Chapter 12

Hey Readers, I'm back much, much sooner than I expected. Hurricane Gonzalo was crazy! Lots of property damage and trees down and quite a few sunken boats here in Bermuda. 90 percent of the population lost electricity. Thankfully there were no fatalities nor injuries, in fact there was an addition to the population with one baby born during the height of the hurricane ( that family will have an extra exciting story to tell). Anyway, I had nothing better to do than to work on another update; and since we were fortunate to get our power back already, here it is:

Chapter #11

Rachna peered down at her sleeping daughter and smiled. Aryia lay prone on her tummy, allowing Rachna access to caress her mop of soft curls gently, halting only when the toddler stirred in her sleep. She straightened up from the crib, feeling her husband's presence even before he could announce it, and rested back against him.

"Rachna why are you up so late, is something amiss with Ariya?"
He moved away from her to feel their daughter's forehead. "Is she feverish, no." Turning back to his wife he looked at her in concern.

"I'm just feeling unsettled that's all. I felt the need to come and check on her."

Kabir came closer to hold her upper arms. "Rachna you should be resting, you have been going full throttle for days now, especially today. You really need to sleep."

"KT, I just can't get her words out of my head. Why would she express such an interest in our daughter?"

"For this very reason, Rachna , to bother you, to make you feel uncertain. It's not right and I will not let your lasting thoughts of this evening to be the nonsensical ramblings of that woman. This was your night; your success. If you must be dwelling on something this late, let it be that and that only." He gently stroked her cheek. "Go to bed and rest, love. You are practically asleep on your feet."

Rachna smiled and nodded, was about to leave the nursery, when Aryia stirred. Kabir shook his head, "Nay Rachna, I will stay. Please go to bed."

It was a rarity that Kabir could not offer comfort to his child, but tonight it seemed that his tension had transferred to the toddler and Aryia could find no solace in her father's arms. Minute by minute his helplessness grew as Aryia grew more and more discontent. When the door of the nursery opened, he fully expected to see that Rachna had returned, but it wasn't her. He swore he felt his heart crack just a bit when Aryia, began twisting as if to escape his hold, tears streaming down her little cheeks, as she reached for and cried for her Pari.

Naomi immediately took the baby, automatically shushing her with her comforting words. She acknowledged KT's thanks, but moved to stop him before he left the nursery. "KT, are you okay, what is it?"

He attempted to smile and to brush off the question, "I'm just tired, and obviously of no use to my daughter tonight." He walked to the door and then turned, "Thank you, Naomi."

She nodded in return, "Get going then, I'll take care of our baby."

Rachna was placing food on the dining room table, when she heard the entrance door open. She smiled to see Rajiv Sir. "You haven't eaten yet have you , we're just about to have lunch."

"Thanks Rachna, I'll just go and freshen up and be right back."

"Thik hai, Oh Sir, on your way down can you knock on Naomi's door and see if she is up. She has already missed breakfast, so I want to make sure she does have lunch."

"She's not ill is she?"

Rachna had the grace to look sheepish, "Nay, I'm sure she's physically fine, but we did take unfair advantage of her being here last night. I'm afraid Aryia had a very bad night, and she took over when I was asleep, and KT wasn't having much luck settling her. Naturally we thought to let her have a lay in, but even this a bit much even for her. I guess we didn't even consider that she had just as long of a day as I yesterday."

"I'll make sure that she is with me when I come back down."

"Thank you Sir."

He heard her talking as he was about to knock of her door.

"Oh Stef it was the best night, Rachna was just amazing, her entire collection was so well received!"

"And how was it for you, Kid?"

"Well honestly it was touch and go for a second, but it got better...actually Stef, I really owe you an apology. I know I was out of order a few days ago, over the equipment... Can you hold on a second, someone's at the door."

Naomi opened the door and smiled, "Hi."

"I've been given the task of making sure you come down for lunch."

She smiled and nodded, and then shocked him by drawing him into her bedroom. "Hey Stef, I want you to meet someone."

Unceremoniously pushed into the chair in front of Naomi's laptop, Rajeev came face to face with the man who had to be her older brother. They definitely favored each other, so there was no denying that they were related. Unfortunately, what was immediately apparent to Rajeev was that the man on the monitor wasn't happy with this turn of events. Matters weren't helped, when Naomi leaned over him, her hands on his shoulders and made her introductions, "Stefan, this is my new friend Rajeev; Rajeev , my big brother, Stefan."

One would think that being sized up online may not be as effective as in person, but there was no doubt that Naomi's brother was not impressed. Still he did greet Rajeev and accepted his salutation in return. But then he sighed, "No offence mate, but can I have a word with my sister?"

Rajeev nodded, and went to leave, indicating to Naomi that he would see her downstairs. He had a fair assumption of how this this conversation would go, and figured that it would best if she was spared his witnessing what her brother had to say to her. The innocent that she was, she would hear none of it and motioned for him to stay. Relenting to her request, he stood to the side as she took the seat he had just vacated.

"What's up Stef?"

"Kid, who went to bat for you when you first wanted to come home with Rachna?"

"You did of course, but.."

"And after your modelling took off; who had to convince Mum and Dad to give you the freedom to pursue that, even convincing them that it would be okay for you to travel alone as young as you were."

"You again, and I love you for it. You're the absolutely best big brother a girl could ask for."

"Naomi , where is your laptop?"
"What do you mean; it's where it always is."

"Where exactly, Naomi?"

"Stef, it's in the bedroom, you know that."

She looked in confusion at her monitor when her brother left her comment hanging in the air.

To the side, Rajeev shook his head; she had no clue what point her brother was making.

Finally her brother sighed, "Kid, I can be you biggest ally or your greatest opponent. It wouldn't take but a handful of words from me, to have you on your way back home. Have you lost your pretty mind introducing me to some guy in your bedroom? Look I know you are getting older, and have had a lot of freedom, but some things are just not done. Aside from the fact that you know you weren't raised like this , do you really think I want to meet someone my baby sister has no qualms entertaining in her bedroom, God Naomi!"
"Entertaining? What do you mean entertain... Oh my goodness...Stef, how, I mean really Stef, how could you even think?"

She put her hands to her face, never being so mortified in her life.

"It's nothing at all like what you are thinking, Stefan. You know I wouldn't do anything like this, and Rajeev, he.."

He was hearing this entire conversation, Crap!' she thought looking over to the side where he stood.

"Look, Kid, I'm sure he's a nice enough guy, I mean it's not like you are in the habit of introducing me to random guys, so obviously he must mean something to you, but ..."

Even he couldn't finish his thought.

"Look, just remember, ally or opponent, don't be doing anything that will make me pull rank, Naomi."

"Yes Stef, I understand; I can't believe we're having this conversation, but I understand. Look , it's lunch time here, so maybe I should just get going, okay?"

"Okay Kid. I will speak to you later. And since you have Skype on your work computer, I'll be talking to your friend on that. Well unless you've moved that one to your bedroom as well."

"Oh real funny, just shut up, Stef."

"Be nice Kid, I would hate for the time I am speaking to your friend, that Mum and Dad somehow get conferenced in."

"Stef, you wouldn't dare! Well maybe you won't be talking to him then."

"Oh really, if he's good enough for an introduction; he's good enough for a conversation. Ally or opponent, Kid, remember that. I'll let you go, but expect to hear from you real soon. And tell Rachna congratulations for me."

Naomi closed her bedroom door and leaned back on it her eyes closed, wishing for the floor to open up and swallow her now. She finally opened her eyes to find Rajeev smiling down at her. She pouted in response, "So obviously you find this totally funny don't you?"

"I did offer to leave." He smiled when she narrowed her eyes. "Actually, I like your brother. Even at a distance he takes his responsibilities for you seriously, that's very admirable. It also sounds that he's your biggest supporter as well."

"He is. I was telling the truth when I said he is the best big brother a girl could have. I mean given our age difference and the fact that he has been away from home for so long, one would understand if we weren't close, but he's always there for me."

"And now he wants to have a conversation with me, interesting."

"I thought I would have to come too look for both of you," Rachna said as she got up to serve them lunch.

"Ra, sit down and eat, I'll serve ."

"Actually, I somehow got roped into an introduction to Naomi's brother."

Everyone stopped eating to look at Rajeev. Finally Rachna spoke, "I'm sorry did you just say you were introduced to Naomi's brother? You got introduced to Stef?"

"It was brief, but yes I did."

KT leaned back in his chair, "And exactly how did that go?"

"As one would I expect, "Rajeev responded mysteriously .

"So Naomi, can we assume that you won't be leaving us anytime soon?" KT asked.

"Ah, well it seems that ultimately the call is in her brother's hands. He apparently intends on having a conversation with me soon." Rajeev responded, laughing.

Ignoring the men, Naomi, answered as she dished up "Actually, Ra I expect that I can have everything sorted in mere days. I could be out of your hair in a week's time at the latest and on my way to the UK if necessary."

"You are planning on leaving in a week? When were you going to say anything?"

"I didn't say that I was leaving; I just said that my work could be done by then. After that I would need a reason to stay. So as you see Stefan does hold all the cards here. Perhaps your upcoming conversation won't be as funny as you seem to think."

"Naomi, were you planning on leaving in a week's time?"

Drying the dishes as Rachna washed, Naomi looked around before she answered, "Of course not, Ra, besides I know that you are going to be busier than ever and will still need my help. And to be honest I do really like him."

Rachna smiled, "I'm glad, he really is a good guy."

They continued with their task in silence, until Naomi spoke again. "Ra, last night when I went to Aryia, KT really seemed out of sorts. I mean our pumpkin was really fussy, but his mood t seemed too off to be just because Aryia was fussy. Is everything okay?"

Rachna stopped washing the final dishes. "I knew he was upset as well; I was so busy focusing on myself that I ignored it, but I still had the feeling it was bothering him as well. I didn't have time to speak to you last night, but Sonal is back in India; she was at the launch last night with her new boss."

"Sonal...the Sonal?"

Rachna nodded, "And if that's not bad enough, she was making all of these weird comments about Aryia."

"What, about our Aryia?" Naomi shook her head vigorously "I'm not going anywhere, Rachna. Only something shattering will make me leave now. There's no way I'm going to let that witch anywhere near our baby."

[NOCOPY]

crtkelly2016-05-03 07:09:01