SS: THE SICILIAN...PART 23 pg 49 UPD 29/06 - Page 13

Dont mind either as long as JB are together....however i think Rano and Tarun might be good option!!

There was a distinct knock on the door and when no answer came from her, the door was pushed open. He stood in all his glorious presence, filling the doorway, his eyes intently on her face, seeking a silent answer to the question he was mentally asking her. She ducked her head as her face was definitely a bright red from shame. He must have taken in her crimson face and dropped head and turned to the sleeping boys in the cradle, not wanting to embarrass her further.

"They have gotten to be so big," he said, going to kneel beside their cot, gazing at them lovingly.

She still said nothing to him as her voice seemed to be A.W.O.L.(absent without leave). She could only watch him as he raised his hands which she noted were quite big to caress one and then the other. Almost simultaneously the boys opened their eyes and stared at the huge apparition before them. Atharva yawned a little and promptly went back to sleep. Krishna stared at him a while longer, and when he put his finger in his small fist, the little boy grabbed and held on tight.

Jai felt a rush in his heart and a proud smile curved his lips as he gazed at the boy, "He's strong, don't you think?"

Finding her voice at last, momentarily left breathless at the sight before her, she managed a tiny, "Yes."

He stared at the boy who seemed to be saying 'I know who you are' and asked, "Remember me? I'm the one that pulled you out of Mummy here."

Krishna blinked once and then yawned tiredly as Jai chuckled to himself.

"Okay little guy, I get it. I'll leave you to go to sleep now," he said, extricating his finger from the boys grip, kissing it and touching it to the boys forehead as his eyes began to droop.

He rose and stood watching the boy until he fell asleep again and then turned to Bani who was still watching her son sleep, oblivious to Jai watching her.

"I'll have that cup of coffee now," he said.

She snapped out of it, "What?"

"Coffee?" he said, with the faintest of smiles on his lips.

She stared at him for a few seconds, having no recollection of having offered him coffee. It took her a few seconds to see he was giving her an 'out' of her earlier embarrassing moment. She smiled shyly.

"Of course. This way please," she said, heading towards the door.

He was closer and held the door open for her, "After you."

She gave him a whiff of s smile and again ducked her head to walk past him. She headed straight for the kitchen, glad to have something to do other than just standing there and feeling totally awkward. She flitted around the kitchen, obviously at home now.

"So what have you been up to all this while?" he asked from his perch on the high backed chair as he watched her.

She stopped in her tracks for a while and then as if thinking, cocked her head to the left as she filled the coffee maker, "Now that I think of it, not much, embarrassing as that sounds."

"Doing nothing looks good on you," he said with a teasing smile.

She turned to face him, obviously having found her sass again, "You would say that."

"It was a compliment," he said as if to pacify her.

"Not to a woman who's got two boys to look after and has no viable means of survival," she said with an almost angry yet upset look, "I mean if it wasn't for Tarun and.."

She stopped in mid sentence, looking him in the eye, knowing full well he knew she was about to refer to him. She sighed and turned back to the coffee maker.

He was silent for a while and when he spoke, she was surprised at the very odd thing he had to say.

"Is that your natural hair colour?"

She froze, her back stiff, and then she slowly turned around to face him, the most curious look on her face as her expression questioned him on how did they get from her joblessness to her hair colour in all of three seconds? It was the glint in his eye that told her why he had said that, and seeing the humour, burst out laughing.

She heard his chuckle and looked at him through tear filled eyes, "I promise you Mr. Walia..."

"Jai," he stated simply.

She made an expression of concession, "Jai. You have the weirdest ways of putting a person at ease."

"Glad it worked," he said with a shrug, "Told you I come in peace."

"Mhmm," was all she said as she poured the coffee and indicated the milk and sugar to which he shook his head. She straightened and looked him in the eye, "You always take coffee that way?"

"Yes," he said, his eyes wondering why she had asked.

"Well why do you do that?"

He stared at her for a while, seeming to think, "To tell you the truth, I don't know."

She shook her head at him and said, "Well then, there's a first time for everything na?"

So saying, she poured a small amount of milk in the cup and put a little sugar and began to stir it slowly so that it didn't spill.

"Yeh lo," she said, handing him the saucer with the teaming cup, a little surprised he didn't protest or refuse all together.

"Thank you," he said, taking it from her and leaving it to cool for a while.

She took her seat at the opposite side of the counter, nursing her own cup of coffee, wondering if she should just ask outright or go about it as subtly as possible.

"You can ask," he said, watching her again in that all seeing manner.

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, " I just...I mean... you're here. Shouldn't you be somewhere else having fun?"

"I am having fun," he said without missing a beat.

"Huh?" she was absolutely taken aback by the immediate response.

He leaned forward and looked in her eyes, "I go to all those other places every other Saturday for different reasons. It could be business, pleasure or something else. So what's wrong if I come to a place without the people and the noise?"

"Why here?" she asked, her expression wanting him to say the truth and not mince words.

" I needed to see you in person to say thank you for the roses, and to see the boys. You're not a woman that keeps in touch Bani."

She gasped at the frankness with which he spoke, her eyes wide as she gazed at him. He seemed to be oblivious to her reaction as he lifted his cup and took a sip.

"This is not quite so bad," he said by means of a compliment, smiling at her.

She looked away for a moment, knowing he was again throwing her a rope if she wanted it, "Mr. Wal..."

"Jai," he said firmly this time, his eyes forbidding her to make that mistake again.

She frowned slightly but decided to let it slide, "Jai, I think you of all people should know why I keep my distance."

"Understandably too," he agreed, "Reputation, negative publicity, refusal to accept help..."

She was ready with a retort on the last note but he raised a hand to stop her.

"...which I completely understand, having been an independent woman for so long."

She relaxed, suitably pacified with the last part of his statement, "You can tell me to go to hell, but I'll ask out of concern anyway. What do you intend to do now?"

She bit her lower lip, uncertainty overcoming her expression. She didn't have a ready answer and that was the truth. She had thought about Rano's offer as it was the only viable one she had that was ready to pay.

"Truth be told Mr..." she stopped herself in time, taking in the terse look in his eye, "Jai...I don't know how much I can do out of the house. The boys are still so young and...well, I can't exactly trust a nanny with them...I just can't."

The last part was said with a touch of defensive defiance.

"I promise I understand you," he nodded, looking into his cup as though it held immediate answer to her problems, "Look Bani, as adverse as you are to it, I would really like to help if you would let me."

"I'd ask for a reference but we both know that would mean an automatic job if you are the Jai Walia I read about in the papers and that Sir, is what I cannot abide," she said, a joking smile on her face which evoked an answering smile from him.

"I guess you're right," he said with another nod, causing a lock of black hair to fall and brush his forehead, "But you know I'm available if you need any help."

"I know," she said softly, thinking to herself he had to be the kindest yet most ruthless man she knew. The legend of Jai Walia was not unknown, after all she was from the business world too.

"If you don't mind, I have a gift for the boys," he said again, completely taking her from one topic to another that were poles apart.

"What now?" she asked, a little apprehensive and at the same time smiling at the naughty twinkle that entered his eyes, "What are you up to?"

"You'll have to wait to find out," he said, draining the last of his coffee.

"Jai..."

"Finally!" he said with exaggerated relierf.

"Arre..." she raised her hand as if to smack him playfully and he pulled back anticipating her action, "Listen Jai, you've already done so much for them...for us, I don't think we need any more."

"It's my right to gift them whatever I want na?" he asked as she cleared the cups to the sink and began rinsing them out, then he added, "You know you have a dish washer."

"I have two perfectly working hands too," she said over her shoulder with a smile, "And stop doing that."

"Doing what?" he asked innocently.

"Stop changing the topic when I'm yet to get a word in," she said, placing the cups and saucer on the rack to dry as she turned back to him, "Seriously Jai."

"I promise, it'll be the last one," he said, placing a hand on his chest to indicate he was telling the truth.

She could however see the twinkle in his eyes that said otherwise, "I don't believe you."

"True," he said with an unrepentant shrug, "But maybe you can let me just this once? I promise I'll stop...after a while."

"Jai!" she said in frustration.

"Okay okay," he raised his hands in peace, "It'll be delivered tomorrow."

"It needs delivery?" she asked in surprise.

"Well how else do you propose to get it?" he asked in mock curiosity.

She just gave him a funny look and crossed her hands in a huff, evoking a look she was without words to describe as she looked at him. Suddenly he smiled at her and she involuntarily caught her breath, frozen in her stance.

He rose, "I think I'll leave now," he said, getting to his feet.

She was lost for words, still reeling from the effects of that look just now.

"Walk me to the door?" he said, motioning.

"Yes," she managed, pushing a thick lock of her hair back behind her ear as she walked ahead of him to the door and slowly opened it. He came and stood next to her, not looking as if he was the one about to leave, the way he was looking out into the hallway that was well lit and over the transparent glass overlooking the city where lights twinkled in the darkness.

"It was good to see you again Bani," he said, not looking at her.

She looked up into his face as he spoke, not knowing what to make of his expression which seemed to be none, as she didn't have a name for it. Deadpan maybe? Well as she didn't know how to react, she just remained quiet and looked at him. He turned to her.

"It's not every day I get a chance to kick back and do things in my own time. Thank you for tonight."

The intensity of the look in his eyes reminded her of a stormy night which was trying to make up its mind between raining and just plain causing destruction by the might of the gusts of wind that caused the trees to bend and lean back in reverence of its power.

"Pleasure is all mine," she offered in a small voice, totally enthralled by the look on his face.

"Good night Bani," he said, but he didn't move, he just stood there gazing at her.

"G..good night," she stammered, lowering her gaze when she couldn't take the sheer strength of his stare any more. The air seemed tense with whatever aura he was exuding.

He stepped closer to her and with a gentle but firm hand on her chin lifted it to look into her eyes. She stared at him a while before her gaze dropped again and she looked away, her nose filling with the smell of his mild aftershave. He placed a hand on her shoulder and it was not until she felt the warmth of his lips on her forehead that she realized what he was doing.

She froze as the sparks shot with frenzied fury all over body from the point of contact with his lips. After what seemed like an eternity, he withdrew and when he took in her bewildered expression, gave ghost of a smile and straight up walked out of her apartment without another word or a backward glance.

Driving into Walia Mansion he parked the car and sat down for a while, having no recollection of how he got all the way home. In a fit of frustration, he banged the steering wheel three times and swore under his breath in his mother tongue.

What the hell had possessed him to do that?! He cursed again, burying his face in his hands and wishing he could just turn back the clock and undo what he had just done. What in the world....!!!!Irritated beyond measure, he snatched the keys from the ignition and pushed open the door of the car. Lithe as an athlete, he took the twelve steps leading up to the house three at a time and pushed open the door. Seemed the whole family was waiting for him.

"Arre Jai," Uday began, "Where have you been? You didn't say where you were going."

"I had something personal to attend to," he said to his father, the tension clear on his face.

"What could possibly be wrong at this time of the night?" Jigyasa asked, watching the tense square of his shoulders, "Doesn't seem business related."

"It's nothing. I just need a rest," he said, turning towards the stairs after giving Krishna who had been watching him silently a good night kiss.

"Par Bhaiya..." Jigyasa began again.

"Abhi nahin Jigyasa," he said in a tone that brooked no argument, "I'll see you in the morning.2

With that he was up the stairs and out of sight, leaving a pensive, curious and speculative audience behind.

"He's been acting strange all day," Jigyasa said to her mother.

"That he has," she agreed, "Why, is the question."

Uday said nothing as he was used to Jai's clam ups and mood swings, knowing full well that Jai was capable of handling himself, and when a problem became too much to bear, which was a rarity, Jai had always come back to him. He had a feeling that this...whatever was bothering his son, would reach his ears eventually.

Jai up in his room hurled the keys out onto the balcony beyond, still very much angry with himself for what he had done. He had acted like a complete fool just now. He hadn't been thinking...that was it! Him, a man who never did anything without thinking out every single possible outcome had just kissed a woman who he had absolutely no connection with whatsoever! Lord, he couldn't explain it to himself at all! He began to pace and prowl again...wanting to destroy something to calm the storm that was raging inside him. He grabbed his cell and called a number and barked into the phone.

"Gaurav, where are you?" he asked in a sharp tone.

"On my way to the Plaza Sir," the steady voice of his head of Computer Department said in a level voice.

"How soon till you instal the chip?" he asked again.

"Everything is set up. I should have it in within the next hour," Gaurav said quietly as though weighing his answer.

"Call me when it is done," he snapped and disconnected the line.

Again, he grabbed a pillow and hurled it across the room, running his hand through his hair in frustration at not being physically able to hurt something. Lord, what the woman would be thinking right now! A bitter laugh escaped him...yes, curiosity really did kill the cat. Why did he have to go over there? He could have just called, sent a note, something! Now look what he had gone and done!

He had to talk to her. He had to try and straighten this out or he would have permanently burned his nonexistent bridge with her. He picked up his phone again and dialled her number, knowing another question would be how he got the number of her mobile, but he didn't care. He needed to talk to her now, before she found all the reasons to avoid him as much as the devil.

Bani sat in bed with her knees drawn up to chin, staring into space, thinking about nothing in particular. She just stared, willing her mind to dwell on other things besides what had happened a few hours ago in her own apartment...correction, his apartment. She only lived in it. She didn't even know what to make of the fact that he had kissed her forehead. She knew there had been some sort of tension in the air since he walked in....like he was invading her personal space, but then it felt right for him to be there.

What bothered her was the fact that he knew the circumstances in which she came to be a mother of two boys and had landed herself in this mess where she was at his mercy. Yet he had kissed her forehead...with all the intimacy of a lover leaving his love and going elsewhere. What did he think of her? To do something like that was like asking her to open herself up to be made a fool of again. To be used and tossed aside like a piece of nothing. As it was she was already torn to nothing and was barely holding on by the skin of her teeth. She was able to pass her days because her guardian was always there to help her along. Tarun never let her feel alone or down or less than what she was for having fallen from grace like this...but tonight?

It all made her feel so dirty and cheap. His doing that had reminded her why she was in the mess she was right now. A single tears rolled down her cheek and crashed onto the back of her palm. She was shaken out of her comatose state by the musical chiming of her phone. She raised her head slowly and when she was sure it wasn't a text, uncurled herself from her position and went to the dresser where it was vibrating and ringing. She looked at the strange number and by some sixth sense, knew exactly who it was. She cut the call and immediately switched off the phone. She just couldn't deal with all this right now. She just couldn't. She was making her way to the bed when the house phone began to ring. She stared at it as though it was a totally foreign object and when she decided to pull the cord from the wall when the answering machine picked up the call.

"Bani.."

She jumped back from the phone as though it had metamorphosed into a snapping turtle.

"Bani please pick up the phone.2

It was Jai's calm but authoritative voice. She shivered in the warmth of her room, still shifting away from the phone.

"Bani, I know you can hear me. Please pick up the phone."

She dropped into the chair next to her dresser, a heavy blanket settling over her as the tears tumbled freely from her eyes, a fresh bout of shaking overcoming her as she hugged herself around her midriff. The phone timed out and went silent. Almost immediately the phone began to ring again, causing her to jump in fright. The answering machine picks up again.

"Bani, pick up!" Jai's voice all but bellowed this time.

She slapped her hands on her ears, refusing to listen to any more, yet unable to leave from where she sat immobile.

"Bani, if you don't pick up I swear I'll drive over there and kick the door open," he threatened.

Shock brought her head up and she stared at the phone as though she could see his angry face as he spoke.

"Fine," were the last words she heard as the line went dead again.

She just sat there and literally couldn't move. She glanced at the clock and saw it was a quarter past twelve in the night. Surely he couldn't leave his house by this time? Surely not...

She was half asleep half awake curled up tight on her bed when she seemed to hear incessant pounding on the front door. She frowned in her half drugged state and wondered whether she was imagining things. The pounding started again and this time she sat up and glanced at the bedside clock. One thirty in the morning. Who on earth....

She cautiously got up and went into the hall way. The pounding was then accompanied by her name...

"Bani! Open the door this minute!"

Jai! She all but froze in the hall way again. He actually came here!

"Bani, it's your choice. Either open up or else..."

The sentence was left hanging and she knew he would kick the door in if she didn't open it. On wooden legs, she advanced on the door and turned the first lock, the second and then turned the keys. Ever so slowly, she opened the door to a very harried, angry and upset looking Jai. The expression on his face was unfathomable. She stepped back to let him in. Wordlessly, he came in and stood facing her. She backed up against the door, her eyes down cast, fully intimidated by his height and build, not to talk of the severe look in his eyes.

Neither one of them spoke.

HO GAYA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😊

Hi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!