Chapter 24

**Chapter 24: Dancing and Falling**

The next day, Vikram asked if he could bring his daughter over to the house for her first lesson. Pallavi agreed quickly, she was very excited to teach again, and she hoped that Raghav wouldn’t be there to spoil her mood. When she came downstairs and saw Raghav discussing some work with Farhad, she plucked up the courage to ask him.

“So, since it’s the end of the month, I’m assuming you and Farhad will be busy at your showroom all day and evening right?” Pallavi asked, nonchalantly.

Raghav looked up at Pallavi. So she was talking to him now, Raghav thought, what did she want him to come home today for? “Kyun, did you need me for something tonight? Yeh pathni ka natak mere samne math karo, that’s what you told me right?”

Farhad backed away from the conversation, wondering if Raghav would stop before he put his foot in his mouth or destroyed any chance at a relationship with Pallavi Bhabi.

“I don’t need you for anything, please go spend the whole night at your shop if you wish.” Pallavi turned and hid her smile, Raghav clearly wasn’t planning on being early from work tonight, she’d be able to have her dance lesson in peace.

When Vikram knocked on the door at four in the afternoon, with Vidya by his side, he was hoping that Raghav wouldn’t be the one to open the door. He knew that he had signed a deal with him, but over the past couple weeks, he had gotten to know Pallavi so well that he realized that something was off about this marriage. Raghav seemed to be the kamina everyone in Hyderabad knew he was, and it didn’t matter how many diamonds he was able to sell in India, he’d stay like that.

Pallavi opened the door, she had told Amma and Keerthi about the lesson, and though they wanted to stay, Keerthi had some work with another shop she did the accounts for, and Amma wanted to go to the temple. So she had the house to herself for once.

“Hi Vikram, and this must be the famous Vidya, how are you today?”

Vidya was shy, but Pallavi’s kindness and gentleness was something that any child would take a liking too immediately, “I’m doing okay Pallavi Aunty, aur aap?”

“Main? I’m doing amazing, your Papa has given me a chance to teach Kathak again, so my day is going splendidly!” She let the both of them inside.

“Thank you for doing this Pallavi, Vidya has been dancing up and down the walls since I told her.” Vikram was relieved that Raghav was no where to be seen. “Do you mind if I just hang out here while you two dance your pants off? Vidya’s nanny has her day off today, it’s a hassle for me to drop her and then come back.”

“Of course not, Vidya, I moved around the patio furniture in the back garden, so as long as you don’t mind dancing on grass, want to have the lesson out there? The marble floor inside is so unforgiving, isn’t it?”

Vidya nodded, “Aunty, I was telling Papa about this dance I just finished practicing can I show you?” She followed Pallavi eagerly to the back garden.

Vikram smiled as he took a seat on a bench outside and watched them start their lesson. Somehow, his daughter, who disliked almost all women, even her nanny, since his wife, Aishwarya had left them, had immediately taken a liking to Pallavi.

Pallavi was surprised at how easy teaching Vidya was, but she wasn’t surprised with how much she enjoyed it. After about an hour of Pallavi learning Vidya’s strengths and weaknesses, she could tell that Vidya was getting tired, but she was having so much fun, “Vidya, maybe that’s enough for you today, but since this is my audition to be your teacher, would you like to see what I can teach you one day?”

Vidya nodded excitedly and when Vikram smiled, Pallavi made her sit down next to him and put on a song from her phone.

Across town, at around forty minutes past four, Raghav started thinking about Pallavi. Why had she asked if he was staying late at the office today? Was she hiding something from him, and wanted him out of the house so he didn’t find out? Or did she have some sort of plan for him?

“Farhad, you and the accountant can handle the rest, you don’t really need me here right?” Raghav asked, getting up from his desk.

“Sure we can, why are you going to see Bhabi?” Farhad asked slyly.

“Shut up, Farhad” Raghav said, but as he left his office he was smiling.

When Raghav entered the house he heard music, when he went to see where it was coming from, he noticed Pallavi dancing from the window that faced the back garden. She was wearing a simple pale blue salwar kameez, the chunni tied around her waist. She was immensely graceful, her facial expressions felt like she was actually speaking to him, the way her hands moved like water sent a shiver up Raghav’s back, his breath caught in his mouth. As he moved closer to the door, he noticed Vikram, and a small girl, who must be his daughter sitting, watching Pallavi’s performance. So this is why Saree ka Dukaan was asking about his plans this morning. She wanted to perform her own private show for Vikram without any interruptions, presumably from him. The dragon in his chest started roaring again, he didn’t even care that he was being illogical, obviously Vikram’s daughter had been here the whole time, but still. Watching his wife dance, especially so beautifully, for another man, enraged him. As he walked out, Vikram and his daughter noticed him, but Pallavi didn’t.

Then because sometimes fate enjoys being funny, Pallavi stepped on a small stone and tripped, Raghav ran to catch her.

“Pallavi, are you okay?” Vikram stood up, concerned.

Pallavi, her eyes lost in Raghav’s, stood up quickly while Raghav let go of her waist and hand, “Yes, yes I’m fine, I just lost my footing for a second.” She looked at Raghav, Pallavi didn’t know why, but seeing him here made her feel guilty. He had known that she was going to be teaching Vidya, but suddenly she felt like she had kept something from him she shouldn’t have.

“Uncle, you caught Pallavi Aunty like the heroes in the movies catch the heroines!” Vidya bounced excitedly, “Do you live here too?”

Raghav smiled at the little girl, “Yes, I do, I’m married to Pallavi Aunty.” He looked up at Vikram when he said this. Vikram could tell Raghav was marking his territory, like a lion does with his pride.

“Raghav, good to see you, Pallavi just gave my daughter an excellent lesson, it seems I made the right choice in basically begging her to teach my daughter. Pallavi, you dance exceptionally well, even if the errant stone makes you trip.” Vikram smiled at Pallavi, noticing Raghav’s clenched jaw at this compliment.

“Uncle, do you teach Kathak too?” Vidya asked, not noticing the silent conversation that was going on between the three adults.

Pallavi laughed, “No Vidya beta, Raghav Uncle runs a jewelry shop, next time you have a performance though, you better go straight there to buy your dance jewelry.” She smiled at Raghav, trying to convey to him that she was a little sorry for inviting Vikram inside without telling him. Even though she didn’t really understand why she was feeling sorry.

“Vidya, your Aunty does dance Kathak pretty well, but see, what she doesn’t realize is that I’m trained in a much more difficult and ancient dance form. I’m a Bharathanatyam dancer.” Raghav said, relishing the look on Pallavi’s face at this backhanded compliment.

“Raghav, first, it’s not proven that Bharathanatyam is older than Kathak, second, even if it is, it doesn’t make Kathak any less impressive. Kathak is also more graceful and requires an intense amount of focus to master” Pallavi responded, trying to defend her skill.

Raghav smiled quietly, “is that so, Saree ka Dukaan? So you think Kathak takes more *discipline* than Bharathanatyam, and is more graceful?”

“I do.” Pallavi replied confidently.

Raghav walked inside quietly as Vidya asked Pallavi to show her one of the steps from her dance to her again. Pallavi obliged.

Two minutes later, Raghav walked out into the garden again, much to Pallavi and Vikram’s surprise, in a simple red kurtha and white flowing pants, in his hands were a pair of ghungroos.

“Vidya, it looks like your Aunty is a little exhausted, do you want to see what a real dancer can do?” Raghav bent down to put on the ghungroos, and then stood up.

“Oooh yes, Papa can we stay a little while longer?” Vidya asked her father, who nodded, intrigued.

Raghav then turned on a classical South Indian song, a keerthanam about Lord Shiva, from what Pallavi could tell from the little Tamil that she knew, and after the initial prayer all Bharathanatyam dancers begin with, Raghav began.

Pallavi watched intently as Raghav moved across the garden. His feet pounding the earth with force, his expressions reflecting the passion and dedication with which Lord Shiva himself must have brought to the art. Pallavi couldn’t deny that it was beautiful, graceful, and slightly awe-inspiring. When Raghav finished, Vidya wasn’t the only one clapping, Pallavi was too.

“I guess Raghav Rao has proven me wrong.” Pallavi said, smiling.

Raghav smiled back, “You should know not to underestimate me, or South India. We’re not to be trifled with down here, Pallavi Rao.”

Vikram interrupted this banter, much to Raghav’s displeasure, “Well, when I met you two, I never thought I would get to see so much talent under one roof. Very impressive, Raghav. Though, it may be my North Indian bias showing, but Pallavi, I definitely preferred your performance.” He smiled that jovial smile yet again, which made Pallavi grin but Raghav had to hold back his scowl.

“Vidya, I think we’ve taken up enough of Aunty’s and Uncle’s time, we should leave right?” Vikram asked, and when Vidya nodded and said bye to Pallavi and Raghav, Vikram looked at Pallavi and said, “Thank you again Pallavi, shall we say a similar time next week? And while I can definitely give an arm and a leg for the happiness you brought Vidya today, you should just message me with a fair rate soon, because I’m a classic overspender as my accountant says.”

Pallavi laughed, walking Vikram and Vidya to the door, not realizing that Raghav was following them, “I will, but I’m warning you, if you tell me to set a rate commensurate to my skills, you might end up taking out a personal loan.” She hugged Vidya goodbye.

Right as Pallavi was about to close the door, Raghav said, “I just have some business to discuss with Vikram, about *our* business, I’ll be right back.”

Pallavi nodded and watched Raghav leave, she started thinking about the strength it must take to perform as Raghav just did. As she went upstairs to change back into a saree, she found herself thinking about how Raghav’s biceps seemed to bulge out of his kurtha as he was dancing, how he didn’t seem to miss a beat even though she had seen beads of sweat trailing down his head and neck. She thought back to how it felt with his hands on her waist when he caught her before, then she realized she had reached the bedroom and shook the thoughts out of her head. So what if Ghamandi Rao could dance, thousands of people in the world could dance.

Outside the house, Raghav ran to Vikram and Vidya before they got in the car.

“Vidya darling, do you mind sitting in the car for a minute, I have some important business to talk about with your Papa.” Raghav bent down and asked her sweetly, his eyes noticing Vikram’s confused expression.

After Vidya got in the car, Raghav stood to his full height, and met Vikram’s eyes.

“See, Vikram, I know you’re new to Hyderabad, and since we’re new business partners, I think it’s best I just explain a couple things to you. I’m assuming you already know and think this, but I, Raghav Rao, am Hyderabad’s Number One Kamina. Everyone in this city knows my name, they know what I do, and they know what’s mine stays mine.” Raghav put his hand on Vikram’s shoulder, giving off a friendly but mainly threatening air, “Now, I know you’re recently divorced, so you’re just getting back on your feet. But I think it’s best if you found another ‘unattached’ woman to shower compliments on. Don’t you think?”

Vikram smiled and laughed a little, taking Raghav’s hand off his shoulder, “Raghav Rao. Hyderabad ka Number One Kamina. Thank you for explaining things, or trying to at least. First of all, even though you really do live up to the ‘kamina’ moniker, your wife, Pallavi, she’s not an object to be owned, she’s not ‘yours.’ She’s her own person. On the second point that you made,” Vikram took a step closer to Raghav, so he could be sure only the two of them were listening to what he was saying, “yes, I am recently divorced. But, if you must know, my wife left me, and her own daughter, because she had an affair and fell in love with another man. So I don’t make a habit of coming in between relationships. However, I’ve gotten to know Pallavi quite well over the past couple weeks, and from what I can tell, you’re an atrocious husband. Now I can’t explain why a woman like Pallavi chose to destroy her life and marry a man like you, but I can assure you, one day she will decide she can’t take your behavior any longer. And that day, I might be there. Because yes, while I stay within my limits, Pallavi is intelligent, passionate, kind, and probably one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen in my life. So in exchange for your very nice ‘explanation’, I offer you a warning instead. Retire your ‘kamina’ title, because it might not be worth the cost.” Vikram stepped back from Raghav, smiled, and added, “I’ll be seeing you, about some ‘actual’ business next time.”

Vikram got in his car and drove off, leaving Raghav feeling murderous.

When Raghav walked into his room to change, Pallavi was walking out of the bathroom, she had showered and changed into a deep purple saree. When he was walking up the stairs he had intended to tell Pallavi that he had been right about Vikram’s intentions, but when she smiled at him, a genuine smile it seemed, he forgot what he had planned to say. She stood in front of the vanity and put her earrings back on, and opened her box of sindoor.

“God, dancing with Vidya today was so much fun. I haven’t felt this alive in years I don’t think,” she paused and looked at Raghav closely, he seemed angry. Perhaps he was angry at her for not telling him that Vikram was going to come in, she didn’t know why she felt guilty about it, but she figured an apology would help her guilt and maybe his anger.

“I’m sorry by the way, I was going to tell you about the lesson, I just got so excited about it this morning that I was more interested in getting to it than telling…” she trailed off, applying the sindoor, avoiding his eyes guiltily in the mirror.

Raghav was taken aback, she had apologized, and he could tell she had meant it. Whatever the reason for Pallavi not telling him, he was oddly glad that she had apologized. It wasn’t that big a deal either, so what if Vikram complimented her or had called her beautiful. Remembering Vikram’s words, ‘Pallavi is intelligent, passionate, kind, and probably one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen in my life’, made Raghav clench his fist again.

Pallavi, stood up, not noticing that his anger was back, because suddenly she felt shy for the first time in front of her husband, “Incidentally, I do think you proved me wrong.”

Raghav snapped back to the conversation, “about what?” He tried to put Vikram out of his mind.

“About the skill and grace in Bharathanatyam, your dance was…it was spectacular.” Pallavi blushed, and she cursed herself because she had no idea why.

Raghav grinned, “Really, as graceful as this Kathak I’ve heard so much about?” He took a slight step closer to her, the smell of jasmine from her perfume making his knees go a little weak.

Pallavi laughed, “I’m admitting I was wrong, isn’t that enough? It made me wish I had learned Bharathanatyam too as a kid.” She looked into his eyes and then down again, slowly walking to the door. She had to start dinner before Amma and Keerthi came back, but she was wondering if what she was experiencing was a “dancer’s high” or if it was something else.

As she started to leave, Raghav called out behind her, “I could teach you, you know?” Dear god, what was wrong with him. He was going to teach Saree ka Dukaan Bharathanatyam now? Raghav cursed himself, why was he saying such stupid things?

Pallavi looked back at him, laughing, the playfulness in her eyes making Raghav’s stomach flip again, “now that sounds like a lesson I can’t miss.” She turned and went downstairs, leaving Raghav smiling to himself. Confused at why he suddenly felt like he was on a rollercoaster, and the ride had just started to make the fall down a peak.

Chapter 25