Part 72 A
Le Meridien, Ahmedabad
30th May 2011
6:44 AM
They are all sitting around in the lounge. Khushboo looks visibly uncomfortable.
Ambika, Madz and Nandini are chatting loudly about the wedding events. Prad is missing. Out with Neha?
Her husband had changed the minute after they returned, into a cool tan cotton draw string trousers and a Myrtle green Nautica tee (that one side of the collar is up). The young men are barely awake. Shaan makes his way back to the lounge and sits by Ujjwala. Does not give her one look, or may be he does but not when she is looking at him!
Later Sunil and Nandini and Ambika are gushing what a lucky girl Khanak is, Sunil's husband, sits down by Khanak and asks her about her childhood, her parents etc.
Khanak: Are Akhil and Akash twins?
Ambika: Yes Khanak ! (smiles warmly)😊
Khanak: Fraternal (she murmurs softly)
Ambika: Watchout Khushboo! They say its skips a generation. If Bhabhi (Madhavi didn't have it, you two could)😳
Khushboo: Chachi please! I am having a hard enough time already!😭
Ambika: Don't worry yeh to kuch bhi nahi hai! (giggles)
Dadi: Ambika, kyon tang kar rahi ho Khushboo ko?
Ambika: I am still taking my revenge with every pregnant woman, Khanak you are next in line!
Khanak looks down at her palm really seriously trying to solve some puzzle😳😳
Dadi: Ambika! Poor thing, she's been with us barely two hours!
Ambika: don't tell me I didn't warn you Khanak, Gujral genes! (does a "impossible" thing with her head)
The men are busy, they don't pay attention ...Dadi had ordered her a sandwich and cream of tomato soup for Khanak, she does not leave one crumb on the plate. Ujjwala starts to chatter as if she just woke from a 10 hour nap.
Khanak is stumped!
The young guys it looks like are waiting for Dadi to declare something or do something. Khanak's eyes start to burn, she has been up since 5 AM the previous morning. She took a 45 minute nap in the afternoon, but woke up startled and could not sleep again.
She was ready to be knocked out.
Dadi sat by her on the two seater couch, Khanak was still in her wedding attire. They both took off their orchid garlands when they got in the car. It came to the hotel but Khanak had no idea where it was, nor she cared. Her neck and shoulders were sore and itchy from wearing it.
Madz: Mom, sham ko karte hain
Dadi: Ambika kahin jaane ka keh rahi thi
Ambika: Nahi Mom, my cousin is coming over for dinner, kal raat ko yahi kha rahe hain
Dadi: Theek hai phir sham ko rakhte hain.
Khanak wonders what they are talking about is too sleepy to ask.
Khanak (softly to Dadi) Dadi main jaaon soney?
Dadi: haan beta ofcourse! Shaan please show her the room"!(keeping a completely straight face)😆😆
Khanak's jaw drops!
"Really Dadi? Really? You feed me breakfast, fatten me up and throw me at the wolf?"😳😳😳
Feels like some one dumped her in a sauna.
She stays unmoved
Her husband has heard that but is unmoved. Akhil and Akash are half slouching half sitting, the lounge has taken on a quiet feel.
Ujjwala is the only one showing Shaan something on her phone, Madz has given her a peck on the cheek and has disappeared already, Raayna the quietest most unassuming of all has slept already.
Dadi is wide awake strangely, Sunil also yawns and readies to leave.
Khanak wants to slip away unnoticed, but Dadi had decided to make a big production out of it.😭
Dadi: shaan, you need to respond beta when someone talks!
Shaan: Sorry Dadi! Tell me. 😆😉(smiles at something Ujjwala is showing)
Khanak: Ummm... I just need the key! (barely audible)
He slowly stands up and walks over to where she is standing
Dadi: I am off to bed too...
Sunil: Ma, main bhi
Anil: Ma ceremonies kab hai?
Dadi: sham ko (slowly helping herself up)
Khanak walks over to where she is and bends down to help her, she smiles at Khanak in ack
Shaan is lounging by the wall, one foot up, when she is done helping Dadi she walks over to him "I just need the key!" (softly)
Shaan: That's fine I can show you the room! (bland)
They walk together towards the room, Dadi and Sunil exchange a quick look Dadi hides a smile.
He inserts the card, it beeps and the light turns green, he opens it and does a thing with his hand, like saying "Here you go!"
The lights come on when he sticks the card in a slot. The room is enveloped in his scent, its faint but nevertheless its still around.
Her face is crimson, but thankfully its not a bed that she sees first, it's a living room of sorts, she turns around hoping he would leave
He is leaning on the door now and for the first time ever changes his greeting in five months!
Shaan: Hey! Mrs Gujral!😳😳
comment:
p_commentcount