U is for... Unexpected

‘Honey, the guest list is ready, when do you want me to send out the invites?’ Kiran asked as she put her arms around Dhawan who was sitting on the dining table chair. Dhawan kept his phone down which had her picture as the wallpaper and kissed the front of her palms pulling her in front of himself.

‘Whenever you think it is okay, my love. But first sit down and try this,’ he said taking out a pouch from his pocket.

The solitaire was the size of a football and it fit Kiran’s ring finger perfectly well.  ‘Oh, honey, you remembered?’ Kiran exclaimed getting up and kissing Dhawan on his lips.

It was a long-promised anniversary present from Dhawan. Although Kiran could walk into the jewellery store and buy a whole rack, Dhawan liked to surprise her with small gifts every now and then. It was like a tradition.

‘Your suitcase is packed for your London meeting. You have to come back by Wednesday, okay?’ Kiran said her eyes fixated on the ring.

‘But the party is on Sunday, why do you want me back so early?’

‘I want you back because I miss you when you are not here. And I know you can finish your work by then!’

It had been 25 years to Kiran and Dhawan’s marriage, but they were still the envy of their whole circle like when they were newlyweds. They ate from the same plate, stayed by each other’s side in every party, danced in sync and laughed like best friends.

‘Tamanna is also going to say a speech – something on the lines of how she wants a partner like you and have a marriage like ours. Isn’t it sweet of our daughter?’ Kiran stated gleaming with pride and sauntered towards the kitchen.

‘They don’t make couples like us anymore,’ Dhawan quoted with a chuckle and Kiran laughed in agreement.

As always, she dropped her husband at the airport that afternoon and kissed him goodbye. ‘Come back sooner than you promised, okay?’ she demanded with a pout on her face.

‘Only if you don’t disturb me with a thousand phone calls to discuss our anniversary party!’

‘Ah, now you watch out, I will call you a million times.’

Ram babu, the driver, rolled his eyes from behind the wheels. This couple was too sweet for his appetite, yet he had to listen to all their mush talks when they were in the car. All his friends had some gossip to share, he had none. He was missing out on all the extra cash his fellow-drivers were making from their bosses to keep mum about their respective affairs, while Ram babu just got his monthly salary and nothing else. He had to pay a price for their fidelity.

Maybe your boss has a mistress in London, he goes there every month, Billu had said in hushed tones a few weeks back.

It was possible. Or maybe madam has a boyfriend in the ashram in Pune otherwise she didn’t seem the type who would listen to bhajans for days every few months.

‘Ram babu, take me to the jeweller,’ he heard Kiran say as she closed the door behind him.

‘Ji Madam,’ Ram babu retorted, curiously looking at his madam trying to find clues. He could drive to the jeweller with closed eyes, Kiran went there to buy jewels like he went to the market to buy vegetables.

After she got off the car to walk into the store, Ram babu got a call on his cell phone. ‘Ram babu, I think I have left my second mobile phone in the car. Find it and take it to your home. Err, do you like Black Label whiskey? I will get a bottle for you,’ Dhawan blabbered from the other end.

Ram babu hurried to the back seat and found the phone under the cover where Dhawan was sitting. He kept the phone in his shirt’s pocket and replied, ‘Found the phone sir, you don’t worry about it,’ he said giggling to himself as if he had just won a lottery.

While looking for the phone he noticed his madam had forgotten her purse. He picked it up and rushed to the store. The security guard stopped him asking where he was headed.

‘Kiran madam is inside, I want to give her this purse,’ informed Ram babu showing the purse to the guard.

‘But madam is not here yet. I think she must be having tea first with her friends in the hotel next door.’

Ram babu scouted the restaurant, but there was no sign of Kiran. Disappointed, he decided to wait outside in the car.

Half an hour later, he saw Kiran come out of the hotel. She then walked inside the jewellery store next door.

Five minutes later, Raj sir, whom he knew as Tamana’s friends’ father, hurried towards his car from inside the hotel.

‘They took one hour to fix my ring,’ Kiran said angrily entering the car.

Ram babu just smiled starting the ignition. ‘Madam, look, isn’t that Raj sir’s car. I just saw him walk out from inside the hotel,’ he clarified staring at Kiran through the rear-view mirror.

He had unexpectedly hit a jackpot today.