Posted:
Both ends of a road...
She didnt think it was appropriate for just her to be taking her 5 year old to her boss's house when the other direct reports were just going to show up by themselves
Not even with their spouses, as it was a "week night-meet the boss's inlaws" dinner not a social gala of any sort
She texted him around 7 ish after picking up Adhya on Wed evening, that she will be unable to make it
She looked at tickets to Nasik again to book for a summer trip
She was doing well financially, being frugal with how she handled money
She could afford to take Aadhya by air to Nasik
She spoke to Tai about her plan, Tai insisted she wanted to go too and that "she will think about returning to Delhi"
"I dont have the money for paying three air tickets" "U can come by train if you like" "Plus you have nobody in Nasik, why dont you go to Aurangabad or Latur?" Suvi demanded
Tai was on a mission to torture the living hell out of her she feared
"Latur will be very hot in summer" Tai argued
"Nasik is not in Kashmir" Suvi informed her
Suvi quietly booked tix for her and her daughter, made fish after many days, ate in the balcony as it drizzled a bit soaking in the scent of rain with her fave fish and rice and went to bed at 10
She had seen Neel in meetings on Monday and Tuesday, there were people from Mumbai visiting, to talk about the break up of Political vs Commercial
Neel was still negotiating a good proposition for himself
He was basically sent from Mumbai as "the HEAD OF ALL OF DELHI"
He wasnt about to be a "Head of a PORTION of Delhi"
She was unable to sleep she went online and looked at cars, the EMI was ridiculously high for the nicer ones
The topic she was trying to avoid thinking about... Neel... she finally began thinking about it when she was nicely settled into bed
After a shower and hair oil scalp massage
Her heart skipped a beat at being kissed like that with no notice
"I had a lousy week Suvechha" he had said
Like she OWED him a kiss
Nobody acted like she owed anything to them... on the personal front
Except Tai... who SHE didnt want to owe anything
Aadhya was kind and considerate and not tantrumy
She never demanded anything, Aai would expect her to call everyday, Baba would expect many things from Mumbai when she went home
Varsha would expect her to be available to go do things with her
Now she lived a life devoid of expectations
Even Mrs Singh from playschool didnt call to check if she didnt show up with Aadhya some day
Like she was happy caring for one less 5 year old
Aadhya's school would call... she nodded... at the new discovery
Yeah!! They would expect
After making a list of who all expected from her
She went back to savoring his kiss
The way he threw the towel on her shoulder and reached for it proprietorially when Gurpreet walked in
Like they were a "couple"
Rutwik was self sufficient... he had to be... otherwise he would be busted.
He appeared independent, not even waking her for chai in the mornings, like Baba woke Aai
And then Neel asked for chai "Chai bana leti hain aap?"
She whispered those words trying to make it sound very UP
He texted her around midnight
By she was fast asleep
When she woke Thursday morning she saw his text
"I am sending a 1:1 for Outlook" he said
"Thanks" she said not worrying about it
Around 2:30, she took her posterboard layouts for the Paakh campaign and her laptop and went to his room
"Did u have a good evening?" he asked, slowly letting his gaze slide down the buttery smooth form in a striped flowing maxi skirt and a sleeveless black blouse
She nodded smiling
Her hair was the darkest of black he had ever seen and her eyes
She was always shiny and supple, he wondered if she would smell of some oil if he inhaled her cleft
Away from Nupur and away from Nupur's parents he sensed the intense physical attraction
He didnt know why
He had assumed she would come
Not seeing her was not pleasant for him
He had missed her last night... quite a bit
He wanted to be at both ends of a road
The missing Nupur intensely, grieving for her, thinking about her, fooling himself she was still alive, talking about the 10 years of married life with his in laws
AND
Seeing Suvechha Dhabolkar after work, having her show up unanounced at his door
Driving her to her society
The quiet resolve in her eyes, the way she sparkled when she interacted with Aadhya
The concern she felt for his son Nihar
She never took anything for granted being in the misogynist, sexist advtg world, she held her own
She didnt automatically expect to get a ride to work or ride home
She didnt expect anything
"Why didnt you bring Aadhya?" he asked
"It was a work dinner... sai nai tha" she said nodding, convincing herself in her process
"Even when I asked you to?" he asked
She looked up at him "Aapke in laws aaye hai, it wud be awkward, will you tell them I am a special coworker? that has special rights?" she asked
A fleeting expression of discomfort passed over his face, she realized she was right
"Hamey laga aap unse milna nahi chahti"
"I am sorry aisa nai hai... mere ko unse kya problem... they seem like nice people"
she nodded unwilling to give him the pleasure of knowing even SHE admitted that they werent JUST coworkers
"And thats why you left without seeing me at the school fair?" he asked
She suddenly realized he was "expecting" from her
That warmed her heart
The cynicism of the situation grounded her when she began to float
He wanted her to meet his in laws?
He was still very much married... in his mind
"Aapka time off request dekha humne" he said
She nodded looking clearly at him
"DO HAFTE?" he accused and then toned it down quickly "Koi baat hai Nasik mein?" he asked quizzing her if there was an event of some sort she was headed to.
"Aai Baba ka ghar hai" she said
She didnt think it was appropriate for just her to be taking her 5 year old to her boss's house when the other direct reports were just going to show up by themselves
Not even with their spouses, as it was a "week night-meet the boss's inlaws" dinner not a social gala of any sort
She texted him around 7 ish after picking up Adhya on Wed evening, that she will be unable to make it
She looked at tickets to Nasik again to book for a summer trip
She was doing well financially, being frugal with how she handled money
She could afford to take Aadhya by air to Nasik
She spoke to Tai about her plan, Tai insisted she wanted to go too and that "she will think about returning to Delhi"
"I dont have the money for paying three air tickets" "U can come by train if you like" "Plus you have nobody in Nasik, why dont you go to Aurangabad or Latur?" Suvi demanded
Tai was on a mission to torture the living hell out of her she feared
"Latur will be very hot in summer" Tai argued
"Nasik is not in Kashmir" Suvi informed her
Suvi quietly booked tix for her and her daughter, made fish after many days, ate in the balcony as it drizzled a bit soaking in the scent of rain with her fave fish and rice and went to bed at 10
She had seen Neel in meetings on Monday and Tuesday, there were people from Mumbai visiting, to talk about the break up of Political vs Commercial
Neel was still negotiating a good proposition for himself
He was basically sent from Mumbai as "the HEAD OF ALL OF DELHI"
He wasnt about to be a "Head of a PORTION of Delhi"
She was unable to sleep she went online and looked at cars, the EMI was ridiculously high for the nicer ones
The topic she was trying to avoid thinking about... Neel... she finally began thinking about it when she was nicely settled into bed
After a shower and hair oil scalp massage
Her heart skipped a beat at being kissed like that with no notice
"I had a lousy week Suvechha" he had said
Like she OWED him a kiss
Nobody acted like she owed anything to them... on the personal front
Except Tai... who SHE didnt want to owe anything
Aadhya was kind and considerate and not tantrumy
She never demanded anything, Aai would expect her to call everyday, Baba would expect many things from Mumbai when she went home
Varsha would expect her to be available to go do things with her
Now she lived a life devoid of expectations
Even Mrs Singh from playschool didnt call to check if she didnt show up with Aadhya some day
Like she was happy caring for one less 5 year old
Aadhya's school would call... she nodded... at the new discovery
Yeah!! They would expect
After making a list of who all expected from her
She went back to savoring his kiss
The way he threw the towel on her shoulder and reached for it proprietorially when Gurpreet walked in
Like they were a "couple"
Rutwik was self sufficient... he had to be... otherwise he would be busted.
He appeared independent, not even waking her for chai in the mornings, like Baba woke Aai
And then Neel asked for chai "Chai bana leti hain aap?"
She whispered those words trying to make it sound very UP
He texted her around midnight
By she was fast asleep
When she woke Thursday morning she saw his text
"I am sending a 1:1 for Outlook" he said
"Thanks" she said not worrying about it
Around 2:30, she took her posterboard layouts for the Paakh campaign and her laptop and went to his room
"Did u have a good evening?" he asked, slowly letting his gaze slide down the buttery smooth form in a striped flowing maxi skirt and a sleeveless black blouse
She nodded smiling
Her hair was the darkest of black he had ever seen and her eyes
She was always shiny and supple, he wondered if she would smell of some oil if he inhaled her cleft
Away from Nupur and away from Nupur's parents he sensed the intense physical attraction
He didnt know why
He had assumed she would come
Not seeing her was not pleasant for him
He had missed her last night... quite a bit
He wanted to be at both ends of a road
The missing Nupur intensely, grieving for her, thinking about her, fooling himself she was still alive, talking about the 10 years of married life with his in laws
AND
Seeing Suvechha Dhabolkar after work, having her show up unanounced at his door
Driving her to her society
The quiet resolve in her eyes, the way she sparkled when she interacted with Aadhya
The concern she felt for his son Nihar
She never took anything for granted being in the misogynist, sexist advtg world, she held her own
She didnt automatically expect to get a ride to work or ride home
She didnt expect anything
"Why didnt you bring Aadhya?" he asked
"It was a work dinner... sai nai tha" she said nodding, convincing herself in her process
"Even when I asked you to?" he asked
She looked up at him "Aapke in laws aaye hai, it wud be awkward, will you tell them I am a special coworker? that has special rights?" she asked
A fleeting expression of discomfort passed over his face, she realized she was right
"Hamey laga aap unse milna nahi chahti"
"I am sorry aisa nai hai... mere ko unse kya problem... they seem like nice people"
she nodded unwilling to give him the pleasure of knowing even SHE admitted that they werent JUST coworkers
"And thats why you left without seeing me at the school fair?" he asked
She suddenly realized he was "expecting" from her
That warmed her heart
The cynicism of the situation grounded her when she began to float
He wanted her to meet his in laws?
He was still very much married... in his mind
"Aapka time off request dekha humne" he said
She nodded looking clearly at him
"DO HAFTE?" he accused and then toned it down quickly "Koi baat hai Nasik mein?" he asked quizzing her if there was an event of some sort she was headed to.
"Aai Baba ka ghar hai" she said
comment:
p_commentcount