"How about this one, Sandhya?" Faiyaz asked while pointing at a red scooter.
"Looks nice, but the design is too flashy," I replied.
"Let's check that section," Zoya suggested.
It was Dad's birthday tomorrow, and I wanted to gift him a scooter as a present. Thanks to my part time job, I had enough money to buy one without any problem.
Zoya and Faiyaz were helping me out, and we used the chance as an excuse to hang out since it was Faiyaz's last day in the city before he shifted places for his job.
"I like this one; the mileage is pretty good too and I am sure your dad will like something retro styled," Faiyaz said.
I gave him a huge smile when I finally found the perfect scooter for Dad. The design was as per his preference and the price was reasonable too. After talking to the sales employee, I made the payment and told them to deliver it to my house on the specified time.
After the shopping trip, Zoya, Faiyaz and I roamed around while discussing Faiyaz's job. We parted ways when the sky got covered with dusky hues, and I reached my home to prepare for Dad's birthday.
Mom was preparing dinner, and I took care of the remaining decorations. She informed me that Avasthis would come to our home for the celebration, and I nodded while sticking the balloons in the hall. She asked me what gift I had bought for Dad, and I winked at her.
It was a secret.
We had dinner and as expected, Dad tried to know beforehand what we had planned for him. Mom shook her head at him and he pouted. We finished our dinner with their continuous bantering and retired to our rooms.
I smiled when I replayed the earlier moments and plopped down on my bed. I checked the time: 9:45pm. I closed my eyes and imagined how Dad would react on seeing his gift.
∆~×~∆
"Happy birthday, Dad!" I jumped on him.
He groaned when I landed on top of him, and Mom laughed while recording it with the camcorder. Dad was still sleeping, and even though I greeted him the same way every year, he always forgot about it.
He opened his eyes and when he saw me, he wrapped his arms around me and squeezed me tightly.
"Get up, old man," I said and got off him.
"I am not old," he replied and smiled at us after we placed a chocolate cake in front of him and tied a birthday hat on his head.
"What about gifts?" he asked and cut the cake.
"You will get them later when everyone arrives. For now, let's enjoy ourselves," Mom said.
Dad grinned like a kid and fed us the cake. Mom and I repeated the same and we finished off the whole dessert within minutes. After the small celebration, we got ready to welcome the guests for Dad's birthday bash.
Some colleagues from his work, Mom's friends and Nikhil's parents arrived on time. I helped Mom in taking care of them but kept glancing out of the house. There was still time for my gift to arrive, but I had to make sure that Dad didn't notice it.
All the guests present were of my parents' age and only Nikhil was from my age group. I was getting bored myself, but I couldn't go and talk to him. So, I just roamed around the house and played on my phone in between.
Honk!
I snapped up from my spot and rushed out when I heard the horn of the transportation tempo. It stopped in front of my house and a man asked for me. Before Mom could enquire about it, I reached them and signed on the delivery papers.
Those men loaded the gift wrapped scooter on our lawn, and after helping me to hide it, they drove off. Mom shot me a curious glance but didn't say anything. I called everyone outside and arranged the cake on a table. I brought out Dad and told him to start the celebration.
He thought I was just rushing him to cut the cake because I wanted to eat it, but in the end, he agreed and others gathered around him. We greeted him and just like in the morning, he fed Mom and me first and then his friends.
He started receiving wishes along with presents; Avasthi Uncle brought him a Rado watch while Aunty gave him a perfume. Nikhil gifted him a cricket jersey and Dad hugged him.
When Mom was giving him the present she brought, he glanced at me. I shrugged my shoulders and he gave me a sad look. When everyone was done, I told him that I didn't want to gift him anything. He widened his eyes and I wanted to laugh at him but controlled myself.
After confirming with me again, he went back to his spot with a sullen expression. Mom snickered in a low voice and tied a small purple colored cloth on his eyes from behind. He asked her what she was doing, and she told him to just walk while holding her hand.
I quickly rushed to the spot where the scooter was kept after motioning the others to follow. Dad arrived after a few minutes, and Mom untied his bandage.
"Happy birthday!" I yelled and moved aside to reveal his gift.
Dad froze for a moment, and Mom nudged him to go ahead. He slowly moved forward and Avasthi Uncle, who was recording everything, told him to unwrap his present. Dad shot me a glance, and started unwrapping.
He began crying the moment his eyes landed on the new scooter and pulled me in a bone crushing hug. Mom joined us, and I noticed that her eyes had become glazed too.
"Dad, why are you crying?" I asked even though I knew the reason.
"I want to," he replied, and I let him cry.
We broke the hug after the emotional moment, and I handed the scooter keys to him. "All yours, Mr Rai."
He took it and kissed me on the forehead. Nikhil's mom hugged me and praised me for gifting Dad something so valuable. Avasthi Uncle also did the same, and I smiled in return. Nikhil didn't say anything and just stood in his spot like a statue.
Other guests congratulated Dad, and he went to take a ride on his new scooter with Mom on the pillion seat. When they returned, Dad asked me when I bought it and how much the cost was.
I shook my head and repeated the same thing Gauri had told me about gifts. He nodded and said that since we got one more vehicle, I could use the new one and he would continue riding the old one.
"Nope. There's no way I am going to let you use that old metal piece from now on," I said.
"But, Sandhu-"
"Come on, Rai bhaisahab (brother), you should be happy. Now stop arguing and eat something; the food will get cold," Nikhil's mom scolded him.
Dad laughed, and Nikhil's mom ran a hand on my hair lovingly and told me that she was really proud of me. She called her son and started praising me in front of him. I was about to stop her as I realized that it wouldn't turn out good, but instead of comparing us like last time, she praised her son too and talked about how he was improving in his game.
"Did you thank her yet?" she asked Nikhil.
"For what?" he questioned back in confusion.
I was also confused but when she started talking about that time when I had given them a lecture about Nikhil, I stopped her and dragged her away. Nikhil came after us and asked her mom what she was talking about, but I busied her in a conversation with other aunties.
"Uncle is calling you," I told him, but he looked at me with a strange look.
"What was Mom saying? What did she mean you talked to her about me?" he queried.
"It's nothing. She must be talking about something else." I tried to wave him off but he didn't look convinced.
"Sandhu!" Mom called me.
I left Nikhil and went to help Mom with serving the guests. I distracted myself with the work and sighed in relief after I assured that Nikhil's mom wasn't going to bring up the past. I knew that it was too late to solve matters between Nikhil and me and talking about what happened earlier was only going to make the situation worse.
If Nikhil got to know about it, he would surely think that I did it out of sympathy and nothing else. And even if I tried to reason it out, there would be no use. He was finally happy, and I was too in my place, so I didn't want to ruin the merry mood.
I served myself and took a seat on the sofa beside Dad. He put his left arm around my shoulders and continued chatting with Avasthi Uncle and others while eating. I smiled at him and began with my share of food, but I felt someone staring holes through my skull.
I turned my head to my left and saw Nikhil looking at me with narrowed eyes. I didn't break the eye contact and we continued our staring duel for quite a good time. He averted his gaze first when his mom called him to sit beside her.
She started gushing about him and her elder son and other women looked at Nikhil in awe. His mom kept complimenting him and told how much she was proud of both of her sons. She glanced at me when she boasted about her younger son's sports achievements with a huge grin.
I shot her a small smile and turned back to my food plate. Avasthi Uncle was telling his stories when he was in Army while Dad tried to crack some jokes which sounded funny to only him. But since it was his birthday, no one said anything.
"Lakshya is coming tomorrow, right?" Dad asked.
Uncle cracked a big smile. "Yes, my boy is coming after so many months and that too as a Major."
"I am really proud of him," Dad said and began reminiscing about his youth.
I finished my meal and left the old men alone. I grabbed a piece of cake and sat down on the kitchen counter. I was munching on it when I saw Nikhil enter the kitchen and stand beside the refrigerator.
"Are you hiding something?" he asked, but I ignored him.
"What did you tell my parents?" he questioned.
"Nothing," I replied. " Why are you talking to me?"
He didn't reply and kept staring at me, trying to read my thoughts. I made my expressions stoic and told him not to waste his time on unnecessary things. He twisted his lips at the sarcastic remark, and I jumped off the counter.
"There is no need to dig up old memories; focus on what you have at the moment," I suggested and went out.
I asked Mom if I could go to my room and she gave me the permission. Once in my haven, I switched on my laptop and began playing online games to distract myself.
I wished Aunty wouldn't mention anything about that earlier incident; I didn't want more problems then I had already caused.