There were more than enough do’s and don’t’s she could read from the internet but she wanted to be ready to stay in the chilly winters of Dublin and that too with a small baby.
She was afraid how her little one was going to respond to the harsh weather seeing she wasn’t exposed to the cold temperatures ever but Twinkle was sure Kunj would have better arrangements in his apartment since he stayed there for a couple of years.
Elders can get accustomed to the new environment after a while or compel them to be but kids can’t even express the actual things they are feeling… if they are nauseous or feel a burn in their throat they can’t even say how and where they feel the discomfort and this thought at times made her want to change the timing of this small trip.
She talked about it to her mother in law and she assured her they were going to be fine and she was getting the paranoia because she was a mother first.
Keeping the stack of their warm wears in the suitcase she looked at the snow-filled roads of Dublin on her phone and shivered unknowingly. She had always enjoyed the cold weather in her hometown even the snow but road blockage and no supply of essentials for days that was not something she was looking forward to.
“What happened, you look disturbed,” he asked as he passed her and kept away his laptop on his work table.
“hey, when did you come?” she tried to sound normal and kept away her phone.
“I just came back but you were so much into whatever it was…” he pointed at her phone, pulling the chair and taking a seat to face her.
“No no, nothing. I was just packing our stuff so I don’t forget something in the rush later,” she answered opening the clutch which had secured her hairs in a bun.
“There is no need to overdo it, we have almost everything back in my apartment there and we can always go and grab something from the city,” he told her as he stood and worked on his already loosened tie and shirt buttons.
“from the city…” it ringed her ears, she was already apprehensive about the snow-filled roads and no power for days now he told her they were not living in the city.
“Yeah, there are malls and general stores that are open 24/7 so we’ll get anything we need,” he explained to her.
“But you said they are in the city so how far is the apartment from the main city?” she asked him alarmed.
“I mean…” he started but then he looked up and saw her face, there was something hidden behind in the big eyes, was it some kind of restlessness.
“What is the matter,Twinkle?” he asked looking straight at her.
“Ummm, nothing. I just wanted to know how far is it from the main city?” just in case we want to have dinner somewhere or want to shop urgently.” she could not tell him about her stupid fears.
“half an hour if roads are clear..” he answered and this dropped the second bomb on her.
“roads are clear ?” she exclaimed and her horror came on her face.
“yeah, roads get blocked when there is a snowstorm some days.” he still had no clue his every sentence was getting on her nerves.
“and what if there is no power…due to the storm, of course.” her next question was again one of her worries.
“My wife… They are facing such storms for centuries, they have developed infrastructure to handle them… power goes out but it is back in a few hours.” he smiled at her.
“and what about… she was about to ask him her next question.
“Can we please continue this getting to know Dublin city over tea… and Ma is already cooking something I smelled while coming upstairs,” he pretended tired suddenly and she realised he was coming home after a long day.
“Yeah, come fast,” she told him and slid the packed suitcase in a corner.
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“Kunj would be able to pick your bua by 2 tomorrow… her train shows it’s arriving at on right time,” Uma asked her son. he might not be free or something then she will arrange something for Shail.
“don’t worry bebe, I’ll manage, bua has sent me her train number I’ll pick her or send someone to get her,” he assured his mother.
“by the way bebe, bua is not someone who asks us to pick her …it seems she is getting old.’ he smiled on his bua.
“yes, even I thought why she insisted someone goes to pick her… I think my sister in law is indeed getting old.” they laughed together.
“What happened to Bua?” Twinkle joined them with her cup of tea as she ended the call to her sister.
“Nothing, we were just wondering why Shail is insisting someone goes to pick her up… and we are guessing she is coming with someone.” mother and son duo laughed and Twinkle looked at them for a while and then understood the joke but by then the joke has died so she just smiled awkwardly.
“you wanted to know about Dub…” he was cut midway as she pinched his sides under the table.
“bebe,” she started immediately to cover his words. “I was thinking to wash a few clothes this night if you need your sheets to be washed?” she didn’t want to discuss “the Dublin city” in front of her mother in law.
She didn’t know … it just felt awkward when her mother in law was very much putting it like a normal trip a newlywed was going to enjoy.
He nearly choked on his tea and focused on them more importantly her who has got herself busy asking about sheets and stuff. He was amazed at times with the superpower of women around him who changed the airs in no time and by the way he was living around three species with XX chromosomes. He mused on his thoughts.
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“Sorry, I just didn’t want to talk about it in front of bebe… it’s awkward, you understand ..right?” she faced him as soon as her mother in law left for the evening arti.
“Ma is way too easy with everything… I don’t think she had minded, also I never talked to her about how life was there,” he answered in a relaxed aura.
“Bebe is way too easy and that is the reason of awkwardness,” she muttered under her breath, taking a cookie.
“what happened… is there anything else that is troubling you?” he asked after he failed to hear her words.
“you are not going to think I am acting strange but see, it is my first time in a foreign city and then I was going through some stuff on the internet…” she took a pause and looked at the cookie.
“and…” he waited for her.
“see, I am not saying I am afraid but I read there are days when roads are blocked, vehicles slip in the trenches, snow is everywhere…” she looked at him and quickly added. “and about the snow, I am afraid Kavya is too little to handle that much of cold temperature.” she defended herself when she saw his lips curling in amusement.
“and I hate winters…do you know that?” he asked her.
“yeah, your sole develops brownish spots which itch a lot… I told ma to rub some warm mustard oil when you had asked her…” she stopped suddenly. “a few years back.” in a low voice she completed the sentence.
“but I still lived there and planned to live for a long time…” he stated the genuine truth.
She could not say anything, the same awkward silence was about to fall on her, she didn’t know when she was going to get rid of not blaming herself.
“and you have lived in Manali all your life so you have a better share of winter than me…right?” she looked up when his amused voice reached her ears.
“so I think you are not going to dislike the snow at all… and by the way, there are a lot of things one can enjoy in snow… it is good our Kavya would be feeling the snow on her hands. I want to give her every such experience,” he told her and assured her fears were nothing.
“and about the vehicles skidding the road and going into trenches… who told you to watch “the Ice road rescue” science drama,han?” he laughed at her.
“it’s not drama, they show real stuff.” she corrected him.
“Ok whatever… but people with common sense don’t really get out on roads when there is a snow storm warning, God, I can’t believe you were afraid about these things.” he nudged her shoulders.
“well, I wanted to get to know the city before planning a visit.” she tried to sound smart.
“well, in that case, you should have started the research a few weeks ago, not when you have to board the flight in a couple of days.” he laughed again grabbing the uneaten cookie she has kept away in between the talks.
“and there are a lot of good things to enjoy as well, we can grab our boots and visit the tasteful monuments, beautiful castles, followed by a cup of Irish coffee or maybe some days the famous Irish wine varieties..” he winked at her.
She covered her mouth behind her hand gaping at him.
“We have got a kid to take care and who do you think is going to take care of her when her parents are tasting wines and alcohols…” she slapped him lightly.
“We are just tasting the wines and not getting drunk, Dotey!” he faked some foreign accent she believed was Irish. They laughed at that.
“What did you say, Dot – what, what does it mean?” she asked him as he started to leave the table.
“go search on THE internet…spelling is D-o-t-e-y.” he teased her playfully and left.
“Sounds like I am going to enjoy this trip, castles and monuments… why the hell I didn’t search about it?” she wondered before her mind travelled to Dotey And she opened the search engine to type D O T E Y.
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Hey everyone, how are you?
I apologize as usual for the delay but I assure you the next one will be updated soon since I have to cut it from this one. (wanted the flight experiences to be an exclusive one).
I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter.
Will be waiting for your response.
Stay safe & stay healthy.
With love Morusya.
p.s. – are you guys following Mehndi hai rachne vali ? i have started a ff on the show as well so if you got some interest then follow my story “PETRICHOR TO HIS HEART” and let me know how was it.