Conflagration

Chapter 17: Cover Ups

Location: Shekhawat residence

Arpita hurried into her home, looking for Imlie. Her UNB brother's text had confused her for a moment until she had connected the dots. Gadha (donkey) must have upset Imlie and since he had a chronic problem with expressing his emotions, he was asking her advice on how to fix whatever issue he had caused. She could deal with him later, right now her concern was about what poor Imlie must be feeling. Her UNB brother could be extremely cutting with his words and actions and Imlie seemed to be the sensitive sort who would easily take his words personally.

She skidded to a halt, halfway across the living room, mouth hanging open in shock. Eyes wide she surveyed a giggling Imlie pirouetting in circles around her mother Narmada Singh Rathore who was dressed in jeans, a black hat with a feather, a leather jacket and a fake moustache that looked perilously close to falling off. Someone had put on a popular song from the movie DDLJ and Imlie and her mother were dancing to it as if they were the original Raj and Simran. Meethiji sat in a corner clapping in time to the beat, grinning from ear to ear.

Getting over her initial shock quickly, Arpita grinned before quietly clicking a couple of photos of the goofy pair without their knowledge. Imlie was the first one to spy Arpita standing to the corner. She immediately ran over and pulled Arpita into the circle nudging her to dance. Gleefully Arpita complied, pulling on her mother's cheeks and throwing flying kisses while Narmada continued to waggle her eyebrows while pretending to romance the girls one by one.

"I didn't know you guys were waiting for me to leave to have fun" a cheery voice broke the revelry and they all turned in unison to see a newcomer watching them with a grin, phone in hand clicking pictures.

Narmada gasped hurriedly pulling off the fake moustache and hat, self consciously running a hand through her hair. "Damadji when you come? I know not."

Arpita chuckled walking over to the man and gave him a hug "Arvind when did you come? How long have you been watching us?" she asked giving him a whack on his shoulder.

"Oww woman... that hurt" he complained rubbing his shoulder with mock outrage, his eyes twinkling.

He turned towards Imlie and her mother, folding his hands in a respectful namaste "please don't mind my crazy wife, she likes to practice her punching skills on me."

Sliding his hands over Arpita's shoulders he gave her a gentle squeeze looking down at her with all the love in the world.

Imlie sighed, they looked so in love that she felt a tinge of jealousy. What would it be like to have that someone special look at you the same way Arvindji was looking at Arpita didi.

"Damadji you no tell when you came?" Narmada spoke again trying to appear nonchalant, crossing her hands behind her back to hide the hat and the fake moustache.

"I was just in time to see you pull Arpi into your arms and lean her over your forearm while you gazed at her lovingly like Shahrukh Khan, Maa" Arvind teased watching the color climb on Narmada's cheeks.

Turning to Imlie he forwarded his hand "Since no one else is doing the honors, let me introduce myself. I am Arvind Shekhawat, Arpi's husband and I assume you are Imlie and the beautiful woman on the couch is your mother Meethiji."

Imlie grinned charmed by the naughty twinkle in his eyes and the love that he bore for Arpita didi and Kaki Maa. She shook his hand "You are right, I am Imlie and this is my mother Meethi Mishra" she said gesturing to Meethi who stood up with a polite namaste.

"Arpi has been talking non-stop about you so its easy to guess. Sorry I was out of town for business when you arrived here but judging by the scene I saw when I walked in you guys did not miss me at all!"