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I leave my clinic early so as to reach home early today. Sudha will be happy to learn that I took her remark to spend some time with them seriously.
The first taxi itself stops at my call. Ah, Sudha, look how powerful your wishes are! I smile as I imagine her listening to the radio as she kneads the dough.
I look at the time. Yes, she might have started preparing the dinner. Even, Kritika must have reached by now.
I sigh as I realise that ten minutes earlier than usual might not be that surprising after all.
But Sudha being the observant woman that she is, notices, and exclaims "You're early today!"
I smile. "I am."
Her smile takes a sarcastic shade as she says, "But you can do better, Mr. Pillai."
"I sure can." I remove my footwear to enter the house and find Devi in the balcony, talking on phone. She waves happily as she notices me enter.
I wave back. My eyes search for Kriti. "She hasn't returned yet." Sudha tells me.
Hmm. Unusual. Ponnu is always on time whether it's while leaving or returning. And she generally lets us know in case of any slight delay or other commitments.
It's dinner time and she is still not home. I am about to unlock my phone and call her when the doorbell rings. I let out a long breath. She's here.
I expect her to comment on her being late but she doesn't. She compliments the smell of food and walks in the kitchen with Sudha.
I hear their hearty laughter after some time. Since a few days, I have noticed that she has been laughing differently.
My Ponnu has a habit of controlling everything in her power, even her laughter. And so when she laughs, she holds herself back. Too conscious of everything. But since a few weeks, I have seen her more relaxed than ever.
Does it have something to do with being in the same hotel as her childhood idol? It has to be. My mind tells me that it could also be due to any other team member. But I quickly push the thought away.
Kritika would never allow herself to get too comfortable with such people.
After Kritika freshens up and returns to the living room, Devi switches the TV on and says, "Appa, did you see the new video posted by cricbuzz that has two of our new players in it?"
I know she already knows that I haven't. But I still shake my head.
"I'll show you."
She opens YouTube and finds it in a jiffy. Meanwhile I ask Kritika, "Ponnu, you got a little late today, didn't you?"
I watch her expression change. She appears tense for a second but relaxes immediately and answers "Yes, Appa, I had to do something important so I got a little late."
I nod. Something important. She is being uncharacteristically vague.
"There you go!" Ah. We turn to the television as the two players introduce themselves as Sai Kishore and Ruturaj Gaikwad.
It is a pointless segment full of senseless jokes that I do not find appealing at all but Devi is laughing at them as if they're some really humorous ones. I turn to my right to see if Kritika finds them funny only to see her staring at the screen intently.
She isn't smiling at all. Like father, like- wait. I watch her face. It is not devoid of expression. But she doesn't look irritated. I look at the screen. That Gaikwad boy is speaking. I look at her again. She swallows. Oh.
Now I understand. It's longing. She seems to not hear him ridiculously praise himself because she's busy looking at him.
You're over analysing it, Ajith. Maybe she's thinking about the life of these players. And that's why that expression. Maybe she longs to relax?
Devi nudges her with an elbow and they share a secret smile.
No. No. No. This can't be true. This shouldn't be true. She shouldn't get involved with such people who can not be trusted to be by her side forever.
I wait for the stupid video to end so that I can get up. I go to the washroom to calm myself.
After the dinner, Kritika looks at Sudha and says, "Amma, will you please teach me some basic embroidery?"
Sudha looks at me, my eyes are as wide as hers. Sudha enjoys embroidery and knitting a lot. When Ponnu was in school, she tried to teach her the basic embroidery but Ponnu was not good with needles. She found it too complicated to understand.
She kept on comparing her pieces with Sudha's, giving up because in her eyes, hers were too messy next to her mothers.
Sudha stopped teaching her once she saw that Kritika did not enjoy embroidery. She used to tell me that her perception towards knitting is mechanical. And the day she'll want to learn it willingly, that would be the say Sudha would resume teaching her.
I am happy as I watch Sudha's cheerful face.
"Actually, I want to embroider a handkerchief and present it as a gift."
"That is very thoughtful of you, Kriti!" Sudha squeezes her arm.
"For Nikhar?" I ask.
"No, for another friend."
I hold her gaze. Silently asking her to elaborate.
"Uh, for someone from the team actually."
Someone from the team. I want to ask her who but before I can, she's talking to Sudha again.
I hope it is not for that Gaikwad boy.
Stop being so silly, Ajith. Why will Kritika gift an embroidered handkerchief to him?
She wouldn't. No, she wouldn't.
******
"Srinivas Nair, what a surprise!"
My old friend is my first patient of the day.
Mild cold and nothing severe, but he says that he wanted to see me.
We chat over a cup of strong coffee. Ah. It's been so long.
Srinivas Nair and I met each other due to our children being in the same school.
Our small polite talks while we waited to pick our children up, turned to long conversations over time.
"So, how's your young man doing?"
While asking for his well being an idea strikes me.
Ponnu needs a distraction from the illusion she's been living in. What's better than making her meet her childhood best friend?
******
A/n - We met Ajith uncle today! He seems to be very protective about Kritika, and already dislikes that Gaikwad boy. 🙃
Who do you think is Mr. Nair's son? Any guesses?
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