Tiny Stories

After 8 years..

"So what are the plans for New Years you guys?" Sush asks taking a big gulp of her wine. 

I didn't even have to look at Sameer to know there was no plan. We were not really the kind to have plans for New Years, birthdays anniversaries.

"Not much. Hang with the kids till midnight and pass out" I answer. 

"Stop it, no way." Sush's eyes widen at the prospect of someone not partying the night away on the biggest night of the year. "Come on Sameer, its New Years, Take Radhs out somewhere fancy"

"Radhika doesn't like fancy" he replies confidently "She's such a homebody" 

I'm not. We used to go out, I enjoyed it for a while but then the girls happened and work promotions. I think we completely stopped after Samaira was born five years ago. Other than her and Rima's birthdays celebrations as such were minimal.  

"Radhika?? Oh gosh are you serious? She was our party animal! You remember fire and ice Radhs? Dancing on table tops?" This girl simply cannot stop talking about the past. 

"Really? You danced on table tops?" Sameer practically scoffs at the very idea. 

We met late in life. I was 32 when we got married. My party days were way behind me by then. All he knew was practical, career oriented Radhika. The one who had a plan. 2 kids before 35, a house by 38 and a promotion at work by 40. All achieved. 

He was the same. Five years older than me but with the same timelines. We were introduced by his cousin who works with me. Arjun, who was convinced we were perfect for each other. And on paper we were. 

As luck would have it, Sushmita, my best friend, met, fell in love with and married Arjun. We are at a bar getting drinks post work two days after Christmas. We hate going out on Christmas, the crowds, the traffic, the general merriment isn't exactly our scene. 

"Oh yes! dude your girl was a crazy one. How have you not known this?" She continues. 

Just then Arjun walks in, having been caught up later than the rest of us at work.

"Hey guys! What is my wife super excited about now?" he plops down next to her after giving her a full on smooch not caring who saw. Both Sameer and I cringe not being big fans of PDA.

"I was just telling Sameer what a firecracker his wife was. You remember I told you about the night we were at Barista till 1:30 and Radhika drove a rickshaw?"

I look into my gin and tonic glass embarrassed. That was 20 year old me. 40 year old me is another human being all together. 

"Shut up. Radhika drove a rickshaw?" I look up to find Sameer looking at me. There is something in his eyes I haven't seen before. I can't quite place the emotion. 

"Totally. And we weren't even drunk. We had just left our local coffee shop..."

"At 1:30 in the night?"

"Ya! That also was thanks to this mad girl. See we went there pretty much everyday and knew the boys behind the counter. So that evening since Janvi had got permission from her parent's to stay over at Radh's, we wanted to make it a nice late night. So she actually convinced those boys to let us stay after they had officially shut for the night! We were in the cafe with the shutters down!!

"Sounds kind of risky" Sameer frowned. 

 "Nah re! Like I said we knew those boys. Anyway so we left the cafe and were headed home in an auto  when she and the auto wala bhaiya got talking. And next thing I know is she has convinced him to let her ride the auto! Can you imagine me and Janvi and the auto wala bhaiya in the back while madam is cruising the back lanes of Versova?!" Sush laughs her loud giggly laugh thinking back at the memory.