Madhu had to help Vijaya in the engagement arrangements, picking out dresses, bouquets and discussing plate prices with the caterers. No matter how difficult it was to let her go, she knew that Vijaya was going to a happy place nonetheless. That's what she hated though. She never had real family to realize that all the people around her couldn't be as close, even though she wanted them to be around her forever. There were trust issues but as of now, Ashok seemed to be fulfilling the void pretty adeptly.
She hadn't ever expressed her bonding issues with anyone. It was like a well guarded secret but she knew her parents would have wanted her to be an independent woman and not depend on someone.
"You guys didn't kiss till now," Vijaya remarked when Madhu had come to Kishore's house to talk about the seating arrangements and the guest list for the engagement. Vijaya's mother and cousin were there as well.
It was awkward seeing her family listening in about the kiss, even though she was old enough now. "Ah, we can talk about this later."
Vijaya's mother probed, "Arrey why you getting all shy, Madhu beta? You know what I recommend? Try to kiss him yourself if he's the quiet kind. That's what I did with Vijaya's father."
Madhu blushed and Vijaya cried out in horror.
"I don't want to know anything about your kissing life, Amma." She furrowed her brows. "For all I know I was dropped from heaven and you raised me up as a Thapliyal." Thapliyal was the family name.
Madhu smiled but the lingering effect of the advice was still on her. Kiss him yourself. Ashok was strange. He wouldn't even touch her hands; as if she was some stranger, even though they had been on numerous dates now. Or I think they were dates and he thought of them as a meeting. But then he would also flirt. Guys were difficult to understand, especially when they are so old. Which begged the questionâhow can she date someone so old? She was afraid to tell Vijaya his age, even though Vijaya had a fetish for older men.
"When are we seeing your loverboy?" asked the cousin, Radha.
"I order you to bring him to my engagement," Vijaya had a tight face now. "I want to meet him when I'm looking exceptionally pretty."
"So he can fall in love with you?" Radha chuckled.
"I wouldn't mind that," Vijaya winked at Madhu.
Madhu thought it wasn't a bad idea bringing him to the engagement. She would indeed feel like a couple. She left the small party of South Indian women and went outside the flat, where she rung him on his landline. Baba picked it up first, to whom Madhu said she wanted to talk to Ashok.
"Hello there," he was panting.
"What were you doing?"
"Jogging."
"You jog?" for that moment, Madhu felt like an obese woman, as she touched a portion of her tummy. She didn't have the best waist and was a little healthy but she had been proud of it as she loved food.
"Sometimes. So what's up?
Since Ashok had met Madhu he had a very different way of speaking now. He wasn't the quiet, socially awkward person as before. He had become different, younger perhaps.
"So you know Vijaya right? She has an engagement and she wants you to come too. Personal invitation."
"I am grateful for such honor but I would be unable to make it."
Madhu felt her chest tighten. "Why?" It almost came out like a surprising squeak.
"I'm not really good with people around. I am worst at that."
"Oh please, no one knows you there. I'm sure you are Mr. Popular in Gurgaon, but you aren't so here in Delhi. Delhi doesn't care who you are and they even forget your face in one night."
"I hope so," he sighed, "but did you?"
"What?"
"Forget my face each night?"
More like dream about your face all the time. But she didn't want to spill cheesy details of her thoughts. She wasn't that kind of a person.
"So will you come?" she asked.
"Uh..." there was a long, unwavering pause before he answered.
"Yes."
*
Madhu was lying on Ashok's stomach. She could almost feel how tight his stomach muscles were. It was with immense difficulty that she had breached the last barrier of physical distance between them. They were at the Lodhi Garden, which had vast tracts of verdant gardens, tracks for joggers and walking aficionados, and interspersed with monumental structures. She even made food for him, though she knew she wasn't the best cook. But Ashok ate it with relish.
Was he pretending to like it or did he actually like it?
Ashok had brought fruits, cut up and sliced meticulously, which Madhu forked into her mouth. She almost felt like she was one of those filmy heroines from the 80's who would do such things. But she wasn't ashamed' on the contrary, it made her believe she wasn't alone. It made her believe there was someone out there as good as Ashok.
When they were done, Madhu and Ashok walked to his car and she hoped he would hold her hands, but he didn't. He was thoughtful, his hands dug inside his pants.
"What do you keep thinking?"
"What?" he turned dismissively. "Nothing."
Madhu stopped at the sight of the AMRIT TECHNICALS building that was right there in front of them as they walked towards the car. She beamed. She had almost forgotten that Kishore worked here.
"You want to meet my friend? The one who's getting married to my best friend Vijaya?"
Before Ashok could begin to protest, Madhu called him up. Kishore instantly reached downstairs where Madhu waited for him. Kishore was in his formal clothes, looking tall and fit. He had always been an athletic man. But he wasn't as big as Ashok, who was almost six feet four inches in height.
Kishore hugged her and Madhu introduced him to Ashok.
"This is Ashok Dogra and this is..."
"Kishore," Ashok said, shaking his hand tightly.
"Nice to meet you sir," Kishore said. "Wow, you look different."
"Different?" Madhu narrowed her gaze.
"Well I wanted to tell you this Madhu, but I happened to meet Mr. Dogra ten years back. When you mentioned his name to me earlier, I was trying to place his name. It's been a long time but Mr. Dogra came to my school to give a talk on management studies prospects. It was a wonderful."
Madhu watched Ashok for a while, whose face was difficult to read. And then he instantly burst with enthusiasm.
"Oh yes! I did visit a few schools. I didn't know yours happened to be one of them."
"Yeah I mean, I don't remember much. Ten years after all. Things have changed."
There was an awkward air of silence between Kishore and Ashok.
"So you don't remember my school?"
"Ten years ago, right?" Ashok smiled.
"I think I have a picture with you as well. It was with a bunch of students from Commerce, but I don't know where it is." Kishore had pulled out his phone in the process of speaking. "Anyway if I get the picture I'll send it to you whatsapp."
Madhu intervened, "he doesn't have a phone unfortunately. So what if you guys met ten years ago? It doesn't matter, does it?"
"Ah, I suppose it doesn't," Kishore placed the phone back inside. "Well I'm glad to meet you again. I apologize if I don't recall our initial meeting much."
"Please no. It's perfectly understandable. After all, I happen to not remember it as well, right? I have left touring schools and colleges now. I'm busy somewhere else." He turned to Madhu, who just grinned in return.
Kishore beamed. "I hope you are coming for the engagement, right?"
"I suppose so."
"He doesn't have a choice," Madhu added. "I'll force him down there myself."
"Great, see you there then," he nodded, hugged Madhu and left.
But before leaving, Kishore'sface looked as if he had seen a ghost.