chapter 8

After few days at office:Tring tring..."Hello", Mita picked up her landline."Mita, I need to finish a few urgent tasks. So, I will be late. You guys don't wait for me, " Jay."Ohh .. but you could connect from home right?? " Mita."No Mita, I need to discuss certain things with other team members, " Jay."Ahh...ok np, " Mita."Message me once you reach home.." Jay."Yes, of course, bye .." Mita smiled.She was on the way back home with Prachi and Nitin. After getting down from the metro, they were walking towards home and then Mita noticed one Indian book shop. She thought something for a moment and said, "Guys, I need to buy something here, you both go ahead."Nitin raised his eyebrows, "Here?? What do you want to buy?""mmmm..... I can't tell you that now, " Mita."Ooohhhhhh secretttt...." Prachi."Not really. First I need to check if I get what I want.." Mita."hmmmm...ok" Prachi."No no.. Don't roam alone. Jay is not with us today. We will wait here for you, " Nitin."Ohhhffo Nitin, I am not a kid, You forgot I travelled alone to come here from India.."Mita."ahem ahem..." Prachi coughed."I mean, yeah..Prachi was with me...but still.." Mita."Mita, Yeh hamara des nahi, pardes hai...and.and.." Nitin."Ok ok..come with me then..You will not leave me alone.." Mita."That's like a good girl..let's go.." Nitin.They all entered the shop. From outside the shop looked like a small book store but as they entered it was really like a big novelty shop."Yeh kahaaaaan aa gaye hum??? " Nitin looked here and there and started singing a song.The receptionist gave a sweet smile to Nitin."Haaayeee....." Nitin.Prachi poked him with her elbow..."I mean, Hi Hi..... " Nitin turned to the receptionist."We are looking for a a ........aa......... Mita, what are we looking for.....??" Nitin tried talking to the receptionist but then got confused. Mita was busy searching for something.The receptionist started laughing."Haayee......anybody told you ..your smile is so beautiful misssss....", he looked at the badge she was wearing,"Aah misss Priya.. what a lovely name.." Nitin."Thank you sir, " The receptionist was delighted to hear that compliment."Nitin...My name is Nitin....Naam to suna hi hoga.... This 'Sir' word creates distance between us...isn't it.. " Nitin greeted her with a handshake."Yesssss..." Mita said loudly.Everyone was startled and looked at her."Yess..." Mita was so happy.'"What happened, why are you saying yes yes.. " Prachi."See guys.....what I got....finally.." Mita showed them all a book."Learn Tamil in 30 days ??? Ohh wow..finally you got it after searching for so many days.." Prachi gave high five to Mita."yesterday only we have received this book maa'm .. I am happy that our shop could provide it to you.." Priya, the receptionist said."shabbashhh..." Nitin said loudly.Priya looked at him."I mean Shabbash Mita... Priya..I only encouraged her to learn Tamil. You know, Love is itself a language for lovers but you know, for lover's relatives we need to learn different languages. Otherwise there will be a communication problem you know.." Nitin was giving pravachan (speech) to the receptionist."By the way, which language do you speak??  Malayalam, Kannada or Punjaabi?" "Sorry sir???" She was totally confused now."By the way I can learn German, French Japanese also..." Nitin."Whatt???""Sorry sorry... he is just kidding.." Prachi quickly came in between and pulled Nitin back."wow... beautiful flowers.." Mita saw the flowers decorated in the corner."Do you want to buy those flowers maam? ""No no...I will buy this one instead.." Mita took one dairy milk."But Mita, you don't like chocolates ..." Prachi."Not for me...it's for Jay.. He is not so fond of flowers but loves to eat chocolates.. " Mita blushed."haaaye....I wish someone would buy gifts for me too.." Nitin looked at Priya."OK guys..let's go now. Mita is done with her shopping, " Prachi pulled Nitin again.Nitin looked at Prachi angrily. "Ok Priya.. fir milenge (see you soon)..Now we have seen you..I mean your shop."Priya smiled and waved her hands at Nitin. Prachi and Mita literally pulled him out of the shop."How much overacting you were doing there man...." Prachi."Overacting??? Nadan balike (you innocent girl), that's my charm..." Nitin."Charm?? you were flirting with that girl, " Prachi."But I must say, She was also very happy to see Nitin, " Mita was laughing."Yeyyy... You know, my personality is like that, " Nitin put on his goggles in Thalaivaaa style."Leave it, it is getting dark here, people will think something is wrong with your eyes, " Prachi."This girl never leaves a chance to insult me...hamari bezzati...huh" Nitin.It was quite late by the time they reached home. Jay called Mita, "Hello?? You haven't reached yet.""ahh..yes Jay we reached.. I forgot to message you, " Mita bit her tongue."Oh Mita, I was worrying.." Jay."Sorry Jay.." Mita."Hmm..." Jay."Ok, tell me what do you want to have for dinner?? " Mita changed the topic."Ohh yeah.. I will be late so I will eat something here only. Don't prepare dinner for me, " Jay."Ohh, are you sure?? " Mita."Yes Mita.." Jay."Jay, you forget everything when you are working. Please have your dinner on time, " Mita."Yes Mita, don't worry too much...by the way, you are also like that.." Jay smiled."hmmmm..." Mita,"See.. just now Mr. Pattrick ordered pizza for all of us." Jay."Really??? Cool then..." Mita."Ok bye..I got to work now..." Jay."Bye Jay... miss you.." Mita."Bye..I will come soon.." Jay smiled again.Mita was so used to being with Jay that his few mins absence also was making her restless."Guys..it is too late now... Can we have just khichadi today?? '' Prachi."Yeah, better. Even Jay will be late so he will be having dinner outside." Mita."Oh ok then..I will make khichadi, " Prachi."Ok. I will make a quick Potato Rawa fry then. It will be a good stomach filling side dish with khichadi.  Nitin will start feeling hungry at midnight if he eats only khichadi.." Mita.Nitin gave a flying kiss to Mita, "Thank you."Prachi gave tadka of hing, Jeera, red chillies, black paper in ghee to green moong daal and rice, added more water and salt , and then closed the lid of the pressure cooker.Mita quickly washed 2 big potatoes, sliced them in a round shape. sprinkled red chilli powder and salt, mixed well, dipped them in rawa to coat on both sides and shallow fried on a pan.She had learnt this recipe from her dear friend Seema, "I must talk to Seema. It's been so many days. She must be very angry with me. But what to do, this work, time difference. But thank God at least I mail her weekly, else she would have .....thank God Veer is with her..else she would have felt so lonely.. . " Mita was thinking and smiling, remembering old days.."Fisssssssssss"" pressure cooker sound made her realise that the khichdi was ready and the potato- rawa fry too..!!As usual, they all sat together in the living room for dinner.."Waah Garama garam moong daal khichadi and this potato rawa fry ....it looks like fish fry...super combination ." Nitin, Prachi.Mita smiled, "Yeah, this is one of my favorites...""mmmmm...yum yum yummy...." Nitin, Prachi were enjoying dinner...but Mita was missing Jay......To be continued................