Part 221

They sat on Khanak's divan... Ritu had let Vaishali Aunty keep it when she emptied the apartment, one of the sheets it was covered with was Khanak's from her trip to Ahd... bought during her visited while he courted her....

"I am not too hungry" he said softly...
She still wore the crushed moist saree... When she attempted to change after he dried his hair on it he had stopped her... "Leave it on"
"YOU dont get to take it off" she warned... he always liked to unwrap her saree...
"Oh! yes... the whole getting pregnant if we make love sword" he chuckled...
She was quiet... she went to bring her laptop out of her bag....
Dinner was in a half hour, there were around 25 people left excluding the Gujrals.......
He went on the phone.... his damp towel was on the divan now...
"Niiice" she muttered removing it... and hanging it in the ledge off the window....
Reminded her of old times....
Ritu would sleep in.... REALLY SLEEP IN... on Saturdays... not wake until 2 or 3 in the afternoon...
Khanak liked to take naps... so she would have brunch, do the laundry and take a nap....
They would giggle over chai in the evening....

"Can we leave after dinner?" he offered...
"Oh sure! Aap jaayiye" she said...
"Are you still mad I didnt visit last nite?'
"Mmmm...mmm"
"So I am OK?" he asked with mock fear...
"Oh please! Dont pretend like you care" she argued... agitated....
"Khanak I swear" He laughed...
"I might have to go to Sonali's college for a parent social... Bua cant make it"
Shaan's face tightened...
"What about Fa?"
"He has started something new so..."
"Ofcourse"
"I gave her the idea of Nursing in Mumbai" she said softly...
"So you are the parent" he said firmly...
"I"
"Shouldnt they be going?' he prodded...
"I told you" she said with a faraway look...
"You need to stop over extending yourself he said"
She looked at him startled... his tone was mellow, his eyes seemed like they cared for her...
"Not that you would notice" she muttered...
"I notice Khanak" he said deeply... took a deep breath... and was silent... texted...a while...
"I notice your bra is sparkly gold.... the Maharashtrian mangal sootra u are wearing has a twisted link along the left side of ur neck by your collar bone...."
She instinctively placed her hand on it... it pricked her...he knew...
"I know of those 2 hour phone conversations with Kaka"
"U just go through the bill"
He was silent....
"U call my admin if I dont return ur texts" he continued....
"Only to make sure I can work late" she lied softly...
"You lie to your husband" he said in a slightly louder voice as their eyes met...

Part 220

Her husband opened the door in frustration, towel around his waist SOAKING WET…Ritwik stood there with a hand on his mouth………… shaking uncontrollably…”Mausa sabooon” he said…

She leaned on the bedroom door, adjacent to the bathroom and laughed holding her stomach………as her husband realized…

He grabbed the jar of liquid soap from Ritwik and slammed the bathroom door shut, his lips twitched at the sight of her laughing so carelessly…. She looked gorgeous… leaning on the door like that….she could be devious and wily…. If she wanted to be… if she cared about something…. Or someone…. In this case her husband…. His heart skipped a beat at that discovery….

Ritwik outside “Mausi… is he mad at you?” (worried)

“Nakko” she said smugly smiling, wiping tears from her eyes…. Straightening herself from the door….

Ritwik didn’t find anything interesting lying around, her ipad and her husband’s were both in bags… he ran out…

She made a couple more trips to Aunty’s house, helped clean out the kitchen… of the upstairs apartment… stood in all the places she liked to stand while working there years ago…

A steaming hot moist man wrapped himself around her…. As she shrieked…. Turning around….

Struggling…. His hair was soaking wet…..and so was he all over……..

Her backless blouse was soaking… water droplets running down…to her petticoat…

“Lavender soap smells good on you” she giggled….

“Oh! I know” he said…. Yanking the neatly folded pallu edge from her waist again…. Using is as as towel to sry his hair and face… as she pulled “Shantanu”…. She hissed…. As he pulled all the way… the safety pin on her shoulder straining…..”Shantanu” she whispered….agitated…

As he bent down to dry his hair on her chest…………. She leaned back holding the now new granite counter top with both her hands………in horror....

“I only brought one towel Mrs Gujral” he said somewhere on her chest…..as she struggled to bring order to her now crumpled crushed... damp saree and  uncooperative straining blouse...he continued to dry it in soft hair strokes all over

Part 219

He talked on the phone, she busied herself, going up and down with Vaishali Aunty, she looked in her bags for something “What do you need?” he asked…

“Kuch bhi nahi” she responded characteristically in Hindi… but continued to search…

“Khanak” he prodded…

“I need change” she said…

He reached for his wallet…

“I” she began and stopped (Don’t need your money” would have followed had he not given her a scathing look)

Who neeche halwai ko Rs. 367 dene hai, Vithal Uncle is not here” she looked visibly ashamed…

“I have Rs. 500 bills only” she said, waving a wad from her purse”

He quietly counted 10 Rs. 100 bills and handed it to her…

She dragged her feet…

He took a step towards her………

“I “ she said…

“You can look for those lost words when u pay off the guy” he offered succinctly…

“Don’t worry I am going to expect you to return it” he said… not amused… but in her ear…

“Hmppfhhhh” she grunted…. “Every dime you take from me Mrs Gujral” he said placing the money in her hand….

They stood close….touching….

“I am on a call… I cant fight or make love” he warned….

She stepped back and hit a carton on her back… he steadied her… arm around her waist…

Ritwik walked in with a “Mausi” saw her in a clinch and giggled “Mauseeeeee

kinvā Mausa yēśūcē chumbana ghētalē” (Mausi just kissed Mausa) he roared into a big laughter… his friends stood and stared…

“You WISH” Shaan muttered at the lil 11 year old…

She smiled… biting her lower lip… walking away…

“You got your hug” she offered…

“If you can call it that” he argued….

She turned away walking out of the room….the dark green and gold Maharashtra silk glowed in the twilight radiance of the one lone light bulb in the ceiling….

The whole feel had a very middle class air to it…. She fitted in… he didn’t….

She returned… after 30 or so minutes… he was in the bathroom…

“Khanak is that you?’ he asked…

She began to say yes… but stopped giggling….

Ran outside nabbed Ritwik and brought him in…

“Khanak said her husband… as the water flowed into the blue nhew bucket…

“Ya” she whispered to Ritwik… coached him to say it…

“Ya” he responded giggling… 

“I don’t have soap… do you have any?” he demanded…

"Why didnt YOU bring any?" Khanak demanded in her own voice

"I shower at the Oberoi gym... I have never needed soap" YOU know that"

"I wish I knew I was marrying a man that didnt use soap" she argued....

"Hysterical" he said furious... "Now can I get that goddamn soap Mrs Gujral?" he yelled...

She shut the kids ears... after the word goddamn was said...

“Hmmm” she coached Ritwik

“Hmmm” Riwtik said outside the bathroom door… unable to contain his laughter…

But confused nevertheless

“Khanak” he pleaded…

“Shhhh”she ordered Ritwik… finger on her lips………..

“Where the hell are you?” he demanded as Ritwik giggled openly…

She fetched her lavender mint Forest Essentials from her bag… and handed it to the kid…

Her husband opened the door in frustration, towel around his waist SOAKING WET…Ritwik stood there with a hand on his mouth………… shaking uncontrollably…”Mausa sabooon” he said…

She leaned on the bedroom door, adjacent to the bathroom and laughed holding her stomach………as her husband realized…

Part 218

 He finally got his hug…. As she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck in fear he would undress her some more….

A slow satisfied grunt escaped his lips, as he burrowed in familiar places on her neck and shoulder…… she stood on her toes… so she could feel his neck….. he knew EXACTLY how to hug…. When she wore a saree, touching every bit of bare skin on her back and waist…..

The molded themselves to the other….. unspoken….

He grew bolder…. “not playing by the rules” she whispered on his shirt… grabbing his finger tips as it sneaked up on her ribs….

“I don’t have my beer tonite” “Having sex will make you pregnant, have mercy on the guy” he bit her skin on her shoulder……

She did for a few moments…..he kissed her as if to thank her… as his hands explored familiar territory… in front………her hair a tousled mess…. Her face moist……

Until they heard footsteps……. In the stairs…

He let her go…. Gently…….. she stepped away straighetened her clothing…. And bend down to find her claw clip, tying her hair back up….

He went on his phone….his voice a lil hoarse at first

A bunch of kids ambushed his wife “That would be reason number two why I don’t want any of em” he said accusingly at the kids…

She looked at him… startled… wondering how he would compete with his very own…

He turned away not explaining himself any further….

Vaishali aunty came by to ask if she wanted to help make boxes of sweets for neighbors and family to take with….

She nodded….

~~

“I thought they were coming back home tonite” she asked Dadi curiously

“Madhavi are you missing your bahu? The Gujarati bahu?” Dadi teased

Madhavi sipped her margarita hiding her scowl “Arey Mom she is usually here nahi?”

Sunil:She wont admit it, but my lil girl happens to be everyone’s fave… even HERS”

He fondly, taped his wife’s cheeks…

She held her husband’s hand boldly…

“I missed YOU” she cooed…

“Mom NOW would be the time you politely excuse yourself and leave” he winked at Janaki Gujral

Janaki smacked him “Khotha!” “Like father like son” (in Punjabi)

Sunil:Oh! Shaan is a mile ahead of me” (guffawing)

HL filled his drink…

“Lamb Hari Lal” Madhavi said in a pained expression

“Aaj who hai nahi, aaj vegetariarn kha le puttar” Janaki urged…

“I don’t like ghaas Mom” Madhavi  smirked…

“Kidhar hain janaab?” Sunil asked…

“Lene gaya hai woti nu” Dadi said…

“Chembur?” Sunil asked incredulously…

“EGG-XACTLY THANK YOU” chimed Madhavi

“Arey she went away furious because he wouldn’t go to Vaishali’s function”

“I know why he went… she must have kicked him out of bed” Sunil laughed out loud…

“THAT too” Dadi ack shamefully, shaking her head

Madhavi was plainly hating her son’s PHYSICAL obsession with this girl… she could plot all she wanted on the outside, but Khanak seemed to have a deathly grip on her son, IN BED… THAT is going to be difficult to untangle… she realized, playing with a roasted cashewnut…..

Part 217

Three of their hands were trapped on her belly button... only his left hand was free, he used it to trace the rim on her blouse..

Her jaw froze in shock.... as he began tracing with his index finger... on her shoulder first... and then diving over the valley...the hands on the belly began a furious tussle of aggression and defence... as his left index finger approached the now exposed cleft on her chest............ her hair coming undone from the high knot... all over his hand... and her shoulders..... burying them completely.......

"Shantanu" she begged... in a deep hoarse voice......

"I only have two hands" she pleaded, he threw his head back and laughed.... as the chamomile scented black silk curtain of her hair enveloped her face completely...

He gently folded her hair back behind her ears.....

"There" he muttered softly... satisfied.... continuing to prowl her neck line....

She struggled on her belly....

"I like my saree tucked when I am working" she complained...

I know that" he said "but i LOVE to discover HOW its tucked" he chuckled...

"The front door is open, this is" she stopped before she blurted "Not our house"

He paused and stared, hoped she would say it... but they both knew she meant it...

"Lets go home then" he offered...

"I thought fighting was not on the menu" she smiled.... the glorious happy smile...

He gripped both her hands on her navel..... "Oh it is... in bed" he said softly...

"Shantanu" she said cutting off his train of thought...

The soft pleading moan with which she said was extremely endearing to him... he felt like a heel knowing fully well, what her expectations were....

"If I release your hands, do I get a hug?"

" depends on how long the hands stay off" she argued....

He gently let go.... she slid to her side, biting her lower lip to hide a smile....

"THAT Mrs Gujral is not part of the game rules" he said, pinning her on the wall... pressing himself on her, moving slowly...in a firm grinding motion......

"I am sorry" she giggled begging...

"Hug" he demanded...

"Only if you release me"

"Hug" he said insistent

Her hands pinned on the wall, her fingers laced into his....

He brought her hands over her head... held it with one of his, and released the tucked pallu folds from her belly... and the folds of her front pleets along with it..she blushed a glorious crimson as his hand rubbed against her bare lower belly.......

Part 216

"Have you noticed how your Dad looks at me?" he whispered in her ear...
She squirmed... fighting his warm stubbly breath..."Mmm...mm"
"Like I stole his lil girl" he confirmed...like he was very happy about it
A warm gushy sensation slid from her ear down all over her body...
"I Came chasing after you, the first Bday after our wedding...he almost asked me to stay away from you"
He pressed his big toe firmly, as if he was cementing her to him...
"He is a good judge of character... he knows what a flirt you are" Khanak defended her Aada...
He chuckled... strangely he wasnt touching her anywhere... his raspy chin hovered over her bare shoulder... as he spoke, his tousled hair.. stroking her ear lobe....
"You look quite the Marathi mulgi today"
"I know she said smugly...
"Khanak quit fighting with me" he said abruptly...
She stiffened and took a step back...
Hitting the wall, releasing her big toe from its prison...
He reached out and pulled the end of the pallu tucked near her her navel, she gripped his hand... losing breath...he held on to the bunched edges, and stayed on her belly... they didnt talk... just felt each other in that 5 square in space on her belly... her belly cool and moist, the back of his hand warm and strong...
she reachedwith her left hand... her right holding his wrist... she tried to pry her pallu lose with her left hand... he grabbed it and held on to the pallu... all at the same time...
"I" she began...
"The speechless Khanak" he muttered... just gazing at her eyes...
"Uhh... mujhe..." she began in a soft trembly voice...
His thumb wreaking havoc on her center of her palm....he bent forward... she evaded his face/head... in an non speaking way... they flirted while they fought....
He was used to her fights... yet not... she knew it aroused him yet she fought...
Three of their hands were trapped on her belly button... only his left hand was free, he used it to trace the rim on her blouse..
Her jaw froze in shock.... as he began tracing with his index finger... on her shoulder first... and then diving over the valley...the hands on the belly began a furious tussle of aggression and defence... as his left index finger approached the now exposed cleft on her chest............ her hair coming undone from the high knot... all over his hand... and her shoulders..... burying them completely.......
"Shantanu" she begged... in a deep hoarse voice......

Part 216-- Teaser

Can we make a deal he said” enetering the bedroom?

She looked at him… impassive…

“Can we not talk about anything explosive Khanak?” he tucked his hands in his pockets, eyeing her agony, his anger slowly building…

“Tonite or never?’ she asked softly…

“The latter” he said amused…

“You don’t have to worry, we never do THAT” she said…

He approached…

“I am not going to be on calls tonite” he said softly…

“Wow” she said… shocked…

“I had open nites when I pursued you, do you remember?’ he asked smiling…

“I remember being pursued” she sighed dreamily…

They stood a foot apart… his big toe touching her big toe…. He gently lifted his to carress hers…hands still in pockets…

“Do you remember how shocked you were to see me the first time I came here?”

“You acted like I cheated on you” she said softly…

“I did didn’t I” he chuckled….

“Do you still have that skinny tee you wore that nite”

“Ummm...... a....I am not sure” she lied…

“I will take that as a YES” he said bending down into her ear

Part 215

The kids jumped up and spoke in animated Marathi upon looking at him, he smiled… “Hindi mein baat kar sakta hoon” he offered…

He sat down by her, leaning on the wall… with his legs stretched out…

“Are you really staying here tonite?” she asked…

“You don’t want to go home” he responded…

“You shouldn’t waste time, work maybe” she offered, stacking Ritwik’s Lego blocks….

“Khanak we should wait until the night to start fighting……

Ritwik: Mausi are you going to stay here now? (Marathi)

Shaan:Aaaj raat ko…

Khanak: If you pack up all your toys, I am going to give you something…

The kids scramble…

“We could go for a walk” said her husband…

“I have to help Vaishali Aunty with dinner” she said

His phone rang…. He took the call by her favorite window….

She went in and found his gym and laptop by by her things, Ritu called…

The phone was where Sooraj’s pic used to be on the mantel….he watched her reach for that spot… the screen glowing, as it stood like a picture frame…

She yanked it off the charger as she answered… “It was charging” she told Ritu… or was she telling her husband…

She knew she would have had two kids by now, one would be in school… she would have taken them to school and gone off to work… life with Sooraj may have been very uncomplicated… lots of family politics… yes… but she wouldn’t have to grapple with issues she is right now…. An intensely ambitious man… other women finding Sooraj attractive… all this wealth… no desire for children…

“Hes staying here too” she told Ritu..

“So you guys are dealing with this like adults?” Ritu asked grimly

“How ironic, dealing maturely about wanting kids” she told Ritu…

Shhhhhhhhhhh” Ritu stopped her… “He kinda hinted babe right from the beginning”

Khanak knew, but didn’t care to agree…

“Atleast there is no mistress or one night stands” Ritu giggled…

“I would be gone faster than he could say miss in mistress” she said biting…

“Go back home, and use his family to pressure him”

“Sab saath rehte hain Ritu, he still wont budge” frustrated…

“MAIN baat karoon?”

Its of no use”

“DO NOT THINK OF LEAVING HIM OK?” Ritu shrieked…

Khanak stared out the bedroom window… Ritwik and his pals were playing hide and seek around the VW Toureg…

Part 214

“What did YOU do?” was his Dad’s first Q when he told him he was at Chembur

“Not a thing” he said plainly irritated…

“Who to pata lag raha hai janaab, I don’t have a grand baby yet” his Dad responded snarkily…

“When it comes to Shaan I forgot its OPEN SEASON Dad!” irritated

“Cut that snarky tone out Shaan” Sunil said coolly…

“Pause…

“You do have a faint clue about her expectations don’t you?” glumly Sunil asked…

“I am trying to explain” Shaan began…

“She wanted kids from the the get go…. I could tell based on the looks she gave when Mom talked about it even before you guys were married”

“That’s not why she is here in Chembur and I am here” Shaan twitched his nose, not caring for the heavy spicy odors wafting from homes near by…

“Is this separation number two?” Sunil asked…

“Its number nothing, she wants to stay the nite here, and I AM OBLIGING”

“How KIND Junior Gujral, so you do have some compassion left”

“Do you guys have ANY idea HOW stubborn she is?”

Sunil completely ignored that comment…

“Rahat Ehsaan and I are taking care of some stuff tonite with the other guys, STAY PUT at Chembur…

“I heard Ehsaan wanted the fence pushed back since he didn’t want any more legal hassles…”

“I had lunch with that NGO head” Sunil said…

“YOU did?” Shaan asked incredulous…

“I asked Rahat to fill you in”

“He called I was on another call”

Father and son talked shop, Shaan opened his trunk and got his gym bag out… and his work laptop…

She stood by the window of her apartment and looked at him, their eyes met…

She didn’t say a word, just turned back…

Shaan wondered HOW he should begin talking about the baby…NOTHING tempted her, wealth, apartments, jewelry….

He walked upstairs, found her sitting on the floor knees drawn up her saree folds like fan fronds over knees, surrounded by Ritwik and a couple other kids… she read a book…….elegant…homely…didn’t look up to meet his gaze… he walked into the other room and placed his stuff by hers…

Part 213

Part 212

Dadi called on his phone,

“When are you getting home? Aur Khanak kahan hai?” she started accusing…

“Shes with me” he said, correcting it to “I am in in Chembur” he said…

“Who abhi wohin hai?”

“Jee” he said like his wife..

“Did you not go last nite?” she asked, shocked..

“I had meetings until 2, and then Ehsaan and I went to the site for an hour”

“This is just wrong Beta” she complained… “Your marriage is always on tenterhooks, yet you take such risks”

“I am fine… she is too” he said cutting Dadi off as she aired some fears HE had as well….

“Sunil aaya abhi usko pooch raha tha, he will be calling her I think, You guys are pushing it” Dadi was unforgiving…

“You think I should buy this Chembur apartment?’ he asked preoccupied, not encouraging Dadi any more…

“Whhatt?” she asked confused “Keda flat?” she continued in Punjabi…

“He explained that the apartment she lived with Ritu before they met…

“You want to basically give her a refuge when she runs away?” Dadi asked as if she was talking with a juvenile…

“Dadi” he began…

“You buy it for her, she will as much as move in” “You know that Shantanu Gujral” “You don’t want kids, she does, sure send her to a middle class neighborhood, where everyone around is pregnant or..(stops, subtly hinting that people are having sex) tere paas to time hai nahi… dono kaam ke liye

“I came her to get her alright” he argued…

“Ghar chhodkar usko tujhe site jaana hoyega” Dadi supplied punishingly…

“NOO, I actually wanted to stay in bed with her until morning… its been five days” he said shamelessly..

“Khotha” Dadi yelled, as her grandson laughed out loud…

“Don’t buy it forher, she might actually start loving you because you have given her a exit door from the situation she is currently in”

He stared at the calendar and baby pics on Vithal’s walls, Khanak walked in and out of the tiny one bedroom, smiling and ack, somethings the women were saying…

He stood up, sauntered out… “ She might do it on her own” he muttered..

“I don’t think so, atleast… ermmm.. ummm… financially… umm… beta… she is stretched thin… I” Dadi shut up

“Do you know something?” he asked in a brittle voice…

“Nahi… nahi I am just saying based on what I know she does for her family, parson Shirdi gayi Tejeshwar Gujral Trust ke kaagaz dekhe, she is barely 1/3rds done there”

“Pardon it Dadi” he suggested, deviously…

“Teri biwi Malabar Hill, hi nahi, Mumbai sheher chhodkar gaayab ho jaayegi, tuannu kadi nahi milegi” (she will vanish from your life if you try to buy her)

His Dad began calling…

He hung up on his other favorite gal… and took his Dad’s call..

“What did YOU do?” was his Dad’s first Q when he told him he was at Chembur

“Not a thing” he said plainly irritated…

“Who to pata lag raha hai janaab, I don’t have a grand baby yet” his Dad responded snarkily…insulting him in a veiled manner...