by Varsha Dixit
‘Please Aunty, no tantric and all that nonsense! Maybe it’s something at work,’ Ajit suggested.
‘Well Aditya can help us there.’ Nirbhay gestured at Aditya who stood at some distance, fiddling with his cell.
‘Uncle, how would Adi know?’ Ajit asked.
‘Aditya just bought the advertising agency Nandini works for,’ Nirbhay replied, casually
‘I had no idea! Aditya you never mentioned the acquisition?’
‘I wanted to set up a base here to work from; AAA seemed as good a place as any other. Simone faxed, your PA and the other board of directors, all the paperwork,’ Aditya replied, his words coming out in a rush.
Ajit returned his attention to the Sharmas. ‘Maybe Nandini needs to widen her horizons. She should apply for work in any of the metros. Sometimes a change of place can provide the much-needed balance. I can help her there.’
‘There is no lack of offers. Nandini, for years has been doing, freelance work for reputed advertising agencies. They have made her handsome offers but she keeps turning them down. We suggested that she go abroad and pursue higher education. She aced her GRE, got a considerable scholarship but then backed out. It’s almost as if she likes to test what she is capable of,’ Nirbhay shared.
Gayatri glanced from one face to another. All, except Aditya who was peering at his shoe, held similar expressions of concern. Who is this Nandini? Why are they all so worried for her, she wondered.
‘How long has this been going on?’ Seema asked.
Shruti became quiet, thinking. A few minutes later, she said, ‘I think four years or so!’
Vibha’s eyes clashed with her younger son. Aditya turned, abruptly, on his heels and headed inside.
Gayatri watched the silent exchange between mother and son. Her female instinct stirred.
‘All these years, Shruti, you and I chatted almost every day, but you never mentioned this?’ Vibha complained.
‘How could I burden you with my worries? You all were coping with such a big loss yourself,’ Shruti replied.
‘Is Nandini at home right now?’ Gayatri asked hesitantly.
‘Yes beta, she just returned from the gym,’ Shruti replied.
‘Then why don’t we all go over and surprise her. I would love to meet her!’ Gayatri suggested.
‘That’s a good idea. I need to walk anyway!’ Seema agreed and so did the others.
Aditya from the dining area saw them head outside. ‘We are going to meet Nandini. Are you coming?’ Gayatri invited.
‘I have some work, why don’t you go ahead?’ Aditya evaded .
‘At least that hasn’t changed. These two are still at loggerheads!’ Seema jested.
‘What do you mean?’ Gayatri asked.
‘Oh, Nandini and Aditya couldn’t stand each other. They would argue and pick on each other 24/7. How many aspirins, we took because of these two!’ Ajit replied, laughing.
Aditya kept quiet. After Shruti’s disclosures, he craved some medicines of his own – antacids.
30
Jhoota Sach
Sharma household
Nandini closed the door behind her, plunging the room in further darkness. The lines from Alanis Morrisette’s song, ‘Ironic – imagine meeting the man of your dreams and then his beautiful wife’, strummed in her head.
Not switching the lights, she moved straight for the beanbag in the corner. Flopping down, she dialled a number on her cell. Few rings later, someone answered it. Nandini immediately blurted, ‘I just met his fiancée.’
‘Describe her?’ Sneha’s tone was sympathetic.
‘Total fugly!’
‘I knew it!’ Sneha retorted and then ventured a soft, ‘Really?’
Exhaling, Nandini confessed, ‘Quite a stunner and sophisticated to the T. But her Hindi is atrocious! ’
‘Dang! How are you doing?’
‘Not too well!’ Nandini whispered, as tears welled in her eyes. There was a comforting silence between old friends.
‘Maybe it is time, for you also to move on. You have to accept that Aditya and you are not getting back.’ Sneha flinched, as she uttered the words.
‘Do I have to?’ Nandini moaned.
‘Yes darling, why live in the murky past and overlook a future, which could be so bright?’
‘Don’t BS me!’ Nandini bawled.
‘I am not BSing and you know that. Just put yourself out there, and live your life the way you deserve. Are you still there?’ Sneha asked.
‘I am here! Maybe you are right. This is not end of the world,’ Nandini said, wiping her tears.
‘You are crying aren’t you?’
‘No more,’ Nandini said, vehemently. ‘You are right Sneh! I should now focus only on myself. I can’t throw my life away and for what, someone who doesn’t give a damn.’
‘Exactly! All those lofty claims of loving you? Well it did not take much for him to believe the worst of you. In fact, if I were you, I’d be thanking my stars that I escaped what could have been a worst mistake of my life!’ Sneha spoke, like a true TV evangelist – blood curdling loud and forceful...
‘You are right! It’s true; I may have actually been saved from he worst mistake of my life!’ Nandini replied, like a fanatic – zealous and brain dead.
‘Now keep saying that over and over till you fall asleep. And mark my words tomorrow you’ll be like new,’ Sneha bolstered.
‘I shall do just that. Thank you my friend.’
‘You go girl, you are now cured !’ Sneha declared .
‘Yes! Yes! I agree, I am cured... totally and completely cured .’Nandini hollered. Charged, the two best friends ended the call.
‘Aditya could have been the worst mistake of my life!’ Nandini chanted, as she brushed her teeth, donned her night suit, applied the moisturiser and finally slipped in the bed. About to turn the bedside light off, her eyes fell on the crystal love birds at the nightstand.
Self-worth and Mata Sneha’s gyaan went for a toss, as Nandini, sobbing, threw herself in the pillow. The hot, scalding tears came in truckloads. Some minutes later, her cell buzzed. Nandini rolled over and picked it up.
‘Crying?’ Sneha asked, softly.
‘Bawling,’ was Nandini’s drained reply.
‘Babes, it is over,’ Sneha quietly reinforced.
‘You say that word once again and I swear I’ll come to your house and personally strangle you.’ Nandini whispered, hoarsely. Her heart and spirit tanked to the centre of the earth, one could not go lower than that.
Sneha made a sound, ‘Please Nandi, be strong. Do you want me to come over? I can! And this time it is free of any ulterior motives.’ Sneha was notorious for having Nandini drive her around, and do her errands on the pretext of spending quality time together.
‘I’ll be fine. I promise! This is my last night of grieving,’ Nandini assured, sniffling.
Sarin Mansion
Aditya glimpsed Gayatri enter the room. He smiled, but went back to reading his emails.
‘So how come you didn’t marry her?’ Gayatri lobbed at him.
‘Who are you talking about?’ Aditya questioned, faking ignorance.
‘Nandini?’ Gayatri asked her tone chirpy yet expression cagey
. ‘Why... should I?’ Aditya turned the question into a challenge.
‘Well, for one your family dotes on her, and she is not so bad in the looks department either.’
‘Do you think your looks, are the only reason that I’m marrying you?’ Aditya countered, suavely.
‘We aren’t talking about me.’
‘Shouldn’t we be? You want me to talk about other women?’ Aditya innocently egged.
Gayatri flashed him an exasperated look. ‘Why is it so hard to get a straight answer from you?’
Getting up, Aditya walked over to window overlooking the garden. The light of the full moon bathed everything silver. Even the water in the fountains appeared sliver tipped as it frothed and bounced making tinkling noises.
‘Aditya, are you going to say something?’ Gayatri was determined to get her answers.
‘Nandini and I, few years back, had a brief relationship.’ Aditya mouthed the words, he had already phrased. Women had a sixth sense about such things and the neighbour’s house (pun intended).
‘So you had a fling with her?’ Gayatri gave Aditya a way out.
Aditya did not take it. ‘No, it was a relationship !’ The silence stretched between them .
Gayatri spoke up. ‘So what happened? Why did it end?’
Aditya turned to face her, ‘Dad passed away and soon I realised that Nandini was not the girl I thought her to be.’
Gayatri tried closing the distance between them. Sidestepping her, Aditya went to the liquor cabinet and poured himself a drink. His bitterness was better left with him. ‘Shortly, we moved away. Nandini and I drifted apart till we completely lost touch.’
‘And then you came back and bought the company she works in?’ Gayatri honed.
‘Don’t read too much into it. I just needed a place to work from,’ Aditya replied, observing the golden liquid swirling in the glass. ‘And god’s honest truth is that she and I keep out of each other’s way.’
At least that part was true. It had been ten days since he had met or seen Nandini.
Work related travel and Gayatri kept him busy. However, in the office, whenever he turned a corner and happened to hear her voice or smell her perfume, Aditya forced his feet to tread in the other direction. However, his thoughts were harder to redirect, so he had given up.
‘I hope you are marrying me for the right reasons?’ Gayatri asked, moving in front of Aditya. Her usual doting expression had disappeared.
‘The reasons couldn’t be more right!’
‘Those better include love and insatiable lust,’ Gayatri grinned, but her eyes were wishful.
Aditya’s mouth, creased in a crooked smile. ‘Come here and I’ll prove it to you,’ he voiced, putting the glass down on the mantle .
‘No ways! I am tired. But I promise you shall get a chance, soon!’ Gayatri said, moving towards the door. Please let Aditya lunge across, bury me in his arms and kiss me senseless, Gayatri prayed silently.
‘Whatever makes you comfortable?’ Aditya replied. Some of the tension left his shoulders.
Entering the lavish guest room she occupied, Gayatri murmured, ‘With me Aditya is so placid, like a heart that never races or a river which never overflows... was he like that with Nandini too?’
31
Rani Roopvati
I n a couple of days dawned the evening of Seema’s goed bharai. ‘You look fantastic!’ Aditya complimented his sister-in-law.
‘Sure?’ Seema retorted, sardonically. She moved towards her husband and others assembled in the living room. Just like, every pregnancy is unique, so is the gait. A pregnant woman can glide like a ballerina (okay, that is a stretch), or hobble like one-legged Fakira.
Ajit walked over and pecked his wife on the cheek. ‘You do look beautiful!’
Seema, clasping his arm, flashed a warm smile. ‘After the baby is born, if you dare to touch me, again, for the next five years, will kill you... in the tortuous manner my feet are killing me!’
‘I’m ready!’ All glanced up. Aditya let loose a catcall at Gayatri who stood at the top of the staircase. She looked stunning in her pale pink, designer lehenga and flawless makeup. Her hair pulled to the side and held by jewelled pink flowers. Her ears, neck and arms festooned in glittering contemporary pink diamond pieces.
‘Bhabhiji, you will need two kala tikkas for both your bahus!’ Seema’s mom gushed. The three women oohed and aaghed over Gayatri’s clothes and her appearance. Gayatri preened, enjoying all the attention. Her eyes sought Aditya’s, who gave her the thumbs up.
‘Adi, keep an eye on your woman, lest she is whisked away,’ Ajit teased.
‘Didi, why are you all inside? Guests have started arriving,’ Shruti interrupted coming in, husband and daughter in tow.
Aditya drew his breath sharply, felt like someone had punched him in the gut.
‘Oh my god, look at her !’ Seema howled.
‘Nandini, you look smashing!’ Ajit mouthed.
‘Who’s this stunning creature, Shruti?’ Vibha lovingly cupped Nandini’s cheek, while the latter self-consciously glanced at everyone.
‘Doesn’t she look pretty?’ Shruti gurgled. That is the understatement of the century, Aditya thought.
From head to toe, Nandini was a sight to behold. Her black hair parted in the middle, where rested a kundan tikka, only to fall softly in layers over her shoulders. On her neck, she wore a delicate vintage kundan piece. The kohl and mascara adorned eyes with red and gold eye shadow were hypnotising. Cheeks suffused with bronze and dull red colour, followed by the pouting lips, painted in matted red with a hint of bronze were utterly bewitching. Her body clad in cream and gold, heavily embroidered, form fitting lehenga choli .
If the ninety-three year old, Mr M.F. Hussain had seen Nandini tonight; he would have painted her with the haste and passion of a twenty-three-year-old. Venus herself appeared to have dressed Nandini, even though the credit goes to Annie and Jenny (A parlour in the by-lanes of the town, run by a Chinese woman, who has mastered the art, of speaking her native tongue with a north Indian accent and vice versa).
‘If you all have done your share of embarrassing me, can we go outside?’ Nandini avoided looking at Aditya.
‘Wait!’ Vibha stopped her. Opening her purse, she took out a thick wad of money and circled it around Nandini’s head. Another trick, to ward off the evil eye... bribe it! She then handed the money to a maid loitering nearby, and kissed Nandini’s forehead.
‘I have some good news to share!’ Shruti announced, beaming.
‘What, please tell?’ Seema asked, holding Nandini’s arm.
‘Mom, can you please do this later?’ Nandini begged.
‘Let me speak. Didi, Nandi has asked me to go ahead and look for a boy. She is ready for marriage!’
‘Congratulations!’ Vibha gushed.
‘Nandi, I think you will be snagged before the night ends,’ Ajit teased.
‘Please AB, not you too?’ Nandini grumbled.
‘Little bro and Gayatri, sorry now we’ll have to spend less on your wedding... we have to save for another one!’ Ajit said. Aditya, broodingly, watched the ongoing camaraderie.
‘Ooh! AB look, look Adi’s angry! His nostrils are flaring,’ Nandini teased. Her banter similar to the one they shared in the past .
Aditya’s eyes narrowed. Nandini’s nonchalant tone surprised him. Gratefully, at that moment, his cell buzzed. Shutting himself inside the den, Aditya switched the cell off without even looking at it.
Marching over to the liquor cabinet, he grabbed the bitterest whisky. Pouring a Patiala (more than large and some) peg, he flushed it down his throat. The acrid liquid stung his throat, but nothing like the indifference in those almond eyes.
‘Who the hell will she get married to?’ Aditya fumed. Downing two more PPs, Aditya finally stepped out, hoping everyone had gone out.
Gayatri, her mouth set in an angry line, waited for him. Surprisingly, the displeasure wasn’t directed at him. ‘That little b@#!* .!’ she shot, fuming.
‘What happened?’ Aditya asked, taken aback. Just as overweight women, resolutely, steer clear of all cameras, Gayatri, a fervent sophisticate, avoided any kind of coarseness.
‘That neighbour of yours! How dare she?’ Gayatri grabbed Aditya’s arm, as they moved towards the door leading outside.
‘What did Nandini do?’
Oblivious to Aditya’s scowl, Gayatri vented full steam. ‘That tart knows tonight our engagement shall be announced. This evening is mine! How dare she try to upstage me? Mark my words, she will always be the action-on-the-side-and-never-the-wife. All she probably wants is to get laid tonight—’
‘Enough !’ Aditya snarled, peeling Gayatri’s fingers off his elbow. He almost flung her hand away
. ‘Nandini is a part of this family and no one speaks about her like that. Not even you!’ he thundered. Leaving a flabbergasted Gayatri, Aditya emerged outside. Livid, he entered the decorated lawns, already peppered with guests. However, his eyes sought only one.
‘Outstanding little bro!’ Ajit thumped him on the back.
‘What are you talking about?’ Aditya questioned, reining his anger.
AB with his hands, made a sweeping gesture around him. ‘Look at all this! It is unbelievable that you arranged so much at such short notice.’
It was true; Aditya had pulled out all the stops to throw a party so grand, something akin to his father. ‘You actually outdid, Dad!’ AB praised.
‘Dad would expect no less for his grandchild,’ Aditya replied, blinking swiftly. Suddenly, his emotions were swinging like a woman experiencing a word husbands or boyfriends, for fear of castration, dare not utter.
Ajit hugged his brother. ‘You have more of Dad than I do!’
‘I know! You are all mom minus the sari and petticoat!’ Aditya buzzed, attempting to lighten the mood. Laughing, Ajit walked away. Aditya found Nandini; she was perched next to Seema. He, swiftly, headed in that direction.
From the corner of her eyes, Nandini saw Aditya approach. ‘Let me get you some juice.’
‘Thanks Nandi. I think the baby needs some sugar,’ Seema professed.
‘Absolutely.’ Aditya was almost upon them. Nandini preempted him, ‘Aditya, could you sit with Bhabhi while I get her some juice.’
‘Sure!’ Aditya fumbled, doing as bid. ‘I told you not to have ten kids at once,’ he teased Seema, taking a seat next to her .
‘Please Adi!’ Seema groaned. Smiling, Aditya watched Nandini successfully evade him.
Having dispatched a waiter with the glass of juice, Nandini made her way, away from where Seema and Aditya sat.
‘There you are. Nandini, this is Mrs Prasad and her son Deepak.’ Nandini’s arm was forcefully grabbed and she, like a plate of son papadi, was pushed in front of an eager mother and son.
‘Hello Behl Aunty!’ Nandini croaked over her shoulder at the portly woman, close to fifty, holding her captive.
