Happy Family

My phone rings and I look to see who it is, its Rishi, Neelam gestures for me

to answer it. “Hello?” I say. “Hey Chand, what are you up too?” he asks, “I’m just with Neelam, we’re at starbucks.” I inform him, “Oh,” He pauses as if there’s more he wants to say. “Do you think you could do me a favor?” he cautiously asks, “Sure what is it?” I wait. “Can you come pick me up, my car broke down while running errands for my dad. No one’s picking up their phones, and so…” he trails off. “Ofcourse,” I assure him “Where are you?”, “I’m on Highway 5, like your going to Arden, just before the Florin road exit.” He says. “Ok, I’ll be there in like fifteen minutes.”, “Thanks Chan.” He says gratefully.

“What happened?” Neelam questions,“Rishi’s car broke down, I have to go pick him up, you want to come?”  I ask standing up. “Sure.” She hesitantly responds.

When we get to Rishi, we  can see him leaning on his car, his arms folded and head resting back on the rear window. I pull over and get out, "Did you call a tow truck?" Neelam asks glancing over at Rishi. "Uh-yeah, my friends on his way, you want to take me to Arden Mall?" he looks at me. "Sure why not?" I shrug my shoulders.

He runs his fingers through his hair, hes dressed causually which for him is a rare occurance. Rishi is the type of guy that wears gucci sneakers to a family barbeque. His personality is far from stuck up, but his taste in clothing is beyond it. He makes a quick call to the tow company, whose owners happen to be friends of his dad, telling them that the car will be here, and he'll meet them later to get it.

Neelam and I head back in the car and wait as he grabs a small box from his trunk and transfers it to mine. "All set?" I say as he climbs into the front seat of my car. "Yeah, thanks again." he smiles, then looks back at Neelam. "How are you?" he asks, his tone is different.

"Fine," she blushes and looks down, "you?" she looks out the window. "I'm good," he turns and looks at me curiously. “So did I interrupt a gossip fest?” he laughs “How did you know?” I nudge him. “Women are all the same.” Neelam smiles, “Not all of them.” Rishi looks solemnly out the window, I turn on the radio to break the awkward silence.

“Where do you have to go?” I ask, parking and putting on a sweater I grabbed from inside my car, “just a few shops, I have to stop by build-a-bear for Ronnie,” Ronnie is Rishi's younger brother, and I can tell Rishi loves seeing his eyes light up. “And then I have to drop into Macy's and pick out some perfumes for my mom,” he says pulling out a list from his pocket. “and then I have to go into Express and pick up some stuff Sheetal has on reserve.” he rolls his eyes at the last part.

“Well why don't we all split up, that way it wont take as long?” I offer up “Yeah that makes sense, Neelam that ok?” Rishi asks as he looks over at Neelam, “Yeah” she shrugs her shoulders. “Ok, I'll go to build-a-bear, and Neelam can go pick up Sheetal's clothes, and Chan you can go get the perfume?” he asks as we enter the mall.

 “Sure thing.” I say taking the perfume list from his out stretched hand, and examining it. “Oh,” Rishi stops “here's the money for it.” He hands me two hundred dollar bills. I cant help but think my uncle has two hundred dollars to spend on perfume but cant pay me fifty cents above minimum wage.

I walk into Macy's and look around at all the chattering women, asking if this color would look better with their complexion or if this cut reveals too much. Questions that my mother will always give an answer too without being asked. I walk towards the Perfume counter and make eye contact with the cashier. Shes a bouncy platinum blonde, and she gives me a huge inviting smile “How can I help you?” I can tell by the strain in her eyes she's said that over a hundred times today, and as I feel by mid-day, she's ready to get out of here.

 I smile back and hand her my list “I just need these.” I say leaning on the counter. She glances over the list, and then stares at me in a way that says please get off the counter. I obey and feel awkward, so I give her another smile. She says it'll just be a minute, and she turns to gather my aunts demands.

I tap my fingers on the glass glancing around at people. Theirs a hispanic couple shopping together to my right, and I can tell their arguing. She holds up a backless black dress as if in protest saying there is nothing wrong with it, he rolls his eyes lets out a deep sigh and says something I cant make out. She rolls her eyes back and angrily puts the dress back in its place. I can tell the guy is singing a victory song in his head as he's holding back a grin. I laugh to myself and continue glancing around when I spot a very familiar man to my left looking at watches. 

I take in a deep breath and his image. He's wearing a black turtle neck, and gray slacks, his sleeves are rolled up exposing his muscular forearms. His wavy black hair is smoothly pushed back away from his face. I study his broad stance as he contemplates whether he should purchase a new watch or keep the one on his hand.

I check myself in the small circular mirror at the counter to make sure I look presentable. My loose hair is hanging around my face, I push it back behind my shoulders. I look down at my feet, flip flops in the middle of October, I have stupid written all over me. I try and act nonchalant, and can see the cashier looking at me from the corner of her eye, she probably thinks I'm trying to steal a tester.

As I continue to act as normal as possible I try to sneak another look, and glance up again only to awkwardly have Mr. Fine Jewlery's eyes meet mine. A forced smile fills his face, and I give a small wave and then proceed to look away. Just as I think I'm in the clear Mr. Fine Jewlery is striding his way towards me, holding a silky green polka dot tie. “Hi.” he lets out standing beside me. I turn to face him fully and respond with an effortless “Hey” He clears his throat and sighs “So, are you feeling any better?” his question reminds me of the fact that he practically saved my life like two seconds ago.

Is he doing that to rub it in my face?  “I'm good. Nothing a good nights rest couldnt cure, thanks for letting me stay at your house too.” “Oh, it was nothing.” he smiles again revealing perfectly white teeth. His sparkling green eyes are even more radiant.

He would be a Macy's man. He seems so snooty and stuck up, the type of guy who would only shop at certain department stores because its where hes expected to be. He probably holds a limitless credit card here. He shifts his weight anticipating for me to say something, “Yeah.” is all I can say.

As if this meeting isn't awkward enough I hear “Chandani!” from across the perfume counter Akhil's face has a confused look drawn on it and I turn to see Mohan, and Wahid. Mohan zealously waves at me, and lets out his lawn mower laugh, I wave back and he invites himself to join us. Wahid smiles at me and then looks down at the cologne in front of him. I look at Akhil again, as his face goes from confused to irritated.

His jaw clenches, and his eyes glaze over. I can see his chest raise a bit, and then fall back down. He lets out a deep breath through his nose, and turns his face from Wahid. I dont know what to say, as I'm caught off guard by this obvious inconvenience on both sides. I start to try and introduce Mohan, “Um this is my friend Mo-” “It was nice seeing you.” Akhil interrupts me, places his tie on the counter, and leaves. I squint my eyes as I watch Akhil walk away.

The next thing I know Wahid is standing with us, “Please tell me your not friends with that guy.” Wahid scoffs. Mohan looks just as lost as I do, “You know him?” I search. “You know ?” Mohan looks at me and points to Wahid. “We met by chance a while back.” We both laugh as if in on an inside joke.

“How funny, small world.” Mohan says clasping his hands together, “We were just walking around, and we're gonna get lunch, you want to come with us?” Mohan looks at me intently. “Um, sure.” I say looking at Wahid, “But I'm also here with Neelam, and Rishi.” I confess, realizing that the cashier has found all my items, and is waiting for me to pay and move along.

  I hand her the money and grab the bag full of boxes of my aunts perfume. She hands me my receipt and change and tells me to have a nice day, which oddly enough sounds like now go away. I turn back to Mohan and Wahid, “Well they can join us!” Mohan says, “I don't think they'd mind.” he shrugs his shoulders. “I don't think they'd mind either.” I say, again looking at Wahid who shoots me a smirk.

I call Rishi and tell him that we'll be meeting at the Hard Rock Cafe. He says okay, that he'll find Neelam and they'll catch up with us. We find a table amongst the noisy lawyers unwinding for their lunch break and gearing up for the long night of paperwork ahead of them. Mohan excuses himself  to go to the restroom and Wahid takes a seat across from me. He leans forward and gives me the same warm smirk from earlier.

“So, my cousin is gaga over you, are you the way you look?” his eyes have a way of pulling you in, I laugh and ask “How do I look?” “Like a heart breaker, I can tell already, your the type of girl that guys go insane over.” he sits back as if he's just made a scientific observation. I laugh louder this time “Wow, that is a first. I am far from a heart breaker.” I say shaking my head.

“Oh, no, your modest too!” He smiles big “How am I just gonna sit back and let Mohan take you away from me?” he asks leaning on the empty chair next to him. “Mmm it'll be the stupidest choice in your life.”  I joke back.

Our waiter comes and brings us waters, and asks if there will be more people joining us. We tell him yes, and he says he'll give us more time then. So how do you know Akhil?” I ask sipping my water, trying not to seem too curious.

“Oh we go way back. We grew up together, in New York.” he says but not fondly. “Childhood friends?” I cautiously poke “Well, actually step brothers, as you could tell, were not really on the best of terms.” he leans forward again. “Okay honestly, Akhil has always been in competition with me. I was always better at things then him, not to brag or anything.”He waves his hand  in the air shooing the notion away.

 “I got my license first, I got a girlfriend first, I made the varsity basketball team first. It was always kid stuff, but when we got into college Akhil got personal.” He shakes his head “He had a need to break my streak.”

 “What happened?” I lean in to fully hear him.“He totally played me. He was seeing my girlfriend of three years, we were going to get married and everything.”

“Whoa,” I let out. “Yeah, I'm over it though, its sad when you cant even trust your own brother, but whatever.” “Yeah, that must make for awkward family dinners” I take a  another sip of water. “Oh, no, our parents know we cant stand each other, Akhil had the nerve to tell them not to let me be around when he's there.” he rolls his eyes “no way!” I sit back.

“Are him and your ex still together?” I ask, hoping I'm not over stepping my boundaries, “No, it was all to screw me over, he broke her heart though, he transferred to Oxford right after the semester was over, when she pleaded for him to stay with her, he straight up told her that she was just an accessory.” I'm at a loss for words.

I tell him this, “Well I guess stuff happens, I'm not bitter about it though, It took me a while to get over but, I'm better now.” He runs his fingers through his hair “I turned out okay, graduated second in my class, and now well I'm a financial analyst for Goldman Sachs, I make great money and I'm better off without the both of em'.” he finishes crossing his arms over his chest.

“Wow.” I let out taking all this in, I knew Akhil was a jerk, I just didn't know how low he actually was As I'm about to tell Wahid how I understand his competition struggle, in that I have to deal with Sheetal, Rishi and Neelam join us.

Mohan returns and we introduce Wahid to Neelam and Rishi who sit opposite each other. Mohan grabs a seat on the end of the table, and we actually have a nice light lunch together. I can tell Neelam is just as puzzled as I am to find out that someone like Wahid is related to Mohan.