Avni
Don't know what exactly she is pondering on since that event in Neil's house, Mamma is distinguishably appearing too quiet these days. Or May be she is missing Didu, soon Didu will be back from her honeymoon. She is going to meet us next week. Zealously looking forward to that, we will have a great time.
Mamma and Sweta Mom may would go for shopping around any of the beginning days in this coming week, besides it could be considered some sort of Didu's Astamongola Rituals (patphere) that hasn't been performed yet as she had to go for honeymoon at the end of next two days after their wedding.
It was Sunday morning, I'm having my morning green tea. Mamma is busy preparing breakfast in the kitchen and Dadda was fully riveted into marinating the Pomfret. He had personally brought them from the Market this morning. According to him they are the best quality he has found undergoing few rounds of several stalls there.
This morning before I had woken up around 8 and reached downstairs to grab my morning tea and breakfast Dadda had already left. He had already drove to the market, brought some more kinds of fishes at the best price.
Ayan is coming for lunch this afternoon then we have plans for shopping. He need some furniture for his new apartment and other necessary household stuffs.
Pomfret is one of my favourite fishes. It is a great source of calcium, vitamins A and D, and B vitamins, including Vitamin B12, vital for the nervous system. It also offers iodine, critical for the thyroid gland. A useful brain food, the pomfret is good for eyesight and healthy hair and skin.
Dadda is a great cook. Among some few fancy bengali dishes, out of lot he is best in preparing marinated fried fishes. Khannas are very fond of them, especially Prakash Uncle and Aman.
They both are in love with our Bengali fish recipes. Originally the recipes are from Dada's grandma's little hand notebook. She had named it as 'Amar Ranna'( my recipe)
Dad had discovered it from his Mom's room years back. It was at her place. We went there on her funeral, our paternal ancestors' home in kolkata. While reminiscing her memories, reliving her longings in his room, Dadda and kaakai (Father's younger brother) found it from a giant wooden Almirah granny used to keep all her clothes.
That piece of work was nicely laid inside a secret drawer along with some other official documents. Decades long ago my grand-granny had passed it to my granny, Dada's maa; Amma, few days before she had passed away.
And now it's with us, thanks to Dadda. He brought it home as kaakai's wife kakimoni isn't much fond of cooking or any other household stuffs. Fundamentally she runs a huge Orphanage house of her own, she is the founder. Kakimoni hardly gets time to do such stuffs any related to household aside if they are necessary, equivalent to her twins kids. Jhum and Tuk, my two cousins preparing for ISC next year.
And my kaakai Dr.Avinash Roy. He is a renowned Neuro surgeon in one of the best hospitals in kolkata.
"Avi tere pass extra pendrive hoga!!" My chain of thoughts broke by the voice emerged in through the entrance door I have last heard it yesterday night before I laid in my comfy bed, shut my eyes and drifted into deep slumber.
"Arey Neil! Goodmorning" Dada pirouetted, warmly greeted Neil.
"Good morning uncle" he beamed, greeted him back.
"Good morning Aunty" in reply Mamma just sent him a small acknowledging node followed by light smile and she got back to her task.
That's bizzare.
"Hoga!" Neil called me out of my daze for the second time.
"Haan hoga. kyu?" I answered him curtly, pushed my thoughts somewhere aside in my brain and my eyes moved to him in torpid.
"Tom and jerry dekhna hai..." He crossed his arms, flashed a crooked smile.
My glance flitted at my Dadda who chuckled in response shoving the masterpiece he has made, into the refrigerator.
Ohh everyone is making fun of me! So mean Neilu you shouldn't have... you know that! I couldn't help my annoyance.
But He looks adorable when he wear his those shorts and half sleeves Tee. My subconscious batted her lashes and my cheeks flushed.
His beard grew a bit thicker that usual, they need a proper trim as soon as possible because they are very distracting.
Neil has never been a minuscule close to those dandy, sassy,too much concerned to be sinewy males of his age. He never tried stuffs alike that to appear irresistible, desirable among girls, neither could anyone ever inveigled him to be diddled at any unknown cost.
Instead Neil's kind, optimistic, self-contained nature has always been irrepressible for females not to fall for him. Including me.
He is irreplaceable.
It's not that I'm demeaning people who are much into stuffs like self praising, it's nothing bad to some point. Absolutely not. You should love yourself. Rather it's good to be fit and healthy.
However, emphasizingly my point is, we shouldn't get so addicted to become impeccable all the time, don't get yourself into such pressure or you would lately realise it had led you to the world of fake.
On the contrary, Be munificent, honest, humble, confident, have trust in yourself, one day you will definitely get the best that you deserve.
"Arey de de usey jo chaiye..." Dadda said, finished cleaning his hands. He walked around the kitchen counter, slipped off the appron above his head swiftly and set back his hair looking at me, then at Neil in amusement.
"Dada do you know, my all pendrives are in Khanna Mansion..." I replied, looked away showing my not so pleasing face, took a sip from my green tea calmly.
"To phir!" Dadda asked, looked back and forth between me and Neil as if he is watching some show like janta ki adalat where two people mauling over eachother with their counter attack speeches and audience claps at their best reply.
"Arey puchiye math uncle, ye Aman pendrive guma deta hai...ek bhi nahi mil rah hai.....aur phirbhi ek mila and when I inserted it in my laptop it got hanged..." Neil grumbled and Dadda's eyes instantly turned to me as if waiting for my retaliation in response.
"I would have sent Aman...but that sleepy-head not even bothered to open the door when he heard me knocking!" Neil added heaved an exasperated sigh and I couldn't help suppressed a chuckle ducking my head.
"Jaldi kar Avi. I have other works to do" He frowned, hurried me up.
"Ek hai woh main nahi dungi..." I petulantly stated, evaded getting into any eye contact with him. And in respond Dadda's eyes narrowed at me, simultaniously Neil's as well.
"Ek pendrive ko lekar kanjusi kabse shuru ki tuney..." He barked, his creased forehead straight at me and I shrugged off him nonchalantly.
Neil
"Haan mera pancho pendrive tum dono karan-Arjun ne khaliya... ab main kanjus!" She rebuffed. Avni is unusually snippy today. That concerned me a bit, until yesterday she was absolutely frisky, sweet. Then what caused her changed over a night!
I got an impression there something awry about her behaviour talking to me at this moment.
Might have been because of me she got grouse, as I couldn't able to talk to her over call last night, apart from that hurried goodnight wish I made to her before hanging up for an very important client zoom call from USA.
But as long as I know her Avni isn't that kind of any brainless, immature person who could whine over such fatuous reason.
Nevertheless she knows how dedicated as well as meditative I am towards my work.
Neil you are thinking too much Avni has always been understanding! My subconscious berated and I agreed.
"Already oder kardiya hai, around next week delivery mil jayega... You may take one or two. Now happy" I flashed a cheeky smiled at his grumpy face.
"Ab jaa woh ek lauta jo hai, leke aa jaldise..." I confiscated my demeanor, spoke in a commanding perfunctory tone.
"Neela please make two cup of coffee for both of us, me and Neil" interrupting our banters Reyaansh Uncle called out for Aunty, moved passed me. He put a hand gently over my shoulder before making his way to his seat opposite to Avni.
"Nope thanks Uncle. Aunty. I just had my breakfast " I replied humbly. Neela Aunty gave me a smile not as bright as she usually sends. Something is down, inevitable with her behaviour, I discerned.
Crap! It totally slipped out of my brain that I need to apologise her for let her get into such awkward ambience confronting Mom infront of her. I should have talked to her. Perhaps She is upset upon my unexpected comportment towards Mom that day.
Avni didn't plunged herself into any more debate with me. She succumbed, vaguely pulled her hip upright and slided herself out of the row she was sitting facing the kitchen and lately Uncle on the opposite side.
"I have finished my breakfast and I have some journal to read....have no plans to come downstairs. Until an hour" Avni stated gravelly and my eyes narrowed at her. Now what the fuss is with her!
"Please follow me" she miffed, rolled her eyes languorously. Clutching her phone off the table she paraded to the stairs.
I gulped feebly retaining my best sangfroid. I followed her upstairs, never forgetting to flash a quick smile to Reyaansh Uncle, hiding the growing fret inside. My chest elevated.
Avni
My hand griped the drawer handle, I leaned lower to it, pulled out the drawer halfway from my bedside desk. I rifled inside for some seconds, gaze crisply darted all over inside and then blew out a sigh of respite finding it at the extreme corner at the left.
Grasping the pendrive in my fist I twirled to pass it to Neil who was standing few decent steps away me.
And when my face turned with full force to look behind something happened.
I jumped on my feet, breath hitched in my chest when my nose bumped onto his chin and I couldn't hold, a harsh gasp skidded out of my mouth aloud. My heart leaped to my throat, my right palm covered my mouth shut, my eyes grew bigger. Another hand clutched the desk hard put my body in balance.
My eyes blinked unbelievably faster few couple of times before my brain processed eyes dropped on his lips then in his tentative, soul piercing gaze. This time I gulped even harder, my throat extremely dried up.
I need a glass of water soon before my brain go concussion or I could loss my eyesight falling giddy right here.
What the hell was he up to! Why he is so close! And when he moved. I didn't heard any foot steps crept behind me!
"Why are you pissed" He rasped. his insightful gaze at me.
His Adam apple bounced. My aderline rushed. Under his confinement I felt like butterflies flipping their wings over my spine. Breath caught my throat.
Neil leaned dangerously closer to my face, put his hands supported on either side over the desk and caged me between his arms. My hand slipped off my mouth . I took an abrasive glance at the door then back to him. I saw his lips curved a mirth on my condition.
He didn't lay a single finger on me yet, but here my toes curled up, hands fisted clutching the fabric tightly over my limbs. I was all sweaty, my mind dizzy. The proximity is too much Unhandy.
My stomach fell in some unfathomable abyss.
Am I blushing!
My nerves apprised my subconscious, shook me to the state of adjourn I have been lost in his alacrity.
A gruff cough snapped out my mouth caused me unlease.
I regained my sanity, took a long inhale to persuade before I purposely placed a hand over his chest and pushed him slightly. His feet frail, fumbled a step backward but he composed himself promptly.
"Why didn't you tell me you let Sweta Mom know that you are seeing someone!....I got mortified, aghast. I have been palpitating sitting there all bewildered, it seemed I did some felony" I rebuked vigorously catching my breath in normal rhythm.
Meanwhile his compliant, exclamation left me ambiguous, bereft.
"Shit I totally forgot" he elucidated, rubbed two finger over his forehead being flustered. "Sorry" Next moment his face concerned, effing unequivocal.
Whao! He had forgotten to tell me something this important.
How could he! My face emerged aggravated, mouth got bitter thinking of him being this callous.
But later his esoteric smile briskly at the corner of his lips appeared then disappeared, depicted some other story.Thanking me for the pendrive, Neil padded out of my room.
My chest swelled up, an unsure smile crept on my lips, cheeks are puce.
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*The info related to that Fish I copied and pasted from Google*
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