Fitoor

Chapter 19

Abir Bharadwaj

"Are are! Aise kaise? Pehla bite dulhe ko khana chahiye." Mishti opposed again shouting.
"Tu khilana apne hone wale shauhar ko. Mai to khaa rahi hu. Kunal khilado. Bahut bhook lagi hai." Kuhu said that earned a fits of laughter from everyone but not from Sahana and Sindhu. They were looking at each other embarrassed.

One glare from her mother, Kuhu squirmed and looked down. I saw Mishti observe the situation so I stepped in and cleared my throat.
"Jo bhi pehle khaoge, shaadi ke baad unka upper hand hoga." I said as they all smiled teasingly.
"To Kuhu, kab kha rahi ho?" Nanko asked and it earned a few 'haaye' from her friends.

She smiled and took a bite as Mishti shook her head and chuckled. I recorded the whole thing on my phone while Appa, Amma, Nitya aunty and Vijay uncle were clapping. She looked at me and immediately averted her eyes. What was wrong with her!

"Kal se tum dono ka courtship start hone wala hai." Mrs.Vardhan said in a flat tone and took a sweet from the plate.
"So be ready. Tumhare office aur tumahre college ke baad, do whatever you want." She monotonously added and shoved the sweet into Kunal's mouth.
"Actually aunty, I'm not interested in that." Kuhu stated bluntly.

"Kya?" Kuhu's mother horrifically asked.
"Maa I don't need to court him. Shaadi ke pehle atleast let me be independent. Uske baad saath me hi to rehna hai. Tab jaan lenge ek dusre ko. Don't burden us more." She explained. But Kunal's gaze was solely on his mother. He was furious, I could say it.
"Jo karna hai karo. Kab baat sunti ho meri?" Mrs.Singh grumbled.

"Haa haa. Kabhi nahi sunti. Isiliye to zabardasti hi sahi is shaadi ke liye maan gayi hai." Mishti said in one go and I chuckled.
"Careful Ms.Bose. Aap is issue me thoda zyada hi involved lag rahi hai." Kunal's mom said glaring.
"Agar meri beti tumhari tarah hoti na, to  tumhe chup rakhne me mujhe bahut maza aata." Kuhu's mother snickered.

"Aur agar aap meri Maa hote, to mujhe aapke laash ko kisi dumpyard me dispose karne me khushi milta." Mishti smiled and continued.
"Oh wait. Mujhe us imagination ka zaroorat bhi nahi hai kyunki mai ab bhi aapko silently upar bhej sakti hu. So what's say?" She quipped as both the ladies looked at her baffled.

"Mishti, chal thoda shrikhand khaale. Gussa kam kar." Maanav held her hand and dragged her out.
"Ami amar jeebane emon boka dekhini."
(Meri life me aise idiots ko kabhi nahi dekha.)
She stiffly smiled and took her purse as they dashed out. Our parents were already having dinner laughing about something. I looked at Kunal who was tensed.

"Nanko, kuch batana hai?" I asked him. Please say yes.
"Kuch nahi bhai. Tu jaa apne angry young lady ko sambhaal." He smiled nevertheless. I nodded and left to give them space after all the high tension drama.
"Maanav I swear tumhara khoon mai hi karungi. No doubts." She said.

"Maanav, thanks. Tum jaa sakte ho." I said and she glared at me. What? Madam didn't wanted to maintain eye contact only so I figured she'd not wanted to talk too. So only I made Maanav bring her here.
"Tum! Ek aur-"
"Stop. Files kaha hai?" I asked. She stood taken aback not responding.
"Hello madam! Sunrise tak wait karna hai kya?" I questioned.

"To tum us baare me baat nahi karne aaye?" She meekly asked.
"Kis baare me?" Again I acted as if I was confused. I knew exactly what she was asking. Why would I reply when she ignored me all that time!
"Kuch nahi. Documents mere ghar me hai." She blurted and then covered her mouth.
"Ek number ka gadha ho tum!" She yelled frustratingly.

"Chori karne ka wakt yaad nahi aaya?" I smirked.
"Mujhe tumhara help nahi chahiye. I can deal with this problem alone." She scoffed.
"Okay. Theek hai. Vardhans aur Singhs ke phones me ye video jaane se tumhe koi problem nahi hoga, I assume." I said casually and switched the recording on. It was the CCTV footage from the day she had narrated the plan in my office.