Adultery Between Nabila and Ranjeet

[naj0501]

As soon as the last guest left and the door clicked shut, it felt like the house let out a big sigh.
Balloons were still pasted to the wall, gently moving. The room smelled of cake and hot samosas. In the living room, Adnan lay on the carpet, fully busy with his new game console, eyes stuck to the small glowing screen.
Ammi stayed back, as she always does.She was in the kitchen, rinsing out cups and arranging leftovers into steel dabbas humming an old song of Lata Mangeshkar.
Ranjeet had also stayed back. He didn’t say a word. He just kept helping quietly-lifting plates, folding chairs, gathering napkins without being asked. His sleeves were rolled up, and the back of his shirt was a little untucked. He looked completely at ease.
I was in the dining area, wiping the table, when I heard footsteps behind me.
"kuch help kar dun?" Ranjeet asked.
I turned and our eyes met. "Thanks, bas ho gaya."
He smiled, slow and easy. "Kaisa Thanks? Dosti mein na thank you, na sorry, ok?"
His tone was warm and there was something deeper in his gaze.
I smiled and just stood there, looking at him.
He stepped a little closer and lowered his voice. "Sach kahun to main khud ko lucky maanta hoon ki tum meri dost ho."
Gratitude warmed me. "Ranjeet, tumhare bina yeh sub karna possible hi nahi tha. Adnan itna excited tha—party cancel hoti to bahut mayoos ho jata."
Ranjeet smiled. "Arrey aise kaise........main aisa thodi hone deta."
A swirl of emotions rose in my chest-relief, but also a pinch of hurt over Asif.
Ranjeet’s brows pulled together. "Mujhe samajh nahin aata Asif kaise ja sakta hai. Agar tum meri wife hoti aur Adnan mera beta, main kabhi tum dono ko akela nahin chhodta."
His words stung with truth. I stayed quiet, unsure what to say.
Ranjeet asked gently, "Usne subah ghar se nikalne ke baad phone kiya?"
"Haan. Jab main kitchen mein thi tab uska WhatsApp aaya," I said, voice low. "Usne poochha kya maine sab cancel kar diya. Jab maine kaha party chal rahi hai to gussa ho gaya. Maine use wapas aane ko kaha, par woh keh raha hai apni maa ke ghar rukega."
Ranjeet shook his head, sighing. "Yeh to bilkul galat hai yaar.Sorry...bura mat manna lekin tera pati chutiya hai" he murmured.
"Le....ismein bura manne wali kya baat hai....Chutiya hi to hai...." And we both burst into laughter.
From the kitchen, Ammi called out, “Nabila, yeh bhindi wali sabzi kis dabbe mein daalun?”
“Main abhi aayi, Ammi!” I replied and moved to the kitchen.Ranjeet too followed me.
Ammi was standing at the kitchen counter, rinsing dishes under the tap, her dupatta tucked at her waist. Hearing us enter, she paused and gave us a small, curious smile.
"Ranjeet ne bahut help ki aaj, Ammi. party ke baad cleaning mein bhi haath bataya," I explained.
"Bahut achha, beta..." She smiled at Ranjeet and continued rinsing the dishes.
"Main pizza order kar deti hoon... tum dono dinner ke baad hi jaana," I said.
"Theek hai," Ammi nodded.
"Nahin, nahin... mujhe chalna padega... kuch commitments hain," Ranjeet protested.
"Ruk jao beta, itni pyaar se keh rahi hai to," Ammi insisted.
Ranjeet thought for a moment and said, "Theek hai, aunty, lekin dinner ke baad turant nikalna padega."
"Jaise tumhari marzi," Ammi replied without looking up.
"Aunty, waise aap rehti kahan hain?" Ranjeet asked curiously.
"Woh *** mein rehti hain," I answered for her.
"Oh great, woh toh mere raaste mein padta hai. Main * mein rehta hoon. Agar chahein to main aunty ji ko drop kar deta hoon—meri car hai," Ranjeet offered.
"Bahut achha hoga... hai na, Ammi?" I asked.
"Koi baat nahin, beta..." she replied softly.
Ranjeet offered to drop Ammi home, and she didn’t argue much. Maybe she was tired. Maybe she had seen enough for one day and was willing to retreat gracefully.
About fifteen minutes later the doorbell rang—ting‑tong, Domino’s! I rushed to the door with Ranjeet right behind me, paid the delivery boy, and came back carrying three hot boxes that filled the house with the smell of cheese and oregano.
“Pizza aa gaya!” I called out.
Adnan jumped up from the carpet, full of energy again. “Mumma, jaldi kholo na!”
We spread the dining cloth on the living‑room floor as the dining table was still buried under the gifts. Ammi sat cross‑legged first, Adnan plopped next to her, and Ranjeet and I sat on the other side with the hot pizza boxes between us.
I pried open the lid and satisfying aroma of stringy cheese filled our nostrils.
Adnan’s eyes went round. “Mujhe sabse bada slice chahiye!”
Ammi laughed, tapping his nose. “Arre baba, pet chhota hai aur slice bada chahiye? Pehle ek normal slice khaa, phir dekhte hain.”
Ranjeet pulled out the pizza‑cutter. “Champion, main tumhare liye ek alag plate bana deta hoon.” He slid the cheesiest wedge onto Adnan’s plate.
I handed Ammi a paper napkin. “Ammi, yeh lo....capsicum wala aapka favourite.”
“Shukriya, beta.” She took a careful bite and sighed.
"Hmmmm...awesome.... Garama‑garam. Party ke baad pizza sach‑much sukoon deta hai.” Ranjeet sopke chewing the pizza.
We passed slices around. Cola bottles hissed open. Adnan tried to tilt the two‑litre bottle himself; Ranjeet steadied it. “Dheere, champ.....warna sab fizz bahar aa jayega.”
Adnan giggled, “Sorry, sorry!”
Between bites, Ammi eyed half decorated room and smiled. “Sab kuch sahi raha..... dil bahut khush hai. Adnan ka din achha gaya.”
“yeah...aunty... you are right....,” Ranjeet added, wiping sauce from the corner of his mouth. “Aur jalebi ka credit pura aapko, Aunty.”
Ammi’s cheeks warmed at the praise.
"Ammi ne khud banai thi Jalebi...Ranjeet...She is very good cook...." I said.
Adnan, mouth full, mumbled, “Nani makes best jalebi ” which made all of us laugh.
For a moment the flat felt like a small island-no angry phone calls, no hard words from the morning-just four people sharing melted cheese and easy chatter.
Ranjeet poured cola into my glass last. As I took it, our fingers brushed; I felt that familiar flicker but let it rest, focusing instead on the simple warmth of the scene.
“Ek selfie banti hai,” he said, pulling out his phone.
“Abhi? !” I protested.
“Natural photo sabse achhi hoti hai,” he grinned.
We huddled in—Ammi still chewing, Adnan giving a saucy thumbs‑up, Ranjeet’s arm stretching to get us all, and me in the middle, pizza slice halfway to my mouth.
Click.
The last slice was gone, cola bottles were empty, and grease‑stained plates lay in a lazy pile on the sheet. Ranjeet stretched his back and glanced at the wall‑clock. “Bas, ab mujhe nikalna chahiye. Aunty, main aapko drop kar deta hoon.”
Ammi nodded, tying her veil. “Chalo beta, shukriya. Raat zyada ho gayi hai.”
I walked them to the door with Adnan following me, rubbing his eyes. Ranjeet bent to his level. “Goodnight, champ. Kal apne gifts dekhna, haan?”
Adnan managed a sleepy thumbs‑up.
At the doorstep Ranjeet turned to me. “ok nabila...Kuch chahiye toh call karna.”
“ok” I said, giving him a gentle smile. “Drive safe.”
He smiled back-warm but brief-then led Ammi to the lift.
The door clicked shut behind them, and the flat fell quiet.