S01E02 | Where do you take her out on Valentine’s Day?

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Copying or deriving characters from this story or any derivative work based on the theme of the book, Ayesha Diaries, or the characters mentioned in this book, is a legal offence.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

The author has tried to recreate locales and popular destinations from her memories of them and woven stories around them. 

Previously on Ayesha Diaries:
Click here to read the previous chapter of this story.
Day 1: Pre-Valentine's Day with Flamboyance and massage.
Getting lifted in the darkest corners of South Bombay behind trees more than the cops you would also expect the guy to be expecting a kiss. But if he lifts you all the way to the restaurant because you are sick,  would you doubt something fishy when he keeps going out on calls? What could it be?

For Ayesha,  it was becoming a dream come true. A chance date. Ayesha had thought it would end at the first date. But life surprises her, as always. An understanding date who respects her consent and comfort so much. He's been constantly speaking of Valentine's Day and made it much awaited. Someone who's seriously asking,  'Would you be my valentine?' But what actually happens on Valentine’s Day?

Day 2: So What happened on Valentine’s Day

Jeez. So it's Valentine's Day. Happy Valentine's Day! Got up so late in the day. I'm still horribly sick.



I kept thinking over and over. Can I kiss him? Or rather can I let him kiss me? Anyways he's a gentleman. Not like he would force. He wants to give us a chance. And I've never had a Valentine’s Day celebrated anyways. And being as romantic as I'm, I guess I deserve what Kali Ma is doing for me. I should plunge in. Nobody knows what life has in store. Unless we dare to explore,  we would never know anyways. That's my dose of self advice going there! Take it as it goes and play cool,  girl!


As sick as I'm, I must wear a dress for the big day. He's been looking forward to Valentine’s Day so much as if it's a festival, that even I've warmed up with butterflies. As much as I love wearing dresses,  the cleaning that goes along with it is so tiring. I'm taking installments at leg grooming and laughing at myself.
He says he won't meet before evening. What?

What? What? What?

OK. Fine. I must keep calm. This means I can rest. Medicine,  where are you!

Evening dawns. He's getting late. He's rushing. Calls. Whatsapps. Coordinating. Finally, we are meeting. I sneak into the huge charcoal Grey Fortuner. As liberal as I thought I was, I was growing to see that I was not. The vast difference in our backgrounds was speaking in the subconscious. Nothing affects till there's diversity in friendship or in workplace. But if it's a partner? Although you both know you are never going to be married, there's still a squeamish feeling. But I liked him. Nice chap with a nice smile.

Oh how happy he was to see the same me,  more drained out, sunken eyes, dark circles, constantly on medicines as I blinked my copper sulphate shimmer eyeliner at him. I'd put on my black floral baby doll dress with elbow length sleeves and a dazzling classy black belt with animal print to add a little bling for the occasion. Often times, a big city makes things way more transactional than real. You first get in,  put a seat belt and then say hi. Then, breathe in a little of the atmosphere. Then, finally look at the other person.

'AC is really cool. Can you pls increase the temp a bit? '

Heart thumping, we moved through Mumbai town traffic. Marine drive was packed with people. Times like this you realise the population because everyone wants to be out. Out in the streets, in the restaurants. Everywhere.

'Happy?' I warmly turned to him with my adoring smile and subtle matte dark crimson red lipstick.

' Yes, You are looking gorgeous. '

' Thanks', eyelashes flutter. Thank God!  was the inner real monologue. I knew I'd not been able to do enough. I must have stray hair. I was so exhausted and anaemic with my installments of grooming giving way to naps. Reason why you choose long sleeves. I don't know if my hair was very oily or ok–
'I've something for you', he turns to me from the steering wheel.
'Han? ' I softly gasp in disbelief.
Now that was a surprise. All I'd in my mind was to see him. I never expected anything.

PUFF, fell a rose on my head from the locked-in  sunshield mirror in the backdrop of his magician smile. I smelled the lovely fragrance and the soft caress of the red beauty. When did he do it?
'There's something else for you. Look down at your feet. Salaami –'
Another rose.
' And – '
He threw one more to my lap playfully. I smiled, thanked and fluttered. Then took medicine.
Coming back to being a routine couple, we found ourselves doing the same – Where should we go thing.

' I'd thought you must have some place in mind given that you were talking about it since so many weeks! '

' You saw how I ran, didn't you? Office, gym and straight up here'.

'Intercontinental? I've heard the roof top Dome is a perfect date spot. Or Kebab corner. That's a nice place. But I've been there. Any place else you have in mind?'

We tried. But of course we won't get a parking on Valentine’s Day!

'It's Valentine’s Day. Unless you reserve . .. I mean... I wonder if we will even get a place to.. '

' Let's try our luck '

Guilty me remembered how I'd come to Kebab Corner with Raj. Sweet chap. Oldest friend. He must be thinking of me. Only if I could fancy him a bit as I fancied this guy. Though he looked thinner in that fitting T shirt with a V neck,  his puffy biceps made me drool. Isn't it normal to be with someone you are atleast slightly attracted to? And who could beat his nature –

'Fifteen thousand for a table. Yes,  you can have everything on the barbeque or if you go Ala Carte... '

What? Oh, God! That's a lot of money.

' Isn't that a lot of money? '

Blank face. Yes. For me. But for a Merc owner–

He continued. ' Do you think it's worth it? '
He wanted me to say no. And,  of course it was unreasonable. But then–

'Where do we go now? Would any place be available? ' said my saddest voice beginning to think that this is how Valentine’s Day is gonna go like.

Back in the lobby we wait for the car, with all valets smiling at us warmly and me proudly holding the three roses close to my heart. We were quite a couple.

Am a horrible actor. I was not supposed to be the little girl. Come on. Be mature. Silver linings and smiles. Be positive.
'So? '
'So?'  I sighed looking down on my phone and at his iPhone 6 plus stuck to the car case, still wondering what will happen of the evening after looking forward to it for so long. I managed to breathe, 'Zomato? '
'Rather than the rip off here,  it's better we go to Taj –' he drove the car to a turn.
Wait. Did he say Taj?
'Can we–would we– that would be amazing but will we–'

'Let's call them up –'

I blinked. Little did he know that Taj was one of my biggest dreams that I'd sidelined as never happening. Even as I go to Gateway, I look at the Taj. Those walls with water falling on it swirling,  as if it were a waterfall. That lovely dome. Oh. My. God. I don't care if it's a tourist attraction now, after the 26/11 terrorist attack. But I love it to death. Always have. What a delight to watch. How royal. How enticing. It calls you in with a flavor. A class apart. The turbaned valets treating you like prince and princess. The dim lights and floral decorations giving you a fusion traditional charm as elitist SoBoites and tourists walk in clicking Jimmy Choos and Louis Vuitton (probably also,  from the Taj Louis Vuitton outlet), a perfect showmanship of riches and grandeur. Simply alluring.

From the next every line he spoke, it seemed he always went there. He knew all the restaurants in there. One after the other, he called them, the bluetooth music system of the car working for us in synch with his iPhone 6+.

Stars were in our favor. And we got down for a waiting. That was cool. Who would hate waiting in Taj?

'I really need to use the washroom '

My man nodded. I stared at the glass wall like doors infront of us.
' It's clearly written. We can't –'

'Why not? '

' Being literate –'

'Who said we know how to read? We don't',  he declared. The nervous adrenalin rush when you go to steal from the kitchen was gripping me. Wrong as it was, it was utterly tempting. I wish they hadn't read 'Trespassers will be prosecuted' very seriously.

Next post link is below. Yes, you have to click too ;)

S01E03 | The Valentine's Day kiss


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