Posted:
8 years ago
Hitched in exchange for coffee
She couldnt change into any new saree because the designer creations had custom blouses that wont get delivered for weeks
she wore a mango/yellow outfit, with a carbon blue chudidar with fine bead work over the yoke.
After throwing up and after a shower, he had bought her mango sorbet at Emporio, she only ate half, he ate the other half making faces
"this is probably going to trigger ur nausea" he muttered "Its too sour"
"I wanted it (she nodded)I think I shouldnt give into my temptations. They never have a good outcome" she muttered
They paused trying to draw their own conclusions from such "deep thought"
"Its too expensive to throw" she mumbled
He ate it all!!!
The occupational hazard of marrying middle class, u eat something called "leftovers"
She didnt know many people, only Tan's cousin and Sam's best friend... there were a dozen other "friends" from Vasant Vihar and Panchsheel
Ranjan was missing, she hoped he would be here soon... and be safe
Unrest and resolution both had its own risks
She wandered by herself out to the front lawn, no sight of her husband
GREAT!!!!
IN A HOUSE FULL OF PEOPLE
I KNOW NOBODY
It was a strange feeling to be in Sam's house when she didnt know any of her guests
She took a glass of clear grape juice and sipped slowly
Sam's MIL accosted her at the huge sliding glass entrance to the patio
"Congrats beta" she air kissed
II nodded
"when are u due?" she asked trying to appear interested
"May"
"Ughhh bahut garmi hogi" she said dismissively
II nodded sincerely
"Sam's kids were both born in Nov or Dec" she said smugly... "My daughters have summer kids, US mein weather is so gorgeous"
WHO THINKS OF THE WEATHER IN INDIA, LADY?
IN INDIA, WHO DOES?
ARGHHH
WE ARE USUALLY GLAD TO HAVE BABIES
WEATHER IS A LUXURY OF GORAS
"I am telling Tan I am done here" "He doesnt want us to leave" she smiled all knowingly
"Phir aapko rehna chahiye" II suggested
"Sam has no time for us no... she is too busy, ghar par 4 naukar hain 4 driver hain yet she doesnt have time to sit down with us" subtly complaining
"Lasya is so quick and naughty" II smiled
"She is like Tan... I dont think Sam or her sister or her brother were naughty" Tan's mother declared, as if she knew the family 35 years ago
"U have help, atleast u dont have to do any work. which is good" she nodded
"I have time in the evenings, after my job" II reminded her
"Are u working in Gurgaon?" she asked
"KMPG" II nodded
"My son in law's neighbor is the US head for Deloitte" she said smugly
"Oh!!" II nodded
"Ya he manages the whole region, so he travels a lot... leadership positions are so painful" she continued
I WOULDNT KNOW LADY!!
I WOULDNT I WANTED TO BE A SECOND LEVEL MANAGER
IT GOT SHOT DOWN
I HAVE A BOSS NOW
"Its good u are not in leadership" she explained as if II couldnt "get her point" the first time around
"I AM... but dont head the country... YET" II said softly and firmly
Tan's mother faltered a bit... "Well ur husband travels" she said disdainfully... "He must hate Delhi"
"I havent asked" II smiled
Sam walked by hurriedly
"KIDHAR HO?"
"Umm.. I came down koi nahi tha" II explained
"arey ghar par SAU log hai, tum keh rahi ho koi nahi" Tan's mother mocked
"No aunty I dont know most people, just her best friend and Tan's cousin" Ii explained sincerely
"Oh! I get it sorry beta... all these people are from "this area" she stressed on the last two words
YES THEY ARE
NOT ONE IS FROM RKPURAM OR NETAJI NAGAR
OR SAROJINI NAGAR
OR AN IYER
I "GET IT"
"Atleast u speak Hindi... if u were from the "south" that would be a problem too" Aunty tried to be "kind"
"IKR" "HOW would I survive??!!" II mocked the lady gently
IN ENGLISH
THERE!!!
HOPE "YOU" GET IT!!
ARGHHH!!!
RAKSHASAN!!
I AM ROASTING U TONIGHT FOR LEAVING ME
I AM HAVING TO FIGHT TAN'S MOM'S PREJUDICES
She sighed audibly, being led by Sam
I GUESS SERVES ME RIGHT
FOR SUBJECTING YOU TO APPA FOR 3 HOURS LAST NIGHT
She felt tears behind her eyeballs
AYYYO!!!
WHATEVER!!!
"MERI MIL se kya baat kar rahi thi?" Sam whispered
"She found me" II mumbled
"I cant run away... u have a choice" Sam squeezed her hand warmly
"I am sorry" II nodded
"Bura mat maan na please... ur Hindi is fabulous" Sam said cheerfully
"Apne bhai ko batayengi aap" II teased back
"Woh tumhe chhedta hai?"
II nodded
IRUKKU DA ONAKKU
RUK JAO TUM
YESSS
SAM LOOKS LIKE WILL BELIEVE ANY JACK SHIT I FEED HER
PAAVAM SAM
TOO CUTE
II chuckled mischievously
Much of the younger crowd was by the swings in the back yard
she grabbed the mike from the DJ and announced
"Can I PLEASE have you all quieten down?" she shrieked
The people turned to look at her
Including her Rakshasan
Holding fat Lasya
Lasya made a sad face upon seeing Mommy
Her face was covered in pink goo from a popsicle she was sucking on
"THIS IS MY SIS IN LAW"
"Hi! bolo sabko" Sam hissed
Like II was a 3 year old
"SAMMM" II hissed
"Mera naam nahi jaan... APNA naam kaho" Sam teased into the mike
She held the mike under II's nose
AYYYO!!!
MENTAL FAMILY!!
WHAT DID I EVER SEE IN THEM
The crowd cheered
The ones that were in the front row of the semi circle gushed "OMG she is SO QUIET"
REALLY?
HOW DO U KNOW?
U GUYS ARE MAD!!!
Sam shook as she controlled her laugh
"II" II mumbled
"Aye aye?" a youngish 20 something asked flirtatiously
"Ishita Iyer... I guess Bhalla now" she mumbled
The video guy the cameras the lights all zooming in on her
"TELL THEM HOW YOU MET MY BROTHER"
"Sammm" II shrieked HOLDING THE MIKE
The crowd cheered noisly
"Dekho mujhe DEEDEE nahi bulaati..." Sam nudged leaning over to talk into her mike
To a watcher/gawker II looked LOVELY in the expensive designer outfit and rice pearl jhumkas and the long Iyer braid, and the pearl nose ing
"I did... I do... I offered" II went on the defensive
"THATS boring... batao how you met R&B" sam urged
Ranjan wandered "Yeh kahani to humne nahi suni kabhi" he spoke on another mike
"Daddd" II scolded firmly
"Batao batao puttar jee" he urged
"umm... we worked on a project"
"Booo" went the crowd indicating how "Exciting" THAT was
"We did... I did..." she nodded
She looked at the dude
He looked smug... she could see the glitter in those eyes from 30 feet away
RAKSHASAN!!
ONN IDEA VA DA IDU (UR IDEA?)
TO PUT ME UNDER SPOT LIGHT
I AM GOING TO MAKE U COME HERE AND SAY STUFF
PATHUKKO
(WAIT AND WATCH)
"I worked on the 7th... I work on the 7th... I do" II was nervous and fumbling
"and he worked on the 20th" she said
"Really?" Sam asked mocking
"I MEANT... he worked in Excelsior" II explained "Sam please" she begged
"Achha theek hai kaho" Sam backed off
"I was, incharge of deployment... I am... I mean.. I am... of TransPro, a transaction processing SW, KMPG's first foray into home build accounting tool" she explained confidently
"LOVE STORY" a rowdy guy cupped his hands and yelled
"YEAH!!!! LOVE STORY LOVE STORY!! LOVE STORY!!" the audience echoed
"Umm.. we planned a phased deployment" II ignored the calls and continued on the trajectory of explaining SW DEPLOYMENT
Sam grabbed the mike "I am going to turn this off now"
The crowd roared
Sam handed it to her with a warning look
"Umm.. There is a coffee shop on the 5th floor on Spectrum, I go there for my... umm... every morning I go there... (mumbling)
(she connected her gaze with the husband, He leaned on a lamp post arms across his chest Tan held the sticky baby now)
(looking down at her feet, her mike literally shaking) I usually buy a coffee... I go to the Daily Perk...
he paid for coffee and I tried to return the money"
"and he took you instead?" asked the rowdy chap, she nodded face flaming
sam hugged her eventually and Ranjan did too
Sam didnt announce the baby thankfully
"AND NOW THE SINGER IN MY FAMILY IS GOING TO ENTHRALL US WITH HER LOVELY VOICE"
Ii begged "I already enthralled with my speech"
"NAHI GAANA" sam ordered
II cleared her throat, checked her shruti, and began to sing
"saawan ke jhoole padey
Tum chaley aao"