I'm finally back. I promised myself I would not read past chapter 83 until I could give you your review (which is huge cause R&B just heard her say her and Subbu were engaged so I WANNA KNOW what happens next), so here we are.
Bear with me. I left off on Chapter 72.
Chapter 72: For Now & For Ever
I love their banter. I do. There's something very passionate and sexy about it.
"Lovers can be friends too." *sigh* For a moment I'm in R&B dreamland...but then, I realize here she is dreaming of being married to him and having his babies, and he's referring to her as his lover oh so casually.
THE WHOLE FAMILY KNOWS indeed. ☺️
I like Bally & Suman. No, I love Bally & Suman.
Love the way you wrote the last bit. II's reality check was much needed...and very realistic. She knew he'd been with other women, but didn't think for a moment that it might be possible that he was with another woman while he was with her...even then, she ignored the notion altogether and decided to live in her happy lala-land and just enjoy this while it lasted.
Of course his siblings know about his rendezvous with her...but they also know it's short lived because he'll never put down roots anywhere near his dad...soon enough, he'll run off to Paris and the bombshell M again.
My heart hurts for her, it does. But she needed this.
Part 73: Broken = Violently Separated into Pieces
I don't know what to say about the way you wrote her heartbreak in this chapter. There's not much to say except that it was simply perfect, and very true to life.
We've all been there - the confused daze, the unbearable ache in your gut that makes breathing very taxing.
What makes it worse for her is that she'd seen the warning signs all along and had decided to ignore them...she walked into this knowing it couldn't end well...she just didn't expect this. She hates him, sure, but really, she hates herself for allowing it to go so far. To top it off, the guilt...the guilt makes it infinitely worse.
Part 74: HIPAA at Work
The family's concern, very very real for parents in general. Could you imagine your child coming home in the middle of the night in that condition? Scary.
Loved the bit about HIPAA and protecting patient privacy.
I want Vandu to know. It's high time. I need her to know.
Maybe a filler, but I appreciate the details that this chapter provided. Helps connect to II's heartache that much more.
Part 75: Monomyobacterium
Honestly, when I read the title, I thought you were actually going to confirm to the family that the girl has mono 😲 (maybe I wouldn't have minded cause then they would have removed Sree from the equation for me), but I love what you wrote instead so much more.
I love R&B and Shravu. LOVE THEM. Love that he is good with kids. Men and Babies. Men. And. Babies. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Is it bad that I can't help but love R&B regardless? Regardless of whether she's fling, or maybe more, it's enough to see these glimpses of his care & concern for her.
When I read of II's heartbreak, I hate the Devil as much as she does...but then, I love him as much as she does too. 😳
I love that you write the most subtle bits about him that give us a glimpse of his thoughts/feelings...and make me fall for him as hopelessly and helplessly as II has.
PS: Loved the comparisons to Chithi in this one.
Part 76: Wrong Number & Nuclear Device
Love Vandu's concern and her jagga jassoosi. Big sister turned mommy-mode. Very apt.
The family's speculations were written so true to life here. I'm kinda liking the fact that the family thinks Sree has something to do with this...I know I said I wanted Vandu to know, but there's something so exciting about a secret affair being kept secret. 😳
Part 77: Sreekanth's Proposal & II's Artillery
Have I told you lately how much I love Baldev? I do.
I love that she has him to confide in. I love that he doesn't judge, and is just there for her in the right, protective, capacity (albeit, drooling over thoughts of M's tongue ring & R&B's glorious kismat simultaneously 😆)
I love this strong, brave girl who refuses to run away or take things lying down. Love her courage, self-confidence, and no nonsense attitude. Love that she's not about the theatrics, she's NOT NOBLE, and that she knows how to get her point across. LOVE the way you've sketched her. She's REAL. I love that. Love it. Seriously.
Part 78: Three Weeks & Nerf Gun
DEVIL. DEVIL DEVIL. Two months is a long courtship? Seriously? Jerk.
Loved this conference room banter...his feigning indifference, when that's clearly not the case...and her holding a brave face through each of his targeted quips. Brilliantly written.
Poor girl. Even after her resolve, she's dreaming of spine tingling honeymoon with the man. Seriously she is helplessly, hopeless, irrevocably SO FAR GONE. I am too.
I don't think I've told you this yet, but I LOVE their silent eye conversations. There's nothing more passionate than a good conversation...and well, if you can do it without words...
He sent the kid a nerf gun cause he lost a bet. I love him. I LOVE HIM AND I'M NOT ASHAMED TO ADMIT IT! I don't care if he's a smug bas***d who has flings with 20 woman at once. I DO NOT CARE. I LOVE HIM. ☺️
I love that Vandu Loves him as I do. 😳
Love II's snarky answers to Akka's questions. I love her.
A call from Firecracker? Hope he says a simple 'hello' when he answers...
Part 79: A Girl For R&B
First thought at title: PICK ME! PICK ME! PICK ME! (I know, I'm so shameless; But the Iyer's won't approve of his lineage, and my family is not conservative at all, so: PICK ME!!!) ☺️
I Love Vandu's Openly Fangirling Over Him. I Love It. Hilarous "love how you say my name." "I forget my hubby exists." 😆 She's adorable!! I love it. And she gave II away with the aloo mutter. 😳
They haven't heard each other's "phone voice" yet. What a brilliant touch, Nisha, really. Gosh, it adds so much to the beauty and angst of it all. 😳
Would have loved a glimpse into his thoughts as he saw an incoming call from "Fire Cracker" light up his phone. Who am I kidding? You know. I don't really want to know.
Something else I haven't told you before: I LOVE IIs self thoughts. They mimic my own.
They stayed on the phone, neither saying a word, neither hanging up, and listened to each other breathe!!!! These small snippets speak volumes, Nisha! No words. Just this:
She hung up first. Snapping herself out of it. Cutting the cord...ripping off the band-aid. Brave girl.
I appreciate Vandu's argument. We need her to be on board for convincing Amma-Appa later.
Glad Amma doesn't mind the "casual friendship" for the sake of the kids. She's gonna need to hold on to that mentality later. How will a conservative Iyer Mother react? Seriously. I can't imagine. And Appa wants nothing to do with them. Ugh. It's not looking good.
I appreciate the bit about his pain, I want more insight into that...but you know that. I won't demand it...you know I appreciate the mystery...but I'll take what I can get...even at the Iyer's dinner table. There's a pull towards her, he can't deny that...but, there's also something that makes him hold himself back. I think I have an idea as to what that is...let's wait and see.
"R&B Wants to Marry Ishita."...My air supply cut off too. It did. I promise. Pause and just dream about this with II and I for a moment. R&B proposing...asking for her hand in marriage. *sigh*
She's a tigress and he seems like a deer?!?! Joke of the century! If only she knew! If Only! ☺️
Part 80: So Many Everythings & Cat Lady
Vandu's natural - what do u mean you don't like him? He's an NRI with a PhD. Typical. That's how it is.
SO MANY EVERYTHINGS INDEED. I AGREE! 😭
Love the flashback snippets of the convos. Adds so much to depth and allows for reliving those moments. 😳
I am liking where this is headed with Vandu getting a hint as to what is going on. I can see the dominos beginning to tumble.
Cat women are happy. I've actually used this line...only, I'd have dogs, not cats. I don't like cats. I'm a dog person. 😆
Part 81: Then & Now
Ugh. Of course he's there...with her. Hand crafted II torture. Hand Crafted.
Loved this update. She learned things about him that made her realize she knows nothing about him. That was a painful realization even for me. I see now why M is not only needed, but very important to this tale.
The holding of the gaze...again, speaks volumes...and she let go of his gaze first...snapping herself out of it. It couldn't be more perfect, Nisha. Could not.
Part 82: Ensuring Life & Love
I appreciate the details about how the work isn't up to par with what she's used to, and how it affects her ego for lack of better term. I know how it feels to fall short at something when you've always been at the top of your game. It's not a good feeling. I relate to this girl. I see bits of myself in her. I love her.
"Do you want me to call him?". OUCH. OUCH OUCH. 🥺
Truth be told, I'm glad he didn't help her the way he helped the others. His one gesture, just that bit of support was more than enough - spoke volumes.
I need to watch Zindagi Gulzar Hai. I've heard such beautiful things about it. Now that I have all this free time, I'll look into it.
I like that II is trying to give Sree a fair chance (or at least telling herself that she is). She knows R&B is never going to work out, so she owes it to herself and to Sree to try to give it a fair chance.She does. Hard as it may be.
Vandu knows! Vandu KNOWS. Thank you. I am curious to see how she'll broach the topic with II now. Or will she? Or will II fall apart before she has the chance to ask?? 😳
Part 83: Of Knowing & Learning
I'm ready for Vandu to totally ship this Jodi. 😳
Why is Subbu at this meeting with R&B? I don't really care...just surprised to see him there, that's all. I like the added tadka. He'll help carry this story forward.
Again loved R&B's indifference. Could kill Subbu for making her seem incompetent.
My heart hurts for her. So much. So so much. 😭
***
There you have it, Love. That took longer than I expected (over an hour and half to be exact). I was further behind than I thought...so now I don't have time to go and read the subsequent updates (6 total - you're literally 20 pages ahead of me), so I'll have to come back later in the day (I'M DYING WITH THAT CLIFFHANGER WHERE HE STOPS TURNING AND LOOKS AT HER STUNNED. DYING.). By then I'll probably be 8 updates behing...but thats ok. I will appreciate being able to read them all back to back...and I promise to come back and comment again today on those.
LOVE YOU FOR WRITING THIS STORY. I am so very attached to it and the characters. I don't have the words to convey to you how much I love this story...I don't. Just trust me when I say I will come back to it time and again for many many years to come. I want a signed copy when it's published.
THANK YOU.
I'll be back in the evening. Pakka Promise.
Love,
P
Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin
