Sorting Out Sid (12 page)

Usse pyaar ki zaroorat hai. Hah! They had always overindulged her as a kid, their ‘Mandu darling’, believing that she deserved to be treated like a little queen. Everything madam ever did was always right; she was never to blame. No wonder she turned out so opinionated, believing it was always someone else’s fault. Mandira was simply unable to accept things that didn’t go exactly the way she wanted. Anyway, he
may not have treated her like a queen, but he didn’t think that he had been short on providing her with love
–
or had he?

He felt annoyed that she was involving her parents in their problems. Mandira had told them that they were no longer on talking terms because Sid was too selfish to have a child, and that she was now getting too old and would end up being childless forever. The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that having a kid would just add to their troubles. Sid remembered how completely berserk Aditi had been during her pregnancy as well as after her delivery. He also knew that not only did he not have Krish’s ability to handle half-crazed women, his relationship with Mandira was nowhere as strong as the one between Krish and Aditi. So having a baby right now would be disastrous. But what was the point of worrying her parents with all this? They were old, and hardly in the best of health, like his own. Sid realized that his concern about their health bothered him more than the fact that he had been made the villain of the piece. Sid could take being the villain, he was used to being made to feel like that.

He had tried to shut his ears when Mummy was coaching him on what a woman really wanted from a man in terms of love, care and attention. He was mortally afraid that Mummy might eventually work her way into elaborating on the best sexual positions for impregnation. So he had escaped midway through her impassioned speech, citing an emergency.

‘Kya emergency hai, beta Sid?’ Mummy had called out to his retreating back.

‘Maggi khatam ho gayi hai, Mummy … I’ll be right back.’ It was all he could think of on the spur of the moment. Sid had almost run out of the house, clutching his car keys.

He now sat in the parked car, unsure of what to do and where to go. Then he noticed a car pulling into their second parking space a few spots ahead. At least Mandira was home now. Good, she could keep her parents company.

He wondered where he could escape to tonight. He didn’t really feel like being with anyone. He tapped the steering wheel, weighing his options. His mind flitted back to the issue he had been trying to put out of his head the entire last week.

‘Fix it, or end it, or else DIE!’ In his head, Cynthia’s proclamation had taken on the dramatic feel of a witch’s prophesy and he imagined her pale figure looming above his head, mournfully reminding him that the end was near.

Sid had always known that Mandira wouldn’t even consider Cynthia’s suggestion about visiting her. He had tried to bring it up during dinner the same night after his visit to Cynthia. He didn’t give her too many details
–
he just said that he met someone interesting who had done a reading for him and that Mandira should go for it too.

‘What exactly did she tell you?’ Mandira had asked sharply.

‘I can’t really tell you that.’

‘What bullshit is this, Sid?’

‘I’m serious,’ he insisted. ‘She was really good. I think there really
is
something to this…’

‘Who told you about this woman in the first place?’ Mandira demanded.

‘Er … Aditi and her friend … Neha.’

‘And “Aaadu” and some “Neha” character now know about our problems?’

‘No, no,’ Sid interjected swiftly. ‘I mean, hardly anything, really. You know I don’t talk about these things with other people.’

Mandira was silent for a while and then got up abruptly from the table. ‘You know what, Sid? You can go ahead and fuck around with your little girlfriends and their psychos—’

‘Psychics,’ Sid corrected automatically, smarting from her use of the F-word. Didn’t sound good coming from Queen Mandu-Darling’s regal lips.

‘Whatever!’ she snapped as she picked up her plate. ‘Let me make one thing very clear … You don’t tell me what to do. I don’t have to listen to anything you say. So just drop all this mumbo-jumbo crap with me.’ She turned around and walked off towards the kitchen. Sid took his last spoonful and watched her with a feeling of growing malevolence, trying to control the urge to hurl his plate at the back of her head.

‘Aur wo pyaar sirf aur sirf tum hi de sakte ho,’ Mandira’s mother had said. Only he could give her that love.

Sid leaned his tired, buzzing head against the steering wheel for a while. Where could he possibly go now? He had to admit
–
he could only think of Vikas and Sunny.

He called Vikas’s number, but it just kept ringing. He checked to see if he had Sunny’s number saved. Yes, he did. So he called her. She answered after just two rings with a warm, ‘Hi, Sid, how are you?’

‘Good, GOOD … actually, I am thinking of coming over but I can’t reach Vikas … is he home?’

‘Sid, he is spending the night at the farmhouse. He’s got an important presentation tomorrow and said he needed peace and quiet … he certainly doesn’t get it at home, Rohan and Ishan bouncing all over the place.’ Sunny laughed lightly.

‘Oh, okay, at the farm, huh?’ Sid felt an involuntary twinge of nostalgia as he thought about the old days
–
partying at the luxurious cottage-home in Sainik Farms. Ah yes …Vikas had mentioned that his parents were spending a few months in
the States. But there went his plan for going over. Now what was he going to do?

‘Yes, he’s been using the farmhouse a lot these last few weeks, I think it’s working well for him.’

‘Oh, good. I guess I’ll see you guys another time, Sunny.’

‘Bye, Sid.’

He was still staring at his phone when a message popped up. It was Mandira.

Heading out for an office party. It’s a farewell, can’t miss it. Get home
quick. Mum and Dad waiting
.

He stared at his phone blankly for a long time. Then he felt a sense of seething resentment. This was ridiculous. Why the hell did she think it was okay to go out when her parents were in town, and why should
he
be the one babysitting them?

The Hyundai revved up, startling Sid. She was back in the car already? Clearly she still hadn’t noticed him. What was her rush today? She would have barely had time to say two words to her parents. What was with these bloody office parties anyway?

Several thoughts flashed through his head simultaneously, and whirled around in an obstinate manner despite his effort to force them out. He shut his eyes tight and leaned his head against the steering wheel again. He did not want to think about this. But there it was
–
not just Cynthia’s prophecy, but what she had said about three being a crowd
–
how long could he ignore it?

Finally, Sid snapped his head up with an air of steely resolve. He watched through narrowed eyes as Mandira sped off. He decided it was time to take action
–
to be the man! It was his very own moment of resolution. The moment would have possibly been a lot more poignant had he not accidentally
hit the horn and startled himself. He took a deep breath to compose himself.

And then he started the car.

Mandira had a head start on him, but Sid knew he had a good chance of finding her since the traffic signal some distance away from their gate was likely to slow her down. Sure enough, he soon spotted the distinct red Verna a few cars ahead of him. He kept his distance, fairly certain she wouldn’t see him.

Fix it. Or end it
.

For the next thirty minutes, Sid concentrated only on driving. He had never tailed anyone before, but found it strangely easy. The route she was taking wasn’t familiar to him, but he felt as though he could have found the destination in his sleep. In fact, he felt as if he
was
asleep. Everything appeared to be moving in slow motion even though he was following her at a carelessly speedy fifty-five kilometres per hour, practically supersonic by his usual standard. And by the time he lost her, it didn’t matter any more
–
Sid knew where she was heading. Maybe he had known even before they started.

In another ten minutes he had reached and parked his car some distance from the large, imposing gate. Her car wasn’t around. He waited for a long time, listlessly tapping his fingers against the wheel, thinking about his next move. Finally, Sid fished out his cell phone from his pocket and wearily dialled Mandira’s number.

The phone rang about ten times, but he waited patiently, still tapping his fingers on the wheel. Finally, Mandira picked up, sounding slightly breathless and more than a little annoyed. ‘Ya, Sid? What is it?’

‘Nothing much,’ he said. ‘You enjoying the party?’

‘It’s fine,’ she answered curtly. ‘How are Mummy and Daddy?’

‘Oh, we’re all missing you very much. Hey, how come I don’t hear any music at the party?’

‘I’ve stepped out to talk to you in the hall. So why are you calling?’

‘Nothing, yaar, I just thought I’d tell you, I was getting a little bored, so I’m going to see Vikas tonight. Sunny told me he’s working on a presentation at the farm. Remember the farm? I guess you wouldn’t, we went there together to a party only once … years ago. So, anyway, I thought I’d surprise him there, maybe have a beer with him.’

There was a moment of silence and Mandira’s voice rang out shriller than before, ‘You can’t do that … you can’t just land up and disturb him.’

‘What disturb him, yaar!’ retorted Sid. ‘He’s my friend. I feel like seeing him, it’s no big deal.’

Her voice was panicky now. ‘Listen, don’t leave Mummy and Daddy alone. They come to spend time with us, and…’

‘And you go out to an office party? Come on, if you can do that, surely I can go and see my oldest and best friend? Don’t worry, I won’t be long. I’ve almost reached anyway. Chalo … bye.’

Mandira didn’t even bother to say bye. She quickly ended the call and Sid took a deep breath and stared at his phone. He wished that there wasn’t this perverse side to him which had started to enjoy itself, especially since most of him felt sick to the stomach. He looked out of the window towards the gate, and waited.

It wasn’t a long wait. In about one and half minutes, the gate opened and she emerged. She didn’t notice him, and he
watched her sprint across the road. Oh. That’s where she had parked. He could now make out the red of the Verna behind the tall bushes. It had been hidden pretty well. It helped Sid to focus on the logistics. It took away some of the discomfort he felt from the bile in his throat as well as the bitterness that rose from his stomach.

He watched Mandira scurry and hit the button on the remote keychain, from several metres away, to unlock the car. She scrambled into the driver’s seat, started the car and drove it out, heading with reckless speed down the road, away from him.

He pressed the redial button and waited until he got another breathless ‘Hello?’. He watched her from his vantage point as she slowed down marginally, saying, ‘Sid, I’m driving. I’ll be home soon, okay? What is it?’

‘You’re going the wrong way,’ Sid said in a pleasant, conversational tone. She pulled to an abrupt stop and even from the distance he could see that she was sitting frozen rigidly in her seat, the phone glued to her ear.

When she didn’t respond, he hastened to add, ‘The main road is the other way
–
that’s a dead end you’re heading for.’

A feeling of weariness hit Sid all over again. Whatever little fleeting pleasure he had derived from his grand exposé was already fading away. In fact, he was beginning to feel painfully sorry and embarrassed for her. He wished he didn’t have to put her through this but it was too late now.

He sighed and waited for her to respond. What could she possibly say though? He had hit the nail right on the head. They had both been heading for it for a while, and now they had reached it.

The Dead End.

Part II

1

So We Meet Again

D
ing Dong
^…

Aditi hurried over to the door, trying to keep the smile off her face. There was only one person who hated the sound of her doorbell enough to do this. She swung the door open and gave him the special mock glare she reserved for him.

‘Ding dong,’ Sid repeated in the same loud high-pitched, singsong voice. He grinned. ‘Whasssssup, Adu?’

‘Nothing, Sidu,’ she said, stepping back to let him in. She knew he had put on his ‘Party-Sid’ mode, but she was secretly relieved that he seemed to be in such a light and silly mood. She watched as he strode in and looked around with a bewildered expression.

‘Hey, why is this place all different?’

‘Well, maybe … because I’ve redecorated, and you haven’t been here in the last six months … Despite my many invitations?’

‘Three months,’ Sid corrected absent-mindedly and then continued, ‘Well, you know how things have been…’

‘Yup,’ Aditi said quietly, ‘I know…’

Sid met her gaze for a few seconds before breaking off and exclaiming, ‘So! It’s a part-ay tonight, huh? Where’s everyone? I actually feel like meeting new people! Who’s on the guest menu?’