Part 74

Mangal Kunj

Malabar Hill

Jan 7^th 2012

Saturday

Noonish

Khanak spoke in rapid fire Gujarati, nodding and smiling, as she sorted veggies in the kitchen, her Aada and Fa were talking with Dadi and Madz. Sonali was in the shower.

Madz checked her cellphone frequently, displaying obvious worry.

Maria Khushboo and Amogh were preparing to leave for someplace

Khushboo entered the kitchen

Khush: Hey Khanak, do you know where Dadi puts the almond butter?

Khanak looks confused, “There is a frig in the annexxe Bhabhi, maybe?”

Khush:Tchhh… what are you doing

Khanak:Lunch! Oondhiyo (laughing)

Khushboo: Do you need SO many veggies?

Khanak:Haan! (surprised)

Khushboo:You ought to teach me to cook

Khanak:Kabhi bhi! (shy)

Khanak’s phone rings again “Bai I will call you back”

Khushboo:Oh! Your Mom must worry

Khanak:Hamesha!

Khushboo:Shaan’s right! You do speak just one word… it makes up for a whole page.

Khanak smiles

Khushboo:How long is your Dad here?

Khanak: 3 din shaayad.

Khushboo:Really that’s very lil

Khanak:Haan kal Kaka ke ghar…

Khushboo:Really? Dadi is OK with that

Khanak: She doesn’t know! (softly)

Khushboo:Aur tumhara miya kaha hai?

Khanak: Don’t know… (quiet)

Khushboo:If Akshay had returned from Taiwan, there was no way I would let him vanish like that

Khanak:Bhayya jaate bhi kitna hain, all the time

Khushboo:Your husband is NEVER home

Khanak is quiet

Khushboo:No wonder Dadi is unable to see any babies from you guys!

Khanak is a lil aghast at Bhabhi getting so personal

She just chops away

Bhabhi finds her almond butter and leaves “Save some o that for me will you”

Khanak:Jee!

Aada enters the kitchen hesitantly

Khanak hugs him, HL and his helper grin and nod…

The kitchen counter’s are choc a bloc with stuff, its massive and gleaming

A(in Gujju)You should just make daal chawal for us beta

K:Why? (stops)

A:I mean… so much…

Spreads his hands… in awe

A:You don’t want to spoil their kitchen… I mean THE kitchen

K doesn’t miss the former…

K:I live here now Aada

A:I know I know..

K:I

A: Do they?(stops)

K: Umm.. they all eat …meat (last word is very soft)

A:Every meal?

K:Ummmmm Jee

Aada walks around… “This is bigger than our aangan and living room”

K:And the front porch

Both laugh out loud

Dadi returns after showing Fa his room

D:Look at her she is so happy

A:All becoz of ur son

K:Aada not beta…

D:I know what he meant (griining)

A:She looks like she belongs here (impressed)

Dadi looking deeply at her “She does doesn’t she?.... today”

K is uncomfortable… she is definitely fully relaxed in the kitchen with her Dad…

D:She is my fave bahu

A:Really?

D:Yes.. she isvery adamant though

A:I know that (in broken Hindi)

D: Who bhi ziddi yeh bhi

Khanak blushes rapidly

D:Uske naam se sharmana nahi bhoolti lekin

Aada is very touched

D:Kahan hai?

K: Umm.. don’t know…

D:Did you tell him?

K:Jee!

D:Call him

K doesn’t want to

A:Arey no he must work

K:Nahi shaayad nahi

A:Don’t disturb, he is a big officer

D:NOT AT HOME Mistryji

A smiles

K makes mango milk shake and lays out eggless desserts of various kinds

D:Phone karo beta

K:Abhi?

D:Yes Maam

K wipes her hands and dials the number..

A and D watch…

K:Umm (turns away, walks towards the service balcony)

D whispers to A, they both laugh

Shaan:Hey!

K:Aada is here

S:He wants to talk?(panting)

K:Busy?

S: Up 3 sets

K Oh!

S:Come over…

K:Aada is here

S:Oh!

K:not funny

He laughs

S: 3ish Khanak?

Khanak knows he wont jump up and drive home…

Part 73

Jan 6 2012

Friday

7:14 PM

Chembur

Shear Madness

She waited for her turn,  at her hair salon. It was her favorite until “the Hill way of life” took over. She was almost done reading her book, the last 80 or so pages……… she knew some but not all the people……. The owner was a woman in her 30s from South Mumbai, smart talented…

She employed 6 girls, the salon was quite “posh” by Chembur standards, and was always OVER booked……..

She tried calling Pradeep the call wouldn’t go through…… she had taken an auto to Ritwik’s Mom’s…….. Aunty had fed her typical Maharashtrian supper…….. lots of food, despite being 4 months pregnant…. It was a “surprise” she had said embarrassed……. Vithal Uncle wouldn’t even look at her, there was significant middle class shame associated with announcing pregnancy to the world,especially when the world assumes you are “too old to do it”. Ritu had told her about the good news, she wanted to vist ever since. She had brought, a huge carton of dry fruits and a basket of fruits, along with roses, her Worli florist was the best…..

Aunty had said “Whatever Ritu brought is leftover”

“You can eat this after that” Khanak advised her.

Her Mom was visiting…….

She went back to the phone…texted her husband

“Busy?” she asked

“Hey” he said with a smiley

“I” she began and stopped and wondered, what if Pradeep showed up

“Khanak?” he prodded

“Mujhe ride chahiye” she wrote bluntly, upset for some reason…

“where are you?”

“Chembur” she wrote

He phone rang the next moment…

Her heart lurched…

“What are you doing in Chembur?” he demanded”

“I had a hair appointment”

“ON A WEEK NITE?”

“This place is always full”

“What happened to the place Bhabhi goes to?”

“I am here now” she said short.. sulking

“8?” he asked short and sulking

“9 baje” she said

“You know there is a Shiv Sena Rally around that area!”

“Ohhh”

Silence

“Ill come get you”

“If you are in such a kind mood, I should ask you for a (baby)” softly… teasing… swallowing the last word

“Khanak!” stopping her

It bothered her that he didn’t care to even be persuaded………..

“Vaishali aunty is pregnant”

“WHO?” incredulous

“Ritwik’s Mom” somber

It took him a few moments to reconnect.

“Its going to take me an hour to get there, I am in Ulwe” completely ignoring her

“Main Pradeep ko keh doongi”

“Stay put”

“I”

“I don’t want to talk about having a baby over the PHONE Khanak”

“You don’t want tohave any … remember?” sad

“I do.. apparently you seem to forget it”

Pause

“I will let Pradeep know not to go”

“Who phone nahi utha raha hai” accusing

He smiled for some odd reason, it amused him to see her annoyed….

“Hes probably shaking in his shoes in fear” huskily

“Not funny”

“What are you wearing?”

“Nothing!” biting

Pause

“Go away”

They both linger…. Their second interaction for the day… he left for work after 5, woke her before he got out of bed……… she went back to sleep………… later… waking only at 8…

She yawned…

“Skip it Khanak”

“I am sleepy”

“Get one over the weekend”

“Umm… ummm…….I don’t get my full nite’s sleep”

“We went to bed at midnite”

“I went to sleep at 8 jab main chembur mein thi”
"Amogh's bed time is 8" mocking

“And then you woke me at THREE” she interrupted his smirk.

“It was FIVE AM”

“FORTY  TWO minutes” she complained… ignoring his correction, as she relished his touch mentally………

He laughed out loud………..

“Are you next in line?”

“Nahi”

Pause

“Third… shaayad??…”

He smiled.. she was unsure of most things… but was certain about somethings…..

She was done at 9:22, he waited impatiently as he got there at 8:45……. Texting and calling………he paid cash, as she picked up her laptop bag and lunch thermos , she wore a sea green salwar and crimson kurta, and a crimson bindi… rubies sparkled in her ears… her wedding rings intact…

Mrs Kumar (the owner): 840 including the shampoo

He paid her a Rs1000 bill……

She handed him Rs 160, he went looking for the girl that cut, and handed her the huge tip much to Khanak’s chagrin……

“Tchh” she said…

He took her laptop bag…

Mrs Kumar: She didn’t tell me her driver was so handsome

Khanak looked at her startled

Shaan:She doesn’t… usually

Mrs Kumar laughed

Mrs Kumar:AND he carries her bags

Khanak: Funny! (soft)

Mrs Kumar:Come back soon dear

Khanak:Jee..

Mrs Kumar: What do you do to get her to talk

Shaan: Madden her

Khanak turned crimson

The girls that cut hair gawked…

Khanak was quiet

Shaan: Chalien?

She nodded…

Mrs Kumar watched them leave, the guy opened the front passenger door on the Toureg… helped her with her dupatta.. her newly groomed silky sheath of hair forming a curtain…. As she fought its thickness

He said something about the length of it, she took his hand gently as if telling him “Not so much… I only cut this much”

His hand wrapped itself around her fingers….. snug…. As Mrs Kumar’s phone rang

“

Part 72

Jan 2^nd 2012

9: 14 AM

Ritu has a Noon flight back to Delhi, both friends are in deep serious conversation at the breakfast table. 

R”To Sonali ko bolo pehle NURSING kar le phir baat karegi.

K:Hmmm

R:Mystery you need to be assertive with that chick.

K:I am, Bua, Dadi, Bai sabse zyaada main bolti hoon usko

D:Beta tumhe ek aur pancake?

K:Dadi mujhe poha chahiye (hesitant)

D:Ghar to tera hai wont you ask more demandingly

Khanak is embarrassed…

K:Umm.. I guess..

R:Iske kaano mein Dadi iphone mein ek recording daal do aap, timeless loop that will keep reminding her that..

K:Funny!

Kritik brought their bags down, Shaan was at work at 7, his goodbyes happened at the tennis court this morning, he said he would call Ritu after she got to the airport.

After dinner, and hanging out, Khanak had approached Shaan, “aaj main” she said…

Their eyes did all the talking…

Ritu had interrupted and said “Excuse me Gujral, aapki wife chahiye mujhe”

S had continued to stare…

R:Baat sun Mystery (hissing)

R had dragged her to the balcony to give her “advice”, “Last year to jinx ho gaya, you had separated on NY day already, this year, you should go sleep in yourown bed”

“Nahi” she said

“Listen to me you dork, subah jaldi uthenge dono and then we will hang out”

K knew that will not happen, it was already past midnite and her eyes and body were begging her to fall asleep

K:There is so much to talk abt

R:AND you are sleepy

K:I am not..

R:U are too

K clammed up, Ritu plucked a rose from the nearest bush “Here my love, sun, I promise”

K laughed

R pretended to respond to a text.. “See I cant keep thinking abt you, my miya is in ----“

K had smacked her

R:Ouch! Ab main jaaoon?

Khanak, yawning “JA”

Ofcourse, he cant have her sleeping immediately… though she was actually floating off… smiling to herself…

“Iam really sleepy Shantanu” she moaned

“I know” he agreed, pulling the covers off her body…..

“Did your friend abandon you?” he asked, sliding over her

“Its not what you think” bristling “Ouch” pushing him away

“Tell me then”, binding her arms and legs under his…….his lips everywhere

She didn’t… and he didnt insist to know……. He pestered her for other things………..and got them all………

“Only because you will let me sleep soon” she declared defensively..

“Ofcourse” he groaned, as her arms wrapped around him securely, and her body became pliant and inviting…..

It was past 2 when she actually began sleeping, so “Early morning balcony date with Ritu” did not happen……

R: Tu Bua ko bol, we’ll start looking in Gujarati matrimony first…

K looked defeated..

K:They have no clue, she has a romanticized version of Punjabi lifestyle

R:I mean tum log to vegetarian ho na?Religious…

K:Tell me about it! (embarrassed)

R: You married one so she wants to?

K:Who knows?

R:Is DADI OK?

K: She doesn’t know, this seed has been planted by Sonali, bus Bua main aur Bai jaante hain

Dadi can hear Nandu and Dadi talk in Punjabi

K:I have no idea what they are talking about, Sonali thinks it’s a joke! (insecure)

R:They are not talking about you Mystery, its about some Lohri tradition your Sasu Ma’s family followed.

K:Sonali thinks adjustment is a piece of cake

R:She is an infatuated fool

K:Pradyun ki shaadi karwaye us se (giggling)

R: She will marry him, Pradyun wont, as long as you are alive (mock tragic, backhand on her forehead)

K: U are complete mental

R: AB PLEASE Sonali mat bolna yeh baat

K:Ummm… nahi… (preoccupied)

Dadi:Khanak, poha khao beta!

Khanak begins to……….

R:They baby you so much, and you want a baby?

K:Kyon nahi? (arguing)Mujhe chahiye (adamant)

Nandu and Ritu hug and say goodbyes in Punjabi…

Madz does too, Khushboo is out for a baby and Mom class,

Khanak scarfs her food down, drinking her strawberry milk on the side……

K:I needed to marry a strawberry farmer (giggling)

Dadi overhears “Batati hoon tere miya ko sham ko”

K:No Dadi! (turning crimson)

Nandu:Yeh sharmati kitna hai?

R:Sab meri training, Maasi

R walks up to her friend and whispers in her ear “So did you guys do it again at nite?” “Record?  thrice in one day?”

“Shut up” says Khanak vehemently

Ritu :See maasi, I caused it again!! (rubs Khanak’s red cheeks)

They all laugh, seriously amused………..as a mortified Khanak looked on..

Khanak starts to think about Kaka, Aada and Sonali’s visit, going to Pune to meet the Trust Accountant, talking to Sonali’s HOD about choosing a specialty in 3^rd year………..and then Sonali’s wedding……..

It was as if she lived two separate lives……..the pinnacle of pleasure she experienced with her husband, the incessant caring his family displayed were divorced from the challenges she faced............ many of them insurmountable............all with her own family………all alone……..

Part 71

Mangal Kunj

Malabar Hill

Jan 1^st 2012

9:44 PM

Rec Room

She searched for her fave TV show  the master remote was not responding, she looked for the guide in the magazine basket… it was missing, Hari Lal walked in with a huge tray “Remote guide kidhar hai?” he looked like he heard French

He just smiled “Bhayya ko poochhoon?”

“Tchh” said Khanak in response

“That means a No Hari Lal” her husband walked in…

She didn’t look at him just smiled to herself sheepishly

And kept looking…

Her husband sat almost crushing her, to the arm rest, as she was bending over already…

He opened and closed lids “ Casserole?”

HL:Jee abhi garam ho raha hai

Shaan just helped himself to a celery stick “Itna salad kiske liye?”

HL:Who… who… bhabhiji aaj se yahi…

S:Khushboo bhabi?

Khanak stopped… the pretension will not work any more she knew… she stopped looking

HL:Nahi… aapki…bh…

S:Khushboo

Khanak waited… “Don’t please” she begged HL with her eyes

HL:Aaapki BIFE!

Shaan looked startled “You?”

Khanak:Hmmm

S:WHY?

K:Coz I want to…

HL vamoosed…

S:I heard Dadi mention souffle… (insinuating)

K:AAJ? Maine kaha tha Dadi ko.. (complaining)

K was sulking as the other help brought another tray……..

Her husband’s chicken and HER soufflé was on it…

Her served himself and began to eat…

Her husband served himself too, her soup and salad seemed oddly unappetizing, though she did not eat chicken the sizzle and the sounds from the skillets, churned juices in her belly……….the dinner rolls and fresh churned butter didn’t help..

K:Shantanu.. (wail)

He switched channels, went to HIS recorded programming in a second, and began to watch a soccer game… she grabbed the remote…… “Hey” “Main TABSE dhoond rahi hoon, NOT FAIR”

He grinned and shrugged nonchalantly

S:Dinner’s ready..

She served herself some salad.. poked around… “Aap YAHA kyon kha rahe hain?”

He rolled his eyes…

K:Shantanu…

He leaned over and gently grabbed her lips…….. “I am listening”

K:Ugghhhhhhhh! (she exclaimed lingering on the feel, as she nuzzled)

He put his plate back on the table andlet his hand slide under her lacy cami…

K:Now I am going to taste like chicken..

S:Spicier

As he began to nibble and taste… her face and neck…….

K:You are ruining my NY resolution

S:What was it? (pretending)

K:Not to…

S whispered in her ear “No sex?”

K:Nahi (shocked) Not… (blushing)

She pushed him hard, pulling her cami back down over herself……

K:TO EAT RIGHT!

Phew!” his relief was exaggerated

She smacked him…

K:I am giving it up for a day…..(ashamed)

S went back to his chicken…she grabbed his white wine thinking it was water and gulped.

K:Kya hai yeh? WINE?

S:I think so…

She poured herself some water, as he raised the volume, smothering her, his left arm going around her waist……………..she slowly picked up her spoon, and began eating peas from his plate… and then some mashed potatoes…he watched but didn’t say a thing………

Quietly served himself more as she grabbed a Vogue and flipped through it…..

Maria knocked…

He gently removed his arm, setting his plate on her lap…poured himself more wine…

M:Bhabhi isko  (stops)

K puts some distance between her and hubby pasting herself to the arm rest…

S watches his game… Amogh leaps… he grabs the lil guy, just as Nandu Maasi and Ray walk in… “O! HO! Romantic”

S:Not anymore!

Ray squeezes herself between S and K, “Are you eating chicken?”

Nandu:Khaane do beta!

K:Its his plate… I just put my NY resplution on hold.. Dadi ne AAJ soufflé banwaya (upset)

Dadi walks in “How else can I break that resolution?”

Ray scarfs down a bowl of it… K serves some to Nandu maasi, “Dekho, she always serves first”

Dadi is beaming

M; Lekar jaoon baby ko?

D:Nahi its his training (chuckling)

S rolls his eyes

K:Pradyun kidhar hai?

N:Apni girlfriend ko chhodne gaya hai

K:So it is her then? (giggling)

R:MUM! Its not his girlfriend, I didn’t catch them making out… they were TALKING

N: May be he is..

D: NANDU, Baksho!

S:Ive been suspecting it all along (smug)

K:MEAN (hisses)

He eats some chicken from the plate on her lap… with her fork, she later eats some peas… Dadi is thrilled…

N:We are leaving parson, tu good news kab dega?

S looks at her mockingly “What is THAT supposed to mean”

N:BABY NEWS

D:Next month

Khanak blushes furiously

N:Isko dekho… she blushes like..

K:More soufflé? (to Ray)

R:Are you pregnant bhabhi?

K shakes her head, her face flush with color… the thought of making love and being pregnant with Shaan’s child makes her heart soar and insides mushy……..

The fact that they all knew that she is the object of his unending desire embarrassed her to the core…

Shaan texts and Amogh hangs to his knee

D:That’s the news I pray for

S looks up at his Dadi

Madz walks in “Here we go again!”

D:Lo jee… (dadi mutters some Punjabi proverb)

N and M exchange notes

Ray:Bhabi, lets watch the new Josh D movie in my room

Ritu:Mujhe chhodkar?

They all chatter, as he picks up the baby and walks to the balcony talking on the phone…

Divine intervention may be required for the baby… but  life without a baby wasn’t too bad either