Sorry
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she whispered crouching on the bed after dinner at 9
“Why should I?” None of you cared for the relationship Veev”
“I am sorry that is not right”
“No I am sorry, you are wrong.. Veev, you want to know now because you want to make sure its truly over” Naina was tearful
“Nahi Nain… nahi”
“I did not receive an atom of support from you or Ma or Papa, yeah I was colossally stupid in bringing him to Rohini”
“That’s all I was angry about”
“No”
“I came to BRING YOU HOME from Japiur” Viveka was crying
She had left home for her art fair at Maurya Sid had showed up at 2 and bought her lunch, Raanav had not shown up, she didn’t mind she did these things all the time, plus it was not her work that was on display it was the craftspersons
She returned home at 8 checked on Satyen, his results had arrived home with the doctor, the stress test had indicated there was a block in one of the arteries
He was now on statins and blood thinners and things like that
Satyen was really pleased to see her
He had requested the help to make them an early dinner of multi dal khichri and papad and an array of achar, he was not allowed to eat ANY achar
But this was his big achar send off he promised
She could not say no, they sat on the floor in Satyen Smrita’s bedroom and feasted on hot syrupy khichri and the condiments
She returned to her suite at 9 ish and called Naina
She needed time to process the information
Dadi was stung by a wasp as she sat outside at Bua’s and had to be rushed to a hospital
Ma was in Mumbai and Papa took the afternoon off after ordering Viveka not to worry
She had coordinated care all on the phone
Winter was bidding a really slow goodbye this year, it was still freezing outside
“Jata rahi ho tum Veev?” “Tum mujhe lene aayi?”
“If I did not care or love you will I do that?” I was OK with your decision I didn’t feel comfy lying to parents”
“Nahi”
“Nainah”
“Ma does not know I broke up neither does Papa now you can tell them and make them happy”
“Don’t be bitter, I offered to speak with him didn’t you?”
“Your MIL gave me a dirty look when she saw me at Lohri” “Your Mamiji said Inder will never marry you, you are just a plaything for him” she had no idea if we had broken up or were seeing each other at that moment, but she chose to harass me
“She is very… kya kahoon? Different”
Viveka was very careful about not saying nasty things about her in laws
She realized contempt would breed hate
Raanav came in and was surprised to see her
“you didn’t go see your Dadi?” he growled
Harsha Piyush must have told him she realized
“I want o hang up” Naina hung up abruptly upon hearing Raanav
Viveka sat huddled
“nahi” she said
He went in showered changed and appeared rubbing his head
They both looked at each other but didn’t say a word
“dinner?”
“I ate with Dad” she mumbled
“Using his shoulder to cry?” he muttered cynically
“bachi nahi hoon 20 saal ki Raanav I am 30” she bit out
“30 year olds don’t need to be comforted?” he mocked grabbing his wet towel from the foot of the bed and went inside
“Raanav” she called as he began to leave the room
“If its about naina sorry I don’t want to know Vi” he left her
Anupamaa
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