Chapter 15

Bloomie

@bloomie

Part 15 [MEMBERSONLY][NOCOPY]

Three men were waiting. One of them was leaning against the door while the other two were sitting on the floor. They finally heard shuffling footsteps inside and light coming out from below the door. they exchanged meaningful glances…………………….

Riya pulled her hair up and tied them in a bun. Normally, the first thing she would do after waking up was take a bath but cleaning the house was going to make her dirty again. Her leg still pained as she walked with a limp. It would definitely slow her down.

Just then, the doorbell rang and her face jerked to look at the door.

Riya mv “kaun hoga? shayad team mein se koi?”

She went forward and opened the door to find three unknown men. She gulped. Her hand subtly went behind her back to grab a wooden showpiece from the table.

One of them removed his phone and called someone.

Riya: kaun ho tum log?

Headquarters-

The meeting was still on when Arjun received a phone call. He was about to reject it when he saw Mohan’s name flashing.

Arjun: excuse me sir, mujhe ye call lena hoga

The commissioner nodded in surprise wondering since when did he start have so many manners and Arjun stepped out of the room to answer.

Arjun: hello

Mohan: salaam saab, ek minute, main madam ko deta hu

Riya’s house-

Riya was confused at the silence and even more so at the phone being held out to her. She wished to slam the door shut on their faces but she wanted answers as well. She took the phone with the other hand and put it to her ear.

Riya: hello?

Arjun: hi Riya!

She breathed a sigh of relief on hearing his voice: hello sir, good morning

Arjun: good morning, acha Riya ye mere admi hai, Mohan, Birju aur Kushal….

Riya: par sir Shree aur Riddhima dono toh arrest ho chuke hai, ab kaisa khatra?

Arjun chuckles: khatra nahi Riya, kaam

Riya: matlab?

Arjun: matlab ye ki apne pair ko break do aur apni ghar ki safayi inse karwao

Her jaw dropped to the ground: KYAA?!!? Aapne Inhe Mere Ghar Ki Safayi Ke Liye Bheja Hai?!?!

Arjun: ha and don’t worry, tumhari saari baat maanenge, maine bol diya hai

Riya: lekin sir…

Arjun: lekin wekin kuch nahi! hum abhi commissioner sir ke paas hi hai, tumhara appointment letter lene aur formalities puri karne, kal se office aa jaana, abhi apna ghar theek kar do aur ha! davai lagana mat bhulna, samjhi ya samjhau?

Riya: samajh gayi sir

Arjun: ok bye! See you tomorrow!!

Perplexed, she passes the phone back to Mohan mv “see you tomorrow? Ghar ki safayi? Ye Arjun sir ko kya ho gaya hai? aisa kya ho gaya 6 mahino mein? Kahi Shree Sakshi ke baare mein….nahi Riya! uski batayi hui har baat jhut hai, mat maan usne kaafi problem create karke rakhi hai aur agar aisa hota bhi toh woh sirf Sakshi se normally baat karte hai, hum sab se kya lena dena?”

Birju: madam?

She comes out of her thoughts: huh? Ha (giving them way) ayiye (taking a deep breath) pehle dusting, cabinets saaf karenge fir kapde, ek-ek karke rooms lenge aur last mein ek aur jhadu pocha taaki fir se kahi aur ki dhul na jam jaaye!

She led them to a closet where all the necessary equipment for cleaning was kept.

Riya: pehle kitchen, chaliye!

They nodded and got to work. Mohan starts throwing out the old groceries. Birju starts removing utensils while Kushal cleans the cabinets with Riya instructing them. She sends Mohan out for a fresh load of groceries and stocks the entire thing. Within 2 hours, the kitchen was spotless. However, the men had more or less broken the backs already. She wouldn’t spare a single speck of dust anywhere. If that was not enough, they had to clean the walls of the room too.

Riya: Birju ji aap hall mein curtains aur covers sab nikal kar washing machine mein daal dijiye, aap dono dusting kijiye fir deewar saaf kar dena, main tab tak naha leti hun

They nodded as she went into the room and locked it.

Kushal dropped to the ground: hey bhagwan ye Arjun sir ne kaha fasa diya?

Birju: sach mein, isse toh behtar main gundo ko dhundhta tha

Mohan: are chalo, chalo! Agar madam naraaz ho gayi toh sir bhi naraaz ho jaayenge!

Horrified, they all set to work. After a quick shower, Riya goes straight into the kitchen.

They had cleaned most of the hall when Riya came out and laid plates on the dining table.

Riya: chaliye haath-muh dho lijiye, khaana ready hai

They looked at each other in shock.

Kushal: are nahi madam, aap kha lijiye, hum baahar kar lenge

Riya: baahar kyun? maine bana diya hai, ab chalo jaldi se, thanda ho jaaye isse pehle

Mohan: lekin madam…

Riya glares at them. Mumbling agreements, they did as they were told. She was truly a wonderful cook and they were hungry, no wait, ravenous after all the work.

On the other hand, Sakshi had reminded Arjun of his promise and dragged him for a date.

Blue Moon Restaurant-

Sakshi: bolo Arjun, kya loge?

Arjun: tumhe jo chahiye woh mangwao

Sakshi: theek hai! baad mein mat kehna ki main nahi pucha

He gives her a thumbs up. He was actually feeling very weird. He didn’t know in what frame of my mind he had agreed for the blasted date. He didn’t even remotely like her in a romantic way. His thoughts and feelings were continuously asking for Riya and here he was on a lunch date with a flirt. Just how did he manage to end up in such a situation?

Sakshi’s finishes ordering and turns to him: ab bolo

Arjun: huh?

Sakshi: oho! Humesha toh main bak-bak karti hun, ek din tum nahi kar sakte?

Arjun: uh, nahi, tum continue karo

She rolled her eyes: I don’t believe this!! Ek batao tum kabhi apni biwi ke saath baahar lunch ya dinner par nahi gaye?

Arjun: par tum meri biwi nahi ho right?

Sakshi: ha lekin thoda kam awkward toh ban hi sakte ho

Arjun rubbed his forehead half in embarrassment and half in confusion.

Arjun: Sakshi, I… I have no idea why I am here, honestly, bura mat maan na lekin mera dimag yaha nahi hai

Sakshi: ha woh toh mujhe hi dikh hi raha hai, kaha hai? (teasing him) Riya ke paas?

He looks at her in surprise. She hits her head with her hand.

Sakshi: buddhu ho tum! Come on! Tumne uski information ke liye mujhe hug kiya! mere saath date par baithe ho! apni jaan par khel gaye haala ki woh toh tum karte rehte ho, fir bhi aur kal jab woh mili toh ek second ke liye bhi use apne se door nahi jaane diya, hum sab andhe hai kya?

Arjun smiles. He relaxes a little, getting more comfortable in her presence.

Sakshi: and ya! Uske aate hi tum hasne aur muskurane lage, isse badi baat kya ho sakti hai?

He averts his gaze smiling to himself: aaj maan leta hun ki reporters bhi thodi bahot investigation kar sakte hai

Sakshi(flatly): very funny!

The waiter arrived and placed their order. They start eating and she starts with her questions.

Sakshi: acha ab kam se kam apni love story ke baare mein toh batao, tum dono ko pyaar kab hua, propose kab kiya? OMG! ACP Rawte ne propose kiya? you have to tell me how!

Arjun(amused): Sakshi break lagao thoda aur rahi baat love story ki toh sach kahu mujhe bhi nahi pata. Woh ladki ekdum pagal thi, humesha Shree aur Chotu ke saath hasi-mazaak karti rehti thi lekin kaam ke time utni hi sincere thi, (he goes into a trance as he speaks) practical se zyaada theory par bharosa karti thi aur Bhooton se bhi darti thi, criminals ko dhoti thi lekin un par goli chalane se pehle haath kaanpte the, humesha sabko sudharne ka mauka dena chahti thi, goli nahi chalati thi lekin musibat mein haath daalne fir bhi pahunch jaati thi, kabhi ekdum nadaan toh kabhi ekdum mature, mujhe toh samaj hi nahi aata tha ki ek insaan mein do opposite qualities kaise ho sakti hai? pata hi nahi chala ki kab usne mere dil mein apni jagah bana li? Main bas apne feelings ko samaj hi raha tha ki usne Xora kha liya aur fir

He stops abruptly. His mind flashes to her supposed last moments. His shattered heart had crumbled to powder that day. He was still reeling under the trauma of the memories when,

Sakshi stared at him incredulously: WHAT THE HELL?!

Arjun snaps out of his thoughts. His gaze darts around to find the whole restaurant staring at them.

Arjun: Sakshi, behave

Sakshi: Tumne Use Propose Nahi Kiya?!!?

Arjun: uh nahi, mauka hi nahi mila

Sakshi: Matlab Use Pata Nahi Ki Tum Usse Pyaar Karte Ho?!?!

Arjun: uh, nahi

She bangs her hands on the table and stands up.

Sakshi: ACP ARJUN SURYAKANT RAWTE!! ARE YOU CRAZY?!?!

Before Arjun could try and pacify her, a waiter comes to their table.

Waiter: ma’am please baith jayiye, baakhi customers disturb ho rahe hai

Sakshi scolded him like he was a criminal: Is Gadhe Ne Use Propose Nahi Kiya!!!

He looks at Arjun who was red in embarrassment by now. He clears his throat and repeats.

Waiter: ma’am please, dusre customers disturb ho rahe hai

Sakshi: are lekin…

Arjun: Sakshi chup ho jao yaar, puri duniya ko batane ki zaroorat nahi hai, baitho warna main jaa raha hun

She glares at him and then the waiter. Unwillingly, she takes her seat. The waiter leaves.

Sakshi: Arjun tum paagal ho, kab batane waale ho use?

Arjun: bata dunga sahi waqt aane par

Sakshi: aur kab aayega tumhara sahi waqt?

Arjun: jab mujhe lagega ki woh emotionally stable ho gayi hai tab, ab sawal karna band karo aur shanti se khaana khao aur mujhe bhi khaane do!

She glared at him. He glares her back. Rolling her eyes, she focuses on her food all the while cursing him mentally.

Riya’s home-

They cleaned the rest of the living room after lunch, changed the plants on the terrace who had all dried up, followed by the bedroom and an overall jhadu pocha of the entire house.

Riya sprayed the room freshener  in the house and twirled. She was finally home!

She again made a hearty dinner for them which they enjoyed profusely. It was 9 by the time it was all over. The men bid her goodbye and left straight to meet Arjun.

At the office, the team was still working as one, they had reported in late and two the commissioner wanted a report the very next day. Since he had given time till afternoon, they weren’t planning on leaving very late, just till around 10 or so.

Conference room-

Ayesha gets stuck at a point in the report: waise Arjun sir, aapke admi ko Riddhima ka pata chala ok, lekin Shree Chetan ko PCO par call kar raha tha, woh kaise pata chala?

Arjun: Dump Data Analysis se

The juniors looked at him in shock: WHAT?!?!?!

Arjun: ha itna chouk kyun rahe ho?

Ayesha: Dump

Liza: data

Chotu: analysis

Sakshi: akele?

Rathore giggles: are guys! Aashiq ki devdas ta par kabhi bhi shak nahi karna chahiye, woh bhi Arjun Rawte ki aashiqui? Not a freaking chance!

Arjun shot him a glare while the others suppressed their smiles, not having courage to laugh at the ACP.

Chotu: haila! Arjun sir? aap Riya se pyaar karte hai?

Rathore: ye dekho tubelight

Arjun(angrily): Rathore!!! Puri duniya mein announce karne ki zaroorat nahi hai!! aur how the hell did you know?

Rathore: main kya tumhe andha lagta hu? Itne pyaar se kabhi khud ki injury par marham lagaya hai tune? Khud ki chodo, kabhi pyaar se meri dressing bhi ki hai tune?

Sakshi starts laughing: dekha Arjun, maine toh tumse subah hi kaha tha

Arjun: tum chup raho!

Sakshi: main kyun chup rahu aur waise…

A knock resounded on the conference room. They turned to see as Rathore allowed them in. Arjun’s men greeted him....................................