Forever: The phone call | Part 2 | Complete

Chapter 12

The pasta was cooking. It smelled really good and I knew as to why I was the biggest fan of my cooking. I served some of the pasta in a bowl and covered it with a lid. I'll take this to Mrs. Kale. I sat and ate the remaining.

Cooking helped me ignore the supermarket incident. Now I find it scary. How come that Hazel eyes knew I was in the market? He caught me in the library as well when I got a rose for the first time. He found me in the college canteen and gave me a rose. Now this. This card. I'm not opening it. I'll put it in my bag and maybe return it to him telling I'm not a big fan of his creepy ways. Yeah he's cute and handsome and his smile can melt hearts. However the bottom line is that he's a creep. If he likes me, be brave and say that in my face. I appreciate Kautuk for that. He had guts. He didn't follow me everywhere.

So the card went in my bag and I went with the pasta bowl to the Kale residence. I knocked on the door and Mr Kale opened.

“Come inside, we need to talk about something." He said.
I knew they were angry because I was MIA the last whole month. They must've been worried for me.

“Before you start questioning me, I've brought some pasta for you.” I gave him the bowl.
" Thank you.” He just nuged me towards the living room where Mrs. Kale was sitting.

“Ahana, my God where were you? You had us worrying." She asked. She took my hand in hers and we settled on the sofa.
" I was in my house, studying and in the college, writing exams.” that was the lamest reply I could ever give.

“Were you avoiding us?" Mr Kale asked as he joined us.
" No! Not at all, I could never do that to you. I was just moved with the gift you gave and there are many things happening back in college. Moreover my final exams were on so I didn't really have time to visit. I'm sorry. That's why the pasta. A sorry present.”

" Oh well it's tasty.” Mr Kale said.
" Prabhas, you ate it already? I thought we were supposed to eat together.” Mrs. Kale looked annoyed.
" I was just, tasting. Maybe a little more than tasting.” He had a sheepish grin on his face.

They both are working professionals with Mrs Kale practicing as a doctor and Mr Kale working as a civil engineer, but when it comes to their personal dynamics, they're two kids arguing. They're like me and Abhaas, just that they are married.

Oh boy that thought. I imagined that! I am mad. How could I imagine that. I'm sure I was turning all red and my face looked like it just saw a dinosaur but well, I just imagined something scarier than that.

“Ahana, are you listening?" Mrs Kale brought me back from my trans.
" Sorry, I didn't catch that." I replied, still in a little daze.
" This package needs to be delivered to Dharun, will you do it? It's important so I can't trust mail service for that.” She looked serious.

" Yes, I'll take it. Umm I guess I'll leave now. Enjoy the pasta.”
I returned back home, transferred the remaining pasta to a nice bowl and put it inside the refrigerator. When mom and dad come back at night, they'll be able to have it.

I was thinking, tomorrow I'll be meeting Ulka to see where our plan is moving regarding the whole estate issue. Then I'll be visiting Tara, to deliver the package. I wonder how she is? It has been like a year since I saw her. I'll get some chocolates for her. As of now, I'll spend the whole night wondering why my mind; the one that I'm trying to pull away from Abhaas, is preparing our marriage ceremony.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

I was wearing a sunny yellow shirt with folded sleeves and a pair of goggles hanging from the first button of my shirt. I paired it with white pants and white shoes. With an autumn colour bag carrying the parcel for Tara's dad that Mrs Kale gave me yesterday, I was waiting for Ulka in a cafe. Honestly, I had absolutely no idea as to how we were going to solve this problem, I had few raw ideas but they were far from reality and highly hypothetical.

Ulka was late, and I was getting awkward because I didn't want to appear like a girl who was stood up or something. But then I saw a person on the table after ours and there was a guy sitting there in a black hoodie with his back at me. What a hot day to wear hoodie I feel. But then even he's alone and so I've got company.

After like a wait of another 20 minutes, I saw Ulka enter the cafe. She looked frail and weak. She looked exhausted and tired. She looked like she's going to give up before trying. She took a seat and gave me a weak smile.

“I ordered two chocolate smoothies, thought it will make you feel better.” I started our conversation.
“ Thanks Ahana.” She replied. Either she was avoiding the topic or was too afraid to speak.

“Ulka, what have you decided?”
I asked her.
“ Well, I tried speaking to dad. But he found the conversation fruitless. I was talking to him about the company's shares and the ascending prices, I thought it would be a good idea to sell few shares now and then buy them later at a lower price but he simply laughed and told me that I need not take these decisions anymore, that my cousin will care for the company now on.”

She abruptly stopped. I could see her eyes swelling up. I gently placed my hands over hers and squeezed them.
“Ahana" she let out a breath
“ It really hurt when he said that.”

I wanted to give Mr Bhatta a good mouthful because he was using my friend like a tissue here. Where was this cousin of hers three years ago when the company needed help. That time, he conveniently made Ulka work day and night. Now that the company is doing better, he is going to snatch it away from her and give to some stupid sleazy cousin!?

“Ulka have you tried talking to this cousin guy. I'm sorry I don't know his name.” I said.
“His name is Yash, Yash Bhatta. The upholder of our Bhatta family, the savior of our name, the eldest son and the person who'll be ruling the business all by himself. My family won't even remember me after a few years. All they talk about is what a great person he is, how smart, how charming, how handsome! How much of a pain!!!!”

I think I opened the folder of frustration. It's okay, Ulka could use some help dealing with all the stored anger in her tiny brain.

“You know, my dad and uncle started this firm what 20 years ago! I practically grew up observing his work and all I ever cared about was this firm. I'm not saying that this belongs to me, it belongs to both us cousins. But dad thinks it is waste to give me a part of it. He never really saw me as the able one did he? Now that super hero Yash is officially an adult, he's all capable of taking over the whole firm. So they're just giving it away.”

" Look Ulka, I sympathize with you. But we really need to talk to Yash. Have you tried?”
" What do you want me to do? Beg for my part? Why will he respect me if my own dad considers me nothing more than a ball of flesh with the surname Bhatta plastered on her forehead.”
" Stop being so judgy. Give me Yash's phone number, we'll fix a meeting. Let's at least tell him about the situation.”
" Like that's going to hel---”

The guy with black hoodie banged his hands on the table and that silenced the whole cafe. He wasn't alone anymore, there was a lady sitting with him. She had black hair streaked with brown, a suite screaming money and a face that was too perfect to be natural. She looked scared. The cafe manager approached their table and said,
“ Sir please, we cannot let you behave like this. It is disturbing other customers.”

The guy stood up and replied.
“Oh okay! I'll leave then." He hastily pulled out his wallet and placed a ₹500 note on the table with a thud. That motion caused the hood to fall down and the face of Ishaan Mirajkar was revealed to us.

“It's Ishaan!" Ulka whispered.
I quickly opened my purse and gave some money to the manager standing near our table. I held Ulka's hand and followed Ishaan.

Just while I was helping a friend deal with her mess, helping myself not to get into another mess and clearing and decluttering my brain, a new mystery emerged. I didn't know why Ishaan was sitting in the cafe with a lady of his mother's age, nor did I know what angered him so much. But that guy there needed us, especially when his best friend Abhaas was far away from him. He needs us, and we're going to help him come what may.