[Rekha pulls out a spiral bound volume and gives it to Navya.]
Navya: Thank you, I’ll go through it.
Rachana: [Gets up from her seat.] See you with Nritya tomorrow.
Navya: In the evening that is.
[Rekha and Navya too get up from their seats.]
[Exit: Rachana and Rekha, after bidding adieu to Navya.]
[Navya browses through the material that Rekha gave her and shortly Ranjan and Nrupa come back from play. Navya nudges them into the children’s bedroom for wash and she resumes reading the material. Seven chimes of the clock (not in the scene)]
[Enter: Naveen with his briefcase and the lunch box. Navya goes up to him.]
Navya: [Taking the lunchbox.] What’s the news?
Naveen: I had a sumptuous meal.
Navya: What about my sixth sense?
Naveen: I said that I will tell you if I fail.
Navya: So you have clicked?
Naveen: It’s not that I failed to pass.
Navya: Why are you talking in circles?
Naveen: Because there is nothing straight about it.
Navya: To hell with you.
Naveen: Okay, but did Amway auntie turn up?
Navya: Stop saying that. Why as it turned out Rekha is the Company Secretary of Hares & Hounds.
Naveen: I’m relieved more than you as it soothes your nerves.
Navya: She wants to start a NGO to nail down the womanizers at workplace. Be a good boss or else.
[Naveen catches his ears with his hands crossed.]
Navya: Well, she wants to take me on board.
Naveen: You can cross the bridge when you come to it.
Navya: So you are not against the idea.
Naveen: If I oppose, you may lose your face.
Navya: How’s that?
Naveen: What if she propagates that your man is a MCP.
Navya: Well, I won’t let that happen. [She strokes his head affectionately.] [Curtains down.]
Scene – 2
[Curtains up: The Naveens’ drawing room where Ranjan and Nrupa were slow in getting ready to go to school. The clock (not in the scene) eight chimes.]
[Enter: Navya hurriedly with the lunch packs for them.]
Navya: [Annoyed] Oh, you, I know why you are dragging your feet.
Ranjan: Mummy, didn’t you tell us that Nritya auntie comes before we leave for school.
Navya: What am I to do when the train runs late? Your daddy rang up and said that it won’t reach before ten.
Nrupa: Why he forces us to go school when we love to play with auntie.
Ranjan: Please mummy, allow us to bunk school today.
Navya: Don’t you know your daddy won’t allow that.
Ranjan: But why?