Grilled Chicken with Grape Juice and A Yellow Kurti

                                            Abhay walked into the apartment and turned on the lights. No one is there. Everyone left for disc as its friday night. It had been a long and tiring day for him. To top a difficult day, he had to drive all the way from Kharadi to Kothrud through the heavy traffic, which took him more than an hour to get home, an hour of crawling through urban city like Pune. He just loves this city, not only for its weather but the city had given him a lot, his dream job, an independent life (without ruling by anyone especially his parents).

                   He dialed to “Dominos” and ordered a barbeque pizza with chicken wings. With dinner ordered, he decided to watch the news for a while. Life had become a timetable. Drive to work, get through a day of monotony and get back feeling half-dead. But fortunately, there will be someone after one month, waiting for him eagerly at home. Yes, after 10 days it’s his D-day; his wedding to Saira, his love.

                  He saw the backlit display flashing on his phone. It was Saira. “Hi, how did you remember me now? How is your mehendi night going on, my dear?” he asked smiling to himself.

    “Shut up, Boss (she calls me Boss - never takes my name), so tired? I called you to remember that you have to pack your bags. Tomorrow morning sharp at 7am you have flight to catch”.

      “Yap, I had packed my bags already before leaving office today, just don’t worry. I’ll be there at right time on your wedding, my sweetheart”, I just laughed out loudly.

       “Go to hell!” she said, cutting him short, and hanging upon him. He decided not to call her back. He knew how she was when she got irritated. He sat in the balcony. Closing his eyes, he remembered the first day he met with Saira at his birthday party.

 In Bangalore, 3 years ago.

                    It was not only his birthday but also his best friend Prayas’ birthday. Every year they celebrate their birthday together. Party was in Kebab Magic, BTM Layout. He was in Bangalore for 2 years, but from last 6 months he is in Pune after switching another IT company.

Abhay was walking towards the reception, when he heard a voice behind him.

“So, taking the glass of grape juice for your madam” asked the girl in a blue dress.

“Sorry” Abhay stood there wondering what this was about. She is one of the better looking girls in the party. But he never saw her before.

“Is she your girlfriend?” she asked pointing to Archana.

“No, But somehow closest to having as a girlfriend’, Abhay said immediately.

“Come and sit here for a bit, she isn’t missing you or the grape juice’ she said with a smile, turning to look at Archana. Abhay saw Archana was getting close with another guy.

“Hi, I am Abhay, basically from Bhubaneswar”.

“Nice to meet you, I am Saira. I am also from Bhubaneswar. I am immediate cousin to Prayas, working here in IT. Prayas always talked about you a lot. The reason I called you here because I don’t get it, nice guy like you running behind Archana. Don’t waste your time with her”. She gave him a stern look and then smiled.

Till now, Abhay never understood what made him like her smile. “So, a glass of grape juice please, if you don’t mind” Abhay said.

Both smiled while taking grape juice with grilled chicken. Before leaving, Saira told him “Koi na koi, kahin na kahin jo sirf tumhare liye banayi gayi hogi”. That day he got to know she is a big fan of Shah Rukh khan.

 After that night they became fast friends, after all she saved him wasting his time.They spent lot of time together whenever Abhay was in Bangalore. Going for dinners, shoppings, and movies ofcourse only SRK movies, they grew from fast friends to bestfriends. She found him to be simple and easygoing, while he loved spending time with her.

                                                                         

In Bangalore, A year ago.

Abhay turned on his mobile after coming outside of Bangalore Airport. From last 8 months he was in US for project work. They kept in touch with each other through mail, chat and some times over phone. But it was very less due to hectic work.

“Hey, what are your plans tonight?” he asked smiling to himself.

“I just finished my lunch. Why do you ask? Are you here?” Saire asked.

  “Guess what? I am here only and I’ll be here for next two days”.

“Cool, Superb. I want to meet you. Tell me where? We will have great time. Tomorrow it’s your birthday, na” she said with excitement.

“Ok, meet me at sharp 7pm in PVR, Kormangala’. She smiled at the other end. She was thrilled to have him in Bangalore.

Abhay reached PVR five minutes before the scheduled time. He couldn’t control his excitement to see her. A while later, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around immediately and Saira wrapped her arms around him.

‘So, there you are my Fatsoo”, he said smiling at her. She put on a little bit weight.

She asked “where are we going?”

Let’s have a glass of cold coffee, then we’ll go for dinner afterwards’, he said looking at her. She is looking pretty good.”Great” she said as she followed him.

“I need to talk to you about something important” she said in a tense voice.

“Yes, I am listening”. They almost never had serious conversations before. He wondered if something happened to her, but she is looking pretty well, he thought.

“I am getting married; means next month is my engagement to Raghav. It’s an arrange marriage and our horoscopes have matched. He and I spent sometime together. The wedding will happen in next four months”. She almost blurting out everything she had to say by avoiding eye contact with him.

“What? You are getting married?” Abhay almost stood up from the table in the dining area of the restaurant.

“Don’t ask me to whom? I told you that already” She said.

“No no, yes you did. Well, it’s just a lot of information suddenly. Congratulations!” he said nervously.

“What, are you happy?” Saira asked staring at him. Abhay was looking confuse.

“My parents are happy. Anyway it’s a relief for them, as I am growing old; they want me to settle down with someone. Raghav is a nice guy. Everyone is happy with this marriage” she said with a fake smile.

“Are you coming for the wedding? “Again she asked.

“I don’t know, send me the invitation card, I’ll try. Actually I have lot of work…..”

 “Go to hell! You idiot, I care for you. But you never understood anything” she shouted on him and left him there in the restaurant. Abhay was shocked and he didn’t have the courage to call her back and stop her.

 He twisted and turned, while trying to sleep at Prayas’ apartment. He remembered how happy he was when he first time met her. The moments he spent with her had been the happiest days of his life. The last eight months in US where he was all alone. Something was missing from his life, what he was unable to understand. Now he realized how much he loves her.

 Saira was lying on her bed. Everyone near and dear called her to congratulate her. She should be happy; she is going to marry a nice guy who has six figure salaries, 3-bedroomflat and a car. What more she needs from life. And Abhay what does he think of her? He doesn’t even care for her. She felt all alone. She got out of bed and picked up that yellow kurti he had gifted her on her last birthday. She held it tight and started crying. She couldn’t sleep all the night.

Her phone started ringing. It was Abhay. Today was his birthday. It was almost 6:30pm. She didn’t call him even to wish. Let it ring, after all he kept me up all night. And the phone started vibrating again.

Saira picked up the phone and said angrily “what happened? Why are you calling?”

 “Won’t you give me my best birthday gift today?”  Abhay asked her.

“Means”…

“Come downstairs now. I am standing in front of your apartment gate. We are going to Kebab Magic for dinner and be quick”.

“Ok ok”, she said while putting on that yellow kurti. Within a few minutes they reached at Kebab Magic.

There Abhay said “   let me talk first”.

“Ok”.

“Why didn’t you wish me today? Are you angry with me?”

“Nothing like that. I was upset. Happy birthday”, Saira said with a fake smile.

“Do you love me? Will you marry me instead? “He asked  looking at her with intensity in his eyes.

“What?” now she got shocked and also got that feeling from him which she was looking for from last one    year.

“I meant to ask you earlier. But  I  thought  what if you don’t love me, I don’t want to lose your friendship. I love you, I love you very much my fatsoo” Abhay told everything in a single breath.

“Yes, yes I will and I love you my boss “.She hugged him tightly and kissed him.

For the first time he watched her properly. She is really looking beautiful in that yellow kurti which he had gifted her. Then they enjoyed the dinner of course with grilled chicken and two glasses of grape juice.

                              Now today, he smiled to himself dreaming about his life ahead with the girl in that yellow kurti, his best friend and the woman of his dreams, his love – his fatsoo.