Clean Bowled

Chapter 57

*Viraj*

"Maa" I call out when I reach nana's house and she comes rushing outside.

Oh my beautiful beautiful mom. I missed her so much!

I hug her tightly and lift her off the floor blinking back tears. It's been almost four months since I last saw her. She is the one who always comes to visit me in Mumbai.

"Lamba hota ja raha hai tu" she says when I break the hug and wipes a lone tear, smiling. She looks at me from head to toe and sighs.

"I missed you" I say and hug her again.

"Hume bhi toh mauka do" Nani says but before she can hug me, I'm engulfed in a big hug from my nana as he pats my back.

"Yorker ball ki practice zara aur kar. Hamesha out ho jaata hai vo ball pe". That's the first thing he says to me but I just smile and nod, touching his feet. That's just the way he is. I love him.

"Arre chup baitho aap. Aate hi mere bachhe ko pareshaan kar rahe ho" Nani's petite figure comes from behind and I hug her too. She's so small and fragile that I hug her lightly, worried not to break her or something.

I look at the house and smile. It's always been like this. There's a farm behind this place where various vegetables and fruits are grown. It's a little far from Goa on the sea border of Maharashtra. The houses are very far from each other and to go to the market, we have to travel for an hour. Typical nana ji ka gaav type, just how it should be. Ussi me toh maza hai.

"Kitna patla ho gaya hai tu Veer" Nani says running her little hand through my hair.

Nani ko mai hamesha patla hi lagta hu.

"Patla? Pet dekho kaise bahar aa raha hai" maa says punching me lightly in my stomach and I frown looking at it.

Sach me? Vo mujhe khila khila ke mota kar di hai kya? The last time we interacted properly was when we went shopping. Uske baad I've successfully avoided her.

Avoid kar ke bahot bada teer hi maar liya ho jaise maine. Uske baare me sochta rehta hu uska kya?

Nani starts stuffing my mouth with dhoklas and various other items that she made for me and that woman back in Goa leaves my mind for a while.

For a while.

~•~•~•~•~•~•

"Kuch batana chahte ho?" Ma asks when she comes into my room. I press my lips together and keep the laptop aside.

"Kya matlab?" I ask feigning innocence and start making the bed to sleep.

"Do din hue tujhe aaye hue. Kuch hai jo tu mujhe nahi bata raha" she says. "Aslesha ki kuch baat hai?" She asks when I don't respond.

"Aapko kaise pata?" I ask.

"Rudra aur pari ki shaadi hai. Vo toh hogi hi" she says.

"Vo meri personal chef bhi hai. She's staying in our new house" I say running a hand through my hair.

"Kya? Kaise? Kab?" My mom asks putting her hand on her mouth in shock and I huff.

I tell her everything as she patiently listens to me without saying or reacting anything.

"She behaves as if she didn't cheat on me. Behes karti rehti hai muh uthaa ke. Hamesha ki tarah. There's no regret on her face. At all. And that just makes me so mad. How can a girl be so shameless" I say getting angrier by the second.