Grown up (A Jassi-Hardik Friendship fanfiction)

Part 3

Jassi could not shake off the feeling that Mahi bhai might be offended with him. And it was not a comfortable feeling. No one wanted Mahi bhai angry with them; he had seen how Kuldeep had gone into full-blown panic mode when Hardik put it into his head that Mahi bhai was angry with him, and even Yuzi--cheerful, insane Yuzi--had almost been in tears when that happened with him one day. 

He did not remember Mahi bhai ever being mad at him, he had only been a little diappointed when he had taken the no-ball wicket of a dangerous partnership during the 2018 Border-Gavaskar trophy, but he had called him and apologized and promised to never bowl no-balls again; and Mahi bhai had taken him out to lunch, only him and no one else, once the ODI series started.

Maybe that was the best thing to do today, too. He could not honestly say he was sorry with what he had done, but he figured that talking things out with Mahi bhai would help anyway.

Mahi bhai answered his call at once. "Hello Jass, how are you?"

He did not sound angry at all, but then Mahi bhai never sounded angry.

"I'm good, Mahi bhai...quite good," said Jassi.

Mahi bhai had not become the ideal elder brother for the whole team for nothing, and he knew at once that his kid was bothered, and he thought he could guess the reason, too.

"Did something upset you, kiddo?" he asked, extremely warmly.

"Mahi bhai," began Jassi. "Do you--do you..."

"Tell me quick!"

"Do you know what happened in my live with Yuvi paaji?" blurted out Jassi finally.

"Well, yes I do," said Mahi. "I think you handled it really well."

Jassi could hardly believe his ears. He had expected Rohit bhaiya and Virat bhaiya might support him but he had never considered Mahi bhai would.

"I thought you'll scold me," said Jassi without thinking, and Mahi smiled at the kiddish statement.

"I'm definitely not going to scold you. What Yuvraj said about Hardik was not justified by any means," said Mahi. "By the way do you know what happened between the two of them? Initially when Hardik came into the team I thought Yuvraj quite liked him."

"Yes, I know what happened," said Jassi. "He played for MI for a year, remember?"

"Yeah."

"I don't remember how exactly the topic came up, but someone had said that MI was lucky because its seniormost players were so experienced and something like that. He was referring to Yuvi paa. Yuvi paa was there too, and Hardik said that no, CSK was the luckiest," said Jassi, grinning at the memory. "He was a bit too loud and vehement, I mean, of course I think CSK is the luckiest too, but who says things like that to the face of a senior?"

Mahi could not help smiling at the story too; he did not think Hardik would ever learn the meaning of the word 'tact'.

"Only Hardik," said Mahi bhai ruefully. "I get it now, why Yuvi is always after Hardik's lack of respect."

"But he doesn't have lack of respect, Mahi bhai!" said Jassi, worried that he had made Mahi bhai think otherwise. "He respects the seniors of our team very much even if he fools around all the time..."

"Jassi," cut in Mahi bhai. "I know. I know Harry very well, you don't have to justify him to me."

"Thank god," said Jassi, relieved.

Mahi bhai laughed. "I need to talk to that monkey. After that we can have a video call, say, tonight?"

"Yes yes yes," said Jassi eagerly, and almost as madly as Hardik.