us."
"What
did you add in Upma and tea?" too anxious to wait, Mani probed.
"After
they left, my mom rushed into kitchen to taste the leftovers. As expected, she
spitted it and demanded... like you just did," she winked at Mani. "I
confidently showed the containers and she banged on my head with one of it-
"Idiot, this is IDLY ravva not Upma ravva," she yelled and then opened the other jar,
which I assumed to be sugar, poured a pinch in my mouth and howled "This is lemon salt not sugar!!"
Happily watching her guffawing audience, Jodha waited another moment.
"The
guests assumed I did it on purpose, after eavesdropping their conversation.
They made sure they spread the gossip of my audacious act to everyone in our
circle. Had I erred in either Upma or tea, they wouldn't have taken it as an
insult. But no... I messed up both. I've this habit of doing anything to
perfection, although it is erring!!" she sarcastically smiled.
"Thankfully, I used this incident as an escapade from kitchen. The
proposal was gone and so was my reputation. It was a chartbuster for several
months and used to be hot topic of discussion in any family gathering. Even
today, my uncles and aunts suspiciously stare at the plates when I serve them
anything. They eat, only after I swear that I didn't step into kitchen while it
was cooked." Smiling, Jalal remembered Jodha assuring the same to Prithvi
when they attended breakfast at her home. Now he knew the reason behind it.
"Didn't
you get an iota of doubt before adding Ravva to Upma?" wiping the tears
off her eyes, Vasantha asked.
"Naah..."
Jodha nodded. "Both Ravvas looked very similar. Even their jars were
similar; I didn't even doubt I picked up the wrong ones. That is acceptable,
but my biggest mistake was to not taste after cooking. Of course, the best
thing is, it taught me lifetime lesson - Taste before you serve!!"
"Haach!!"
Carrying a
broad grin, Mani looked back to the source of sound. Discerning the man
standing before him, he stood straight in attention, lowly greeted Jalal and
rushed towards the stove to fix coffee for his master.
"Bless
you..." thinking it to be Mani who sneezed, Jodha looked back smiling.
Perceiving Jalal at door instead of Mani, her smile thickened. "Oh...
you're here!! Good morning!!" she joyously wished giving a melodious start
to his day. "Indeed a
very good morning!!" he
thought and smiled to her in return. Sensing its time to get back to work,
Vasantha hustled into kitchen leaving the couple alone.
Loving his
shining even teeth between the exquisitely parted lips, she vivaciously spoke.
"Good that you woke up, else I'd have come looking for you. The aroma of
Mani's coffee was too tempting to wait longer. Manii..." she shouted to the
man in kitchen. "Two coffees please!!" She placed the order and
brightly smiled. And then her smile vanished!!
"Why're
your eyes red?" trailing her gaze over his tired features, she puzzled.
"And nose too?" Studying her worried eyes, Jalal spent a moment in
thought before answering her. "My eyes are red because," he cleared
his throat, "after you left, I spent the night in the swing, sitting in
your place and looking around."
"What?"
dazzled by his absurd answer, her eyes narrowed. "What did you look
for?"
"For
THAT INTRIGUING sight which you saw from your place that fetched a sudden
turnover of your mood, and which I obviously missed seeing from mine," he
witted. "I spent rest of the night looking around for it, but with no
luck. How did I miss?"
Her face
paled at the unanticipated question but then she quickly recovered. "Many
a times," she said looking down to her fingers. "...a great amount of
visualization is done behind eyes than before them. So it's totally possible
that you missed seeing what I saw. And what I saw..." she threw a warning
smile, rightly guessing his next question. "...is a girl's thing. Don't try
asking about it."
"Girls
thing?" he repeated, speculating how closely Aliya is related to this girls-thing.
"Yes.
For how long were you out?" gauging his heavy lids, she asked.
"Most
of the night," he casually said. "I fell asleep in the swing."
"Mm...
that explains your red nose as well", Jodha bowed again looking down to
her fingers - guilt and pain didn't let her meet his gaze. "He suffered for my stupidity", she admonished herself. "I've to be very discreet
hereon", setting up a
staunch reminder in mind, she quickly thought of alternatives to tackle the
situation. "Since I'm the reason for your cold" she looked up
cheerful, "I'll take it on me to ensure you feel better."
"How?"
he curiously frowned.
"Manii..."
She called as an answer. "Cancel the order for two coffees, and change the
order to..." Evilly smirking at the dubious boss, she finished. "One
coffee and one turmeric milk."
"What?
No!!" he repulsively screamed but it had no impact on the bewitching girl
who already vanished into kitchen.
~~~
"Mm...
What a coffee!!" loudly sniffing the aroma, Jodha threw a side glance at
the irate man darting dire glares at the milk glass in his hands and at her.
"Stop
glaring at the glass Jalal" Jodha laughed, "Milk might curdle."
Stifling his
giggles, Jalal took a sip and choked. "Ah!!" his hand caught his
throat. "What did you add to milk?"
"A
pinch of turmeric and a spoon of pepper," she looked tensed.
"Why?"
"Are
you sure its pepper?" he seriously asked and Jodha grew doubtful. "Oh
yeah!! Mani told me its pepper powder only," she placed the coffee mug
down and forwarded her hand. "Give it here. Let me check."
"I
doubt!!" he shrugged and passed on the glass to her. While she's busy
staring at and sniffing the milk to assimilate its ingredients, Jodha heard his
loud husky voice. "Mm... What a coffee!!" She promptly looked up and
the devilish smirk tugged on his lips gave away his ploy.
"Liar!!"
she raged putting the glass down. His smirk transformed into grin.
"Cheat!!"
she banged on his shoulder and Jalal accepted the title with a gracious nod.
"That's
my coffee..." she pouted.
"I
know. I just wanted to prove that," returning her coffee, he whispered.
"...its not quite difficult to have what I determined to have. Be it coffee
OR..." his gaze lurked over her flushed cheeks.
"Or?"
bewildered, she asked but he calmly went for his glass not bothering to
respond.
"Or
what Jalal?" Jodha fervently demanded.
"Leave
it!!" he cheekily winked. "It's a boy's thing. You don't
understand."
She glared
at that retort and then broke into an amused chuckle. "You are too good at
leveling scores. Aren't you?"
"If
you say so!!" He grinned and asked. "Whats up for the day? Any plans?"
"I've
to go for shopping", she sighed tracing the contours of mug.
"Peddamma has the tradition of gifting the staff for Dussehra. We were
half done. Since she was running out of time yesterday, she instructed me to
complete it today."
"Let's
go after lunch," Jalal suggested. "Shall we eat out?"
Jodha
almost nodded at the proposition when something else struck her mind.
"Some other time Jalal", she deferred. "Yesterday also I ate
out, I lack the appetite to go out. Let's have lunch here and then go for
shopping."
"Fine
then..." Finishing the last sip, he got up. "I'll now leave for gym.
Will be back in an hour. You need anything?"
"Gym?"
standing up, she looked distasteful. "You're sick Jalal. You've a perfect
reason to skip it and take rest."
"I'm
not as sick as you're establishing it Jodha," he laughed and casted a
measuring glance. "Tell me you're bored to be alone, I'll think of
it."
"Indeed
I'm!!" she shyly admitted. "Now... will you stay back?"
"I'll",
he nodded delighted. "But only if you promise to give me company in my
personal gym upstairs."
"Oh no...
Please!!" She sickened at the thought of running to exhaustion on a
treadmill, but then she had a sudden mood swing. "You said company
right!!" she pointed out. "Ok done, let's go!!" Scooping the
empty glass out of his hands with natural ease, Jodha turned on her heels and
hustled into kitchen. Enthralled by the poignancy of her gesture, Jalal slowly
followed behind, with a besotted smile dancing on his lips. After all, not every woman snatched
a defiled glass from him with such prim authority.
~~~
"Where's
the gym?" joining him at the stairs, Jodha enquired.
"Second
floor!!" he answered trekking up.
"Above
that?"
"Entertainment
lounge. Want to have a look? We're only half done with home tour last
night."
"No,
it's ok. I'll explore rest of the home all by myself," she volunteered.
"I already strolled around your garden and intruded into your garage,
since I woke up early this morning. The garden is artistic and your garage..."
she chuckled remembering the sight. "...is more like a mechanic shed than a
garage."
"Mechanic
shed?" Jalal glanced partly averse and partly amused. "How
awful!!"
Laughing at
his scrunching nose, Jodha amended. "Ok, ok... I gather I sounded
offensive. Let me think of a sophisticated word..." she thought for a
while. "Aa... how about a laboratory? Oh... yes" her brows rose in
delight. "I'll name it Jalal labs or even better..." She seriously
announced. "Jalal Ahmed Research Center. How is that?" she solemnly
sought his opinion and then the couple burst into giggles in unison.
"You
are..." Grinning and shaking head, he started. "...an out and out
idiot!!" she completed for him. "A riotous idiot," he corrected
and quipped. "I wish I were as good at name calling as you. I'm running
out of adding adjectives before idiot." Shamelessly taking pride in the
titles he endorsed her with, Jodha jested. "How many hours do you spend in
your research center, Dr. Jalal?"
"Most
of the Sundays Ms. Architect!!" he replied and asked, stopping by the shoe
rack. "I strongly believe you didn't get your shoes. Would you like to try
mine? I'll do a quick fix to make it fit your size."
"Shoes?
For what?" she kinked a confused brow.
"Of
course to exercise!!" Jalal glanced nonplussed. "Are you planning to
take it barefoot?"
"Tch
tch!! Poor boss!!" sardonically twitching lips, Jodha posed sober face,
like a sagacious Guru enlightening an ignorant student. "Those who
exercise need shoes, not those who pretend!!" She said that mimicking the
tone of the Babas seen on television and Jalal couldn't help barking a laugh.
"You... idiot!!" he growled, fondly patting on her shoulder.
Self-appreciative of her skills in bringing smiles on him, Jodha pointed to the
exercise cycle. "I'll sit there and give you company while you exhaust
yourself on rest of the machines," she grinned and puzzled. "By the
way, when you have state of the art Gymnasium at home, why do you go out?"
"For
the same thing which you're giving me now," putting his shoes on, Jalal
glimpsed up, smiling. "Company!!"
Capturing
his loneliness behind the smile, Jodha returned a naughty simper. "I hope
you like what I'm giving... company!!"
"I'm
already liking it!!" stretching his body to warm up, he gave her a boyish
wink conveying that he noticed the slyness in her statement. Flushed by the
compliment and by the sensuous movements of his torso, Jodha shyly moved away
towards the equipment. She stopped by the elliptical posing a studying face.
Seeing her
blush and turn away from him, Jalal sheepishly smirked. His gaze lurked over
her perfectly curved back, the waist length hair and slender long legs. Blue
kurti, white pajama - he made a note of her attire and wondered how exotically
she filled any kind of dress - be it formals or casuals or sleep wear.
"Jodha..."
He couldn't refrain calling. When the mystified lady turned back, Jalal
seriously asked. "Promise to share your secret with me."
Growing
suspicious if it's again about the last night wrack-up, Jodha asked, "What
is that?" Pinning his eyes on her, he walked ahead while she stood
perplexed, her back glued to the machine. Pleasuring on her frozen form, Jalal
deliberately stopped right next to her, barely two inches away. "The
secret behind..." he whispered and stopped engulfing her fragrance.
Planking his shoulder against the handle of elliptical, Jalal leisurely
lingered his gaze on her face as if he forgot to complete what he began to say.
Clutching her dress tight and holding her breath, Jodha stood still looking
down. Seeing no other word coming from him, she slightly tipped up her chin and
that movement brought her face precariously close to his mouth. Her mellow,
nervous eyes met with his intense, compelling ones and it demanded a great
effort from her to stand straight, battling against the quaking limbs.
"Secret behind?" she murmured drawing a shaky breath.
Smirking at
her feverishness, Jalal brought his lips down, to her ears. "Secret
behind..." His breath fanned her earlobe. "...your slender form. How
do you manage to be thin without any workout?" Done with exertion, he
smirked and pulled his torso back, liberating her from his captivating aura.
Sighing in huge relief, Jodha scooted aside, simultaneously wondering why she
couldn't do the same earlier - scoot aside and get over with his magnetism.
"Under his spell," she
griped under breath. "My
mind freezes along with body. If not for that, there is no reason on Earth to
explain my stillness!!" After
conveniently attributing her feebleness to his overpowering charisma, she felt
free of guilt.
"I
detest exercising on machines," she let out an abashed smile. "But I
used to dance. A lot!!" she emphasized. "It served as
exercise!!"
Not her
shyness, but it was the past tense in her statement that caught Jalal's
attention. "Used to?" he asked inquisitive. "Not now?"
Discerning
her mistake, Jodha's smile faded. Yet, she forcibly brought it back
contemplating over the alternatives to subtly respond - she could either defer
it with a fib or candidly reply. However, fibbing to him always ended in
awkwardness, thence she decided to be honest. Also, she looked at it as an
opportunity to make up to last night's error.
"Yes...
used to!!" she confirmed bracing for the next obvious question to come.
"Why
did you stop it?" his brows formed a bemused frown.
"I was
always passionate about dance, but it was limited to classes and regular
practice till my brother's death," she flatly said. "After that there
was too much silence in home to endure. It made me frenetic and I resolved to
fight it with dance. Music played in my home almost all the time, I walked less
and waltzed more," she smiled and lowered her head. "But after my
parents' death, I gave it up."
Flustered,
Jalal inched closer. "Why?"
"Because",
she mustered courage to stay stoic, "This time silence was not IN HOME. It
was WITHIN ME. And..." she swallowed the lump clotting her throat. "...and
I didn't have the nerve to fight." Moments rolled in absolute silence
while Jalal stood benumbed, steadily staring at her bowed head. "Actually
I didn't find a reason to fight," she continued without looking up.
"Last time I did it partly for myself and mostly for my parents. This time
I didn't know for whom I should..." she looked up and abruptly stopped. The
silent listener's sharp black orbs brimmed with vivid pain and Jodha's heart
sank.
"Oh
Jalal..." She quickly called, patting her head for getting melancholy.
"I see that was too bleak, though I didn't mean it to be so," she
chuckled cheering him up. "Now, back to your exercise. I'm doing my part,
talking, but you haven't started with your part" she started moving away
but Jalal swiftly pulled her back. Startled, Jodha placed her hand on his chest
and balanced her body from hitting him.
"What?" taking off her hand, she
silently asked. In response, Jalal left her hand and fished his mobile out.
After a few taps on screen, he glimpsed at the curiously awaiting lady.
Switching the phone to left palm, he offered his right hand. "Shall we
fight the silence..." his fingers tapped on a random number as he
completed. "TOGETHER?"
It took a moment for Jodha to discern
what he asked and when she did, she felt her heart leaping into throat. Too
dazzled to move, she stood fixed, drifting gaze from his emotive eyes to the
offering hand. She knew the forwarded hand didn't simply imply a solicitation
to dance. There is much more beyond that -an unspoken plea for togetherness in
their loneliness; and she also knew when she placed her hand in his, she's
going to make a promise, a lifetime one, to be his defending partner. Despite
all the concealed vows behind that gesture, Jodha, in her true volition, placed
her hand in his and beautifully smiled - a smile that started on her lips and
ended in his eyes.
Deluging in
her warmth, Jalal curved his fingers over hers, first gently and then firmly as
if engulfing them into his palm. Unwilling to move and miss the bliss, they
stayed like that a little longer, silently relishing the togetherness.
The high
pitch notes of the number playing from Jalal's phone distracted their blithe.
"Will you start your exercise now?" Jalal expectantly asked. Smiling
in approval, Jodha slowly swayed her body to the rhythm - with her hand in his
and eyes on him. While Jalal delightedly watched her waltz, she took a few
steps front, a few back, moving their twined hands accordingly. When she
swirled, the pristine tresses leaped to life splaying across his chest and
face, a few athirst locks brushing past his lips. Jalal felt aroused!!
Jodha
swirled again, and again unknowingly stirring his desire. Growing feeble with
every moment, Jalal took a step to pull her towards him, but to his sheer
surprise, she released his hand and began collapsing to her knees.
"Jo!!" he screamed slipping the mobile down, held her half way and
scooped up into his arms. Covering two thirds of her face with palms, Jodha
banged her forehead against Jalal's shoulder and shuddered. "Jo... what
happened?" protectively cuddling her, he inquired, but got nothing in
response except for the convulsive shaking of her head and shoulders. And he
fathomed she's sobbing.
"Jo...
please. Please don't." Fastening one arm around her head, Jalal repeatedly
brushed his other hand down her spine in soothing caress. Alas, his soothing
seemed to only intensify her pain as she quivered more. Deciding its best to
let her vent out, he stopped soothing her back, circled his arm around her
waist and drew her closer. His left palm plunged into her hair, drawing smooth
lulling patterns.
"I
can't", he heard her say and saw her forehead rub against his shoulder.
Pain stricken, he clutched her tighter.
"I
can't dance..." her incoherent voice came again, "...while you're
staring at me like that Jalal. I feel like..." her shoulders rigorously
shook. "...like a courtesan dancing in court of a King."
"What?!!"
totally confounded, Jalal tenderly gripped her hair and jerked her head back.
There she was... with teary eyes, uncontrollably laughing while he foolishly
assumed she's sobbing. "You're laughing?" he asked astonished. Her
mouth still obscured behind palms, Jodha nodded. At loss of right rebuke, Jalal
flared up at the laughing lady.
"Looking
at your disappointment," dabbing tears from corners of her eyes, Jodha
jested. "I wish I cried."
"I
don't know how it was shown but its supposed to be anger, not
disappointment", he gritted, detesting his foolish assumptions.
"Anger
on me?" Jodha giggled some more. "For not crying?"
"No.
For untimely speaking up and ruining my plan," he gravely stated.
"Had you been silent for one more minute without confessing that you're
laughing, I'd have..." he intensely stared at her, thinking of the best
way to level scores.
"Mm...
you'd have?" taking his seriousness light, Jodha rose a naughty brow.
"I
WOULD HAVE..." his eyes zeroed on her lips; his black pupils turned
blacker than sin and Jodha apparently deduced the remaining part. His scorching
gaze parched her throat and she twitched in his arms intending to escape. Alas,
the predator's clasp only strengthened, his fingers clutching sides of her
waist like steel manacles. The layers of cloth that is supposed to protect her
skin seemed to have miserably failed in its duty, as Jodha felt searing heat
flowing from his fingers into her skin. She slowly lifted her lids to him,
imploring to set her free.
"You
know your pain weakens me and I know what weakens you idiot!!" Jalal triumphantly smirked enjoying
the fragility in her eyes. "Where are you going?" he teased.
"Weren't you curious to know what I'd have done?" he held her tensed
gaze for a while and then softly glided his fingertips along her waist sides.
His act didn't dawn up on the frozen lady, not until Jalal repeated his
tickling albeit more sensuously.
The jittery
sensation made Jodha briskly jump back, nudging him, all thanks to his loosened
grip. Despising her meaningless fears, as he wouldn't boldly advance without
her consent, Jodha glared at him. "Total
charlatan with beguiling eyes," she
couldn't help cursing as he smartly strayed her with his incensing gaze. She
still wondered what his intention was - to kiss her as his eyes said or to
tickle her as his fingers said. Nevertheless, she backtracked to a safer
distance and stomped on his dropped phone.
"Oops,"
she picked it up and hurled it to him. "Check if it is alive," she
grouched. "Else my earnings would end up in repaying your dead
mobiles."
Turning the
phone on, Jalal sniggered. "As if you repaid the last damage? I thought we
agreed upon some sort of cumulative interest?" he probed, deliberating if
she'd reveal the secret he is aware of. "What happened to it?"
"I
offered you a cheque Jalal," crossing arms, she reminded. "Its not my
fault that you refused. Anyways, that amount is already spent."
"On
shopping?" Jalal probed more.
"Thirty
thousand on shopping?" her nose wrinkled in displeasure. "Just that
you once saw me buying in bulk, don't think of me as shopaholic," she
pouted. "Your money is spent on a right cause, don't worry."
"Right
cause?" he pressed. "Some sort of donation?" he hinted making it
easy for her, for, he knew she's not of the flaunting types.
"Wow!!
You're too good at guessing," she stared pleasantly surprised. "I
gave it to a student in our street. He has a shop there and I love their kulfi.
Oh, yes!!" Her eyes glinted with mischief. "I can't get your money
back but I can compensate for it. How about a Kulfi treat on your
birthday?" her hands clasped in delight.
"Kulfi?"
amused by her childish excitement, Jalal chuckled.
"Don't
like it?" she coolly shrugged making another offer. "No problem. I'll
give you a Mirchi bajji and Jalebi treat!!"
"Huh?
As if that's my favorite..." Jalal rolled eyes in amusement but Jodha's joy
faded in a jiff. It
instinctively reminded her of her conversation with Gautam many years ago. Two
days before Gautam's birthday, they had a similar argument. As planned, she
treated her brother with Kulfi on his birthday unbeknown that it's going to be
his last birthday celebration. Today, after several years, she unknowingly
initiated the same conversation - few days before Jalal's birthday - and she
didn't feel good about it. A negative vibe scurried through her body dampening
her morale.
Observing
her blanched face, Jalal opened his mouth to confront her, but his nose itched
at nick of time making him sneeze. "Bless you!!" Jodha reacted
instantly, though discouraged by the timing of his sneeze. She wished he didn't
sneeze when negative vibes were surging through her. "Bless him with long life
Baba," she sent a silent
prayer and moved ahead, to find relief from negativity with Jalal's touch, but
then she refrained just in time.
"You
carry on with exercise", gazing at his red tipped nose, she affectionately
said. "I'll be back soon."
"Where?"
his eyes squinted wondering if she's going through another bout of girls-thing.
"To
prepare the next remedy for your nose," she replied thrashing his doubts.
"Another
remedy?" His heart sank. "I'm still reeling from the awful taste of
turmeric milk. Jo, please..." he pleaded like a child, fetching smiles on
the dispirited lady.
"Oh,
but you don't have to drink anything this time," she clarified with a
conniving smirk. "Be right back Dr. Jalal. Sorry, patient Jalal", she
winked and then she's gone.
"God
save me!!" Jalal
smirked watching her luscious swaying hair from behind. "From her sweetness and her
charm." Moving to the cross-trainer, he recalled last night's
conversation with Prithvi. "Will
I be able to curb my feelings?" he
weakly shrugged. "It's
not going to be as cakewalk as I thought it to be. Definitely not, when she
opens up her past to me. I always urged she did it, but looking at the
after-effects, I wish she didn't speak of her past while she's here. It's too
laborious to refrain from holding her, and once I hold her, I have no control
on the consequences that follow. Ya Allah!!" he drew a heavy sigh. "What an acidic test you're
putting me to?"
"God
save me!!" descending
downstairs, Jodha crackled her fingers. "From
his hands and his gaze. My goodness, what a heat his touch ignites in
me!!" unconsciously her
fingers rubbed the curves of her waist. "Actually
he needn't touch. One dark glance, like the one he gave before, and I'll be
clean bowled. Baba!!" she
sighed. "I've already
lost my mind and heart to him, don't make me lose my bod..."
"You
need something amma?" Vasantha's intervention disrupted her prayers.
~~~
"Phew!!"
Carefully finishing the last step, Jodha exhaled the withheld breath. She
looked up at another set of stairs to be mounted and down to the vessel in her
hands. "One more floor
with this hot vessel, blah, not done."
"JALAL..."
Without much thinking, she yelled and when she didn't hear a response, she
called again, albeit a pitch louder. "Jalal... O... Jalal... please come
down once." The people downstairs and the man upstairs simultaneously
heard her musical shout. While Mani and Vasantha exchanged amused glances,
Jalal broke into a boisterous grin. Safely bringing the bench press machine to
a halt, lest his shaking shoulders should drop the rod on his chest, Jalal
wondered. "When was the
last time someone shouted at top of their voice in this home?"
"Jalal..."
he heard the impatient lady shout again and he quickly got up. Running out of
time to wipe the sweat off his face, he bustled downstairs. "Did the hell
break loose?" he asked approaching her in long strides. With sweat beads
dripping down his temple, and biceps bulging out of shirt, Jalal appeared
steamier than the hot vessel she held.
"Yes,
had you delayed any longer something of that sort would've happened," she
crankily said, irritated by her own debility. "I'm standing here carrying
such a hot vessel and you take ages to come down?" she raged as if it was
his mistake. "Now come fast," she scurried to his bedroom and the
confused man shortly followed.
"What's
that? What're you going to do?"
Not caring
to answer him, Jodha carefully placed the vessel down. "Sit down,"
she simply ordered and went to pull the duvet from his bed. "What's going
on?" Jalal dubiously asked.
"Arre
baba, sit first," Jodha forced him to sit and draped the duvet around him.
She then removed the lid of vessel and cut two steam capsules into the broiling
water. "Whiff the steam, quick," she ordered pulling the duvet down,
thus sealing Jalal and hot vapors beneath the blanket.
"What?" he sat stupefied staring down at the vessel. "God!! What all she makes me
do?" coming out of
stupor, Jalal took few deep breaths as per her order and threw the blanket up.
"Done!!"
"What
done?" she laughed at the loathing on his face. ""You've to
whiff until the vapors stall. Get back!!" she pulled the blanket down but
Jalal threw it up again. "Its suffocating Jo", he griped.
"Uffo...
don't complain like a kid Jalal," she chided bringing the blanket down.
"If it's too suffocating, take a break after every thirty seconds."
Noticing his straight posture, Jodha warned. "Oy, no cheating!! Bent your
head down... close to the vessel." Seeing him concede to her instructions,
she fondly smiled. "How cute he looks with those griping eyes!!" she felt a desire to pull his
cheeks. "...and how cutely he caves into my orders, though he has all
reasons to bluntly refuse!!" her
heart filled with love and pride. While
she stayed silent, listening to his whiffs and groans, a naughty thought
clipped into her devilish cells. Putting it to immediate execution, she got up
looking around for a suitable object.
"Jalal..."
A while later, she called. "...give me your hands."
Confused by
the direction of her voice, Jalal tried to remove the covering off his head,
when she hastily stopped him. "No... Don't take it off. I'm here,"
Jodha patted on his elbow, plunging her hand from back. "Give me your
hands."
"Why?"
skeptical of what she's doing on his back, he asked suspicious.
"Just
give it na..." she sweetly implored luring him to submission. Though leery
of her intentions, Jalal yielded to her imploration.
"I'm
only holding them to ensure you don't blow off the blanket every now and
then," she lied, clasping them behind his back.
"I
doubt," he voiced his exact thoughts. "Get me a towel. It's deadly
sweating here."
"Here...
take it," Jodha promptly offered from back and he puzzled at the
promptness. Why did she keep
the towel handy? He decided to question, but then thrashed it as a silly
suspicion. Waiting for him to be done with dabbing, Jodha ensured to grab it
back from him. For next few seconds, Jalal felt Jodha's fingers moving around
his wrists. Doubting that she's tying his hands, he demanded sitting upright.
"What are you doing?"
"TYING..."
Jodha brazenly replied finishing the knot, "Next step is to BEND you..."
She got up on knees, clinching his tied hands with one hand, and forced his
head down with another. "...and then to COMPEL you into some
concessions."
"Idiot,"
he grinded trying to get up, but her might on his hands and head amplified.
"Don't move," she warned with an evil smile. "Else you're going
to poke your nose into hot water. Be a good boy and answer me."
"Damn
it. I shouldn't have trusted you," he cursed, irked by the heat of
continuous vapors.
"Tch,
tch!! Too late boss," she feigned sympathy. "Anyways, I've very few
things to ask, so let's get done with it soon. To start with: One - You
shouldn't segregate me from street food. As a matter of fact, promise me that
you'll gladly, I repeat... GLADLY join me while I gorged on it."
"No",
Jalal protested and her fingers pressed his head half inch down.
"Ok,
YES!!" the heat of steam made him succumb.
"Good.
Number two - No escorting me to office. I mean, how silly it is to drop and
pick me up every single time when our routes are opposite? And what if our
office people see me getting of your car?"
"That's
out of my control," Jalal clarified. "Its your Badepapa's idea. Talk
to him. If he's fine with it, I am too."
"Is
it?" surprised, she paused thinking of the reason behind such proposition
from her foster father.
"Are
you done? Let me up, I'm burning here", Jalal shrieked disrupting her
thoughts.
"Almost
done," Jodha resumed with the exertion. "Number three - I shouldn't
hear anymore it's a boys
thing, you don't understand' stuff
coming from you. There is nothing a girl cannot understand, you see," she
haughtily bragged.
"Who
started it all?" Jalal snapped exasperated.
"Ok,
ok," she atoned. "I'll not say. You too don't say, deal?"
"Mm!!"
he groaned.
"Good!"
She loosened her grip and Jalal jerked his head up when she remembered the most
important grant she missed asking. "Oh no!!" she hurled him back to
position. "What the heck!!" being unprepared, Jalal howled.
"What is left?"
"To
beg your pardon..." She said with damn seriousness. "Excuse me for
giving away Rasmalai to those kids."
"Idiot,"
stifling the laughter smouldering his funny bones, Jalal rebuked. "You
force me into forgiveness? How nasty!!"
"I
couldn't think of other ways..." Jodha pouted, "...and I can't be guilt
free until you do." The heat of water dwindled considerably and the steam
was no longer severe, henceforth Jalal took his own time contemplating about
it. "Are you sure you won't repeat your mistake?" he asked a little
later. "Anything I give you, will you keep it to yourself?"
"I do..."
Jodha swore without thought, simultaneously loving his possessiveness. "If
I were to share, I'll ensure it has you approval."
"Good
then..." he smirked, "You're excused!!"
"Thank
you," she smiled and began untying the knot around his wrists. "Tut!!
Tut!! One last thing," fastening the towel again, she sniggered.
"Please repeat after me."
"Now...
This is getting too much Jo!!" Jalal cautioned with a half-smile.
"Mm...
I know... but this is important. One last time... pleassseee..." fully aware
of how to coerce him to her will, Jodha strew her charm.
"Fine...
say it!!" despising his own debilitation when it comes to her, Jalal
relented.
"I,
Jalal Ahmed," she began. "...hereby pledge that all the promises made
by me were done under my true volition, not under any force," suppressing
the laughter simmering within her, Jodha continued. "And I'll not resort
to any kind of verbal or physical attack, be it cussing, hitting or strangling
your neck once my hands are set free. I wouldn't even glower or glare, rather
I'll try my best to smile!!"
Immensely
amused by her tact, Jalal smirked. "You truly believe you could get away
with this Jo?"
"I
don't..." Jodha undoubtedly admitted, "...truly don't. I'm super sure
you'll level scores later. This is only a lame attempt to postpone matters.
Now, repeat please..."
"You
scheming idiot," he grimaced. "You force me to pledge in your favour?
You surely are going to pay for this", his head firmly nodded. "For
now, have it your way!!" he caved in and repeated her words, trying his
best to sound grim. Au contrary, Jodha chuckled loud perceiving the false anger
in his timbre. "Jalal... you know something?" she chirped,
unfastening the knot. Not waiting for her to completely unwrap the towel, Jalal
jerked his hands free, pushed the blanket off his body and sharply turned back.
"You
pledged to smile..." slyly grinning, she offered him the towel, "You
can't glare."
"Right..."
Wiping the sweat off his face, he solemnly nodded. "I wouldn't glare, not
now, but later when the agreement is off", he said plastering a smile as
per the agreement. "I'd kick on your sides and when I'm done, I'd chain
your hands on your back..." he continued, "...and while you're chained,
I'll ensure there are platters of Rasmalai, jalebi, kulfi, chicken or
whatsoever, right before your eyes. How does that sound?"
"Awesome
punishment..." The unoffended girl cheekily inclined - her hands dragging
the duvet and her mouth whispering to his ears. "...as long as you feed me
while I'm chained." Fascinated, Jalal stared at her and she laughed.
"Finish your shower soon and come down for breakfast." She moved away
to put the blanket back on bed. "I'll be waiting there..." she said
picking up the vessel.
"Oy
idiot," he called and she turned back. "You said, you know something?' and then didn't finish. What's
that?"
"I
wanted to say that..." Jodha fondly gazed at him. "You're the
best!!" she said, but that was only one half of what she intended to say."...man
a woman can get," she
silently completed. While Jalal stood surprised at the untoward compliment, she
beautifully smiled and disappeared.
************
Edited by hemakeerti - 8 years ago
comment:
p_commentcount