SS: The Darts of Cupid, Part-5, pg-5 - Page 2

Thank you all, I am glad you liked it!!!

PART-3

"I think I will take off this weekend…" jai said picking up a few pistachios from the bowl tony had brought along with his lemon tea…

"Sir…" tony replied…rejoicing at the fact that he will have some time to himself…

"And you can have a holiday too…when was the last I gave you an off…" jai said failing to remember, forwarding a mail looking at his laptop…

"My memory is bleak sir…" tony said, actually he precisely remembered when he gave him an off, it was almost half a decade ago when Mr. Makhija died out of heart stroke…and jai had to rush for his funeral…

"Leave it…just pack my bags, casuals…I might just enjoy myself… "jai said thinking deeply… he was debating the idea in his mind since last night, but his curiosity was too potent and taking a chance wouldn't harm…

"Yes sir…when will you leave…"

"Tomorrow early morning…"

"Right sir…" he nodded and went to do his assigned job…
XXXX
A flight of grey stone steps leads up to an old-fashioned palatal house… The garden was full of roses. Basket chairs, and a table covered with books, were set under a large gulmohar tree…

A sweet humming could be heard while the water squirted out of the water pipe…

"Bani…" a rather pesky tone called…

"Yes Miss. Khandelwal…" bani replied coolly…continuing watering her plants…

"Bani! Surely such a utilitarian occupation as the watering of flowers is rather raghu kaka's duty than yours? Especially at a moment when intellectual pleasures await you…Your German grammar is on the table. Pray open it at page fifteen. We will repeat yesterday's lesson…"meera said…

"Maam, I planted these little roses here and it's my duty to safeguard them…" bani replied…

"You know how anxious your guardian is…" she trailed off…

"Tarun bhaiyya is so very serious! Sometimes he is so serious that I think he cannot be quite well…and I don't understand leering languages will do what well to me, I rather do something more substantial…"

"I know no one who has a higher sense of duty and responsibility than him…"

"I suppose that is why he often looks a little bored when we three are together…"

"He has enough worries in life dear, your guardianship, his own career and his good for nothing best friend…"

"Hmm…I wish bhaiyya would allow that unfortunate man to come down here sometimes. We might have a good influence over him…" bani said closing the tap, wiping her hands along the sides of her jeans carelessly…

"I am not too sure about that…"

"He seems to be like character out of those Mills and Boons novels…which I find as joke on English Literature…"

"Don't speak like that; a novel is a novel… I wrote one myself in earlier days"

"Did you really? How wonderfully clever you are! I hope it did not end happily? I don't like novels that end happily. They depress me so much…"

"The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what Fiction means…"

"That is what people like to read which is so utopic… And was your novel ever published?" bani argued…

"Alas! No. The manuscript unfortunately lost or mislaid…let it be…" meera sighed…

"I see Doctor Daksh uncle coming in…" bani said getting up, hopping towards her sweet and delightful neighbor who looked debonair in his rimless glasses…and her first crush…and the object of Miss. Meera's soft spot…

"Indeed, good morning Mr. Daksh Randheria…" meera said advancing toward them…

"Ah!! Meera, how are you…I trust well…"

"Maam has just been complaining of a slight headache. I think it would do her so much good to have a short stroll with you in the Park, maybe you can join her…" bani said suggestively, her eyes twinkling with mischief…she knew both of them were bestowed by each other…it was just that they didn't have enough courage to speak up…

"I have not mentioned anything about a headache" meera looked aghast…

"I know that, but I felt instinctively that you had a headache…a break would do you good, you will feel fresh…"

"If I would have been her pupil I wouldn't have missed an opportunity to be tutored…" Daksh said looking at her, meera glared…bani hid her giggle…

"Ahem, it seems Tarun is not in town…"

"He might be coming till Monday…" bani replied…

"I think, dear Doctor Daksh, I will have a stroll with you. I find I have a headache after all, and a walk might do it good…"

"With pleasure, Meera, with pleasure…"

"You will read your Political Economy in my absence…" bani smiled generously waving they good-bye…she picked up the books and threw them back on the table…

"Horrid Political Economy! Horrid Geography! Horrid, horrid German!" she muttered…
XXXX
Bani was sneaking out some chocolates from the freezer when raghu kaka disturbed her…

"Beta some…Adway Sablok is at the door…"

"Oh!!"

"I told him that Tarun sir has gone out but he wants to meet you…"

"Ask him to come in and arrange a room for him…" bani said dusting her hands she walked outside with a spring…she slowed down as she approached the hallway…she was a bit skeptical thinking about his wicked ways with women…jai sat with his legs crossed, he couldn't help himself but come here, bani's description had been too arousing to him and he wanted to teach Tarun a lesson by giving him a scare when he comes to find his poor best friend in his house…

"Mr. Sablok…" bani said walking up to him…jai kept staring at her for one whole minute, she was breath-taking…her creamy white complexion glowed, her dark hair and expressive eyes were ethereal… There was something about her beauty that, when she chose, she could underplay or overplay to her advantage…his eyes shifted to her full lips, he would never be tired of kissing them…her long fingers which she was twitching, he shuddered as he imagined those slender fingers fondling him…jerking out of his no so decent thoughts, he stood up…

"You are little Bani, I'm sure…Tarun's ward…" he said with a gay smile…

"You are under some strange mistake. I am not little. In fact, I believe I am more than usually tall for my age…but I am Bani…and you are certainly my brother's wicked best friend …" jai was momentarily taken aback by her razor sharp tongue…it would be fun to duel with her, the battle is cold unless the opponents are equal…and she was a tigress…his risk of taking a chance didn't go waste…he would surely enjoy his stay…

"Oh! I am not really wicked at all, dear Bani. You mustn't think that I am wicked" he said with a lopsided smile…

"Well if that is the case then why is my brother so troubled with your wayward ways…I hope you have not been leading a double life, pretending to be wicked and being really good all the time. That would be hypocrisy."

"Oh! Of course I have been rather reckless" looking amazed…

"I am glad to hear it…confessions are so pleasant to hear…if they happen to be someone else's…"

"In fact, now you mention the subject, I have been very bad in my own small way"

"I don't think you should be so proud of that, though I am sure it must have been very pleasant" bani retorted thinking of the number of women he has played around with…

"It is much pleasanter being here with you" he flirted; bani became conscious of his steady gaze on her…

"I can't understand how you are here at all. Bhaiyya won't be back till Monday afternoon…"

"Oh, that's sad…but I prefer to wait…"

"Well, suit yourself…I just want to advise you that it isn't good to be immoral and unethical and cheat women, they are sensitive beings…and should eb respected…"

"Maybe you should reform me a bit…"

"I'm afraid I've no time" bani said defensively…

"Please…"

"It is rather Quixotic of you. But I think I should try…I might just help bhaiyya…"

"I feel better already"

"Why don't we have some tea…in the garden…" bani said, jai nodded his head following her…
XXXX
"You seem to me like that red rose you have planted…" jai said sipping his tea…bani's cheeks flushed…

"I don't think it is right for you to talk to me like that, no one has ever talked to me like that…"

"Then no one has the eyes to see you…You are the prettiest girl I ever saw…"bani blushed slightly…

"Miss Khandelwal says that all good looks are a snare…"

"They are a snare that every sensible man would like to be caught in…"

"I don't think I would care to catch a sensible man…I have too many thoughts to pursue…"

"Thoughts to pursue…" he raised an eyebrow…

"Ya, I mean humanitarians… I would like to do something concrete and worthwhile…" bani said proudly…

"Quite mammoth thoughts for a nineteen year old…to pursue…" jai said not failing to be impressed by her determination…

"I will soon turn twenty…"

"I am glad you would…"

"Why??"

"At least I will not have the guilt of being a cradle snatcher…"

"What do you mean by that?"

"No nothing…" he allowed his eyes to stay on her…she averted her gaze…

"Just excuse me…for a moment…" bani got up…she quickly went inside, her heart skipping many beats…she had imagined Adway to be somewhat a aloof man but the man sitting before her was too charming…his drop-dead gorgeous looks were an added advantage, she shook her head…

"Bani…control…okay you were interested in him but he is a master at the game, don't let him know that you are charmed by his persona…act normal, act normal…" bani did some breathing exercises…before she could walk outside to the garden…she saw Meera, Daksh and Tarun enter the house from the backyard…
XXXX
"So you best friend is dead…"meera asked sympathetically…

"Almost…"

"What do you mean by almost…?" daksh spoke up…

"Well…I am sick of him and he is hopeless…" tarun said…only to be called by bani…

"Tarun bhaiyya…" bani came towards him…

"Why do you all seem so upset…bhaiyya I have a surprise for you…in the garden your best friend Adway…" bani said…

"Who??" tarun's eyes popped out…

"Your best friend Adway. He arrived about half an hour ago…"

"What nonsense! I haven't got a best friend…" tarun uttered…

"Oh, don't say that. However badly he may have behaved to you in the past he is still your best friend. You couldn't be so heartless…" bani dragged him towards the garden…

"What is happening??" meera muses…

"I don't know…" daksh replies hopelessly…

"My headache seems to have increased…"

"Maybe we should go for a walk again…"

"I would love to…"
XXXX
Tarun is shocked out of his wits to see Jai Walia sitting in his garden and munching cookies…

"Tarun I have come down from town to tell you that I am very sorry for all the trouble I have given you and that I intend to lead a better life in the future…I promise to be good and mend my ways…" jai said extending his hand…

"Now bhaiyya you have to shake hands with him…"

"I am not doing any such thing…" tarun gritted his teeth…

"Bhaiyya do be nice. There is some good in every one. Adway has just been telling me about his poor invalid friend Mr. Lingappa whom he goes to visit so often. And surely there must be much good in one who is kind to an invalid, and leaves the pleasures of city life to sit by a bed of pain…" bani said pitifully…

"Well, I won't have him talk to you about about anything. It is enough to drive one perfectly frantic…"

"Of course I admit that the faults were all on my side. But I expected a more enthusiastic welcome, especially considering it is the first time I have come here." Jai said…

"Bhaiyya if you don't shake hands with Adway I will never forgive you…"

"Never forgive me?"

"Never, never, never!"

"Well, this is the last time I shall ever do it "tarun shakes hands with jai and glares at him whose fixed smile remains intact…

"My little task of reconciliation is over…so can I have that chocolate fudge…"

"No you have tonsillitis…"

"Please…I promise only little…" bani makes a puppy face…

"Go on bani…enjoy your ice-cream while I talk to your bhaiyya…"

"Thanks Adway…see ya…" bani runs inside…
XXXX
"You are a scoundrel Jai Walia… you must get out of this place as soon as possible, I don't allow you here…" tarun seethed with anger…

"Tarun sahib I have put our guest's luggage in the room upstairs, I hope it is fine…" raghu kaka interrupted them…

"I am afraid I can't stay more than a week this time…" jai said…

"Kaka just bring the bag down, adway has some urgent work, he has been called…"

"What a fearful liar you are. I have not been called back to Delhi at all."

"Yes, you have."

"I haven't heard any one call me."

"Your duty as a gentleman calls you back."

"My duty as a gentleman has never interfered with my pleasures in the smallest degree."

"I can quite understand that."

"Well, Bani is a darling…"

"You are not going to talk of Bani like that. I don't like it."

"OH!!Please, just stop that, when you did the same with Lakshmi…"

"Shut up…Your vanity is ridiculous, your conduct an outrage, and your presence in my garden utterly absurd. However, you have to go back and I hope you will have a pleasant journey back to Delhi…this has not been a great success…"

"I think it has been a great success. I'm in love with Bani, and that is everything…" jai said surprising himself…

"Kaka thank you…you can do your work…" jai said raghu leaves…

"Shut up I don't consent this and get lost…" tarun shouts…

"Bhaiyya…go inside and freshen up, so much of anger is not good…" bani comes and reprimands him…

Tarun fumes and goes inside…

"I had just come to water my roses…" bani said picking up the water tube…

"Well, it seems you love them…"

"Ya…" bani shrugged her shoulders…jai moved closer to her…spotting a remnant of the ice-cream on the side of her lip, he raised his finger to wipe it off…bani is transfixed for a moment… as jai licks off the ice-cream from his finger…

"Ummm…I never knew chocolate fudge was so delicious…" he whispered in her ear, walking away, leaving a spellbound bani behind…
XXXX

God bless
dhani