by MV Kasi
"Oh nothing. I have invited her to my birthday party next week. She wanted to be friends with you and papa again. She feels really bad about how she was mean to you fifteen years ago," Srishti answered her mother chirpily.
"It was fourteen years ago....Mahi talked to you about it?" Ananya asked her calmly, which sounded a little eerie to Mahi.
"No, no. Mahi aunty didn't. I found out from some other means, which is...uh...not important now. But please can she come? You've always been telling me that we need to forgive people and be nice to everyone. Please mummy?" Srishti cajoled.
"Srishti, it is your birthday. You are welcome to invite anyone you like within reason..." Ananya was trying to let her know that inviting Mahi was not a good idea.
But Srishti was insistent. "But even Samrat uncle likes her and he is her friend now. She's already apologized to him and he is okay with it. Let's ask him if she can come."
Mahi winced even more hearing that, and didn't think she would be able to hide in the kitchen for long. She went towards the living room.
Srishti saw her first.
"Oh hey Mahi aunty. Good you are still here. I was just telling mummy that I invited you to my thirteenth birthday party."
Mahi felt that the plan to go to Srishti's party to apologize, now sounded a little farfetched. She looked at Ananya apologetically and told Srishti, "Srishti, I don't think—"
"You should come," said Ananya abruptly. Composing herself a little more, "Srishti wants you there at her birthday party, and you should definitely come, Mahi."
Meantime, Samrat came down the stairs with a frown and joined their meeting. He looked at Srishti and a smile broke on his face.
"So Srishti, are you ready for your thirteenth birthday party?"
Srishti looked at him with a grin. "Why should I be ready? I'm the birthday girl. Everyone else better be ready, and rushing around, and then putting some thought into buying me something good. And Samrat uncle, you better get me something great this year too!"
Ananya frowned. "Srishti!"
Samrat smiled. "It's okay Anu. Srishti and I have an understanding. Don't we?"
Srishti laughed in conspiracy and then looked excited. "Oh by the way I invited Mahi aunty to my birthday party and she has accepted to come. Mummy said it was okay too. Isn't that cool?"
He replied with a short. "Yes." He was now watching Mahi expressionlessly.
Mahi felt like an intruder between their family dynamics and couldn't wait to get away.
Ananya picked up her purse from the table. "Okay, I have some more things to do this evening and it's getting late. Srishti let's go. Samrat, I'll call you." She looked at Mahi and said, "See you next week, Mahi."
Mahi nodded and went out with them and then waved bye to Srishti, before going back to her house. She leaned against her closed door.
"Oh god. Ananya wanted to bury me. Now I better start planning on how to apologize to her," she muttered.
That night when she was preparing to go to bed, she got a call from Samrat.
"Hello, Samrat."
He didn't greet her back. "I don't know how you managed to get invited to Srishti's birthday party, but I want you to behave there," he warned softly.
Mahi was not surprised, but even though she knew how he felt, she still got angry at the warning. Before she could come up with a cutting reply, he beat her to it with some shocking news.
"Oh and by the way, you are not fired. You can continue with your job from next week," he stated before he hung up.
She stared at the phone and wanted to call him back for more answers. But she didn't want to rock the already fragile boat. She was both glad and nervous about the following week.
CHAPTER 18
Later that evening, Ananya sent a message to her friends.
Ananya: Mahi is going to attend Srishti's thirteenth birthday party. She was invited by Srishti, who thinks Mahi could use the venue to apologize to Sidhu and me.
Disha: What?? How does Srishti know about what happened? My god! Mahi dared to discuss such things with a twelve year old...to brainwash her into letting Mahi attend the party?
Ananya: I don't know. Srishti told me that it wasn't Mahi who told her and was pretty tight lipped when I asked her how she found out. I don't think there can be any other source.
Ananya was angry with Srishti, but didn't let it show. Srishti had been behaving well at school and at home. There were no complaints or outbursts from the past three months. Ananya didn't want Mahi to be the reason to shake that peace in anyway.
Trupti: We have to teach that woman a lesson. For involving a child in her malicious games!
Anita: I agree. Anu you need to get that female as far as possible from your family.
Disha: I think the only way that could be possible is by letting her come to the party and then teach her a lesson she'd never forget.
Ananya: I don't even know what to do. I feel so numb and tired about the whole thing.
Trupti: Anu, leave it to the rest of us. You just watch how the whole thing unfolds. Mahi is going to learn a hard lesson.
Disha: I agree. Anu, you should just focus on the party preparations and other things. Leave the whole thing to us.
Ananya debated whether or not to tell Sidhu that Mahi was going to attend Srishti's birthday party. Then realizing that Srishti would tell him anyway, she decided to let him know. Sidhu had come home really late, but Ananya was waiting for him.
She was lying down on the bed and trying to read a book from the past two hours.
"So how are the party preparations coming along? Stressed yet?" Sidhu asked her while throwing the extra pillows down from the bed, and then dragging her closer.
He had just come out from his shower and was smelling very nice. She put the book aside and removed his hands from her, so she could turn and face him. "Preparations are fine. But I have something to tell you."
He yawned and smiled sleepily at her. "Sure. Tell me."
She watched his face keenly. "Srishti invited Mahi to the party. Apparently, they have gotten close, and Srishti thinks it's a good idea for Mahi to come to the party, and mend fences with the both of us."
Sidhu blinked a couple of times, trying to process the information. "Who told her that there were fences to mend with in the first place?"
"I don't know. Srishti told me it wasn't Mahi, and I didn't push her too much. But..."
He looked upset. Ananya didn't know if it was because of Srishti finding out and even discussing about such adult topics, or if it was the thought of seeing Mahi again.
"You were right in allowing Srishti to invite Mahi and not pushing her for more information. If we stop Srishti in anyway, she might rebel and consider Mahi to be some sort of forbidden fruit. Srishti tries to act more matured for her age, but she is really pretty naive and sheltered than most of her peers. Let's find out more about their interactions and relationship," he told her evenly.
She nodded.
He looked at her and touched her cheek. "Are you okay, Anu?"
"I don't know. Are you?"
He smiled tiredly. "I'm always fine, but I'm more concerned about you."
She nodded. "I will be fine. This is just a small non-issue, I'm sure."
She turned off the light next to her and lay down. Soon Sidhu held her in their usual spooning position and feel asleep, snoring softly.
She lay awake for a long time, thinking about how it wasn't just her brother and her husband she had to worry about, but also about her daughter now. Her daughter was more susceptible and could be easily manipulated by Mahi. She had to make sure that whatever magic Mahi wove on her daughter, should be severed immediately.
CHAPTER 19
The following Friday, Mahi was nervous when she arrived at the party. She had no idea what to buy for a thirteen year old girl. So she bought her an assortment of things that she thought Srishti might like, a perfume, a brainy snap circuit board game, a book about how teens dealt with the world around them and a gift
card to purchase music or e-books.
She held her gift box gingerly in her hand and walked towards the bustling party. Even though it was a teenager's party, there were a lot of adults and young kids talking loudly and walking about busily.
She had finished up some pending work at her office and was home by six in the evening. She didn't see Samrat's SUV outside his house and assumed that he had left already. Quickly deciding on a cream dress with a red border and some light jewelry, she got ready in less than twenty minutes. She grabbed the gift which she thankfully packed the previous night and drove to the party hall. She was late by an hour, but she had deliberately planned it that way.
"The less time I spend, the less awkward it is for everyone," she muttered.
Her stomach was growling, reminding her that she had skipped lunch that afternoon in lieu of an important meeting.
"Seriously, what is the etiquette before one can pounce on the food at a party?" she muttered.
"Talking to yourself again, are you?" she heard Samrat ask her from behind.
She jumped and almost dropped the gift box on the ground.
"My god! Why are you always creeping up on people? Maybe you should invest in some jewelry, some kind of bell around your neck perhaps?" she said and turned around, and almost gasped looking at him.
She had never seen him dress up in ethnic wear before. He was always either in business suits or casuals. With a cream and red ethnic suit, he looked like a king. A very hot warrior king, ready to plunder.
Yeah that's what Ananya needs to see. Me drooling over her brother with X-rated fantasies at her daughter's birthday party. A party in which the actual hosts hadn't invited me or even think that I would have the gall to show up.
She had spent most of the night tossing and turning, still debating whether or not to attend the party. But like Srishti had said, maybe it was time to stop running away from the past, and apologize properly in person.
And what best way to do that, other than crashing a party during a happy occasion when the hosts were the proud parents and she had the security of a crowd around her, to save her from an attack, just in case things went south soon.
Samrat was amused. "I'm sure you would like that along with a rope attached."
She smiled absently. "Maybe I do. Where is the birthday girl?"
"Srishti is getting ready I think. She has finished wearing her family mandated attire until now and is changing into something different I assume." Samrat had a crooked smile as though he knew whatever his niece was going to change into would cause uproar within her family.
"Oh."
"No smart comeback with how girls should be able to choose whatever they want for their party like the boys, and all that talk?" he asked.
She was too nervous to spar with him. "No. I think sometimes, you do need to make allowances for your family, and adapt to the environment. And boys get to do that too. Or you would have turned up in your usual shorts and a T-shirt."
His eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled. "You almost sound sane. Are you sure, you are okay? Maybe you are not feeling that well."
Her eyes twinkled. "Don't be too sure about my sanity. Oh, by the way, our clothes are matching with the cream and red color combination. If you don't want another set of lipstick marks on your pristine cream colored kurta, you better be nice to me."
His eyes narrowed slightly in warning. "Don't you dare pull a stunt like that over here. Most of Sidhu's family and friends are here, and they are very conservative. And not to mention my parents and family too."
She grinned. "Does that mean I can pull that stunt somewhere else? When the 'conservative' family is not around?"
"I happen to like what I'm wearing. It was a gift from Anu, and I wouldn't like to burn it like my other shirt," he bluffed, sounding ridiculously pompous.
She rolled her eyes. "God...you are such a boring uptight prig. Anyway, while I love standing here and trading insults, I'm starving. I had to skip lunch for the Stimmulus phase two go-live meeting. Where can I drop off the gifts and get some food?"
He frowned. "What? Why did you have to skip your lunch for that? The dining hall is on the right in that next building. And why are you getting involved in the Stimmulus project?"
She felt guilty because she didn't want her manager to be in trouble because of her. "I asked Mehul to allow me to interview with the Stimmulus project team. There was an opening, and I had the right credentials. I'm still working on my old projects as well, and a lot of team members are involved in multiple projects, so you can just chill."
"Hmmff."
Samrat was about to walk away when he heard someone calling his name.
"Wait. What does that hmmff mean? I hope you are not planning on harassing Mehul or even Sanjay for giving me an opportunity to work on something I'm interested in."
He turned to look at her. "We'll see," he said ominously before walking away.
She was beginning to get agitated. "I must be brain dead to mention that to him," she muttered.
Samrat was the chairman of his company, and even though he didn't bother about normal operations or projects, he still had a huge influence in what could happen within his own company.
God, I hope I'm not fired again for the second time within a week. And simply for working on a project that I enjoy contributing to.
She walked a little dejectedly towards the main hall and as soon as she walked in, she was amazed with the decorations. It was like a teenage girl's dream come true with understated pinks and purples everywhere, while also staying classy for the adults' sake. There was a huge table to the right side of the entrance that held all the gifts. She dropped her gift on the table and went towards the dining hall that was connected to the main hall via a wide and long pathway.
Her steps faltered when she felt something. There were way too many people around, but she knew.
She quickly looked around. At one of the corners, she saw a profile of a stunningly good looking man, talking to someone animatedly, and laughing in a very familiar manner.
Oh my god, Sidhu!
*****
Sidhu knew it was Mahi, the moment one of his business partners told him that a woman was approaching them and left them alone.
During their college days, he and Mahi had a strange ability to sense each other's presence, even amongst hundreds of people around. They also knew what was going on in each other's minds, and finish each other's sentences, amusing all of their friends.
"I love you Mahi. You and me...what we have is real. We are soul mates, and I promise you that we will love each other like this until we die. Hopefully when we are a hundred, and in each other's arms, surrounded by our great grandchildren."
He had told her that several times during the four years of college, when they had been together. He had been madly in love with her, and thought that she had reciprocated it.
"Hello Sidhu," Mahi greeted softly, looking at him with a small smile.
He assessed her quietly. At thirty four, Mahi still had something about her that managed to turn heads towards her, and she would probably have it even when she turns eighty.
"You look great, Sidhu. How have you been?" she asked him, as though they were distant friends, and not past lovers, who had promised to love, cherish and marry each other.
He remembered how heartbroken he had been after finding out that she left him, and married someone else. She didn't even have the decency to inform him about it, or to even break up with him properly. He had found out from another classmate about her wedding.
Fourteen years ago, he had hated her with a passion for a while, for breaking his heart and then turning him into a sad broken boy.
“I'm doing fine as you can see. I have been blessed with an amazing wife and a daughter,” he said evenly.
“I know.” Mahi smiled at him as though she was genuinely happy for him.
He felt a little annoyed with her for feeling that way. “I heard your marriage didn't work out,” he
stated politely.
“Yes. Some things are not meant to be,” she said softly.
A pang pierced him, along with a flood of emotions he couldn’t quite interpret. He didn’t like the friendly affection in her eyes. He wanted her to look stricken and heartbroken after seeing him. To regret dumping him and to see what she was missing in her life by not marrying him.
“I love you so much Sidhu. You are the only person in the world who can truly understand me. I know I want to be with you and offer you everything I have, including my body.”
But he resisted her, even though she made it very difficult to.
“I love you too Mahi and I respect you. Our first time will be on our first night as husband and wife.”
She laughed. “God Sidhu. You are so old fashioned. Okay...let's at least make out again.”
And they had. Several times when he snuck her into his room and kissed her and cherished her. People thought he was blind and not aware of how she would lash out at people, hurting them. But he knew her reasons, and what had driven her to behave that way. He didn't approve of her actions, but he had loved her and accepted her with all her faults.
She was looking at him imploringly. "Sidhu...I—"
“Mahi, can you please come here for a moment.” he heard Samrat call her, and he noticed how her expression changed into dread.
He still felt strangely protective about her, especially since he knew Samrat had a grudge against her.
*****
Samrat was annoyed seeing Mahi with Sidhu, especially because he was concerned about his sister witnessing their meeting.
"I wanted to let you know that you are no longer allowed to participate or listen into the important and confidential calls at work. You can perform your role as a team lead for the job you were hired or you can quit. That's your choice," he said.
Mahi didn't look shocked as he expected. She just nodded jerkily and excused herself.
Sidhu was looking at him reproachfully, but didn't comment.
He refused to feel guilty. "What? She coerced the job from me in the first place, and had it as a clause to sell her land for the senior community plan."