Casa 50B on 146 Most links on Page 1) - Page 7

PART 7

Khanak: WHAT? What are YOU doing here? How do u know where I lived? (Forgetting that she took a ride from him a couple of times in the past month)

She notices a soaked patch on his front, one of the tails on his shirt is out, he looked disheveled ……… fashionable or…….. faint smell of Aqua wafted to her nose……

S: NO! I am not drunk! (irritated, noticing her look at his soaked shirt)

It's his turn next to check her out ……….(classic ) blue (jeans) capris to the white blouse…… her smooth arms…….. the plunging V in front….. no jewelry, no make up, she looked 18…….back to her face and eyes………."If she can look THIS good in THOSE clothes

Khanak: What? What are YOU doing here? (grips her scunci between her front teeth and grabs her hair with both hands and ties it)

S:Why did you lie to me?(firm) Mrs VAISHNAV (sacracstic)

K: About WHAT? (shrill) (the Casa project was made up of Santa Maria, Sam Marco, San Pietro, Certosa, Palazzo Te') I told you Certosa was going to be a few weeks. We have three people off this week. You were too busy checking msgs on your phone……… (looked at his hands, they were cuppings his elbows,……. Now)

People walking the hallway are very curious, some even pause……… pretend to wait for the elevator without punching buttons

Her intercom rings, she turns around and runs to get it speaks into it " haan uncle….. aaj subah se koi leakage nahi hai" listens "Haan" listens ack more…….

He in the meanwhile is hopping mad lets himself in and shuts the door and leans on it arms crossed across his chest.

She continues to speak on the phone………. He looks around………. It's a "TINY apartment" he concludes, his bedroom was twice as big" It warm and smelled like food…. The kitchen was to the right of the living room…… not room… "space".

If his house were a 9/10 or 10/10 for elegance and style, this place would score a 4 or 5 if he were in a good mood!

There was no fireplace but a mantle jutted out of nowhere, there were two pictures placed on it and a brass Ganesha in the center. In the pic facing the door Khanak stood with a man…….. Shaan's heart went THUMP first and then slid down to his belly in a soft swoosh….. he wanted to know what the other pic was of.

"That must have been him! Wonder what his name is……… WAS" "Wedding picture?" She had the most GLORIOUS smile he had ever seen……….. it totally took away the prize for the best feature on her face".

the dazzle reached out and touched him across the 10 ft room. He had never seen her smile like THAT in the past couple months.

Something made him very angry. He didn't know what………. But he was very angry.

The curtains billowed in the night breeze……formed a big balloon and covered the picture……. He looked at the walls…… he liked the two mirrors hanging on each side of the window, they had carved ornate edges………. Maybe came from an old haveli or mansion in Rajasthan…….. maybe he wondered……..the smell of food made him hungry………. "its probably very greasy that's why it smells this good" he smirked!

She had his back to him and continued to speak on the phone "OK theek hai" "Haan sure" "Thank you Uncle".

She hung up and turned around…….. suddenly the room seemed very small.

Khanak: Do you want a glass of water? (courteous)

Shaan hesitates, wants to accept, he is g------mn thirsty but…….. worries!

Khanak:I am alive and well so that should tell you water in this house is safe to drink?

Shaan is embarrassed…. Just looks away……..

Khanak:What do u want? Why are you in my house at this hour?

Shaan: Tumne mujhse jhoot kyon bola? We have to talk…….. (anger floods back)

Khanak: Kis bare mein maine aapse jhoot bola? Knock yourself out, we charge by the hour so Modi can add it to Ajmera's tab!

(The "tumne" in his speech makes her very uncomfortable, she deliberately switches to a "aap")

Shaan: (starts walking towards her) Its not about work!

Khanak for some reason is afraid to hear that, looks behind him to see if he has bolted the door, places her hand on the intercome receiver.

Shaan: why didn't you tell me you were……. (gruff) about your………. Husband…….

Khanak:???

S continues walking up to her, waves his left hand at the ugly mantle/shelf

Blood drains from her face………. "that I am married?"

Shaan: NO that you were WIDOWED Khanak"

Khanak: its none of your business! Why? You don't like working with widowed women? You could lose your job for prying into my personal life like this you know? (tirade)

Shan: Ho gaya tumhara? Keh chuki tum?

Khanak: You shouldn't even be here!

Shaan: Why did you lie to me?

Khanak? What LIES? I SAID MY NAME IS Mrs Vaishnav

Shaan: Thanks……. Very much BTW, but tumne kyon nahi kaha?

Khanak: Kyon ki maine iski zaroorat nahi samjhi. Mar har kisi ke saath jab kaam karti hoon to yeh batana zaroori nahi samajhti ki main ek saal se vidh……… I don't care for the world to know I am widowed….. I don't care for the world to know I was married to him only for 6 mo (STOPS!) (waves at the picture)

He is just staring at her!

Are those tears? He feel like a heel……….. and felt JEALOUS. Why?

He wondered…….. It was one of those whys that he had been asking all evening long

"Why did he feel compelled to drive to her house at 9 PM"

"Why did he HAVE TO KNOW, if she was married or not"

"why did he have to know if the fact that she was a widow was the truth"

"why did it bother him so much……… how she lived her life and what she did with it"

"Why was HE so jealous upon hearing the words "ONLY married to him for 6 months"

This has got to be the most ridiculous feeling I have ever felt………. But yet, ……………..

They both didn't say a word

She stared at the floor by his foot……

Khanak: You are wearing shoes inside the HOUSE?"

He looks at her like he is surprised she would talk about SHOES, …… NOW?

Shaan: Do u want me to take it off"

Something inside her SUDDENLY prodded her to say YES, YES, YES, YES!!! I must be losing my mind……… she concluded……..

Khanak: No! I want you to leave.(emotionless)

Shaan (lies) everybody at work knows about this, except me, why?

Khanak: Like I said, its none of your business. You are too young to be bothering about your business partner's marital status. You should hang out with people your own age on a Friday evening. This sleuthing is pointless.

Shaan: Oh really? (humorless) How old do u think I am? (taking a step forward, at the exact nano-second she takes one backwards)

Khanak: Its not important (defensive)

Shaan: It is to ME! (the moment he said it he KNEW it WAS the most important thing to know)

She fidgeted with the phone cord. There was about 3 feet of space between them, he leaned on the waist high phone table….. it had phone books and other memorabilia of some sort, his hands were now tucked into his pocket in a fist

Shaan: Khanak?

Khanak: 20? …… 21? (barely audible) (straightening the phone books)

Shaan: Would you like to know how old I am?

Khanak: Nope! (husky looks down at her toes)

Shaan: Is that why you are being so nasty to me?

Khanak: Not at all! I am being nasty to you purely because you have ego the size of this sub continent, you think women have been created to go to bed with you and no woman is immune to your charm.

Shaan: I am not wrong! (BAD time for humor) Khanak: Unfortunately you ARE………………………………… I have better things to do on a Friday evening than talk to a South Bombay brat about what he thinks or does not about himself.

Shaan: So the South Bombay bothers you also?

Khanak: Why am I even talking with you? I have plenty to do…….. I don't want to dissect YOU!

Shaan: (dersisively) Oh! I can see THAT. (Waves at the movie setting, popcorn, half melted ice cream the DVD jacket)

Khanak: Hmmphhh! Please leave…….(I will not be riled) I am sure some woman….. sorry some teenager some place is wondering where you went…… or may be more than one teen.

Shaan: You LOVE to insult me don't you?

Khanak: Just as much as you love to be disdainful about some one like ME

Gotcha!

Shaan looks visibily embarrassed.

Shaan: Its just your imagination! (defensive)

Khanak: Well its real and vivid.

Starts walking towards the door, opens it and holds it. He is not moving.

Khanak: Please leave. I will see you at work on Monday (soft)………(in a split second……The nervous edgy, shaky Khanak replaced with an emotionless calm uncaring co-worker)

" I mean I will be at your Corp office on Monday……….. I will work on the changes you talked about today……. We can discuss with your team. I think Ram might be able to join also. He SMSed me a an hour ago "

People in the hallway, waiting for the elevator start peeking in……… she starts to get uncomfortable.

Seconds bind with minutes……

He walks over to the door. Stops ……..Eyes meet one last time and linger……….

Hands still in pocket. They are about a foot away from each other. He reaches out pulls off her scunci, in a swift motion…..tucks it into his pocket, while she opens her mouth to protest

Shaan: I will see YOU on Monday Khanak (decisive)

Walks away, towards the door leading to the stairs on to the right of her door………. leaving her staring at his departing image.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

PART 8

She didn't go back to that movie'''' or the icecream or the popcorn. It lay there like offerings at a shrine.

"I wanted him to take his shoes off!" "Am I missing Ritu to this extent? Leaned on the window'''.stared out'.. it started to rain''.. small infrequent drops'''.. insignificant as her thoughts?

That's all he must have wanted to hear. A middle class unsophisticate making passes at him on a Friday nite"

Geez! She thought'' What a fool I am!

Was he really here? She tried to replay the number of times she had met him thus far, her brain would not go back past the last few''.. she tried to recall to the best of her ability what she had said to him reg. her name.

Couldn't come up with any strong support for having told him she was widowed

She worked with 10s of people at Ajmera and 100s at her own firm, NOT ONE had ever bothered to ask or talk about it.

Her hair sways in the breeze'''. She reaches out and tucks it''. Suddenly realizes what he did just before he left''' a serious blush covers her face.

"What would he do with it?"

Shud I have yelled or slapped him?" Why didn't I"

"Only becoz he gave me no time! The excuse came in handy''..

He was moving too fast''. She had no idea what he expected of her''.. "who goes to their co 'wrker's house and accuses them of not sharing their marital status"

This is SO CONFUSING!

Was he amoral? Would he try to harm her? Should she speak with Ram?

Move on to another project?

Her parents were missing her terribly since she was the only child. She should just go back to Ahmedabad? What if he stalked her?

Its ALL MY FAULT! She agreed

"why was she so compelled to settle scores with him?"

She had worked with many egotistical self-absorbed, narcissitic men before. THEY never bothered her!

Why did he bother her so much? She infact would go home and tell Sooraj about it and they would laugh heartily over what she thought about such men!

Sooraj!'

THAT'S what is missing from my life'''.. tears rolled down her cheeks.

She wouldn't be in Bombay, she wouldn't be lonely on a Friday nite''' she would be at home in bed with her lover''.. Sooraj was not demanding or possessive''' he was her FRIEND

She could tell him anything''.. he never tried to win with her. She was always victorious. When she pretended to have a "head ache" some nite he would fuss over her and treat her like a child.

He was very "giving" in bed and outside of it. Any woman could have easily manipulated him.

He read a lot, and laughed a lot at her jokes. He would help her cook and clean'''. He would always watch the Hindi movies she picked and did not once complain if they didn't watch his choice.

She pretty much had her way with him. He let her be. She adored him'''..

He was not acquisitive, he was gentle and caring and kind''' his hands were the softest''' his voice was the gentlest. She often goaded him playfully about him needing to work out and get those six packs that her fave Bollywood actors sported. He would laugh it off'''. Or just smile fondly.

She never felt threatened'' didn't consider him a rival. He was ALWAYS there for her. He never ignored her phone calls. He did not mind if she missed his. Sooraj was content, satisfied, trusting.

He never argued with her. He enjoyed her immaturity at most things. He didn't care how he looked or about what he wore. She was his fashion guru, he wore what ever she picked out for him.

This guy prolly would drive up to my workplace and want to know why I ignored him. He wouldn't leave me alone'''he was zealous, dominating , amorous and lustful ''''..possessive'''

He wouldn't easily take NO for an answer. He asked too many questions. He crowded her mind''.. was too overwhelming'''

Went to bed with a different woman each nite. Didn't care for commitment. Was extremely superficial and only bothered about people's appearance and wealth.

He prolly spent inordinate amounts of time in grooming himself, and shopped endlessly for clothes and accessories and always made sure he was looking his best.

Everything she hated in a man!

Why am I even comparing?

I must definitely be losing my mind. Reached for her cell phone and dialed Ritu's number!

Aditee

Part 9 A

A silent non choreographed dance happened all of the following week. Not much was said but a lot was exchanged!

Case in point:

She stepped off the auto on Monday at 8:30 wearing a pink skirt with black mirror work at the bottom, teamed with a black blouse with puffed sleeves……. Wore kolhapuri chappals and carried her laptop on a pink carrying case.

She could have easily been mistaken for a NGO employee armed with a MSW degree fearlessly walking up to a corporate office to demand visibility to injustice.

She wondered if she should let her down or leave it tied

"If I leave it down, he will assume I did it to please him"

"If I tie it, he might think of it as yet another challenge intended to rile him"

She yanks it off….. walks a few yards……….. sets her bag by the fountain…. Wears it again……. Takes a couple of steps and yanks it off………

ALL THE WHILE unaware of the object of her thoughts watching this little act of impulse as he walked up to the building himself. His driver had dropped him off on the street and gone off to fill up gas.

He smiled to himself.

"This should be a good week" he could already tell…….. he walked behind her unnoticed…… checking her out as he did. He wore khakhi Dockers and coffee and tan checked shirt.

She went and stood by the elevator door with those waiting in line…… her eyes scanned the line……. She turned around and looked at the heavy open glass doors………. No sign of him……….

"Must have gone to bed late, or must still be in bed" Sick! She thought……..

Aditeee