Tadka & Truth
He stood in the balcony, texting "Home now"
Sam called him immediately
"How did u get home?"
"she picked me up"
"SHE CAME TO THE AIRPORT?"
"Its 7 miles from her office" he chuckled
"SHE CAME? WOWW!!! She is cho chweet" Can I talk to her?"
"Shes taking a nap" he said carelessly
Sam clamped her hand on her mouth... OMG! THEY DID IT THEY DID IT?
"Its only 9:30" she argued lamely
"I told her, she said she went to bed late last nite" he said
"Be nice to her R&B" Sam said softly
"WHY do u keep going back to that?" he asked
"Because you are complicated, she is not and she has no clue what she is getting herself into" Sam vented
"And?"
"She just follows you like you are Pied Piper" Sam worried
"and?"
"Her family is suspicious of you, she thinks of the world of you... please be nice to her" Sam said
"OK I did not ask her to do my laundry, or clean my room or cook meal a meal" he said sarcastically
"Not funny you jerk"
"Not sure what else u have in mind" R&B said dryly
"Did u ssay something nice yesterday?"
"Why?" he asked
"TUJHE YAAD BHI NAHI? It was Valentine's... I cannot believe women throw themselves at you,
you are most selfish self absorbed megalomaniac I have ever known" Sam said emotionally
"You forgot arrogant" he offered
"YET she came to pick you up?" Sam asked indulgently "She is too good for you, you screw up... I am going to be on her side" she warned
"Really? I couldnt tell" he mocked
"Please yaar, she is simple and innocent... so mild mannered" Sam said
He chuckled "Yep!" he shook his head
Wandering inside, watching her asleep on the day bed in the sun room, face down like him...
he let her hair down opening her braid... her camisoles and lavender chiffon blouse lay on the floor, he had flung her pants across the room,
he saw a lavender lace strap on her left shoulder
Her ring sparkled in the dark room catching the moonlight...
"If u were mean to her, she would probably take it lying down... unlike Manny or I" she said
"I bet" he said softly as she stirred... he left the room...
Pause
"Do u want to know about Dad"
"You can tell me" he said softly
"He went to Patna and Ranchi... Tan said the lawyers dug up on the article, it said "News Source",
turns out it was just some loser that lives next door to her or something same neighborhood or something that happens to know her a bit that decided to milk it
Apparently Dainik Sansar paid him Rs. 10,000 for this dirt. Looks like the woman has no plans as of now to press charges"
He was quiet, just poured himself a drink and lifted the lids from the bowls...
there was dal tadka, his favorite chicken makhani, stuffed baby baingan/eggplant and steaming hot rotis, with rice and raita
He served himseld some and began to eat, his beer was tepid now, he got another one from the frig on his floor
"First meal after getting home was ALWAYS traditional and simple" Ma's rules
SHE WOULD COOK IT for him... and sit by him occasionally spooning food into his mouth as he played video games, during under grad...
He sat on the couch and began to eat
Just drank from the bottle
She heard like cap fall off...
"Are u there?"
"Hmmm"
"So looks like it was a false alarm" she said
"U need to relax Sam" he said softly
She started to cry
"THATS THE NICEST THING YOUVE SAID TO ME IN MONTHS ON THIS ISSUE" Sam said vigorously
"Do I hear Lasya?" he withdrew quickly
"Hmm, meri god mein hai"
(I am holding her)..
"She holds the key Sam, if it will get better or worse from this point on, only she knows" R&B said logically
"Think about Dad, can u imagine what he must be going through?" Sam cried softly
"Cant be worse than being aroused and in bed with her when Ma was in London" he said plainly as if he spoke about some newpaper article
Sam shut her eyes reliving Ma's shock
They both were silent
"whats for dinner?" she asked
"Baingan, dal and roti" he said
"WHAT? NO ANIMALS?" she giggled
"I listed the ones she would eat" he said
"Oh" "what are u having
"Chicken makhani and roti" he said
"Sun, please will u try?"
"what?"
"Why cant u become a vegetarian? She will be so happy with you"
"Or she could start eating meat" he said amused
"U cant give up meat can u?"
"Can u?" he asked
"I AM MARRIED TO A CARNIVORE U jerk, he is just like you" Sam wailed
"Well II's going to be as well" he said carelessly shrugging
"I want to go buy her her trousseau, will you ask her to call me?" she asked fondly
"Or u cud text her" he said
"U TELL HER, U GO WITH US, SHE CAN MODEL FOR YOU" Sam tempted him
"OR I can order lingerie from a catlog and have her model THOSE for me" he said blandly
"HOW CHEAP... AND DISGUSTING" "POOR IYER GIRL" Sam said protectively
"Go with her" (I DONT WANT TO?" R&B said, checking email with his left hand on his ipad
"I am going to tell her exactly what you just told me, let me see how you get yourself out of that shit" Sam said smugly
"I can add more... I could put it on her and"
"SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP... SICKO... SHUT UP. Poor Ishita" Sam shrieked
He smiled and hung up wanting to eat the delicious food
~~~~
She stirred, he read some reports from the Nanotech proposal... with a book light, laying by her...
She turned to her back, and looked out the window... disoriented at first, sitting up startled in shock
"What time is it?" she asked
"11:02" he said
"OMG! I told... Akka I would be home at 8:45" she said
"where are your parents?" he asked not looking up from the yellow folder
She dragged her blanket up and leaned on him
"I am staying at Akka's"
"Why?"
"Umm... I ... because I havent been to her house in a while"
"U went on your Bday" he offered
"Why cant I stay over? whenever I want to, I stay over every week one or two days" II lied glibly
"More now?" he asked silkily
"Whattt?' she said more alert but voice still sleep drugged
Sh emessed with his book light putting her rock in front of it as it threw rainbow colors all over the page
He pushed her finger once
She did it again... he pushed it again, turned a page
She shut the light with her palm turning her palm blue... and glowing
He shut the folder setting it on the side table
Pushing her over and climbing over, making sure the blanket was on him and he could feel her fully
"I go to Akka's a lot, when I PMS I will be gone for a week" "U can read those dumb reports all night long... Swedish, Swiss" she said cupping his face, giving him a finger kangi
He nuzzled
"Your parents don't know when u come see me do they?" he said as her body stiffened...
Anupamaa
