Mangal Kunj’
Sunday
Dec 23rd
10:00 ish
Dadi, Sunil, Akshay are all at the table, in full
show of family spirit, the baby creeped crawled and whined, scooted at jet
speed as he approached the table, the nanny stood on the side, he smiled at her
and nodded,…
Picked up the drooly lil guy, wearing a Pooh
onesie… fat… and pink…
“Ki” he said, mixing up the gender…
Shaan:Well… shes not here! (indifferent)
“Ki” the lil guy repeated… hugging and climbing
his chest……
Akshay: I am taking the tyke to a lil gym, Dad’s
going too… wanna join us man?
Shaan smiles surprised “ The guys?”
Sunil:Yes, the men!
The lil guy is chewing on the edge of the tee
around his neck…
HL brings his fave breakfast, bacon and eggs…
Dadi talks about some religious holiday and
insists he eat prashad first…
He lifts the lid off a bowl, sitting down…
Waves from the steaming hot halwa wafts to his
nostrils……. The dry fruits gleam on the surface…
Akshay:Khanak to hai nahi, why did you make so
much
Shaan chuckles at the taunt……..
Dadi: Shes your wife… quit razzing her!
Akshay: You know it Dadi, she would inhale that
bowl (confident)
Sunil: She loves her sweet (trying to keep a
straight face)
Dadi: Main usko kahoongi aaj, when she calls…
Shaan digs into a spoon of halwa… mindless… the
nanny grabs the baby and disappears quietly…….. as he continues cooing “ki”
Sunil: Usey hum yaad hain?
Dadi: main to hoon bhai… mainnu tuaddi koi fikar
nahi.. (smug) (I don’t care about you)
Shaan mutters “Amen!” softly agreeing on the “I
don’t care about you”,
Akshay: when is she due back?
Dadi is quiet…
Shaan serves himself bacon generously
Sunil:Plate to doosri le lo beta…
Shaan looks at his Dad and serves it on his
original plate…
Akshay: His wife would throw a fit…
Sunil: She is from a very pious, devout family……
Shaan texts, as he eats… unconcerned…
Dadi: She has such good values…
Sunil:Ziddi hai…
Akshay:I know someone like that! (grinning)
Shaan shoots a dagger at his brother…
Khushboo “They have 11-4” “Should I book the
whole thing? I can call, Mehak, and Sanvi and Sur”
Akshay is bored, wants to hang with his brother
“Khushboo, how about until Noon? Phir tum shopping chali jaana? Bacha Maria ke
paas chhodkar?”
Khushboo is tempted… “But this is Mommy &
Daddy time for Amogh”
Dadi and Sunil are talking about Madhavi’s
celebrity event next week…
Shaan is on the phone…
Drinking his second cup of coffee, waves for more
eggs…
Dadi’s phone rings…
Dadi:Hello, little girl…
Dadi smiles and listens…
Shaan is seated by her… the soft voice and the
interminable pauses tell him who it is…
Dadi: Tumhara pati to apna bacon and eggs enjoy
kar raha hai, tumhare liye halwa bana hai….
HL offers Shaan more halwa… he declines…
Dadi: Bhejoon? (smiling)
Dadi listens…
Dadi: Ofcourse tumhe miss kar rahe hain sab, abhi
Akshay tumhaar baat kar raha tha…
Khanak: You are too kind Dadi…
Dadi: He was saying you would empty the bowl…
Khanak laughs… “Bhayya is ruthless” but I love
the Pun… matlab halwa”
Dadi: Punjabi na? Tum bhi abhi Punjabi ho…
Khanak: Ummm.. jee!
Dadi: Amogh subah se Kaki ko bula raha hai… Shaan
ko who Kaki keh raha tha..
Shaan chuckles and shakes his head… hanging up on
his call… Sunil as if on cue answers one…
Dadi: Shaam ko korogi mujhe?
Khanak:Hmmm..
Dadi: BAAT karni padegi … yeh… hmmm ummmm nahi
chalega.
Khanak:Jee
Dadi:Baat karogi?
Shaan: I have a 10 O Clock at the Towers
Getting up…
Dadi is about to hand the phone to him…
Dadi:Dad to phone par hai beta… (strained)
Khanak knows her husband is around… they sense
each other, being miles apart doesn’t matter……
She closes her eyes and imagines his fresh,
showered look… hair combed back… debonair…
Shaan is finishing up his coffee…
Dadi: We miss you
Khanak:Only you do…
Akshay:Will you be able to pick him up at 4?
Shaan:Who?
Akshay:Pradyun?
Shaan’s expression changes…
Shaan:If no one can… then yes… maybe… I can send
Pradeep or my guy…
Dadi:Take care of yourself beta
Khanak:Jee Dadi, aap bhi
Dadi: Get home soon…
Khanak is quiet…
Dadi hangs up..
Akshay talks about some stock… Shaan’s tip had
caused Akshay to lose…
Shaan winks…
Akshay: 4 then?
Dadi: Pradyun ko lene kaun jar aha hai?
Shaan:I’ll send my driver…
Dadi Shaam ko ghar rehna beta, he will be home…
or take him with you…
Shaan doesn’t agree or disagree…
Dadi: Say yes or no! You danced until 4 this
morning… so you can stay home…
Shaan: Only if the company is good (Pradyun is
clearly not)
Akshay takes Sunil’s phone and starts talking,
Sunil holds the baby…….
Dadi: Your “company” is lonesome and pining in
Gujarat”
Shaan:I prefer Mumbai Dadi (clearly misunderstanding the reference)
Akshay: Yeh lo, do saal mein, the guy is looking
for ………..
Sunil:Shaan Gujral! (dismissive)
Shan: I will wait until other month then?
(smirking) (Before I start looking?)
Dadi: Find some one handsome for her also will
you? (enjoying herself)
Akshay: Arey Dadi, Pradyun aa raha hai na, usko
keh do… he is the same age as her, this guy’s an old geyser now… (brusting out
laughing)… Pradyun will be her Man Friday…
Dadi: Chalo theek hai…
If he said “Like hell!” no one heard… he walked
away purposefully…
wooooow love tbis family loool
ReplyDeletethanks for another wicked part, really want them to meet eachother. x
Awesome!!! From Dadi to Amogh everyone missing Khanak and reminding Shaan abt his wife..LOL:D Loved the whole breakfast table conversation..its so lively!!only Madhavi is missing..Askhay hit Shaan where it hurts unknowingly talking abt Pradyun as Khanak's man Friday!!! super coo1!!!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward and thanks for writing..:)
awww amogh is so cute i loved how he said ki and how shan said she is not home awesome :)))
ReplyDeleteyayyy pradyun aayega
like hell hmm agar itna hi hell hain shan toh why dont u talk with ur wife and tell her to come soon or go to ahmedabad and get her
budthal
waiting :)
The Gujral men ragging Khanak without her presence shows the significance of her in the family...I believe they admire her for the values and unpretentious nature... she brings certain calm to the prosperous family :)
ReplyDeleteShaan should learn from Amogh...at-least he mentions his ‘kaki’ :P
This guy totally becomes impassive...there is an understated beauty, he remembers her in his own way...doesn’t find the need to express it to his family...
Having said this...there is a slight point that I really find endearing, I don’t know if you do it by chance but even his family don’t address him as ‘Shantanu Gujral’... it is ‘Shaan Gujral’ unlike someone who does...her personal endearment.
You stated once it was her ‘private privilege’...but even while his father admonished him it was still ‘Shaan Gujral’...it might be silly...the subtle notions are fascinating for me...though it might sound irrelevant to others...
Yayyy!!
Prad is coming, just mention the guy and the man itself is in fury...jealous :D :D
Khanak kab ayaa gii?? Jaldi jaldi please... the first gaze or eyelock between the couple when she’ll return...the thrill, tenderness and tension...all in one. Sigh!
P.S. I’m loving your Shantanu more this season! Don’t know why...his unassuming actions are drool-worthy :P
Update Jaldi jaldi...Please :D
Loved your Analysis! :D
DeleteI agree Sonam! There's something so classy,endearing and unspoken..about the way..they spell each other's name! Her, Shantanu..and His 'Khanak'! There is so much of intensity and passion when they spell the names! Sighhh! Simply beautiful!
Shantanu! *Sighh! He've always successfully managed to make my heart pound..and leave me grinning and blushing! :P There's something unbelievably impressive..about everything he does! The way he speaks, walks! Ghoosshh..everything! And I repeat the line you had said last time, 'He certainly make other guys appear too dull'! :P Sigghhhh!
Thank you Shama :D
DeleteWell...Aditee weaves the magic :P
I like it how unpredictable it is...we assume something and another aspect crops up...keeps the reader intrigued. It's rare to have such ability...keeping it elegant and enigmatic!
Lovely update Aditee! :D
ReplyDeleteAmoghh! Awwiiee..! He's so adorable! His 'Ki' was utter cute! Atleast uske wajah se tho Shaan ko yaad aajaye! :P
Loved their easy family convo! Her absence, indeed..is felt by everyone in the family! She, though quite..and not very chirpy..has managed to secure an irreplaceable space in the family! :')
Her Ummm's and hmm..'s are very elegant always! And how it is always read and understood by 'someone'! *Sigh*
Praddd! Ahhh..FINALLY! :D
LOL! Does Akshay have ANY idea, about whats happening b/w? :P Lol!
Already banda itna pareshaan hain! Very bad timing! :P But I absolutely LOVED it! :D
Khanak kab aayegi?? Ady, bring her back jaldiii pleasee..! Now that Prad's here..its gonna be GREAT fun! :D
loved it aditee:D
ReplyDeletePradyun won't find a new man for her, instead he'll become one:p
i think now Shaan thinks its better that she's away, since pradyun is coming:p
im loving it too aditee, he misses her a lot, but still doesn't voice it..that's the magic of your tale!! Sigh!!
Waiting for next one, eagerly....
P.S.-Aditee, SOL ki choti si update karde, atleast hume pata toh chalein, ki shaadi hui ki nahi...
i think its more than a month...
ya i was about to ask u SOL bhi update kardo plzzz
Deletehahaha.. Prad is not even back and Akshay wants him to marry her.. hope Prad is safe now...
ReplyDeletelol, Prad is in trouble lol, Khanak will make an entry while Pradyun is there, that would be dramatic and so much fun to see Shantanu's reaction!
ReplyDeletesuperb updates!! i always love it when both of them think about each other in their absence like in the previous part!!and loved his smile at the end!! Aditee, Amogh is too cute and his "Ki" was very sweet!! also loved the way the Gujrals were talking about Khanak that too in front of Shaan!! waiting for Prad's entry, update soon!!
ReplyDelete