Hello all!
Something light to make up for the heavy emotions of the previous OS. And to make your weekend extra-sweet!
Enjoy! ...And do leave your comments, please!
English Version on Pg 2
9. Fruity matters
A friday evening at Shantivan, the young folk were gathered by the poolside, the one next to the living area, before dinner. Nani, Mamaji and Mami having gone to a relative's house, they were having a rocking time waiting for the elders to come home for dinner.
The last to reach home, Arnav had just settled down with his usual coffee while his wife folded up his jacket and tie. Anjali and Akash were busy pointing out the different constellations to Payal when NK walked in, busy fiddling with his phone.
"NK Bhai, bus bhi kijiyena. Jab dekho game khelne mein lage rehte ho. Aayiye, yahaan baithiye, aur humein bataayiye ki woh taara kaun sa hain", Anjali said, patting the seat next to her.
"Nahin, Di. Mein koi game nahi khel raha hoon. Woh meri ek friend mujhe call karegi, so I'm just waiting for her call."
"Ooh...ladki! Kaun si friend hain, NK Bhai, jo itni raat ko aapko call kar rahi hain? Australia mein toh ab saadhe baarah baj gaya hoga nah?" Akash asked, smirking.
Giggling, Anjali was about to say something when NK's phone rang.
"You're my Honeybunch, Sugarplum
Pumpy-umpy-umpkin, You're my Sweetie Pie
You're my Cuppycake, Gumdrop
Snoogums-Boogums,..."
Happily picking up the phone, he answered the call and walked away, drawling in his Australian accent, totally oblivious to the reactions around him. It wasn't often that you heard such a ringtone on a 26 year-old, self-professed hunk's phone!
Anjali was staring at his retreating back open-mouthed, Payal was unsuccessfully trying to stop her giggles, Akash was just banging away on the hand of his chair, trying to control his breath. He looked up suddenly to see what Arnav's reaction was and fell back against the back-rest, roaring with laughter. Arnav Singh Raizada looked exactly like what he would have if he had been told that AR Group's share price had just plummetted - total disbelief and utter horror.
"Haye...kitna cute gaana tha, unhone band kyun kiya? Humein poora sunna tha...", four heads whipped around to stare at Khushi.
"Cute!" Arnav sputtered. One look at his expression set off the other three again.
"Haan...kyun, aap log itna has kyun rahe ho?"
"Khushi, tumhe ek grown man ke phone mein...argh, leave it. I should've known ki tum aise hi react karogi. Tum aur NK, donon mein competition chal raha jo hain, ki who's crazier!" Arnav muttered.
"Haun...Aap..." Khushi had just started off again when Anjali jumped in, "Ab bus bhi karo tum donon. Jab dekho yehi chaltha rehta hain, donon ke beech. Hey bhagwan, kaisa pyaar hain yeh!"
Catching Arnav's smirk and Khushi's blush, Payal smiled, "Arre Di, yeh toh aap suna hoga nah, kya kehte hain, pehle chagda aur phir manaana."
Khushi's response was a screech, "Jiji!"
NK walked in at that point and sat down, a satisfied smirk on his face. "Akash Bhai, ye lakdiyon se baatein karke jo feeling hota hain nah, its just amazing!"
"NK Bhai, lakdi nahi! Khair, chodiye...aap nahin sudhrenge", muttered Akash.
Arnav was about to ask him about his taste in ringtones when his wife beat him to it. "Nanheji, yeh kaunsa gaana hain. Kitna pyaara hain! Zara poora gaana sunaayiyena..."
"Not a problem, Khushiji, leejiye, sun leejiye..."
"You're my Honeybunch, Sugarplum
Pumpy-umpy-umpkin, You're my Sweetie Pie
You're my Cuppycake, Gumdrop
Snoogums-Boogums, You're the Apple of my Eye
And I love you so and I want you to know
That I'll always be right here
And I love to sing sweet songs to you
Because - you - are - so - dear!"
Grinning from ear-to-ear, Khushi exclaimed, "Kitna pyaara hain! Koi bacchi ne gaayi hain?"
"Haan, Khushiji. Ek singer ki beti apni doll ko gaakar sulaa rahi thi, aur unke maa-baap record kiye the. Bahut hi famous gaana hain, yeh", Anjali replied.
"Di, yeh sugarplum kya hain?", Payal asked. Answering his wife's question, Akash took her hand, giving it a squeeze, "Woh ek tarah ki candy hain, dried-fruits se bana hua. Kyun, tumhe kya laga, extra-sweet plum hoga?"
"Hume bhi aisa hi laga, Jeejaji. Hum pyaar se doosron ko bulaate hain nah, toh hum socha ki aisa hi koi mithai ya phal ka naam hoga."
"Achcha...toh aap Chotte ko mithai ke naam se pukaarte ho..." Anjali giggled, winking at Arnav.
"Unbelievable!", he muttered in response.
NK. who had been watching the comments fly as if it were a tennis-match, suddenly exclaimed, "Hey! If we were to be called by fruit-names, hum kaunse fruits hote? Di, main which fruit hota?"
"Typical!" Arnav thought. "Agar madness ka koi fruit hota, toh tum woh hote", he said.
"Nannav.. mere bhai..tum chup raho. Aisi interesting discussions mein tum bilkul waste ho, total waste! Di, bataayiye nah!"
"NK Bhai, aap toh definitely apple hain. Itna handsome aur sweet jo hain", Anjali smiled at him fondly.
"Aww, thank you Di, aur aap strawberry hoti, a real sweet, heart!", NK said, giving her a quick hug.
Arnav couldn't believe his ears! Seriously, what had his family come to? Discussing fruits...unbelievable!
Turning to Payal, NK continued his fruit-related personality assessment, "Payal Bhabhi, aap grapes hain, small, cute and sweet."
Laughing at his wife who looked as if she'd swallowed a grape-seed, Akash asked, "Aur main?"
"Tum toh pineapple ho, Akash. Bahar se thodi prickly, lekin andar dedh saara sweet!" Anjali said, poking him on his shoulder.
"Aur main?" Khushi piped up from where she'd been sitting on the floor beside her Arnavji. It hadn't escaped anyone's notice that she had been quiet for so long, just because she had been enjoying him softly stroking her head. Wisely, no one had commented, not wanting to make Arnav leave in a huff.
"Jalebi!" everyone answered at once.
"Nahin, mithai nahin. Hume toh yeh jaana hain ki aapke hissab se hum kaunsi phal hain", she insisted.
Unable to help himself, Arnav murmured, "Tum toh mixed fruit jam ho. Har fruit ki mithaas jo hain tujh mein..."
"Aww...Nannav, mera Bhai kitna romantic ho gaya hain, hain nah, Di?'
"Woh toh hain." Anjali smirked. "Waise Khushiji, aapke Arnavji kaunsi phal hain?"
As if she'd been thinking about this for a while, pat came the reply, "Yeh toh naariyal hain, naariyal!"
"What the! I'm a coconut?! Khushi, main yahaan tumhe aisi achchi compliments de raha hoon, aur tum mujhe naariyal bana rahe ho? Aur koi fruit nahi mila tumhe? Naariyal!"
Hanging on to his arms from where she was sitting, his wife yelled, "Arre, humein baat poora karne toh deejiye!'
"Really, you want to tell me why I'm a coconut? Okay, bolo."
"Naariyal kaisa hota hain? Andar khusne keliye kitni mehnat karni padti hain? Pehle ek kadhin chamda, uske andar mushkil se khus gayi toh bahut saari chhilaka. Phir bhi himmat nahi haari toh ek atoot khol, jiske andar jaane mein kaamyaab rahein toh milega apne mehnath ka phal, ek naram dil aur dedh saari meethi ras."
Not realising that everyone around had gone silent, she continued, " Ab boliye, aap aise hain ki nahin? Kitna mehnat karna pada humein, andar khusne ke liye? Aur jab tak nahin khusa, humein kya pata tha ki aap asal mein...", she trailed off, seeing the intense look on her husbands face as he reached to cup her face, unable to keep himself from toucing his wife, who was the only person in the whole world who had had the courage, patience and love to try and break the barriers that had been around him for years.
Suddenly remembering that his family was around, Arnav pulled his hand back. Looking down, he spotted his wife grinning up at him mischieviously.
Giving her a warning look, he cleared his throat and asked nonchalantly, "Di, agar aapke fruity baatein ho gayi toh zara pata lagaayiye Nani kahan tak pahunchi hain. I'm really hungry!"
Anjali was about to retort with a jibe at her pretending-to-be-not-a-romantic brother when the air rang with a loud call, "Hello-hai-bye-bye! Kahan hain sab log? Khana nahin hai, ka? Humre peth mein toh choohe daudat hain. Anjali..."
Grateful to his Mami's interruption for the first time in his life, Arnav smirked at his sister, "Chalein?"
Getting up, NK replied, "Nannav, mere Bhai, don't worry, we'll catch you later! Hain nah, Akash Bhai, naariyal toh hum todke hi rahenge!"
Laughing at his reddening brother, Akash replied, "NK Bhai, yeh naariyal toh Khushiji ke pairon mein kab ka toot chuka hain."
The last of what was heard of the gang heading back into the house was a muttered "Unbelievable!" from Arnav Singh Raizada and a giggle from his irrepressible wife.
Author's note:
The idea popped into my head when I heard the Honey-Bunny song and remembered that a few years ago, the Honey-bunch song had been the reigning ringtone, much to the discomfort of a lot of boys.😊
The earlier OSs can be found here :
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