Wednesday, April 03, 2013

The Destination - Part 8

**********PART 8 *************



Navya did not bother to answer although she knew that both Preeti & Kalyani would ask this question. They had always wanted to taste the food that Navya prepared, but Navya always postponed or gave easier options to prepare a meal like frozen food, Maggi or get something to eat from parcel service or may be go out to eat.



Preeti & Kalyani jumped onto their next set of questions -

Kalyani: "When did you come?"

Preeti: "If we knew you were coming today, we could have planned to go to the movie in the evening"

Kalyani: "How did you come?"

Navya: Hold on. We will talk about all that in the evening. Now, let's have lunch. I prepared this with great difficulty - so let us have it while it is still hot. Kalyani, I already told your mom that you would have lunch with us today.

All of them have lunch together, laze around for some time while Kalyani goes home and is back to their room in the evening. All three strike a conversation while preparing dinner.

Kalyani: Navya, I thought you would come tomorrow or on Monday. How come you came so early - it is overnight journey for you to go to Hyderabad?

Navya: I went only half way - so could come back early.

Preeti: What do you mean, half way? Did your parents come half way?

Navya: Who told you that I went to meet my parents?

Kalyani interrupts.

Kalyani: You.

Navya: (smiling). Yeah, okay.



Kalyani is now very mad at Navya.

Kalyani: If you did not want to come to the movie with us, you should have told. Why all this drama?



Preeti gestures Kalyani to hold on.

Navya: Hey Preeti, it is not her fault - I told her that I was going to meet my parents and when I told her, I did not lie.

Preeti: So, did you meet your parents?

Navya: Almost.

Preeti: Does that mean they came half way, but did not meet you?

Navya: No.

Kalyani is furious. She gets down the stairs and goes straight to her house. Preeti and Navya finish cooking, have dinner and sleep.

Meanwhile Kumar meets everyone in the family, helps Kishore in some petty works in the house and in the evening both Kishore and Kumar have early dinner and go to the terrace to sleep as Kumar feels sleepy.

Kishore: How come you are feeling sleepy so early?

Kumar: I did not sleep properly on Thursday so I am a bit sleepy.

After he said that, he realizes that though he did not sleep properly on Thursday, he had (more than) made up for it as he slept for more than 12 hours in the train, slept for 2-3 hours in the theatre (though it was disturbed sleep). He smiles and thinks about Kalyani & Preeti who named him KUMbhakarna.

Kishore: Tell me now, how come you are in Visakhapatnam? I thought you said you wanted to come to the wedding.

Kumar: (Sheepishly and in a low tone): I overslept.

Kishore: What?

Kumar: Ya, I started for the wedding, but overslept in the train. I wonder why no one woke me up in Vijayawada. Someone should have booked the same berth from Vijayawada to Visakhapatnam.

Kishore: Funny, but that's okay. It is good that you are here. We are able to spend some time together.

Kumar: I will leave tomorrow.

Kishore: No way, stay for few more days.

Kumar: Nope, I will have to head back to work on Monday. Do you have plans to come to Hyderabad?

Kishore: Hey, you better sleep. We will talk about it tomorrow. I need to tell you something.

Kishore was now lost in thoughts... It is 10 in the morning on Sunday when Kishore wakes Kumar up.

Kishore: Kumar, get up. We have to go out.

Kumar: Good Morning Kishore. What time is it?

Kishore: 10am.

Kumar: Oops, looks like I overslept again.

Kishore: No that's fine. We do not have much work, get ready and we will have to go out.

Kumar: Okay.

Kumar gets up; gets ready and they go to a bakery cum eating joint nearby at around 11.30 in the morning. Kumar sees that Preeti, Kalyani & Navya were in the bakery too. Kumar sees Preeti there and smiles; Preeti smiles back. Kalyani sees Preeti smiling and notices that Kumar & Kishore walked in. Kalyani smiles at Kishore. Kishore and Kumar reach the table and Kishore asks:

Kishore: Can we join?

Kalyani: (thinking - she is the only one who knows both): Sure. Please join...

Kalyani starts introducing everyone.

Kalyani: Kishore Anna & Kumar you know Preeti. This is Navya. Preeti, you met Kishore and Kumar. Navya, this is Kishore Anna, our neighbour and this is his friend from Hyderabad - Ku....

Navya completes the name for her...

Navya: Kumbhakarna.

Kumar is surprised to hear this. Preeti & Kalyani think about when they had shared the name they gave to Kumar with Navya.

********* To be continued **************​

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