Petrichor to his Heart

1.3

"Farhad, be ready by 8 in the morning... we have to get this one at any cost," he told Farhad as they entered the hall.

"haan Anna, Goswami is a tough guy... he makes us wait till the last moment," Farhad replied recalling the strange old man with even strange business tactics.

"Anna, the machines are set in the spare room on the upper floor," Harish told him joining them on the entrance.

"Achha... did you make Amma's appointment?" searching for something in his phone he asked him another hand.

"Sorry, Anna..." Harish turned pale knowing very well his anna was going to be furious finding the appointment was not made.

"why, what happened?" he asked calmly surprising both men.

"Anna, I was here all day and could not make it to the counter in time... but I'll make it tomorrow," Harish explained dreading the wrath of his anger.
"ok... Amma ko kuchh saans phhol raha hai aaj kal to ek do din me check up jaroori hai." he muttered still not paying them any heed.

"bilkul Anna." Harish replied relieved. "anything else Anna..." he asked him.

"No...you can go to your quarters." he looked up keeping away his phone. "and Farhad.."

"haan Anna... 

"aaj Pallavi ghar nahi aaya?" he crossed him.

"Nahi Anna, she wanted to be at their place for tonight." Farhad tried to sound genuine.

"Āme akkaḍē undi, kādā?" he muttered irritably. ("she was there all this time, wasn't she?")

"kuchh kaha Anna?" Farhad asked him.

"Nahi... ye Saree ka Dukan, khud vaha jake Mujhe instructions de Raha ki kya Kahan rakha hai karke..." showing him the mobile screen Raghav scoffed.

Nodding his head Farhad stifled his smile knowing his smile could cost him anything.

"do you need anything Anna or I'll retire to my room..." Farhad enquired adding quickly. "10:30 ho rahe hain Anna aur bhookh bhi lag rahi hai."

"Nahi mujhe kuchh nahi chahiye, aur ye cook log chuuti pe kyu hai aaj," seeing the next message from her he nearly lost his temper.

"chhuti pe hai?  Anna mai to kuchh order kar leta hu, Mīru ēmi tiṇṭāru?' (what would you like")? he asked him.

"ajeeb pagal hai ye Pallavi, khud bhi gayab aur apne chamcho ko bhi le gayi... Neeku em kavalante adi teesukurā. (Order whatever you wish)." with that he turned to the stairs angry enough to rip someone apart.

"These two...I always knew you were the one, Vahini !, able to tame him" Farhad smiled at him and turned back to get some rest.

____________*___________

"ab tumko smile karne ko kaun bola..." he told her photograph in their room as he walked to the wall adjacent to their bed.

he wished to see her, taunting him, making rogue comments or sometimes chiding him in her native tongue...God, he was missing her.

Grabbing a cotton t-shirt and trouser he thought to go for a run cause sleep would be tough without her in the same room...just the feeling of finally having someone who would be his companion, friend and sometimes an opponent made him content with life, his mother had forgiven him but she still was not convinced of the way he ran his business and Pallavi was accepting him the way he was.

He smiled at their own childish ways of interactions, it has been nearly two months since she was ALWAYS there to accompany him After a tough, rough and sometimes big day.