2014-01-13

Divorcing Over Sushi-Episode 4

"You know Mom and Dad are coming to Mumbai," Sushmita told me as we lay on the bed.
I flung the cigarette and freaked out, "What! you told them about us?"
"No! Chill re! They are moving to Mumbai from London and we gotta  receive them at the airport. 
Wow! I thought. It's even worse and as if my parents were not enough, Now, I will now have to bear the brunt of Punjab meets Bengal. I just let it off: "Listen! I am not shifting to my parents' place. There is no way I am doing that."
She turned her gaze towards me, "So, what do you want me to do now? Bring them in and tell them that I am staying with my live-in boy friend who has nicely chosen to leave his parents house."
We remain silent for a while. Sushmita started with her logic and reasoning kinda stuffs, "What yaar? They are your parents and you cannot shift with them for a while! Please, Baby, do it for my sake!," she implored.
I feel so good inside and revel at my own victory. It's the first time that Sushmita is begging me for something and it's boosting my ego. I am finding it better than sex any day and it's such an aphrodisiac for my own well being.
I called Sid on the same day and explained to him the whole situation on phone since I had no time to catch up to plead with him to give some space in his rented flat. I was well aware of the irony of sort, my being a local Mumbaikar, pleading for a place to stay in the house of someone who is surviving on  a rented compound in maximum city. I thank my stars coz Sid has no live-in girl friend nor flat mates and I wonder how this call center senior executive lives in a two bed room flat in Oshiwara. I am one lucky dude to occupy one single bedroom and borrowed Sushi's brand new Skoda to carry some of my stuffs to Sid's place. I drove back to Sush's flat and we had a heated argument on the fact that I have to accompany her to the airport, stay in the background and shoot only when she nods to me or the parents ask about me. I keep calm.We finally reach an understanding that we gotta invite ourselves-me and Sush-to my parents' house on Sunday. I have never faced such a phunny situation where we gotta convince our parents for the wedding. She wanna get married and wow! the age factor will surely tickle mom and Dad the wrong way.
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Thursday 11 p.m
CST Airport:
I sipped tea and puffed a cigarette outside the international airport waiting for the Punjabi-Bengoli combo of Sushi. I hope the parents are not a huge fan of Sushi-not my live-in girl friend but the food of course- and I find it amusing to think of the Mom or future to be Saas gorging on fish fry. After all, it's a Bengoli thing! I am laughing imagining the father-in-law sipping lassi like a true blue Sardar or drink alcohol like a fish. I get a miss call. It's Sushi: "Baby! Come in, Mom and Dad reached. I throw away the cigarette and hush towards Terminal 2. I saw Sushmita walking along with a well built and tall frame, straight from the army, sporting a weird moustache that always scared me to death as a kid, and an aged lady, tilak on the forehead. She looks like those characters straight from the Saas Bahu serial. "I am screwed and my soap opera starts from now," I tell myself.
Sushmita walks in my direction as I offer to carry the luggage of the future-in-law, expressing an innocent smile on my face. "How are you, young man?" the old man offered a firm handshake to me. I was struck by the thunder in his voice and felt like I am in an army camp. I replied with a warmth, "I am good sir, thank you very much. The wife coldly said Hi and I realize that she has not taken a very good liking to me. I drove the car, swirling from the right to left, trying to avoid the traffic and, thankfully, we reached Sushi's apartment in an hour. I was relieved that the army man didn't indulge in too much conversation with me and what got to my head was the heated argument between mother and daughter in Bengoli. I tried to look unfazed but my ear was increasing drawn to their lively music and could make out that it was all about me.
I bade the old couple farewell and the last thing I wanted to do on the tiring day is to indulge in a conversation with Sush's dear parents. I call her Sushi since I am familiar to her fixation for Sushi on plate during our courtship and live-in relationship where the food's perfume travels from the bedroom to the kitchen. I dozed off early that night and before hitting the sack, Sush messaged with a, "Worry not! It's mom only but everything is in control. But, don't 4get to meet ur parents kal itself..gnite Baby..love u, Muah." I shot back with an okay and good nite as I am too tired to ask bout her mom.
I didn't remember how I spent the whole day. I am sitting on the dining table with mom and dad, fidgeting with the spoons, forks on the dining table. Dad asked, "So, how is everything going with Sushmita and how come you randomly thought about us for this special dinner?. Is everything alright."
I was about to start the whole marriage discussion when mom's silence grabbed my attention. I nodded with a yeah. Mom went inside the kitchen to bring the paneer and check the stove.
Dad gave me a pat on my shoulders and gently uttered: "Now tell me! Something is bothering you."
It was a slip of a tongue and I just blurted out: "We have decided to get married."
I just dropped  bomb on Dad's head and he didn't know what to say. He managed to say: "Now, keep it mum and after dinner, let's go for drinks since we have to sort out things before your mom makes a scene. See, I didn't agree with many of your stuffs and disapprove of the live-in relationship but since you are an adult, I will not interfere in your life." I breath easy but was aware it's going to be a momentary joy, knowing mom and the theatrical antics she will indulge into.
We ate silently and bonded with mom over the new kids in the neighborhood flat who makes her happy. Mom told me that she wanna go on a religious trip to Somnath Temple and I offered to accompany her. For a while, she forgot that I am living with Sush and hugged me. I know it's a very selfish thing to do but at least I will buy time from both Sush and mom. 

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