Part 42

Mangal Kunj

Dec 28^th 2011

Saturday…

Noonish

Unnoticed… except for Dadi on certain occasions........... a certain fluid intimacy was developing between the two.

Dadi: Hari ko khaana lane, aur tickets book karne mein ek ghanta lagega, Prad and Ray, do you plan to go to the movies in your night clothes?

Prad:They don’t look too bad Dadeee..

Shaan smirks but doesn’t utter a word…

D:Bhabhee ko dekho who din mein 4 baar nahati hain…

“Not by choice” goes through her mind…

R: How about we go to the spa tonite, I want the new “hauldi” treatment

K:Haldi?

R:That’s what it said (giggling)

D:Tum kya khaoogey?

S:What do we have?

D:HL made sandwiches for Khanak…

S:What kind?

D:Ham and cheese..

S looks up startled…

D: achha hai, biwi ki tarah tum bhi khoney lage ho (grinning)

S:I’ll take it, if its ham and cheese..

D: Funny!

K is letting the baby walk baby steps holding her hands… she kneels helping him do it..

He gently makes room between the couch and the coffee table… pushes the coffee table away with his long dangling legs…

And then places his legs back on the coffee table… with his sandals on…

K:Tchh!

D receives a call, just when her grandson does… Prad and Ray are playing “words with friends” on their ipads…

S has a “do you want me to take off my sandals” look

K steers the baby away from his legs, but the baby angles towards it… hugs his chachu’s calf and drools..

K:Tchh.. what are you doing?

S is on the phone… sounds like Nachiket to her, he is cracking some inappropriate jokes

Ray: Bhayya has a sense of humor

Prad:Occasionaly…

K: Any cute ones in college

P:Nope they are all out (cheesy)

K: Delhi girls are so good looking…

Grabs Amogh just as he goes to slips, her husband reaches and they both hold the lil guy…

P:Really? (I don’t care)

S:The guy’s gay! (into the phone)

Khanak thinks its mean of Shantanu to rib his cousin like that, but nevertheless finds it amusing

P:That’s downright foul! (sulking)

Ray giggles uncontrollably…

K brings a baby wipe to get the soaked leg…

He almost smiles inviting her to wipe it off

She wipes the baby’s chin… and puts it away…

Prad and Ray fight over points….

K: I am going to show you my roses….

D: (putting her call on hold) Do you want to take a nap beta? Hand him to me…

K hugs him… “Nahi!”

Walks up the stairs, unaware her husband is looking

Takes him to the balcony…. Shows off her toses, sits on the swing with him… Maria walks in… “Isko khaana khilane ka hai”

K:Main khilaoon?

Maria hesitates “Dadi keh rahi hain aap rest karo”

K’s heart disagrees but her body begs her to… she hands the baby.. and leans back, drags the soft throw and curls up……….

20 mins into her nap, she wakes up startled… the music he was playing had stopped… she looks around confused…

Her husband is staring at her from the doorway…… still ON THE PHONE…

She turns away… sulking……..

She sneaks another 30 minute nap…….. laying down completely………

Dreams about Niyojan Nagar, Aada doing yoga on the terrace, Bai drying peppers… Dadi mixing spices for pickles……… Ritu jumping on her bed…. Trying to catch a glimpse of a car passing by on the street below

“I call dibs  the guy is wearing nerdy glasses” giggles K.

“Not this one” says the husband…

She wakes up in shock… her eyes crinkle…

She goes to say “Aap” but stops…

He watches her stretch like a cat………. Her midriff shows between the grey lounge pants and the spaghetti blouse…….

She lays down face down….. buries her head in the pillow……

Looks up slyly finds him looking at her… “I am tired” she argues…

He just stares… uninhibited…….

His phone rings… she groans, as if she wanted him not to stop…….

He takes the call……

She gets off the swing, holds the rail to steady herself……..

Her face is flushed red……..

She walks inside……..

He is rummaging through his closet as she walks by “Where the hell is my navy UMASS cap” he swears colorfully

She grins secretly seeing him annoyed…

She leisurely washes up, goes to her closet changes into yet another pair of blue  jeans and a orange Lacoste skinny tee…….

He is still looking, she walks over to the wall lined with chest of drawers, opens the second one and brings out his UMASS cap…

Lays it on his pillow and leaves, he walks out in frustration to find it on his pillow…

Part 41

Mangal Kunj

Dec 28^th

Saturday

Noonish

dADI: Who is planning on going to the movie, who will be here for lunch?

Ray:Me!! Me!! Me!! Movie… I mean (giggle)

Dadi looks at Pradyun “Depends on whos going Au…I mean Dadi”

Dadi smacks him…

Prad:She packs quite a punch (to Khanak)

K:I don’t mess with her…

D:Aur TUM, nahayi kyon?

K is speechless… “Umm”

R:Theres paint all over her room Dadi, I think she rolled in it…

Dadi clears her throat…

K:I am going Dadi…

P:Me 2

K: We are going to a chick flick

P: So?

D hollers for HL

Madz and Nandu Maasi are leaving, Sunil and Akshay Bhayya plan to go to work…

K:Dadi do you want to go too?

D:Kedi movie?

K looks confused…

R:That’s Punjabi for which one…

K:Oh!

K:Don TWOOOOOOOO

Dadi: Nahi beta!

K:Please Dadi…

They hear music being played upstairs in Shaan’s room…

D:Usko poocha tumne?

K pretends to look at the movie page on the newspaper…

R:Bhayya is taking pics…

D:Where? (confused)

R:In the room…. (giggles)

HL appears

D:In logon ke liye kuch banao ya lekar aao… Khanak thand mein barf ho rahi hai, AC kam karo…

HL smiles…

D:Suno beta, lekar aa jao, Towers se, Asian?

Ray squeals…

K makes a face

P is somber

D:Teeno ke teen nakhre…

Shantanu Gujral leaves the music on and walks downstairs…. Casually… his eyes lock with his wife’s… at the dining table, as he descends the steps….

He has his camera with him…

D:Should I ask him to get tickets too?

R shrugs

D taps K gently “Earth calling! Earth calling!”

P uses the opportunity “Pradyun is the despot, Pradyun is the despot” whispers in her ear

K giggles “More reason not to return then…

D:Khanakkk!

K:Jee?

D:Inox at Nariman Point?

K:Hmmm…

P:Can I drive again…. Pleeeeeeeez

K’s face pales…

Shaan’s ears cock up…

D is talking to HL…

Ray is on the ipad…

Maria brings Amogh, changed now… into some designer baby wear…

Amogh leaps into her arms…

Her husband seats himself right across from her… texting now…

D:Shaan, Tum jaaoge kya?

S:Where?

P:No Dadeeee… he  was a je I mean… (rubbing his stubbly head)

Dadi looks at Pradyun shocked…

S waits for the word to be uttered so he can receive Dadi’s wrath

D:You two are worse than when u were teenagers…

P sulks

She is defensive but looks back at him like “Why do you care”

P: As long as I get to drive, I will go anywhere… (looks at Khanak)

Ray: Bhabhee lets send him to the Andamans…

K nods biting her lower lip

D:Was Pradeep downstairs when you came from the airport?

S is startled first… furious next…

P:I think so… (“I have no clue where the drivers hang out” look on his face)

S:HE drove? (incredulous)

D:Tum to the nahi, Akshay and Dad were meeting the auditor in the study upstairs… Pradeep lauta nahi tha Madhavi ke friend ke appointment se…… (casual, preoccupied)

K focuses completely on the baby… showing him how to count….

D:Oh! Anyway… they are all going to watch Don 2…

S looks at his wife like “Really? THIS one”

P: I know..  I know… we will hear something about how his highness hates Hindeeee movies…

D laughs…

S:Sure! (looking straight into his wife’s eyes) but.. I will drive.

Pradyun is visibly disappointed, Ray jumps up and hugs him, S has a “Lets play this game your way then” look on his face as he connects with his wife

Part 40

Dec 28^th

K:What did you do? (croaked)

He stood there unfazed….

She grabbed a rag she had on the side, the paint was making its way to her jeans…..

She heard footsteps… uttering a “OMG!” she looked up at him in panic…

“The door is closed he supplied unfazed…

Still not helping her…. Furious, she would come back but yet not speak a word, she was blistering too…. He had rejected her advances TWICE, and had been sulking for weeks….

Her hands are soaked, now…. She gets up hurriedly… sprints to the bathroom, leaving a red paint trail…

Shuts, bolts the door, showers, rinses off as much paint as she can…. Wears her toweling robe, steps out, changes into grey lounge pants with a silvery pattern, and a spaghetti blouse in grey…, it has a another blouse with sleeves intended to be worn on top… she forces her wet arms into it… ties her dripping wet hair… wears more kohl…

he is messing with his camera equipment by the balcony, trying to capture “that one shot” of sun’s ray’s hitting her roses….

The mess by the balcony is still intact….

She jumps over her paint trail, he turns around and checks her out thoroughly… a draft of cool breeze sends chills down her spine… her hair soaks her blouses…

She acts like he doesn’t exist.. there is a knock on the door….

He doesn’t turn, expects her to get it….

She doesn’t, walks back into her closet… still furious….

Ray: Bhabheee… WHERE were you?

K: In the shower….

Ray:I asked Bhayya, he said he didn’t know… he is smart arsed… (whispers giggling)

K:THAT he is…

R: Lets go downstairs, pleeez

K:Sure!

K is not unpacking, she wont until he admits he was nasty…

She didn’t have any place else to go, but yet….

R:Are you unpacking?

K:No! (firm)

She sees her husband appear with his camera, aims it at Ray, she pretties herself for the pic…

R:Bhayya: How about this one…

He grins…

K attemps to leave, he doesn’t budge from the doorway… just shoots his cousin in various poses….

R:One with Bhabheee

He looks at her

K: Not really! (bluntly)

R:Pleeeez

K Mmmm…mmm

K almost shoves him out of the way…. Her wet hair dampens his tee in the process…

R: There is paint everywhere! (shocked, paying attention now)

K: Your Bhayya caused it…

R:Bhabhi… can we go watch a movie….

S: Hey Ray, where is that lens Mum said she bought?

R looks confused… “Don’t know, bro” (giggles)

K wants to leave, but knows, he might be gone, he wishes she wont take up R’s idea for the movie…

K: Movie sounds great…

R:You are the best!

Hugs her

K: Only YOU realize that (giggling conspiratorily)

S mutters “Of course!”

The women leave him and walk away… as he shoots their departing form… capturing droplets of water draining from his wife’s locks…

Part 39

Part 39

Mangal Kunj

Nandini: Pradyun, where is your manners? Take her bag beta…

Pradyun:Sorry Mum! I mean oops Kanak..

Khanak arches an eyebrow…

P:I need to nick name you, or you need to teach me how to say it right.

K  smiles indulgently…

Ray: Bhabheee, I am here for two whole weeks. I plan to stalk you every moment.

Khanak giggles “And I… YOU”

They hug…

Dadi:You look tired beta (softly)

Khanak:Main theek hoon! (eager)

Dadi:Aada ne kaha tumne kisi din bhi apna lunch khaali nahi kiya? Kyon?

K looks down, guiltily… “I was at my desk all day”

D:Did you work from home?

K:Mmmm..mmm

D:Then where? (shocked)

K:Kaka’s friend’s browsing center…

D:Ohhh! (shocked)

K:Dadi please don’t tell…. S..D ad … please?

D nods… worried…

Rayna is pulling her arm stretching it…

Nandini:Let her rest, eat, rest…

Ray:Not now Mum!

Nandini:Madz chalen milne tumhare up and coming designer se?

Madz nods as she textx

K:Where?

Nandu:Tum bhi chalogi?

K:Not now, Maasi… I want to play with the baby

Ray:Thanks Bhabhee

K:I meant Amogh!

Pradyun: That’s what I thought! (Pulls his sister’s pony tail… hard)

Maria hands her the baby, he clings adoringly, cooing “Ki”

She hugs and inhales his shoulder…

K:Oh! I didn’t wash my hands…

Runs to Dadi’s room, freshens up, and grabs the baby again…

Sunil:Kuch kha lo beta…

HL appears, grinning ear to ear.

K:Aapke liye Bai ne chiwda bheja hai (smiling)

HL thanks her secretly

Pradyun: What plans?

K sits down “Baby, Ray, Baby” Ray smothers her and the baby…

Prad: Prad, Prad Prad is how it should be

K: How is school

P: In shambles (serious)

K (shocked) why?

Ray:Ask ME, Bhabheee, pleeeeez

K rubs her head gently… the baby is chewing on her birthday Tiffany rose…

Ray: Bhabhee I am quite the Mozart (she plays in the air)

K:Really?

Dadi:Let her eat please?

K:I am not hungry

D:What did you eat ?

K:Nothing… (blurting)

D: Great!

HL spreads, brunch like snack…. She sees truffles, she grabs two and goes to feed herself both..

D: There! (winks)

K:Just candy Dadi…

Ray:Bhabheee

Pradyun:We should go watch a Hindee flick

K:I vote for Gujarati (winks)

Sunil:Tum aa gayi warna main aa jaata lene tumhe

She smiles sheepishly

Madz gives her a polite hug “Oooh! I love the fragrance, what is it?”

Khanak: Ummm… I think…Clive.?

Madz:Its got to be that! (Smug)

The baby is chewing on her collar…

K:I brought you an artist’s apron…

HL has taken her stuff to his room

K:Ray lets do an art project with him?

R: Use him as a brush? (goofy)

K is appalled… “Ray!”

R:Then how…??

K:Chalo…

P: I will be waiting…

K: Thank you (smiles)

Dadi drags her back feeds her some veggie bite size sandwiches and a choc milk shake…

The house is full… loud, noisy…

K makes her way up… unpacks, puts the artist apron on the lil guy, it’s a pooh bear print…

She goes to her art room, brings out the Crayola washable colors

Ray is chatering and squealing, waves for Prad to bring the camera, he does…

Khanak spreads a huge sheet of paper…. On the sparkling marble floor of her room…….. pours out colors in various bowls, dips his fingers and makes a pattern on a sheet of fine art paper, stamps his palm, his feet… he coos and gurgles

R:Bhabheee you are a genius!

K:I know! (giggling)

Her hair has come undone… from the claw…

She uses some eyes, feathers and things she bought at a craft shop.. and makes a bunch of owls sitting on a tree limb using his hand print…. His foot prints become penguins….

Ray runs downstairs with it…

Maria grabs the baby when he begins to suck on his colors…

Pradyun takes his pictures and follows him out…

She is bent down, using her fingers and making shapes, flowers, park benches… butterflies… her hair ends smeared with color… she grins and uses a bunch as a brush….She hears footsteps…

Thinking it must be Ray, she doesn’t look up…

Until she sees Velcro sandals and cargo shorts… her heart lurches and splatters on the wet paint….

“I call for a ceasefire!” she says her voice trembling… grim… tragic……….despite being startled out of her wits……….. not wanting to fight when everyone was happy, and the house was full

He slowly bends down, picks up a bowl of red paint… and drains it down her tee… it makes its way down her plunging neckline........”There cant be ceasefire without bloodshed!” he declares succinctly

The warm paint drips down, she clutches the opening with her hand... not allowing him the view...…. As she gasps for breath. Her mind working overtime trying to strategize a battle move while panicking what happens when the door gets opened…he stares at the red coating her lingerie… ever so slowly…