Chapter 21 - A New Impression
Meher woke up the next day with a pounding headache. She could barely drag herself out of bed, and every little sound seemed to be magnified and add to the sledge hammers running around in her head. There was a knock on her door and Shampa poked her head in the room. "Coffee!" she said.
"Thanks", said Meher as she gratefully took the hot black liquid from her friend's hand.
"How are you feeling?" asked Shampa.
"Okay, I think", said Meher. "I don't understand what happened last night. I mean one minute I'm having some juice and the next minute I'm popping out of a cake".
"Hmm", said Shampa, "Preet told me he thought your drink was laced with alcohol".
"Preet? Preet Juneja?" asked Meher.
"The one and only", smiled Shampa. "He's the one who brought you home last night. In fact, he carried you in his arms right up to your bed. How romantic!"
Meher's mouth fell open. "Sorry to burst your bubble my dear", she said. "But Meher aur Preet ki jodi nahin bannay wali (But Meher and Preet are not going to be an item). Besides, I'm not the right pedigree, remember".
"Tum kuch bhi kehlo Meher (I don't care what you say Meher)", cried Shampa. "The way he was looking at you...I tell you...Dal de vich kuch kala haiga (Something is definitely up)".
Meher just rolled her eyes in disbelief. "I'm suffering from a hangover aur tumhe matchmaking ki padi hai (and all you care about is matchmaking)...What have you been doing, reading Jane Austen again?"
Just then the phone rang and Shampa answered it while Meher cradled her aching head in her hands. Shampa smiled as she handed the phone to Meher. "It's for you. It's Preet Juneja". Meher looked up in surprise and carefully took the phone from Shampa.
"Hello?" said Meher.
"Hey Meher!" said Preet. "How are you feeling?"
"Better. Thanks for asking", said Meher quietly. Shampa was still smiling and giving her knowing looks. "Um...look Preet...thanks for taking care of me last night." Continued Meher. "Shampa told me how you brought me home and..."
"Kisi mahan hasti nay kaha hai ke dosti main (A great man once said in friendship)... 'No sorry...No thank you", said Preet.
"Hum dost kabse bannay?" asked Meher. (Since when did we become friends?)
"My point exactly", said Preet. "You owe me one".
"What?!" cried Meher.
"You madam, had me running around the waterfront last night way past your bedtime... remember", said Preet. Meher covered her face with her hand as she recalled her childish behavior from last night. "So get ready", said Preet, "We're going out for lunch. I'll pick you up around noon".
"Preet wait...Preet!" cried Meher, but Preet had already hung up.
Shampa looked at Meher and raised her eyebrows up and down. "Um...he wants to take me out to lunch", said Meher quietly.
"I knew it!" teased Shampa. "Well don't just sit there. Go and take a shower and get dressed for your date".
"It's not a date!" cried Meher. "And I'm only going to go because I want to find out about Prem".
"Whatever...but wear the blue and white outfit... and leave your hair open...you look really sweet that way", said Shampa. "Just remember not to spill anything. The last thing you want is to waste your precious date time in the ladies room washing out the stains from your clothes".
"It's not a date!" protested Meher. But Shampa had already left.
Meanwhile...
Heer stood outside the gates of the Juneja mansion at 9 High Point Road, in Toronto's most prestigious neighborhood. She looked at the address written on the paper she held in her hand and then peered at the immense property and grounds she was standing before. It was certainly beyond what she had imagined. Heer took a deep breath and then walked up to the watchman's post by the gates.
"Excuse me", said Heer. "I'm here to see Mr. Prem Juneja please."
"Do you have an appointment?" asked the watchman. "No, but if you'll tell him it's Heer Maan, I'm sure he'll see me right away".
The watchman, checked his visitors roster and then said "Sorry madam we don't allow visitors without appointment or prior visitor notification from the Junejas".
"But I know them...Prem, Kulraj, Preet...if you'll just tell them I'm here, I'm sure they'll...", said Heer.
"Sorry madam", interrupted the watchman, "rules are rules. We get all sort of people here everyday...sales people, people with new innovative business ideas looking for investors, politicians and organizations looking for donations, long lost relatives, women claiming one of the Junejas to be the father of their child, journalists...You name it, we've seen it all. We can't be letting every Tom, Dick and Harry that shows up in. It would be just chaos".
"But I've come all the way from India", pleaded Heer.
"I don't care if you've come from Timbuktu", said the watchman. His tone softened when he saw tears well up in Heer's eyes. "Look lady it's nothing personal, but I have to follow the rules, or else my job could be at stake. But I will tell you this much...the family's not in right now. Their youngest is graduating in 2 weeks so they're all overseas in London, so you're just wasting your time. Maybe you can try back in a couple of weeks".
Heer shook her head and mumbled, "I don't have that much time". She took one last look at the house and walked away. Heer had not been gone for more that 5 minutes, when a car pulled up to the gates of the Juneja mansion. The watchman immediately opened the gates and ran to the car. The back seat window rolled down.
"Good afternoon, sir", said the watchman. "Hi Greg, anything important", said Prem. "No sir, all's been pretty quiet today, but you're back early sir". "Yeah, I had some work to do here before I go back for Veera's graduation. Listen I'm really tired so, no visitors for the rest of the afternoon. Okay?"
"Yes sir. Um... sir...there was this girl that was here just a few minutes ago. She said she wanted to see you. She said she was from India. She didn't have an appointment or anything".
"India?" said Prem looking up in surprise. He quickly exited the car and began to look around in every direction, but there was no one to be seen. "What was her name? Did she leave any contact information?" He asked.
"Um...Helen...no, Haily...no, Harley...", replied Greg.
"Heer", whispered Prem, "Was it Heer?" He asked almost in disbelief. Wait a minute, I'm letting my imagination go wild, thought Prem. How could it possibly be Heer. I mean how could she afford to come all the way here.
"Hema...no, Helen...No, I already tried that..."continued a confused Greg. "It's alright Greg", said Prem shaking his head, "but next time use the paper and pen on your desk and write it down".
Later...
It was noon, and Meher was sitting in Preet's car as they drove towards San Francisco's Fishermen's Wharf neighborhood, neither one of them saying a word. Preet would only steal a few glances at Meher every now and then and smile to himself.
The silence was killing Meher. Oh God! He's not saying a word, she thought. And what's with the smirk he gets on his face every now and then. He must still be laughing at my foolish behavior from last night. Whatever happened to raat gayi baat gayi (A new day, a new story). I wonder what he wants. Certainly there must be 101 other people he could go on a lunch date with. Wait a minute! Tthis is not a date, she argued in her mind. It's lunch time and just because we coincidently will be eating lunch in the same place sitting opposite one another doesn't constitute a date.
"A penny for your thoughts", said Preet interrupting Meher's conversation with herself.
"Um...I was just thinking what a lovely sunny day it is", said Meher.
"Hanh, ab tumhare wo 'uncle' to hain nahin to raat to tum mere saat guzaarne se rahi (Yes well, your uncle with a knife isn't here, so it's not like you'll be spending the night with me any time soon)", said Preet. Meher and Preet looked at each other and then burst out laughing as both recalled their little adventure in Delhi. It wasn't long before they were parked outside a restaurant.
"Come on Meher, let's go", said Preet, "I know the place looks average, but they have great Asian fusion food, and the view is, well you just have to see it". Meher just smiled and followed Preet inside.
If he thinks this is average, she thought admiring the decor, I wonder what real good is? Preet and Meher followed a waiter as he led them to their table. Meher gasped at the sight. Their table was right next to windows that were floor to ceiling glass and gave the feeling of being right on the water. "It's beautiful", Meher whispered.
"I'm glad you like it", smiled Preet, "Ab jaldi say kuch order karte hai, pait mein chuhay dor rahay hain". (Now let's hurry up and order something, I'm starving).
Meher looked at the menu, and smiled awkwardly at Preet. Nothing looked familiar. "Oh God", she murmurred, "shahi paneer, dal makhani, aur aloo ke parathe to yahan milne say rahay".
"What?" asked Preet, "Did you say something?"
"No", said Meher, "I mean yes...Why don't you order something for both of us?"
"Okay", said Preet giving instructions to the waiter, "We'll start with the mushroom cappuccino soup, followed by filet mignion with blue cheese and macademia nuts, coconut chicken, grilled salmon lettuce wraps, shanghai noodles and molten chocolate cake for dessert".
"Preet!" exclaimed Meher, surprised at the number of dishes he had just ordered.
"Kyun?" asked Preet, "Kuch aur bhi mang wana hai?" (What? You want to order something else?)
"No", laughed Meher. Then as if remembering something, she asked "Preet, I wanted to ask you about Prem ji. How is he?"
"Fine", replied Preet hesitantly, "Just busy with business. You know how it is being the eldest son...all that responsibility on your shoulders. Thank God I'm third in line".
"Does he plan to come back to India at all?" Meher asked hopefully.
"I don't know Meher", replied Preet awkwardly. "I'm not my brother's keeper. I mean we came to India on business, and when Prem Bhaiya said we're done, we packed up and came home. I mean it's not like there was anything there holding him back".
Preet avoided looking at Meher as he uttered the last sentence. Ever since he had met her again, he had been finding it more and more difficult to keep convincing himself that he had done the right thing in convincing Prem to forget about Heer.
Meher too was thinking about Heer. So this was all business to Prem, she thought. We were all wrong. Poor Di.
It was Preet snapping his fingers that brought Meher back from her thoughts. "Are you okay?" asked Preet, "I mean I thought I lost you for a minute back there".
"Uh...yeah", said Meher trying to think of something to say. "So...um...seriously Preet, what's the deal? Why have you invited me to lunch?"
A familiar voice spoke before Preet could answer. "Well well, what do we have here? If it isn't the gawar...I mean country girl from Ambala". Preet and Meher looked up to see Ashlesha looking down at them with a crooked smile.
"Ash! What are you doing here?" asked a surprised looking Preet.
"I was in the neighborhood, shopping and doing...you know...stuff", explained Ashlesha, "I had been trying to get in touch with you all morning, but you weren't answering. Then I found out from Nancy that you were having lunch here. So suddenly I had the urge to have some Asian fusion, and mom suggested we come here too, and voila! Here I am!"
Preet smiled weakly at Meher, and made a mental note to have a talk with his secretary (Nancy). "Oh! By the way mom's here with me, I'm sure she'd love to meet you Preet, mind if we join you?"
Before Preet could answer Ashlesha ran off to get her mother. Within minutes, Ashlesha was back, followed by an older woman in a tight fitting business suit. Like Ashlesha she wore heavy make up, but what made Meher smile was that her hair was pulled back in a braid with a colorful paranda at the end. East meets west, thought Meher, as she tried to control her smile.
"Preet darling", said Daljeet, extending her hand to Preet, "We finally meet. Ashlesha has told me so much about you. It's like you're already part of the family."
"Um...thanks...I think", said Preet, "Uh...this is my...um...friend... Meher Maan", he added smiling at Meher.
"Namaste Chachee ji", said Meher.
"Uff ho!" cried Daljeet. "tum logo ki tara jawan hi to hun main, to phir kyun kehti ho chachee (I'm as young as you all, then why do you call me aunt?)...Just call me Mrs Singh!"
Preet raised his eyebrows in surprise as Daljeet batted her eyes at him. With the two women hovering over him and having no intention of leaving, he had no choice but to ask them to join him and Meher.
"So, Preet darling, how is your lovely mother? It's been a while since I last saw her", said Daljeet.
"Fine, thank you", replied Preet politely.
"You know, your mother and I became expecting around the same time. And once you and Ash were born, we often used to think how wonderful it was that she had had a son and I had had a daughter. It was as if Upar Wale ne koi ishara kiya ho. You know, dosti ko rishtaydari main badalenay ke liye (you convert friendship into family ties)", said Daljeet with a wink.
"Ji", said Preet. "Ji?!?! (What?!)" he said again, as if he just realized what Daljeet had been hinting at.
Soon lunch was served. Ashlesha made sure to compliment Preet on every little move he made. "Oh look Mom, Preet's ordered some of my favorite dishes! Don't we have so much in common?" she cried as she took a small bite of salmon".
"Careful Ash!" said Preet, I'm sure that has a lot of preservatives in it". Meher smiled at Preet's reference to Ashlesha's chicken surprise.
Daljeet who had been watching Meher closely, finally spoke up. "So Ms. Maan, Ashlesha tells me you're from Ambala and that you had the opportunity to stay at our summer home there. I hope you found the place quite adequate and the servants hospitable".
"Yes, thank you", replied Meher.
"And what is it that you do Ms. Maan?" asked Daljeet.
"Excuse me?" asked Meher.
"I said, what do you do?" replied Daljeet.
"She's an artist mother, she likes to paint pretty pictures. Oh and did I mention how she loves singing in the rain", said Ashlesha, in a sarcastic tone.
"An artist?" asked Daljeet, "Well then you should come down to our property here in the bay area. Lovely scenery...picture perfect you know. I'll have my staff arrange canvas and paints for you if you like. I always like to encourage young talent".
"Why, thank you Mrs Singh!" exclaimed Meher in surprise.
"In fact", continued Daljeet with a smirk, "there is a really good view from the housekeeper's room, you'll bother no one there".
I should have known better, Meher scolded herself. "You really are too kind Mrs. Singh", she said "but I really wouldn't care to disturb the housekeeper".
Daljeet Singh's eyes narrowed as she pondered Meher's remark. "Ms. Maan...you seem to be a college student's age...around 20 maybe 21. What university do you attend?"
"I don't attend...", stammered Meher.
"Don't attend university?!" exclaimed Daljeet in mock shock. She knew she had found Meher's weak point. "Well, either you're not too bright or not affording. What is your father's line of business?" continued Daljeet.
"He's a farmer, and...", replied Meher.
"Well that explains it", interrupted Daljeet. "Panchwi paas to ho na? (You've passed the 5th grade haven't you?) It's usually enough for most girls in your neck of the woods".
Meher took a deep breath. If Ma and Bauji hadn't instilled respect for elders in her, Mrs. Singh would be covered in soup and noodles right now, she thought.
"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" asked Daljeet, continuing her interrogation.
"An older sister", replied Meher patiently.
"How old is she? Is she married?" asked Daljeet.
Meher looked at Preet and then looked down. "No", she replied.
"Of course...no education, no dowry...no prospects", remarked Daljeet.
Preet could see Meher shifting uncomfortably in her seat. He was getting irritated by Daljeet's line of questioning. What is she trying to prove? He thought. "Meher", Preet said quietly, "Why don't you eat something? Your food is getting cold".
Meher just stared at her plate, her anger at being humiliated was slowly being replaced by tears building up in her eyes. Its one thing to make fun of me and my circumstances, she thought, but how can she talk about Heer Di that way, after all the heart ache she's been through.
Suddenly Ashlesha spoke up. "Oh Preet, how could she possibly appreciate this cuisine, you should have taken her to a place where she could lick her fingers!" It was all that Meher could stand. She quickly excused herself from the table and ran outside.
"Meher!" Preet called after her. He turned around and looked angrily at Ashlesha and said, "That was uncalled for Ash!"
"Oh come on Preet!" cried Ashlesha, "I can't believe you're getting all upset over that gawar girl! I mean who cares?!"
"I care!" cried Preet, "and she's not a gawar (illiterate) girl!"
"Preet Beta...", said Daljeet.
"No, Mrs. Singh", interrupted Preet, "I'm sorry. I'm sure you've given your daughter a lot in life. But you forgot to give her manners...Excuse me!" he said as he left to look for Meher.
"Hmpf! Did you see that mom?!" exclaimed Ashlesha pounding her fist angrily on the table.
Daljeet calmly picked up a bite of chicken and put it in her mouth. "Really Ashlesha", she said in between bites, "no need to go nuclear over something as trivial as a farm girl from Ambala".
"But Mom, she's trying to take Preet away from me! Aur Preet sirf mera hai! (And Preet is only mine!)" cried Ashlesha.
"Well then", said Daljeet giving Ashlesha a crooked smile, "you know what I always say, aim your revenge where it hurts the most...Go for the jugular".
Preet found Meher pacing outside in the parking lot. She quickly wiped her tears as she saw Preet approach her. "I want to go home", said Meher as soon as Preet reached her.
"Lekin (But)...", said Preet.
"Lekin waykin kuch nahin (No buts)...I just want to go home", cried Meher.
"Look Meher, I'm really sorry", said Preet, "I had no idea Ashlesha was going to show up. Wo bhi apni mummy ke saat (That too with her mother)".
"It's alright isn't it?" said Meher bitterly. "I've been humiliated by your circle of friends before. I mean I should be used to it by now. But I ask you...Is it a crime to be poor?" she said as a tear trickled down her cheek.
Preet reached out and carefully wiped the tear from her cheek. "No", he said quietly, looking into Meher's eyes with his own guilty ones, "it's not".
Then suddenly he grabbed Meher's hand and started walking back to the car. "Come on Meher", said Preet motioning for her to get in the car. "I won't let Ash spoil this day".
"Preet where are we going?" asked Meher.
"Just trust me", smiled Preet as Meher buckled herself in.
Preet drove down to the docks, and parked his car. "First some pait pooja from a local dhaba", he said pointing to a small falafal stand. Meher smiled as Preet ordered two falafals with extra red chilli sauce. "Mmm", said Meher as she took a bite. She was enjoying herself when she remembered Ashlesha's remark about her eating where she could lick her fingers.
"Uske pas kanta aur churee bhi hai (He has knives and forks too if you want)", said Preet as if reading Meher's mind. Meher shook her head and smiled. Preet then bought some cool gelato to soothe the fire the spicy falafals had set on their tongues. Both had a laugh remembering the special pakoras Meher had made for Preet, when he first visited her house.
Once lunch was over, Preet took Meher onto one of the boats parked at the dock. Within minutes they were cruising the San Francisco bay, taking in all the sights, riding under the Golden Gate Bridge, and watching the beautiful San Francisco skyline glistening in the afternoon sun. Meher closed her eyes as she basked in the warm sunlight, her long hair blowing in the wind. No matter how hard he tried, Preet couldn't help but stare. She looked beautiful.
After the boat ride, Preet took Meher to the Juneja's waterfront hotel. Out on the terrace in the back of the hotel, there was something covered with white cloth. "Ta Da!!!" cried Preet as he removed the cloth to reveal an empty canvas on an easel.
"Paints!" Meher squealed with delight. "I can't believe this! Wait a minute...Why are you being so nice to me?" she asked raising her brow.
"I don't know", said Preet shrugging his shoulders. "Maybe 'cause you're letting me. Anyways, Happy Birthday Meher", smiled Preet.
"Birthday?" asked Meher in surprise. "But how did you know?"
"Shampa", replied Preet. "I heard her mention it to Manmeet when I dropped you home after the party last night. She was concerned about what she would say if your parents were to call and wish you".
"And so you planned the lunch...and all this just for me? I mean my birthday?" asked Meher. Preet smiled and nodded. Meher didn't know what to say. This was a new Preet Juneja she was seeing. She bit her lip to control the smile creeping up to her lips.
So How was it Guys? Please leave your feedback. Thanks 😛
Chapter 22 Preview: The truth comes out.
Edited by ummesulaiman - 10 years ago
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