Part -76
Inside that manually operating big flying bird.....
Dev was looking at his food tray and was smiled within seeing the warm poori with little bindi masala and other side dishes along with little rice. His memory flew back to those days..
Dev coming with a frustrated face into the apartment, The door was opened by smiling Radhika and with a sorry face he entered quick and ran into his bedroom ,throwing his office bag on to the corner side of the closet space, Radhika with a smile closed the door and went back into the kitchen , he came rushing, chaning into a tee and a jeans shorts, to the kitchen with that usual call 'Radhikaaaaaaaaa'
Whereas Radhika with a smile on her lips , was arranging the plates nicely on that small dining table
He coming near : is everything ready, I am so sorry Radhika, I tried my level best to come early, but you know
Radhika interrupted his frustaring talk with a smile: don't worry , everything is ready. I am glad you were able to reach before them
Dev standing behind, holding onto her shoulder , looking at the table , said : I know my Radhika is the best.
But then his forehead tightened seeing the menu on the table, and his surprise tone mumbled : Radhika again poori masala
Radhika in a normal tone : ha, but this time it is bindi masala
Dev: but again poori, then with a chuckled throat: I am glad they are coming here first time...,
Radhika heard his concern : kyum? They won't like poori masala
Dev: that's not what I said, I thought you may make something special and
Radhika: this is special na, remember when I made it in Delhi, everyone liked it, Suchi mom brought me kangan and
Interupting her , Dev: Radhika, but they tasted it just once, but me, tasting the same almost everyday now, after our marriage
Radhika with a childish innocent smile on her face and her eyes, lifted the poori bowl up and like a wondering kid said: look at this, how beautifully it came na. I was praying hard when I dipped each one in that hot oil, to come out this nice. And Kanha heard my praying, look at this,.
Dev looked at those big big poories and frowned his brows: you prayed for this!!!
Radhika keeping the bowl back on the table: ha, they are coming first time , right? Also they came for a short term assignment, and they may be missing our food, so only, I made this. She tried to reason her action.
Dev mumbled: this is the same reason you said when Rema deedi, padamaja di , and all visited us.
Radhika going back to get the glasses out from the cupboard: no , for them, I asked and Rema deedi said , she rarely make poories and Balaji sir likes it so much.
Dev: so same with Padamaja Di too
Radhika: um, but with Padmaja Di, she doesn't like oily cooking, but she likes poories if somebody else make and give her.
Dev was about to say something , but then they heard the door knock and found two of the youngsters standing , Dev welcomed them inside and introduced them to Radhika, they chatted for sometime and after dinner and tasting some ice cream they left praising the taste of poori and masala
Radhika while rincing the plate, loudly : see I told you
Dev looking back in his laptop monitor : um'.
Radhika again loudly : what all you said
Dev: it went fine, But Radhika next time, ask daadi for some other recipe Ok, or ask mom, anybody, but no more poori masala. I will stop buying atta here. You know what, eating oil everyday is not good for health. he closed his laptop monitor and walked towards her....
Radhika shrink her lips and then with a childish tone she mumbled: but I am not making it everyday, you are eating your favorite healthy cereal na, there is no taste i can feel in it, just add some cold milk and nothing..
Dev: You are just like my mom, ha, I heard what you just mumbled, I mean , mostly everyday you were making the same thing na, You know consuming all this oil everyday is not at all good for health, when it is weekend, you make poori, when somebody comes, you make poori, only that masala is changing, i am glad atleast there is a change in that. In that case ,Cereal is healthy, come I will show you, saying that he went near the fridge and taking the big box from the top he said, see this has protein, calcium, and look at this, cholesterol, that is the most important thing ' he continued with the big list on the side of the box.
Radhika keeping herself dealf from listening to his healthy choice list, she turned the light off in the kitchen and walked to the main room.
Dev lifting his head up: why did you turn the light off, when I say something good , you won't listen
Radhika closing the long blinds towards the patio, walked towards the bedroom
Dev walking behind: ye ye Rahdika, listen
Radhika just concentrated on her way towards the bedroom
Dev came behind and held her strong by her shoulder to stop her
Dev: ethna khussa hokar kaha jaa rehe ho? I was just giving you some tips only.
Radhika in a uninterested tone: leave me , I am feeling sleepy
Dev trying to pacify her: I know you worked hard to make all those alone, but ...
Radhika again showed her childish face ...
Dev: oh, so you felt bad? Ok then, you make poori everyday, no problem , I will eat it everyday, ok
Radhika: leave me na
Dev forced her to turn, she gazed down
Dev: um, so naraaz ho, koi bath nahi, I know how to make you to look at me,
He swept her in his arm and went to their bedroom, without saying anything she hold onto his neck. Dev smiled as he walked, and then placed her on to the bed.
Radhika grabbed the sheet and covered herself and turning to one side , she closed her eyes. Dev came back and tried to pull on her shoulder, to make her to face him
Radhika maintained her ziddi. He tried again, and then slowly slowly, he dig his face near her neck side, she tried to shoo him away , but then, his breath started tickling her. But she maintained her zidd.
Moving away, Dev lay straight on his back. Radhika waited for his weight to fall on her upper side shoulder , but that didn't happen. She turned slowly and looked at him and found him laying looking at the ceiling..
Radhika turning back completely , facing him, wrapped her arms around his chest and rested her head on his chest, Dev slowly wrapped his around her
Radhika: what are you thinking seriously, is it about my Poori.
Dev didn't say anything, he stroked on her upper arm.
Radhika: vo kya heina, you know that I tried to make chappathi few times, but remember , you ended up going to the chineese and buying take out that day. If I make chappathi, within minutes, it becomes harder than rock, what can I do?. and I asked mom for tips too, but somehow it is not working with me, But i will try , ok.
Dev: nothing like that Radhika.
Radhika: then tell me na..
Dev: nothing Radhika, you sleep..
Radhika raising her head up , looking at his face : are you angry at me?
Dev coming back to reality : no no, there is nothing like that. His hand was rubbing on her upper arm and shoulder, patting her, comforting her to go to sleep.
Radhika, resting back on his chest : then tell me na, what is it?
Dev: nothing Radhika, I was thinking about our project.
Radhika lifting her head up: what?
Dev looking at her face , with a small smile: I told you... nothing
Radhika: so now you started thinking of your project at home too
Dev holding her back into his arms: what else I do, you turned your face away from me na.
Radhika : that's because you said you don't like the poories anymore
Dev: no Radhika, I didn't say like that, I like it, but not every day, may be once in a while, so tomorrow, when you chat with home na, ask for more recipe and try it, ok. It will be fun.
Radhika: so you really like the poori masala?
Dev: um
Radhika continued with her talk and slowly her voice got narrowed and Dev continued to smile listening to her little bubbly talks, with his mind drifting to the new project every now and then...
Dev's heart was smiling thinking about her face, her childish actions, her small small demanding, her reasoning.
"sir, can I take the plate away'
The voice of the air hostess brought him back to reality and he looked at his almost empty plate, and the poori was still left untouched, he didn't feel like eating that cold ones, he liked the hot ones that she made for him almost everyday for the first few months of their life together.
Dev looking at the hostess, gave the plate in her hand and asked for one more glass of water.
He got up from his seat and walked on that aisle and for few minutes stood near that little open space at the corner, to stretch himself, he felt so relieved and he looked generally inside that limited space and then remembered the joke by jaspal bhatti, once they went to have dinner there in their restaurant, there was not so many around,and he was walking around and joking.
Mr. JP came near to Dev and Radhika's dinner table and was asking whether the food is good and then said he is going for two weeks vacation to India, and then the talk about plane came and he said , have you heard of this joke about a pilot's flight announcement .. actually it is not a joke, it a very serious matter one hsould follow when fly in airplanes.... saying that he continued with his action.......
Pilot - "Folks, we have reached our cruising altitude now, so I am going to switch the seat belt sign off. Feel free to move about as you wish, but please stay inside the plane till we land...it's a bit cold outside, and if you walk on the wings it affects the flight pattern."
He concluded by saying " so next time when you travel, make sure to balance well when walking on that wings, ok"
Dev chuckled remembering it and looked at a portion of those broad wings that was extending from the middle portion of that big aircraft.
*****
Same time back in Delhi
Suchi was laying in bed, shifting to both sides, thinking again , trying to recollect Dev's words "ha don't tell Radhika, I want to give her surprise' What is he meant by that? How can it be a surprise for her? Why I am not able to tell this happy news to anyone else. All are waiting to see them, impatiently, even last time when we all gathered for Rahul's birthday at Radhika's house, Mohan bhayya also mentioned few times his wish for seeing them, even though he didn't directly mentioned it , but his words reflected his longing to see Radhika. They never been apart from each other for this long. Mohan bhayya insisted her to call and talk to him on phone as he was not fond of this computer monitor talk, atleast to listen to her voice. So with us and Mohan bhayya, she made all those calls ,all the time, when Dev was so busy and made himself one or the other excuses. And he (Surender) used to tell "you are right Suchi, I am also feeling much better this time, as Radhika is keep calling here very often"
Suchi: ha, one or the other small reason, she just ring and may be for few minutes only, but she let us hear her voice and that was really comforting and gives a feeling that they are near us only.
But then coming back to present , Suchi remembered a desperate call of Rohini one time , almost one month after their departure to U.S.
Suchi : Hello
Rohini in a desperate voice: vo Suchi, mei, Rohini
Hearing her desperation: what happened? Is everything is alright there?
Rohini: vo
Suchi: kya huva, why you sound so tensed.
Rohini normalizing her tone: actually there is no tension, but confusion
Suchi: what confusion?
Rohini: Radhika just called and she is in doubt.
Suchi: Radhika, she talked to me yesterday, but she didn't tell me anything? What happened?
Rohini: vo.. actually she just called me and said that she didn't had her period yet, so she is so much worried and was asking me, what she should do, so you know , naturally, I don't know what to say. I said I will ask you
Suchi with a smile: kya?
Rohini : ha, she was telling me so secretly, I told her to ask you directly , but you know she felt kind of shy.
Suchi: don't worry, I will call and talk with her, and then will call you too, ok.
Rohini with a relief: ok Suchi, now it will be between you two, but if it is any good news, first tell me, I know it is little early, but still.. the sound of hope reflected in her voice.
Suchi with a smile: first let me talk to Radhika, then we will see whether there is anything to be that happy for, ok.
Rohini with a chuckled smile: um, I thought the new generation has better planning than us, but it seems like....
Suchi again with a amile: Rohini, let me talk to her first, and before going to kitchen to make that sweet for sharing, wait for my call back , ok.
Rohini: um
Suchi hang up the phone , with another smile and then dialed U.S. home number.
***********************
P.S: I am color coding my writing from today. The past will be in green and present will be in black.
Thanks for your precious time to read this update.Have a good day.
Part 77
Edited by Devika. - 15 years ago
Indian Mythology
Anupamaa
