Full Circle: A Guddan-AJ FF-Ch2, p2

Hello all!

I really like this show and I've had this idea for a story simmering inside me for a while now. I thought I'd pen it down. The story has been worked out beginning to end. I have the chapters laid out (though not all written). There will be approximately 20 chapters- give or take a couple. It will essentially be a rom-com. My story keeps the innate traits of the major characters- I don't want to change that at all, that is what hooked me on to the show in the first place. The wonderfully written characters of Guddan and AJ. It's just a slightly different take on their love story with a healthier (non-TRP) version of Antara thrown in for good measure :)

I won't be able to update every day. I will update twice a week at the most. Let's get this show on the road. And do let me know your thoughts.

Prologue

Today I opened the old teak wood chest in which your clothes are stored. You know I love scents. I don’t remember where we went on our first date. But I remember the perfume you wore to it. I don’t know if it was you, or that pheromone factory you were wearing, but I was hooked. Your scent still lingers, even now, after all these years. That faint floral perfume you used is very faint now, but I can still smell it. I now have to bury my face in your silk saris to inhale that scent, but it’s there. You are still here, in this box. In these clothes. In my dreams. I rummaged through the chest and found the sari you wore to our engagement. Deep blue with a red border. You looked so lovely that day. Your hair was up in a bun, and you’d pinned a string of jasmine around it. I loved flowers in your hair. I loved pulling them off. I loved burying my head in your hair and taking in that heady jasmine scent.

Your memories are getting harder to hold on to as time goes by. More of them slip away from me each year. You are blurred around the edges now. Your smile is not as radiant. Your voice is faint. I’ve forgotten so many things. I can’t visualise you sitting next to me, sharing coffee anymore. It’s just gone. We had so many thousands of coffees together, and yet, I can’t for the life of me, conjure you up, sitting next to me, in the patio, drinking coffee. Does that make me a bad person? Am I not in love with you anymore? I find it difficult to acknowledge that maybe, just maybe, I’m not. I still love you. But that heady feeling of being in love. I think that’s gone. It’s been gone for a while now.

Ma wants me to get married again. After all these years. It’s almost laughable. I’m 42 now. You’ve been gone for 11 years. She says I’ve mourned enough. She thinks I need to move on. Build a life again. Build a family again. I don’t know if I want to. I’ve been alone for 11 years. I like being alone. I’m not mourning you anymore. I haven’t done that in many years. My heart does not feel heavy when I think of you anymore. I only remember the good times we had. But can I share a room with someone else again? With someone who is not you? Can I love her like I loved you? Can I give her a happy marriage? Can I give her the heart that you once held? Do I even want all that? What’s wrong with being single? I don’t know the answer to these questions. But it looks like I’ll have to at least meet a few of these ladies to satisfy Ma.

I told Ma I like older women (you know my type!), so she doesn’t introduce me to some underage diva. They call themselves millennials. I work with some of them. They are loud and annoying and they wear strange, asymmetric clothes. I don’t have the patience for these needy, immature, whiny types. I’m used to you. Strong. Independent. Confident. Secure in every relationship. I’m pretty sure there isn’t another you around anywhere- I was lucky to have found you once. So maybe I’ll have to settle (if I let Ma browbeat me into this, which is not a done deal by any means!) for something less. But not too less, mind. I have standards. I was married to Antara Jindal, after all.

Akshat Jindal closed his online diary and powered down his laptop. He communed with his dead wife every day in the virtual world. Held entire one-sided conversations with her. Told her what had happened in his life that day. It was handy, this online diary business. He could say what he wanted, and never feared hearing back anything that he didn’t want to hear. He could make up exactly what he wanted Antara to say, and say it on her behalf. It was cheating, of course. But she was dead, so she wasn’t going to call him out on it. He liked it. It calmed him. Kept him connected to her. Kept him vaguely happy even. He smiled at the wedding photo of him and Antara that stood on the nightstand next to his bed, turned off the light, and went to sleep. He didn’t dream of her that night. Strangely enough, he didn’t dream at all. He slept the sleep of one who had had a hard day, and woke up the next morning completely unaware of the storm that was hitch-hiking its way into his well-ordered life.

Scroll down for Chapter 1

Chapter 1

“My daughter, my step-daughter in fact, is 23. She is very beautiful- you’ve seen the pictures. I think she is ideal for your son,” Kaushalya Gupta sipped her coffee as she stared at Mrs.Veena Jindal across the table. They were sitting in their club coffee shop after their daily card game. She had known Veena Ji for a few years now. Shrewd matriarch of the Jindal empire, Veena Jindal was about 65 years old and looked younger. Her hair was carefully dyed and coiffed. Her face lifts were regular and made her look at least 10 years younger. Her make up was classy and low-key. She wore a beautiful cotton sari in pastel blue with a pearl necklace and earrings. There was nothing loud about her. Everything screamed class. Even her simple cotton saris were worth lakhs. Her very simplicity was expensive and she liked it that way.

“Yes, she is very beautiful,” Veena Ji’s voice was low-pitched and musical. “But is she right for Akshat? I wonder. He is so….alone. He needs someone to wake him up. Liven things up a bit at home. You know what I mean?”, she asked Kaushalya. Kaushalya nodded, not understanding a word of what was meant. She only saw the Rupee signs beckoning like shining lamps in the dark, casting a halo around Veena Ji’s head. Veena looked at Kaushalya, wondering why she ever agreed to meet this vulgar woman for coffee today. She knew Kaushaya Gupta slightly. Everyone at the club knew her- her loud voice and her garish clothes preceded her where she went. She was greedy for money and whined about it all the time. Her husband was an older man who had married her in the hopes of giving his daughter a mother after his first wife had been killed in an accident. Instead Kaushalya had presented him with a daughter of their own and had alternately ignored and bullied his elder daughter till she was afraid of her step-mother in a very Cinderella like manner. She had flunked out of college in the first year, and had been sitting at home for 5 years now, doing absolutely nothing. Kaushalya had decided it was time to get her married, so that she would not stand in her own daughter Revti’s way. Revti was only 17, but she would need to be married one day. And Kaushalya wanted Guddan out of the way well before that day came. Guddan was silly, under-confident, couldn’t walk without tripping, had verbal diarrhoea, foot-in-the-mouth syndrome, and a hundred other weaknesses. She was also full of life and very charming. Not to mention drop dead gorgeous. Her doe-eyed beauty was the bane of Kaushalya’s existence. Dark-brown almond shaped eyes rimmed by long, thick lashes. Thick, lustrous hair that curled naturally at the ends. Pink lips that curved into the sweetest smile. A dimple in her left cheek, that peeked out when she smiled. A tip tilted nose that was cute as a button. A petite figure and slim, shapely legs. Guddan Gupta was good-looking on a bad day. On a good day, she was smoking hot.

“I think she is just right for Mr.Jindal. You mentioned you were looking for a younger girl. I know she is almost 20 years younger than him, but sometimes that is a good thing. You know, older men have so much distinguished charm. Take my own husband…he is 12 years older than I am, but I never regretted marrying him. He just took such good care of me,” Kaushalya simpered, and Veena ji cringed at her shrieky laugh. The nouveau riche were so very passé.

“Yes, I wanted a younger girl for a very specific reason. Akshat is jaded. He doesn’t believe in innocence and romance and all that anymore. His life is so very ordered, it irritates me. Sometimes I go into his room and mess up his clothes shelf just to create some chaos. He’s boxed himself in, and I want him to break out, you understand?”, she asked, knowing the only thing Kaushalya would understand would be the fat cheque that would change hands if this went through.

“Yes, yes. And my Guddan is just the one to do it. She is lively, you know. She can brighten any room up with her chatter,” not to mention give one a headache, Kaushalya thought wryly.

“I’d like to meet her,” Veena ji said.

“Of course Veena ji. You and your son can come home any time to meet her. Just let us know when,” Kaushalya sounded excited.

“No. Not my son. Just me. And not at your home. Here. Ask her to meet me here tomorrow at noon. I want to talk to her,” said Veena ji.

“Yes, yes of course,” Kaushalya wondered what type of matrimonial examination this woman would conduct. She would have to accompany Guddan and make sure she didn’t spout her usual exuberant nonsense.

“Please send Guddan alone. No need to accompany her. I won’t eat her up. I just want a small chat with her. You understand, I’m sure?” Veena Jindal gauged Kaushalya’s thoughts as plainly as if she had uttered them.

“Yes, yes of course I understand.” Gayi bhains pani mein, thought Kaushalya. There was no way Guddan could navigate Veena Jindal’s interrogation without making an idiot of herself. She would have to prepare her and hope for the best.

Veena Ji called for the bill, signalling that their coffee session was over.

———————————————————————————————————————————

‘Safina, tumhe cooking aati hai?’

‘Nahi, lekin agar sab kuch sahi raha toh mein ek din aap ka liver transplant kar sakti hoon.’

Guddan Gupta (DeeGee to her friends) mouthed Alia Bhatt’s famous one-liner from Gully Boy with reverence. Alia was her goddess, and Gully Boy was her favourite Alia movie. Her favourite scene was the one where Alia breaks a beer bottle on Kalki’s head for hitting on her boyfriend. It was right up DeeGee’s alley, that brand of violence.

“Guddan hain na, kuch bhi, kuch bhi maaf kar saki hai, lekin agar pyaar mein dhoka dene ki koshish ki, toh chodenge nahi, samjhe?” DeeGee said to the youtube video that was playing Alia’s Safina dialogues on a loop.

She was lounging on her bed in her skinny jeans and a midriff baring tank top, when her stepmother walked in.

“Guddan! Stop watching youtube right now. You are going to meet someone very important tomorrow. Get ready. You need to start practicing,” Kaushalya sounded frantic.

“Is it an audition? Did YashRaj Studios call? I’ve been sending them my portfolio every month for like, 3 years now. Maybe KJo finally took a look? Maybe he liked me? Maybe they want me for their next movie. Miracles can happen, you know. Oh, thank you Lord Krishna! Oh god, I’m so excited,” DeeGee jumped up and down on the bed like it was a trampoline, until Kaushalya yanked her down to solid ground.

“What utter rubbish. At the very least Guddan, you should know that Karan Johar runs Dharma Productions. YashRaj is run by Aditya Chopra,” sneered Kaushalya. “And they would never call you for an audition. If you ask me, Bhojpuri movies might give you a shot, but your father would have a heart attack, so let’s not go there.”

Guddan looked disheartened, but as she never managed to hold any emotion for longer than 10 seconds unless it was really intense, she perked up immediately. “Yes, yes. I know. I mix them up all the time. Anyway, they make the same type of romantic movies, what’s the diff? And I send my portfolio to everyone every month. Forget all that, why were you looking for me Mummy?” DeeGee asked Kaushalya.

“You are going to have lunch with Veena Jindal tomorrow at the club at noon,” Kaushalya explained.

“Who is she and why am I having lunch with her?”

“She is only one of the richest women in Indore. Her son runs Jindal Constructions and a bunch of other businesses. He also owns “Action Jackson” that restaurant in the Cantonment area which serves North-South fusion cuisine. Apparently he’s a qualified chef, in addition to being a successful businessman,” Kaushalya simpered.

“Oh yeah. I’ve been to Action Jackson. They do a killer Idli chana masala,” Guddan said nonchalantly. “But why am I meeting Action Jackson's mother?”

“They are looking for an alliance for him. His mother thinks you might do,” said Kaushalya carefully. She knew Guddan wouldn’t appreciate a 42 year old groom, but no need for her to know just yet.

“An alliance? Like shaadi? Meri shaadi? Huh! Why would such a rich guy want to marry me? I’m..I’m nobody..I mean nobody special,” DeeGee said quietly. She knew her weaknesses like the back of her hand. Guddan Gupta’s greatest strength was her intense self-awareness, something most people were incapable of possessing. Only she didn’t know how to channel it correctly, so it weighed around her neck like a millstone, for people like Kaushalya to exploit.

“You are right there. You are nobody special. In fact, you’re quite useless. But Veena Jindal thinks you maybe suitable. We can’t be saying no to such alliances. Please be very polite and talk like a decent girl from a good family tomorrow. Do not allow that wild tongue of yours to run away with you. Understood?” Kaushalya’s words made tears prick Guddan’s eyes, but she blinked them back resolutely.

“Uh..understood. What’s his name, by the way?,” DeeGee asked. “Action Jackson’s owner’s name, I mean?”

“Akshat Jindal, but they call him AJ” Kaushalya whispered reverently, as if she was taking the Lord’s name.

“Ha! Akshat Jindal. Action Jackson. A.J…Yeh hui na hero wali baat,” DeeGee said gleefully, appreciating the joke. “Chalo, mil lenge Veena Aunty se.”

“Dhanyawad Guddan Deviji. Now, get off the bed and let’s go look at your wardrobe. You need to dress appropriately for tomorrow. And then we need to go over what you can and cannot say. Also, no chewing gum at the table there. And do not, under any circumstances tell her you want to be an actress. These are classy people. No talk of acting-shackting and all, ok?, Kaushalya warned.

“Ok. Ok. What can I talk about Mummy?” DeeGee asked forlornly, knowing that if she put a foot wrong tomorrow, there would be hell to pay. She wondered if “classy people” didn’t watch movies. That would re-classify them as “boring people.”

“Restrict yourself to the weather and everyone’s health,” Kaushalya advised sagely.

“The weather and everyone’s health. OK,” DeeGee said thoughtfully.

Two hours later DeeGee was in a rage. She and her Mummy had combed her wardrobe and found a baby pink lucknowi chikankari salwar suit for her to wear. She had been drilled in how to walk straight, talk softly, not talk while chewing, cross her legs while seated, and look bashful and not make too much eye contact with her prospective MIL. After all that, when she was allowed to return to her room alone, she had googled Mr.Action Jackson. And that’s when she lost it. HE WAS OLD. LIKE REALLY OLD. OVER 40 FOR GOD’S SAKE. HER MUMMY WANTED HER TO MARRY AN UNCLE. U.N.C.L.E.

“What 23 year old marries a 42 year old in an arranged marriage?”, DeeGee fumed. She went down to her Mummy who was leafing through the pages of Vogue India in the hopes of picking up some styling tips. Kaushalya was a slavish, if tasteless, follower of fashion. She always ended up matching too much. Guddan had tried to explain to her many times that one didn’t wear a red sari with red lipstick, and carry a red purse, wear red shoes and red earrings and red bangles and wear a large red bindi all at once. No. That just made one look like a stop sign. But Kaushalya had never understood the concept of a ‘pop of colour’ or ‘toning things down’. She liked to flaunt everything she had. She looked up from a page of Sabyasachi bridal looks to raise an eyebrow at Guddan.

“What is it?”

“He’s old. Action Jackson…I mean Akshat Jindal. He’s 42. Why do you want me to marry a 42 year old? I’m 23 Mummy,” DeeGee wailed.

“You silly girl. So what? Older men make the best husbands. They are well-settled, rich, in fact. No struggling for them, no saving money to buy a house and all that. They already have everything. If this works out with the Jindals, you will daughter-in-law to one of the richest business houses in the State. They are worth over 5000 crores. It’s not money to be sneezed at. Besides, it would be great for your Father’s business, if he could be seen to be working with the Jindals, you understand?”, Kaushalya wondered why she needed to keep explaining the basic principles of what it took to build a good life to her step-daughter over and over again. The girl really was that dumb. The 4Ms that were the Ashoka pillars of Kaushalya’s existence- Money, Mansion, Mercedes and Manish Malhotra had been dinned into Guddan till she could repeat them like a rattoo tota. But she didn’t really understand them. Like understand them with the depth of feeling that Kaushalya felt for them. DeeGee’s preferred 4 Ms were Masti, Mughlai khana, Manikarnika and the Molten brown eyes of Hrithik Roshan.

“Papa is OK with this rishta?, Guddan opened her eyes wide.

“Of course he is. He’s the one who suggested it to me, in fact,” Kaushalya lied without batting an eyelid. Her husband had no clue, and would not be pleased with a man so significantly older than his daughter. But she could bring him around, she had always been able to do so.

“Look Guddan, you are 23 and you are beautiful. Those are pretty much the only 2 things in your favour. You are not even a graduate. You can’t keep house, can’t cook, don’t have any hobbies except watching YouTube, and have wasted the last 5 years of your life doing absolutely nothing. The least you can do is marry well, help your father’s business along, and live a good life in the bargain. I’ll tell you a secret- older men like younger women, OK? It makes them feel young when they are with a younger girl. It’s called a mid-life crisis…google it,” Kaushalya offered these pearls of worldly wisdom to her step-daughter who stared, round-eyed at her.

“What’s wrong with Papa’s business?,” DeeGee asked, latching on to the only point she cared about in her step-mother’s diatribe.

“Wrong? Nothing’s wrong. It could be better. He lost out on that cement contract to Aiva’s last week,” Kaushalya said. “But if he worked with Akshat Jindal, he would get many more contracts just based on AJ’s connects. Powerful men open up a lot of avenues, you understand?”

“I..understand. You want me to marry a man 20 years older than me because he is rich,” Guddan said, hitting the nail on the head directly.

“Well, don’t put it quite so crudely,” Kaushalya complained. “Fabulously wealthy and powerful. Besides, play your cards right, and he will be so besotted with you, he won’t even notice if you have a younger boyfriend or or two on the side.”

Guddan looked at her, stunned. She knew her step-mother was all about money, but here she was advocating extra-marital affairs in order to induce her to marry AJ Uncle.

“What? Don’t look so stunned. I’m not telling you to have an affair. I’m saying if AJ is not up to your expectations, you can always look around you once you are settled in to your marriage. These things happen. Everyone understands and looks the other way, OK?” Kaushalya said.

“OK. OK. I’ll meet Veena Aunty. Or should I say Veena Dadi, considering her son is the Uncle!,” DeeGee quipped. She would have lunch with Veena Jindal and convince her that she didn’t want Guddan Gupta for a daughter-in-law. There was no way she was marrying that Uncle. No. Way. In. Hell.

That's it for Ch1 folks!

Awsome 👍🏼

Plz Continue asap😛

Ok first of all welcome...

Now about your story...

Different from the show..

kaushlya as usual 👿

Veena Jindal❤️

Akshat is💔

Guddan is 🔥👧

Continue soon.....

Welcome to forum and thank you for new story

Completely different concept and loved the start

This is the best prologue i have read till date👏👏

Have to stiil read first chapter.

Bookmarked this story😊

Chapter 2

DeeGee was in a mad rush. She had insisted on being dropped 40 minutes too early for her lunch with Veena Jindal at the club, telling her Mummy she would rather wait than keep the lady waiting. Kaushlaya had agreed thinking Guddan was finally gaining a sense of responsibility and would perhaps oblige her by impressing Veena Jindal. As soon as she had waved her Mummy goodbye, DeeGee had rushed into the clubhouse bathroom and changed out of her pastel pink salwar suit into a black leather miniskirt with a fire engine red tank top. She pulled her hair out of its ponytail and fluffed it up around her face. She also applied smoky eye make up with a lavish hand and switched her baby pink lipstick for bright red lip colour. She had worn black 3 inch heeled sandals and those stayed. She wore a large silver hoop in one ear and a rhinestone stud in the other. She hooked a large silver nose ring into her right nostril and a dozen oxidised silver bangles onto her right wrist. To give her look the final touch, she hooked a black leather jacket over one shoulder. She practiced a few pouty expressions in the mirror and grinned, satisfied with her effort. She looked more like Komolika on steroids than poor old goody two shoes Prerna. Now if only Veena Jindal was a normal, loving mother and not like the she-devil, creepy Mohini, she had a reasonable chance of putting her off completely. DeeGee waited until 15 minutes past Noon, just to ensure she kept her prospective MIL waiting, and then stepped out of the restroom.

Veena Jindal saw the young lady walking towards her table, and raised her hand in a wave. The girl responded, and walked faster, swaying her hips provocatively. A couple of young men stared open-mouthed at the ravishing young beauty who was dressed to kill. Veena Jindal suppressed a smile as Guddan tripped over her own feet and almost keeled over. One of the young men who was staring at her, caught her before she could fall, and she thanked him shyly, a blush stealing into her cheeks, before realising she was supposed to be a sex goddess. She recovered her composure and gave him a saucy wink before walking towards Veena Jindal.

“Hello Aunty! Sorry I’m late,” DeeGee said, sitting down and crossing her legs so her skirt slid up another inch. It was halfway up her thigh now, and her slim legs were showcased to perfection.

“No problem beta, I am always here. I have so many friends who meet here every day, you know,” said Veena Ji, who had seen Guddan come in wearing a sober salwar suit and was amused at her outfit change. She was intrigued. “What will you have?” she asked Guddan.

“I’ll have a gin and tonic,” said DeeGee, not blinking an eye. She had never had anything stronger than a Breezer before today, and she didn’t intend to drink the Gin in entirety. She just wanted to ensure she was as anti-ideal bahu as humanly possible.

“Of course dear,” Veena Ji raised a finger and a young waiter came hurrying to their table.

“A gin and tonic for the young lady, and a glass of white wine for me,” she said.

“So, tell me about yourself beta. I’ve heard about you from your Mummy of course. But I want to hear from you.”

“Me? Oh! I’m really nothing special Aunty. I flunked out of college you know. I’ve been sitting around at home for 5 years doing absolutely nothing. Mummy thinks I should get married and wanted me to meet you. I can’t cook by the way. At all. I can’t even make tea.” Guddan hoped she was making the worst impression a prospective daughter-in-law could make on her MIL. She hadn’t lied at all. It was all true.

“I see. Well, beta. I wasn’t looking for a cook. We have 2 at home. And my son is an excellent cook, a chef, by the way. I’d much rather have a daughter-in-law who has no interest in the kitchen- like myself. I can’t even boil water,” said Veena Ji, lying through her teeth. She was a phenomenal cook, though she didn’t often cook since she did employ people to do the job.

“Oh. OK. And Aunty, I hope you don’t mind my clothes. I dress like this only. I hope you’re not one of those old-fashioned women, na, I didn’t think so?” Guddan asked breezily. She pulled off her leather jacket to show off her shapely shoulders, and shook her hair into a cloud of curls around her face.

“Not at all. I really hate these young girls dressing up like behenjis in salwar kameez with hair oiled back and no make up. You look wonderful beta. You dress your age, and I like that. Besides, with legs like those, you’d be silly to not show them off. You have a great figure Guddan beta,” Veena Jindal said, smiling slightly at the aghast look on Guddan’s face.

DeeGee was wondering what sort of MIL Veena Jindal would be. She liked her bahus in mini skirts and didn’t want them to cook. This was like Alice in Wonderland. Everything was upside down. The waiter put the gin and tonic in front of her, and she picked it up gingerly. Veena Ji sipped her white wine appreciatively and almost laughed out loud when she saw Guddan take a small sip of the gin and suppress a choke as it burned down her throat.

“This is very..good gin. Though, I like less tonic in my drink,” Guddan said bravely, blinking back tears at the Gin incinerating her stomach lining.

“Oh. Is it? Let me call the waiter. He can replace the drink for you,” Veena Ji lifted a finger to the waiter again.

“No, No. Aunty. This is fine, It’s OK,” Guddan panicked at the thought of having to swallow a stronger drink.

“So beta, what are your hobbies?,” Veena Ji asked.

“Nothing really. I have a bunch of friends. We go out clubbing a lot,” DeeGee said brazenly. She had been to a club exactly twice in her life and had disliked it both times. She was scared of loud noises and clubs were notoriously loud. “Oh, and I’m into Instagram. I spend a lot of time posting pictures on social media,” said DeeGee, who had exactly 3 pictures on her Insta account- two of them were of her sister Revti, and the third, a picture of a yummy plate of kachori chaat at Sarafa.

“Oh, wonderful. I don’t have an Instagram account. But my Son’s business has one and we have a social media manager as well. You could probably give her some tips on how to do her job better. Akshat was saying he’s not quite happy with her,” said Veena Jindal, crossing her fingers at the number of lies she was telling today. She knew for a fact that Akshat very much liked and respected his digital media manager, and that Guddan’s background check had revealed a negligible social media presence.

“Will you eat something beta? After all, it is lunch time.”

“Umm. I’m on a diet aunty. But, I’ll eat a salad,” DeeGee said.

“A girl after my own heart. I’m always on a diet. I’ll have a salad too,” said Veena Ji, sighing thankfully at finally being able to speak the truth in this conversation. No such luck for Guddan who only ate salad when her Mummy forced it down her throat, and preferred aloo parathas laden with butter to any kind of healthy food.

DeeGee wondered what she could do to piss this weird MIL off, and came up with nothing. She decided that desperate times called for desperate measures. “Aunty, I wanted to tell you something. Actually, my Mummy forced me to come meet you today. I really don’t want to marry your son. No offence, but he’s really old. And..er..I have a boyfriend,” DeeGee thought her nose would grow like Pinocchio’s, the rate at which she was lying.

“He is significantly older than you, I agree. But older men are very distinguished you know. And also, beta, don’t get me wrong, but they are much better…in every department, if you know what I mean,” she winked slyly at Guddan, who stared at her with a deer in the headlights expression on her face. This was the strangest prospective ladki dekhna session ever, she thought. This MIL was bizarre to say the least. No TV show or Bollywood movie she had watched had prepared her for this brand of open talk from a MIL to a future DIL.

“As for your boyfriend..I understand. Akshat has had many girlfriends after his first wife died you know. But once he marries you, he’ll be all yours, I promise,” Veena Ji perjured her soul and her Son’s character with zero hesitation. Akshat hadn’t even looked at another woman since Antara, let alone have a girlfriend.

“You mean he’s old AND a widower?,” DeeGee shrieked.

“Yes, beta. His first wife Antara died many years ago. He really loved her and her loss devastated him. He’s been alone for so long now. I want him to find companionship again. That’s why I wanted to meet you. I know you are 23 and he is 42, but why don’t you meet him once before you make up your mind?”, Veena Ji spoke seriously and looked straight into Guddan’s eyes.

DeeGee had no answer to this. She felt sorry for Action Jackson. He’d had a tough life with his wife’s death and all that. But he was still old. Did she even want to meet this Uncle when she was so sure she would never marry him?

“Aah. Here’s the salad. Kale and sprouts for me, Caprese Tomato Basil for you,” Veena Ji said as the waiter bought their salads to the table. Guddan dug in, making sure she ate every piece of Mozzarella cheese and picking the Basil aside.

Veena Ji decided to put Guddan at ease and didn’t bring up the topic of meeting her son for the rest of the meal. Instead she chatted about Bollywood and music, and watched as Guddan relaxed visibly, as they made light conversation about this and that. DeeGee found herself liking Veena Jindal. She felt like she would make a very cool MIL who would be chill about everything.

As they finished their meal, and Guddan pulled on her jacket, Veena Ji spoke. “Why don’t you and Akshat have dinner tomorrow night? He’ll text you the place. OK, beta?

DeeGee found herself saying yes because she didn’t know how to say no to Veena Jindal. She’d been very sweet about everything DeeGee had thrown at her, and now Guddan felt she really had no choice but to meet this Uncle once. “Ok, Aunty. I’ll meet him tomorrow. It was nice meeting you today,” Guddan picked up her bag.

“It was very nice meeting you beta,” Veena Jindal kissed the air next to Guddan’s cheek. “And don’t forget to change into your suit before going home, or your Mummy will scold you.”

“Oh…yeah..thanks for reminding me Aunty. I almost for….OhmiGod, aunty, you knew?” DeeGee’s eyes almost popped out.

“Yes, beta. I play cards here with my friends every morning. I saw you come in wearing that pretty lucknowi suit. You looked nice in that. But I quite like you in this outfit too. Especially the skirt. If you wear this tomorrow night, I can guarantee my Akshat will be a goner,” said Veena Ji, hitting a sixer with this ploy. She knew nothing would induce Guddan to wear this outfit to their date, now that she had said he’d like it. She was counting on it.

“Oh..ok. Sure aunty. I’ll be going now,” Guddan fled, pink-cheeked with confusion at being caught out in this manner. She felt like Aamir Sohail had felt after being clean bowled by Venkatesh Prasad’s slower ball in the 1996 World Cup…flummoxed, and flattened. Like she’d been run over by a tank. Veena Jindal was certainly a force of nature. A woman to be reckoned with, thought Guddan, as she waited for her cab to come pick her up.

Veena Jindal laughed her heart out in the car on the way home. Her driver quite thought she had lost her mind, as he heard her chuckling to herself at nothing. She went home and headed straight to her Son’s room. He was working from home that day, and she found him lounging on the bed with his laptop.

“So, did you meet my future wife? How’d it go?” Akshat quipped dryly.

“It was fabulous. And yes, I did meet her, and I loved her,” Veena Jindal declared.

“Really Ma, what’s so special about her?” Akshat was intrigued despite himself. His mother rarely praised anyone so generously. She was a very astute woman, and he trusted her judgement implicitly.

“You can find out yourself. You’re having dinner with her tomorrow. I’ll text you the number,” his mother said.

“Oh dear. Am I? I was going to play football with the boys…aah OK, I’ll go meet this girl,” Akshat said, meeting his mother’s steely eye.

“What’s her name, by the way?,” he asked.

“Guddan Gupta. And she is absolutely adorable,” said his mother, “You’re going to enjoy meeting her,” I promise.

“Ok, Ma. Don’t print the wedding cards just yet. Let me go meet her tomorrow,” Akshat said. He was intrigued despite his apparent disinterest. He felt a slight flicker of curiosity rise within him.

As for Guddan- much to the chagrin of the cab driver, she cried her eyes out on the way back. She came home, told her Mummy she had a dinner date with Akshat Jindal the next night, then went into her room, banged the door shut and spent the night plotting how to sabotage her date.

“Aise humein halke mein lene ki zaroorat nahi hai, Uncle,” she whispered. “Dekh lenge aapko. Nahi karenge apse shaadi.”

When she finally fell asleep, she dreamt that Mr. Jindal Uncle looked exactly like Ranbir Kapoor.

Thanks for the kind words everyone. I'm so glad you all like it. Next chapter by Wednesday or Thursday.

Amazing

Will be waiting for the next part