FF: New York times with Maan&Geet Thread 4 09/13 - Page 71

"Go home Abhi...its like I'm 15 again...you following me and all" She sat down in the chair opposite to him.

He looked away from the waiter and was pleasantly surprised at her stopping by.

"Make that two" He nodded at the waiter and he eagerly pulled himself closer to the table. He waited until the waiter left to respond and she kept her gaze down at her fidgeting fingers, clutching her purse. She was seated by the edge of the chair, clad in jeans and a t-shirt, giving away she was nervous as hell and perhaps even had no intention to stay for coffee.

"It's good then...those were the best times of our lives" He said.

She got up abruptly, but he jerked up, reaching out to hold her arm "No...Stay...one coffee. It's been so long" He didn't get to feel her arm, but she reluctantly sat down.

Of course she knew those were the best times, didn't she? Else she wouldn't spend hours reminiscing those times, living and re-living them.

He studied how carefully she looked at everything that surrounded them, except him. He gave a mock-smile at that and tried to make conversation, trying to cut through the heavy air that was laden with awkwardness. When did it get this complicated? It was his Naini for god sake.

"How is it going at the animal center?" He asked and she met his eyes with momentary disbelief that he didn't want to discuss any of their bleary pasts; or even try bringing up the very ubiquitous topic of them having to get back together.

"It's fine. Papaya might deliver tonight. I will be doing an extra shift. I'm taking a break now" She said, looking slightly disinterested, although, this time she met his eyes for a brief time. Somehow it was easier to look at him when the fake confab was not about them. She couldn't deal with his ever apologizing eyes...no...There was little of her left that was not already broken.

The waiter placed two cups of chilled coffee, topped with fresh cream and a drizzle of caramel, on the wrought-iron table and left them under the shade.

"Go on" He said, tugging his cup. She moved to grab hers and timidly shuffled in her seat, like it was her first time in the big city. He wondered what had turned, shifted or was stolen from her that his wife had gone this silent. He pondered if moving away to Canada had done it to her, but it troubled him that possibly, she was always a silent person and only he made her go bonkers, causing such frenzied outbursts. Lord! He needed to do some real looking back.

"It's a dog?" He felt the shot of caffeine hit him and it made him furrow his forehead from the rush.

"Yeah! a yellow lab, it was abandoned or even a lost dog. They brought her in four days ago. We named her Papaya"

"She's sick. I'm scared she might not make it" She continued looking worried and he peered at her a little longer. She was about to break into tears anytime and when he sensed the moment was close, he pulled himself into the chair next to her.

"May be I can help...if you don't mind that is" He placed an unsure hand on her fists, dreading she might pull away. He couldn't take it, that she couldn't stand being touched by him and it was one of the reasons, he always kept a distance.

She knew her husband was good with animals. He took care of Cricket all by himself, didn't he? She could sure use his help, but she didn't have the words to acknowledge his offer.

Just then a pale white female, dressed in gothic ensemble, came running out of the animal care center.

"Naini...Oh! Dear I think its time..." Even before she could wait for Naini's reaction, she turned and fled the same way she had come out.

Naini rose to her feet with biting worry and turned about her spot. "I didn't think it would be so soon...God!" She sighed as she skedaddled on her toes and rushed inside.

He followed, pursing his laptop and leaving some dollar bills underneath his cup. The place was damp and the officious stink greeted him as he wandered inside. The coos, gurgles, barks and murmurs echoed from the crates, inside of what looked like an old office converted into a pet center. The rescued and abandoned came here for the length of time before they were adopted and it wasn't entirely ironical she'd taken to the place, he thought now. He saw her hurrying to tie an apron with bundles of towels lying on the floor nearby. He dropped his bag at the front-desk and scurried, folding his sleeves up.

"What should I do?" She asked, strangely settling at the sight of the shivering mother.

"Oh!...Let's wait...Hand me the towel" The stubby girl said.

He hunkered down next to her pocketing his watch, but she hardly noticed it. They sat in grueling silence, except the murmurs of the wheezing mother dog. Sometimes he felt her lean and graze the side of his upper arm, however, she would catch herself in time and would position herself in a comfortable stance. She was muttering in fear, perhaps a prayer.

The visiting doctor had informed her that the lab had too many litters crowded inside her belly and that there was a chance she could die of internal bleeding. Ever since the ominous news had reached her, she'd diverted herself every chance her mind came back to the laboring mother.

He saw that she was almost slipping into a trance, shivering and breaking into a sweat out of anxiety. What was she hopelessly trying to save? Some withering side of her?

"Hold this" She dumped him the bundles of towel "lay them down neatly" She ordered forgetting the animosity and the distance that she often made it a point to highlight.

He did as she asked him, but when the first litter fell onto the towel, the Goth girl was holding next to the dog, he saw his wife shake like a leaf.

She chuckled delirious; indeed she was, at the first litter that the mother had popped. Good Lord! She was going mad in the mix of joy and worry. It was a bittersweet feeling being a part of a life-giving phenomenon, when she doubted the mother might not make it after all.

One by the one the dozen litters had arrived, but the mother was continuing to wheeze which kept her in a constant state of panic. She left to wash the pups, unable to watch the mother in unspoken pain and agony. They were scalding hot as she touched them to lower them into water filled tubs. Ah! what fur balls they were, as she scrubbed them clean and handed him two of them to be dried in the towel, he was impatiently holding.

"We lost two already" The other volunteer girl, came running into the washroom.

"What?...No they can't die on us" She cried in a whimper hugging the pup she'd just cleaned.

He carefully balanced the two pups in his stretched arm, close to his body and rubbed her back.

"It's bound to happen baby" He said.

"I'm scared for them" She said to no one in particular and walked in the direction of the crate where the mother was resting and stabilizing.

The mother looked much better with time and it brought a smile on her face in same proportions. They lost three more in the next half hour and now seven remained all cuddled up next to their mother. She was lying down sideways, holding her head and occasionally reached out to soothe the mother. The short girl, stayed close and he stood leaning on the wall, by the corner of the room. Eyes closed and crawling its way out, one little pup had staggered close to her stomach. The warm ball of fur, tickled her and she cooed not expecting the pup to be there.

"Awwhhh! You are lost are you little one?" She said, picking the pup in her hands and brought it close to her nose, rolling onto her back. She talked to it in ooey-gooey language, shaking her head in small movements. While she was playing with the pup, another one had wandered off and in no time, all seven were out and lay scattered on the floor like crumbling snow cookies.

He folded his arms and watched her as still as a devout in awe. He had seen her cozying herself to Cricket, but this was new to him. He wondered if there would ever be a time, he would know everything there was to know about his wife. But people were built that way, to never cease surprising their spouses even if sixty years had passed by. And they hadn't done 10 yet and so he knew there was many more to come, if she would give him the chance, that is.

Right then, she turned and looked at him, as if she was secretly reading her mind. He took an involuntary step towards her. Sitting right next to her, he took a pup into his arms and right on cue, the pup puled and barfed into his shirt.

"I hope it's not an expensive one" The girl said, handing him a towel.

"Nah!" He denied, but she knew he never wore anything less than a couple hundred dollars. She turned away and let out a smile, noticing him take it lightly. And that stream of thought made her think why he was here, helping her watch the mother and pups.

The girl had understood from the coldness that layered between the couple, he must be the man in her life she often seemed to be lost in. She hadn't bothered enquiring further, once they were drawn into the delivery and now the moment was way afterward to be concerned about the proprieties of greeting. She let it be, just as any other New Yorker would do.

The scene was one out of her modern fairy tale books. He was sitting next to her, feet folded and he was lying on the floor. The pups were all over them like they were all a big happy family.

"I'm going to call this one Sneezy…this one Sleepy" She pointed each one as they looked like critters moving around " Dopey, Doc, Happy, Bashful, this little one Grumpy" The girl laughed.

"That makes you Snow white I guess" He said sounding shamelessly corny. He thought it was a good repartee, but the volunteer girl was uncomfortable enough that she left giving a lame excuse. She simply stared at him that instance and got back to her pups. Inside, she had chuckled thinking her 17 year old Abhi was still inside somewhere, abruptly making such delicate appearances.

She didn't know why she attached herself to lost souls so emphatically, but their well being always was the shade of her mood until she was certain, she'd saved them in her own way. The color was pink now, a hazy glowing pink like one from a wintery afternoon. They were all better, including the mother.

"Joey has come back, we can all scoot" The girl announced, appearing in the hallway.

She was half-minded to leave them, but she needed her strength for tomorrow and the consternation she faced today, had drained her enough. To top it all, her husband had lingered close almost all day and that was one reason good enough as any to retire early.

Shooting one last look at them, she picked up her Louis Vuitton utterly mismatched for the place she was in and left as he matched his step with hers.

Today was as unexpected as snow in August and he could see some hope in the time she'd not shunned him out of the weary time she was facing in the animal center. It told him, she didn't mind letting him be part of her life, whatever little part that was.

They walked in silence, while crossing the road to get to their apartment elevator. She didn't meet his eyes, but as they waited for the steel doors to drag open, he held her cheek taking her by surprise. Her eyes went wide, but he simply smiled and said "You did a good job there...I'm proud of you".

He turned around and walked out of the building before the reaction on her face could fade away. That is when she realized he had simply kept her company all the while and she hadn't even asked him for it.

She stepped into the elevator and pressed her floor button, processing that the jittery moments were all just a blur in her consciousness. Her eyes closed as she recollected him, rubbing her back, calming her down and muttering "It's all going to be fine baby" tirelessly, until the point, she had indeed relaxed.

Why would she act with feigned indifference when she craved for him every minute of her waking day? She was shaking again, closing her eyes, living every second he was with her...only this time, he wasn't there to hold her.

To be continued...

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She slid out of bed with absolute dread that the weekend was already here. There was nowhere to go and she wouldn't get a chance to see him aimlessly sitting at the cafe. Thank heavens! At least he wasn't following her like a teenager and instead settled for the cafe, watching her goings and coming in. Unconsciously, she feared she was going to Duane Reade more often than it was necessary. But how was she to resist this feeling that pooled inside her the instance she would step out the large glass doors of their building. The feeling was wavy, drifting in bundles and sheets every time his gaze met her skin. She would instantly hug herself as she would either walk in or out depending on whenever she felt him. The emotion would hit her head and she would sit out the rest of the day as if she was in a delirious trance, seized by an higher power, chanting his name.

No doubt, she was crazed and now she even imagined the same fever that she had come down with the first time he'd done that. Falling on the bar counter callous, she let out a 'Good morning' to Geet who was scurrying with breakfast preparations. Her bhabhi was back for the weekend and her peaking color, assured her that everything in her small world was all right.

"Are you sleeping well nowadays? You look tired" She heard Geet ask and lifted her head to give out a weary smile.

"Yeah!" She said. That's all she could do with. Geet was right; she was sleeping light nowadays. She saw her bhabhi in a struggle to tuck her pallu into the folds of her sari by her hip and hurrying to switch the stove off. The tea was about to boil up and spill.

"Why are you haggling with that thing? Why don't you slip into something comfortable?" She asked stopping mid-way for a yawn.

Geet smiled and nodded but didn't respond for a while. She must have thought it was rude not to answer back and so did, filtering the tea into three glasses.

"Let your bhaiya leave. I will" Naini raised a brow at that and watched her flush instantly.

"And I'm used to sari now. I don't feel it's uncomfortable at all" She continued, as she bustled with activity.

"What does this got to do with bhaiya?" She questioned, taking in a sip from her cup.

"He prefers that I..." She paused and didn't face Naini "He likes me in sari"

"Geez! When did he get all that traditional?" Naini said and stopped commenting further when she saw Maan enter the kitchen. He smiled and she knew that was his good morning wish to her.

As if she needed any trigger to start thinking about him, she'd again slipped into picturing the first time Rishabh had left her a sari on their bed. Somehow she had not taken to the long flowing garment at the time. It was tedious she'd told him when he'd enquired too many times why she wouldn't wear it even for occasions.

"Meeta?" She watched Maan ask Geet and her bhabhi nod almost immediately in panic. He pulled her as she saw Geet hurry to the far corner, faking some chore or another and handed her the cup back. Naini noticed that she turned back after a second or so and gave the cup back to him, as her cheeks burned a bright red

"Oh! God" She rolled her eyes as it dawned on her, what Maan had just asked Geet. "Bhaiya...seriously?" For a moment the shock was as real as the cup she was holding in her hand.

Her own mornings with Abhi came back to her. "Argh" she groaned low. Of course she was not the kind, who would do servile wife duty, dishing out his favorite cereal and black tea. Even the couple of times she'd done that by mistake weren't the sweet ones. But the ones where he would line up cheerios on her navel and eat breakfast in bed were tormenting her that minute. The memory of his lips there was making her go limp with a need for him.

She collapsed back onto the counter at the train of memories that was crushing her. Her brother passed by and ruffled her hair on his way out, after his tea, calling to her abruptly, "Enough mocking. Wake up sleepy head"

He must have assumed she was still sleepy and she didn't bother to correct him. However, she responded when she heard him call to Geet, for the umpteenth time.

"Geet...Where are the car keys?" He screamed from near the door.

"You are just the garden variety husband...you know that? How does it change like that soon after marriage" She said, knowing well, he wouldn't answer back.

To her surprise, he did. "I can't believe I'm accepting this shamelessly. But I have come to like depending on her for the little things"

She saw, Geet smile and run towards him with the keys she'd found on the table nearby, her form erecting with a pride that came from hearing her husband's words.

"Some changes are good after all" He smiled and turned to face his wife. Not wanting to intrude on their privacy, she got back to take another sip from her tea. She had little doubt Maan was kissing her bhabhi by the entryway.

She recollected her husband kissed her too whenever he would run out on errands...Argh! She wanted everything to stop and what she needed most was her mind to go blank.

"Let's go party tonight" She spoke loud to be heard by her brother who was perhaps leaving their home that instance.

"Ok...Decide if you want to go to Verve or Flatiron" She didn't respond and neither did she turn back.

Her own miseries were too heavy for physical movements. Loud noise, sound, interference was all she needed to not hear her thoughts. She could give in, a little voice spoke inside her head. He was only one floor down the voice persisted.

"Shut up" She groaned to herself.

Like hell! She had decided a long time ago that she wanted to get back with him. Although she couldn't swallow her bloated ego and make the first move; not when he had not pushed her again since that night in Geet's old room. One more time she was going to feel his eyes on her, she was going to burst into flames, she was certain. What would she not give for one hug or even just a touch?

She was doing a sordid job at living and re-living without him.

To be continued...

Loved Krishna's, Fatima's, Libra's and Ramhari's comments. THANKS so much you guys for pushing me to put up another part. So glad you guys love it.

A short update, but I felt she needed that shove. What do you people think? Comments? Like button?

The car jerked to a halt and she reckoned only seconds later that the drive to the lounge had been a blur. She'd been lost, no doubt and it was beginning to drain on her. The endless cars stopping and accelerating to get to the door was unnerving her. She couldn't wait for the drone of the club and the blaring noise to fill her, cut her thoughts with 20,000 watts of sound and leave her numb. Possibly even frozen.

Maan and Geet filled the front seats of the car, while she was lazily slumped in the corner. She eyed the crowd walking towards the line that was gathering at the entrance and that's when she took to the form of a man, casually leaning on the wall. He sure had good tastes for dressing for his choice was unmistakably suave punk. Quite literally she gathered he had two shirts on, the inner one with a collar and the outer cut down into a plain V. Solid black the outer shirt was and a checked vest layered it again. He'd gone for a stingy brim hat and square wayfarer glasses. She was thankful she was finally getting back to enjoying eye candy. Keeping his eyes on the stranger, she leaned into the side window and as the car neared the club, her stomach picked up a flutter in her heart. The man wasn't a stranger after all. Of course her faithful instincts had sensed her husband even before her eyes could pick him up. So much for expecting herself to eye another man!

The valet got the keys from Maan and he moved to greet Rishabh. Did she just see him flick a cigarette? What was insanely wrong with her husband? He knew she hated...no detested men who smoked. She noticed he'd gone for an ensemble she had not seen him wear in years. She wanted to scream and tell him that he didn't need to dress like a twenty year old to pick up girls and that he already looked young as is. What was she even mad about? She questioned herself. Was it the clothes or the smokes she had seen in his hand, she couldn't tell. But she was certain there would be something of cataclysmic nature happening right there in New York if one chit, so much as even thought about getting near him. She was done with his mind games. And now she was getting a glimpse of his push-pull dynamics he'd played on her for the last eight days. Keeping his distance had proved him good, however, it had turned not so good for her.

They gang entered the lounge with him closely following her. She looked divine, he thought. His fingers itched to move aside the one stray curl that was bothering her left eye. Her eyes traced her body down to her feet and her silhouette that came clear in his mind's eye was aching him to pull her close by her waist. Who wouldn't want to flaunt a woman so fine? His jealous streak was back when he noticed two men far back in the bar, eye her lustfully. Argh! She could have covered her bare shoulders; he painfully kept the thought to himself.

J'Lo s 'On the Floor' was deafening the crowd and she smiled at the first wave of relief flood her. Throngs of people were moving their hips to the raging number one single in a trance and she so yearned to take part in their mindless acts. At least the icicles on her back was begging to fade with the sound and it no longer felt like his eyes was torching the piercing icicles and melting them on her skin. It made her feel frigid and hot, all at the same time. She thought she spotted her animal center people in the corner of the dance floor and ran with the first sight of an escape, leaving Rishabh behind with Maan ad Geet.

"You want to catch a drink?" Rishabh asked.

"No. I will have to drive" Maan denied. But after a few minutes he picked up his usual scotch with water when they sat at the bar. Maan was seated on the bar stool and Geet stood leaning on him, in-between his legs. They were well hidden behind the pillar that ran the room's height and kept them cozied away from prying eyes. Rishabh took to a Martini and swiveled aimlessly on the barstool.

Back in the dance floor, the boom box cranked another notch as Pitbull's "Everything tonight' thrashed the crowd. She loved the song for no reason at all and she flung her arms up in the air, swaying as a dervish matching the Goth girl Snow. She had often thought it was quite odd a name for a girl who pretty much dressed in black all the time.

"Why is he always there, wherever you are?" Snow shouted to be heard above the music that swept the floor.

She hesitated for a moment, but before she could answer, Snow continued "I think he likes you...like seriously"

"I know" She shouted back, smiling to herself at Snow's discovery which wasn't faulty at all.

"Whoa...I think he is trying to impress you" Snow who was facing the bar announced and she turned to take a look at what she was talking about.

He was behind the bar counter and nodding to the bartender. She knew her husband took to bartending tricks, when he needed to focus or divert himself. Wait! Why did he need to do that exactly? She saw Snow's jaw open wide and gape at what she caught sight of. Somehow even without looking, she knew it always started with the flip of the tequilla bottle, going high up in the air, leaving a trace of thin fountain of the liquor in air, as he would catch it from his arm going behind and flip it back down to fill the shot glasses lined on the counter.

"No...he sometimes does that" She yelled. When Snow couldn't hear, she repeated her words and added more information.

"No...he does that when he needs to keep himself occupied. He owns a chain of hotels, trust me he knows his way in a bar" She nodded and snow was super impressed, not taking her eyes off from where he stood.

He turned to catch him smile and mix up a cocktail for a woman, who was clearly flirting with him. She flipped her face back, slightly miffed.

"Let's go get a drink" Snow asked her, tugging her wrist.

"No...I'm not keeping well. You go ahead" She struggled to speak aloud, to reach her ears.

"Don't be scared of him. I'm sure he doesn't bite" Snow tried convincing. Her eyes closed for a second, thinking how Snow was to know if he wouldn't bite or not. Oh! he was good at that, she wanted to tell snow, instead decided to keep her thoughts private.

Before she could be persuaded, Joey made an appearance on the floor next to Snow. Naini saw Snow, color instantly, but something inside her told that the attraction didn't go both ways.

"Heya girls" Joey bubbled with drunken enthusiasm. They greeted him back, but she was clear, he didn't care.

"Can I get you ladies a drink?" He asked jerking up, swaying to his sides. She wasn't threatened by him and knew he was a good kid, who had the spunky bone in him. Even without waiting for their response, he threw his arms one on each girl and dragged them along.

"Joey, let it be...and you should stick to woman your age" She tried shoving his swinging arm away from her shoulder but failed. Almost the same instance, her eyes shot to catch her husband still at the bar. Did she need to even look his way? He was fuming and she could see the blazing eyes on her and most importantly Joey.

"Joe...What the F***, you are drunk as a doorknob" Snow screamed, frowning, unable to bear his weight on her. It was her ill luck perhaps, that he responded to Snow's sulking and took his hand off her and yanked Naini by her wrist.

She had been eyeing Snow's disappointment grow in her face, when she suddenly felt the pull on her arm. Unable to react with firm feet, she'd placed one unsteady foot in front of another and tripped on Joey's back. Joey had, for unknown reason, turned around and had caught her in time.

The next few minutes were bleary and passed in a blip. She recollected him jumping over the counter and come straight at them. One second, she saw her husband raise a fist in the flashing florescent light and the next instance she was being hauled by him. Joey must have been on the floor for she couldn't spot him in the numerous heads that was crowding the spot she had departed from. Her palms were sweaty and she was going cold from the pace at which he was drawing her out of the lounge.

"Maan bhaiya and Geet" She'd let out in a strained whimper and her eyes searched for them in the dim settings of the club.

"Don't bother" He retorted, not looking at her, nor giving her an opportunity to explain it all.

They were out on the street and the valet brought his car in no time. He dragged her to the other side of the car and shoved her in the passenger seat. The entire time he'd refused to look at her and she was frenzied from his irrational behavior. Oddly it didn't anger her, but she couldn't bring one word to her lips.

When the car picked up decent speed, he whipped his head in her direction and yelled "You are still my wife...you better remember that"

"I didn't do anything" She whimpered hushed, looking down timid.

He couldn't process, what she'd said or even what met his eyes. His rage was truly blinding this time. He was holding onto hope she would come back to him. Eight days had not been long, that much he knew, and he was determined to give her more space just as he'd promised. It befuddled him why she would resort to making him jealous and spite him to commit something stupid, just as he'd done a few minutes ago. As if she didn't already have enough reasons to hate him. He couldn't see her pick reasons to run from him and it hurt his cherished ego, deeply...badly.

"If you wanted me to leave...all you had to do was ask" He said and she saw him with tear filled eyes.

She thought she would vanish into thin air, if she couldn't see him for even one day. The knowledge he was either one-floor down or in the coffee shop, invisibly helped her cope with the distance she'd put between them. But him leaving her was no longer an option. All her memories had been exhausted living and re-living them and she need new ones...she needed him.

To be continued...

I guess I have written quite bit today and would love to see comments 'for each one of them' - if possible - by the time I wake up tomorrow. Sounds demanding eh! I know. THANKS to those who keep commenting and the rest, come out and play...