Chương 50: Rhianna's Big Problem 1
Before parting at the college car parking Rhianna told Nia that in the evening she was going to the supermarket to buy groceries, as her mom had been having her usual bout of migraines. Her mom always had those migraines in summer. This was only September. Rhianna would have to make trips to the supermarket all through the summer, which meant till the first week of October.
Nicholas would pick her up from home at seven thirty as they would be going to dinner afterwards. She asked Nia if the latter would like to join them for dinner. Nia declined the offer immediately. She had no wish to be the bone in kebab, the literal meaning of what in Hindi was 'Kebab mein haddi' or what people meant as the third wheel. Single people should understand that they were always an unpleasant accessory to couple on a date.
That was what Nia thought. She knew that Rhianna wanted to include her because her friend was aware that she did not go out much.
"No, thanks. Mahua and her roommate are coming over tonight for a movie night. So I won't be spending time alone. Have a nice time with Nick."
Rhianna laughed, realizing her friend's thought, "You are worried that you will be 'kebab mein haddi' to us. Is the movie night tonight a last minute invention? Come on Rhi, you know Nick and I enjoy your company."
"No, no last minute idea. Mahua and her roommate Bornali wanted to watch their favourite movies. I know, you and Nick will like me to join you guys but I can't refuse the two girls." Nia smiled reassuringly at Rhianna. She really did not want to spoil the couple's alone time. Mahua had been asking her for a movie night at her place. She decided she would invite the two girls tonight.
*******
At six thirty in the evening Nia drove back home from Bamboo Grove art cafe with Mahua and her roommate Bornali. Mahua was already there working at the kitchen, baking pastries. She called Bornali over to the cafe as Nia invited them for the promised movie night. After driving for almost an hour from there in the evening traffic, they reached Nia's apartment.
Nia took off her sari and the blouse, then went to the washroom to have a shower. She was tired as she had gone to the cafe straight from the college after parting with Rhianna at the parking. The cold water caressed her soft naked skin, washed away the tiredness. When she joined Mahua and Bornali in the living room, hot tea and delicious chocolate pastries were waiting for her. They talked and discussed what movies they would watch after dinner.
Bornali wanted the romantic tragedies while Mahua insisted on Romcom movies. Nia let the girls decide. Ever since she started working she had rarely had time to watch movies. She listened to them, sipping tea and eating the yummy pastries they brought from the cafe. She could afford to be lazy for a night. The girls offered to cook the dinner and she accepted it gladly.
Finally they decided on 'Mama Mia! Here We Go, Set It Up, Everyday and P.S. I Love You.' Nia sighed in relief. Listening to their arguments, the yummy pastry in her mouth at one point tasted like the insipid gum base of a chewing gum. The girls went to the kitchen to prepare the dinner and Nia went to her bedroom to take a little rest. Her phone started ringing the moment she lay down on the bed. She got up and looked for the phone. It was still inside the handbag that she dropped on the bedroom sofa after she came back home.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
At another part of the city in a restaurant Rhianna and Nicholas were having dinner. After he picked her up from her home Nicholas took Rhianna to the supermarket. There she bought everything on the long list that her mother had given to her. From the supermarket they went straight to the restaurant where Nicholas had already made reservation.
She already visited the washroom three times, twice before their orders were brought by the waiter and once while they were about to eat. After her third journey to the restroom Nicholas frowned. 'Is she not feeling well? This is the third time she went to the washroom. Something must be wrong.' He was concerned about her.
Nicholas noticed that she had talked very little since they left the supermarket. He looked at the woman eating silently the Confit De Canard, a French dish of duck leg. His eyes were soft as he asked,
"Do you want to go to my place after dinner?"
Rhianna looked up with a startled glance and saw him staring expectantly at her. She found it difficult to reply with a simple yes or no. Instead she started coughing nervously. Nicholas poured her a glass of water. She took the glass and drank a little water. Then she excused herself to go to the restroom again.
When Rhianna returned and sat down on her seat he asked, "Are you okay?"
Rhianna, who was about to pick up her spoon, looked up and smiled at him awkwardly. She did not know what to say to her fiance. She definitely could not tell him that she had been to the washroom to make calls to Nia. She definitely could not tell him that she had seen him looking with longing at a certain shelf in the supermarket, even picking up a few boxes to read the labels.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
After driving for more than an hour from Nirvana's home, Yougal Lucas was tired when he reached home. He took a shower in the cold, soothing water and felt refreshed. The cool water washed away a lot of the tiredness. After changing he went down to grandma Lucinda's room.
"Hey grandma." He greeted while sitting on the sofa beside her.
"You went to meet Nirvana's grandmother and mother." She said to him in a displeased tone.
"Yes."
"Because you suddenly can't wait to sever ties with Nirvana." Grandma knew she was angry for no reason. But she saw her grandson acting as selfish. What if it was not Nia but some other girl who he thought worth fighting for? But still her anger did not make sense even to herself. 'Maybe I want him to suffer a little. I know he would not have fallen for any other girl.' She thought.
Yougal Lucas felt too that his grandma was being unreasonable. He felt tired, angry and frustrated. The woman he loved would not accept him, his grandmother would not accept the woman he loved, he felt his love life fucked up great time. Yougal Lucas drove out of home to cool off. He needed to clear his head and think of a definite plan.
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