Dil Ka Jo Rishtaa (Book 2)

Surprise Frenemy!

"Look there she is. Finally!" Rekha announced excitedly to the girls waiting with her downstairs.

Invigorated by the shrill sound of the doorbell, she scooted over with much enthusiasm brimming through her body. The simmering anxiety that had steadily built up with each passing tick of the minute hand was now completely quashed. Pammi's arrival didn't just bring the ride they'd arranged, but also the firm assurance that her plans for the evening were still on track. She was indeed that much closer to the Arena, her friends and an evening full of music, merriment and memories.

For some uncomfortable minutes she had worried about what would happen if Jai reached there before her. What if he didn't see her or catch her? What if he thought this was all a ruse and she had simply tricked him into coming and then stood him up! Rekha would never dream of doing that to her Ranjha! The thought terrified her!

"You have no idea how glad I am to see you Pammi dear, even more than those times in College where your late arrival saved me. But my maharani, what is it exactly about getting from A to B that causes you so much difficulty? It's not like you have been sent off on a never ending quest. Also given the decades of time you have had to practise, one would think you have got the hang of this punctuality business by now!" Rekha chastised loudly, preparing to swing the door open and expecting to see Pammi standing on the other side, with her chirpy smile and outrageous choice of dress for the evening. 

Pammi didn't follow fashion, she made fashion run in the opposite direction. With her unique brand of style and confidence to carry it, despite whatever anyone else thought or said, Pammi had long established herself as a master in the art of not giving a damn. She purposely didn't take enough notice to even care in the first place. However, what Rekha found in place of Pamela Nihalani utterly petrified her. 

"It's worse than I thought. You may have not lost your life, but one can clearly see you have completely lost your mind you silly old woman. What on Earth are you ranting about at this inauspicious hour of the evening?" Sujata enquired.

Arms folded she tossed one look over Rekha and frowned wryly. It wasn't exactly the same but their choices of outfits for the evening were perilously too close in taste for comfort. What an unfortunate coincidence! Yet as Sujata knew she chose it independently with no foreknowledge of Rekha's decision, she was in no mind to change. Rekha simply had to deal with it, just like how Sujata had been dealing with Rekha since she moved into the neighbourhood.

It had been advertised as a great property, for a great price and in an excellent location except with one glaring omission left out in the brochure: the batty old prankster living in the mansion across from it. Sujata had thus later taken her rifle and her dog back to the agent to demand a reduction in the fees. He had tried to persuade her that it was nothing. That Rekha was a harmless old woman. 

Irritated, Sujata made sure to show him exactly how harmless old women could be when people decided to underestimate them. It was the underestimation that set her off. What did he think, that being older and a woman meant neither Rekha nor Sujata herself had any bite left? Sujata smiled as she knew he certainly wasn't forgetting that lesson too soon nor Cookie's teeth. 

Tall, strong and muscular; Sujata had grown up as a tomboy in Haryana before marrying a prominent Gujarati Jeweller. She was foremost an experienced and well decorated shooter, but also well equipped to handle a double edged blade with expertise should the need ever arise. The neighbours mostly let her be except one particularly friendly neighbour. This neighbour - nay frenemy - was the one that kept her awake at night thinking ahead in anticipation. This was the neighbour that moved Sujata to regularly question what it was that she was up to, just so Sujata could do one better. Sujata always aimed to stay one step ahead of Rekha, but Rekha was too slippery and that often left the former extremely frustrated when she couldn't keep up.