Never Before

Chapter 4

Nutan

Two days back Veda came back from Gujarat. The moment I saw her I was overjoyed. Finally, I'll have someone on my side from now on. She never wanted to leave her family, but she was focused and I didn't want anything to go wrong with her. Once she sets her mind on something she gets it and I wanted to be a part of her journey, on the positive side. Yesterday she came home and we resumed talking about subjects irrelevant to us. That was the easy start. I was more worried about Bhai. Whenever they are together in a room you'll be more than entertained. I don't know the beef they have with each other. But I surely enjoy them to the fullest.

When she said she was going to interview for "The Food Basket", it clicked with me i never told her that the company belonged to our family. "When is the interview scheduled?", I decided to check the waters. She only knew we had a family business and Bhai was meant to take over after Mama.

"On Monday. And the best part is it is a part of your building." Who is going to tell her? My cafe is the smallest part of the building. She nearly jumped on me when she talked about the company. I noticed Bhai walking around the couch and Veda giving stinky eyes to him in mid-conversation. Why was he bee walking the same path? I had noticed from the moment she talked about his company he was an audible distance from us. I guess he wanted to collect feedback from his interviewee. He took a seat on the nearest chair to us.

"And you know the CEO is said to be the most handsome one" she uttered with dreamy eyes and someone choked on his drink. I didn't need to know who. Veda turned to him and gave him her unimpressed look. "You know I checked on forums, I didn't get to see his one picture. Like seriously how careful he is with his image. Itni acchi shakal hogi toh chupane mein kaisi sharam?" (With such a handsome face, there's no wrong in hiding oneself)

Bhai snickered and faced Veda's remark. "It's not good to eavesdrop. School mein sikhaya nahi aapko?" "I wasn't eavesdropping. You speak so loud, it just traveled to my ears. Nothing else." "Then sit in your bedroom. Aise ladkiyon ki baate sunna accha lagta hai?" (Is it good to eavesdrop on girls?)

(Didn't they teach this in school?)

I massaged my forehead and waited for them to finish. "Ladkiyon ki baatein kaha? I'm listening to my sister and her friend." "Toh? Nutan is not a girl?" She fully turned to him back facing me. He too placed his right arm on the backrest and turned to us.

"If you recall carefully I said, sister. Which automatically makes her a girl." "So I'm not a girl?"

His eyes moved over her and he shrugged unimpressed. "Happy self-realization. You confirmed it." and turned his back towards us. But Veda was on her feet now moving towards him. My hand raised to stop her but she went away before I could touch her. She stood crossing her arms over her stomach. Bhai looked everywhere but her making her narrow her eyes.

"Don't you know how to talk to girls?" He looked up at her from his seat. "I don't see any girl here." His eyes met me for a second. "except Nutan." He mocks and smiles at her. "What do you mean? I'm not a girl?" He looked at her index finger herself. "Thanks for telling me for the second time." I can see her clenched jaw, before she says something he stands up towering her forcing her to take two steps back in haste. They both narrowed their eyes at each other before he left the living room. She entered the kitchen as Mami called her. Before going, he signed me to shush. My eyebrows neared missing his indication. He mouthed me 'company' and zipped his lips. He wanted me to shut up about the company being his. I nodded Okay and rubbed my index finger with my thumb showing what I wanted in return. He rolled his eyes. How dare her?

"VEDA!!" In less than five seconds he was covering my mouth and choking me from behind. Veda turned oblivious and stood bewildered. "Mmm mm mmmm mmm" He was still choking me. Veda jogged across the room and he freed me not before muttering "Okay fine. Deal." Before she could say anything else he walked away leaving me coughing and a frantic Veda cursing him and running to get water for me.