Posted:
8 years ago
Escorted home😳
She was finishing up drafting her email when Ranjan came up to the sun room
"what did u eat today?" he asked she didnt look at him
"Gussa?' he chuckled
R&B was in his office
"Nahi main kaam kar rahi hoon" she sulked
He sat by her
"Usko kehta hoon, kal lekar jaayega tujhe" he reassured
"Not with HIM..." II protested
Sending Ranjan rolling on the bed
R&B wandered and leaned on the door jamb
"isko kal akele jaana hai" Ranjan tattled
R&B rolled his eyes
"Kyon ki mujhe har das min mein "Lets go ii" "Shall wee II" nahi sun na hai Dad" II was eanest
"Aise kehta hai tujhe?" Ranjan acted as if he didnt know
"Very clever" II sulked
"acchha, chale jaana breakfast khaakar"
"Aur raat tak ruk sakti hoon?" she asked
"Lunch ke liye laut aana" Ranjan winked
She leaned on his shoulder, he enevloped her warmly
"It already feels like another person is home puttarjee" "For the first time in weeks I didnt think about the strike when I woke this morning
Thats how powerful the news is"
II nodded gratified
"Just like we dont know when bad things happen in life, we dont know when good things happen either. Such a pleasant announcement changes the course of life" he spoke somberly, staring at a picture of sunflowers on the wall
"Savvy took that when we went tp upstate NY, Albany? Rochester? yaad nahi, we came returned from the trip and she found she was pregnant with Sam"
"Really?" II's eyes sparkled
"35, 36 saal pehle India mein color photograph ko reproduce karne waale kam the, she sent the film roll some place and had it printed" he chuckled
"Phir 4 saal qareeb... Samyukta thi bas" Ranjan's eyes glistened... "Attractive, talkative... my mother was alive then, she had LOOONG grey hair she would braid her Dadi's hair" Ranjan laughed, softly
"Phir aayi toofan mail, Manya" "Ladaki... ek second chup nahi baithna hai usne" Ranjan sighed "ab bhi yoon hi hai"
"She flies a lot doesnt she?" II asked
Ranjan nodded unhappily
"Aur YEH, 1.5 saal bad" "Sotey hue bilkul gudiya, badi badi aankhen, ghungraale baal" Ranjan turned R&B squirmed, self consciously
II blushed gloriously
"Ab dekho, na shave na pant na kuch. Appa ne kuch nahi kaha? Yeh shave nahi karta"
II's color deepened.. she cleared her throat
"Haan Appa kahenge bhi kya... isne to sun ni nahi kisi ki gall" Ranjan did a cynical cackle
"Appa ne poochha" II muttered biting her lower lip mischievously
"Aur aapne kya kaha?" Ranjan asked cusriously
"Umm... umm" II's turn to squirm self consciously " I said "Appa he thinks he looks more sexy like that""
Ranjan exploded into laughter
Almost gasping for breath in the end
His phone rang
He stood up, inhaled her head fondly and left
R&B straightened up and wandered over to where she was
She leaned back on the wall as he approached
~~~~~~~~~~~
Ritu had responded to II's email
"Hello II
Thanks for your note, lets touch base when u return to work. Keep me posted on how you are doing"
Thanks
Ritu
Bally had responded too
"Oh teri, kiddo, itni senti?
Congrats BTW, party kab de rahi hai, good news ki.
Suman is saying "There was no use disrupting II's suhaag raat, looks like dude got to her anyway"
Take care and make the guy give u a foot massage every night"
Cheers!
Bally
She lay in bed scrolling thru the emails on her phone, R&B slept soundly by her, wrapped in her arms.
She turned gently wanting to get up... he stiffened and pulled her back
"Nee toongu" (u sleep) she ordered huskily
"Shhh" he smothered her, linking his leg between hers
His thumb gently caressing the band aid sealing the IV on her left arm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She had thrown up a handful of times on Friday, 6 actually from Thursday night to midnight on Friday, she didnt know what she kept in and what went out
She wondered who had such a tough pregnancy on Amma's side
She looked forward to seeing Shatabdi
His arrival had new meaning in her life now. she imagined a tiny baby in her arms clutching the edge of her kaftan
A head full of hair, big eyes with lashes curling half way down the cheek
long fingers like him, voice like him husky and soft.
She turned gently and rose up a lil and kissed his cheek
"she better look like you" she warned
Felt his stubble in the moonlight with her fingers...
"I will stay the night tomorrow at D II just to annoy you" she whispered
He didnt stir, he was asleep
"Or I wont..." she kissed him hard on his lips and lay down
Thinking of D II again... home sick.. nostalgic
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He went with her to D II around 10 ish she woke at 6 to throw up, ate "some" and wandered pestring him to take her or be allowed to go by herself.
He left the Ferrari home and drove her in his Mom's Toyota Land Cruiser
One news guy was outside
He watched the car leave and didnt bother getting up
Appa was doing pooja, Shatabdi lay on the living room sofa, Selvi clattered dishes in the sink
All windows were open, the scent of agarbathi swirled around the living room in soft white wisps
Amma had a towel wrapped around her head like she does after a head bath, she was chanting softly as she chopped brinjal on the dining table with an eye on baldie
Akka changed sheets on II's bed
Selvi dropped everything every five minutes and walked over to baldie to talk to him
He rapidly moved his arms and legs urging the woman with the HUGE round vermilion to grab and hold him
"Vendaa kannu, paati kai alukku" (sorry dear my hands are dirty) "Nee poo madiri" (u are soft like a flower) Selvi cooed
He cooed in response
Ii showed at the door dressed in a soft pink suit... the screen door was shut
"Amma" she cooed
Amma dropped the knife, surprised
Appa paused
Amma laughed loudly
Selvi peeked
akka peeked
And II walked in
Appa begged Amma "aprama solrene baaki sloham?" (I will chant later no?)
Amma nodded smugly
Appa lifted baldie and sat down
R&B walked in... UNSHAVEN
Appa grunted
II smiled mischievously "Na maatram vanden nenaichela?" (did u think I came alone?)
"How can I even think that anymore?" Appa shot a look at R&B
"How can u even think I will send her here by herself when YOu are in town" R&B shot him a look back
