Page 51 of Storm
He answered on the third ring saying,
‘I was about to call you.’
‘Why?’ I asked casually.
>
‘I can't call you?’
‘No, I thought you must be busy with the birthday preparations.’ I came to the point.
‘What birthday?’ Zidaan sounded confused.
It was my turn to be shocked and confused now, ‘Zidaan! In the morning our conversation remained incomplete because you told me you have to go, as Sani has come to your place to plan for her birthday.’
‘Ohh...I was trying to forget that.’ Zidaan groaned.
I chuckled,
‘Why? She wants you to arrange a party of her?’ I tried to sound indifferent though on the inside, I was starving for information.
‘No, worse. She is in full planning flow. Her enthusiasm about it is infectious. I had told you, every year she does this thing, were she actually wants everything but later pretends as if she is a new born model of innocence and...’ Zidaan said in a dramatically painful voice.
I stopped him midsentence,
‘I think you are over reacting.’ Thus, I instigated him to go on.
I smiled longingly, wishing I could witness all the madness myself.
Zidaan went on as if to prove his point,
‘You have no idea. See, her birthday is in a couple of days and like always, she is planning! And thus in a way hinting she would like to have and do so and so things on that day.’
‘But?’
‘But when the day arrives, she will go all coy and innocent as if she was never excited about it, never asked for anything to be done on that day. She’ll say, ‘Now you have brought it so, all right. Yeah, we will go to a movie if you insist. I wasn’t in the mood though.’
I laughed at Zidaan's imitation of Sani's voice, but it also made me a little sad, as I had no idea how she actually sounded.
Smirking mischievously I said,
‘Then try not giving it to her sometimes.’
Will be great to hear later on how she reacted to that, not knowing it was my suggestion.
‘Oh no no! If we don't pay heed, or God forbid we forget her birthday, she will be a nightmare! She won't yell or get mad or anything. She actually goes on this silent mode, which is irritating as hell. Not talking...Not smiling... As if, I'm invisible to her. She even brings out the tears and the cracked voice thing!’ Zidaan finished in a horrified tone.
‘She hasn’t grownup much, has she?’ I commented lazily, grinning to myself.
‘I don't think so.’
I went on,
‘But she is real mature now. Seems like it from what I have been hearing from you, since all these years about her.’
Zidaan became silent and I cursed myself for having shown too much interest. He would get suspicious now. Shit!
I had always made sure to keep it short. If I tried asking more, he would start doubting, if he hadn’t already. He had no idea about my heart’s desires and I wished to keep it that way for as long as I could. Although I knew, I could not let it go on forever. I will have to tell him soon...
