JENNIFER'S POV
"NO... NOT AGAIN! THIS GIRL!" I exahled. Shrishti, my collegue but from the physiotherapy department. She was standing behind me. My opponent seemed to be more eager to see who it was for which is attention shifted from his hand to her behind. And that instant was when I pinned his arm on the table surface with a thud. He got twisted on a side for that sudden impact. And me, with a triumphant smile, I got up with grace ever so slowly like a queen and waved at him as I started walking towards Shrishti, my back towards him.
Shrishti Ahuja :- Crazy ...... check✅
My best friend...... check✅
Sometimes can be a pain in the ass..... check✅
Becomes my protective mama bear whenever finds me mingling with unsuitable people..... double check ✅✅
In a summary, my second true friend after Sameera.
"So... Here this out!" She said in a grave tone, folding her hands as we sat on our usual spot beside the billing counter.
"Hmm.. spill the beans." I said huffing.
"The so called potential groom's family is coming today to see me, dammit! What should I do? Last time when maa and papa arranged a meeting with some other lad, I said I am not into boys... What should I do now? To drive him away? As this time they shall be visiting our house!" She said stroking her chin, deep in thought.
God! Shrishti and her to-be-husband tantrums! Let me tell you. The "into girls" excuse was the time before when the potential groom and she met in a library. Then, the next potential groom was rejected by sighting lack of 'sizzling chemistry' problem. The next was knocked out by saying that she could not have sex with him ever as it would instantly kill her to-be-husband. Like really!? Such ridiculous ideas as excuses? Till now, even her parents had figured it out that all the rejections were not coincidences. They were all planned!
"I think this time I should say I am pregnant with my boyfriend's baby in my tummy!" She said happy as ever as if she just discovered an HIV vaccine!
I rolled my eyes and scrunched my nose in annoyance, " Simply tell them that you are not into marraige for now! That's it!" I said huffing.
"No fur! Papa wants me to get married till he's 53! Then he will go to Rishikesh for a tirthyaatra."(a pilgrimage journey to places of famous deities for finding expanding meaning of one's self)
"Then I guess.. its upto you!" I replied.
We soon shifted to other regular topics as we devoured our food and the rest of the day went in a daze. As it was second Saturday, I had my routine wrapped up by 7 in the evening. I exited my cabin after completing 7 hours of duty.
I reversed Sweety from the parking lot and drove towards the oldage home homing almost 20 homeless old couples and some 15 people single. They called their abode as "Our Family". I soon reached there. It took some time due to the famous Mumbai traffic but I made it within an hour. As I entered the two-floored big bunglow, all my grandpas and grandmas gathered at the entrance, kissing me on my cheek and forehead. It had been a while since I had seen them. I giggled as all of them ushered me with their kisses. Then pushing me by my back, all of us sat on the table and they started feeding me all my favorite delicacies by their own hands. The table was full with jalebis, kheer, gevar, gulabjamun, chocolate pudding and what not. While one grandma shall feed me with a jalebi, another dadi( grandmother in hindi) was ready with khaman(gujarati dish) in her hand.
"Come on sweetie! What has happened to your appetite?" Asked Kushala dadi, the owner of this house.
"Look how slowly she is chewing! Aren't the dishes tasty?" Enquired Leela dadi,one of the cooks here, with furrowed brows.
"I told you the jalebis haven't been made that sweet this time!" Said Veer dada(grandfather in hindi) husband of Leela dadi.
"Oh come on! The children thses days! They care of their face more than their tummy!" Screeched Ramu kaka, the gardener from afar.
"Oh my God Jennifer! Are you dieting!?" All of them yelled together. They expected a reply but my mouth was already stuffed with too many goodies, thanks to them!
This, this was what I had always craved for - True, genuine Love, care towards me, making me feel important for them and not a piece of dirt sooner or later to be dusted off. Eventually, my eyes filled with tears on receiving so much of warmth, that I literally deserved but had been deprived of all my life.
Once, we were done with all the feeding business, all of us gathered in the assembly room. This was the area where each day, early in the morning, bhajan and keertans(songs on praise of the almighty) were played. We sat in a circle and talked and talked and talked, laughed on the same century old jokes, while all if them reminisced their childhood, I listened to their tales. The clock ticked by and I didn't even realize that it already had been 3 hours since I had got there. I needed to return back to the house before it got too late. I soon got up.
"Do take your blessings from Guruma before leaving." Kushala dadi reminded me. I nodded.
Guruma was the eldest of all the people living in this abode of peace,nearly in her 80s. She had been the very person who had advised Kushala dadi to use this vacant house for making an oldage home. Guruma had been herself thrown out of her own house when she refused to transfer her only house to her son's name. Hence, in the fit of rage, her sin had left her homeless on the streets as revenge. She for the timing had asked for aome help from her childhood friend Kushala dadi to allow her to stay with her and then soon, they laid the foundations of "OUR FAMILY" her.
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