Insomnia Relay
She paced her room after she changed into night clothes a tye and dye kaftan, she was bruised and wanted something cool and airy
Appa paused by the half door that was shut, "Dinner nanna irunduda?" (did u enjoy dinner?)
She smiled startled "Yes Pa, she had made your favorite karhi, and jeere waale aloo and baingan bharta" II smiled happily
"Nice nice ummm..." he almost wanted to say "kanna" it seemed like but stopped...
"Good night Pa" she said as he walked away with veshti folded mid way over his knees
He returned "Do u want to sleep by Amma?" he asked
She felt her chest tighten, a strange ache envelop her
"Innikka?" like a fool she asked "tonite?"
"Dino, until" he stopped HE WAS JUST UNABLE TO ACK OR ADMIT OR ALLOW THE FACT THAT SHE WAS GOING TO BE GONE
R&B WAITED FOR HER.
She smiled big and wide, if things were OK or if it was the night she had returned from Atlanta or if it was summer from IIM she would have jumped up got out and hugged him
"Appa Appa appa appa appa I LOVE YOU SO MUCH PA" and shook him and pulled his cheek
He would be startled and he would stumble but would smile
Amma would have a face palm moment passing by
II would go tell periappa even "I am sleeping by Amma tonite, if you need me just call out loud seriya/ok?"
She immediately picked up her phone and walked out
Amma was already in bed
She joined her there
Appa lay in II's bed staring at the ceiling
The first of family, his not so well to do sister and her kids were coming over Tuesday followed by the Tanjore brother and then the other wealthy sister was arriving Thursday
He had heard a ear full from everyone except Janaki, Jaya and Mani had all sorts of questions... and sneering and sniggering all under the cloak of "Youngsters looking for happiness"
He felt his heart strings tug when he saw his daughter but R&B's face appeared in his vision he didnt feel a thing for Ishita
"Rich boy that pretends to have values" "Brainwashing my innocent kind daughter to get his way"
"Punjabi boy's first Iyer conquest"
It made him angry to even imagine his daughter be the wife of such a man... he was not a "good Iyer boy"
He had mischief written all over him... "What CMU? he looks like a movie star and acts like a mute" "Ishita has truly lost her mind"
"Krishna" he invoked the Lord "Why must my daughter be subject to such experience in life? What punishment is this?" "she has not harmed a fly"
"She only loves and cares" "Why did you bring a charming but clever boy such as R&B in into her life?"
"Pretty things must be evil" shastras say that "they are pretty for a reason they have to attract attention, my innocent daughter has been trapped"
Appa demanded answers from Krishna
He turned and started at her bag and purse on the divan her pictures on the digital frame... her suit cases, all three new ones were packed, he brought the keys off the wall nail and opened the Godrej it was almost empty
His tears flowed "What was the hurry to pack so early, Malcha Marg is right here, I mean is she impatient to leave me and Madhu and go away?" Appa demanded childishly
"How can he be so attractive to her?"
"Bala is effervescent and talkative and open and cheerful even Vandu wasnt so carried away, this boy is brooding and quiet and inscrutable and Ishita is so desperate?"
He claims he was not married before, but having affairs
like rich boys who knows what emotional damage has been caused in him... young boy less than 30 has so many affairs?"
Ayyo then Ranjan... Appa wearily went back to bed and lay awake... checked his phone for list of things to do in the weekend, invite people in the D II area, talk to Sastrigal (pandits)
Talk to the florist guy about garlands... Sam had called today about blending Punjabi rituals, the bangles and henna and a pooja at home he had to ask Madhu to return her call
Barely a week and so much to do
Starting March 9th she will come here as a guest and leave as a stranger... he will have all her attention and care. he doesnt deserve my golden girl, he closed his eyes and sleep took over
~~~~~~~
II woke startled from the first sleep session... panicked and checked her phone, it was past midnite...got off the bed and paced the floor,
Amma was fast asleep, she went to the bathroom and dialled Ranjan's number " Dad have you eaten?" she asked worried
"Yes betaji" he said shocked unable to understand what was going on
"OH GOOD!" II smiled finally after an hour on the topic "Did I wake u up, I am sorry I was supposed to call but slept unknowingly"
"No no, I ate 20 minutes ago, like I said now I can sleep all I want but am just unable to I sleep for two or three hours mostly...(he sighed audibly)
I ate khichri, dahi, achaar, pudina chutney" "When u come here we should do khichri night" Ranjan laughed
"That would be nice. R&B khaate hain khichri?"
"Nahi WOH NAHI KHAATE" Ranjan teased her sudden respect for the dude
"I dont usually" she became defensive immediately
"Koi baat nahi beta it sounds good Sam addressed Tan like that your Mom would be very proud to hear you talk like that"Ranjan displayed his conservative upbringing
II squirmed embarrassed AYYYO II STICK TO ENGLISH
THE MOMENT HE HANGS UP HE WILL CALL SAM AND SAM WILL TELL THE DUDE AND THE NEXT TIME HE IS GOING TO SHRED YOU...
AYYOO
"What is his favorite food?" II asked
DOES HE HAVE A RASAM AND ALOO CURRY TYPE FAVE?
"Ummm... umm... beta... ummm he mainly eats non veg, teekha murgh, kadhai chicken, Rogan Josh, Dhaabe ka keema, Bhindiwaala Lamb" Ranjan sounded apologetic
"Oh" II said
"He likes bhindi a lot, baingan bharta" Ranjan said as an afterthought
"Oh" tried to cheer up
There was no similarity, no rasam and aloo curry or vethakozhambu (dal-less sambar) no avial, they were as different as night and day
Her stomach churned, she leaned on the wash basin...
"U should go to sleep now, ek hafte mein aapki shaadi hai betaji (u are getting married in a week) he said cheerfully
"OK Good night" II said softly
"Did R&B say something? Why were u crying?" he enquired
"Oh no... he didnt, no he didnt, he doesnt make me cry" she said just the very thought of him making her woozy and light headed
"Agar aapko rulaye u must come to me IMMEDIATELY" he said ferociously
"I will" she nodded child like
"I will take care of punishing him" R&B promised
"Long and hard punsihment Dad" II giggled
"Yes yes betaji" he promised
II hung up and stood leaning on the washbasin staring at the blue red and green buckets,
her bathroom was pink purple and orange, she was possessive about her buckets if Selvi mixed up the order she would hear a earful, if Amma didnt detect and switch before II's return
The bathroom was tiny and functional and smelled like Appa's Cinthol and Amma's Mysore Sandal
Amma's big round bindis lined the mirror like a border, she only were crimson, no other other no other shape
She recorded every detail in memory... like she was being sent on a one way mission to Mars
Amma's towel had red border Appa's had black or navy border both South Indian, she smelled it and her tears flowed
She cried until 1, and returned to bed...
"Pretend I have tattoos he said Pretend I kissed them she had spat back... she blushed smiling
He had tasted like he smelled... manly and arousing, she felt him on her lips when she shut her eyes, she heard his groan vividly as he buckled on her
in unbridled passion, her innocence sending him over the edge, she had looked at him tentatively "Is this what u meant?" like asking a craft teacher
"U have to be kidding me U DONT KNOW ANYTHING DO YOU?" his stunned stare told her
Her tongue tip bruised and sore... from its journey on his torso check and chin,
she was totally OK going up with him tonight to his room and not returning until morning
She wanted to, she wanted him by her side in bed, she ached for his hard firm bruising crush... she had not known SUCH agony before
A helpless sob escaped her lips as she lay there aching to be loved. "I will go back to Malcha Marg for the night I cant stay away from him at night this will kill me
I can check on Amma Appa anD periappa all I want during the day, nights? I am HIS"
"Will we make love every night?" she texted as if she wanted to know the answer to that question right now, she wanted to hear what she felt like right now
"Yes, yes we will" he texted immediately
She quivered audibly and texted "Good"
"Thank you" she texted
He sent back a half smile.
"If I say I want to stay over at Appa's will you take me home anyway?" she asked
"Yep!" he said
She gasped and moaned though it was exactly what she wanted to hear
"I want you right now" she texted as she shook physically
"Likewise" he said
She crushed those words under her knocking the breath out of her phone, shutting her eyes imagining him doing the most erotic things possible, and shut her eyes...
~~~~~~~~
Amma woke at 2 AM ish unable to sleep... she tossed and turned... sat up in bed finally staring at her sleeping daughter
Peacful and smiling... the night light made her look prettier... her skin glowing... she bent down to smooth her hair around her face,
the loose locks gently shook with each breath
Noticed bruises around her ear and chin, she immediately withdrew her hand
She wondered if R&B went to Bally's... she wanted to talk with Vandu.. this boy was not like Bala "I must ask Vandu to "talk" with Ishita"
"Sisters are best friends they should share, Vandu should reassure her that she can share freely with her"
The relatives were arriving soon, she has to arrange food to be sent to both apartments when it fills up, some people were going to Haridwar and Agra and Mathura etc
She has to talk with Bala to make sure he doesnt spend his own money on everything, Ishita was picking up Janaki Athai's tab fully, tickets, everything
Everyone elese was wealthy Bala shouldnt be paying for them... she had heard sniggers on the phone but not much.
Vandu said Sam wanted a chooda ceremony at the wedding hall the day before the wedding since Iyer wedding was in the morning, on Saturday they wanted to do the Punjabi ceremony of sargi and chunri and chooda
Amma smiled imagining II's hands filled with them, she would see young girls on buses and in markets wearing those she would wonder when her daughter would be married
more after Subbu dumped her heartlessly.
A fusion wedding, she had read so much these days about such weddings, on her side there were three and Appa's side there were two weddings Iyer Iyengar ; Iyer Telugu;
No Iyer Punjabi though
"These days girls are so modern they dont listen to their parents"
"Did she not tell u anything? do u not keep an eye on her? How can a boy she works with come inside ur house and propose like that? Has she gone on trips with him?
"Did they work together? Dont they know how traditional Iyers are?" "wont she sing any more? "Will begin to eat meat?" "Their kids will not grow up Iyer, are u OK with that Madhu?"
Amma got a million questions...
In a week she will be gone... and will only visit when they invite her, he wont even bring her over like Bala does voluntarily.
He is a Punjabi but he must like Ishita A LOT" Amma concluded with pride
~~~~~~
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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