Bombay Romance ♡ COMPLETED

[ 55 ] Not Gonna Let Him Be Sad Again ■

'Did you like it?' Amarnath asks as Kiran and Kamala look at the clothes he has brought for them from Bombay.

'Chachu, how did you select such nice clothes this time?' Kiran turns his new cable knit jersey back and forth. He's just back from school and has finished gazing at Gauri with a fair sense of astonishment.

'She selected it,' Amarnath smiles at Gauri.

The kids look at her. Gauri smiles nervously. Kamala, sitting on Amarnath's lap, gazes at Gauri's perfectly manicured maroon fingernails in awe.

'Iha ki hain?' she points at them innocently.

'It's nail polish,' Gauri smiles. 'Do you like it?'

'You're so much better than Chachu. Will you select clothes for me every time?' Kiran asks.

'Badmash!' Amarnath smacks his nephew on the bottom. Kiran squeals and ducks behind Gauri.

'Of course,' she says conspiratorily. 'Your uncle doesn't know how to shop for his own clothes!'

They burst into silent giggles. Amarnath looks at them drily.

'What should I call you?' Kiran asks her, getting acquainted.

'Uh, you can call me Gauri.'

Amarnath frowns. 'Call her Chachi.'

'That makes me sound old,' Gauri mutters in protest.

'Gauri, we'll go near the field,' Amarnath places Kamala on the ground. 'I'll take out the bike.'

'We're going on a bike!?' Gauri asks, overjoyed. He smiles and walks out of the courtyard.

'Ji, will you have some tea?' Gayatri smiles at Gauri as she comes out of the kitchen. 'Where's Amarnath?'

'No, thanks. We're just heading out,' she smiles back. Gayatri nods and is about to return to the kitchen again.

'Uh, why don't you sit down for a few minutes? You've been in here ever since I came,' Gauri says.

Gayatri smiles lightly. 'There's always something or the other.'

'Just two minutes,' Gauri insists and pats the floor beside her. Gayatri relents and sits down with a sigh. They watch Kiran admire his new jersey. He ignorantly drops its crumpled-up cover on the floor and runs towards the stairs.

'Kiran,' Gauri calls out. He turns to look at her.

'Pick it up and put it in the dustbin,' she says.

Kiran looks at the discarded cover and at her for a moment, confused. 'Why should I put it?'

'It's okay, I'll do it' Gayatri is about to get up. Gauri holds Gayatri back by her wrist firmly.

Just then, Pitaji arrives and stands obscurely on the raised pathway around the courtyard, hands on his walking stick. Nobody notices him.

'Coz you threw it,' Gauri tilts her head at Kiran seriously. 'Pick it up.'

'But boys don't do such work,' Kiran defends. That's what he has heard his father always say.

Gauri curbs her anger and continues calmly. 'Your Amar Chachu used to clean tables at a restaurant when he was in Delhi. If you wanna be like him, you should learn to do all this.'

Something in her words seems to change Kiran's mind. After a short moment of contemplation, he picks up the cover, drops it into the bin, and bounds up the stairs. 

Almost immediately, Ashok walks into the courtyard from his room. 'Bhabhiji, paani.'

Gayatri almost gets up. Gauri holds her back again and turns to Ashok, thoroughly irritated this time.