The Right Guy, page 11
‘Dhruv, don’t peel onions with your dirty hands. You are wiping tears and using the same hand to peel them. Yuck,’ Avni said in an irritated voice.
‘Is this what you really want to talk about? Onions? You’re a mean girl.’
‘No. Not just that.’
‘Then?’
‘Shall I?’ Avni said.
‘Will you tell me or not, Avni?’
‘I like you, Dhruv,’ she said and continued peeling potatoes.
I stopped chopping the onions. Did I hear it right? Avni liked me? Avni? Liked? Me?
At least, she should have made eye contact with me. I was already on cloud nine. I wanted to pinch Avni’s cheeks but I didn’t. Bhabhi was moving around the living room.
‘Dhruv, I said something,’ Avni said.
‘So?’ I said.
‘What about you?’ Avni said.
‘You like me or love me?’ I asked.
‘Okay, fine, I meant the second one.’
‘What second one, Avni?’
‘The second option you gave.’
‘Is KBC going on here?’
‘I feel shy.’
‘Wow. This is the first time I’ve seen you this shy.’
‘Now, please tell me what you feel about me,’ she said, pointing the knife at me.
‘Is this how a girl asks a guy if he loves her?’
Avni put the knife aside and held her ears. She looked cute.
‘Okay, fine. Same here,’ I said.
‘Do you feel ashamed to say “I love you”? What sort of a guy are you?’ she said.
‘My whole family is here. Try to understand, and even you did not say “I love you”. So, it’s balanced.’
‘Can I ask you one more thing?’ she said.
‘Why do you have to ask so many questions?’
‘Because you guys are so confusing.’
‘Okay, ask.’
‘Why do you love me?’
‘Because you have a mole on your chin,’ I said.
‘Wow. What sort of answer is this? How can a guy be so unromantic?’
‘I tell you, Avni, we guys are like this only. We fall in love with simple things. We don’t fall in love with a girl for her figure and body measurements.’
‘Wow. That is so nice. So, my outer beauty doesn’t matter?’
‘It is your body. I will love you even if you become a hippopotamus.’
Avni smiled and put her hand on my cheek. I got a warm feeling in my belly. Thank god no one saw us. We both were done cutting our vegetables. Actually, Avni had exchanged the vegetables after I told her that I loved her. Girls are good at heart, I realized.
‘Why are you crying?’ Didi asked Avni, as we entered the kitchen.
‘Didi, Avni was peeling onions. So, they are not real tears. They are crocodile tears,’ I said.
Didi punched me. Bhabhi also punched me.
‘Very nice. It is balanced now. I cried. You got beaten,’ Avni said. Everyone laughed.
Didi had spoken to one of her friends regarding a job opening. After lunch, Didi got a call from her friend who was a manager. She gave us the good news that she had found a job for me but it was in Hyderabad. I would have to join in a couple of weeks. We all felt happy to hear that. I felt so relieved. Within a day, because of my family, my problem was solved. I immediately called Maa and informed her. She cried as she heard that.
‘Dhruv?’ Avni asked.
‘Yeah?’
‘Dad is not keeping well. So, I am leaving Bangalore and moving to Chennai for a few months.’
‘Okay. You do what you need to.’
‘But, how will we meet then?’
‘Dhruv will travel to Chennai to meet his Avni. Simple.’
‘Will you?’
‘You doubt me?’
‘Never. Congratulations on the new job, Dhruv,’ Avni said and hugged me.
This is how it feels to be on cloud nine.
14
I was about to reach Hyderabad. Avni’s roommate in Bangalore, Anju, had been transferred to Hyderabad a few weeks ago. So, Avni had shifted her Bangalore luggage to Anju’s flat in Hyderabad as she would try to get a posting in Hyderabad once her dad was fine.
Avni had said that she would come to pick me up but she informed me last night that she was not coming. She got some work at the last moment. She had given me the address and flat owner’s number to contact once I reached the apartment. But I wanted to see her. I wanted to meet her.
I reached Hyderabad in another half hour and it took me a few more minutes to come out to the Arrivals. I looked for a cab to take me to the flat as soon as possible. There was an important mail which I had to drop to my US manager. I kept looking for a cab when my eyes fell on a girl. She was simple, in fact, very simple, standing in the crowd, wearing bangles and waving at me. Yes, she was Avni, my Avni. I immediately ran towards her.
‘How do I look?’ she asked.
‘The most beautiful girl I have ever seen.’
She continued, ‘I look like shit right now. No make-up, nothing. I am not even wearing a good dress. I just ran from the railway station to receive you.’
‘Railway station?’ I asked, puzzled.
‘Long story. I will tell you in the cab,’ she said.
‘But you still look hot,’ I said.
‘Very funny,’ she said and walked holding my hand.
Avni got me a trolley.
‘Dhruv, I told Amma about you,’ Avni said.
‘Are you serious? What did Aunty say?’
‘She said that she has no issue,’ Avni said, suddenly shy.
‘Did you tell your dad?’
‘Of course I told him. That is why I missed the flight and had to catch a train to Hyderabad.’
‘What did Uncle say about me?’ I asked, biting my nails.
‘He said you seem like a nice guy but he would like to meet you.’
‘It means, we will get married soon.’
‘What about your parents, Dhruv?’
‘Maa loves you already. And we do not have any caste issue at all. So, our marriage will be easy-peasy. Moreover, after you invited her for lunch that day in Bangalore, she was really impressed by you.’
‘Very funny,’ Avni said.
We reached the rented flat in another fifty minutes. Avni called a security guard to help us with the luggage. He happily helped. Of course, when a beautiful girl asks, no security guard will refuse. The guard looked really happy lifting my bags. He didn’t even ask for money. Avni paid him a hundred bucks anyway.
‘It’s really nice,’ I said as I entered the room, and immediately ran to the balcony. It had a swimming pool view.
‘No girl comes to swim here,’ Avni said.
‘Do I look like a stalker to you?’
‘No, but what is wrong with looking? You won’t close your eyes if a girl swims there, right?’
‘Okay, so now you got this pool view to tell me all this.’
‘No, I am just telling you that I don’t want any drama here. This was the best society. So, I asked Anju to take this flat on rent.’
‘I will have two affairs here,’ I said.
‘No girl will give any footage to you except me,’ she said and laughed.
‘You are so bad,’ I said and remembered that I had to drop the mail to my US manager. I ran and opened my laptop.
‘You came here to work or be with me?’
‘Just a few minutes,’ I said.
Avni took a broom and started cleaning the room. Thank god. For a second, I thought she was going to beat me up.
‘Isn’t the room already clean, Avni?’
‘No, can’t you see this?’ she said, showing me the dust which had gathered on the floor.
‘Sorry. Continue then,’ I said.
‘Only today. From tomorrow, you have to do this yourself.’
‘I can’t do all this.’
‘Dhruv, learn to keep the room clean. Tomorrow, you will get married. What will your wife think? What if she leaves you?’
‘Is it a threat?’
‘Kind of,’ she said.
‘Okay. Then I will clean the room. I know you mean it,’ I said.
There was a knock at the door. Avni and I looked at each other.
‘Who could this be?’ I asked.
‘How would I know?’
‘Open the door then,’ I said holding my laptop. Avni went and opened the door. I heard two women laughing and talking. Avni came inside with a lady. She was beautiful. She was wearing a yellow saree with a golden border.
‘He is Dhruv,’ Avni said pointing towards me.
‘Hi Dhruv. I am Puja. Please let me know if you need anything. I live in the opposite flat,’ she said.
Avni glared at me.
‘Sure, Puja ji,’ I said.
Please, god, I don’t want any affair at this stage of my life. Please, god.
The lady and Avni kept talking for some more time when I saw another girl entering our flat.
‘Now, who is she?’ I mumbled to myself. She was also beautiful.
How many girls will I have to meet today?
‘Dhruv, you are not safe in this apartment, dude,’ the inner me said.
‘I feel the same.’
‘You should immediately vacate, bro.’
‘My daughter, Divya,’ Puja said.
Avni looked at her and smiled but I knew what was going on in her head.
‘Hi Divya ji,’ I said.
Yes, at twenty-six, I never thought I’d have to address a seventeen-year-old girl with ‘ji’.
‘I heard you write books,’ Divya said.
‘Yes, one is in progress.’
‘I am waiting for it to be published, Dhruv Bhaiya.’
‘Sure, the first copy will be yours,’ I said when Avni gave me the eye. I did not feel safe among the three women.
‘Oh god, which apartment have you got me into? All my life, I never got the chance to have an affair and now, when I have a girl in my life, I am scared that I will end up having an affair. Why god? Why me?’
‘You are lucky, bro. Most men die without even thinking of an affair,’ the inner me said.
‘Shut up, you fool.’
‘No affair, god, please.’
‘What happened? Why are you looking up? They left,’ Avni said.
‘Nothing. I was just thinking if we could change the apartment or the building.’
‘It’s okay. I know what you’re thinking. Puja Didi is married and Divya called you Bhaiya. I am safe now,’ Avni said.
‘Oh wow. What an explanation.’
Both of us laughed.
‘Mr Dhruv Mehta.’
‘Yes, Ms Avni Mathur?’
‘I have rented a flat in Chennai as well. You can stay there when you visit.’
‘You rented a flat for me? Are you nuts? I am not paying rent for two flats.’
‘No, silly. I’ll pay rent for the second one. Yeah. I want you to be close enough to me. We can meet easily.’
God. I love this girl.
‘That makes sense. My girl is getting more romantic by the day,’ I said and pinched her cheeks.
15
I was in Chennai and Avni had not even come to pick me up at the airport. Bala had come with me but had left early morning. He had to meet his cousins. His parents were in the US, inviting their relatives to his marriage. Yes, Bala’s marriage was fixed and he had not slept for the last three days.
‘I am coming to meet you’, I messaged Avni. She had told me not to call.
‘No, please don’t come now. Amma Appa are here’, Avni replied.
‘You told me you want me to meet your Amma Appa. Now, you are saying no. Is your brain all right?’
‘Shut up. You guys don’t understand anything’.
‘What?’
‘Relax Dhruv. We will take this slowly’.
‘Avni, I hope I won’t be in a problem if people see me with you here’.
‘Dhruv Mehta, you are in Chennai. Not even a mosquito knows you here. Rather, I should be scared of being seen with you’.
Avni made sense.
‘I am coming to meet you soon. Bye’.
I changed into my home clothes and played Hanuman Chalisa. I feel nice and peaceful when I hear it. After thirty minutes, I heard a knock at the door. I ran to the door with a smile. Avni stood there holding three boxes.
‘Sorry, ma’am. Not interested. Try another door,’ I said.
‘Very funny,’ she said and entered.
‘What’s in these boxes?’
‘These are sweets,’ she said.
‘Oh my god, I love sweets, let’s eat—’
Avni slapped my hand away.
‘No. Don’t even touch it. You have to bring these to my home.’
‘Huh? Who does this?’
‘You are coming to my home for the first time. Amma’s friends are coming tomorrow.’
‘So, I should not come to meet your parents?’
‘You have to come tomorrow to my house. Amma wanted you to meet them.’
‘Are you serious?’
‘Everything I had never thought of is finally happening. So, be happy.’
‘Do your mom’s friends speak Hindi? I can’t learn Tamil overnight.’
‘They speak a little. And you should learn Tamil, now that we’ll be married.’
‘I will learn and speak better than you. After all, Tamil is the world’s most ancient language.’
‘Wow, you know that?’
‘That is our history. We must know that.’
‘Tomorrow, you have to be at my house at 11 a.m.’
‘Just wait,’ I said and got up. I pulled out all the clothes from my suitcase that Bala had chosen personally for me. He said that I would look cool in these. Avni fumed looking at them.
‘You don’t like them?’ I asked.
‘You don’t have a dhoti kurta?’
‘Avni, why would I have that?’
‘Because you are coming in a dhoti kurta.’
‘Not again. You know that I feel uncomfortable.’
‘And please don’t wax your legs this time.’
‘Even if I do, how will you know? I am not going to fold the dhoti like South Indians do.’
‘Then how will you sit on my Scooty?’
‘Go to hell. I am coming in a cab.’
‘They will loot you, Dhruv. I have some work here. I will pick you up while returning.’
‘Are you mad? If I come in a dhoti on a Scooty, people will laugh at me.’
‘I will be in a saree. So, shut up.’
‘What? You will ride a Scooty in a saree? Are you out of your mind?’
‘Dhruv, stop arguing with me and be ready tomorrow.’
‘How will I get a dhoti kurta now?’
‘That’s not my problem,’ Avni said and got up. ‘Be ready on time,’ she added and left.
Bala arranged a dhoti kurta for me in the evening. He was very happy after meeting his fiancée. He had lied to me that he had come to meet his cousins.
Avni reached my flat the next day, looking stunning in a saree.
‘You are still getting ready?’ she asked.
‘Since 5 a.m., he has been trying on different kurtas,’ Bala said.
‘This is perfect, Dhruv. No need to change. Let’s go now,’ Avni said.
‘Let us go then. But Avni . . .’ I said.
‘What happened?’
‘Can I sit sideways on your Scooty if you don’t mind?’ I said.
Avni looked at me with eyes wide open.
‘Are you in your senses? You want to sit sideways like a woman on my Scooty? People will laugh at both of us,’ Avni said and Bala chuckled.
‘You can’t say no to everything, Avni. You have to listen to me,’ I said.
‘You are not sitting sideways. You fold your dhoti and sit like all guys sit.’
‘Then I will ride the Scooty. You sit behind me.’
‘Dhruv, let’s go, please. Everyone must have reached.’
We reached downstairs. I sat on the Scooty in my full-length dhoti but I was not feeling comfortable.
‘Dhruv, you waxed your legs? Again?’ Avni asked.
‘Yes, and let us not talk about my sexy legs today. I am already tense.’
We reached Avni’s home in fifteen minutes. I felt relaxed when I saw only ladies there. Thank god there were no males. I feel nervous in front of them.
Avni’s mom introduced me to all her friends. I handed the sweets to her.
‘What was the need of this, Dhruv?’ Aunty said.
‘Avni insisted, actually,’ I said, looking at Avni.
‘Avni, you told Dhruv to get sweets?’ Aunty asked.
‘No, Amma. I told him if he wanted to, he could get some,’ Avni said.
‘She is right, Aunty,’ I smirked.
Avni glared at me. I smiled.
‘I will kill you’, I got a message from Avni instantly.
‘Your Mom is really beautiful’, I messaged back.
‘Shut up’.
‘I don’t see Uncle,’ I told Aunty.
‘He is out of town. He had some urgent work.’
‘Thank god,’ I said and realized that I shouldn’t have been so loud.
‘Why thank god?’ Aunty asked.
‘No, I mean thank you for inviting me.’
Aunty looked at Avni and they headed towards the kitchen.
‘Dude, what are you doing? Do something to impress your future mother-in-law. Cook something for them,’ the inner me said.
‘Bro, please shut up. I am not in my home. I have been invited here.’
‘Soon, this will be your home. Get up and impress her. This is your best chance. Avni’s father is also not at home,’ my inner voice pleaded.
‘Leave it, bro. Why do you want me to get into trouble? What if my food is not tasty?’
‘That is why your Jiju is more romantic than you.’
‘No, I am more romantic than him.’
‘Then prove me wrong.’
‘Aunty,’ I said.
Aunty turned around just like Kajol did in DDLJ when SRK said, ‘Palat.’
Damn it, what am I thinking?
‘Yes, Dhruv beta?’ Aunty said.
‘Can I join you in the kitchen, if you don’t mind?’
‘Sure. Feel at home.’
I followed Aunty towards the kitchen.
‘Dhruv, what are you trying to do?’ Avni asked, holding my hand.
