Gratified & Grateful
Ranjan was not amused one bit, he turned towards the snack Mahavir placed on the tall kitchen table
Manya looked a lil befuddled
"Gussa kis baat par ho puttar?" Ranjan asked calmly
"No Uncle I am not unhappy" Bala denied vehemently
"Aapne gudiya ke naamkarn waale din vi kuch khaas khushi nahi dikhayi" Ranjan reminded
R&B got off is chair...
"Did u check on Sam?" he asked his sister
"She went to Malviya Nagar to buy more sippy cups for Lasya" Manya read her text
"Aur boss kya chal raha hai?" Bala asked R&B
"I am good" he shrugged
"Fatherhood treating u well?' Bala asked
R&B nodded
"More like watching a light show" R&B muttered
"Mahavir chai de" Ranjan ordered
R&B walked out to the formal dining
Manya fumbled not wanting to watch Bala and Ranjan together
"Congrats... Samyukta told us" Bala said smiling
"ALL I will say is "Its Over" Manya waved a finger she began to laugh nervously
Bala was suddenly not sure what would follow
Manya's phone buzzed, she walked away briskly towards the back stair case
"Mr Iyer loves u a lot puttarjee" Ranjan spoke softly
"Uncle main mazaak kar raha tha" Bala rushed
"Aap naraaj ho betaji" he reminded
"I am not... Bala lied" his face grim
"Is ghar ki baat aur hai... bachon ki Ma nahi hai" Ranjan said his tone quivering "Gudiya woh khushi hai jo main bayaan nahi kar sakta" he said firmly
"DONNO... chhoti tey vaddi" he smiled
Bala was somber
"Yaha Savvy hoti to mujhe bilqul laane nahi deti, riwaaj todne nahi deti" he explained
II came down with the baby
"Toongade... saapdaade... paduthu dee nee" (dont eat dont sleep.. JUST STAY AWAKE) she scolded the lil fairy
"daddd sotee hi nahi... EKDUMMM" II shrieked
"Athimmm when did u come?" she asked
"Abhi raja... Akka made kesari and puliyogare" he said chuckling
Ranjan wasnt amused
He read on the ipad... II handed the squirming creature to Athim
"she is soo cute, onnatam irukka da" (she is like u)
II smiled with pride
"daddd sunaaa?" she asked
Ranjan smiled
II turned towards the kitchen, Mahavir and the guys roasted and ground and sauteed
"Take paneer for Shravu" she said firmly
"daddd... I am making pineapple raita, aapko chalega?" she asked
Ranjan nodded...
Atim walked over
"come over and stay with us... Shravu keeps asking for u" Bala cooed
II smiled "If they ever let me step out"
She had NO idea what just transpired...
Bala looked visibly uncomfortable
"Aap jaay aao puttar gudiya chhod jao" Ranjan said firmly
He didnt lie trick or twist words, what he said to Bala he said to II
They ADORED Nivi and so Nivi wouldnt be allowed to go
"Thats soo convenient for u" II chuckled, shaking her head
She scooped paneer in a large container, and dal... and rasmalai
Instructed Mahavir to chop more paneer to be cooked again
"Arey itna mat de yaar tum log kya khaogey" Bala said loudly
"Markit nazdeek hai puttar" Ranjan said aloud
Ranjan wasnt having any of Bala's divisive talks
II noted the undercurrents... she made a note to check with dude
Bala reluctantly brought Nivi to Ranjan
"To main chalta hoon Uncle" Bala said not making eye contact
He wanted Bhallas to know Iyers favored them over the Munirka residents
He had let the bullet leave the gun...
His job now was to deny and make things normal ASAP
He had watched II in the kitchen cooking... at two weeks after post partum
This was BIG
He wasnt a trouble maker, nope, but the huge chasm between him and R&B was bringing out the worst in him many times
The fact that II was going t return in 11 days was already fought over with Vandu at D II
But if Ranjan didnt know it, then such a fight would have turned worthless
He struggled to hate them, he hated his own circumstances more, his dependence on Vandu
His over reliance on her
His lack of conscience when it came to his brother in Ambala
He couldnt stand up and acknowledge THAT.
Implying Ranjan & Co was getting preferential treatment at DII would give him instant gratification
R&B brought Ritu to the KITCHEN
"Already cooking up a storm?" Ritu chuckled
"OH MY GOD" II whispered
Ritu walked over and hugged her
"Congrats... sorry couldnt make it to naming ceremony" she cringed as if she meant it
"WHERE isd ur lil girl?" she asked
"Athim this is my boss, this is my BIL" II explained
They shook hands, Bala ran out... in a hurry
R&B lingered by Ranjan, Ranjan cooed to her
"Shes with Dad" II said
"Ur Dad is here?" Ritu asked shocked
"No my FIL" II said
MORON!!
Ritu finally turned and looked at the far corner, in the giant kitchen
"Ur kitchen is bigger than my apartment" she said
II squirmed
"Dad my boss" II said
"We know each other puttar" Ranjan laughed
II smiled embarrassed...
"OMG!" "Shes sooo tinyyy" Ritu gushed
R&B chuckled
"OMG... pretty" she whispered
Ranjan extended his arms in a do u want to hold her gesture
II watched Ritu accept the baby a lil clumsily at first
II quickly placed an arm under Ritu's
"OMG... mother's instinct"
"Ue said OMG thrice" II chuckled
"And u are keeping tabs on ur boss' vocabulary" Ritu cracked a bad joke
PAAVI
WHAT DID I EVER DO TO U?
I DIDNT EVEN INVITE U
II was hurt
"Mahavir kuch laayin puttar" Ranjan coaxed
"I will have a beer... if thats OK" Ritu begged
"I drink Sam Adams, would u like one?" R&B asked
"OMG! HE TALKS" Ritu laughed
Nivi cooed in agreement, as usual hearing her Daddeee's voice
"U have NO idea I am in fire fighting mode ALL THE TIME"
Ritu spoke accusingly
II looked at Ranjan nervously
"thats a great tribute to II then?" he asked
Ritu thought for a second and nodded
"Oh YA... when can she return?" she chuckled
"In 2017?" Ranjan poked Ritu
II spit up her pineapple juice..