"No..I don't want more.."Suta denied in irritation as Maan served one more parantha in her plate.
"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day..You should eat properly.." Maan preached making a roll of his parantha and getting up from his chair.
"and where are you going in such hurry???" Savitri devi asked suddenly as she saw Maan leaving the dining table in hurry.
"Dadi..Its 9.30 am already..Candidates must be arriving with in fifteen minutes and I have not prepared the questions for "Interview" yet..." He answered after gulping down the big bite of parantha."Ok bye now..If you need me,I am in hall.."He spoke further moving towards the hall as Mamta's gaze followed him.
"What interview,Maa ji???" Mamta raised the question which was troubling Suta too.
"Interview for selection of Suta's Hindi teacher.." Savitri devi told Mamta looking at Suta with a smile playing on her lips.
"What???" Suta exclaimed incredulously with wide eyes."There is no need to do all this..I can clear my exam with "self study" too. Moreover,this exam is not that important..."
"I understand beta but Being your father,Maan wants "Best" for you..." Savitri devi tried to make her understand.
Her words pushed Suta to whirlpool of confusing emotions once again.She wanted to hate Maan like she had done for all these years But his immense care for her that she had witnessed in last fifteen days,was not letting her hate him.He never forgot to apply ointment on the small wound in her palm,till it was completely healed.He was always in search of some excuses to make a conversation with her, about her school and her life in hostel.For once,her heart wanted to share all the details with him but then she had to stop herself forcefully.She had to remind herself,how she had always craved to share all this with her own father and had always got his ignorance in response.She had to make herself remember that "Maan" was the sole reason behind her father's ignorance.
Her "curt" denial always destroyed Maan's attempt to start a conversation with her but she never felt any satisfaction or happiness,that she had expected to feel by giving him same pain that she had endured till now.Instead of feeling content,his dying smile and sad eyes,always pained her.
"Finish your breakfast beta,its getting cold.."
Savitri devi's voice broke her chain of thoughts as she started nibbling the "parantha" once again.She had no idea when she would be free from this emotional turmoil.
**********
"Nakul..Call Suta from her room.. Maan ordered Nakul as he asked Mr.SatyaNarayan Sharma to have a seat,whom he had selected for the job of giving Hindi tuition to Suta.
"Yes Sir.." Nakul spoke moving his steps hurriedly towards Suta's room.He came back after a while as he informed Maan about Suta having her lunch in her room."Baby would be here after finishing her lunch,Sir.." Nakul told him before taking his leave.
Maan decided to give Mr.Sharma a tour of Khurana Mansion till Suta would be done with her lunch. Maan was busy telling him,how good Suta was with rest of the subjects as they entered the Hall once again.It was then,Suta emerged out of her room,completely oblivious to presence of Maan and Her new Hindi teacher,near the entrance of the Hall..
"Nakul Uncle..What a "sexy" fish,you have made..You are the best chef in this world.." She praised,to be more precise,yelled coming down the stairs.
While Maan felt a strange happiness watching his daughter chirping this way for the first time,Mr.Sharma's eyes were wide hearing the word "Sexy".If Hindi was his wife,"English" was his "dream girl" who was very far from his reach.He could only fantasize about her but never get her.
The carefree smile on Suta's lips vanished instantly as she noticed Maan's presence in the room.The familiar "seriousness" was back to her eyes which pricked Maan's heart very badly.Even Nakul had managed to make a good bonding with his daughter.
"I am sorry..I did not know you were also here.." Suta apologized.
"Its Ok.."Maan spoke introducing her to Mr.Sharma."He is your Hindi teacher.."
Suta gave an incredulous look to the man standing infront of her in Cream coloured Kurta and stark white 'dhoti".He seemed to be person dipped in Hindi from Tip to toe.
"Good after noon Sir.." Suta greeted him.
She waited for his response but found him looking very carefully towards the left over fish in the plate in her hands.
As soon the word,"Sexy" had touched Mr.Sharma's ear drums,His brain cells were busy remembering its meaning that he had learned from "English to Hindi" dictionary.He clearly remembered,"Sexy" meant "Kamuk{Sexually attractive}" in Hindi,hence his eyes were busy finding the reason for giving this term"Sexy" to 'Fish smeared with spices" in her plate.Despite much effort,he was unable to find any "sensuality" in the fish.
"Good afternoon,sir.."Suta spoke little loud this time.Her voice broke the reverie of her new Hindi teacher.
"Namaste beta.." He greeted her joining his hands."I would prefer "Guru ji" over "Sir",beta.." He exclaimed after a while.
"Yes,guru ji.." Suta said incredulously while Maan felt content with his choice.This person could certainly improve Suta's command over Hindi.
"When would you start taking the classes,Mr.Sharma..???" Maan inquired..
"Kaal kare so aaj kar,Aaj kare so Ab..pal mein parlay hoyegi,Bahuri karoge kab.." Mr.Sharma answered with the famous "Doha" of "Kabir".This Man has his own style,Maan wondered giving him a smile.
"You mean "Now",right???" Suta asked in confusion,thus telling Mr.Sharma,how much work,he would have to do on his new student..
************
Suta's Guru ji was surprised with the number of red marks,his pen had put on Suta's note book.Her spelling mistakes were the biggest reason behind her failing this subject.
"We need to work on your grammar and spellings.."He told her as he instructed her to write each wrongly spelled word twenty times in her notebook. It was her homework for tomorrow.
"Thats so childish.."Suta exclaimed with furrowed eye brows.
"Your mistakes are also childish.." Guru ji said with a smug smile.
"Hmm.." Suta nodded in yes as she gave a loud sigh.
"Ok then,we would meet tomorrow.."Guru ji spoke as he got up from his seat.As soon "Hindi" left his brain for a while,he was reminded back of the word "Sexy".He knew,he would not be able to sleep without knowing about use of this word under those circumstances.
"Suta..Can I ask you something???" He said turning towards her once again.
"Yes guru ji.."
"Look Suta..My English is not as Good as my Hindi is.." He started "But It is not as bad as your Hindi is..I have learned the "Tenses" and I know their proper use in making a sentence but Sometimes English confuses and troubles me..."
"Like when Guru ji???"
"Like few days ago,I met a foreigner in Metro..I asked him,"Which country do you belong to,sir??? He answered that he was from America and then he asked me the same question in different way,"You are from???"
"Both the sentences are correct guru ji..Its just,you are using formal version of English..Your English is "Text bookish" English..." Suta gave her wise opinion.
"Hmm..I understand that.." He nodded his head thoughtfully.."If you don't mind can I ask one more question..???
"why not guru ji???"
"What does "You rock!!!" mean??? First of all,There is no "helping verb like is or are" used in this sentence,more over what does person want to say???... that I am a "Chattan"{Literal Hindi meaning of word Rock}??? He exclaimed with confusion and surprise written on his face.
"Guru ji.."You rock" is just an expression of admiring someone..It means."You did an excellent job".."You rock!!!","Are you nuts???",These all are the examples of "Slang language" which is used for informal speech..!!" Suta explained.
"That means,"Se.."Sex.."Sexy" was also a slang???" Guru ji asked averting his gaze from her face.
It was then Suta reminded her way of praising Nakul's cooking skills.."Yes guru ji..I was praising the fish..Sexy there meant "Good".."She said with little awkwardness as she understood how her Hindi teacher was deducing her praise.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Mr.Sharma felt content at his heart after getting an "English teacher" in the form of his new student.A smile came on his lips as he determined to put his best efforts to help Suta with Hindi.He was coming downstairs when he heard Savitri devi calling him.
"Mr.Sharma,are you leaving???"
"Yes..." He nodded his head in affirmation.
"I would ask driver to drop you ..."Savitri devi said as she brought forward a small lunch box,.."Nakul has cooked kheer for dessert..I have brought some for you.." She spoke further giving him the box.
"Thank you so much Savitri devi ji.." He thanked her genuinely.
Smile that came to Savitri's lips died as her ears registered next words of Suta's teacher...
"You are so sexy,Savitri ji..."
Her mouth was agape in surprise as she wondered how to respond to his words.Before,she could reprimand the man for his audacity,She saw Maan coming towards them taking long strides.His clenched jaw and anger filled eyes were clearly telling that he had heard Mr.Sharma's words.
"Get Out..!!!" Maan yelled at top of his lungs.Mr.Sharma was startled badly with this sudden change in Maan's behaviour.
"Hmm???" Mr.Sharma asked with confusion wondering what mistake he had done.He had just praised Saviitri devi,that too by using newly learned synonym of "Good"..
"I said ,Get out of this place right now..." The pitch of Maan's voice raised more.
"But what did I do,Mr.Khurana???"He asked innocently.
"Don't test my patience Mr.Sharma...I don't want my security guards to throw you out of this place..." Maan replied controlling his anger somehow.
That was enough for Mr.Sharma to leave the place.No one has ever insulted him this way.
"Fine...I am leaving..Hope you would get another good teacher for Suta.!!!" He answered with equal anger this time as he walked outside with furious steps.
Suta,who had just come out from her room,heard last words of her Hindi teacher.She was confused as well as surprised to see her Guru ji leaving the house with such anger.
"What happened???" Suta asked Savitri devi.
"He called me "Sexy"..Savitri devi answered,still shocked with turn of the events.
Suta did not take much time to understand the matter and the confusion word "sexy" had created here. Savitri devi was quite surprised as she saw Suta laughing hysterically next moment.
"What happened baby??Why are you laughing???"She asked her.
" I had told him that sexy means good..His English is little poor."Suta answered amidst fits of laughter.
Maan who was struggling with his anger became furious hearing Suta's laughter.
"It was your mischief,right??? You did all this just to make me fire your teacher.."He asked Suta, giving a furious glare to her.
Suta's laughter vanished as soon she heard Maan questioning her in an angry voice for the first time. She knew that She hadn't done all this intentionally.She never wanted Mr.Sharma to leave.
"Answer me,Suta.."Maan yelled.
"Maan..control yourself.." Savitri devi chided him.
"You know Dadi,I was looking for a good Hindi teacher for her since last one week.I had short listed twenty candidates for interview after studying the resume of HIndi teachers of almost every good school in Delhi. and Mr. sharma was best among them..I don't know how would I arrange a new teacher for her..." Maan exclaimed with irritation and anger.
Suta felt little bad at being scolded like this but His anger was more bearable than his "love".This incident gave her a way to save herself from his love.She would trouble him to such extent that he would start hating her.
"Suta can't do all this intentionally..You are unnecessarily yelling at her.."Savitri devi spoke defending Suta..
"No..I did all this intentionally and My plan was quite successful,I guess..."Suta said with a wink as she left for her room,giving a glare full of arrogance to Maan...!!!!
*****************
PS-Sorry for silly mistakes..
77