‘Sure, sure,’ Sid muttered as he went into the kitchen. ‘Always makes me do the cooking … a man can’t get any respect around here.’
Neha giggled despite her struggle to keep Kippy from smearing cake all over the table.
Sid whistled softly as he stirred the pasta. He was a little overenthusiastic with his efforts and that caused bits of pasta to spill over onto the floor. Deciding that Neha’s spotless kitchen could not be besmeared thanks to his clumsiness, he bent over quickly to retrieve the pieces he could see. And it was thus he found himself at close to eye-level with the beady-eyed reptile on the floor. They saw each other at the exact same moment.
‘Yaaaaaaargghh!’
His shriek made Neha jump and she managed to get more cake on her hands than even Kippy. Her heart was racing as she ran towards the kitchen, shouting, ‘What? What happened?’
Julie came scurrying in from the other room and followed close on Neha’s heels. Both were forced to ignore Kippy who delightedly began to shovel cake into her mouth with both hands.
Sid shot out of the kitchen, narrowly missing colliding with Neha. He shouted at her, ‘A lizard … a bloody lizard!’ He stared accusingly at Neha and demanded, ‘Why didn’t you tell me you’ve got lizards in the house? Are you frickin’ NUTS?’
Neha wrinkled her nose. ‘It’s not a pet, Sid. Where is it?’
‘There! Right there!’ Sid pointed, his finger trembling. He hated lizards with a passion. They gave him the creeps like nothing else.
Neha peered at the floor and eventually spotted it – a tiny baby lizard who blinked beatifically at her as if to say it wondered what all the fuss was about. Julie allowed herself a little smile but it disappeared before anyone saw it.
‘Are you serious?’ Neha demanded. ‘You’re afraid of that? It’s not even as big as my little finger.’
‘Neha, please don’t,’ Sid said with feeling, ‘I swear, I’ll never be able to look at your little finger the same way again.’
Neha shot him a look of disbelief before stalking into the kitchen. The movement frightened the baby lizard and within a second it disappeared into a crevice under the kitchen sink.
Sid shuddered. At least it was now out of sight.
Sid became aware of Neha glaring at him, half-amused and half-annoyed. Damn! After that crack about men not getting any respect around here, he better make good for the shrieking. He gave her his most winning smile and said, ‘Ready to try my pasta now?’
‘Dhishoom … dhishoom,’ Kippy’s baby voice floated in from her toy room.
‘Dhishoom … dhishoom?’ Sid raised his eyebrows at Neha. They both sat in the drawing room after dinner. Kippy should have been tired by now but she seemed to have got her second wind, charged up with Sid’s presence. ‘That’s not very little-girly. What’s she playing? You trying to turn her into a warrior like yourself?’
Neha smiled. ‘I’m only half-warrior types, remember? And the Coorg bit is only one-fourth in her. But yes, I certainly don’t want her to be a namby-pamby.’
‘Well, then you’re lucky I’m here. A manly man’s influence is sure to toughen her up,’ Sid said, running his fingers over his French beard. He called out, ‘Kippy! Come here! Let me show you the difference between an uppercut and a nice left hook.’
Kippy came running into the room, clutching a doll. She was handling it rather roughly, carrying it by its long, blonde hair.
Sid stared, aghast. ‘Is that … the Fashion Barbie I got her?’
The Fashion Barbie that he had brought for Kippy had been dressed in a princessy, pink frock. There were accessories that were to be put on, including two pairs of dainty shoes – one pair purple and the other blue. Sid remembered checking at the Lucknow Airport store to ensure that they included the promised hairbands, extra handbag, hairclips and hairbrush too. But now, the doll merely had the tattered remains of the dress left on it, and none of the pretty accessories were anywhere in sight.
Neha caught sight of his dismayed face and her expression hovered between guilt and amusement as she said, ‘Er … the thing is … I might have told her this was … uh … Kickboxing Katie.’
Sid stared incredulously at her as Neha continued, ‘Well, look, I still don’t think Barbies are appropriate playthings. A kid’s whole notion of beauty could get warped with that kind of exposure.’
‘Neha…’
‘Yeah?’
‘Please. She is just a little girl, you know.’
Neha sighed and shrugged in a gesture that suggested she was giving up. Sid inclined his head graciously and got up, taking Kippy by the hand and leading her into her room. In a couple of minutes they were back with the original Fashion Barbie box. Neha was well-organized and kept Kippy’s toys with military precision.
Sid sat down on his haunches and carefully took out all the Fashion accessories. He started to explain to Kippy what each one of them was.
‘The first thing we’re going to do is comb poor Barbie’s nice hair … what? No, it’s not Katie … Okay … fine … Fashion Katie’s hair…’
Kippy watched with interest as Sid slowly transformed the doll as close as he could to her original, princessy avatar. Neha couldn’t help smiling as she watched the two of them, heads close together and bent over the doll.
Evenings with Sid around were always full of fun and laughter. Tonight her pasta had been a big hit – both Sid and Kippy had enjoyed it fully. Neha had to admit that it was more fun cooking when there was a third person around, particularly when the third person was Sid.
‘There!’ Sid handed the doll over to Kippy. She took it in her little hands and stared with awe at the now dressed-up and suitably accessorized Barbie. Sid grinned, and turned his head towards Neha, hoping she saw how pleased Kippy was with the transformation. He was watching Neha’s bemused face and that’s why he didn’t notice Kippy take a couple of steps back and then come running up at him to ram the Fashion Barbie up his nose.
‘Dhishoom … Dhishoom,’ Kippy squealed.
‘Kippy!’ Neha was horrified as Sid teetered on his haunches, lost his balance and fell backwards.
‘I’m okay, I’m okay,’ Sid said from his position, lying spreadeagled on the floor. He had managed to shield his face at the last possible moment.
‘I’m sorry,’ Neha said, giving Kippy a glare that made the little girl stop in her tracks. Kippy’s lower lip started to quiver.
‘Hey, it’s okay,’ Sid said soothingly as he sat up again. ‘She just got a little excited.’ He patted Kippy on the head, but she still looked sad. ‘Come on, Kipster, cheer up. You’re stronger than all the little boys I know. How did you knock Sid uncle over? Like this!’ He pretended to fall over again and lay flat on his back.
Kippy squealed in delight and took the opportunity to jump right on top of him. Neha’s worried frown cleared up. The next few seconds were complete pandemonium.
‘She’s taken to you quite well,’ Neha remarked after order had been restored. ‘I wouldn’t have thought it.’
‘I told you,’ Sid said with a superior air. ‘Kids love me. They can’t resist good ol’ Sid-uncle.’
He caught Neha gazing at him and gave her an exaggerated leer, ‘And, of course, even the aunties can’t resist good ol’ Sid-uncle.’
‘Did you just call me an aunty, Sid?’ Neha asked indignantly.
‘You,’ Sid said with complete sincerity, ‘are the hottest aunty around for miles.’
‘Shut up, Sid.’
‘Okay.’ Sid knew it was sound advice.
Kippy yawned.
‘Let me try putting her to bed today?’ Sid suggested.
‘It’s okay. It’ll take me only ten minutes,’ Neha said. ‘As it is, it’s now way past her bedtime, she’ll be out soon, and needs only a couple of things … her story…’
‘I can tell stories! Hey, Kippy, did you hear the one about the sardar who…’
‘And her nappy changed…’
‘Go for it.’ Sid hastily settl
ed back into the sofa, picking up his hitherto neglected beer can. ‘And hurry, it’s way past her bedtime.’
Neha rolled her eyes and picked up sleepy Kippy to take her inside and put her to bed.
‘So you like working in advertising?’
‘I do, mostly.’ Neha sighed. ‘Except for dealing with you client-type people. At least it’s creative.’
They were both sitting on the floor, leaning against her sofa. Neha had her head on his chest and the faint scent of her shampoo tickled his nostrils. Sid couldn’t recall feeling happier than this. Neha continued, ‘And it pays the bills, right?’
‘You’ve been painting?’
Neha raised her head and grinned with pleasure. ‘I’m still putting the final touches on the Gate.’ Sid smiled at the memory the word brought up and she continued, ‘I think I’ll be done with it in a few more sittings.’
‘You should try and be more regular. You’re a true artist.’
Neha crinkled her nose delicately and Sid watched the halfway bump, mesmerized as usual. ‘I have to prioritize my time, Sid.’
‘Hmmm…’ Sid’s voice was sympathetic. ‘I know it’s difficult for you … being a single, working parent…’
She interrupted him. ‘It’s not that bad. You know I never need sympathy for having to care for Kippy or for separating from Kapil. They are the best things that could have ever happened to me.’ She seemed to sense that she had cut him off rather abruptly and added in a more gentle manner, ‘You know, a few years ago I took a whole year off from work, just for kicks, and finished almost one painting a month. It was great.’
‘Where are they?’ Sid demanded. ‘You’ve only got about six in here…’
‘Gave the rest away.’
‘What? Not sold, but gave away? To whom?’
‘Friends … neighbours, I can’t recall now … whoever said they liked them.’
‘You’re insane!’
She shrugged. ‘It made people happy. Art is meant to be enjoyed.’
‘It is meant,’ he said sternly, ‘to be treasured … to be valued.’
‘Quit scolding me, I’ve stopped giving them away now,’ Neha said lightly. Sid didn’t push the point.
After a lull, she asked him, ‘So tell me, do you like your job?’
‘Love it.’
‘Toilet marketing?’
‘Toilet cleaner marketing.’
‘You really like it?’
‘I hate it,’ he admitted for the first time ever to someone besides Brownie.
‘So why don’t you quit?’
‘Arrey! I’m doing very well here. I’m already a VP!’
‘I know that.’ Neha frowned. ‘But if you hate the job … does being a VP really matter?’
Sid thought hard for a few moments. His voice rang with conviction as he concluded, ‘Yes!’
Neha laughed softly, and this time it was her turn to not push the point. Sid took another sip of beer, adjusted his arm more comfortably around her shoulders and asked, ‘So give me some much-required gyaan now. What’s it really like being divorced?’
‘Hmmm?’ Neha sounded sleepy, but also a bit bewildered by the sudden turn in the conversation.
‘My divorce is going to come through soon,’ Sid explained, ‘and I’m wondering if I’m going to feel any different when she actually leaves.’ Sid realized he found it difficult to say Mandira’s name these days, especially in Neha’s presence.
‘I don’t know. Kapil and I haven’t lived together for so long now and I’ve enjoyed being on my own, but now he’s being a pain again. I’ve got full custody of Kippy and the court ruled that the father’s visitation was to be left to my discretion. He never asked before, but he suddenly emerged last week, texting to say he wants to see Kippy. Hah! He’s still based in Bangalore, so he’ll just be flitting in and out of her life. That would be much worse than a clean break.’
She sighed and Sid realized she had never opened up to him with so much about this topic before.
‘Anyway, it was so bitter between us at the end that I really don’t want to have to see him myself.’
She shifted to look up at Sid. ‘But I’m guessing it will be slightly cleaner for you since you guys didn’t have kids.’
‘Yeah.’ Clean wasn’t the word he would have used, but maybe she was right. At least, Mandira and he had no kid complication. ‘Well, I just hope she manages well on her own.’ Sid was thoughtful and then admitted, ‘We had some good times. Well … a few good times – we weren’t meant to be, I guess. No one’s fault, really.’
After a few moments, Neha remarked, ‘That’s nice. I mean, you don’t sound bitter at all.’
Sid hesitated. He had not discussed with her the details of his break-up. No one knew about the affair – should he tell Neha? He felt so close to her and they had been discovering so much about each other over these last few weeks. But he decided against talking to her about the gory details. This was between Mandira and him. Or at least, between Mandira, him and Vikas. Whatever! Not worth it. He dismissed the thought.
Instead, Sid said, ‘I really did want her to be happy. I mean, I do … took me too long to realize it couldn’t be with me.’
Neha’s voice was quiet and she murmured with a note of finality, ‘No one can make anyone else happy, anyway.’
Sid nuzzled her head with his chin. ‘Is that bitter?’
‘No. It’s a fact.’
He pulled her around to face him and looked into her eyes. ‘Is that a challenge?’
She just smiled and closed her eyes, waiting.
‘No one calls me Siddharth. You know that? No one. Not even my mom.’
As soon as the words were out, Sid wished he could rewind and erase them. Why on earth had he just brought up the topic of his mother while in bed with a woman?
‘Is that so?’ said Neha in a dreamy voice.
Sid lay on his back, looking up at the ceiling with Neha curled up against him, her arm and one leg around him. They had now been talking for the last thirty minutes. There had been a comfortable lull which Sid had just broken by blurting out the mention of his mother.
Sid nodded to confirm this. Too late, he realized that someone did call him Siddharth – She Who Must Not Be Named – when she was mad at him. But there was no way he was bringing her up right now. Neha waited a while and then said, ‘Are you going to tell me what your point is?’
‘Arrey!’ Sid shifted, turning to face Neha. Her skin was smooth and he thought her face looked even more beautiful up close. ‘You kept calling me Siddharth throughout … the first time…’
‘Did I? Oh. Maybe I did. Did you find it weird or something?’
‘No, no,’ he said quickly. ‘It was … really nice.’
‘Siddharth is a very nice name.’ Neha put her cheek against his shoulder again. ‘It’s so … so regal … And historic … And somehow … powerful…’
‘So is Neha,’ Sid said politely.
There was a moment of silence.
‘Shut up.’ She giggled. ‘That was very insincere flattery, and not required. You’ve already got me into bed, remember?’
‘If this isn’t a dream and I sincerely hope it isn’t,’ he muttered, putting his arm around her, ‘I am unlikely to forget it.’
Despite being the good-looking college clown, Sid had been with very few women so far in his life. And with none of them had it been anything like it was with Neha. The first time with her had blown him away. Of course, considering how long it had been since he had last made love to a woman, there had been a sense of relief that he hadn’t forgotten how to do it. It was, he supposed, one of those things that you never really forgot how to do – like riding a bicycle. Except that riding a bicycle never made him feel like that. Neha had been pleasantly surprised by his firm, lean build. He was thankful that the excess pizzas and beer and the lack of exercise in the recent years hadn’t really damaged his physique. And to him, she was incredibly beautiful. They had both been a little self-consci
ous at first, but had relaxed after a while and then had gone with the flow. It had been a beautiful, slow session despite his hunger for her. And even though the love-making seemed to get better and better every time, each detail of that first time was etched in his memory.
She was now lazily tracing his Black Panther tattoo with her finger. ‘I really like this. It’s so intricate. It makes me want to get one too.’
‘You should, you should. Everyone should have a tattoo.’
‘Am just a little worried about the pain. Where did you get this done?’
‘While on a holiday in Bali, years ago.’
‘Really?’ said Neha in surprise. ‘So did Aditi. Wait … did you guys get your tattoos together?’
‘Yes,’ said Sid reluctantly. First it was his mom and now Aditi. He didn’t really want to discuss her. Particularly considering how oddly she had behaved the last time they all met at Neha’s housewarming. She had been so quiet through the evening and then had suddenly become all animated towards the end. It seemed she just did not want to leave though the rest of them were ready to drop with exhaustion. Krish had to practically carry her out of the door and even then she was saying, ‘We can come back with the Tabboo set if you guys want … we can do a Tabboo tournament…’ Sid had firmly shut the door behind her.
‘So, of course, I’m a very manly man and all that but if Aditi could stand getting that butterfly done on her lower back, you will totally be able to take the pain.’
Neha was grinning about his ‘manly man’ comment and then she kissed his tattoo, lingering on it for a long moment. He went completely still and stopped breathing, feeling his body react in all sorts of ways to the touch of her lips. He closed his eyes to enjoy the moment.
‘So,’ she continued, ‘you two have been good friends for a long time, right?’
Moment gone.
Sid opened his eyes and sighed. ‘We’ve known each other for … ever! She’s my only friend from school. I guess she knows me better than anyone else.’ He sensed that Neha was going to ask him something else and so he added in a hurried manner, ‘But you still have to tell me more about yourself. Like, for example, who gave you that boring name Neha?’
Sorting Out Sid Page 20