Chapter 20
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Desert Rose ' Chapter 19
ARNAV
sat in his study looking at the letter that Ria had sent. It was the two week
notice that Akash had failed to see, consequentially putting them in a
precarious position with regards to the fashion event, leaving them without a
co-ordinator or a designer for the ethnic collection.
'I
am really sorry Bhai,' Akash apologized for the millionth time, 'but I can't
understand why Ria would suddenly do this to us.'
Arnav
remembered the portfolio she had brought over to the house that night in Delhi,
before they had quarrelled. Afterward he had hired one of the designers and
left her in charge of the event.
'She
even came to my wedding.' Akash commented as Arnav continued to brood.
On
the Sangeet night, after dropping her off to her room, he had made it very
clear to her that the incident in the study earlier, could never ever repeat. He
had then assigned the responsibility of the event to Akash, under her
supervision.
But
it was clear from her behaviour that she hadn't taken that rebuff lightly. She
had fired the designer for the ethnic collection on the basis of incompetence
just before sending in her two week notice to the Delhi office, knowing very
well that it would be couriered to Raisar when he would be away on his business
trip. She had deliberately set out to sabotage the fashion event. He had never
imagined that she had the brains to pull this off so smoothly. To make matters
worse, he couldn't even take action against her because she was legally on the right.
'It
doesn't matter why she did this,' he said harshly, angry more at himself than
at Akash, 'the point is you should have seen that damn notice and let me know
right away!
'How
the f@#$ are we going to be ready for the fashion event which is in ten days?
None of the good designers will be available for us now.'
'But
bhai,' said Akash in a low voice, 'you said Khushi's name was on the list of
potential designers that Aman scouted for us. We have a chance, however slight,
don't we?' Akash asked as Arnav continued to stare out toward the window, his
face hard and unreadable.
Just
then they heard a knock and Khushi walked in unaware of the tension in the
room. After asking her about her role in her previous job, Arnav had asked her meet
him in the study after freshening up. He had been so cryptic that her
trepidation had increased.
'Akash,
would you please leave us?' Arnav said, 'I want to talk to Khushi alone.'
'Why
didn't you tell me?' he asked her as soon as Akash left the room. When Khushi
remained silenthe continued, 'the day I showed you the picture on my phone.'
Khushi's
thoughts went back to the day in the green house when he had said ---
You have a bloody nerve, standing on my property preaching
to me about my morals, when you yourself expose yourself in front of thousands
'You didn't really give me a chance to,
remember?' she shot back. Arnav face went taut, the muscle in his jaw ticking
when he remembered how he had kissed her to prove a point.
Standing
up swiftly, he came up to herand grabbed her hands, his fingers biting into the
soft flesh of her upper arms. 'But you could have told me later --- the day you
barged into the bedroom and gave me a lashing for having those picture
removed!'
'You
had formed preconceived notions about me after seeing those pictures,' she countered,
'would it have made any difference if I had told you?'She tried shrugging off
his arms but failed.
'God
Khushi if you had only told me ----' he stopped as they both realized at the
same instant that he was talking about the night in the desert.
You work in the fashion
industry for heaven's sake! What was I supposed to think?
'Right!'
she exclaimed, tears filling her eyes, 'I should have told you. I am sorry it's
all my fault.
'It's
my fault that the model didn't turn up that day and Mrs Malhotra forced me to
do the photo shoot, threatening me I would lose my job if I didn't. It's my
fault that you happened to see those pictures!
'Khushi''
Arnav said.
'It's
my fault I had to dress that way so that my clientswould take me more
seriously.It's my fault you thought I was a model, and that I was older and
sophisticated enough to understand what it meant to "go out" with a man!
'Khushi'.
stop.' He let go of her hands.
'Basically
it's my fault you were forced to
marry me!'
But my biggest fault is that
I fell in love with you!Khushi dammed the words beating in her heart and ran out of
the room banging the door shut behind her.
The
next day, as Khushi stood in the kitchen making breakfast, Hariprakash came in
and informed her that Arnav wanted to see her in the office. As she stepped
inside she saw Arnav standing with his back toward her, his hands in his
pockets looking out of the window. He had not come back to the bedroom last
night. But he seemed to have showered and changed.
'I
am sorry.' He said in a low voice without turning around.
'Excuse
me?' said Khushi who wasn't sure if she had heard right.
Arnav
turned around to look at her. 'I am sorry.' He said again. 'I am sorry for making
those assumptions about you.
As
Khushi looked up in surprise he continued, 'I should have guessed that day at
the factory, that you had more than a passing interest in clothes.' He said as remembering
how she had suggested a change in the colour combination of the fabric.
'I
truth is, I have never really considered myself as a designer,' she said, 'I began
to work at Mrs Malhotra's boutique, five years ago, to put myself through
college. I learnt everything I know under herguidance. After I joined her full
time, she gave me more responsibility. I didthe design, the basic cutting, made
sure the necessary embellishments were done on it before it was delivered to
the customer. I was more of a glorified tailor.
'Whenever
I presented new ideas to her, she always asked me to come back with something
different. She never liked any of them.'
'Of
course,' Arnav said sardonically,'she probably sold your design to an affluent
customer, putting her own name on it.'
'Well,'
she paused.'I couldn't afford to be ambitious. I had Payal to take care of and
it was about survival.'
'Khushi,'
he said after a few moments of silence, 'do you think you can ----' he
hesitated.
'Yes,
I will do the designs.' she said.
When
he looked up at her in surprise, she said, 'Jeejaji told me yesterday.'
As
Arnav swore under his breath she added quickly, 'he didn't know. He thought you
had already asked me.'
'I
don't know who the hell asked him to interfere,' Arnav raged, 'as if he hasn't
done enough already.'
'Arnavji,
please,' Khushi said emphatically, 'Don't be so angry with him. Not everyone
can be like you.'
'What
do you mean?'
'You
had the capacity to start a company from scratch after you lost everything. You
revived the factory and took care of your entire family from a very young age.
This is because of your hard work and keen sense of responsibility.'
She
continued, 'As you yourself mentioned some time back, your brother has led a
very sheltered life and he needs a little more time to settle down. You have to
give him another chance.'
As
Arnav looked at Khushi intently,Khushi realized she had spoken more than
necessary. She quickly said, 'I will do the designs for you because that's the
least I can do to thank you for helping out in Payal and Akash's marriage.'
'That
is so gracious of you,' Arnav paused, his face hardening, 'Alright we will
start in an hour.'
'Wait,
don't you want to see some of my designs first?' she said alarmed at his
abruptness.
'I
have already seen them.'
Khushi's
colour rose as she realized he was talking about the same modelling pictures.
Later
thatmorning, Khushi sat on a chair under the gazebo of the terrace outside
their bedroom. She was working on a design, but she had some difficulty
thinking about a good one as it had been a long break for her.
Looking
out into the beautiful garden,she realized that it had been a while since she
had observed the colourful bougainvillea, the desert rose plants and fragrant
plumaria. She remembered how she had enjoyed all the little things back home in
Delhi.
Her
thoughts went back to the night in Delhi when she had found Payal in the
kitchen, with the gas stove carelessly left on. She remembered how unwaveringly
confident Payal had been about Akash and his love for her. She had set out on
mission to get her sister married, without the slightest inkling that, within
the next one month she would be the one to be married first, and that too, to a
man --- she had fallen in love, with a desperation she couldn't explain.
And
now she was, making designs for a dream company she hadn't even dared to dream
about.
Payal
had said, It's fate''
She
hadn't believed in fate then. How wrong
she had been!
The
following night, Arnav sat in the study, looking at the sketches Khushi had
made so far. He realized that he had a winner in his hands. Her designs had a
fresh look, and were far better than the original designer's samples. There was
no doubt that she was extremely talented. And in the pace they were working, it
looked like they might just make it to the fashion event.
He
stepped out of his study so that he could take a break. He and Khushi had been
working all day and late into the night since yesterday and he was dead beat.
As
he walked past the media room, he heard laughter wafting out. Curious, he
peeped in to see the entire family engrossed in a movie in which the hero
seemed to be involved in some antics that looked very much like Charlie Chaplin
invoking guffaws from the entire family seated on the sofas closest to the
screen. Anjali, and Shyam sat on the love seat, Akash and Payal sat on the
three-seater sofa with mamiji between them. Khushi sat on a chair.
'Chotte,
why don't you join us?' exclaimed Anjali,clicking on the pause button on the
remote, 'we are watching the new movie Barfi.'
'No
thanks, I just wanted some coffee,' he said, 'I was going down to ask
Hariprakash.'
Khushi
got up from her seat, 'I will make it, Hariprakashji has retired for the
night.' She said.
'We
will wait until you come back Khushi,' said Anjali.
Ten
minutes later, when Khushi came back, she found that movie had been rewound so
that Arnav could catch up. He seemed to have changed his mind about the movie
and had taken a seat on the couchat the back of the room. She handed him his
cup and was about to step back when he caught her hand and pulled her toward
himself, to seat her next to him.
Khushi
could no longer enjoy the movie because she had become aware of how closely
they were seated in the close confines of the love seat and Khushi felt her dhak-dhak
begin.
Last
night they had slept together in an enormous bed, but he had nowhere near as
close as he was now, and his nearness, the scent of his skin, was acting on her
like a drug, making her feel lightheaded, delirious, totally disturbing her
concentration. It would be easy, so fatally easy to turn her head and put her
mouth against the long column of his throat, discover whether his pulses were
thudding as erratically as her own.
She
was shaken at the strength of the impulse, and a little frightened too. She had
never felt like this before. There had never been this terrifying urge to touch
him, to learn the shape of his body with her hands, to let her mouth, her
tongue discover the taste of him.
Her
hands fisted, gripping until the knuckles turned white, and she sensed Arnav's
swift downward glance, and heard the husky voice say, 'Relax.'
A
little later, his hand casually draped across her shoulder, he bent down close
to her ear and said, 'Is this guy your favourite actor?'
'What?'
breathed Khushi, flustered by his thumb stroking along her collar bone and the
hollow at the base of her throat.
'RanbirKapoor'..
is he your favourite actor?' he repeated.
'I
'.I like him but he is not my favourite.' Khushi replied, looking back at the
screen, her face hot and flushed.
'Well?'
he whispered.
'Oh'.'
Khushi realized he wanted to know who it was. 'I like baazigar ---- I mean
----'
'I
know who you mean'.but why?'
'He
has the most beautiful brown eyes.' She blurted out before she could stop
herself.
The
next morning, Arnav and Khushi lay on the couch in the media room,entwined with
each other, one leg ensconced between his, her head nestled in the crook of his
neck as her hand lay on his chest. Arnav's hand was wrapped around her waist,
holding her from falling off the couch.
Khushi
opened her eyes to find her lips inches away from Arnav's throat and before she
could stop herself,she pressed her lips to the pulse beating at the base of his
throat. As she felt his heart beating erratically under her plam, she made her
way up to his chin,until she reached his soft lips. Khushi opened her eyes wide
with shock to find Arnav staring at her, his caramel eyes heavy with desire. As
she began to move away, she felt him tighten his hold on her waist, and she
gasped as she felt his arousal against her thigh. With a groan, his dark head
bent to capture her lips with his own.
As
his lips burned on hers, caressing its parted contours with sensuous delight,
his hands gentled her body, moulding every lines and curve, sliding up to her breast.
He kneaded the delicate flesh and Khushi convulsed in a shiver of pure sensual
yearning.
Her hands clung to his shoulders, because she
was drowning and he was her rock. Her mouth tasted him with equal frenzy and
desire. She could deny him nothing and her slim body pressed into him in silent
offering.
He
drew a long, deep breath, and she felt the sudden tautness in his shoulder muscles
as, unbelievably he lifted himself away. Her eyes flew open, searching his
face, unable to fathom the expression he carried.
Just
as she was about to ask him what it was he put his finger to his lips.
'I
think there is someone at the door.' He whispered.
Just
then the door opened and Hariprakash walked in.
'Sorry
Arnav bhaiyya '.I didn't '' he stutteredwhen he saw Arnav standing there with
his hands on his hips, anger clearly written in his dark chocolate eyes.
Before
Arnav could say anything, Khushi quickly stood up, 'That's okay Hariprakashji,
we were just looking for something we had left behind yesterday night while
watching the movie.' She blurted out brightly and quickly hurried out of the
room, followed by an amused Arnav.
That
night the Raizada family assembled at the dining table for dinner. 'Where's
Khushi?' Arnav asked. She had left couple of hours ago from the study and
didn't seem to be here either.
Nobody
seemed to know at first. Then Payal said in a low voice. 'She'.. she went up to
the attic to get something. But I assumed she was back and was working with you
Arnavji.'
'F@#$!'
swore Arnav as he ran up the staircase.
'Oh
Payal!' exclaimed Anjali, 'the attic doesn't have a proper light and the door
get jammed when it closes. I supposed you didn't know that. Why did Khushi go
up there?'
By
the time Anajli went up to the attic, Arnav had managed to break the door open.
He found Khushi huddled in a corner close to the door, her entire body quaking.
He lifted her in his arms and brought her out.
'Do
you want me to call Manav?' asked Anjali anxiously.
'No
Di, I think she will be okay with some rest,' he told Anjali when they had
reached the bedroom.
Arnav
laid Khushi on the bed gently. When he was about to get up he realized she had
clutched his shirt in a death's grip. He gently removed her hand from his shirt,
as Anjali covered her with the comforter.
Anjali
led Arnav toward the balcony and informed him that it was mamij who had wanted
Payal to go up to the attic to bring down some pooja utensils. When Khushi
found out she had refused to allow Payal to go up so many flight of stairs,
opting to go instead.
'Why
the f@#$ would she want to send a pregnant girl up there?' he asked his anger
rising, 'was Hariprakash dead?'
'You
know mamiji, she doesn't let Hariprakash touch God's stuff.'
'You
have got to be kidding me!' he said banging his hand on the parapet wall,
making Anjali jump in surprise, 'where the bloody hell is Akash? He should have
been the one doing his crazy mom's bidding!'
'He
'.he is out with his friends'..I think,' said Anjali in a low voice.
That
boy was never going to learn, thought Arnav raking his hands through his hair. He
would have to have a talk with him.
'What
happened to Khushi,Chotte?' asked Anjali, unable to comprehend Arnav's rage.
'Khushi
has a fear of darkness Di,' he told her, 'being locked up in a pitch dark room for
an hour will shake up even normal people.'
'Oh
my God!I am so sorry Chotte,' Anjali said placing a comforting hand on his
shoulder, 'I will go downstairs and have a dinner plate sent up for Khushi and
you. Eat something and give her as wellif she wakes up in the middle of the
night. Let's discuss this in the morning. Ok?'
A
little later, Arnav changed for the night and lay down on the bed next to
Khushi. He took her hand and placed it on his chest hoping his racing heart
would calm down. Hecontinued looking at her tear streaked face until his
eyelids couldn't hold up anymore.
Shyam
paced about in the terrace like a caged tiger. All his carefully laid plans
were backfiring since Khushi had entered this house.
It
had been so easy to manipulate Ria. She had been so ripe for the picking
because of Arnav's rejection. During his trip to Delhi, he had set up an
accidental meeting at the night club she frequented and after a couple of
drinks she had spewed out enough venom to convince him that he could use her to
sabotage Arnav's fashion show. She had wanted the same anyway.
He
was the one who advised her about how she could mess it up and not be held
responsible for it. Being a lawyer had always helped him in finding the loop
holes. But Khushi had ruined everything
by bailing out Arnav.
Just
like she had ruined his plan about Payal. When he had found out that the old
hag had asked Payal to go up to the attic, his brain had gone into overdrive.
He realized that if he Payal had a little accident coming down the stairs and
lost the baby somehow, it would be easy to separate Akash and Payal which in
turn would have undoubtedly separated Arnav and Khushi.
But
he had been surprised to see Payal downstairs and hadn't realized until Arnav
had asked about Khushi that it she who had gone up there instead.
Khushi! He was having a tough
time figuring her out. After Arnav had forced her into the marriage he had
tried his best to turn her against him. But she didn't seem to be falling for
his manipulation. She had started avoiding him to the extent that she preferred
Manav's company to his. This had never happened to him before.
This
morning he had been disgusted to find them wrapped up in each other's arms when
he peeped into the media room. Luckily for him, that idiot Hariprakash has
walked in on them. Last night they had slept off on the couch and Anjali had
told everyone to leave them there and had covered them up with the throw
blanket. They are so in love! She had
exclaimed happily.
Arnav?In
Love? Impossible! He knew his bother-in-law for a long time. He wasn't capable
of that emotion. All he cared about was his business. He never cared for any
woman. He only used them to assuage his needs.
He
didn't know what Khushi saw in that unemotional b@#$^&$. He would have to
do something about it.
Next
morning Khushi woke up late. When she went downstairs for breakfast, she found
that the family was having a serious conversation.
'But
Arnav bitwa, I was in Jaipur just two months back.' Khushi heard mamiji telling
Arnav.
'I
already spoke to nani and they are expecting you by tonight,' said Arnav, his
tone brooking no arguments, 'you will be closer to your favourite Gods over
there and don't worry --- you are booked in star hotels everywhere.'
Mamiji
face looked like she had just swallowed a bitter pill and she left the break
fast table in a huff.
'Akash,'
he said turning toward his brother who sat silently at the table, 'Now that the
designs are almost ready, I would like to you to go to Delhi to supervise the final
preparations for the fashion event.'
'Absolutely
bhai.' Akash said with alacrity. He knew he had messed up big time and that
Arnav was giving him another chance to redeem himself.
Arnav
continued, 'And since Payal will be going along, you can work from the house unless
there is an absolute need to go to the office. Om prakash will be there to cook
and take of the house.' He added.
'Thanks
bhai.'
When
Khushi saw the look of joy in Payal and Akash's face, she realized that
everything had been worth it. The love in her heart doubled for the man she had
married.
Just
then the door bell rang. Hariprakash went up to the door and opened to find a
woman standing there.
'Who's
there Hariprakash?' asked Anjali.
'Hey
Arnav, long time no see!' said the woman walking in with her suitcase.
Arnav
stood up slowly, his eyebrows creased and then his face broke into a smile.
'Jenny?'
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