Don’t worry
“Aapko aur aapki wife ko lunch par bulaana chahta tha” Satyen laughed, it was after 11 PM and Satyen had insisted Akash call back however late
Akash was confused
“Arey kids baat par” Akash hesitated
“Bus yoon hi… Kamalji ne kaafi dino se koi function nahi kiya, aap hamey ghar par bulaate nahi, hamey laga HUM bula lete hain”
“Arey nahi… Bauji ka pair toota sagai se pehle, waha Varsha ke Papa ko malaria hua sagai ke baad… mere chhotey bhai Anil aaye sagai mein unkey aha se laut te hue Shatabdi mein unka phone chori ho gaya”
“Arey rey”
“Bus yahi sab chal raha hai”
“Gaadi theek ho gayi?”
“Arey kahan… abhi nahi”
“If you don’t mind… ek baat keh sakta hoon?”
“Jee zaroor”
“Hamare Aurangabad Yavatmal etc we have fleet cars for factories… so we can shuttle people from station to factory, uske liye hum battery charger import karte hain bahar se, if you don’t mind can I give you one?”
“Arey nahi nahi”
“I am begging you”
“Arey no sir… I can pay… phir le sakta hoon”
“That’s great… chaliye lunch ke baad business transaction kar lete hain”
“Lunch to….”
“Kya hua?”
“Anubha Germany ja rahin hai Saturday ko raat ke 2 baje ki flight hai”
“Lunch tab taq khatam ho jaana chahiye”
Akash laughed
Anubha was already asleep
He could hear the twins playing loud music and dancing in their room, the in-laws now in Naina’s room
He walked over and scolded them inaudibly.
He peeked into Viveka’s room Naina was fast asleep, Viveka was staring out the balcony, watching the rains
“”Kitne baje ka soch rahe hain aap?” Akash asked softly
“Jab AAP lunch khaate hon?”
“Hum to Saturday ko qareeb do baje taq kha paate hain”
“chaliye 2 baje” “Ghar aayenge?”
“Umm… kahin… aap …”
“Hum aura ap mil lete hain kahin? Anubha ko packing karna bhi hoga shaayad”
“Don’t worry Mr Mathur, Smrita Dubai gayin hain is week….” Satyen blurted… “Mera matlab… sirf main aa paaoonga” “Sorry”
“Oh OK… koi nahi koi nahi”
“Ghar aa paayenge?”
“Umm.. chaliye misus ko poochhkar bataen?”
“cancelation ke alawa koi bhi answer chalega” satyen laughed
Viveka turned towards him and let him finish
“You are up late, that better not be a GF” Viveka laughed poking him
“YOU are up late too so I am hoping IT BETTER BE a BF”
She turned red
“Chalo… good!” he kissed her head
“Who was on the phone”
“Aapke mitr”
“WHO?” she was shocked
“Arey dark yon rahe ho aap?”
“Who was it?” she was antsy now
“Arey beta Satyen Parashar he invited us to lunch”
“Well I cannot go.. I have too many things going on”
“That’s good kyon ki Ma aur mujhe bulaya unhoney”
“Good” she sighed relaxing
“You don’t like working with him?”
“I DO I DO… he is a good man” she nodded standing up stressing
“Baat kya hui?”
“I don’t know” she almost walked out into the wet balcony
“Hamey bataogi?”
“Nothing to tell actually” she smiled turning around… all composed
“You know I am here for you”
“Oh yeah”
“Bata sach mein… main Saturday ko baja doonga Parashar ki” he acted like a hero
Viveka laughed hysterically
“His son is arrogant his wife is too… I told him if they were going to be present then no meeting up”
“Why are you even going?” she asked leaning on the wall looking up at Akash
“I don’t know he seems decent beta”
She nodded agreeing with him
“He behaves properly, no airs and no arrogance”
“True”
“Press meet ko lekar tension mein ho?”
“Oh yeah” she nodded
“You are a Rockstar, don’t let Dadi’s archaic views bother you”
“I wont” she hugged him
“Kaash girlfriend hoti Ma itna travel karti rehtin hain… I don’t have to be lonely” he began to laugh
She smacked him repeatedly playfully
“she loves you SO much dude… take that back right now”
“Hahahah”
“Papahh”
“Achha mazaak tha”
“You have a great marriage… despite Dadi trying to unhook you”
“You will too…. Every marriage requires a mean MIL” he laughed
“I doubt any man will support his wife like you”
“Oh.. no oh no… don’t speak too soon beta… you will get one like that”
“Umm.. yeah… NOPE”
“But of course Abhishek ki Ma nahin hai na?”
“Umm.. no… but… “
Akash looked at her carefully
“Not sure about him?”
“I mean… c’mon Papa…. I see him, I know him….”
“Samjha”
“I meet him about work and research”
“I meant to say don’t worry about me…. I wont tolerate a mean MIL unlike Ma” Viveka laughed
“I know you wont” he smiled admiringly, “Us din raat ko chhodne bhi nahi aaya Abhishek?” Akash looked pissed
“that’s fine… I am no abala naari”
“Yet this… umm.. kya kehte hain”
“The Parashar kid?”
“Hahahaha…. Nice name”
“I know… I came up with it”
“Does he know?”
“NO… NO..” “nahi”
“You like him?”
“WHYYY?” she panicked
“Bas… u know… he helped you and all”
“Oh yeah sure… an act of decency”
Her phone pinged… she went to look at it
Satyen had sent her Raanav’s contact
“Send me screen shots of all arguments you win… OK?
She smiled and sent a thumbs up
“Chalo aap baat karo friends se, main jaata hoon soney”
“Bye Papa… Gnite”
She sat in bed and yawned dreaming open eyed about... you know who
Arjun
Anupamaa
108 Base Hospital Uri
Tu Juliet Jatt Di
Cricket
Dr Aarambhi
