A Hundred Flukes

Chapter 34: Haunts of Bleats and Mehs-I

 Haunts Of Bleats and Mehs-I

She saw them exchange a smile and it was after ages that both of them had smiled at each other. She also realized how the old woman's wrinkly forehead had relaxed in that little action, the creases had diminished and she looked at least ten years younger. Anjali knew that Nani and Arnav had called a truce only for her and if one observed carefully, undercurrents of a tensed relationship were still felt, but she knew too well that the bond of love binding a grandmother and a grandson was strong enough to survive their occasional showdowns. Then she saw them walk towards each other and talk amiably, perhaps Nani was complimenting him for the arrangements while Arnav nodded humbly. Humble Arnav! Anjali smiled satisfied fixed at her spot, not wanting to intrude this moment. Hopefully soon Nani would also accept Lavanya she thought and smiled again. It wouldn't be easy though, strange just how similar her younger brother and their grandmother were. Maybe that was what made them be at loggerheads ever so often, both mule headed and too stringent about their opinions, both viciously taking down those who opposed them in their respective ingenious ways, and both easily compelled to make bitchy retorts. Devyani had a trump card of course, and in last fourteen years she had used it thrice on Arnav, the one which she unwillingly but voluntarily did when she felt she was irrevocably fed up with Chotte, she had equated him with his father, their father, Dushyant Mallik - a man Anjali had loved, respected, worshipped, feared, idolized and at last felt ashamed of. It was worse for Arnav, he'd lock himself up and refuse to see anyone, or just go away for some time, or maybe break things or simply cry. But never would he be back without vengeance, he'd retaliate by doing atrocious things just to rile Devyani, she remembered how a sixteen year old Arnav, who by all means never smoked had brought home a pack of cigarettes and to Devyani's horror had taken one after the other long drags of nicotine till his eyes burned red. Devyani had paled at the sight while he lazily retired to his room and choked hysterically on his breath later. To set the two back in order Anjali had decided to treat them with  absolute silence till they both reconciled, as a custom she had also dragged a reluctant Akash into her act and soon both had relented. Oh how would Devyani live without the three of her grand kids and what would Arnav do without his Di and his favorite Chamcha? Yes, both of them were firebrands, in fact the only time in the history of their house when Arnav had not retaliated to an onslaught on him was when Khushi - another firebrand, had walked in their mansion with her resignation and given her brother that seemingly infinite speech on conduct. Anjali was intrigued by that little package of a girl, that chit of a girl who had left her brother speechless. He hadn't even done anything about the contract that she had later discovered. There surely was something more brewing between the two than what met the eye. What was it, and how had she missed it? Maybe she would ask her lawyer husband about the psychology of these firebrands. Her husband with whom she was now celebrating her third marriage anniversary, while she hoped that she understood quite well what went on in the convoluted brain her brother possessed, she thought with a sigh, did she really understand her husband? Her MJ?

Her Nanu used to say that lawyers are crafty people and it is such an irony that we have to trust them with our greatest secrets. But wasn't there a big difference between how people behaved for professional demands and what they were in personal life? Shyam was the most uncomplicated man she had known who habitually answered in rhetoric, he had always conformed to what had seemed to be in his nature when she had met him all these years ago. It was strange because humans have this inherent tendency to change over a period of time or maybe show their shades as you get to see more of them. But Shyam? He was more or less the same or she had not understood him at all? Anjali waved her hand in the air and mentally chided herself for having such thoughts on such an auspicious day, MJ was right when he said she had this knack of complicating simple things. Shyam was just what he seemed to be, simple and straight unlike her, she sighed, she couldn't blame herself, she had too many bad experiences to justify. Where was MJ anyway? And then she saw him, surrounded by four people who were congratulating him and instead of cracking one of those silly post-marital jokes on how life sucked and wife mucked after marriage that men seem to so enjoy, he was probably saying he was the luckiest man on Earth, making some women around him throw Anjali envious looks but all in good spirit. Her brows knitted in confusion once she reached his side, behind his usual genial smile, her husband seemed to have an edge tonight. Was it restlessness that she saw, but why? She placed her hand gently on his shoulder, asking him what was wrong with him. He relaxed immediately beaming at her, "How could anything be right when you were not beside me?" he fawned.