"Lavanya bitiya, come, come," Manorama smiled sweetly at Lavanya as she entered the temple in her off-shoulder designer blouse and a white saree.
"Hi, Aunty," she smiled at her after hugging Anjali and stealing a moment with ASR.
Anjali looked tense since her pooja plate and the holy thread were missing. Arnav was trying to comfort her when Arnav's phone rang.
He frowned at the unknown number.
"Chotte, I hope it isn't a work-related call," Anjali muttered exasperatedly.
Arnav just picked up the call after nodding a No at Anjali.
"Hello, Arnav Singh Raizada here, " he responded.
"Hello, " he heard an unknown female voice and it sounded sweet.
Before he could respond to the reply, he heard her again.
"Your sister's Anjali pooja plate got exchanged with us. I'm on my way to return it to you. I hope our pooja plate is safe with you," she asked.
"Oh, yes it is," he responded after looking at a plate abandoned carelessly in Anjali's hand.
And soon the call was cut without any goodbyes.
Arnav was relieved since his Di will stop worrying now.
"Di, your thali is with Ms. Gupta. She's on her way here. She's getting it," Arnav said.
"Really, chotte?" Anjali was excited and relieved as her lips curved into a beautiful smile.
"Yes, Di."
But two souls were making a disgusted face. Manorama was already on her taunts about how the middle-class girls were trying to trap their sons.
Lavanya made a disgusted face and muttered, " Damn that Chamkili! Will I see that Bitch's face now?"
Manorama with her ears caught the word Chamkili.
"Chamkili? Is that Phatsadee you're talking about?" she asked, smiling.
"Who's Phatisadee?" Lavanya counters questions but Manorama doesn't mind. If Lavanya was a middle-class woman, things would have been different.
"That Khushi Gupta," Manorama replied, all the while murdering English little by little. Someone should put her in Jail for the murder. Or better, someone should insult her English. Maybe then she'd stop torturing the poor English language. If English were a person, they would have killed herself before jumping in the not-so-sweet mouth of Manorama.
Lavanya laughed, "Phatisadi is better than Chamkili. I could use it to insult her more."
"Uze(use) it. Uze(use) it." Manorama laughs dramatically.
Lavanya joins her.
Anjali is just waiting for Khushi to come with her pooja plate and her wait has ended after a few minutes.
"Anjali-Ji?"
Anjali hears a voice, and everyone in the Raizada Family turns toward the voice.
"I'm sorry your plate was exchanged with mine," Payal says smiling.
"It's okay, Payal-Ji. It happens." Anjali takes the pooja plate from her and gives Payal's pooja plate back to her.
"Thank You!" Payal smiles.
Manorama and Lavanya roll their eyes.
"I'm sure this phati sadee's sister has stolen our puja plate," she whispers loud enough for everyone to hear.
Lavanya chuckles.
Just then Khushi enters, "Jiji, did you give the plate to Anjali-ji?"
"Yes, Khushi," she replies.
"Here comes phati sadee, without any sharam after stealing our silver pooja plates," she whispers.
Again, loud enough for anyone to hear.
"Manorama!" Devyani glares at her.
Manorama twists her mouth and rolls her eyes.
"Truth is always bitter," she says.
"I'm so sorry, Khushi Bitiya and Payal Bitiya," Devyani aplogises.
"Yes, we're sorry from Mami's side Khushi-Ji and Payal-Ji," Anjali adds, looking at Khushi and Payal.
"Why are you apologizing to us, Anjali? Apologize to people named Phatisadee and Khooon bari taang. Not us," Payal countered.
Anjali widens her eyes.
"Last time I checked I was Payal and my Sister was Khushi," she says smiling sarcastically.
"But of course, if someone was brainless enough to forget our names and did namkaran for us without our knowledge, then I'm sorry, we don't need so-called names. So, there's no need of accepting anyone's apologies I think. We have ours, after all." she insults Manorama indirectly.
Khushi huffs and maintains a neutral expression.
Manorama feels insulted.
"Hello hi bye bye, phatee sadee and khoon bari taang, I know it, I know your cheap tactics now, " she gritted her teeth twisting her mouth.
All became confused at her words. Including Khushi, she threw a frown at Manorama while Payal was fuming inside. Whatever she said is not enough to Manorama, it seems!
"What are you saying, Manorama," Devyani asked gritting her teeth. She just hoped she doesn't do something that could get her insulted again.
"Yahi, she's a thief." At this comment, Payal has already imagined scratching Manorama's face with her sharp nails while Khushi threw a very amusing look. How many times will she repeat it?
The rest of the Raizadas were shocked except Devyani who was fuming in anger. Lavanya was smirking.
"What are you saying, Mami?" Anjali asked, with an unbelievable look on her face. Wasn't the previous comments enough?
Anjali sighs and Arnav although shocked at Payal's words rolls his eyes later on.
Middle-class girls and their tantrums! His mind screams and his heart conflict with the mind's statement.
In the last, the mind wins and so, he says nothing.
Before Manorama could open her mouth, they hear another voice.
"Khushi Bitiya!" It's Garima.
"Ha, Ma," Garima smiles and comes forward.
Manorama looks at Garima shocked and Garima's eyes fall on Manorama.
"You?" Garima asked looking at Manorama, she was shocked.
Manorama stammers.
"Aa..p!"
"Ma, do you know them her?" Khushi asks, looking at her confused.
"Yes, of course! How can I forget her? She used to be our maid back then and tried to trap your dad when you weren't even born. Jiji and Jiju kicked her out," she informs.
Manorama hangs her head down.
"So, true! Truth is always bitter, and you should have bought a mirror! It would have been helpful." Payal looks at Manorama smirking.
Khushi, on the other hand, is shocked! She thought Manorama was good at heart.
Well, not always an evil face will have a good heart.
The End
Okay, I always didn't like Manorama, no matter how funny she sounds. With a tongue as sharp as hers, even a knife shouldn't compete with it, she'd kill many innocent or broken (low-class or middle-class) hearts without their fault.
Let me know what you think!
