Bound by Rhythm - A SanGini Story Chapter Six Updated 13.05.16 - Page 2

Chapter Six

Deja vu. The only experience that Ragini had been...well, experiencing since arriving in Kolkata a week ago. Her new home, her new kitchen, her new bedroom, her new acquaintances - yet nothing felt new. Everything she did felt like part of a routine that she had already been doing here. One weird incident had been walking out to look for vegetables and not having to look at all. She had simply walked in a random direction and found the vendor in a lane close to the place where she lived.

There were even stranger experiences with her neighbours. The Gadodias. Although she had only met Shekhar uncle simply once and not even uttered more than a few sentences, Shekhar uncle was almost family. In fact, all the Gadodias were. There was Shekhar uncle, Sharmishta aunty, dadi, Swara and her husband Lakshya Maheshwari. Ragini Gadodia had apparently left to visit her mother's parents' house in Gujarat. They had welcomed her with such warmth that Ragini couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by such attention. And she loved it.

Dadi had in fact gone out of her way and actually invited Ragini to dinner the first night that she arrived. And Ragini had been especially grateful. No place to go grocery shopping and tired beyond imagination, Ragini had enjoyed her meal with the Gadodias. And tonight, Ragini had invited their whole family for dinner. The Gadodias, Lakshya and Sanskaar Maheshwari.

She looked at the large clock on the wall - it was almost time for them to come. And sure enough, there was a knock on the door. Ragini opened the door to find Sharmishta aunty and Swara. She smiled and moved aside for the two to enter.

"Kaisi ho, Ragini?" Sharmishta asked, cupping her cheek into her palm. Ragini smiled and nodded.

"Where are the others?" She asked.

"They'll be coming in a bit. We thought we'd come earlier and help you get everything ready." Swara replied.

All three of them got busy soon after, with Ragini and Sharmishta taking care of the food while Swara set the table.

"Aunty, can I ask you something?" Ragini spoke as she cut up some fruit. Sharmishta nodded, while turning the ladle in her hand.

"How did you get married? I mean to say...your mother in law, I've seen she's very particular about her society and cultural beliefs." She asked, curious.

"She is. But you know how they say, you can win over anyone with love and time? That's sort of what happened. Ma was very sceptical about me...in fact, I got married to your pa- I mean, uncle very recently. Even then she hadn't accepted me. But all four of us, me, your uncle, Swara and Ragini tried very hard to make her see otherwise and now, she does."

Sharmishta accounted very happily. Ragini smiled. After a moment, Sharmishta spoke again. Very cautiously.

"What about you, Ragini?" She asked, feigning nonchalance. Ragini looked up at her. "Your family, Manali? You never speak about them."

"I...I don't have...a family. I don't know. I've been with the academy as long as I can remember."

There was hesitance and the clear emotion of distress and turmoil laced her voice and face. Sharmishta's heart went out to her daughter. Leaving the ladle, she held Ragini's hand, pulling her gently towards her.

"Please don't think that a family is someone related by blood. We are as much your family as anyone can be. And I don't want you to think otherwise."

Ragini, who would be lying if she didn't say she was surprised, smiled nervously. Although, she didn't know many families to know how they were, such affection was not something that people just showered like this. Excusing herself, Ragini left the kitchen and went to check on Swara.

Why were these people treating her like this? She shared no relation with them, apart from sharing the first name as one of their daughters. But that hardly meant that you would treat someone as your daughter, she rolled her eyes. There was something about this family. But she didn't have time to dwell on it as her dinner guests arrived.

Shekhar uncle and his mother were closely followed by Lakshya and Sanskaar. She greeted all of them and passed Sanskaar a quick smile, which he returned.

Soon after, Ragini was immersed in a whirlwind of activity. Getting the food ready, seating everyone, attending to them and being a good host in general. Of course, Sharmishta aunty and Swara helped as much as they could. Dadi, however, had wanted to sit with Ragini as much as she could. This was quite difficult, considering the amount of work she had to do.

"Ragini beta, the food was very nice." Shekhar uncle complimented her, keeping a hand on the side of her head. "Thank you." The Gadodias were now getting up to leave. They had all finished eating and had sat down in the small living area to just sit and talk.

"Uncle, it's okay. If we start with thank you then I think I have a lot more to do. Seeing as you have helped me a lot since I've come here."

"Ragini, we'll be going now. Apna khyaal rakhna." Lakshya said. She nodded and bade them all good bye. She closed the door and locked it.

She looked around the room and began tidying up. However, a knock had her turn back to the door. Who could be here now? She opened it and saw Sanskaar standing there.

"Hi Mr Maheshwari."

"Hi. Woh...actually, I think I've left my phone. I can't seem to find it. Do you mind if I check?"

"No, of course not. Come in." Sanskaar followed Ragini as she went inside.

"So, you must be tired, now?" He asked, looking down as he picked up cushions from the sofa and looked around them.

"No, I'm good. Waise, you didn't even tell me if you liked the food or not?" Ragini enquired as she also, started around for his phone.

"The food? It was...yeah."

"Yeah?" Ragini stood up straight and looked at him. She had been expecting a little bit more reaction from him. Is that all? "I don't think yeah' constitutes as an actual answer."

Sanskaar looked up and saw her standing, quite stiff.

"Mr Maheshwari, I've cooked for a whole family tonight. If they also think that my food was yeah' then I don't think I can live with that." Oh. Why had he been thinking that she was miffed at his non-committal? She wasn't worried about his response. She was worried about her family's.

Sanskaar walked over to her. Smiling, he held her hand.

"You worry too much. They would've have loved your food."

"Then why did you answer like that?"

"Because I don't think my actual answer would sit very well with you."

"It's worse than yeah'?" Ragini widened her eyes as she asked.

Sanskaar let out a laugh, shaking his head. Once he stopped laughing, he pulled gently on her hand. Ragini inched forward, limply. She narrowed her eyes at him. On the other hand, his smile didn't leave.

"My actual response would have been that I would love to kiss the hand of the person who cooked tonight." Ragini's eyes widened slowly, as she realised what he had said. He had lifted her hand higher and pressed his lips against it, his gaze not moving off her as he did.

Ragini was too shocked to respond. This was Mr Sanskaar Maheshwari. And she could bet her life that he was hitting on her. However, she didn't pull her hand away for some weird reason. A moment later, thanks to the complete silence that had surrounded them, she could hear the vibration coming from the pocket of his jeans. His phone. Sanskaar, however, hadn't realised at all.

"Erm...Mr Maheshwari? ... Your phone...it's ringing..." She spoke.

Sanskaar realised what he had been doing and stood straight at once. He blinked as Ragini, once again, pointed towards his pocket. Shit. He took out his phone and smiled feebly.

"My phone..."

"It's ringing." She reminded him, quietly. He nodded and then cut it quickly.

"What I...what I meant to say...was that, the food was really good...you shouldn't be worried...about uncle and aunty."

Ragini nodded. However, she would have responded the same way even if he had downright criticised her food, after what he had just done.

"Erm...I'll be going. Take care." He said. Once again, she just nodded. He walked out and she closed the door behind him.

He had lied about his phone, just to come back and praise her? Or was she thinking too much into it? What is there to think too much of? His phone had been in his pocket - the first place you look for your phone. Okay, that was thinking too much.

All said and done, Mr Maheshwari had come to compliment her. And she had liked it.

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