IshRa FF : Bas Ek Sanam Chahiye (Updated Chapter 13 & 14 page 60) - Page 13

Chapter 6

It had been a long, rough week for Ishita. After the wedding last weekend that went off successfully, she had immediately launched into a 50^th wedding anniversary. Mihika had offered to take it on completely to give her a break but the couple were the parents of old college senior of hers and she wanted to give them her full attention. With that now concluded, she had a couple of days break before tackling the next project. The Bhalla-Arora wedding which was sure to be a doozy based on her initial meeting with the couple.

Pulling into the parking lot, she headed upstairs to see her parents. She had recently moved in with Mihika across town and since then her Amma had been calling her daily to complain that their daughter had forgotten about them. She entered their apartment to her Vandu akka's chatter.

"Hi Akka...Jiju! When did you come?"
"Just now Ishu" her akka responded as she waddled over to give her a hug.
"Yes yes greet each other, don't worry about me. Both of you forgot about your poor Amma. I haven't seen either of you for weeks!"

Ishita headed over to pacify her mother "Sorry Amma, it's been so busy you know na? Plus I did call you and Appa over for dinner at our place last week and you refused."

"Your Appa refused! He didn't want to drive into the middle of the city. I said we could take a taxi but he rejected that idea as a waste of money."
"Where is Appa anyway."
"He has a building committee meeting. He should be back soon. Coffee Ishu?" Ishita nodded in the affirmative sending her mother off into the kitchen.

"So Jiju...how are the preparations for the baby coming along haan? Excited, nervous?"
"Don't ask Ishu, your Akka is driving me insane. We just painted the room yellow agreeing that it was a neutral color and would work for a boy or girl. But then suddenly she says yellow is a girl color so now we have to repaint it. I've just been praying every day that girl or boy, they should get your Iyer traits, rather than your Akka's." Bala escaped narrowly as his wife took a swing at him with a throw pillow.
"As long as the baby has some of your amazing characteristics, he or she will be a sweetheart."
"If only. I may not be very smart but I do know who has the more dominant genes in my marriage."

"You two stop ganging up on me. And please Bala, Ishu is the last person you want the baby to be like. You have no idea how annoying and naughty she was as a kid. Appa will tell you."
"Heyy, I was a model child, thank you very much. YOU have a bad memory."
"Yah yah keep telling yourself that. You didn't become a model child till after you were 10. Until then you ate all our brains alive. I remember the number of times Mrs. Gupta used to come by to complain about the noise your kids made outside her window. You know Bala, on the weekends she used gather the younger kids on the street and set up shop right outside our building like it was school. One day she'd be directing them in a play, another day it was cricket and the worst were the singing days. The constant threat of broken windows from cricket balls was at least better than the horrifying screeching of Bollywood songs that we had to suffer. All the uncles in the building would pick that exact time to go on their evening walks, no matter what time of day it was!"

After a good laugh, coffee was served and they caught up on other chatter. Names for the baby were discussed at length. Akka said they had narrowed it down to Shruti for a girl or Shravan for a boy. Ishita then told them about her latest projects.

"Raman Kumar Bhalla. Wow Ishu, that's a big deal, he is a very well- known businessman. It will be good for your company to get an entry into those circles."

"I know Jiju, that's why I was excited to get the call. He's actually a business associate of a college friend of mine who lives in London. Nai, a business associate of her husbands I mean. But what a khadoos he is, seems like a very unpleasant person to be around."

"I think I've seen his picture in the paper. Very good looking right?" Vandu said as Bala frowned at her.
"Oh have you? This was the first time I saw him and he is decent Akka, a bit slicked for my taste, but you can't get past the bad temper anyway. And his fianc is an interesting object. Very Beautiful but seems like she would be a handful. Just the kind of wife he WOULD end up with."

"Arrey Ishu, I've never seen you so hateful towards someone. Was he that bad?"
"Sorry Jiju, I know I shouldn't be talking like that about someone but he just rubbed me the wrong way I guess. I should stop, he is a client and you're right this could be good for my business. His Mom was very nice though, typical Punjabi mother. I'll be working with her mostly, thank god."

After Appa came back, the family sat down for dinner together, the Iyer parents happy to have their girls home together. Ishita updated them on Mihika's latest adventures. Bala told them about his parents moving houses back in Chennai and his brother Subbu getting yet another promotion. Amma looked meaningfully over at Ishita when Subbu's name came up. Ishu just rolled her eyes and ignored the not so hidden suggestion. Last year, Bala's mom had come to her parents with the marriage alliance. Everyone seemed keen on the match, including Subbu but Ishita had turned it down saying she wasn't ready and had to focus on her business.

She knew Subbu only somewhat. They had first met when they were younger and Akka and Jiju had been dating in college, then later at the wedding. After finishing his masters, he moved to Delhi for a job but they hadn't seen each other outside one or two family functions. He was a tall, good looking guy but Ishita didn't feel any attraction to him nor did she particularly like his personality. He seemed like a mamma's boy and Ishita wasn't particularly fond of Vandu Akkas mother in law.

One thing was certain, Subbu was no Bala Jiju, who had a wonderful sense of humor, charm and most of all an honest and open heart. No wonder her Akka fell for him. Ishita smiled fondly at the two of them as Bala spooned more food into Vandu's plate forcefully. Outside of her parents, they were the most perfect couple she knew and hoped that one day, she could be as lucky.

As Ishita drove back home, her thoughts again turned to the work on the next project. She would have to put together a plan and program before setting up the next appointment with Mrs. Bhalla for location scouting. She thanked her Murugan again for not having to work with the couple too much.

Raman Bhalla. He was definitely a personality. That gelled hair, the sharp jawline with light stubble and that perfectly cut suit. She could see how he must have become so successful. There was an intensity to him that you could imagine people being drawn to. Of course there was also the rudeness and arrogance but I suppose you need those too, to get where he was. He had apologized but something in his manner had prevented Ishita from forgiving him completely. Arrogance was a high crime in her mind, especially using that arrogance to unload anger on those below you as he was seemingly doing over the phone. It had annoyed her enough to result in her own outburst of anger after their collision. This was unusual for her. In fact her parents always chided her for suppressing her anger. Ishita preferred dealing with everything with a smile and positive attitude; it was a key reason for her success in event planning.

Her mind went back to the moment at the end, when they shook hands. There was something in his eyes then, something behind the CEO exterior that she thought she glimpsed. And his touch, soft and gentle, so contrary to his person, had stayed with her long after. Ishita shook herself out of these thoughts as she arrived home. Perhaps he was more than he appeared but what did it matter to her. She probably wouldn't see him again till the wedding neared. And thank god for that, there was no place in her life for a stormy man such as Raman Kumar Bhalla.