Guys, I have no words. I am so terribly sorry for this late of an update. But in all honesty I kind of forgot about this story and kind of didn't know how to continue with it. I am immensely sorry. I hope you guys haven't lost interest in it. Please do drop a comment and let me know.🥱
Also I would like to dedicate this chapter to 17.Sonal, who was eager for an update. Sonal this one is for you. Hope you like it
CHAPTER 3
"Aagey aagey dekhte jaa, hota hai kya." Dhanush had texted him the night they went to the Dhaba.
And ever true to his words, Dhanush left Kunj boiling and melting in anger. That son of a gun, took Twinkle swimming! Swimming! Do you know what that means?!
That meant that he got to see Twinkle in her swim suit, that nuisance, got to see his wife in a black pair of shorts and her red halter top! Kunj hasn't yet seen Twinkle in a swim suit! Oh he was angry, he was beyond angry! He was furious!
Ever since he came into their lives, it has been a constant stream of Dhanush aisa hai, Dhanush waisa hai.' Dhanush ne aaj yeh kiya, Dhanush ne aaj wo kiya' Dhanush, Dhanush, Dhanush! What's so special about that boy anyway? Kunj validated that he was more handsome and cuter than that idiot. His body was more muscled than him, he could speak Punjabi more fluently-then what makes Dhanush more special to Twinkle than him?
"Woh, mujhe zyaada pasand karti hai kyuki main usse special feel karata hoon." Comes a voice from behind.
Speak of the devil' Kunj thinks, before plastering a fake smile on his face and turning to face the idiot he considered Dhanush to be. "Kya kaha tu ne?"
"Bas tere mental question ka jawaab diya. Twinkle mujhe tujhse zyaada pasandkyu karti hai"
Kunj asks him why again and Dhanush reiterates his previous statement. Oh, how it boiled Kunj's blood to vapors on hearing that. Metaphorical smoke was further emitted from his ears as Dhanush gave him, his smirk. Kunj swore he was going to knock his teeth out one day.
"Acha chal ek bet lagate hai. Tu usse ek date pe le jaa, phir main usse ek date pe le jaoga. Usse kiska date zyaada pasand aaya, woh winner! Easy peasy. Kya bolta hai, Deal?"
Kunj doesn't think twice before sealing the deal with a firm shake of the hand. Wait! What?!' Mission abort! Mission abort! Did he just give Dhanush an indirect permission to take his wife on a date?! He hastily starts again, to cancel this preposterous bet, but it was almost as if his tongue was in tangled knots and by the time he could utter a protest, in came Twinkle, whisking both of them away for lunch.
"Maine aaj tum dono ki favourite dishes banayi hai." It placates his heart to know that Twinkle made him his favorite dish too. The past week has just been Dhanush's favorites. It immensely swells his heart to know that she hadn't forgotten about him. "Kunj tumhare liye Rajma chawal aur boondi raita. Aur Dhanush tumahre liye friend rice and Manchurian!"
And the trio of them sat for lunch together. Kunj having his Rajma Chawal, Dhanush his Manchurian and fried rice and Twinkle settled for the odd combination of the chawal and Manchurian. Converstaions were on the low, and nothing much was exchanged but a few praises on Twinkle's cooking every now and then.
Dhanush chooses this opportunity to give Kunj a light kick from under the table to grab his attention. And then the man met the smirking soul's eyes, he was graced with a wink and a subtle thumbs up. "Toh, aaj-kal ka kya plan hai Twinkle?" Dhanush starts.
"Matlab?"
"Matlab weekend aa raha hai, Kunj aur tu ne kuch plan nahi kiya, kya?"
She scoffs at Dhanush's ridiculous ideas. "Weekend toh har week aata hai, usme kuch special kya. AUr waise bhi Kunj ke already plans hai. Uske koi dost ki birthday party hai Saturday ko toh woh waha jaiyga. Haina Kunj?"
"Nahi-haan-Nahi!"
Her furrowed brows were enough indication that Twinkle was confused. Heck even he was confused. What was he about to say, again? "Kya Haan-nahi laga rakha hai Kunj?"
"Main-tu- yeh-Arrey main yeh kaha na chahta hoon ki woh Rahul ki party cancel ho gayi hai. Toh main sooch raha tha hi hum...matlab main aur tu date par chale."
Instead of Twinkle's eager yes's he hears the familiar annoying scoff that belonged to The nuisance'. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, Twinkle yeh tere saath kya hogaya hai. Tu apne pati ke liye hi second choice ban gayi hai. Ab bolo, Rahul ki party cancel hogayi hai, issiliye tujhe date par le jaa raha hai. Sad life." And his mission was successful, he had sowed his seed of doubt in her mind. She looks back at Kunj accusingly, her eyes squinted in anger.
"Twinkle, dekh iski baat mat sunn. Aisa kuch nahi hai."
"Ab yeh kahega ki usse tujhe date par bahut pehle se le jana tha, par time hi nahi mila. Right, Kunj?"
"Haan." Kunj blurts out an agreement.
And the Tsks are back again. Chee, chee, chee. Matlab tere paas apni hi biwi ke liye time nahi hai! Chee Twinkle, yeh kaisa pati mila hai tujhe!"
That seed of doubt now had flourished in a beautiful garden. Twinkle looks back at him in anger that knew no bounds. Her face was contorted in a frown and her looks could put Medusa's wrath to shame. "Kunj! Tum na..Tum na, ek dum, ek dum.." she can't seem to find the right word and she looks back to Dhanush for help.
Dhanush happily supplies her with back to back insults "Bekaar."
"Tum ek dum bekaar ho."
"Boring, aromantic, bachelor se battar, sadyal insaan." He promts her further.
"Haan! Tum ek number ke boring, aromantic, bachelor se battar, sadyal insaan ho!" She huffs in anger and puffs in anger before pushing her plate aside and excusing herself. "Budhu kahi ke."
Kunj bows his head in shame and only looking up when Dhanush fails to control his laughter. Oh the audacity of the man...If only he wasn't Twinkle's best friend, he would have shot him, drained his blood dry and feed him to piranhas. Alas!
To say Twinkle gave Kunj a cold shoulder the rest of the day would be an understatement. She flat out ignored his every advance or apology. She under sweetened his orange juice and over salted his pakoras.
The only reason that she accepted his apology was because Dhanush intercepted their little fight. Kunj almost wishes that Twinkle yet remained angry at him and only forgive him on her own accord and not on Dhanush's. But Twinkle forgave him and even accepted his offer to go on a date.
Come date night and Kunj had gifted Twinkle a dress for the date. It was a simple black tea length gown that would be accessorized with the pearl set he had tagged along with it.
"Hayye, Mrs. Twinkle Kunj Sarna you are looking gorgeous tonight."
"Why, thank you Mr. Kunj Sarna. You are looking oh so fine yourself. Did I tell you this is my favorite suit of your's."
Done with the light flirting that helped set the mood, the pair made their way towards their car and soon on the way to their destination. The restaurant Kunj had picked for his lady that fine evening was Chingari'. It was located on the top terrace of the Hilton. Because Only the best for my lady.' He let her know when she asked him why he had picked such an expensive restaurant. She would have been quite happy settling for some other, more budget friendly food outlet as long as she got to spend time with him. But Kunj remained adamant and laced his fingers through her to drag her in.
Table for two in a booth was requested and happily accepted. The cashmere red drapes looked like embers dancing in the wind, and the table adorned with roses certainly did wonders on Twinkle. She was awestruck by the ambience of the place. It was beautiful.
Kunj pulled out a chair for her like the gentleman he was. Champagne was poured and little laughs and giggles were exchanged on silly jokes and incidents. The waiter dictated them Chingari's special dishes' and grilled chicken tikka was decided upon. Shorba and green bean tossed salad for starter and desert would be decided and called for later. "Yeh sab karne ki kya zarrorat thi Kunj?" she asks him again. Here they were, celebrating with no occasion to celebrate and frankly Twinkle thought this to be a little unnecessary. She was already his wife, he didn't have to impress her any further.
"Zaroorat nahi thi, ka kya matlab hai? Biwi hai tu meri, tujhe date pe le jaane ke liye koi occasion ki zaroorat thodi na hai."
She smiles and doesn't argue further.
They flickering candle in between them casted a soft golden glow on their faces that were already shining with mirth. And Kunj couldn't take his eyes of her even if he tried. Their main course lived up to the restaurant's reputation. It was well marinated in the sauces and succulent. Twinkle's appreciative moan was only further proof of the fact.
But as they say, all good things must come to an end. And it did.
Because halfway down their main course came that pesky voice, Kunj hated the most. "Twinkle?"
"Arey Dhanush, tu yaha?"
"Meri chod! Tum log yaha?" Dhanush says, his voice dripping with surprise that Kunj very well knew to be fake. He pulls up a chair to their table and plops down without invitation. "Tum log yaha kya kar rahe ho?"
Twinkle doesn't seem to mind the intrusion. Why would she? If anything she pushed the bowl of Dal Makhani towards him along with the naan. Kunj on the other hand wasn't faring as well. He could literally feel his body temperature rising. He could feel the Chingari' running through his veins.
"Kunj mujhe yaha date par laya hai! How amazing right?" Twinkle says in barely contained elation.
"Aur tu yaha kaise?" Kunj says with barely contained fury.
"Bas, iss restaurant ke baare mein bahut suna tha toh kuch dosto ke saath aaya tha. Par mere dost ko kuch kaam yaad aa gaya aur usse jaana padha"
"Koi baat nahi, tu humme join kar sakta hai. Haina Kunj?"
Kunj could just hum a response.
Laughter's were beginning to be exchanged. Stories were shared, embarrassment on the stories experienced all over again. For a second, just for a second Kunj even forgot what a douche Dhanush could be. It was like they were just three friends catching up on each other's lives. Before they knew it Dinner was done and it was time for desserts. The best part of any Meal' both Twinkle and Dhanush yelled in union.
The waiter dropped by the menu at their table when Kunj's phone buzzed. It was from Dhanush.
Dhanush: If she enjoyed her date' she will order Shahi-Kulfi with extra nuts. If she didn't enjoy it she will order Matka-Kulfi without nuts.
Kunj looked up from his cell phone screen and at Dhanush only to find the man with a single brow already raised in challenge.
Kunj: Dekhte hai!
The waiter returns, Dhanush orders Gulaab Jamun. Kunj waits for Twinkle to order before him and he crosses his fingers under the table in a silent prayer. "And one Matka-Kulfi. No nuts."
It greatly deflates his spirit to hear that. She hadn't enjoyed their date! Why?! Dhanush's smile from the other end on of the table was just added salt to the fresh, raw wound. He was hunting his brain for any instance, any reason as to why she might not have enjoyed their date. And then it strikes him, Twinkle was never the one to fall for flashy dates. She was low key. Damn it, he knew it, he knew it! He should have taken her for Chowpathy style chaat followed by a stroll in the park.
A sharp elbow to his side brings him out of his trance. He looks down at those Chocolaty brown eyes of his wife and she signals him to place his order. "Shahi-kulfi with extra nuts." He says, determined to make her like this date by hook or by crook. He was going to feed her the Shahi-Kulfi with EXTRA nuts and make her love this date whether she likes it or not.
Conversations were low on energy this time around. Just a handful of jokes and meaningless riddles solved and laughed over. The waiter bought them their desserts in tempting plates, exotically garnished with edible petals and spun sugar. The trio was salivating just feasting on the dish with their eyes. Forks and spoons hastily grabbed and lips licked, they dug into their respective desserts.
"Yummm...Twinkle ye Gulab Jamun try kar!! Kitne soft hai!" Dhanush hold his fork out for her to bite on the syrupy goodness. Twinkle couldn't agree more. It was one of the best dessert she has had in a while.
That little act was enough to fuel the fires of jealously burning in Kunj. "Twinkle yeh bhi try kar. Kitni tasty Kulfi hai." Kunj mimics Dhanush's action in hopes of achieving the same result.
"Nahi Kunj, Tum kha lo." She says and twists his hand to feed the kulfi to him itself. "Waise bhi hum dono ki kulfi same hi toh hai."
Desperate to prove it to himself that Twinkle was indeed enjoying their date and even more desperately trying to out show Dhanush, Kunj did the only thing his addled mind commanded him to-he stuffed the spoonful of Kulfi in her mouth.
"KUNJ!!" She screams once she swallowed the spoonful forced in her mouth. Her face was going red in anger and Kunj certainly didn't see the reason for her to elicit such a reaction.
Dhanush pushes his chair back and rises to stand in surprise "Kunj, yeh tune kya kiya?! Twinkle ko nuts se allergies hai!"
And now it all makes sense, she wasn't red in anger. She was red because of her allergic reaction. Kunj turns to Twinkle to apologize to her, only to find her face and neck swelling up. She was finding it hard to breathe! He panic on her sight, grabs her before her knees buckle and she collapses on the floor. He faintly hears Dhanush calling out for an epi-pen and is in half a mind to leave Twinkle and strangle that bas***d right then and there. But he doesn't.
Instead he watches as Dhanush positions the syringe over Twinkle's thigh and in one quick motion pierce her there.
The results are instantaneous! Twinkle gives out a loud gasp and finally her airways clear. Spluttering, she leans on Kunj heavily until she regains her strength while Kunj splutters a hasty and sincere apology. "Twinkle I swear yeh sab Dhanush ka idea tha. Ussne hi mujhe tujhe nuts khilane ke liye uksaya. I swear mujhe nahi pata tha ki tujhe nuts se allergies hai."
Twinkle narrows her eyes in disbelief. "Kunj! Tum aisa sooch bhi kaise sakte ho? Dhanush aisa kuch nahi kar sakta. Yeh sab tumhari hi galti hai. Saara mood kharaab kar diya." She calls the waiter and asks him to bring them their check.
The date was officially over.
It took a few days for the whole Date' matter to finally cool down. Twinkle had called him immature and jealous. And Kunj was left defenseless. He apologized to Dhanush with gritted teeth and temperature close to boiling point. The only thing that slightly made things better was to know that Twinkle wasn't severely allergic to nuts-that she wouldn't go into anaphylactic shock-that all that would happen was her getting short on breath, hoarse throat and a red swollen face.
But he wants to kill Dhanush nonetheless.
A week and a half passes by before Twinkle announces that Dhanush was taking her out and Kunj instantly remembered their little challenge. He knew stopping her would mean indirectly waving his flag of defeat in front of Dhanush, so he grits his teeth and smiles. Tells her to enjoy herself and possibly come home soon. She beams up at him, ruffles his hair and assures him she could be home by 9 in the night.
She calls Dhanush as she leaves and Kunj just catches the end of the conversation "Acha popcorn tu la rah hai na?"
So they were planning on going for a movie, huh? Well two can play this game.' Kunj thinks to himself and whips out his phone to see the movie listings. By what he could assume, Dhanush would take Twinkle to the best Cinema in town, The Matinee'. So he quickly visits its Website to get its movie timings. Now, one thing, everyone should know about The Matinee' was that it wasn't an ordinary cinema. Nope! In fact it was one of those hippie cinemas that only played old classic movies.
And Kunj was sweating buckets now! Damn it! All the movies that they were playing today were either romantic or steamy or both. There was Titanic, there were 3 James Bond movies and then Casablanca and Dirty Dancing! And Kunj couldn't even begin to guess to which movie he would take Twinkle too. And Twinkle! That nave, innocent soul! She wouldn't even object it, she would blindly trust Dhanush. Oh lord! He HAS got to do something! He just can't let his wife go watching Titanic with that douche! Oh Lord! What if he asks her to re-enact that oh so famous Paint me like one of your French girls'!
It's then that Kunj smacks himself in the head. Because sure Twinkle was nave and innocent in such matter but she wasn't stupid! Of course she knew her limits. Plus this wasn't even about limits it was about right and wrong. And if Kunj was being honest with himself somewhere deep in his heart, he knew Dhanush wasn't that big of an A-hole. Kunj absolutely hated to admit it but Dhanush wasn't that bad. He was just- he is something else all-together. Now, don't get him wrong, Kunj yet hated Dhanush with a burning passion but he knew Dhanush wasn't the one to cross limits either. Kunj just over reacted about the French Girls' thing. Nothing like that is ever going to happen. He smacks himself once more, just for a good measure.
But all that being said, he yet couldn't trust Dhanush alone with Twinkle and a James Bond movie. What if he tarnishes her innocent mind! What if he teaches her -no! He has to get there and intervene.
The half an hour ride to The Matinee' was the most stressful ride of Kunj's young life. Because who knows, what could transpire before he gets there. But once he does get there, he was in for a huge surprise-both good and bad. So his heart did somersaults in glee and then like an anchor dropped down to his stomach. Because a) Twinkle and Dhanush never came there but b) where were they now?
He decides to call her. But the he decides against it. But he decide to call her again. Only to un-decide that decision again. Finally he un-decides to un-decide the decided decision and dials her number.
She picks up at the 12th ring. "Hello."
"Twinkle." No Hello's, no beating around the bushes, straight to the point. "Kaha hai tu?"
"Main Dhanush ke saath hoon. Kyu kya hua?"
"Haan par kaha?"
"Airport pe. Kyu?"
"Airport pe kyu?!" He screams in fear. Was Dhanush taking her outside of Amritsar? Oh Goodness! What if he takes her to Goa!? He has heard there are crazy rave parties there. What if Dhanush takes her to a rave party in Goa? He is going to murder that son of a gun! Forget rave parties and goa-he better not even dare to take his wife to Jalandhar. "Twinkle tu rukh. Kahi mat jaana. Main abhi aa raha hoon." He tells her before hopping into his car at the speed of light and making his way down to the airport.
It wasn't that hard to spot them. There they were, by the entrance of the airport, sitting on a luggage trolley, munching on caramel popcorn, sipping on Miranda. They weren't talking to each other much, rather they just stared at the passerby's and occasionally exchanged a smile and a word or two. However what calmed his heart down was the lack of luggage with either of them, which only meant that Dhanush wasn't taking Twinkle anywhere. Phew!
"Tum dono yaha kya kar rahe ho? Twinkle mujhe laga Dhanush tujhe dinner ke liye le jaa raha tha?" he asks feigning innocence.
Twinkle purses her lips in confusion. "Maine toh aisa kabhi nahi kaha, ki Dhanush mujhe dinner pe le jayega. Waise tum yaha kaise?"
"Haan, Kunj tum yaha kaise?" Dhanush asks with an accusatory tone.
He pathetically stumbles over his words. "Woh main-airpot-Titanic. Haan, main ghar pe bore ho raha that oh socha, ki tum dono ko join karlu."
"Acha? Aisa kya?" That accusatory tone of Dhanush was back again.
"Haan aisa." And that angry tone of Kunj was back too.
"Tum k eke beech se yeh Tasha' wali feeling kyu aa rahi hai?" Twinkle breaks in between her, squinting her eyes in suspicion. Both men reply a quick negative in unison. And that does nothing to alleviate her doubts. She grabs each men by their ear and gives it a nice painful twist. "Sach, sach batao. Kya chal raha hai?"
Dhanush looks at Kunj for help and Kunj looks right back at him. They knew if they revealed the whole date bet thing to Twinkle, all hell would brake lose. As they say Hell hath no worry like a women scorned.' So Dhanush screams "Twinkle who dekh Genghis Khan ki family aa gayi!" The trick worked.
There in the distance, a Genghis Khan doppelganger embraced his daughter and wife. The bouquet of roses he was so far paces with was now lovingly handed over to his wife and the box of chocolate deposited to his daughter, who required on her tip toes to place a kiss on his cheek. Twinkle forgot the matter at hand with Dhanush and Kunj in favor of the reunion in front of her. Her face broke out in a Giga watt smile and she let out her customary Aww!'
They witnessed about half a dozen more reunions and separations before Kunj finally caught up with the whole Airport deal. Twinkle and Dhanush were just here to watch the beauty of relationships that one can only see in two places-either the airport or the hospital. The airport was the lighter and happier of the places. Families enveloping each other in bone crushing hugs after a long separation, and families hugging each other in denial of separation. Couples whispering promises of calling each other every day and couples promising to never being apart ever again. It was all beautiful. All like a movie-but only better.
Kunj just watches Twinkle popping popped corn in her mouth and smiling from ear to ear.
And he thinks, Dhanush might have won this date round, but he doesn't mind. Because Twinkle was smiling and that's all that mattered.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Well that's the end of this chapter. Guys I sincerely apologize again for this late update. I hope you haven't lost interest in this story. Drop down a comment and let me know.
And as always Thanks a ton for taking the time to read, like and comment on this story.😊