Brew & Burnout
As expected he didnt show up for meetings that day or any day after. She did know where he was, didnt ask Ranjan😈
Ranjan smiled at her a lot... in sympathy or admiration she didnt know...
"You have good parents Ms Iyer" he said.👏
"I know" she agreed haltingly😃
"Parents never take wrong decision for their child u know" he said😭
She knew where he was coming from, she squirmed, the others were gone, she was winding up her power cord...
"I am sure you will get married to a wonderful man, thats as qualified and intelligent and smart as you are. R&B is unlucky is all I will say" he said honestly😳👏⭐️
His eyes were sparkling as if he believed it that sincerely, she nodded reassuringly. "My colleagues do not know about all this" she muttered😭
"Oh yes, please dont worry. I will not tell a soul, even R&B does not know" he said smugly "i was hoping to surprise him if your parents agreed"😳👏
Then he didnt have anything to say, he just blankly stared out the window... she was now linked with his family for ever, no matter who she marries and where she lives Ranjan's scandal will always touch her😭
"Your mother makes the best food, I had the opportunity to eat some awesome idlis. They are very gracious hosts Ms Iyer👏" II nodded indulgently
"I was at your house for Manny's farewell" she said😳
"I know beta, sorry Ms Iyer, I knew that thats why I decided to visit them" Ranjan said mischievously😳☺️ like son like father?
~~~~
A week went by, when she had the opportunity when Appa was within ear shot she told Amma about Mrs Moorthy. Yes she was a loud mouth and she spoke her mind
"I bet Mrs Moorthy ignoring Akka is perfectly OK since she is an Iyer, and her being not one bit interested in Carnatic is as well, because her son workd for Air force and Ishita is desperate to get married"😡
Appa turned angrily😡
Amma shushed both of them in shocked, "Amma nurse went out for a couple hours" II was irritated
"Continue nit picking Ishita" Appa said😡
"I will say what I observe Appa, u dont have to agree... Mrs Moorthy is not an epitome of Iyer culture and tradition. And if I marry Ashwin I WILL GIVE IT BACK TO HER😡
And marrying Ashwin will have me quit my job, its OK as long as I am married I know that" II bit out
"Ishita its not like that kanna. We cannot complain about every rishta." Amma offered to pacify😭
"Amma here is the deal I will close my eyes and get married. Since I wont be left alone it looks like 😭(choking) to whoever and whenever, BUT I want him to be from Delhi. I will do what u want by getting married, You will have to do what I want by atleast allowing me to have my career" Ii said firmly walking towards her room😡
Appa: How can she talk like that?😡
II: Appa I can talk like that because this topic doesnt seem to have an end date in this house. Its like a mission to get rid of me. I will not give up my career to give you guys what you want. I love to sing and I will not go sit in Vizag or some small town to make you happy😡
Appa:Why cant u work in Vizag?😡
II"And take a Rs.2.5 lakh pay cut each month? Appa I make close to Rs.2.5 lakhs... All I will get in Vizag for being a CPA is Rs.10 or Rs15,000 a month. How can you expect me to make such tremendous sacrifices.😡
Its more like a punishment for me, its like you are punishing me for R&B😡
Appa:This will not make me change my mind or my opinion of Bhallas😡
She cried again... openly,... shutting herself in her room
Amma was sad😭
Appa was umoved😡
~~~~~~
Akka checked on her more than once a day
"Ayyo dont worry ka, I am not going over the edge or anything, u shud know me, even if nobody else does" she said somberly
She asked about Mrs Moorthy again, II told her "If thats not a reality check for Amma Appa I dont know what is, if everything ties accurately I dont have a choice, I will just end up marrying him"
"Ishita" Akka shrieked
"Whatt?"
"Well, u seem to be going too fast again"
"Well u know, we all know what happened with Rakshasan, and with Subbu and with Sree, this is not a game ka" II said
"How can u go live in Vizag raja? Ur everything is here" Akka whined
"My everything will always be" II said fighting the choke hold on her throat
They both were silent for a while
"Did ur Rakshasan say anything?"
"No my Rakshasan has been officially booted out of the project by me. He will from now.. mind his own business... and I went and asked him if he did this as a prank, he said why would I want to get married or something like that" now II let her tears flow
"Hmmm... sorry kanna... i wish I could make it all better" Akka lamented
"U cant, nobody can..." II wrapped up the call
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He turned left from Rao Tula Ram Marg towards Palam Marg... and creeped in traffic... more like froze... stared out his window... the rocky peaks of Malai Mandir visible a few feet away
A young mother with flowers in her hair dragged a 5 year old and helped him cross the road, she let go of his hand to wear her shawl properly
Yellying "Kaiya pidi da..."
A peanut hawker near by advised her presumptuously " Madam uska haath pakdo"
She turned to him irrtated and said "Bhayya main jaanti hoon wohi kaha maine usko, aap pehle Tamil seekh lo"
R&B's slow half smile appeared "even I knew what she said"☺️
The car in front moved and so he did...
~~~~~~
They bumped into each other 11 or 13 days after that last office confrontation, where he told her off
This bumping in happened at The Daily Perk one morning, Friday, she wore blue jeans and a pink Lacoste.. he wore white cargos and a black Lacoste like the devil. He was clean shaven though, and his moist hair well combed
She didnt notice, she was looking through her change purse, Perk did not accept credit cards for orders less than Rs.250, she wanted a muffin and coffee
She stood in line counting, he stood behind her earphones buried in his ears... hands in pockets, she recognized the scent and turned startled
He was a foot away, she turned red... "sorry I didnt see you" she muttered to herself
He shrugged..."Its OK"
When it was her turn, she got her coffee and muffin and still was short by Rs.14.
I am going to let the muffin go.
"Oh but we warmed it up we have to trash it" the girl said😡
He pulled his left ear bud off.. and leaned over her... she quickly
made room so he could come up to the counter, they stood side by side for three minutes like a couple.😳
"I can take care of that" he said😃
"I" she said.. and then just nodded a thanks😳
He paid for his and he paid Rs.14 for hers, she got her coffee first, he caught up to her as she was gone to the elevator area
He got on the same elevator as she did...
"Thanks" she said and then noticed he had earbuds on, so she didnt say anything😭
He leaned and questioned with his eyes... she tapped her coffee "thanks" she said👏
Getting off, and not turning back to look, because if she had she would have found him staring
The fight had left her body😭
She didnt attempt to pay it back or send any unnecessary email or text notes to bait him, 😭😳
her borderline foolish, no utter complete foolish behavior had resulted in a shattered heart. Since she didnt have another heart she could play any more😭
She pulled her tee down from her left shoulder in the rest room though, she found it smelled woodsy☺️
~~~~~~~
She waited one evening in the chaotic intersection outside Spectrum to return home, weighing options of if she should take a bus or a cab or richshaw to Metro station
She saw a car pull over, she turned it was him, she didnt move an inch from her spot, just smiled at him acknowledging him
He gave up after a few minutes and got off yanked his left ear bud off and walke dtowards her "Lets go II"😳
"No actually I have to meet Akka's friend" 😭she muttered with a faraway look
Waved down a rickshaw "Bhayya Sultanpuri Metro station chhod dogey?" she asked
He nodded
"Thanks" she said to R&B and got on and pulled her dupatta securely and tucked it into her belly, as she hugged her laptop bag.. he stood there staring as her rickshaw pulled her into the chaotic evening traffic😳
~~~~~
There was a Tamil Nadu Day celebration happening at Triveni Kala Sangam Amma signed her up to do kolattam. She had never danced she had two left feet but she didnt mind... she wanted to be gone from home under one pretext or the other
The practise was at a school backyard near Sector 6, she spent a few evenings there...
She visited the NOIDA showroom one afternoon, and took the Metro back to Rajiv Chowk so she could take one to Sultanpuri/Gurgaon afterwards
She walked to the NOIDA station and scanned her pass... she heard a bunch of keys fall she turned, a hand grabbed them the hand was attached to a looong body and she saw hairy legs, she knew those legs
She turned to look
"Hi!" she nodded
And went in the turnstiles wouldnt open for him, he had no clue what he needed to get in😆😕
He was told and he went to get it
She didnt wait she went to a corner and waited.. the station was over crowded the Metro pulled in with no elbow room inside, the 500 that stood there, 10 made it in😡
The other 490 including her waited for the next one in 11 minutes😭😡
HE FOUND HER...☺️
And she found the strange fluttering in her heart and the churning in the belly😳
~~~
