Chapter 8

Chapter #6

Kabir made it a point to spend the next morning in the main studio. As much as he would like to have spent the duration of his time near his wife, he did have a business to run and a new season to prepare for. Particularly now that Rachna was back on track with her work - the completion of Banaras Beauty's second collection, he could finally focus on his own efforts. Thankfully, the senior designer he had taken on had been able take the reins during this challenging period, and kept everything running on course. Ultimately, though, the onus was on him to bring it all together: to assure that the design process met his strict deadlines, and most especially, that the finished product adhered to the standard that KT Creations was renowned for.

 Additionally, he had on his to-do list, to check up on the new interns today. As in previous years he was certain that they had selected an earnest and capable bunch, and he had a vested interest in aiding these young people in their development and advancement in their chosen field. Obviously their attaining this first post  didn't necessarily guarantee them success in the fashion industry, however  immodestly he could cite past examples of both Rachna and most recently  his wife's own assistant, Arpita , as definite achievers who had come through the ranks to accomplish so much. Clearly, any future success would in the end, depend on their individual industry, however, whether any of the three selected this year stayed on with the company or not, Kabir was determined that in return for their efforts, he would afford them the best of his proffessional support . He didn't think that he was being biased, but he was especially keen to monitor the only male intern of the group - the first since his return back to Banaras in fact. Needless to say, with everything on his agenda, it made for a hectic morning. But for the first time in months, the busy environment, felt the norm. Somewhere in the mid-morning hours, he took a slight break, deciding that he would contact Rachna and invite her to have lunch. Perhaps they could order in and discuss the design she had expected to have finished this morning, he thought briefly before his attention was drawn away with another matter requiring his consideration.

***********

There had been no answer when Rachna first telephoned on the internal line, nor when she had left her office and knocked Kabir's door. Since she would be leaving momentarily for her break, Rachna didn't have the time to seek him out, so she took it upon herself to enter the empty office. She figured that the designer wouldn't have any objection to her leaving the completed sketch for his perusal as he was expecting it by this afternoon anyway. They could discuss it on her return if he was available. That made perfect sense. Or so she told herself, as she spent precious moments studying Kabir's space, instead of just placing the sketch on his desk and leaving. Who was Kabir Tripathi, she deliberated as she studied his environment. Evident by the numerous awards and commendations hanging on the walls, his stature as a designer was second to none. But this wasn't what called to her: what she felt compelled to know.  In hopes of trying to understand the man behind the fame, she needed something more personal.  However, although there was much to catch the eye in terms of design apparatus, the room was completely devoid of anything that would lend any intimate knowledge of the man. It made no sense to her: even if it was something miniscule, everyone kept something personal; something that meant something to them in their personal work-space. But not Kabir Tripathi it seemed.  She thought back to the information Naomi had relayed to her last night:  the scandalous circumstances that had led to the dissolution of his parents' marriage followed tragically by the untimely death of the young boy's father. Of course this had to adversely affect the impressionable youth - how could it not? Yet somehow, with the support of his remaining family, he had persevered... he had achieved... and still he had grown to become the compassionate man the she innately knew him to be. It seemed impossible that someone so dynamic would exist in a space devoid of any personal touch. It just made no sense to her. Rachna shook her head - she would get a headache contemplating all of this. Better to let it go for now, and do what she had come to.

She placed the sketch face up in the middle of the orderly desk. What it was would be self-explanatory, but Rachna wondered if it would not be best for her to leave a note to let Kabir know that she would be available to discuss the design immediately after lunch.  To that end, she slipped into the chair behind the desk, seeking first on the table-top, for a Post-it or the like to affix to her drawing. With no luck, she then turned to the desk drawers. Incredibly, like the desk's surface, the drawers were just as orderly and absent of anything that would serve to leave her memo. Opening the one that would be her last chance of holding the sticky sheets, Rachna pursed her lips as she reached blindly inside it. Her fingers running over the contents, she skimmed first over something that very much felt like a frame of some sort, and then finally it appeared that she lucked out. Pulling out the pad, Rachna quickly wrote the missive, and stuck it on the top right corner of her sketch.  Returning the note-paper back to the drawer, her hand once again came in contact with the article she had encountered previously.   This time instead of the metal frame, she felt glass, which led her to identify the object as a picture frame of some sort. Intrigued, she grasped it with the intention taking a peek at what she was sure was a hidden photo.

At the last minute, she stopped herself and had walked away.

As much as Rachna had wanted to, she just couldn't do it. The frame had been in her hand - she: ready to remove it from the place it had been hidden when she realized exactly what she was about to do. She had dropped it as if it was a hot ember, and jumped out of the chair. Swallowing, she closed the drawer shut and headed for the door. What had come over her? How could she come to the point that she was willing to intrude in another's privacy to satisfy her own morbid curiosity? What on earth was wrong with her? Just as she was about to leave, she looked back, just to make certain that everything had been put back in its original place: the last thing she wanted was for some evidence of her prying to be discovered. Satisfied, she twisted around abruptly and reached for the door knob, at the precise moment that it was pulled open from the opposite side.

*********

  Her momentum had her tripping directly into his arms. Thankfully his hands were empty and Kabir quickly saved his wife from a disastrous spill. He couldn't tell who was more startled at first, which could explain the fact that neither moved immediately. But soon it became evident as they stared at each other, that neither of them was inclined to move from their present position.  Rachna's hands had come to rest on his chest, in a clear attempt to brace her fall, and still many seconds later, remained in place - not that he was complaining. After so long without her the contact felt like heaven to him, and he was rendered speechless... and immediately on fire with longing for the woman who was his life.

She felt branded where he held her...that was the only way she could explain it. The heat of his touch at her waist made her quiver, and Rachna knew he felt it, his eyes - the most expressive she had ever seen in her life- revealed such. She closed her eyes against the sudden intensity, but made absolutely no attempt to remove herself from his grip.

Kabir took the opportunity of his wife's diffidence to scan her from head to toe, and then back up again, settling his gaze back on face. If her flush alone wasn't affirmation of her beauty, then what she wore today definitely lent to her attractiveness. She had on his favorite colour for her to wear - that almost burnt orange shade that made her skin glow, but once again in a styling that was so removed from her usual attire, and yet suited her to a tee.  The fitted pencil dress with the mandarin collar was exquisite, but not as much as the woman wearing it. Kabir's nostrils flared as he took in a deep breath, and involuntarily his hold on his wife tightened.  Her gasp in response was followed by the barely discernible flicker of her tongue over her bottom lip. By God he was tempted to answer that action  by capturing her lips with his own.

Kabir knew then, that he had to bring an end to this.

"Rachna," he called out, his voice gravelly with emotion. "Are you okay?"

Rachna's came back to awareness when he spoke. Oh  God, she thought, she was practically gripping the lapels of his sport-coat. Slowly she released her tight hold, and nodded. Both confused and mortified due to her reaction to him, Rachna hesitantly opened her eyes, afraid what she would find. She was grateful when Kabir casually set her upright and took a step back, averting his gaze away from her. It felt like a dismissal to her, which evoked even more confusing feelings in her.

 With the distance between them, Rachna finally found her voice.

"Forgive me Kabir," she began emotionally, turning and pointing back into his office. "I..I was just about to go to lunch, so I came to leave..."

Kabir nodded in understanding.  "Aacha, your sketch. Excellent. We can review it after lunch, or perhaps a working lunch," he queried hopefully.

"I have plans," Rachna torn between regret and relief that she would be leaving the office for the break. She began heading out..."Actually I must be on my way..." she muttered. "..Excuse me..."

Kabir nodded, and  stepped aside ,watching his flustered spouse exit his cabin.

**********

Kunal didn't think that she would really stand him up today, but lunch time had come and Rachna was nowhere to be found. She wasn't picking up her office line, and when he stopped by her office, he found it empty. Backing out of the room, he looked the distance to Kabir's office. The designer's door was closed, so there stood the possibility that she was sequestered in there with their employer. He went and knocked on the door, opening it after he heard KT Sir's instruction to enter. He was surprised to find the man alone

"Namaste KT Sir, have you seen Rachna?"

"She has left for lunch. I believe she is meeting a friend..."

"Well at least she considers me a friend," Kunal muttered before nodding at is employer. "Thank you Sir, at least I know she hasn't abandoned me."

"Excuse me," Kabir asked of the young man, paying closer attention to him now.

"Oh, nothing Sir, Rachna had invited me to lunch that's all. I'll go and seek her out, since I know she's still about, " Kunal answered before closing the door  to his boss's office.

He was heading in the direction of his own office, when he finally came upon his missing co-worker. He saw that she had her handbag and appeared ready to leave for their meal together.

"Rachna..."

Kabir observed his wife startle on hearing her name, before flushing.

"I will be waiting to discuss your design when you return." He glanced at his watch and gave a time exactly one hour and fifteen minutes from the current time.

"Ji Kabir," Rachna replied somewhat taken aback by his brusque tone.

 "It is probably good for the two of you to meet considering Kunal will be responsible for all online marketing of the bridal line, " Kabir stated succinctly,  now staring directly at his young employee. Over Rachna's shoulder Kunal nodded in understanding, more sure than not that this edict was actually meant for him. In in his own subtle way, Kabir Tipathi was expressing his displeasure over his wife sharing a meal with another man, and warning him not to dare think more of their lunch date. Kunal could respect that.

************

Kunal was certainly a talker...or perhaps he was making up for the lack of conversation from her end. Rachna had listened half-heartedly as Kunal, after giving her the complete rundown on himself, began detailing the web-site he was working on. She made the effort to nod and make appreciative sounds, as he continued, however in truth her mind was a million miles away. Befuddled by her reaction to her boss; she anxiously sought some explanation for her response to their contact. Why would their closeness affect her so? And why could she not stop replaying their encounter over and over? She needed to stop as she could feel her cheeks warm as she recalled both her participation and her reaction to Kabir. She picked up the cold drink she had ordered and drank deeply of it, all the while wishing she could just place the cold glass directly on her overheated cheeks. Before she knew it, she had drained the beverage completely, and placed the glass back on the table. Her movement to withdraw  was interrupted when Kunal clasped her hand before she could remove it from the table.

"Rachna, are you okay?"

She looked across the table wide-eyed at her companion. Oh God she thought, what were the chances that he would ask the very question that Kabir had? She then looked down at where their hands were connected, and realized that unlike earlier, she felt absolutely  zero ... the touch of his hand evoked nothing; no affect at all.

She looked up at Kunal, an apology on her lips even as she began rising from her chair.

"I'm sorry Kunal, I need to get back to the office."

"But we haven't even finished lunch," he responded. He rose out his chair when it was clear that she wasn't going to stay. Pulling out his wallet and throwing some bills down on the table he rushed after her. "For God's sake Rachna; at least let me give you a ride back."

*********

Had his thoughts been solely on checking the completed sketch, Kabir would have found nothing negative to remark on - as usual, Rachna had brought this design to a faultless conclusion; not that Kabir had expected anything less.  However, his mind remained crowded with his and Rachna's earlier encounter. Undeniably Rachna had felt something. He had sensed her reaction; had seen the resulting confusion, and now could only wonder how she would respond to this revelation. Knowing that she had learned at least some of his history; Kabir pondered if she would soon be able to make the connections that entwined them. Opening his left hand drawer, Kabir reached in to extract the double picture frame he had placed there the three nights prior. Their shaadi  picture occupied one half of the frame, while a casual family portrait of the two of them and Aryia, taken two weeks before the accident resided in the other. Smiling ruefully, Kabir gently caressed his wife's image, becoming lost in his memories of the life they shared. He barely heard when his office door opened, and had but a split second to hide away the photos when Rachna stormed unannounced into his office.

"You knew me before, didn't you Kabir? Before my accident, we knew each other."

The fact that he didn't even question the strangeness of her query let Rachna know that the designer was well aware of her circumstances. "Did I work for you before, Kabir," she asked looking for the commonality between them.

It wasn't the question that he would have wished for her to want to know the answer to, but at least it was a start.

"Haan Rachna," he admitted. "At one time you were one of my most promising design assistants."

She sat down hard into the chair on the other side of his desk when he fell silent after making this statement. "Is that it then, Kabir," she asked tearfully. "All there was to our relationship?"

Kabir narrowed his eyes, unsure as to  why her line of questioning was the cause of such distress, and then was unable to give her any answer at all when, as suddenly as she had arrived, Rachna had leapt up to make  her escape.

"Rachna, just wait a minute...come back so we can talk."

"I'm sorry I can't stay here..." she answered tearfully as she dashed out of his office. She walked through the office as briskly as her fitted dress allowed, uncaringly wiping her face.

Those in corridor came to a halt at the drama unfolding in front of them.  Kabir called after her again, and still Rachna would not stop. Sensing the futility in preventing her leaving, Kabir turned to Pratima who had been heading to his office. He instructed his assistant to ensure that the security guard hailed an auto for Rachna and took note of her direction. He would have to call her family and then make his way to her as soon as he confirmed her reaching home.

"But Kabir Sir, your afternoon conference call with Sarla S..."

He closed his eyes. He had promised a follow up with Rachna's UK distributor: something that had completely slipped his mind.

"Thik hai," he agreed, "Just make sure that an auto has been called for her." He turned back as his assistant reached for the nearest phone to make the internal call to the outside security hut.

He had made a commitment to preserving his wife's dream, so he would first keep the scheduled teleconference, and immediately afterwards, Kabir knew he would have to provide all of the answers Rachna needed. But before that he had to figure what could have possible caused such a despairing reaction from his wife to the fact that they shared a history. It just had made no sense.

[NOCOPY]

crtkelly2016-07-16 05:12:49