For Better or For Worse

CHAPTER 4 - Four Devils and an Angel

The domestic terminal at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose airport was crowded and busy even at this early hour of a Sunday. Adi bought the ticket to go inside while Nandini and Yosuf waited outside when a flash of a pair of yellow shoes caught Nandini’s eyes. She followed the rest of the lead and her sight landed on beautiful auburn shoulder length curls. She did not have to look further for confirmation, and before she realised she was already tugging at Yosuf’s T to guide him to where or who she was looking at. Anita a fashion designer by profession never really had to struggle to make a fashion statement ever in her life. As far as Nandini could remember, her best friend always pulled quirky fashion with a panache and grace so much so that it never felt out of place. In unision they shouted “Neetu!”

Anita followed the lead of their call and looked at them and then flashed her bright brilliant smile. Anita or ‘Neetu’ as she was so lovingly called by her friends ran towards the duo and hugged Nandini tight. Nandini reciprocated and Yosuf stood there like a useless piece of junk. Arms wide open and feeling like a complete fool he decided break the two ladies apart.

“What? And no welcome hug for the boyfriend?” he asked.

“Oh shut up. Stop behaving like an insecure baby” replied Anita.

All Nandini could do was laugh.

Catching up with one another were Nandini and Anita, while Yosuf volunteered to go near the terminal gate and wait for Adi and his soon to be significant other. Although the two girls met in more than one occasion in London over the past few years, that is whenever Anita went over to London for work or holidays, it was never enough for them to let it go with just normal niceties. They were like sisters.

“Oh I am so waiting to see how Sampoorna is like. I am sure she is good, we should not doubt Adi’s choice, but I hope she looks good beside our own Adi” said Anita.

“Yeah I am sure she is good, but I could not care any less how she looks beside him as long she plans on sticking beside him. Boy am I glad that she happened to be in Adi’s life to begin with, or else I would not have been spared” replied Nandini. To this both the girls burst out in laughter.

Adi and Yosuf approached the two laughing girls with a beautiful tall lady hanging. She had long straight hair till her waist that was fastened with a pair of aviators perched high on her head with an angelic face that would make eyes turn twice. Nandini immediately recognised her as Sampoorna, Adi’s girl. She immediately tilted her head slightly towards Anita and said “Well I do not think you need to worry about whether they look good together anymore.”

“Mmmhmm” was the instant reply.

The series of introduction began when Nandini without losing a moment hugged Sampoorna and immediately blurted out “Oh thank God for your existence.” Sampoorna looked a little amazed so Nandini took the cue and began explaining “Well you see I am Nandini, Adi’s best friend and the girl betrothed to him and as you must be knowing I am not particularly happy with it. This here is Anita she is one of US and she and Yosuf had always been an item together. Welcome to the GANG.”