Chapter 5

Yikes this  chapter snowballed into something unexpected, so I decided to stop where I have before I ended up with a monster of a chapter. I think I am happy with it . Will respond to the fb for the last chapter tomorrow...really need to get some rest now

"One is never over-dressed, nor underdressed with a Little Black Dress.

                                                                                                                     -Karl Lagerfeld

Chapter #31

Now that his final meeting before he left the country had concluded, Shaurya could admit that never had any business negotiation tempted him to capitulate as much as these had. He had no idea if the Disney executives were as astute as they had put on, but in their last push for a decision in their favor, they had insisted on presenting the incentive that he could not possibly ignore even sweetening the deal by allowing him more leeway in the option than had been first suggested. Aside from the incredible business potential, that would indisputably take his brand to heights far swifter than he could ever imagine, it was the personal aspect of their offer that they could not understand would mean so much to him. Or had they, he wondered. For Mehek's sake, he hoped that this wasn't the case. She had wanted knowledge of their personal association to be kept to a minimum if possible, so she could at least begin her career, unencumbered from any speculation of how she had achieved her position. And he had every intention of upholding his end of the deal: for a while at least.  But it was proving hard. He had no idea if the stars were aligning in his favor because of her or not, but in addition to the business opportunity he had no idea travelling to the US would bring to fruition; other matters were now rapidly unfolding that only solidified his belief that he and Mehek were destined.  As if to prove this point his mobile rang.

"Mr. Khanna, I've got great news. They have agreed to your terms. The initial paperwork is just being completed, so you will be sign off today and we can move on to closing, immediately after."

 

In the back seat of the car Shaurya checked his watch, hearing the unspoken portion of this greeting. He put the lawyer on hold and spoke to his driver. "We need to turn around and head downtown: the law firm." It made no sense asking the man to be quick about it, as he expected he would be further hindered by what he would next need done. He sighed regretfully. Although what he was doing was ultimately for the two of them, the immediacy of the work that he now had to do was wreaking havoc with the dwindling free time that he had hoped he would be able to spend with Mehek. Especially now with yet another last-minute appointment in New York, meaning that he would be leaving on an earlier flight than originally planned. It had basically been hit and miss for the two of them these last couple of days: with her work and moving schedule and his business dealing, so tonight would have be even more special to the two of them. He would move heaven and earth to ensure that it was.

 

*******

"I can't even begin to explain how unfair this is".

 

 Her zipper now up all the way, Mehek turned from studying her profile in the mirror to focus on her friend.

 

"There's just no comparison. You need to give me at least a ten-minute head-start, Mehek," Mel complained. "Ten minutes so at least people will acknowledge my presence there.  I can't stand you; you look like a freaking sex symbol while I..."

 

"Look like an angel ready to bring light and love to the right man, should he just step up to the plate and prove his worth."

 

Mell pulled up short and focused on herself in the floor length mirror. She smiled sheepishly. "Well, I was thinking more along the lines of a school girl playing dress up, but I think I will go with your version." She swung around and looked over her shoulder to glimpse as much of her back that she could. "You really think it's okay, Mehek?"

 

Mehek nodded, if Mel didn't know how good she looked it was only because she was stressing too much over what a certain chef would think about her choice tonight. But without question she had done well. The blush colored lehegha choli was perfect on her; her skin looked radiant against this shade for one. Not to mention that the cut of the silk outfit, while understated was definitively sexy, with its single net long sleeve embroidered with silver threading. It was very simple yet very chic. The zardozi embroidery of the sleeve that repeated on the opposite shoulder of her blouse and on the waistband of her lehenga as the only embellishment on the dress, emphasizing the best of her attributes: not least was her tiny waist. It was perfect on her, and if that thick-headed Malik didn't acknowledge this tonight, she would be sorely tempted to knock some sense into the man herself, Mehek thought. She watched as her friend nodded, apparently coming to the conclusion, that everything was alright after all.

 

"Perhaps if I was able to wear heels, I would feel better,  but nahi, better not to risk injuring myself and not getting those dances, I'm owed," she joked, "But getting back to you madam. Can you even breath in that dress?"

 

"Yes, I can thank you; there is some give in the fabric," Mehek answered running her hands over the well fitted garment. The tailoring that had been done made a world of difference, and she couldn't deny that she loved both the dress, and the way it made her feel. She admired herself once again in the glass the two girls shared.

"Well not to be funny or anything, but you, Mehek Sharma have some serious butt action going on here, in the very best ways of course."

"Mmm; you think?"

Mel just shook her head and picked up her silver clutch. "Come on then Mehek Sharma, let's go have some fun. The car your prince has arranged for us should be here now."

 

The pair walked down the corridor and out to where, just as Melissa has supposed, the town car waited. The driver's eyes widened appreciatively at them both before he hurried to open the door for his two passengers. As they pulled away off to head to the gala, Melissa smiled suddenly when she noticed the driver checking her friend out in the rearview mirror.

"So Mehek, everyone knows that Shaurya Khanna is good at blustering, but how is he in an actual fight? Do you think he can hold his own?"

"What was that Mel?"

"Nothing Mehek, I was just thinking aloud."

 

**********

"She loves me, and she has a perfectly good explanation for this," Shaurya muttered to himself... again. He swallowed his drink, wishing for the first time that he had chosen something harder: something that could battle the rising heat of his anger. If one more man, guest or no fawned over her inappropriately he would surely kill someone. Despite the fact that she did nothing to encourage it; her entire appearance was inviting attention. He watched as she greeted someone else, rankled that somehow every time she stopped some  unknown male took the opportunity approach her and Mel as they made their way through the crowd. When one such newcomer's gaze lowered where it shouldn't have when Mehek turned her back to him he abruptly finished his own conversation with one of the Disney executives and his wife, who had decided to stick to him like glue, and excused himself for a second.

 

**PING**

 

...MS although I do have lawyers on speed dial, I would rather not spend our last night incarcerated. Or was that your intention for me in doing this?

 

She was close enough for him to see her blink, startled at what she had read and then watched as she leant over to say something to Mel, pointing to the left of them and then smiling at her friend. Shaurya followed the direction of her attention across the event space and noticed Malik and his mother conversing in a small group. It was clear where Mel would head, so it was with little surprise   that when he turned back to Mehek that he found her solely focused, and making a beeline for him.

 

Sure that he had brought this on himself, Shaurya glowered as she drew near. Unlike the first time, when the outfit had totally overwhelmed her, tonight Mehek brandished full control and was wearing the hell out of the dress whose fit was somehow completely different.  However, the fact that the garment was fitting her like a second skin had little to do with the amount of attention she was getting. Of course it was a major factor, however from head to toe, she appeared on a mission: a woman posed for seduction. From the loose up-do of her hair which probably was tempting every man here to want to reach into its inky depths to loosen it, to the black stiletto pumps embellished with the most sinful of crystal anklet designs, that would set even the staidest soul to fantasizing, she had to be the most fascinating female here. And still that did not explain it sufficiently, for all of her physical attributes waned before the feminine confidence she was exuding. She knew exactly the image she was giving off that was drawing the opposite sex to her like a flower did a bee. Had he known the results purchasing this dress would bring about, he wasn't entirely sure that he would have done it now. He watched as she greeted someone she evidently knew and lightly touched the man on the arm as they conversed.

 

"She loves me," he mumbled under his breath, attempting to reassure himself.  

 

A waiter had come to Shaurya, James and his partner with drink refills just as she reached, which allowed Mehek the opportunity to grab something cool, which she was in desperate need of. Shaurya's heated look across the room had been enough to make her throat dry, and if she hoped to carry on the conversation she was expected to have with the group, she would need to quench her thirst first.

Quite out of character, James leaned in and kissed both of her cheeks, "Mehek, my dear, you look exquisite, tonight. "Darling," he continued, including his wife into the conversation, "This is Chef Mehek Sharma. Mehek: my wife, Sophie, and of course you need no introduction to Shaurya."

"None at all," Mehek replied, toying with a tendril near her ear, unconsciously bringing the man in question's attention to her choice of earrings. tonight. "Namaste Sophie, it is lovely to meet you."

The American woman,  greeted Mehek warmly,  exchanging a few words with the stunning woman and then quickly found some excuse to take her husband away from the couple, who she expected were anxious to speak privately. A keen observer of people, she knew that removing her clueless husband from Shaurya Khanna's firing zone was probably for the best right now. It wouldn't do for all of James's hard work this week, to go up in flames because of a couple of kisses to the cheeks of the object of the Indian businessman's desire.

 

Straight away, Mehek took Shaurya's glass and gave it to a passing waiter, before turning back to him. By the time she had, he had started to unbutton his tux jacket. "Are you feeling warm, Shaurya," she queried.

He shook his head. "Nahi, but I wouldn't be surprised, if perhaps it may be a slight too cool for you, Jaan?"

 Mehek ingnored the bite of his words, and stilled his hand, starting at him until he took the hint and refastened his coat.  Casually she then took  his hand with a  winsome smile and, began walking, daring him to follow her. "I got your message, Shaurya," she called over her shoulder. "Let's finish the conversation on the dance floor, why don't we?"

 

********

"And what comes next then after your internship, Beta?"

"I haven't quite decided, Aunty. I don't have any real pressure on me, so I think I will take my time in finding the next opportunity so that I know I will be happy with my next move."

"So there's no telling exactly where you end up?"

"Nahi Aunty, although I have really enjoyed my time here I wouldn't want to limit myself just Orlando, and miss out on some fabulous opportunity."

"Aacha, but if the perfect offer should be here..."

"Then I will jump at the chance, Aunty, but does it really make sense not pursuing potential options, on the hope and wish that something that I want may come to fruition?"

"I suspect not," the older woman murmured. She looked up suddenly on recognition of the intro of the song being played. Hastily she relieved Mel of the glass she was holding. "Ed Sheeran's Perfect," she explained to the younger woman. "His new music is the best, and it won't do for you not to be dancing this very moment." She turned to where her son stood, away from them, but near enough to keep an eye on them, and yes to hear their conversation. He was just concluding some conversation with a fellow guest, when she caught his eye and cocked her head in the general direction of the dance-floor. It seemed even that hadn't even been necessary when he came and asked the lovely young woman who had kept her company to dance... "Finally," Indira Varma, whispered as they walked away.

 

********

 

"Shaurya, my face is actually up a bit higher, or are you counting your steps?"

His raised his head. His eyes were dark desire, not to mention more than a little exasperation. He couldn't say a damn thing to her that he wanted, when he was solely to blame for her even having the goddamned dress. But then she had the nerve to smile at him.

"I would have thought that this would have gone into the garbage a long time ago."

The smile left Mehek's face, and he instantly regretted saying anything. He grasped her tighter out of fear that she may try to walk away from him.

"Actually, that thought never crossed my mind." A slightly embarrassed look crossed her face. "It was probably the first thing that I packed when decided to take this job. I wanted, needed it to remind me that I would never let anyone put me in such a position again."

Shaurya's face went ruddy with shame. He could barely look her in the eye.

"But then everything happened; everything changed, and a couple of great women I now consider friends helped me understand that I was treating this dress the same way you did Shruti's photos. They gave me the best advice:  either trash it, sell it or exchange the memory associated with it by either meeting you in it one day and making you rue the day you ever purchased it or wearing it for a man worthy of me. I think option three has worked out perfectly in every regard. Notwithstanding how beautiful I feel in this dress, being here with the man I lo...she stopped talking and gasped when the hand at her back eased down lower, pulling her closer in the process.

"Don't say it Mehek; not here. I won't be responsible for my response."

She blushed heavily.  "Then dance with me instead, Dost."

 

*********

An hour later, on returning from the restroom, Mehek ran into the Varmas for the first time in the well-attended event. When her co-worker offered her a cursory greeting, Mehek shrugged her shoulders and paid attention instead to his mother. "Namaste Aunty, are you having a good time tonight?"

"Haan Beta, I think tonight has been the icing on the cake of my visit. It has been quite enlightening, Mehek."

"Aacha?"

"Very much so," the woman said, her eyes travelling to her son, who stood on the edge of the dance floor, staring unblinkingly across the  room. Mehek copied the woman's action, hoping to see what had Malik so preoccupied and then put her hand over her mouth to hide her smile. "How long has he been like that," Mehek whispered conspiringly.

"It's been two dances, with no sign of stopping. They look to be having a very interesting conversation. She's a very sweet girl, I do like her very much. She was very much worth the trip to visit my son," the woman continued. She smiled at Mehek, who now had a slightly shocked look on her face. "Ours is a very close- knit family, Mehek. My children especially are quite devoted to each other, even more so now that they have both reached adulthood. Malik's sister was quite keen to let me know that her older brother had suddenly begun grousing over the immaturity of some young women, who were old enough to know better. I will not lie, Beta, I was excited when I came to know that you had joined the company. I thought you might be the one, but it was clear that that wasn't the case." She stared over to where Mel and Shaurya grooved to the music. As she had indicated they were well enthralled with whatever they were discussing. Mehek looked once more at her dour faced coworker. "Perhaps I should put him out of his misery, Aunty," she said.

"Haan Beta, please do."

 

********

 "So, you think you can handle the job, Mel? You would be doing me a great favor."

"Absolutely, Handsome you can count on me," she answered with a smile. She giggled when the man spun her on the dancefloor out first and then back in.

"And after that is complete, what are your feelings on travelling, let's say perhaps for a six-month internship in Delhi with Khanna Industries?"

Mel stopped completely; their conversation had taken a sudden serious turn.

"Has this become a real interview now, Handsome?" She shut her eyes "I mean Shaurya... uh Mr. Khanna?"

Shaurya smiled good-naturedly at the young woman. "I would have not accepted your resume, if I wasn't interested, Melissa. I know that this is completely unorthodox, but I did want to get a general sense of your willingness before I left. Obviously, we shall have a formal interview, most likely with my partner, as my thought is that you will report directly to either him or myself if the post comes to fruition."

"Oh Handsome, that would be awesome," entirely forgetting any need for formalities.

 

A sudden tap on her shoulder brought their conversation to an end, and when Mel turned she smiled on discovering Mehek and Malik at her side.  

"May I cut in," Mehek asked, already stepping out of Malik's arms for those she preferred more. Likewise, her friend did the same, just as happy, if not more to be back in the arms of the one who she fancied.

 

"Did you miss me, Shaurya?"

"Hmm," he answered distractedly before suddenly stopping. "Chalo Mehek, walk with me."

 

On a secluded pathway, Mehek paused when she heard a familiar voice chatting happily away about the tentative job offer she had just received. "I think we will be intruding if we continue this way Shaurya." Mehek She frowned when he disregarded her advice and continued. In a minute she wished they hadn't.

 

"That man is your Handsome, and now he wants to whisk you off to India to work under him? Are you that naive or just that conniving Melissa?" 

"What are you trying to say, Malik?"

"What part of working under him do you need me to explain, do you think there is no ulterior motive for this job offer of his?"

"You're misunderstanding, Malik, it's nothing like that..."

"I heard you; I heard everything. Are you going to deny that you have been speaking to Shaurya Khanna behind everyone's back, that the Handsome on your phone is not that two-timing bas***d?"

"Yes, it's true, but if you just let me explain."

"Explain what Melissa, what can you possibly say to absolve your guilt..."

"Only that you are a pompous overbearing, grump who would have ruined everything between the two of them by filling Mehek's ear against Shaurya at every waking moment, instead of supporting her like a friend should have. Someone had to do something and give poor Shaurya a fighting chance. I did: from the very beginning I did, and what of it...Uncle."

"Poor Shaurya, right... poor Shaurya needed the help of a silly little girl. And how does poor Shaurya become your Handsome in the process, Mel?"

"Better Handsome than an Uncle I say, Uncle," Melissa spat out, furious that he would infer that she had acted less than honorably.

 

Malik saw red when she used that hated term one time too many. He stepped closer to her and before he could think better of it, grabbed her and then lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her hard in the effort to erase that damn word from her vocabulary once and for all.

 

"Oh no," Mehek whispered, looking worriedly at Shaurya.

 

It was a bruising, unforgiving kiss, so none of them, not even Malik, were surprised when Mel came up swinging, landing a sharp slap to the man's face, before storming away in tears.

 

In the restroom, Melissa shook her head at Mehek's suggestion that they both go home.

"Nahi, you can't. Shaurya's planned something super-special for the two of you right after the gala; you can't disappoint him. It will make my ordeal a waste of time if you don't go. I'm fine, I promise."

Mehek hugged her friend. "At least go back to my place to rest. You won't have to worry about any nosey roommates then. Please. We will take you, okay?" She  pulled her back into another hug "You know this is only because of his jealousy," she whispered.

 

"Be that as it may, that is no excuse for such piggish behavior; such disrespect. Suppose someone did what he has done to his sister. How would he react then?"

 "He would be furious with them, but no more than his mother is presently over that disgusting display of his."

The two women looked up to meet Indira Varma's concerned visage. They had no idea how she had come to know what had happened. Hurriedly, Mel, wiped her tearstained face.

"Mehek, why don't you go on and find Shaurya so you can enjoy the rest of your evening. I will see that Melissa gets home safely."

Chapter 32

 

[NOCOPY]