PART 54 B
Mangal Kunj Malabar Hill
May 3rd, Tuesday 5:45 PM
She downs another two cups of chai. The samosas and gulabjamun Hari Lal had brought were piping hot.
Dadi urges her to go relax upstairs in the rec room. She wonders if she should head home.
Khanak: Dadi mujhe kal office jaana hai, main ghar jaaoon?
Shaan is not around.
Dadi: Nahi, khaana khao, phir Shaan chhod dega tumhe
Khanak: Agar unko kahin bahar jaana hua to?
Dadi: Tum uski mangetar ho tumhe chhodkar kahan jaayega? Beta tum dono mein ladai hui kya? (worried)
Khanak (embarrassed) Nahi Dadi! Bilkul nahi!
Dadi: Tum dono ko main dekhti rehti hoon, tum itni chup rehti ho. Us se baat bhi karti ho ya nahi?
Khanak thinks "Nahi ladti zyaada hoon"
Khanak: Ofcourse Dadi!
Dadi: Does he call you every day?
Khanak: Not everyday''. But many days (embarrassed)
Dadi: This is the time you guys should be hanging out and having fun, but you two seem so busy with work.
Khanak: We both are in a high octane project. (her face is red, eyes start to water again, she feels like itching it)
Dadi: Looks like you are coming down with some cold there.
Khanak: Yep! (nose clogged)
Dadi rubs her shoulder fondly.
Dadi: Last Saturday he took off at 11 and did not return home until mid nite. Wonder why he is so busy
Khanak blushes at that reference.
Khanak: You shouldn't worry Dadi. (sneezes a couple times)
Dadi: I wont but only if you promise to come tell me if he is ever behaves like a imp.
Khanak smiles and nods her head shyly.
Dadi: Let me take you upstairs, wonder where he took off?
Khanak: Dadi main chali jaaoongi, but I cant stay long.
Dadi: We'll talk abt that later! Now go watch a movie, read a book, listen to music, chat with Shaan.
Khanak: Jee.
Khanak: dadi (turns around after walking a few steps)
Dadi on her way to the kitchen "Haan beta"
Khanak: Ghar par koi nahi hai?
Dadi: Nahi, Madhavi aur Khushboo uski sister ke saath kisi boutique ke opening mein gaye hain. Akshay Sao Paolo mein hai aur Sunil office.
Khanak smiles
Khanak: Mere liye khaane ki chinta nahi kariye aap
Dadi: Ofcourse I will. I have to fatten you up. You look like a reed. Shaan could pick you up with one arm!
Khanak :Oh! Gosh! Dadi! (smiles and shakes her head, only to be disruoted by a sneeze)
She makes her way up.
Walks into the rec room, no one around, walks up to the huge windows overlooking the bay. There are three, each twice as big as the door to the room, the center one has a window seat, with a padded cushion like thing on it, and pillows at both ends. The setting sun is turning a mix of orange and red, reflecting into the room, the white leather on the sofa is turning a lovely caramel.
She runs her hand over a sofa, peers at the pictures on the wall, leans on the wall by the window and looks out. Bends down and stares at her ring. Here she was standing on top of the world. Engaged to a man she had no clue even existed 4 months ago. A man who was occupying every waking moment of her thoughts, if she was not working.
His house,the things, the furniture the glow from the sun was all unqiue. There was not a speck of dust anywhere. It was cool and quiet. The curtains were silky but not too shiny. "This is where my evenings will be spent in a month from now." "There is no room for my sketching stuff" "I shud leave it all in Chembur, if the marriage lasts beyond 6 months, I can always go get it"
She pulled on the slim gold chain on her neck, the pendant was a tiny flower, she pressed it between her left index finger and thumb, indenting the fingers.
Looked down at her fingers.
The room was getting dark, looks around for the lights. Turns them on, there must be 50 atleast in various combinations and levels.
Turns on the ones above the couch, goes off and sits down, looks at the coffee table, finds a HUGE Calvin and Hobbes glossy book.
Picks it up with a smile, leans back, sets her feet up on the coffee table and starts to read.
He had appeared at the door when she smiled at Calvin. He just continued to observe. "I could make a living out of this thing" he concludes.
She reached for tissues every now and then but her sneezing had stopped a little.
"Her feet were tiny, her nail color matched her clothes"
She pulls the throw laying on the corner of the back rest, a burgundy hand woven thing''. Weighed a ton''.. snuggles.
She laughed out loud at a couple pages. Her gold hoops sparkled and swayed.
She flipped the pages carefully with her left hand, paused once to look at her ring.
His heart rate jumps.
Walks in "Hey!"
She pulls her feet down from the table.
Shaan: The teacher saw that, but you are not being summoned to the principal's office. (wryly) You might get a detention, but no suspension (softly)
Khanak smiles gently "Thanks" "I will take the suspension"
Shaan: Do you need more lights? (points with his hand)
He has changed, showered and changed it seems like to her, into blue jeans and a navy Lacoste tee.
He smells like some soap, the scent is very faint to her clogged nostrils.
Khanak: nahi. Thanks!.
Shaan: are we still fighting? (where did I pause the movie? Kind of question)
Khanak: I am so mad at you.
Shaan: For the score?
Khanak: Aapne kuch aur bhi kiya kya?
Shaan: Nahi, abhi tak to nahi (slowly)
Khanak: Oh! Spare me those tacky lines (huff)
Sneezes into her tissue.
Shaan: I don't want to talk about work (irritable) You are sick. Ive had a looong day.
Khanak: Mine was equally bad. (sulks)
Shaan: khanak!
Khanak: I am happy you have to do those 4 hour reviews with all of them' kitne architects hain? 12 (gleeful, almost clapping her hands)
Shaan (smiling spontaneously) 17 I hink''.You love to see me miserable don't you?
Khanak: Oh! I revel in it
Looking at the book on her lap.
Shaan: And you love Calvin and Hobbes? (seats himself beside her, she pulls the edges of the throw to make room)
He sits and weaves his fingers thru the knotted ends.
Khanak: How did you know?
Shaan: you were laughing out loud!
She covers her eyes with her hand.
Shaan: No, don't be embarrassed. I love the guy also.
Khanak: really? (perked up) Ive decided I am going to name my first born Calvin (spontaneous)
He looks at her, eyes sparkly, there is a certain glow, a positive energy, enthusiasm in her voice.
Shaan: what if we have a girl first? (softly)
She suddenly realizes she cant do the baby thing alone. "Oh! Umm... Umm, I guess I will have to have a boy after that" (brave yet blushing)
She is looking at the page and not reading, he knows.
She can hear her heart drum in her ear.
A frantic plea "Have his kids" "Have his kids" it sounds like... to her.
Shaan: Good plan Khanak!(husky)
She noisily flips to the front of the book. (rubbing her nose with a tissue)
It has a hand written note and a signature. "To Shaan, Seasons Greetings and Merry Chrsitams 2006, From Julia"
Khanak: who is Julia? (aloof, cold)
Shaan: A friend from school'''. I mean college, grad school.
Khanak: She loved Calvin also? (she had to know the answer to that!)
Stares at the signature
Shaan: No! Khanak (softly)
Shaan: This was my Christmas present because, "I" love Calvin!
She feels relief wash over her.
They both are quiet for a while. Wondering what the other is thinking about. Wondering how delicate or volatile their relationship is. Wondering how unimaginably possessive they were slowly becoming.
Khanak: I saw "Dispatches from the Edge" (Anderson Cooper's book). Have you read it?
Shaan: Yep! Akshay bought it one time during layover in NY.
Khanak: may i borrow it? (polite)
Shaan: You may!😉
Khanak: I think he is absoultely the best! (dreamy)
Shaan: Who? Me?
Khanak: Anderson Cooper! I wouldnt mind being stranded on a deserted island if Anthony Bourdain talked about food, Anderson gave me updates on the world, and George Clooney entertained me (eyes closed, wistful, smiling)
Shaan: I think you have a thing for men with grey hair (sarcastic)
Khanak: I would call it "Grey matter!" (cool)
Shaan: Unforunately Khanak the only person you will ever be stranded with would be me, and I'll figure out a way to keep you assuaged😳😳
Khanak: Your brother travels a lot? (ignoring the joke)
Shaan: Bhayya?
Khanak: Yes
Shaan: He would move there is Bhabhi will let him. (amused)
Khanak: Dad?
Shaan: Not much''..
Khanak: They both went to the same college?
Shaan: Yep! Stanford'..
Khanak: You are the "retard" then (teases, exactly how Akshay and Dad teased him)
Shaan: Retard that hasn't thought of your homework during detention yet. (warning, smiling)
Khanak: I would organize those movies in that mile long cupboard! (points)
Shaan: That means you'll have to stay the nite (silky, almost like getting his foot into the elevator while it was closing)
Khanak is startled "Nahi! (shakes her head looking down) Bilkul nahi"
Shaan: you could have my room (offer)
Khanak only shakes her head, eyes shut, face flaming
Shaan:Bhabhi is supposed to be cataloging them with an employee (swiftly changes the topic)
Khanak looks up at him "Employee?"
Shaan: Ya Dad's
Khanak: How many people work for him?
Shaan: 100 or may be 150? Don't know!
She clasps her hand over her mouth "Itne saare?"
Khanak: What does he do?
Shaan: A commodities trader.
Khanak: what kind?
Shaan: any thing, bra straps to semi conductor scrap!
Khanak smiles at the range.
Khanak: You don't help
Shaan: Nope! I don't care for it Khanak. (frim)
Khanak: Who watches all these movies? Aapke ghar par to kabhi koi nahi rehta (worries)
Shaan smiles indulgently "Dad loves cop movies, Akshay bhayya Western, I love sci fi, we are all over the place (grins)
Khanak: Huh! To aap log saath baithkar kabhi nahi dekhte movies?
Shaan: Nope! I am never home, usually out with friends. (a look of shock crosses over her face, she quickly erases it and schools her expression to indifference)
She looks down at her hands, rotates her ring from back to front. Thoughtful, wonders if she will even fit in. "Does a lonely life await me?" "Will he even be home on time?" "His friends are his life" "Wonder if Dadi is home every nite or not" "She will have to be my best friend for 6 months"
Khanak:What kind of movies does your Mom watch (casual, not letting him sense her turmoil)
Shaan: Is your ring, pulling your fabric? (softly)
She looks up at him startled "Nahi!, I think my dupatta has some fine sewing on the trim, that was getting caught" "Its fine!" (wipes her nose, and itches her face, with both hands, reddening them further)
Shaan: Where did you get those earrings?
Khanak: yeh? (confused)
Shaan: Yes the ones you are wearing NOW? (amused)
Khanak: Oh! Ritu laayi Delhi se. Its not gold or anything (shy)
Shaan: You look gorgeous! (husky)
Khanak: Its really kind of you to say that to a girl who is sneezing her brains out.
She looks at the television across the room, coz she knows he is closer now
Khanak: Shantanu! (pleads) I have a cold.
He gently takes the book and sets it back on the table, pushes her on the arm rest at her side leaning over her, not touching her at all.
Shaan: What were you thinking about a few minutes ago? (somber)
Khanak: Kuch bhi nahi!
Shaan: Khanak?
Khanak leans forward and rubs her face on his jaw. Deriving unbelievable satisfaction from the rasp. Her itchy tired face, gets its massage.
Khanak: Good you did not shave!
Shaan: (throaty) You are going to hurt yourself! (revels in her touch)
Khanak: I was so mad at you yesterday! (eyes closed forehead on his chin)
Shaan: and today... (slowly lifting her face up to his view)
Khanak:Working on the same project.
Shaan: Being in the same profession...
Khanak: That's all that's similar in us (looks at him deeply)
Shaan: You forgot Calvin & Hobbes!
Kisses her just when she starts to protest about having a cold.
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