Last night of freedom
II walked over to Ranjan... let her friends giggle and gush around R&B... sitting down
"Have u eaten?" she asked her main worry about the man
He smiled "Parso? KAL, 12 bajne waali hain abhi jaldi...Do din mein shaadi hai and u ask me that?"(U are getting married in a day ) he laughed squeezing her shoulder
She leaned on his shoulder briefly, not noticing R&B had seen that...
"I wanted to know if u ate because u are sitting by yourself and there is no food in front of you" II said logically
"There is no food because I havent eaten yet, its only 10: 22? (he consulted his phone)
I sent u a texted saying "Great job!" I never heard from you betaji" he said
"Oh! Akka snatched my phone so I dont have it with me"
"How come the bride is lonely and quiet? Bally kidhar hai?" She stood up to peer down... in the huge hall downstairs Bally was backslapping and chatting with Tanmay, him and Amit, and Diwakar
"Bansal is here, dont know where... his wife knows Chachi they are part of some blackjack group" Ranjan informed
"Oh really?" I saw Gurti but didnt see Mr B"
"I am happy u invited them all and they all showed up" Ranjan said satisfied
"I invited Mrs Sagar too, tho its not in my place to invite her" Ii said embarrassed
"Why not, she is your husband's admin" Ranjan said smiling
"She is not here" Ii said scanning the ground floor
"She doesnt come to any parties at home... Savita used to invite her for Satsang she wouldnt come for that either" Ranjan muttered.
II leaned and shut her eyes, her feet hurt badly, the last full night's sleep she had gotten, she couldnt recall... maybe a week ago? She wanted to sleep uninterrupted for two days"
Her stomach muscles tightened her insides churned and rotated at the thought of sleeping in her new bed... she wondered what the pillows smelled like
AYYYO... I AM GOING TO SHARE A BED? GOSH!! A BED... MY MOST FAVE SPACE IN THE WORLD WILL BE OCCUPIED BY A LANKY ERMMM.. HAIRY 6'3" MAN WITH FINGERS LONGER THAN HERS
Ranjan dozed, his would be daughter in law fantasized in the corner unnoticed
She imagined returning from work... looking for him everywhere finding him in the balcony or in his office with the door shut... on a call... or not even home from Excelsior or off meeting with some applicant at some hotel
Finish up dinner, walk up the stairs, brush her teeth, change into her lil stripe shorts? with those satin drawstrings? her million skinny tees... she would only wear those after bolting her door from the inside
So Appa wouldnt walk in on her in that state of undress... she wondered if he would be in bed already or be reading on the swing
She would go to bed without telling him... scrolling thru her ipad... catching up on her soaps and gossip
Letting the tablet lay on her belling as she slept
Would he wake her? She craved to be held tight... warm... in a unshakeable grip... his legs binding her to him
"How long did u practice beta?"
"6? hours Dad... may be more, when Mom went to Chennai to buy jewelry"
"Yes yes, I am supposed to pay your father for the mangal sootra..." Ranjan reminded himself waking up
"Will u stay here tonight?" II asked fondly
"No betaji Savita's brothers are here.. did u meet them?" he enquired
"Yes I did Dad... all of them... your family is small, there are so many people in our house right now" Ii giggled
"My parents are gone, hers are too... Tanmay's parents will arrive tomorrow, his sisters cant come... Manny? her family was big... 6 brothers & sisters, that family is no longer ours, Vik? Vik I dont know how many siblings he has, she is only dating him" Ranjan said with a faraway look
II wondered if he worried about Manny like Appa did about her
"I want her to be married soon, have kids... return to India... so they can all see each other" Ranjan choked a little
"I like Vikram he seems nice"
"Haan... theek hai... plane mein mili us se... tab se mil rahi hai... (shrugging)
aisa thodi hota hai... there should be everything formal like ur and Raman... R&B's marriage u know
Family, jewelry, bua,mama cards... thats how it should be" Ranjan muttered
"Hmmm" Ii said softly
"U will be there whenever she decides to marry again" Ranjan cheered up
She smiled
"U and Sam can plan everything... then OUR house will be the center of action" Ranjan smiled "Wahan raunaq honi chahiye...
sirf naukar hain wahan betaji, woh bhi saare yaha aaye khaane pe, guard hongey waha" (he said with a thick Punjabi accent)
(Only help is there now, even they are here since Sam invited them I guess only guards are there)
She couldnt imagine a BIGGG lonely quiet house... she felt a strange unease at the very thought, her life revolved around the 1500 sq ft D II, with sounds from everywhere, inside and outside
Shravu, Periappa.. the phone,... Amma's phone calls, Appa talking loudly to Tanjore... Akka visiting unexpectedly, relatives from South... Amma's friends from Malai Mandir
"Uske saath jo khadi hain aapki friends hain?" (are they your friends?) he pointed
She smiled getting up "I am going to bring them"
"No no betaji what will I talk? Its good to see him chat doesnt happen all the time" he smiled
"Can I bring Lasya?" she asked longing for the cuddly mass
"U have mehandi all over, it will be ruined ... I..." he stopped beginning to get up but leaning back quickly
II FELT AWFUL... it wasnt a regular father son relationship
where he could go and tell the dude "Mujhe de beta main pakadta hoon" (let me hold the angel hand her over son)
AYYYO!!! HOW AWFUL... I MUST GO GET HER ANYWAY...
WHAT IF HE SAYS U HAVE HENNA ON?
Her eyes scanned for the nanny she was nowhere tobe found...
~~~~~~~
When they returned to D II it was around 1 AM there was two rounds of Antakshari, II EASILY won with her band of 9?
she "donated her team including Bally & Co to the Bhallas...
Suman salvaged their pride a little... and they got off at 77 vs II's 108, Manny was a fighter... and ermmm a cheater... like II when it came to winning
II was startled but played unfazed
II sang her two fave Carnatic kritis on popular demand her family SMILED AND CLAPPED joyously as if that was the only thing they could enjoy in the whole entire night
Vandu and Manny and Sam talked about logistics with Amma and Chachi... Sam trying to be as inclusive as ever in including Chachi and letting her take the lead
And Savita's brothers' wives were mainly on the sidelines, since they lived overseas for over 30 years...
"The greeting the groom ceremony can happen after 11:30, so you guys can get there by 11:45?" Amma asked
"sure Aunty its already midnight and no body has gone to bed yet, both Mamas families want to go stay at Malcha Marg, tomorrow some second cousins and Aunts etc are arriving from Punjab directly to the hall"
When do u want the chunri ceremony?" Amma asked "Because after we greet the groom and show you where u guys will stay etc, we are pretty much free until 6 PM when the "formal pre-wedding" engagement pooja is
We can do it from 4-6 or 2-4 Aunty doesnt matter" Sam agreed cheerily...
"isnt there something for the dude too?" Manny asked
Ranjan nodded we will have 4 pandits Iyer sahab has invited 8 or 10?" in awe
"We have a lot of prayers you know for their long life and healthy children" Appa declared
"Yes yes Mr Iyer the house needs Lasyas and Shravus and Nandans" Ranjan said smiling joyously
II blushed gloriously at the "low expectations"
Sam nudged Vandu "LOOK AT HER... SHE IS SO UNHAPPY"
They both laughed hysterically
"I am going to go wait outside"
"NO NO... U CANNOT BE ALONE FROM NOW UNTIL Sunday" Appa said dismissively
Vandu had put Shravu down to sleep with Nandu... Sam was going to bring him, Appa HATED that but didnt have a choice
Most Iyer relatives left for IIT gate or VV apartment, II's friends, Naina and Fareeda were staying over... Akka was too ofcourse
Bala's NOIDA cousin and Ambala brother were getting to Sringeri Hall directly
II packed all her bags... in a corner the dude sat on a couch stretching, Akka had given her the phone,
she found his Bank Account text... she looked at him he wasnt looking at her
He was on the phone speaking French
Appa said RUSHED Goodbyes
Sam scolded II for parking across the street "DOES THE WORD FAMILY MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU?" she demanded
"The gate was blocked" II said softly
The dude lounged by the door watching his sister butcher his wife to be...
Amma and Appa thanked Tanmay and Sam for their hospitality...
Sam: GOOO ISHITA TALK TO HIM... GIVE HIM A HUG
Ranjan stopped her
"Oh COME ON DAD less than 36 hours mein shaadi hai I DEMAND A HUG" Sam ordered
"Iyer customs wont allow it" Manny sensed Appa's dislike
amma smiled almost approvingly
"PLEASE KA... NO" II begged
"VANDITA... U ARE RELATED TO ME NOW" sam warned
Vandu sealed her lips
Tanmay and Bala and Vik rolled their eyes
"Jao II warna Sam MUJHE saari raat yahi khada rakhegi" Tan warned her
(Go on)
The guy sat in the far corner suddenly became curious why the entire family pointed and gushed and giggled
THEY FOLLOWED II
AYYYO RAMA!!! WHAT A BLOODY TAMASHA THIS IS
I thought Malcha Marg crowd was sophisticated
AYYYO!!
"Go ISHITA PLEASE" Sam yelled
They CHASED HER... ERMMM...
He stood up as she approached
"HUGGG HUGGG HUGGG HUGGG" Vandita Manny anD Sam screeched
Tan and Bala plugged their ears... Appa walked out unable to watch it
Ranjan politely took a call
Amma looked at Chachi and complimented her saree
Her sons and daughter in laws stood along the living room... in RAPT ATTENTION
II walked up to the dude and stood
THE WHOLE ROOM WENT QUIET
NOT ONE LIL SOUND NOT ONE FRICKIN SOUND
HUGGG!! Sam screamed
He pulled the ear plug off his left ear she saw it fall on his Lacoste... his chin had a dab of orange from her henna... on his ultra fair skin it seemed like a burn injury
They stood scoping each other out not saying a word or hugging...
R&B HUG HER U MORON" Sam ordered
He opened his arms...
U HAVE TO BE F-----G KIDDING ME she told with her eyes
NO IAM NOT he SAID OUT LOUD
He closed the gap and took her in for a hug... firm, hard, tight... molding her to his body. She used her hands on his back to pull him apart...
Sending henna crumbs all over his tee
"ISHITA LET HIM GO" SAM SHOUTED
"First she wasnt hugging him now she wont let him go" Sam informed the people
"U ARE TOAST" she muttered to herself pushing him... crimson like the roses displayed around the room
The fine embroidery yanking a button on his tee...
Amma smiled satisfied...
R&B walked over across the street to watch her start the car...
She didnt look at him, she was choking in arousal and anger... her fingers cold... Appa sat by her after she refused to let him drive
Bala was taking Mama's family to IIT gate apartment
Vandu rode with them, Sam squeezed the life out of her... they both shed tears of joy... soaking each others' outfits
"Enjoy your last night of freedom II" Sam squealed Tanmay pulled her before she could chatter some more.
II choked coughing uncontrollably for some reason it felt like the dude said those words to herβΊοΈ
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