Price of freedom.😉
She lay awake recreating in her mind how he said that thing about the saree. Looking at herself in the mirror for a good 20 minutes before stripping down last nite.
She called Aanu to wish him for Ganpati and promised she would visit before the utsav ended,
steering clear of hardselling the franchise on the phone yet again, waiting for Rao Anna to work his magic.
She wasnt so fortunate the next morning Mandira accosted her while she was making her coffee.
"Did you have a good evening? Looks like you might have" "The apartment smells like jasmine"
"I did it was Gauri Ganesha"
"Oh yes, my father in law works with many locals, infact his company employs thousands in Bangalore and I know its big around here"
"Its big for Konkanis also. I always celebrate"
"Well you must tell me if you are going to cook special?"
"I fast usually and eat one time a day, I can cook fast food, maybe you wont like?"
"I want a grand meal" Mandira smiled trying to curry a favor
"I am not such good cook, even at Ullal I am only burning my hand always"
She made a face
"Thats not good... are they short of staff?" "Why do you need to help?
"There were 4 cooks first, now we have one full time
one part time so my father helps or I. He usually asked me to serve only or take orders" she smiled pleasantly
"You actually take orders?"
"Yes, I can even hold a pencil on my ear" Trisha laughed
"Niice"
Mandira compared her to her own daughter who hadnt lifted a finger in life thus far
They were worlds apart, her daughter took care of herself religiously, her monthly beauty regimen in 10s of thousands
She never walked barefeet inside the house
She never made her own coffee
Trisha poured her frothy creation in a mug and turned to leave
"You are headed to college?"
"Yes I couldnt meet the person for that long at BU the other day I will first go there and then go to the library to look at an article"
Mandira had tuned out at "Yes"
"I can give you a ride"
"Thats OK I havent seen the cat... I am goingt o go see the cat, I am not sure when I will go"
"Thats OK I dont have to go anywhere this morning"
Trisha walked back to her room glumly
Mandira took her coffee to her room, Trisha waited for Ashvin to come to the kitchen and stepped out to drop her empty mug
"Ashwinnn" from her tone he knew she was whining
"Trishaa" he mimicked her with a twitch of his lips
"Your mother wants to take me to BU"
He folded his arms, leaned on the frig and readied for the complaints
"And?"
"i dont want to go"
"Stay home?"
"Ashwinnn I dont want to go with her" she whispered
Her flowers had yellowed and come off the string in places, her hair now obviously dry was a silky mess
She gathered them and tied them up on top of her head as he watched
"Did you tell her?"
"Why do you always ask me that?"
"What did you want me to tell her in that case?"
"You always say did you say this did you say that" she approached him scowling like MJ
"Umm, what do you want me to say, tell me how I should respond"
"I am telling her I dont want to go, I want to go see my cat"
"Your cat?"
His tone indicated she couldnt have a cat
"I am not getting a cat... I know I cant.. my cat... means Prasad's"
"No, its HIS cat" he was not happy
"OK fine, I havent seen him, I want to see him this morning"
"Prasad or cat?"
"CATTT" she looked baffled
"Trisha what is the issue?"
Husbands were always in a hurry when it came to listening to wife's complaints, this faux marriage was no better
"I want to go see my cat... THE CAT... THE cat" she corrected just to make the point
He nodded trying not to appear amused
"Your mother wants to give me a ride" she whispered standing a foot away
"Take it"
"I dont wanttt to Ashwinnn" she begged
"What do you think I should tell her?"
"Tell her Trisha has something going on so she cant go with you?" she made stuff up
"Like what stuff?" he was definitely amused
"I am just saying, just like that"
"You want me to lie to my Mom?"
"OK fine, dont lie," she was done begging
He reached out to touch her
"No... stay away... you cant even help me no?"
she stepped back and he stepped forward
"Is that it Trisha has stuff going on?" he mimicked
"You are sounding it like a lie" she whispered
"Teach me to lie truthfully" he held his chuckle
"I am not teaching you anything only" she huffed
"Hey" he grinned as she started walking away, calling her name out
"I am not asking for any help any more. You are enjoying this so much" she was disgusted that her freedom was lost
"Trisha come back!!" he hollered
She paused at the doorway
"I will do it" he said
She smiled with such gratitude, if they werent in this strange godawful mess he would have extracted some payback out of it
"Really? Promise?"
"I can try" he nodded staring at her sparkling eyes and the bare arms..
"tHANK YOU THANK YOU Thank you" she whispered
"Only if you wear a saree" he said slowly
And watch her squirm self consciously... coloring first and then fidegting later
"Today?"
He nodded..
She brought the cat, took it back, brought it back again all while he was getting ready
"For God's sake Trisha" he exclaimed, tripping over the fat mound of fur halfway across the living room
She was getting ready so she didnt hear or care
she stepped out an hour later, he canceled his 10 AM and waited... she stpped out wearing a
orangey, cream saree with green hues similar fabric like last night with a offwhite blouse.
"I am going to take the cat back and leave" she said
"Do you like my saree?" she asked MJ
He purred and settled on her bare arm his fur carressing her upperbody curves much to Ashvin's chagrin
"Dont forget" she warned him by the door
When she returned after gabbing with Prasad's maid, his mom was ready to leave, he had told her to leave Trisha alone before she went off to take her shower
When Mandira saw Trisha in a saree she gawked first... "Another pooja?"
"Umm no.. not again, I am just going to BU"
"That looks like a nice saree, you should not ruin it" Mandira lied "I am going to text my driver,
I will see you down in 5 minutes?" she smiled "sweetly" and grabbed her Birken bag and let herself out
"ASHWINNN!!" Trisha scowled "You didnt do anyyythinggg"
"I tried" he grinned ogling her to his satisfaction
Edited by Nisha0604 - 6 years ago
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