Posted:
8 years ago
Once a nomad...
Akka ended up staying over, Bala did too, though reluctantly
The poker game went on until 4 AM, II played until midnight-ish, losing Rs. 3200
Akka was appalled she would even lose that much before quitting
Manny and Vik returned around the time II readied to quit...
The boys slept in one of the guest bedrooms on the ground floor Akka and Athim would take one of the rooms on the 1st
Ranjan was the big winner until midnight... winning over Rs30,000 from Sam, Tan and R&B
"Beta aapko kabhi haraoonga nahi" he promised II
""Main aur aap ek team mein khelen?" she asked
"Uncle thats not fair... Bala has no clue... hes playing too" a jealous Vandita interrupted
"she belongs to this house puttar, she cant lose, u can be on my team too" Ranjan offered
"I will just take an expensive saree" Vandita giggled
II nodded smiling "Main bhi Dad"
"Kidhar se laayen batao" Ranjan enquired
"Umm... hello... Dad... ek yahan bhi baithi hai beti aapki
she turned to manny and Vik on the couch... "tujhe bhi?"
"I dont wear sarees, I will just take the money" Manny grinned
"Kidhar se laayen batayen beta" he turned to Vandu
Vandu looked at Sam
"I dont know anything about Kanjeevaram" Sam shrugged cheerily
"Kanjeevaram to hai mere paas... I was some fancy designer saree" Vandu giggled
"U shud pick Shantanu & Nikhil or Manish Malhotra" Manny offered
"U dont wear but u know?" Sam mocked
"Hey hey hey... I dont live in Ireland but know" Manny argued
"BUS shuru ho gayi dono.."Ranjan shook his head
The men talked about wagers and poker channel on TV educating Bala
"Uncle main aur Ishita bhi ladte hain hamesha"
"Ishita is very quiet" Ranjan said with a poker face
"Nahi main nahi maan sakti" Vandu categorically declined Ranjan's opinion
"Arey yeh ghar par rehti hai to pata hi nahi chalta, bahut quiet hai" Ranjan held back laughter
"NOW I get it... u are teasing her" Vandita smiled
Ranjan exploded into laughter...
"Dad... how can u?" II pretended to be hurt
"A house has to be noisy puttarji" he tapped her head
"I have pots and pans tied to my feet" II muttered
"Haan lekin R&B se ladti nahi yeh" Sam joined in
"I am just going to go to bed"
"You know it too" Vandita asked Sam
"Arey Dad sleeps at my house only most nights" Sam added fuel to the fire
"And its all because of me" II was hurt
"Avana paaru di does look like some one that can fight?" Vandita pointed to R&B
He began to pay attention from that second on... but the interesting thing was Manya watched the whole exchange with rapt attention
"Excuse me" R&B said
"I am saying u are an angel... mine must be the terror" Vandita gushed
R&B glanced at II
"Tumhe bhi kuch kehna hai?" II asked
He shook his head slowly
"Maine socha Dad hain meri side, abhi Dad bhi nahi #ALLALONE" II said
"Arey I am always with you... but raat ko nahi puttarji I need my sleep" Ranjan guffawed
R&B chuckled... gently.. amused... gave his Dad a full smile...
When Manya spoke from behind Ii was reminded she had returned
"So should we be leaving for Sam's with her?" Manya asked
II turned back startled... shocked she had heard it all
"Oh no! I mean... no... they are just teasing me... u shouldnt" she said sincerely
"I mean we are still jet lagged yaar" Manya tried to inject humor
"I dont fight every night" II said looking at R&B
"#ALLNIGHTS" he said unflinchingly
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Akka went to bed shortly after, II did to R&B got up to say good night to Akka
Ranjan had sent Mahavir to Munirka to stay the night with Bala's parents
Minion must have interesting stories to narrate now
""Aaj to ladai nahi hogi to aap khush se khelen abhi" II poked
I am now afraid of the DAY" he muttered chuckling
Vandita laughed hysterically
"Nice... I will just get a transfer to KMPG Mumbai... enjoy your peace" she provoked
Manya and Vik had slid down from the sofa, Tan was beginning a new game
Sam pointed to Ishita and said something to Bala, Bala was explaining animatedly about his understanding
Akka went to the bathroom...
She leaned on the wall... and yawned... He walked up and held her tight...
"My feet hurt so bad" she admitted
He kissed her head firmly
"Itna ladti hoon?" she asked softly
"Haan" he said in rare Hindi
she looked up accusingly, as he kissed her fully, long moist passionate
"Come to bed" she begged feeling his bare torso sliding under his tee
"Tumhaare paas poora floor hai yaar" Akka shrieked
Ii stayed in the clinch... "Pohaade da" she whispered
He scraped her cheek and ear with his stubble and gently set her aside "one game II" he begged
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunday May 10th by the time she woke Akka was gone... the house was quiet there was nobody in the terrace
Ranjan had sent her a formal meeting invite for 3 hours for the evening to go buy sarees
She smiled first and laughed later... immediately hitting ACCEPT
She called Amma, Amma invited her over.. if she was alone and bored
She texted R&B "Tum bhi Sam ke ghar soye?"
He half smiled
"where are u?"
"At Sam's" he texted
"Did u not sleep at home?" she asked like an idiot
"I did II" he reassured gently
She checked his side of the bed... and relaxed
"Mujhe kyon nahi bulaya?"
"Come on over" he said sending her a WELCOME emoticon
"Mere tak koi baat laata kyon nahi. Itni aukaat nahi hai meri?" Ranjan was shouting in the kitchen
"DAD!!!! Bache hain oopar, mere in laws terrace par hain" Sam begged
"What the hell is going on in this house?" Ranjan demanded
R&B quietly sipped his second cup of coffee
Tan: Dad... relax, hes told the guy
"Thanks for your pity jeejaji" Manya was sobbing
She never used the word jeejaji for him
"Tujhe har baat par drama create karne ki aadat hai, kal Ishita ko clobber rah rahe the tum sab" Tan was disgusted
"Oh! I am supposed to send in a formal application to each one in the family?" Manya spat out
Manya was considering abandoning her Ph D and going wth Vik wherever he lived.
"Soch samjh kar dosti karte puttar ji" Ranjan reminded
" Newspaper mein ad nikalti? 31 year old divorcee needs a man"
Sam sucked her breath in shock
"Manya... get a hold of yourself" Tan ordered
Ranjan looked at Sam in despair
"Ma nahi gayi hoti to yeh hota nahi" Manya went on to accuse Ranjan openly years after the tragedy
"MANYAAA" Sam hissed
"She is in Hong Kong one morning, the evening she is gone" "He is at Spectrum one morning he is in Le Merdien in the evening" Manya began to cry
"Manya it has nothing to do with Dad, behave urself" Tan hissed between gritted teeth
Ranjan stumbled off the bar stool and walked weakly to Manya's patio door leading to the bakyard...
"HE is the only permanent thing in my life... your lives are filled with rock solid stuff...
I am supposed to pursue the elsuive Ph D and rot away" "Gee thanks you guys" Manya cried
"Uska ghar kidhar hai, tere saath rehta hai Sydney?" Tan asked reasonably
Manya shook her head "He has a house in Singapore I think and some where in Belgium"
"He is your BF didnt u ask?" Sam asked horrified
"I HAVE KNOWN HIM TWO MONTHS Dimpal ke shaadi mein mili main us se plane mein"
Ranjan turned appalled...
"Batao... PLANE MEIN... aise aadmi ka kya bharosa?... kal ko if he turns out " Ranjan froze before he said the word MARRIED
Every person in the kitchen immediately hung their head in shame reminded of some bitter truths...
Ranjan opened the patio door and walked away into the burning hot Noon heat
"TU KUCH KEH ISKO" Sam urged R&B
"Let her quit if she wants to" he said shrugging
Once a nomad... always a nomad
Edited by Nisha0604 - 8 years ago
