NOTE: All characters and venues are totally fictional; any semblance to real persons or places is merely coincidental.
Synopsis: Reddy breakfasts with Sheila, gets a ride home and sends a wrong signal
Munni's LIA - Episode 12
The Morning After
Sheila and Reddy went to breakfast leaving Nikki behind; Nikki got up late and was still in the shower.
After eating, they were having coffee and while Sheila was reading one section of the paper; Reddy was looking at the inserts.
"This Sunday paper is huge", he remarked....but Sheila was quite engrossed in whatever she was reading.
Then Reddy pondered something for a bit.
"Thanks", Reddy said suddenly as if he had already said whatever it was he thanked Sheila for.
"eh ?"
"...for ironing my undies…and drying my socks"
"….oh..that..they were still not dry…so I hurried them up so that they'd be dry when you woke up…..you were sawing timber when I used the hair dryer….I had to dangle a wet towel on your face to wake you up..."
Then Sheila said,"let us call your uncle and say hello, ok ?" and without waiting for an answer, she took her mobile phone from her handbag, and pressed a speed-dial number. As she put the phone to the ear to listen to the ringing, her eyes assumed an expectant distant look and lips formed a smile.
"she likes her father a lot", thought Reddy.
He heard:
"…..it's me dad…
….yes dad…..
…..no dad ….not this time…Nikki and I are going to a friend's house for Thanksgiving….
…..yes..yes..she is doing fine…
……..christmas ?……can I bring her too ?…
……..how is mom ?…
………..yes..yes..I can send her some pistachios…
……….I met him…he is right here….(smiled at Reddy) ….tall…just like you…
………No…no…I couldn't ask him that……YOU ask him…
………..his school ? ……Sam is looking into that ……you know, dad....Samanta Russell…Nikki's cousin….the attorney…
…………..like to say hello to him ?……hold on a sec….."
"Would you like to say hello to dad ?", she gave the phone to him.
He took it and Sheila heard:
"….hello uncle…."
" ….. doing fine…it is much colder than Chennai"
"….yes…yes…I will ask her for advice….you already gave ….."
" all is well…."
"….just in the evening….during day no class….just video class…."
"….to detroit ?…..thank you but…."
"…..oh..thank you very much….."
"….yes..yes…I'll be very careful…."
"….yes…yes…I will give back…now", and Reddy gave the phone back to Sheila.
"Hello dad…"
"yes..I know…I know…(giggle, giggle) …."
"….how is your OK .. ?…."
"…..Really ? ….she wants to ? ……that is nice….I am glad for her…are you and mom helping her ? …..heehheeeehhhhee … "
"……sorry dad…yes….not funny….I know….tell her I wished her good luck this time……."
"…you know such good people….yes…he is a nice guy…I know….tell him I said hello……"
"….and remember to……ok…ok….I know you're grown up already…..but ..take care dad.."
"….ok …dad…I have to go now….I love you…dad…mmmmchchu"
Reddy saw Nikki coming towards them. She came up behind Sheila, put her hands on Sheila's shoulder, bent down and kissed her on the cheek and said,"…good morning…you"; then she looked at Reddy and,"…good morning, how are we doing this morning ?", seating herself down next to Sheila. Now Reddy could see that Nikki is a younger woman than Sheila.
Reddy said," good morning Nikki", a little amused that he was helped by Sheila's phone call to recall that woman's name.
Nikki just had coffee.
As it was getting close to noon, the checkout time, Sheila gave Reddy the keycard and asked him to check the room, lock it and bring the key back. Reddy took the cardkey. By now he was getting used to Sheila's signals. "Nikki and Sheila want to have some girl talk", he surmised, as he walked to the room. In the room, he found his T-shirt on the sofa, and hers on the bed. He folded those and put them back in the drugstore plastic bag. He collected the tooth brushes and paste. Then he decided to wrap the unused shower cap around the T-shirt he had used, so as to separate it from the aroma of the other T-shirt within the bag. Then he locked the door and went back to the restaurant. The girls seem to be enjoying some joke. Sheila had her hand over Nikki's shoulder, they were jointly holding a newspaper page in front of them and shaking with laughter.
When he sat down, and gave Sheila the key, she asked,"everything ok ?"
He said," …I brought the T-shirts back …."
"..oh", Sheila said,"….that is good…finders keepers….I am gonna let you keep them…..for laughs…….is that alright ?"
"….yes..yes..I like to keep them", Reddy said.
Then Sheila and Nikki took Reddy back to his apartment. Sheila drove with Nikki in the passenger seat; Reddy was seated behind Nikki. It was a short and quick drive; streets were much emptier on a mid-day Sunday. Unlike the previous day, she arrived on the same side of the street where the apartment was located. As the car approached the apartment building, Reddy noticed one of his roommates outside the building, leaning on the streetlight smoking a cigarette.
"…you can drop me here…", Reddy said hurriedly.
"…naaah….it is only a little bit…" Sheila ignored his plea, and within a few seconds she pulled to the side of the street very close to the entrance of the apartment building, and the door locks clicked open.
Reddy opened his back door and stepped into the curb. Nikki slid her window open so that Sheila can say good-bye to her cousin. Reddy noticed his room-mate throw the cigarette down, squish it with his foot and walk toward the car.
"…cousin…take care now…call me if you need anything….y'hear... ", Sheila leaned over Nikki's lap and called out.
"…ok..ok..thank you", said Reddy hurriedly, then turned and moved to intercept his room-mate; he knew that if his room-mate got a good look at the girls in the car, there'd be a lot of stupid smutty talk and laughing in the apartment forever after that.
Nikki and Sheila saw Reddy put his hand on his roommate's shoulder, swing him around and walk him back with his hand firmly on the shoulder of that shorter guy. His roommate put his arm around the waist of Reddy as they walked back to the gate entrance of the apartment building.
Nikki turned to Sheila and raised her eye brows.
Sheila said,"….Naaah…I don't think so…"
They booth giggled, as Sheila eased the car onto the road.
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