Rudra watch what are you doing.. concentrate here.. his coach warned him..
Sorry coach.. I'll be back.. he said and ran out and removed his gloves and leg guards and kept it in the empty chair beside him and sat in the chair and sighed..
I can't even ****** concentrate... he cursed
What happened Rudra? His teammate came and asked..
Nothing.. just I'm not feeling well.. he lied..
Oh!! Take care Rudra, you seemed so lost while practicing... anything serious..
Cha cha nothing.. just thinking about my grandpa's health.. that's all..
What happened to him? Is he again admitted in hospital or what?
He is ok now.. wanted to do a surgery for him though.. we are planning on that..
Good.. then go, take some rest and come tomorrow..
He nodded no.. I just need few minutes break.. I'll be back.. moreover the match is in forty five days.. we don't have time..
Ok man.. then come.. Im going to practice... he said and left...
Rudra closed his eyes and leaned back on the chair.. he remembered about Meenakshi asking how to use the bathroom to his mom..
God!!!! How I'm going to living with her.. I can't point out what I'm feeling.. I can't even explain that.. he felt so embarrassed about her..
He stood up and went to the practising net.. he hit all the balls and even bowled furiously..
Hey man.. why you are so furious today? His coach asked..
He shrugged.. he came back to sit after hours of practice..
Rudra.. his close friend and his another teammate came..
Hey hi Krish.. how are you?
I'm doing good Rudra.. how are you? Heard that you were sick last week.. are you okay?
Yeah.. just normal viral fever.. now I'm alright.. he said and smiled..
Good.. ok then.. I wanted to talk with you about my fiance's friend Isha..
What about her?
You know that she has a big crush on you and wanted to know you more.. she is really pestering me to give her your personal number.. but I didn't, without asking you I can't give her.. what are you saying.. just go on a date with her, then you can decide.. hmm?
No no.. I don't want to.. actually see.. that ... I.. me... he hesitated..
Tell me Rudra... why you are hesitating..
Ok, but please don't tell anyone about this and explain this clearly to her.. and I don't want you to leak this matter to anyone and this will spread like a fire..
What da?
I'm committed... and please don't ask me about her.. I can't say anything now.. when time comes I'll bring her and introduce her myself to all of you... he said..
What?????? He shouted in shock...
Why you are shouted idiot? He closed his mouth with his hands..
It's, really a shocking news for me.. I don't know how she is going to react..
I just don't care about her and you know that clearly... how does jhanvi even having friendship with a girl like her.. and you know about her well than me so don't support her.. I even saw with my own eyes that she dated a handful of boys before approaching me.. I loath her..
See I also know about her da.. but I think she is genuinely interested in you.. so jhanvi asked me to talk with you..
See Krish.. as I said I'm already committed.. so convey this to her and please ask her to keep distance from me.. as a close friend I'm advising you and jhanvi please stay away from her..
See I also don't like her very much... but somehow she befriended jhanu and they became close... so I'm just fulfilling my jhanu's wish.. sari ok, let it go, I'll handle this.. now tell me who is that poor girl..
One of my relative uncle's daughter... he said looking at the ground...
Are you hiding anything from me? He asked holding his hands..
No nothing.. he shrugged...
Hmmm.... ok then how you are committed suddenly? What she is doing? Where she is ? And wh...
Just take a breath... I'll say everything when the right time comes.. please don't ask me anything...
Hmmm.. ok... he patted his shoulder..
Ok da I'm leaving.. and I'll come straight to the match.. I have some important things to handle at home, as my wedding is almost near.
Rudra nodded and bid bye to him and went to his home...
Come come.. why you left even without having breakfast? How can you do practice without any food? Soundarya started scolding him..
Mom I ate energy bars and I came in time to have lunch..
Is this lunch time for you? She asked glaring him..
He looked at his watch and clicked his tongue..
What, it's only three.. he shrugged and went to his room..
Come fast.. she shouted..
Ok amma... he shouted back..
He went inside his room thinking that Meenakshi must be here, because he didn't saw her in living room.. but he came to an empty room... he shrugged and went to take a bath.. he came downstairs after cleansing himself...
Come. I'll serve you.. his mom said and they both went to the dining room... she served lunch and sat beside him.. there was a full platter of various South Indian dishes.. his eyes widened looking at that..
He started to eat and hummed in content of the tasty food..
How is the food?
Delicious ma... he said
Meena made this all.. she said proudly..
Oh!!! Hmmm... ok.. he said and continued with his food...
Maa.. ask the maids to prepare my diet from tomorrow.. it's been a long time.. I forgot my diet..
Ok ok.. I'll inform them.. she said and he looked around after coming from the dining room.. he was looking for her..
She is with thatha.. Soundarya said..
Whom? He acted like he didn't searched for her..
The one whom you are looking for.. she said and flipped his forehead..
He went to his grandpa's room and heard laughing sounds.. he peeped inside the room and the scene infront of him made him smile..
There Meenakshi is sitting beside his grandpa's legs massaging it and talking with him something.. he is laughing wholeheartedly for whatever she is saying and he can also hear her soft laughing sound..
He opened the door and went inside and Devaraj also came there with three bowls in a tray following him...
Rudra!! Come come... Shiva thatha called him..
Meenakshi stood after seeing him..
Meena ma, come come lets have this.. Devaraj said and placed the tray on the table before the couch and sat on the couch..
Hmmm.. she nodded and turned and went to the couch..
Soundarya also came inside and sat beside Devaraj and pulled Meena's hand and made her to sit beside her.. Rudra sat on the bed beside his grandpa and looked at them.. Devaraj handed a bowl to Meena and motioned something..
She smiled with excitement and took a spoon full of peach and strawberry duet icecream and put that inside her mouth and closed her eyes and relished... Devaraj, Soundarya and Shiva thatha felt pity looking at her..
After having the lunch she was helping shanthi akka in the kitchen.. when she opened the freezer she looked at different icecream tubs and called Soundarya...
Athai... what's all this? She pointed out the tubs..
This is icecream ma.. and explained each and every flavour they had..
Oh!!! I have seen only stick icecream that the local vendor use to sell in my native..
Oh!! Which flavour do you like?
I didn't even had one icecream.. because mom used to tell that good girls don't eat icecream and she will not buy for me.. so I didn't get to know.. she said sadly..
Don't worry my baby... I'm here, and there is so much of icecream in our home.. so we can eat that...
Can I? Really?!!!! She asked in disbelief..
Yes.. you can.. now go to thatha, he is asking for your presence and I'll come with this..
But... athai..
No.. don't open your mouth.. just go and talk with him I'll come.. she literally pushed her outside..
She took three bowls and filled with icecream and about to go to her, that's when Rudra came so she asked Devaraj to take that to Meena, because she wants to serve lunch for Rudra..
They smiled looking at the kid before them relishing the icecream...
Athai.. it's so yummy... it's even too cold.. I didn't expected this taste... she said and started to eat..
All smiled at her and Rudra looked at her in confusion..
Why she is behaving like she is having this for first time? Rudra asked to grandpa..
Indeed, she is having that for the first time.. he said and Rudra got shock..
Athai.. super .. thanks athai.. she said after finishing the icecream..
Soundarya patted her cheeks..
You can have whenever you want.. but don't have this at night because you can catch cold..
She nodded obediently and got the empty bowls from them, kept it in the tray and walked out..
While she turned her back to Rudra, he widened his eyes looking at her hair.. she is keeping the hair open today, in that cream saree it's enhancing and it's really a sight to watch..
Pppaaaaa.... sema mudi da.. he thought...
( wow, what a hair)
After she went Soundarya said what Meena told her in the kitchen..
Hmm, I think her mom is bias between her own child and Meenakshi.. otherwise she won't raise her like this.. Rudra said..
Yes.. I did noticed her in the time of marriage... she is so happy that we are not getting any dowry from them and even more happy that Meenakshi is going to her in-laws.. Soundarya said...
Let her be, now she is here, we will take care of her.. Shiva thatha said and all nodded.. even Rudra nodded without his knowledge...
Shiva thatha spent some time with Rudra..
At evening...
Meenakshi washed her face and combed her hair neatly into a braid standing before her room closet's mirror.. she went down to the Pooja room and lit the lamp singing a devotional song sitting in front of god.. all maid came there hearing her divine voice.. even her in-laws and Shiva thatha also came and enjoyed her singing..
Rudra is the garden taking a walk... he heard the voice and came towards the house entrance and mesmerized by her voice.. he felt goosebumps when she went high pitch.. her voice echoed the whole house and gave a good vibration..
She finished her song and looked the whole people living here presented there.. she felt embarrassed, so shy feeling so much eyes on her.. all clapped to her singing...
Soundarya hugged her and kissed her forehead...
You have a mesmerizing voice ma.. I'm sure god will bless you with all the things you deserve... she said..
Devaraj patted her cheeks lovingly and Shiva thatha also appreciated her...
Athai what can I prepare for dinner?
Maids are there Meena ma..
Please athai.. I wanted to do Household things.. those are usual for me, back in my home I used to do all the chores...
Sari ok, do whatever you want... she said and went..
She decided to make idli for thatha and onion dosa for the rest..
Meena ma, from now Rudra sir will eat his diet.. don't prepare dosa for him.. shanthi said..
Diet? What's his diet? Why he wants to diet?
He is a cricketer ma, he is having certain plans for his diet to keep his energy and stamina well.. and also he doesn't want to gain weight, so he is in having different food than us..
Oh!!! Then what shall we prepare for him..?
He will eat idli, so make two more idlis and we will stir fry some veggies and give that to him with idli.. and he will eat some fruits..
Oh!!! Ok... then I'll do that also.. she said and started to cook..
She finished idli and fried veggies and the maid called them for dinner... she started to make dosas.. all came and sat in the chairs..
They served idli and sambhar with mint chutney to Shiva thatha and idli with veggies for Rudra..
Ma'am, Meena is making dosas for you.. I'll come now.. she said to Soundarya..
Ok..
She came with two hot dosas and served them with sambhar and chutney..
Meena's Sambhar is so addictive... We can eat this daily .. Devaraj said..
Rudra is so tempted to have the sambhar... even the stir fry is also tasted different today..
Akka, this stir fry is tastes different today, actually it's good from your regular one..
I didn't made this sir, your wife cooked this.. she said and Rudra nodded silently..
Ok.. he whispered...
We are done, ask her to come out and eat.. and please you make dosa for her.. Soundarya said..
Sure ma'am.. the maid said and went..
Meena came with a plate with dosas and served each one for them..
Meena, we are already full..
No mama, only made five dosa then, I don't know whom ate how much, so for my satisfaction you both have to eat this.. she said and sat on the chair beside Soundarya with a dosa for her..
Shanti ma came and served dosa for her and she smiled at her..
She ate the dosas.. she looked at Rudra's plate and sighed in relief that he ate most of the food..
He looked around when others started to get up to wash their hands, he then poured some sambhar hurriedly without knowing others and ate the remaining idli and sighed in content..
Shiva thatha saw this and shook his head at his childish behaviour..
Then all retired to sleep...
Rudra came out from the closet after changing into his night dress.. he looked at Meenakshi who is standing near the couch..
Meenakshi.. he called her..
Haan..
Don't sleep inside the closet today.. I'll keep checking the AC temperature often.. you can sleep here.. he said..
It's ok, you will sleep soundly only if it's too chill, athai told me.. I can sleep in the closet.. no problem..
No no...it's ok.. you sleep here , I insist.. he said and she nodded and went to the washroom and came out after few minutes.. she switched off all the lights and came to the couch and laid down on the couch and covered her with the duvet and closed her eyes...
Rudra is looking her all the time.. she is sleeping showing her back to him.. her long thick black hair is swinging below the couch and Rudra wants to touch that once..
Even though Meenakshi is sleeping this side, she felt very nervous sleeping with him in same room..