One Day At A Time

Chapter Thirty Five - The Golden Mean

"I am going to order Buttered Toasts for a change and a Masala Dosa for Khush," Anjali informed everyone at the table, placing her fork next to the spoon after having played with it for some time. She laughed when she stared at the confused faces of Nikhil, Naina, Akash and Payal. "Alright! I know Khush doesn't quite like Dosa. But we both got into an argument today morning. After knowing I've taken the liberty to order Idli for her —" She smiled, "— she is definitely going to order something else altogether. My intuition says she will go for a Dosa."

The late morning sun filtered through the overhead wooden lattice in the garden area of their regular Udupi restaurant, throwing squarish patterns of light onto the table where the gang was seated for an impromptu brunch plan to discuss the travel arrangements for their Lonavla trip the next day. And as expected, the conversations were about anything else but that. And as if nothing had changed over the years, Akash was once again getting agitated by the minute for only half of them had turned up at the agreed time.

"I think she will still go for Idli." Payal challenged, handing over the menu card to Naina.

Anjali's eyes twinkled. "I give you fifty bucks if she sticks to it. Else you double up and give me a hundred."

"Abey!" Payal gasped. "Why double?"

"Because I am the one betting on the impossible!" Anjali argued, and Akash laughed.

"Okay." Payal agreed with a shrug. "Done."

"Where are Khush, Arnav and Kabir? And where is Rajiv, Anjali?" Nikhil had to bend over the table to look at Anjali who was seated next to Naina. "Is he back from Mumbai?"

"Arnav and Kabir are apparently with the X-Men for a game of football. They should join us soon, hopefully." She said, staring at the menu card in her hands. "And yes, Rajiv got back from Mumbai this morning and was meant to leave home half an hour ago. The fact that he is not here yet means one of the giant potholes on FC Road has probably swallowed him whole along with his bike. Good riddance, I say." Anjali said, biting her tongue between her teeth.

Nikhil stared at her for a moment before bursting out into a hearty laugh. "Tu paagal hain, hamesha rahegi."

"I will take that as a compliment," Anjali said with a grin.

Akash glanced at his watch for the umpteenth time, the expression on his face a mere hair's breadth away from a meltdown. "There is a long queue for tables outside the restaurant. I feel guilty holding this one when we aren't ordering anything else besides drinks." Akash frowned. "Where are these people? Punctuality is a word they haven't heard of! I'll be damned if I—"

"They say punctuality is a virtue of the bored, Mathur." Arnav sneaked in behind Akash, dressed in sports shorts and a sweatshirt wearing a big smirk on his face, his face bathed in a thin film of sweat. He pulled a chair next to him and nudged him with his elbow. "Order Vada Saambaar and lemonade for me, please. I am starving and truly apologetic, Mathur."

Akash glared at him. "What the hell, man! Its almost noon!" He snapped at him and finally placed their order with the waiter after deciding not to wait for anyone else.

"Sorry, Dulhe miyaan! I was busy kicking Kabir's ass and got carried away with it." Arnav winked. "How is everyone today, and what is everyone having?"

"Same old," Anjali said with a wry face. "--although I am ordering something different for Khushi and me." Anjali chuckled as she sipped on her Thumbs Up. "Khushi is going to have Masala Dosa today!" She declared with an impish grin on her lips.

Arnav gulped down the last dregs of water from his glass, his brow raised upwards in surprise. "Khushi and Masala Dosa? Has Mother Earth decided to spin the other way round today?"