Casa 50B on 146 Most links on Page 1) - Page 60

Part 28

Colonial Courtyard

The Club Mumbai

April 1^st Friday

She doesn't have to turn around to know who it is, the voice and the sense of presence is enough. She does not turn around immediately. Continues watching one of the mehandi artists decorate a child's palm.

Khanak: I am not sure what a Cherry Blossom festival is (shaking on the inside but sounding pretty casual)

Shaan: It's a annual spring thing in DC. When did you get here?

Khanak: A half'. A while ago'' (non chalant)

Shaan: Don't I get a a "Hi"

Khanak: Hi!

Shaan: How about we turn around and face each other when we greet.

Khanak: Sure'' in a minute.

She hears a series of clicks and whirs. Turns around. He is taking pictures of the little girl's hands, carefully avoiding her face. The camera has a mile long lens. The strap around his neck says "Hasselblad" on it. She watches him focus and rotate the lens to get better pictures''.. mesmerized.

He turns sideways and catches her doing that! She breaks into a half smile "You love taking pictures"

He just looks at her, does not respond''.. "there is a sadness in her eyes he notices, does not know why. She looks gorgeous though" he thinks. "Wonder why she doesn't say much'' ever! We haven't seen each other for over two weeks and she doesn't seem affected at all"

Her pallu is gently swaying in the breeze, it teases his knee and tries to wrap around it like obstinate toddler, she frees it from time to time, embarrassed.

He surreptitiously notices her look at her hands again. She is again back to looking at the little girl, and is smiling now. He quickly focuses his camera on her face and clicks a series of pictures capturing the unfolding smile.

Khanak: That is pretty. Mine's just a face.

Shaan: How have you been? (she wont ask him so he does)

Khanak: Great! Too much work.

Shaan: That's OK, I never asked you why you didn't call (grins)

Khanak: You are not wearing traditional clothes?

Shaan: Nope! I don't care for them Khanak. (she is leaning on the pillar, to a passerby it would look like he was focusing on the gorgeous stage being set for the wedding tomorrow, but he was clicking pictures of her face in rapid succession)

Khanak: You have to give em to me!

Shaan: You will have to come get em

Khanak: I am not going to your house again.

Shaan: Well come up with something.

She checks him out on the pretext of pushing hair back from her cheek.

Khanak: You are the only person not wearing a kurta or a sherwani

Shaan: I hate those.

Khanak: Is that supposed to be a tux thing?

Shaan: Kinda'. I guess (not getting distracted by all the hand movements she was doing)

Khanak: You can get away now, but what will you do at your wedding? (blurts)

The camera's whirring and clicking stops, he lowers it from his eyes and looks directly at her eyes the first time that evening.

She is not sure why she just said what she did. He is not shocked or offended but kinda surprised, but is blown away by how lovely she looks, so just stares and manages to come up with a "We'll see".

Khanak: You should send me pictures. (she smiles.......... Yep'.........she smiles to herself)

He gets it all captured.

Shaan: You could see for yourself''''😳😳 (enjoys the color rush to her face and adds slowly)'''. If you attended it.😉

Khanak: ummm'. I don't ''' think so.

Shaan: Did you get here by yourself?

Khanak: No! I didn't want to but Ritu had to drag me kicking and screaming.

Shaan: Did you have better plans? (not looking at her face, trying to adjust his camera lens, acting busy but wants to know if she had a date with Nirav again)

Khanak: My plans are always better (wordplay)

Shaan smiles at his camera "none with Nirav" he thinks.

Ritu walks by with her brother Rajat.

Ritu: Oh! So you two found each other?

Khanak is startled by that honesty for a second. "He is busy taking pictures''.. (waves) of everything!"

Shaan: Hi! So we finally meet again?

Ritu: Kitna time ho gaya nahi? Two months, three?

Shaan: Three months and three weeks. (grins and looks pointedly at the really tall skinny guy, who is fairer than Ritu and is wearing glasses, and a offwhite kurta and a churidar)

Rajat: Hi! Khanak (Hugs her warmly)

She shyly hugs him back, Shaan watches her hair splay itself on his kurta, it irks him to watch them stand so close and see her disengage from him like that physically. "Damn!" he says to himself.

Ritu: Yeh kab se pooch raha hai tumhe, maloom? (is happy to see her brother meet Khanak)

Khanak: He understand me more than you do! (Winks at her friend)

Rajat: Dekha! (clicks his fingers) Maine kya kaha tha Ritu, I am spot on! We connect emotionally more than you two do. Yeh meri best friend hai.

Ritu: Nice try, bud! Apni khud dhoond, tere CPA firm mein saari teri tarah boring hai (laughs)

Khanak is conscious of Shaan's probing eyes. He pretends to check the images on his camera, a muscle twitches near his ear, she can see the green nerve jump up.

Ritu: Shaan Dhruv tumhaare saath aaya?

Shaan: Actually no!, his Dad and him were supposed to follow us. Shud I call?

Gives Khanak a "We are not done yet look" as she chats away with Rajat. Both are extremely quiet people so there is very little talking happening, only warm exchanges every few minutes, about the Colonial hall, and Khanak's work.

Ritu: No! Don't worry, I am sure Mamaji is all over it.

Ritu: Chal Mystery woman mehandi time?

Khanak: NO!

Ritu: yeh kya baat hui?

Khanak: I told you I wouldn't (firm)

Shaan: I am hoping she wont coz I plan to send some work over email tonite and am hoping she will look at it before morning (smug)

Khanak is furious, she continues talking with Rajat.

Shaan's phone rings he steps away waving a "excuse me"

Khanak is suddenly tired of the plans saved in her AutoCAD Architecture application. She wants to run away.

She is angry at him for assuming she would work over the weekend.

Khanak: Rajat, I changed my mind, main mehandi lagwaane waali hoon.

Rajat is very happy "Great, tum tono enjoy karo main apne doston ke paas ja raha hoon" (happily runs away' literally)

Ritu: REALLY? '''. REALLY? EK SAAL se main keh rahi hoon, kabhi nahi gayi tum mere saath, aaj achanak?

Khanak: Haan! (woman of few words nothing else escapes those lips)

Ritu gives her a squishy hug and walks up to the mehandi boss and orders her around and vacates a nice comfy couch for her, waves for a food service guy to bring food and something to drink, makes sure she is all set. The gal wants to know what she would like, she has no idea. She had just gotten a traditional Gujarati pattern for her wedding. Now she chooses, "spring flowers" for her left hand she has no idea if the girl would know what "cherry blossoms" was. For her right she chooses a geometric pattern.

The first squirt sends a chill down her spine, being quiet and staying still was not hard at all for her, she just sat there and watched them work away, Ritu came by every few minutes to check on her, shaking her head in disbelief that Khank would agree oh! So suddenly. It takes over a half hour. In all the pre-planning both of them did not remember to pin her entire pallu on her shoulder, she stands up when its all done and the end that is not pinned slides down and sways in the breeze, she smiles and fights with the breeze, the girl drops her cone and helps gather it all and lay it over her shoulder.

He is watching from a distance, taking pictures of it all.

She walks gently, as if her feet have mehandi on them, her arms stretched out in front, admiring her design.

He slowly walks towards her, they meet half way.

Khanak: Sorry, mere haathon mein to mehandi hai, ab main aapka kaam nahi kar sakti. You will have to wait (taunting)😳😳

PART 29

Thanks Lana and Vandu for the spoilers yaar! Mere predicatble desi M&B ko aur predictable kar diya tum logon ne. Sigh!😭😭

Shaan: Did you want me to be?

Khanak: You know''. Mujhe laga, aapko gussa aayega.

Shaan: Nope! Work can wait''. 😃(smiles)

She is confused.

The teen that worked on her hand shows up with her pink bangles tied with a silver ribbon. "Aapne yeh waha chhod diya"

Khanak: Oh! I am sorry! Thanks! (smiles warmly)

Khanak: Mere haath mein to'.. hmmm

Shaan: If you don't mind? (extends his hand)

The girl hands it to him and leaves.

Khanak: I want those back

Shaan: Ofcourse!

Khanak: I should be going home soon

Shaan: Arent you staying the nite at Trishna's?

Khanak: NO! I hardly know them.

They walk towards the club house. There are people everywhere. Ritu spots her

Ritu: OMG! So you got it? (smiles)

Khanak: Yep! I did (joins both hands, palm up, it to her shock forms a beautiful heart the pointy end is towards her fingers and the curvy one towards her)

Ritu: It looks lovely! Hai na Shaan? Have you taken pictures yet?

Shaan: No'.. not yet.

Khanak: Oh! No! That's not important''. I have to be here for another hour she says to dab it with that special something and then I will take off.

Ritu: Khaana to kha le pehle. Have you eaten Shaan?

Shaan: Nope not yet, checks his watch Ritu notices Khanak's bangles, she looks at her friend.

Khanak is embarrassed, Ritu winks conspiratorily

Ritu: Did you shop? (grins)

Khanak: Nahi, yeh mere hain''' (waves at Shaan and then in shock corrects herself) the bangles are mine you'.

Shaan is confused

Khanak: Thanks for making me appear coquettish, you idiot.

Ritu: That was the goal (smiles)

Ritu and Khanak.

Ritu: Lets go eat

Khanak: I am not hungry rey, I ate before the drill

Ritu: Don't be silly.

The threesome walk towards the huge pandal that has tables and tables of well laid out food. She grabs a plate for Khanak, he grabs one after hanging his camera around his neck.

His is filled with food a "healthy carnivore" would eat, hers is is just dal and rice with some paneer on the side.

They go sit around a elegantly draped table. There are many condiments in the center, not to mentions bottles of chilled water and tall glasses and place settings.

Khanak's pallu has by now slipped off her shoulder multiple times, threatening to slide over her design. Despite her specific instructions the the pattern almost reached her elbow, because the girl thought "Aap meri baat maano, aapke haath bahut sundar hain, aap chup chaap baitho main banati hoon"

Khanak: Will you help me pin my saree after we are done with dinner (softly to Ritu)

Ritu: Hmm' sochti hoon (grins)

They all sit down to eat Shaan pulls a chair for her, she begins to smile but stops just nods

Ritu spoon feeds her joking about how much Khanak is making her work. Shaan tells her she shud extract some kind of a pay back.

Ritu wonders what it would be. Shaan suggests making Khanak cook and do her laundry. Ritu admits she does that already, Shaan suggests handing her some work related project, Ritu responds with a "Who bhi main karwa chuki hoon".

Khanak tries to protest but stops herself when she notices they both are having harmless fun on her behalf.

Shaan: I would not do it without expecting something in return.

Ritu: Main kitni achhi hoon na Khanak?

Khanak: Who to tum ho (the first time she has spoken in 10 or so minutes)

Ritu is off to get second helping for her

Shaan: How long have you known Rajat? (looking down at his plate)

Khanak: Who? Oh! Ritu's brother? '''. Hmm''. 5'' maybe''.sev KYON?

Shaan: I wanted to know.

Khanak: I like him

Shaan: I saw that! (looks up at her, she is looking at her mehandi now)

Ritu is back, but has forgotten the salad so goes to grab it.

Shaan picks up her spoon and scoops some food and offers

Khanak: I shud just wait

Shaan: I will hang on to your IOU'.. (he is holding her spoon, she eats, a couple more times''..)

He sets it down and goes back to his food, when Ritu returns.

Ritu: Sorry yaar

Khanak: Are you kidding? (smiles)

Ritu: Achha Rajat will be staying for a couple days after the wedding. Ek din chutthi kar well all hang out?

Khanak: Really? (surprised)

Ritu: You know Shaan, they both don't say much, in dono ke saath bahara jao to mujhe pehle half a doz energy drinks down karke jaana padta hai, they don't talk yaar.

Shaan: Really? (is staring at Khanak, expressionless)

Khanak: Ofcourse I talk''

Ritu: Ya! 5 sentences in one hour!

Khanak: More like 7

Ritu: They both are so alike Shaan (harmless)

That is the moment Khanak has to look away to avoid his piercing gaze

Ritu: Soemtimes, its really hard for me to believe it's the same girl that did those wild things to pursue Sooraj (her voice suddenly mellows, she looks at Shaan) You know about Sooraj? (softly)

Shaan still focused on Khanak " Yep! A little"

Ritu: There is a wild child buried inside her'.. no not buried''.. hibernating.

Ya deep freeze keh lo tum Shaan, its all in there (points her fork and playfully pokes her arm).

Khanak: Meri bare mein baat agar khatam ho gayi ho to, please mujhe khaane dogi? (smiles, her lips tremble in emotion)

Shaan is angry, yet again, at the fact that someone can move this block of ice, this cool aloof girl has so many aspects to her he has no clue about. He is jealous, Sooraj knew everything about her. He is irritated that she won't reveal anything about herself voluntarily. He suddenly begins to admire the dignity and courage with which she carries her what appears to be at this time, insurmountable grief.

Shaan: Need to leave the freezer door open for a while (mocks)

Ritu: OMG! Rajat bhi yahi kehta hai tumhe maloom? (shocked but smiles)

Khanak looks at her in shock

Shaan: Really? (not happy)

Ritu: Rajat ka sense of humor kaafi mild hai.

Ritu scoops another spoonful Khanak waits''.

Shaan: Lekin main aapko bata doon who genius hai

Ritu: Tum isko AAP kehti ho? (shocked)

Khanak blushes.

Shaan is happy the conversation is back to being about him

Shaan: Yep, never tum actually. I insisted! (grins)

Ritu: You are hilarious!

Ritu's phone rings, she steps away for a minute

Shaan: How was your two weeks? (pours himself some water, his SOR is almost gone)

Khanak: Good!

Shaan: Is that why you didn't call once?

Khanak: I was told you were out of town. Didn't want to bother you.

Shaan: I was in Sri Lanka for a couple of days, Jaffna and Mannar Island

Khanak: Oh really? (suddenly curious)

Shaan: Snorkeling and a wedding

Khanak: Was the wedding under water?

Shaan grins

Khanak: Kiski shaadi?

Shaan: Mahi's friend. They both went to Early Elementary Education Degree together in Mumbai.

Khanak doesn't care any more.

Shaan: The wedding was lovely

Khanak doesn't say a word

Shaan: The water was bluest of blue''..

Ritu returns

Shaan: Mahi couldn't make it becoz of a broken foot, she was devastated but .......... Yep!😃

Khanak feels like someone removed a cinder block off of her chest!