part 15 the girl next door

Part 22 (a)

Morning

Jai was reading his copy of the Economics Times, when Bani came in with a cheery smile and handed him a glass of emerald green concoction. Jai gave one look at the drink and then one at his wife and asked, 'What the fuck is this?'

'Jai!' she exploded in frustration and added in a stern voice, 'how many times have I told you not to use such words...'

'Blah...blah...yes...I know that! Okay...let me rephrase my sentence, so not to hurt your tender sentiments. What is this perfectly ghastly looking drink, my dear wife?'

Bani could not help but burst out giggling at the comedy he displayed first thing in the morning and handing him the drink, she said, 'it’s a special energy drink I made for you. Its far better than having tea or coffee. Have a sip and see how fresh you will feel!'

Jai did not look at all convinced and took the glass gingerly near his nose and smelt the drink, making a face and then looking at his wife's hopeful but unrelenting face, he took a sip and almost immediately spat it out.

'What happened?' asked Bani, looking shocked.

'Eeyuck...this tastes like a cross between a sour lemon and our lawn outside! Horrible!' announced Jai, handing the drink back to his wife and demanded imperiously, 'now take this weird whatever you have made back to the kitchen and drain it...and be a good girl and get me my regular cup of tea! Please!'

'Jai! This is really good for you!' insisted Bani.

'Trust me, it is not! Anything that tastes like this cannot be good for anyone!' retorted Jai.

Looking exasperated at her husband's obstinacy, Bani nevertheless spoke with good cheer, 'never mind...I will get you the tea. But then, will you do some Pranayam with me later?'

'Prana what?'

'Pranayam, Jai! Yogic breathing exercises. It’s really good for us!' said Bani patiently

'The only thing good for 'US' is you know what...' came back Jai, shooing her off, telling that he was checking the price of some shares he had purchased and she should not disturb him right now.

'So, you have resolved not to listen to me at all, right?' she countered in annoyance.

Jai did not look up from the newspaper, instead simply grinned and replied back, 'you knew what you were getting into, sweetheart! We know each other for more than half a decade now! Go Shoo...I am reading important stuff!'

Stomping her foot in vexation, she stormed off, making Jai smile and then laugh, as he loved driving Bani crazy, especially first thing in the morning.

Towards Evening

Ranveer and Sneha had come down to dinner and so had Dr. Reddy, much to Jai's fake display of annoyance, especially when he brought a huge bouquet of bright red carnations for Bani, who blushed and accepted them with a gracious smile, even though Jai kept making faces, telling her not to accept them.

Bani was looking very pretty in a pale rose coloured chiffon sari that Jai had purchased for it, a cut-sleeve blouse showing off her long, toned arms, jingling with the red and white chuda, her waist length hair left untied and wearing some very pretty but minimalistic jewels, along with her mangasutra and the sindoor in the parting of her forehead.

'You look beautiful, Bani.' said Dr. Reddy with a shy smile, making her blush even more as she thanked him bashfully.

'Of course, she looks beautiful...NOW! But you should have seen her a few years back...I am sure, you wouldn't have felt like even giving her a stack of dried hay back then!' commented Jai, popping the olives and feta cheese starters into his mouth.

'Jai!' chided Sneha, even as Bani laughed alongside Ranveer, much to Dr. Reddy's bewilderment.

'Why? What was wrong a few years back?' he asked with surprise.

'Oh...where do I even start, Dr. R! Your cranky patient's charming wife was some 60 pounds over-weight, used to wear clothes that were straight out of a 1940's black and white era film and probably could not tell the difference between a lipstick and a lip balm!'

Ranveer and even Sneha laughed alongside Bani, who interrupted and said to Dr. Reddy, 'Yes...and my dear husband here never failed to remind me every single day, at least twice, how clumsy and unattractive I looked!'

'I was only inspiring you to be better!' retorted Jai, looking irritated, as Bani patted him on his shoulder and added with an impish smile, 'Yes...yes...I believe you!'

Everyone laughed as Bani pulled one over Jai and he continued to sulk and refuse to speak to her for the rest of the dinner party, even though she kept apologizing and telling him that she was just joking with him.

The dinner went on superbly, except that Bani could not help noticing how uneasy Jai looked as the evening progressed. Though he did not utter a single word, she could sense that he was not feeling very well and she felt helpless, because she knew that asking him directly about it would only make Jai lose his temper. She kept any eye on him, even as he attempted to crack a joke and flirt with Sneha, making everyone laugh.

Noticing the look of anxiousness on his wife's face, Jai called out to her, 'Hey Sweetie...don't look so worried...Sneha and I go a long way back!'

Ranveer grinned and added, 'Bani, I have given up on telling both of them not to flirt with each other...I can only hope that you and I can be a team now!'

Bani smiled quietly and walked towards them with the post-dinner coffee, as they all took a cup each, except Jai, whom Bani did not serve.

'Hey!' he objected, as she swiftly took the tray from his direction and handed it back to one of the male servants.

'No Coffee at night...as it is that you are unable to sleep...'

'Oh! God! You are such a mother hen!' complained Jai.

'Yes, I am. And you knew what you were getting into, sweetheart! We know each other for more than half a decade now! Go Shoo...I am doing important stuff!'

Jai could only stare back at her in astonishment, and they both burst out laughing together.

'And what is so funny, may I ask?' smiled Dr. Reddy.

'It’s a husband and wife type of joke. Bachelor's won't get it!' quipped Jai, winking at Bani and making her flush.

'Jai!' she protested and then looking at Dr. Reddy, smiled apologetically and spoke, 'Nothing...we were just chatting! Please have the coffee...it’s getting cold.'

'When is Chote coming back, Jai?' asked Ranveer.

'I think in two-three days’ time...and then he is off to the States! He has got a really good break...excellent move for his career!' said Jai, proudly.

Ranveer smiled and kept quiet for a moment, and then added, a bit hesitantly, 'Don't you think you should tell him...'

There was an uneasy silence in the atmosphere and Ranveer instantly regretted bringing up this topic, that too in front of Dr. Reddy, who even though Jai's physician, was still an outsider.

Bani tried to ease the tension by asking about Ranveer and Sneha's baby, but Jai brushed her off and spoke to Ranveer, 'I will tell him when he comes back, Ranveer.'

Everyone looked suitably shocked, first because Jai had actually addressed the question and secondly that he had finally agreed to let his brother come to know about his disease.

‘Really?’ asked Ranveer and then breaking into a watery smile, put his hand on Jai’s shoulder and spoke affectionately, ‘I am glad, you decided to tell Chote everything.’

‘There is nothing glad about this, Ranveer. I don’t particularly relish the prospect of telling my younger brother that I suffer from a potentially life-threatening disease and that I may or may not live to see his first wedding anniversary.’ Without giving time to recover from the shock of his abrupt statement, Jai looked at Bani and smiling sadly, added, ‘or for that matter my first anniversary.’

There was once again a cold silence in the air, till Bani, forgetting her natural reserve, burst into tears and tried to walk out of the gathering, only till Jai leapt forward and caught her arms. She kept crying, but was also full of anger, as she protested and tried to get out of his grip, yelling on him, ‘leave me, Jai!’

‘There we have it! Ranveer, this is all because of you!’

‘What? What did I do?’ asked his best friend, clearly flummoxed, caught between the gravity of Jais’ words and the little altercation between the husband and wife that was going on now.

‘You started this bloody topic! And now I won’t get to have s** tonight, just because of you!’

Dr. Reddy almost gagged on his coffee as Sneha burst into peals of laughter, while Bani went from a deep pink to purple.

‘JAI!’ she exclaimed in shock, not believing that her husband would say something like that in front of the guests.

‘What?’ he said, with an innocent expression, adding in a mischievous voice, ‘I am right! Right? It’s already eleven in the night and you are upset with me now…that can only mean, no s**…’

‘Stop it! Please!’ she squealed, blushing crimson and giving pleading glares at Jai, who looked clearly bemused, even as Ranveer, Sneha and Dr. Reddy burst out laughing, totally oblivious to Bani’s mortification.

‘Er…I think we should leave the newly-weds alone now. Bani looks ready to kill Jai and he looks like he totally deserves what is coming to him tonight! Jai, if you weren’t this cute, god knows what would have happened of you!’ said Sneha, still giggling and saying goodbye to Jai, hugging him and then moving on to Bani, who was trying her best to appear as unruffled as was possible.

‘Bani, thank you so much for the lovely dinner! You really are a magnificent cook!’ said Dr. Reddy smiling, even as Bani found herself going pink, mostly because of Jai’s antics. Giving a look at Jai, Dr. Reddy, shook his hands and said, ‘And thank you for providing tonight’s entertainment!’ Adding cheekily, ‘if things don’t go your way tonight, we all know who is to blame!’

‘Dr. Reddy!’ protested Bani in embarrassment, as Jai burst out laughing and finally bid goodbye to everyone.

JB Bedroom

‘Arre yaar, I said I am sorry! Bani! Please yaar!’ called out Jai, for the nth time, plonked on his bed and begging to his wife.

‘I am so angry with you right now…I…I…Oh! Forget it!’ fumed Bani, shoving something inside the cupboard and tying up her hair in an untidy fashion.

‘Okay…so just because you are upset with me, you will look like a frump? Leave your hair open…please!’

Bani simply gave a cold glare back at Jai and said evenly, ‘I won’t’! In fact, I am going to put a LOT of oil in my hair, wear my most unflattering clothes, eat a whole pod of garlic pickle and YES…you are NOT getting any S-E-X tonight…and for the coming many nights!’

Jai had his mouth open in shock for a couple of moments, but then  he started laughing at her uncharacteristic loss of temper and getting up from the bed, walked towards her, slipping his hands across her waist, even though Bani tried to shrug him off.

‘Okay…at least tell me, what are you most upset about?’ he asked with a playful smile.

‘Everything!’ she shouted back, tears welling up in her eyes.

‘Hey, am I not allowed to even joke with you?’ questioned Jai.

Sighing deeply, she exploded with emotion, ‘everything is a joke for you, Jai! Have you ever considered how your so called jokes affect me?’

Jai was quiet for some time and then said slowly, ‘I know my method might not be the best…but believe me, Bani…I am just trying to fill your life with whatever little laughter I can give you right now.’

Bani turned to face him, breaking into a flood of tears and said, ‘You are my laughter, Jai. You are the reason I wake up every single morning…and every time you talk about leaving me…you take away that very reason from me, Jai.’

‘Please don’t make it difficult for me, Bani.’ Whispered Jai.

‘Please don’t give up, before the fight has even begun, Jai.’ She begged back, burying her face in his chest.

‘I just want you prepared for the worst, sweetheart…so that if things don’t go the way…we would ideally like them to go…you don’t fall into pieces…’ he spoke in a low voice, steadily trying to control his emotions.

Bani lifted her face from his chest and looked at him. Jai gave her a tiny smile and said, ‘I will never get peace till I know that you will be okay…without me.’

‘Well, then, be ready to live without peace.’ She answered back, her voice soundless and spirited.

‘Because come hell or high water…I won’t live without you, Jai. So, either you put up this fight for me or be ready to take me along with you. The choice is yours.’

Saying that, she moved back from him and walked towards their bed, leaving Jai speechless.

A Moment Later

‘Will you keep standing there like a statue or come to me?’ came Bani’s bouncy sounding voice.

Jai walked back silently to their bed and laid down beside her, as Bani crawled herself and put her head on his chest.

‘God will punish you, you know…for not listening to your husband.’ Said Jai, finally, not really knowing what else to say.

Bani burst out giggling and lifting her head, answered back, ‘Oh…thing is that my husband has such a bad record with God that most likely anyone who goes against him will probably be on God’s favourite list!’

‘Ha! Ha! I don’t know where you got this tongue from!’ said Jai, clearly annoyed.

‘I discovered it the day you kissed me, sweetheart!’ she answered back huskily, slipping her arms across his neck and pulling him towards her side.

‘Are you trying to seduce me?’ he asked, looking amused.

‘And I won’t be able to, if you keep talking for the rest of the night…’ she came back cheekily, holding his neck and bringing his face down for a long, deep kiss.