"Ramesh Chacha!'' Preeti called as she cycled to the newly opened confectionary shop in the market place.
"Haan bitiya!'' Ramesh looked back as he heard his name.
"Cake ban gaya hai na?'' Preeti asked parking the cycle near the shop.
"Haan .Ban gaya hai.Abhi ruko laa deta hun.'' Ramesh said and went inside the baking room.
"Najar ke saamne,jigar ke pass...Ramesh Chacha! Humara cake kahan hai?'' Pandit stopped humming finding Preeti and not finding Ramesh.
"Yeh lo bitiiya.Tumhara cake.'' Ramesh came out with a beautiful cake iced with beautiful patterns.
"Par isme to Papa ka naam nahin likha hai.Aap jaldi likh lo.'' Preeti hurried him as she was drooling already at the beauty of cake.
"Arey Chacha!humara cake kahan hai.?'' Pandit was getting impatient.
"Tumne kab order kiya tha? Ek hi cake bana hai.'' Ramesh asked surprised.
"Chacha! Mujhe shaq ho raha hai...'' Pandit trailed.
"Kya shaq ho raha hai?'' Ramesh was not getting good vibes from Pandit.
"Ki aap ka yaadas kam hone laga hai.Kal hi advance mein paise de kar mein khud gaya tha.Koi ere gere ka janmdin nahin hai aaj.Sameer Maheshwari ke Nanaji ka janmdin hai.Aur aap bol rahe ho ke ek hi cake bana hai. ''Pandit clarified the intensity of situation.
"Par beta ek hi din mein itne cake kaise banayenge.Kal to bijli chali gayi thi isliye oven bhi band pada tha.Tum sham ko aao main kuch intezaam karta hun.'' Ramesh clarified his stand.
"Sham ko? Sameer mujhe patak patak ke phasi pe latka dega.Aap abhi kuch intezaam karo.Yehi cake de do. '' Pandit said eyeing the cake in Preeti's hand.
"Kya matlab yeh de do? Main pehele aayi hun.Ispe mera haq hai.'' Preeti clutched the cake tray tighter.
"Tumhara naam thodi likha hai.Chacha aap iss par Nanaji' likh dijiye.Main apko 20 rupaye jyada dunga.'' Pandit tried luring Ramesh.
"Baat to aise kar rahe ho jaise khud ka paisa hai. Aur kya samajhte ho mujhe? " Preeti argued with fury building in eyes.
"Samajhta to itna hun ki tum Naina ki behen hun.Isse aage socha nahin.'' Pandit said with a sly smile.
"Isse aage sochte bhi kya? Sochne ke liye dimaag chahiye.Tum to sirf naam ka Pandit ho.'' Preeti said with sarcasm spilling in words.
"Arey ab batao kiska naam ispe likhun? " Ramesh asked looking at the argument growing.
"Aap Anand' likh dijiye.'' Preeti prompted.
"Nahin Nanu' likhiye. '' Pandit said nearly grabbing the cake.
"Suno cake ka daam hua 120 rupaya.Jo pehle dega usika cake hoga.'' Ramesh declared finding the ultimate solution to the problem.
"Kya Chacha? Mein to sirf 80 rupaye laayi hun.Ab baki ka 40 kahan se laun.Aap bik gaye na amiron ko.'' Preeti sulked looking at the discrimination.
"Wah! Chacha.Kya dimag lagayi hai.Yeh lo aapka 100 rupaye.Kal advance 20 rupaye to diye the na.'' Pandit was elated with the opportunity of getting the cake.
"Bahut acha.Yeh lo tumhara Nanaji' wala cake.'' Ramesh handed over the cake to Pandit much to disappointment of Preeti.
Preeti stamped her foot and left the shop.Pandit felt sorry for her state as he knew how difficult it was for middle class family to afford such costly foods like birthday cake with icing.If it was not Sameer's friendship with him,he would have never got the opportunity of seeing such luxuries,let alone tasting them.
"Ruko! Naina ki behen.'' Pandit called Preeti seeing her very upset and opening the lock of cycle.
"Ab kya hua?Itni jhagda aur itna bada cake se man nahin bhara?'' Preeti asked with a mocked smile.
"Tumhe yeh cake birthday ke liye kam khane ke liye jyada chahiye tha na?'' Pandit asked intuitively.
"Tumhe use matlab.Cake mil gaya na? Jao apne raaste se.'' She tried wavering the topic.
"Sach batao.Tumhe Madhuri ki kasam.'' Pandit asked again.
"Hey bhagwan! Kya kiya tumne? Madhuri ki kasam kha liya.Haan mujhe cake khana tha.Jo ki ab meri naseeb main nahin hai.'' Preeti told truth because afterall it was Madhuri ki kasam'.
"Kyun naseeb mein nahin hai? Shayad iss cake pe Pandit aur Naina ke behen ka naam likha hai.''Pandit said with a wink and placed the cake on cycle seat.
"Yeh Naina ki behen,Naina ki behen kya laga rakha hai?Meri naam Preeti hai.'' Preeti was pissed off by then.
"Acha chalo to phir Pandit aur Preeti ka cake khane ka programme shuru kiya jaye.'' Pandit declared breaking a piece from the cake putting in mouth.
"Mera bas chale to pura kha jaungi.Par tumne kharida hai to adha haq tumhara bhi hai.Yeh adha tumhara aur meri adha. ''Preeti divided the cake into halves.
As they relished the cake,Preeti stopped midway remembering something important,very important.
"Pandit! Sara cake to humne khatam kar liya.Ghar mein kya bolenge?'' Preeti suddenly was worried about Naina.
"Main Sameer ko kya bolunga?'' Pandit too was suddenly worried about being answerable to Sameer and Munna.
"Bol denge ki cake bana nahin tha.Yaad hai na Chachaji bol rahe the ki kal current chala gaya tha,isliye oven band pada tha.'' Preeti cooked up a satisfying story and Pandit was quite impressed by her presence of mind.
"Wah! Kya kamal ka idea hai.Tum sach mein Naina ki behen ho. ''Pandit said as he took another bite of cake.
"Mazaa agaya.Chalo der ho rahi hai.'' Preeti said and both cycled in different directions.
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"Preeti! Tu akeli aagayi?'' Naina asked surprised.
"Haan! Akele gayi to akeli aaungi na. ''Preeti replied as she took out her sandals at the door step.
"Arey! Mera matlab cake kahan hai ? ''Naina asked more clearly.
"Acha cake.Woh to khatam ho gaya''. Preeti said and bit her tongue realising her slip of tongue.
"Kya? Tune cake khatam kar liya?'' Naina asked shocked.
"Main kya itni bhukad hun ki cake akele khatam kar lungi.Wo Chacha ke dukan mein khatam ho gaya.'' Preeti tried convincing Naina.
"Par humne to order diya tha na.Aise kaise wo kisi aur ko bech diye?'' Naina was upset.Afterall it was her Chachaji's birthday cake.
"Naina! Tu na tension kyun leti hai.Tujhe Shefali ne cake banana sikhaya tha na.Papa ke liye bana lena ek.'' Preeti suggested the idea she had thought while riding back to home.
"Arey haan! Main to iske bare sochi hi nahin.Main Shefali ke pass jati hun.''Naina was leaving when the telephone rang twice.
"Sameer! Is waqt?Kuch zarrori baat hai shayad''. Naina told herself and picked up the phone.
"Hello!Naina''. Sameer's voice fell as melody in her ears.
"Haan bolo.Iss waqt kyun call kiya?'' Naina was getting impatient to know the urgency of situation.
"Wo tumhari help chahiye tha. ''Sameer requested her.
"Haan bolo.Kya chahiye.'' Naina replied in her loving voice.
"Nanaji ka aaj birthday hai.Pandit cake lene gaya tha lekin cake khatam ho gaya tha.Tumhe to cake banana ata hai na.Please ek banadogi mere liye.I mean Nanaji ke liye.Main Munna aur Pandit ko bhej dunga cake lene ke liye tumhare ghar.'' Sameer said confident that Naina would truly solve his problem.
"Aaj Chachaji ka bhi birthday hai.Main unke liye bhi cake bana rahi hu.Tum chinta mat karo.Main do cakes bana lungi.Cake ban jane ke baad main phone kar lungi.Tum un dono ko bhej dena .Thik hai. ''Naina assured.
"Thank you Naina.Ab jao tumhe cake bhi banana hai na.Tumhari call ka intezaar rahega''. He said smilingly and kept the phone.
"Naina! Kiske saath itni muskurate huye baat kar rahi thi? ''Preeti asked seeing Naina smile shyly.
"Wo! Swati ke saath. ''Naina said and hurried down the stairs.
"Swati ke saath aise baat kar rahi hai jaise apne pati ke saath baat kar rahi ho.Mujhe kya? Ab to phir se cake khane ko milega.Preeti! Aaj din bada acha chal raha hai. ''Preeti did a victory jig and went to watch Chitrahar.
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Preeti moved to the balcony to see if her clothes have dried or not and found Pandit loitering around.
"Yeh yahan kya kar raha hai? ''Preeti was definitely confused.She decided to clear her confusion.
"Tum yahan?'' Preeti asked Pandit all surprised.
"Arey baapre! Naina kahan hai? " Pandit was terrified at sudden turn of events.
"Kyun Naina kyun chahiye tumhe?'' Preeti asked more confused.
"Naina nahin cake chahiye.'' Pandit clarified.
"Cake? Par Naina to cake humare ghar ke liye bana rahi hai.Tumhe yahan cake kaise milega?'' She was now into more confusion.
"Sameer ne Naina ko cake banana ke liye phone kiya tha na.'' Pandit informed.
"Oh! Ab samjhi.To Naina Sameer se baat kar rahi thi.Par mujhe kyun jhooth boli?'' Preeti was trying to find reasonable answers .
"Main tumse baat karne nahin,cake lene ke liye aya hun.Jaldi Naina ko bulao. ''Pandit hurried her.
"Pandit! Yeh ..lo.'' Naina called and stopped in her tracks seeing Preeti too there.
"Acha to phir do cake bani hai aaj? Kya chal raha hai?'' Preeti eyed with mischievous glint.
"Main bas Sameer ki madad kar rahi thi.Acha dost hai na mera.'' Naina tried to make Preeti understand.
"Dost? Bhagwan ka shukr hai Taiji ko nahin pata hai yeh baat. ''Preeti thanked the stars.
"Preeti tu aa main chalti hun.Taiji ne hum dono ko dekh liya to bawal macha degi. ''Naina said and went upstairs.
"Suno.Cake ki baat kisiko mat batana.Aur..'' Preeti cautioned him while all eyeing the droolicious cake.
"Aur?'' Pandit asked slyly realising her intentions.
"Main neeche se thoda taste kar lun?Mujhse raha nahin jaa raha. ''Preeti asked with puppy face.
"Karlo.Lekin thoda sa''. Pandit pushed the cake towards her.
"Thank you.'' Preeti licked a bit of icing and flashed a bright smile.
"Ab mein chalta hun.Pura cake akele mat kha lena.Naina ko bhi thoda dena.'' Pandit said and cycled away with a brighter smile.
"Ponga Pandit! Bada cake bant raha tha dono mein.Mamla kya hai? ''Munna asked Pandit as he had seen the scene from far.
"Chenu! Samjha kar. ''Pandit laughed and cycled forward.
"Samajh to usi waqt gaya tha jab cake dukan se khatam ho gaya.Hey! Ghantiwale baba! Ab isse bhi pyar ho gaya hai''.Munna raised his hands in reverence to Hanuman ji,who ironically is a bachelor.
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P.S.:Thank you for reading.😃 Would love to read all your feedbacks.😳
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