CHAPTER – 5

          

Months rolled on effortlessly. Kushi was stirring her hazelnut cappuccino absentmindedly. She was thinking over the past few months. There hadn’t been much change to her life – it was all about work, work and work.  At times some proposals came and as usual she didn’t know when it came and went; nothing worked out. Her family as usual is on toes when the matter comes to hers’.

There had been some rough scratches in her communication with family; they were worried for her; one more year and she would be 30! And this irritated her.

I’m just going to turn 30, there is one more year and it is 30 not 60! But according to Daadi, a human being’s life span is just about 60 years and I’m going to complete almost half of it, alone! And if all that wasn’t enough, I started spotting grey hair; a way of nature to remind you that you are not young anymore. Sigh, life sucks!!!!

Just then she saw Arnav coming towards her table with his caramel cappacuino and double chocolate muffins for them. Kushi reminisced that the only change that has come to her life in the last few months was – Arnav!

Not even in my wildest dream had I thought that I would befriend Arnav or even have an amicable conversation with him. But now his friendship is really precious to me.  Almost all my friends are either married or have kids and nowadays we lack a common topic. All they have to say is either problems of married life or complaints about husbands or the little big things their kids did! And I have nothing to contribute in those conversations; instead I feel like a loser when I look around my apartment after those calls. Over the years almost 90 percent of my friendships withered away, some because my friends got busy in their lives and some because I didn’t want those friends anymore whose life did not parallel with mine and gave me just depression after each talk. Those friendships only reminded me of what I don’t have. Anjali alone lasted all these years; more so because we are in the same place and also because to an extent we still have time for each other. But still it was not the same like old times. Both had different lives and different priorities at the end of the day.

So my friendship with Arnav is a refreshing change. We both are single and have time for friendship without priorities hindering it. Also because he is the only male friend I had in a long time. It helps in giving me a different perspective on things at times. Also his positive outlook on life inspires me when I get clogged down by my depression. He is irritating at times; but that helps me to feel alive when I fight back or counter him. I hadn’t done that in a long time. No one had challenged me enough that my wild spirited soul, hidden behind the tough Doctor exterior and single unmarried well behaved girl from respectable family image, came to life again!!!

Arnav settled opposite to her and placed the muffins before her. Kushi had a small mouth and couldn’t open it wide enough to bite the whole muffin. So she used to cut them into pieces. Arnav saw it the first time when he visited Costa Coffee with her. After that it is always her duty to cut them into small pieces for him too. He waited like a kid for her to do that for them while she obediently did so.

Arnav: Why were you smiling lost in thoughts?

Kushi: Huh, nothing. Here have it.

She extended the plate of muffin pieces to him which he promptly began eating forgetting his question. Kushi sipped her coffee and propped a piece of muffin into her mouth scrolling in her mobile. They were having a break and dropped into the Costa Coffee opposite their hospital. It was their favourite cafe. Suddenly Kushi screamed in excitement looking at the screen.

Kushi: Yayyyyy!!!!!

Arnav (mouth full): What happened?

Kushi( grinning in complete glee) : Hrithik Roshan is getting divorced!!!!!!

Arnav (raising an eyebrow and chewing): So what?

Kushi: Are you asking me so what?! That means he is single again; and kya pata what if I have a chance? Maybe my marriage got delayed so much because of this!

Arnav (rolling his eyes): Seriously?!

Kushi: You won’t understand, it’s a girly thing!!

Arnav: Really? Have some shame; after all you are a doctor.

Kushi: So what if I’m a doctor, I’m a human being first and a single unmarried one at that. So I have all rights to drool over a star if I want.

Arnav sighed disapprovingly.

Kushi (getting irritated): My life is so dry that if I get some coolness out of this why are you bothered?

Arnav: If you are really his fan, you shouldn’t be happy when he is facing a tragedy. He has recently undergone a surgery and might only be recovering; and to top it now the divorce. From whatever he has portrayed to the outer world he has loved his wife and is a great father. There are two kids involved too. His life is going through a rough phase and all you care is that he is single! You can be so silly at times!

Kushi did feel a bit embarrassed, but she would die before admitting it before Arnav.

Kushi: Enough of your lectures. Why should we fight over someone who actually doesn’t figure anywhere in our real life. Let’s get back to duty. Come.

Arnav smirked knowing Kushi was purposely acting nonchalant and followed suit putting on an innocent face before her.

                                                 ***************

“Bachnaaa...eeeey....Haseenooo...”

The song was put on loud volume and Kushi could hear it even from outside the door. She was standing before Arnav’s apartment. She had rung the doorbell twice by now but there was no response except for the loud music. She pushed the door and saw that it was unlocked. She walked in; she had expected to see a typically scattered and disordered bachelor apartment but instead she was surprised to see the apartment was decked well and decorated tastily too.  

Kushi: Helloooo Mr. Raizadaa....are you in there?!

Hearing no voice she walked through the apartment and finally reached the bedroom door which was wide open. She saw Arnav dancing to the song wearing just shots.  He was fully into the song and didn’t realize that he is having audience. Kushi couldn’t resist the smile that stretched on her face.

When Arnav turned towards the door, he saw Kushi. Kushi thought he would turn red 

for getting caught off guard but his reply got her off guard instead.

Arnav: Having a nice show here Doctor?

Kushi: No no I just came in.

Arnav( grinning): I saw you through the dressing table mirror.

Kushi : Aah....I rang the bell twice, there was so response....and I heard the music so knew you are here...and the door was open...so I walked in and saw you...

Arnav didn’t wait for her to complete instead went and grabbed her hand and pulled her too for the dance. Kushi resisted.

Kushi: Hey hey no Arnav. I don’t dance. I have a left foot in it.

Arnav: I don’t see any judges here Doctor....just let go and dance.  Come on.

He held her hand and tried moving her along with his steps. She initially tried resisting and felt uncomfortable. But seeing Arnav dancing so funnily and with such free abandon she couldn’t resist the urge to flow like that too. Slowly she too started dancing with abandon. She is indeed a poor dancer and the way she danced showed it, but Arnav did not mock her, instead he didn’t look at her and continued dancing.

After a while both of them got tired and Kushi slammed onto the floor leaning on his bed while Arnav switched off the music player and grabbed a t-shirt and sat beside her wearing it. Kushi was leaning towards the water bottle when Arnav resisted her motion.

Arnav: You are breathing hard. Let it subside and then have water.

Kushi was feeling thirsty and stretched her hand again.

Arnav: 5 minutes patience Kushiii!!

                                                     *********

Half an hour later they were sitting in the same position but deciding on which video game to play.

Arnav: Why are you here all of a sudden? You are visiting my apartment for the first time right.

Kushi: Yeah....actually I thought of calling you out or into my apartment but then thought maybe I will just come over and have the lunch off you.

Arnav: Miser doctor!

Kushi: Hey....don’t call me that. How many times I have bought coffee for you and even bought homemade food for you.

Arnav: Oh my, are you keeping a record for all those?

Kushi: Hmm, I have a record of everything in my life. I’m a systematic person.

Arnav: Whatever. Now tell me what’s the real reason for coming here? Di is behind 

this, ain’t she?

Kushi (trying to put on an innocent face): No...not at all.

Arnav: Has anyone told you, you suck at lying?!

Kushi (grinning sheepishly):  Yup, a couple of times.

Arnav: Ok so spit it out now. What does Di want? Are you asked to spy on me?

Kushi (grinning cautiously): Okay, I know I suck at this job and I did tell Anjali that I won’t be able to do this in the way she expects.

Arnav raised his eyebrow waiting for her to finish.

Kushi: Anji want to get you engaged. For that she wants to know if you already have a girlfriend or something.

Arnav (Shocked): What? Marriage? I’m just 23!

Kushi: Well apparently, not exactly marriage. She just want to poke her nose into your personal life and see if there is any girlfriend and if so, then are there chances for any serious commitment. She will definitely be happy if you have someone like that, just that she doesn’t have the patience to wait and hear it from you. She wants me to dig it out for her since nowadays we are good friends. So yeah...that’s it in short.

Arnav: Di is never going to change, is she?!

Kushi: As it seems...nope!

Arnav (nodding exaggeratedly): In that case, you can tell her to rest in peace. I’m a happy singleton and am considering being one for few years more.

Kushi: Ok good for you. As it is rascals like you can have the entire bash till 30s or even after that and then get settled with an unlucky pretty girl in early 20s. You guys have it all, a festive youth and grounded married life when you want it. But we girls can have neither mostly.

Arnav: Aaah! Ms. Cynicist is back.

Kushi: Call me whatever you want, but that’s the truth.

Arnav: Kushi, do you realize how much negative energy you have stored in your mind. That is the reason for your grey hairs actually.

Kushi (suddenly cautious): I don’t have grey hair.

Arnav: Yeah and I have mustache! ‘mon dude, people in foreign countries sometimes paint their hair white, then why do you worry about one or two thin strands of grey?!

Kushi: Arggh....I came here to discuss about your love life, not my greying hairs!

Arnav smirked.

Kushi: Forget it. It’s no use talking to you. I will tell your Di to emotionally blackmail you into answers as she usually does.

Arnav: Oh no please. Save me that and ask all that she wanted you to find out. I won’t tease anymore.

Kushi grinned victoriously knowing she stroked where it hurt. Arnav would do anything to avoid his Di’s emotional athyachaar.

Kushi: Ok, then tell me what kind of wife do you want?

Arnav: Well ....there is a lot to say; where do I start?

Kushi raised her eyebrow resting her shoulder on his.

Arnav: Hmmm....first of all I don’t want a girlfriend or wife but a partner in crime for everything.

Kushi: Partner in crime?

Arnav: Yes.

Kushi: And how is it different from girlfriend or wife?

Arnav: Gosh. You want explanations on everything doctor. Hmm okay. Girlfriends are meant to be hot babes who are to be pampered and cuddled and enjoyed in youth. Wives are meant to be beautiful from inside; who pampers us and they are the foundation of the institution of family. But what I want is a partner whom I can live with and share my life with as simple as that statement can be. I don’t want her to be fixed into such clichés of the society’s dialect.

Kushi: Hmm.... idea is soooo good to hear. But trust me, when you start your married life, all such ideologies will vanish and you will turn out to be like any other man. Wait, wait before you argue, most men say this before marriage. I have seen some of my friends too. But later I have seen and learnt from their wives that they didn’t even remember uttering those ideologies.

Arnav: Why do you always generalise Doctor?

Kushi: Because that is what happens mostly.

Arnav:  Maybe. But I don’t want to know what happens to others, I just need to know my case.

Kushi (cocking an eyebrow mockingly): You think you will follow this even after marriage?

Arnav: yes sure. See, most men say these ideologies to impress girls but they don’t mean it. While some want to do that, but circumstances and the differences in the characters between two people lead to certain situations where you either give up those ideologies or conveniently forget them to keep family functioning. And there are some, who actually want to follow them but get so pampered and comfortable with their wives that they look over it.

Kushi (laughing mockingly): Aaaaa.....so it is never the fault of man. It is either situations or the problem of wives. Waah waah ( clapping).

Arnav: Ok I quit. I will prove the truth of my words when I get married.

Kushi (laughing): And I will check with your wife every week how are you fairing in it?

Kushi laughed freely and a second later Arnav too joined in her laughter.

Kushi( sobering up): Okay. So what other expectations do you have of your future ‘life partner’? How she should look, about her character, with our without career etc?

Arnav: Well regarding looks, she should look hot and beautiful at the same time....but for my eyes.

Kushi: Mm I can understand that. I have seen girls and boys going gaga over the beauty of their dream life partner and finally when they get married, especially through love marriage, you wonder what they saw in this one. It’s all in the eyes of each person!

Arnav (nodding): True. It’s not necessary that you find a person beautiful just because I do. Hmm then regarding character, I’m giving a blank space there because I cannot dream and pattern a person’s character. If I do so then that is the first step to failure in a relationship. I will just have to get to know the person and see if I can adjust her vices and values and then accept or decline her.

Kushi(nodding approvingly): Mm...good thought.

Arnav: And regarding career, again I don’t have any preferences. She can work or not work depending on her wish.

Kushi (opening her mouth): So you don’t want a career oriented woman? I thought you would demand one actually.

Arnav: Well, career is each person’s personal choice. I won’t object if she wants to work nor will I force her to work if she doesn’t want to. She should have her space and will.

Kushi smiled slightly, she really liked Arnav’s answer; that was different.

Kushi: What if she is having more busy or promising professional life or earns more than you?

Arnav: About busy life, hmm it is a problem in today’s nuclear families. You don’t have time for each other. But if the husband is busy then wives do try to adjust; so I think men should also put in some effort and try to balance both personal and professional life. And regarding she having a fat salary than me, that’s good right. I know most people don’t approve of it. But I think it doesn’t matter who earns more, after all the money comes into the same family. If the husband earns more the wife never feels any grudge but sees it as investment to family. Then why should husband feel bad when wife earns more. Moreover in my case, it will be of more help if she earns more because I want at least half a dozen kids of my own and to provide for all of them, it’s not easy.

It did not click Kushi first but slowly her mouth gaped open.

Arnav: What? I’m serious. I love kids and want at least a dozen, half my own and half adopted; can’t strain her lot right.

The laughter that ensued after that did not end for a long while. Kushi had never laughed so much in her life. But the image of Arnav sitting between 6-12 toddlers and grinning in his achievement made Kushi topple over with laughter.

Oh God, please have mercy on that poor soul, she prayed.

Well......God had his own plans, LOL.

Precap: Bhaang Effect

NOTE:

Hi guys,

Welcome to New Year, 2016! I had a wonderful Christmas; hope you had a bash too. My belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all. I completed one year of marriage on Christmas Day. Spend loads of time with my family and stored a lot of memories in mind. Truly happy and I wish the same happiness for all of you.

Me, your friend, is back. And so id Doli Udegi. Will be regular with the updates hereafter. Love you all. Do like and comment. Let me know if you are bored or if you found it interesting.