With all the guests gone for lunch and Mitali , nowhere to be seen, Shanu too headed for lunch. When suddenly, a little boy bumped into Shanu ,spilling curry on her dress. The boy immediately pulled back and apologized.
Boy: I'm sorry.....I......I......
Shanu: It's okay..... I'll just clean up......
Boy: No, I just ruined your dress. I'm so sorry!
Nandini , who was standing at a distance, watching the commotion, rushed to Shanu's aid.
Nandini: Arey Shayantani, are you okay? Yeh curry kaise giri?
Shanu: Uh..... aunty.....voh galti se inse gir gaya.
Boy:(to Nandini) Sorry Masi voh galti se ho gaya.
Nandini: Kya Abir? Dekhke chalna chahiye na. Dekho abhi didi ki dress kharab ho gayi na.
Shanu: Arey nahi nahi, it's okay. Yeh mai saf kar lungi.
Nandini: Acha thik hai. (Turning to the boy) Tum jao , Abir.
The boy nodded and left.
Nandini:(to Shanu) Ek kaam karte hai. Tum mere sath chalo. I'll help you clean up. Come on.
Shanu: Aunty, it's fine. I'll do it. Aapko jane ki zaroorat nahi hai.
Nandini: Nahi nahi, I insist. I'll help you. Issi bahane mai tumhe jaan bhi lungi.
Shanu: Ji?
Nandini: Arey ab mere bete se tumhari itni tarif suni hai. Kya mera hak nahi banta ki mai bhi tumhe jaan pau?
Shanu: (blushing) Uh.....
Nandini: Come on. Itna sochogi to dimag mein dard hone lage ga. Come on.
Shanu hesitatingly nodded and followed Nandini back to her room.
Once they were in the seclusion of her room, Nandini said,
Nandini: Shanu, ek kaam karo........oh....I hope you don't mind me calling you that?
Shanu: Nahi nahi. Bilkul nahi.
Nandini: Voh kya hai na, Sahil humesha tumhe vohi bulata hai to mere muh mein aa gaya.
Shanu just blushed in response.
Nandini: Uh....ek kaam karo......tum aapni saree change kar lo. I don't think the stain will go that easy. I'll give you one of my outfits. I think I have a spare.
Shanu: Aunty, it's fine. I'll just wash off the stain.
Nandini: Oh come on now. Meri dresses utni bhi old fashioned nahi hai. I'm sure no one will doubt that the outfit belongs to a 50 year old granny.
Shanu: Aunty, mera voh matlab nahi tha....
Nandini:(chuckling) I know I know. I was just kidding. Wait I'll just check.
Saying that, she began to surf through her outfits to find a spare. Shanu sat uncomfortably at the edge of the bed, cursing her fate and partly that boy, Abir.
Well, it was not like she was stuck with her would be mother-in-law everyday!
She chewed the inside of her cheeks nervously, trying hard not to mess up her impression in front of Sahil's mother. After all, she was the only person whom she could impress. There was no way that Sahil's dad would ever like her.
Not that it mattered anyway.
As she debated whether to talk to Nandini or keep her mouth shut to avoid any sort of embarrassment, her eyes drifted to a photograph which was sneaking out of a black purse kept on the bed side table. Shanu took a look at Nandini, who was still busy searching and moved her gaze back at the photograph. It looked really old. She was about to go and examine it when,
YOU ARE READING
You Belong With Me | Completed
Teen Fictionthere's always a subtle cliche in that four letter word. tune in to find out more :))
