A large hand rose to wipe the condensation off the bathroom mirror to reveal a classically handsome face, a strong jaw that didn't dominate the face but gave it the required structure; a slightly large nose presided over a mouth that could be as sensual as sin and as hard as a taskmaster. The eyes were an ordinary brown, but the depth of soul gave them luminosity which brought the entire face to life.
Arnav Singh Raizada lathered shaving cream on to his jaw, his mind on the presentation he had to give to his stuck up boss who had a thing for making the young suffer needlessly. He had finished shaving one cheek when the buzzing of his cell phone jarred him out of his thoughts and his hand slipped nicking his chin.
Arnav frowned at the name on the screen and took the call putting it on speaker. "This better be good," Arnav said dabbing toilet paper on the cut, before resuming with his shave. "O shut up," Aman's voice boomed in the bathroom, languid and easy, just like the man himself. "So when are you showing up?"
"What?!" Arnav stopped shaving as he stared at the phone. "You're already there?"
"I don't remember saying I was," Aman replied and then yawned and Arnav could just picture him stretching in bed in his extremely cluttered room.
"I'm getting ready for work Aman," Arnav said placing his hand on the disconnect button, "as should you."
"Later bro," Aman said and Arnav cut the call.
*
"Chhotay what happened?!" Manorma dropped the thhaal of hot puri on the dining table and ran towards her eldest son. Arnav stood still at the foot of the stairs letting his mother run her hands on his face, knowing the effort to tell her he was fine would be futile. "You need to be careful Chhotay! Why don't you just keep a beard?"
"Come on Ma!" Arnav said laughing indulgently. "A beard in the corporate world is career suicide. Only the CEO or the owner can afford such eccentric tastes."
"My son is no less than the CEO's and the big wigs," Manorma said affectionately as she led her son to the dining table where the rest of the family was already seated. Manish Singh Raizada sat at the head of the table, presiding over breakfast, his belief that the family that eats together stays together strongly inculcated in to his children.
Arnav took the seat to his father's right, being the eldest son while Akash sat opposite him, at his father's left. Manorma didn't sit at the table at all, her duty was to serve the men and only eat after they were done.
"Ma would you please sit down and eat with us," Akash said like he did every morning and Manorma only sniffed, shaking her head.
"I cannot abandon my duty to this house," she would snap, and then roll her eyes heaven ward dramatically. "If only I had a bahou who would share my responsibility, maybe then I could sit and eat with my family."
Akash started to snigger while Arnav shot him a death glare. Manish cleared his throat and Manorma stopped her overacting and served him his breakfast. The morning meals were a quite affair, with small chatter interspersed within.
"Do you have any interviews lined up Akash?" Manish asked before he sipped his water.
"The career counselor says the job market is flooded but she will manage to get me interviews. She says to give her by the end of the month."
"Well you should try and help her out," Manish said frowning slightly. "A 3.2 will not get you a lot of interviews. Arnav here got picked up so quickly because he had a steady 4.0 throughout."
"I know Babuji," Akash began, his jaw clenching at the constant reminder of how he wasn't as good as Arnav.
"If you know then do something about it," Manish said dabbing his greasy lips with a napkin before getting up. "I'm leaving Manorma," he called in to the kitchen where Manorma was supervising the frying of more puri. She came rushing out with a bowl of sugar sweetened yogurt and ladled some in to her husband's mouth, her eyes shining with love and adoration, but Manish simply turned and walked out the door, pausing at the hall table to pick up his keys.
"You can eat now Ma," Arnav said to Manorma who placed the bowl on the dining table.
"No," she said pouting slightly. "Not until I get my bahou!"
Arnav sighed at the obvious demands for him to marry. "Fine!" he said getting up from the table.
"You mean it?" Manorma asked holding him by the arm, her eyes wide with suppressed happiness and disbelief.
"Yes Ma," Arnav said smiling down at his mother. "If you want me to get married, I will get married."
"Oh you have made me so happy Chhotay," Manorma cried, hugging her son. "I have a list of girls lined up for you to see."
"I don't need to see them Ma," Arnav said picking up his laptop bag, swallowing the yogurt his mother shoved in his mouth. "I trust you to find the best bahou for this house."
Manorma couldn't help but get misty eyed as she waved her hand on her sons head taking all his bad luck and the evil eye away from him, so that no harm touched him.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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