New SS: Love.... Pt33B pg143 13/07 - Page 2

Iyer house

Vishwanathan Iyer - father

Madhvi Iyer - Mother

Bala Iyer- son

Vandita Iyer - DIL

Ishita Iyer- daughter

Bhalla Household

Mr. Bhalla- father

Santoshi Bhalla - mother

Mihir Bhalla - elder son

Mihika Bhalla - DIL

Raman Bhalla - Younger son

Arora Household

Ashok Khanna - Husband

Shagun Khanna - Wife and friend

Advey Khanna - son

Ishita hustled to her feet to help her peer manager, best friend and self-imposed guardian angel, since standard ten, Shagun Khanna. In school, Shagun had once saved Ishita from the bullies and after that she had vowed to protect Ishita for life; from everyone and everything - except herself.

Riya quickly filled her in. Shagun, guess what? Raman Bhalla is coming to delhi'.

I know,' replied, causally, offloading some of her burden in her friends arms.

Ishita's pretty mouth fell open. The files in her hands nearly met the pencil's fate... nearly. You know?' her tone and eyes were condemning.

ya! Ash( Short for ashok, her husbad) mentioned it today morning,' Shagun said, sliding in an empty chair.

Gnawing her buttom lip, Ishita remained where she was. Why do you look nervous Ishu, you owe Bhalla money or what?' Roy teased.

You are such a bag of laughs... Jonny Lever!' Ishita retorted, avoiding Shagun's eyes. She propelled her body to the conference table, even though her insides repeatedly screamed at her, Bus addaa! Flee to the nearest bus addaa!'

Let's get the cracking guys! I am nervous about the presentation for that pen company, due soon. That account is colossal and Ace Advertising Agency, as in us, really needs it.' Ishita's rebuke was more for herself than others. Her thoughts were flying all over the place.

After some half-hearted protests, formally lodged by the three musketeers ( Roy, Tine and Riya), the group got busy with the work at hand, Raman Bhalla forgotten by all but two.

Gosh, its seven, can we wrap up now?' Riya requested stretching her arms over her shoulders.

Damn! Sorry to keep you guys so long. We'll finish this tomorrow.' Ishita rubbed her forehead. Why didn't you say something? Ms Stickler for leaving at six!' she rounded at Shagun. The latter did have a irresistible reason to head home everyday and once in a while at lunch too.

I just decided to make an exception today,' Shagun replied, smiling enigmatically. Ishita gulped.

Puhlease, its no biggie! Chowdhury keeps his team till nine, almost every night,' Tine assured.

Don't you dare compare me to that jackass!' Ishita pasted a scowl on her face.

God! Rochak Chowdhary repulses ,e. The other day I was alone with him in the elevator, and those were the longest and creepiest twenty seconds of my life,' Riya shuddered, recalling.

Did Roach ( Company anointed Rochak's unofficial but befitting nickname) try something?' Shagun immediately demanded.

No! but he's just so sleazy. Especially his eyes.. it feels like he is stripping me,' Riya replied

You and just about every women unfortunate enough to cross his path,' added Roy slinging his satchel over the shoulder.

Mrs shukla only tolerates Roach because of his contacts in and outside the industry. Actually Rochak is like monthly cycle...' Tina said...

Explain' ,Shagun Goaded.

" He bothers women between fifteen-fifty,' Tina replied, grining.

well said!' Riya agreed

" except there is no Roach control pill that will make him go away for twenty-eight days, everymonth,' Laughing Shagun added.

You're on birth control?' Ishita asked.

Just knowing about it doeant mean Im taking"

do you women even realize there's a man amongst you all?' Roy tone was clearly exasperated.

Who?' tina and Riya chorused simultaneously.

Shagun and Ishita cackled. Roy opened his mouth but Shagun beat him to it. Alright, see you guys tomorrow.' She hastened the discussion to an end. However, witty and funny, any conversation about Rochak Chowdhury, the marketing head, still ruled as the least favourite or the most vehemently hated topic for Ishita.

A few minutes later the three trooped out. Their bosses, the two chaddi- buddies, always stayed back at the end of the day to chat a bit.

Ishita gathering her stuff from the table, offered,' If you and ashok have any plans tonight, im free to baby sit Advey.' Shagun's irresistible reason to go home was her eighteen- month-old toddler. Ishita too obsessed over him.

All that later! Why is he coming back?' shagun grilled, honing straight to the point. There was no need to mention names between them. She and Ishita, 110% of the time were on the same wavelengths.

Sighing, Ishita said,' No clue Shagun! Just hope he's forgotten all that happened between us.'

Shagun's rude bark of laughter said it all, yet she voices,' I doubt Raman will ever forget. I merely wish he knew the truth.'

Ishita whipped her head up, the expression dank,' Shagun, don't even go there. You gave me your word u will never bring it up.'

The other girl's face burst into a cheeky smile. Ishu, you only call me Shagun when you are either mad at me or in hot soup. What's it this time?' her brows bounced up and down, mischievous and suggestive.

Ishita in an answer further narrowed her eyes and pulled her lips back.

Fine! Spare me that pit-bull look. My lips are sealed. Tell me Ishita what's you POA in life?'

if you must know, I just want to live my life the way it is happening. I do not want to expect, plan or stree it in any direction.'

that's lame Ishu. No one lives like that.'

some do! Call my kind lazy, content or just spokes in super demanding and ambitious wheel of life

well you were never a phataka but I definitely remember a time when you were not so maara hua. C'mon Kulta, let go of the past.'

You are the oldest part of my past,' Ishita countered.

The song for constipation, electricity of this city and your budhi is the same.'

are you nuts? Why am I stating the obvious?' Ishita picked her things.

Shagun did a hip and shulder shake, as she belted the number,' aati nahin, aaati nahi. Teri yaas aati hein par tu aaati nahi!'

Shuddup! Are you done making a fool of yourself? Will you please tell me if u want me to baby sit Ruhi or not?' Ishita asked, gruffly.

No thanks, not tonight. Some silly cricket series is beginning somewhere , in some part of the world, between some countries and ofcourse Ash has to watch it!' Shagun wholeheartedly grumbled.

that bad, eh?' Ishita teased, well aware that Ashok's obsession for cricket drove Shagun batty( pun intended). Soon the girls headed out of the building.

Crap! its raining,' Shagun whined, covering her head with a purse.

shuddup, its just a drizzle, you wont melt,' Ishita, an ardent fan of the rains, ridiculed. Just the sweet smell of monsoon was enough to give a hop to her steps, a smile to her lips and crave for the chilled Baileys.

Shooting her an annoying look, Shagun shot You are so perfect for Bollywood. All you lack is a transparents chiffon sari and gigantic fake Boobs...

not anymore. In the name of reality, even Bollywood is downsizing!'

Shagun cracked up. that was good. Im going to dash to my car.' Her expression sobered,' promise me, u wont think of him. No more than say... an hour at most!'

him who?' the smile did not quite reach Ishita's eyes.

whatever just call me. We'll talk!' Shagun shouted, sprinting to her vehicle.

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Hope you all enjoy it its quite long not that much though...do click like and Comment your suggestions if any.. and really sorry for the late update was having exams and since i stay in hostel no net so...

See ya

Part 3

Ishita , too, got in her car, waving to Shagun, pulling out of the parking lot.

do you want to grab a coffee?' interrupted a smooth voice.

Ishita did not answer, concentrating instead on fastening the seat belt. Finally, raising cold eyes and in a voice reeking of disgust she replied no thank you, Rochak'.

ishu I have some interesting news. You could be the first to hear it,' Rochak cajoled. Plating pocket billiards, he had been lingering in the shadows for quite some time now.

Its Ishita to you. Even more appropriate would be Ms Iyer. And please nothing you say could ever be of any interest to me!' Ishita noisily pushed the key in the ignition.

As few other employees sauntered in the car park. Ishita thanked the stars. She knew what this sleaze ball was capable of.

Rochak came closer to the window whispering men cants

resist a tease and they say in bed---

Ishita curtly and loudely interupped ,' Watch it! Im sure of the statue of limilations is not over, charges can still be pressed'.

Rochak recoiled as if slapped. Ishita knew his aversion to her was temporary. Just as a fish cant live out of water, a shopaholic without credit cards, rochak could not stay away from women. The wiring of his head was messed up; it was only dis-connected. Glaring at Ishita , he abruptly walked away; softly mouthing rude names. She overheard the word,' frigid bit**.'

Calmly reversing the red swift, Ishita joined the ongoing milieu of chaotic traffic on the main business street, birhana road. Flashing neon signs of various international brands, plastered on old crumbling buildings, loudly proclaimed global commercialization.

For just about everything else the populace stands divided from where we pray to the water we use, yet as consumers, all are one - empty brains with loaded wallets! Ishita, a novice cynic mused.

She turned the steering hard, just in time to spare a cyclist who out of nowhere, appeared bang in front of the car. Driving in these streets was a nightmare, but Ishita always experienced a sense of peace when she got behind the wheel. Tonight, in was solely missing.

What will I do when he Actually gets here, she worried. take the next right... to the railway station!' her conscience, suggested. shut up!' Ishita retorted. Sometime later, having parked the car in the garage Ishita stepped into the foyer of her house. She struggled to keep her expression pleasant.

Ishu, you are late again? Why dint you answer your cell, I called several times!' her mother, mrs Madhvi Iyer, the last of Mohicans ( a title lovingly bestowed by her husband of thirty-five years) demanded.

sorry ma, I dint hear it. Must have been busy,' Ishita said, dropping her bag and laptop on the table.

why are you always so busy at work? If you want, I'll talk to that lady boss of yours,' Madhvi suggestes. It sounded more like a threat

ma, on eis supposed to be busy at work... that's what you get paid for,' Ishita replied.

sarkari job kar lo! Manmohan singh has increases salaries in the public sector.'

Ma, don't you have something useful to do?'

Go and sit with ur dad. Tullu, get the tea and sandwiches ready for didi!' wailed the mistress of the house, marching off towards the kitchen.

Her mother ran the house smoothly, in spite of the few rough edges she possessed, particularly for those, who in her I-Know_it-all opinion did not treat her children right. That scope covered every known living organism.

I'm sure its always the mother who is the root cause of people turning psychos or brilliant successes. Both highly abnormal' muttered Ishita. She took refuge in the family room, with the only person beside Shagun, who got her from the word Go'.

The first love of Ishita's life, the only man she had, in all the wisdom ... of five-year-old, publically proclaimed to marry... Her father. Mr Vishwanathan Iyer. A retired CFO of a financial company, running his own business consultancy, was Ishita's one-stop-shop of pure love and solace.

there you are chotu, you look tired,' Vishwanathan observed her, over his beige rimmed glasses. He quickly went back to one of his three addictions- the Discovery channel. The second was khana khazana and the third, sanjeevkapoor.com. no he did not have a man-crush on the above mentioned chef, just a plain simple Indian obsession with food. Why are Indian men so much into food? Even when, most of them cannot cook Maggi, which comes with written instruction.

what are you thinking chotu?

papa, I have already lived around twenty-two percent of my life. I am no chotu.' Ishita quipped, collapsing in her favourite chair, the right next to him.

Mr Iyer quickly did the math. eighty-five years or so!, not if your mom lives hundred percent of her sixty-five years.

oh you are mean!' Ishita giggled.

Affectionately patting her knee, Mr Iyer then went on to repeat the age old, beaten to death clich,' you will always remain a child"

for your parents, no matter how old you get,' finished her mother entering with Tullu and tea in tow.

how come you never think in similar terms when you want my room tidied or have me married off to any stranger, literally off the streets,' Ishita retorted, directly to her mother.

you and your silly remarks! I have some good news,' mrs Iyer said handing her the cup.

Keeping her head bent, Ishita sipped the scalding liquid. Her body tautened anticipating the lightning strike.

Toshi didi called; she and Raman are coming here and guess when?' Madhvi dint wait for any response. day after tomorrow by the afternoon flight!'

Ishita clutched the cup, lest it might meet the same fate as the pencil and nearly the files. So it was confirmed- her worst fear was about to come true, she ever knew its ETA.

Arre say something , aren't you happy? You will finally get to meet your badi maa after three years,' Madhvi said.

Three years, seven months and the number of days I am a little confused about, Ishita quietly deliberated.

Badi maa! Raman's mom, Mrs. Toshi Bhalla was and is best friend with Ishita's mother. They only refer to each other as sisters born of separate mothers.

Their husbands, Vishwanathan Iyer and Mr. Vishwas Bhalla , as providence would have it, were childhood friends. In a strange coincidence, two best friends married two best friends. Tragedy struck close twice.. just kidding!

No maa, of course I'm happy.' Ishita assured. and anyways, I already know. I heard it in the office earlier today.'

why dint you immediately call up and tell me?' Madhvi admonished.

Shrugging her shoulders, Ishita finished her tea in a gulp. im a little tired, can I go upstairs and chill!' she got up to her feet. The excited plans her parents were laying out for the Bhallas homecoming, pricked her ears.

Go ahead Ishu, do as u please, this is your house,' Vishwanathan replied watching his daughter with thoughtful eyes.

Ishita climbed the stairs to the tree bedroom apartment, on the first floor. Earlier occupied by her elder brother and his family, it had come to her once they moved to Mumbai.

Elder to her five years, Bala Iyer, an IMA Ahmedabad passout, was currently a financial head honcho of a leading infrastructure giant. He was married to an absolute sweetheart, Vandita aka vandu. A pediatrician by profession and an adroit multitasker, who managed the job of a mother, doctor, wife, daughter and DIL in the best possible way known to mankind. They were blessed with two lovely twins, a six year old boy and girl, Piya and Piyush, cheesy names but adorable.

Wearily, Ishita flopped on the sofa, resting her head in the hands. She unconsciously massaged her scalp, vividly recalling Raman's painful grip on her hair, the blazing hatred in his eyes accompanying the vicious words,' You greedy women! I will come back , I promise... to destroy you and everything you ever held precious.'

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Sushma