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Marriage, a Dilemma
by
R.H. Sarah
Chapter 4
"Arey Meenaxi beta, how are you?"
said Mrs Mukherjee, as she saw Meenaxi coming from her room, the next day.
"I am fine aunty, but what is this, you did not come to pick us up from the airport yesterday. And the entire day also we couldn't see you", complained Meenaxi. She was close to Mrs Mukherjee and could go on freely conversing with her, without much of formality. Meenaxi also felt that her mother and Mrs Mukherjee were entirely different from each other and she was happy for Sapna in that matter.
"No, beta, arey
yesterday the entire market place was in such a rush and we couldn't get out of
the traffic also. If it wouldn't have been for Rohan and his friend, we couldn't
have reach by today also", declared Mrs Mukherjee and in an instant Meenaxi knew
who was Rohan's freind and for that reason, she didn't ask more about her
outing.
"Hi, uncle", said Meenaxi as she saw Mr Mukherjee coming from the stairs to the
living room with a paper. As Meenaxi saw that, she smiled to herself, if her
mother was present here, she would have told her father many things, such as
'look you have a paper company'.
"Hello beta, had a nice comfortable sleep?" asked Mr Mukherjee and Meenaxi nodded affirmatively, "Karla, a cup of tea". As Mr Mukherjee said this, Mrs Mukherjee got from her sofa, but Meenaxi interrupted half way, saying that she will make tea for the entire family.
"But beta, you are a guest", remarked Mrs Mukherjee.
"Oh yea, look at
this aunty. First you say that, consider this as your own house and when I
consider it, then you say you are like a guest. Oh wow!- thats not fair enough.
By now at my house, mama would had made me cook lunch and you are not allowing
me to even make tea also", said Meenaxi and Mrs Mukherjee bent her head to one
side in appreciation and nodded to allow her to do so.
Meenaxi turned and headed to the kitchen, by then Sapna too accompanied her
friend and they both together went into the kitchen.
"Where's Seema?" asked Sapna, as she filled ht pot with water and kept it on stove and lighted.
"Oh she's sleeping like anything", replied Meenxi as she searched for tea bags.
"Is she ok, I mean you guys had slept really early".
"Oh its better if she's away from me".
"Oh come on she's such a nice girl. Oh by the way, did you dreamt of somebody last night", Sapna asked mischievously as she kept a beautiful china pot and cups on a decorated tray.
"Who?" asked Meenaxi awkwardly?
"Oh, well not really someone, but about-- ahem, ahem--- Ithan", concluded Sapna and the reaction was totally violent form Meenaxi as she heard that name.
"Oh please, I have good things and stuffs to think and dream about and that foolish, idiotic man would make my dreams a living nightmare. I hate him, I really hate him, and I really, really hate him. You know something Sap, this guy he thinks he's smart and also he has a wrong feeling that he looks like hunk with those blue eyes of his. But honestly, he looks like a spirit or a ghost. You know like, you remember once we had seen this horror movie, where that ghost had white eyes- yuck- that's the same thing with that sicko man. I don't know why, but I have never really hated anyone as much as I hated him", declared Meenaxi and her temper boiled the same way as the tea water boiled in the vessel.
"Well come on, we hated a lot of people from our class. Don't you remember we used to keep nicknames for each and everyone? Oh my gosh, it was so damn funny and we used to make fun of them, taking their nicknames in front of them?"
"Oh yeas and poor soul they never knew that and would go half way guessing who it could be. Hey you know if I would definitely keep this attitude-problem-guy's name, I would keep it as 'a blue eyed python'"
"Why?- does he crawl on the floor or what?" asked Sapna as she poured the water in the tea pot.
"No, but he is really so hateful- ugh I feel like punching him", said Meenaxi as she looked at her friend with such hateful eyes, "Oh Seema, you are so different from your sister, your so intelligent, so clever, so beautiful-" said Meeanxi imitating like Ithan.
"Well! He wasn't half way wrong", said Sapna, as she poured the milk in the milk pot and also the sugar.
"Yea, of course, how could he be wrong? It is me who’s wrong. Now you take a stranger's place against that of your best friend. Oh yea, yea please go on, why do you pause", said Meenaxi bitterly.
"Oh come on, you know I don't mean what I say".
"I know you don't mean what you say, but others don't know that".
"HEY, DEEDS. Guess who's come home?" asked Seema, excitedly as she came jumping into the kitchen, with an amusing smile.
"How do I know, I am no Harry Potter with magical mind", replied Meenaxi and she lifted the tray and was about to walk, when Seema replied, who had come.
"It's Ithan".
Meenaxi sharply turned back and looked at Seema and then at Sapna, who grinned
at her teasingly.
"I hope you don't mean that smile also", said Meenaxi dangerously, "And I am fed up of that man, because he is a...a...a...an...an animal, which I hate".
"Which is that animal, deeds?" asked Seema.
"Ithan", replied Meenaxi and she handed the tray to Sapna and said, "You take this, I am going to my room". The three young ladies came out of the kitchen and Seema and Sapna headed straight to the living room.
"Hi Ithan", said Sapna from the kitchen itself and her emphasis was more on the word, 'Ithan' than Rohan and Meenaxi looked at her friend critically, as she slowly climbed the stairs, so that no body notices that she was parting from them, without any reason.
"Meenaxi beta,
come here and join us for tea", said Mr Mukherjee, who sat almost opposite to
the long stairs and he could see Meenaxi clearly from his place.
Meenaxi turned and looked straight at Mr Mukherjee, who sat smoking a pipe and
suddenly a face turned behind and looked right straight into the dark eyes of
Meenaxi's. She made a stern face, as she saw Ithan's face and unwillingly came
down the stairs and joined her friend and sister. Seema giggled softly and
Meenaxi looked at her sister and her temper really rose really badly.
The three entered the room and Sapna kept the tray on the table; Rohan hadn't
come to the house, because it wasn't advisable for a guy, before his marriage to
often visit the girl's house.
"Meena, why don't you make the tea", asked Sapna, as she looked up at her best friend comically and Seema giggled happily.
"Yes, Meenaxi
beta, why don't you make the tea?" asked Mrs Mukherjee, who sat opposite to her.
Meenaxi got up and then sat beside the table and she poured the tea into each
cup.
"I hope you don't forget that we are six people all together in this room. I hope you don't make five cups instead", advised Ithan and Meenaxi looked at him critically and said to him, with a half hateful, pride smile and her eyes were burning with hate. But she sat silently and she poured tea, into each cup and then she regarding the amount of sugar. First she asked Mr Mukherjee, then Mrs Mukherjee, then Sapna and then Seema. She gave them each their teacups, pleasantly and Mr Mukherjee was a bit tensed about Ithan being ignored from Meenaxi. At last, when she finished preparing her tea, she coolly looked at Ithan and said, "And you Mr Ithan, how much for you?"
"Half teaspoon", replied Ithan, with a side smile.
"No wonder you possess such a sour nature, Mr Ithan", declared Meenaxi and then she gave the cup to him and he gave a full smile at her such comment and said, "Yes, I know that".
"I hope your not dieting", said Meenaxi under her breath.
"No, I am not", replied Ithan and Meenaxi looked at him seriously. How come he acted so humanly today? Why did he became so civilised and well mannered and then only her eyes moved to Mr and Mrs Mukherjee and then she knew why.
"So you both know each other. There's no need of any introduction then", said Mr Mukherjee, as he sipped his tea.
"I could say we are too well acquainted to know each other too formally", announced Ithan and then his eyes moved to Meenaxi for a short while and then back to Mr Mukherjee.
"Well aunty I have got to go now, I just came here just to give you those things, which you had left in my car. All right then, bye aunty, bye uncle", he said and then he turned to the young ladies, who stood up with respect, but Meenaxi sat on her place, staring at the floor, sipping her tea and making a permanent face, "Bye Sapna, bye Seema...ah...bye...a Miss .... Chee chee". As he said this Meenaxi looked up at him quickly and Seema covered her mouth with both her hands, to suppress her laugh, "Oh I am sorry, I mean Miss Meenaxi. I happened to see a chimpanzee, that happened to look like you". Ithan as he said this, he left and Meenaxi looked at him with her mouth half open, staring and Seema tried on to suppress her laugh, but couldn’t help it and Mr and Mrs Mukherjee heard that too and smiled pleasantly.
"See how wonderful he is", said Sapna smiling.
"My foot", said Meenaxi and sat down on her sofa, sipping the tea.
To Be Continued...
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