Different but equal
“she did not know the store opening was this weekend, sorry unko jaana pada” Satyen was extremely apologetic
Rakshit and him had come by for lunch
Anubha had cooked up a storm, Bua and her husband both arrived late, and could not help with anything
Naina realized this thing was indeed happening and so decided to shut herself in her room denying Dadu and Dadi access to it
“Ladka kaahe nahi aaya?” Dadi was dressed in her best silk
“Who bahar hai?”
“Kidhar?”
“Oslo” Anu was still mad at Dadi
Dadi had created a racket the following morning after over Viveka’s telling her off about Anu’s career
She had called Bua and cried and asked to be driven to Bua’s house
Bua had awkwardly declined and Akash had told his mother if you want to leave then it means you reject me as a son
How could Dadi do that
That would end everything right
There is so much spice in being around and continuing to twist the knife she relented and there was a moody silence between her and Viveka
The twins were elated Viveka was likely to marry a celeb of sorts, they didn’t care for business or market share they were just thrilled they were going to see someone famous soon at the engagement or at one of the subsequent ceremonies
Viveka wore a pretty tussar silk saree in mauve with a deep magenta embellished blouse
Anu was heartbroken that Smrita had rejected the Mathurs
It was pretty obvious tho, however smooth Satyen was with his excuse how can any one place a Dubai store opening over her own son’s in-laws?
Ridiculous!!
Rakshit was the quiet one, he answered questions other times he just read through the mountains of magazines
“Have you met his friends?” he asked Viveka when she served appys
“Oh no, not yet” she smiled serving him the pakoras
Satyen was feasting, he needed no encouragement, Anubha tried to dig deep she was a bit agitated with Dadi’s antics and jet lag and feeling a strange anxiety for Viveka’s future
Dadi was nosy she wanted to know “ladke ki Ma ko yaha hona to chahiye”
She must have said it loud and soft like a 100 times
Viveka almost wanted to go shut her up
But Anu warned her not to, Dadi was pretty erratic what if she began to have a loud crying meltdown?
So they had to tread carefully
“Raanav to agle hi mahiney shaadi chahta hai” Satyen spoke with mouthful of gulabjamun
“Chaliye karwa dete hain” Kamal was overjoyed
“Arey kaise karwayenge damaad ji?” Dadi was IN everything
Her husband was quietly looking at and reading about Power Systems in a Business India article
“Ma aap kahen, aapki jo marzi”
“Navratre hain agle mahiney, uske baad dekhenge, aur waha hamar potey ki shaadi hai”
“Anil chachu ke bete ki bhi tay ho gayi shaadi?” BIVEKA poked
“Ek dum mooh phat hai aap sochke karna” Dadi gave it back to her
“VEEV” Anu grit her teeth signaling her to see her in the kitchen
“Arey Ma Harshu ko keh rahin hain” Akash squirmed
“Dono ki saath saath kar dein?”
“Chaliye who bhi theek hai”
Akash hoped he will get some help from his wife
But none came
“Ma he said we can get married wherever I want, I am hoping in our apartment community center shaadi reception everything one evening” she said
“Are you mad?” Anu fried pooris and clattered dishes accidentally
“No Ma”
“Zyaada mazaak nahi” Anu growled
“I am not kidding dude”
“Veev I am sick of hearing the twins say it, stop that”
“Ma I don’t want a big tamasha”
“Just remember if we spend 1 crore a bunch of low income people will get paid”
“First of all you are NOT spending that, secondly, I would rather earn my own money and enable opportunities for the urban poor, thank you”
“Don’t start… main dukhi hoon tumhare naarebaazi se”
Viveka was stunned… and hurt she left the kitchen quietly
Savi Bua was cloyingly sweet to everyone she could not believe HER Bhayya was connected to someone so wealthy now
She punded Naina’s door Satyen became curious
Anu tried to ward her off
Naina opened and pulled Bua in and shut It
Papa told Satyen she was not feeling well
Satyen was not a fool he understood,
They both were gracious about each others’ skeletons
Papa did not need the humiliation Viveka realized, neither did Ma though what has gotten into her this afternoon, she is being so mean
The twins were playing loud music in their room and it made Rakshit amused
He went in and began talking to them
Satyen summoned her to sit by him and talked for an hour about Mr Nahar and the billionaire friend that he wanted her to really really meet
“Shaadi kab karengi beta aap?” he asked
“Umm.. I don’t know” she blushed
“Raanav to keh rahe hain agle weekend bhi kar lenge”
“Did he?” she laughed trying not to vaporize in embarrassment
Satyen had brough some exquisite hand crafted sarees for her and Anu and Dadi, almost 9
Bua had already laid claim on two, one of which Ma picked first
“Apni betoyon ki shaadi mein bhi MUJHE second choice hi milta hai Akash”
He was not happy either
There was so much going on
So many stressors
Satyen thankfully did not offer to throw a five star wedding
“Aadha kharch hamara hoga bhaisaab, I will not argue on that”
Akash nodded reluctantly
“Main to khush hoon hamare samdhi humse aisi umeed nahi karte” Kamal whispered to Savi Bua in private thankfully
Anu could not believe how some people even thought….
She told Akash
“Hamare Jeejaji apni accounting mein pakke hain tum jaanti ho yeh baat”
“Phir humko bhi nahi lena chahiye”
“Veev mujh par gussa hogi yaar” Akash made a face
“Veev’s activism is not good…. Kitna karti hai… community center mein shaadi?”
Koi baat nahi, you always say that’s not important”
“These [people are hobnobbing with heads of states
“To ab aisa hi ladka pasand aaya hai Veev ko” akash mumbled
Satyen and Viveka were chatting
Rakshit and the twins were discussing music
Dadi snoozed on the sofa
Bua Dadu and Kamalji were chatting in the living room as well
“It seemed so exciting Akash” Anubha was visibly afraid
“Jaanta hoon” he sighed
“Ma aayi nahi, shaadi community center mein Naina kamre mein”
“I offered chai” Viveka came in speaking gloomily
“Haan banata hoon beta” Akash smiled
“I can make” she avoided looking at her mother
Itti Si Khushi Sab TV
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