This part is dedicated to Vedo, Janu_2006, Docsleepy, Shree and Vaishali. Thanks for reading and encouraging me!
Part 48
"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."
- Theodore Roosevelt
He was burning with something akin to jealousy. Hell, it was jealousy. He hated this emotion, more than jealousy he hated the emotion that brought forth the jealousy. He hated love. Why did he have to fall in love…again?
The last time, he succumbed to that emotion, he was mauled like a hapless matador by a raging, vicious bull…except she didn't look anything like a bull, on the contrary, she looked so sweet, serene, delicate and innocent. But he is the only one who knows, she is neither that sweet nor that serene when she is in the range of ten feet radius of him. Now he doubted if she was that innocent. Three male admirers? Where were all his ex girlfriends? Surely Jigyasa would have invited them, it gave her perverse pleasure in inviting them and let them fight amongst themselves over him. He spotted Sonali, Monica and of course Roshni is still clinging on to his arm. But first things first, he better go and break-up the love fest with the three men and his wife.
He politely smiled to Roshni and told her to dance with Sahil while he said hello to his new guests.
He walked non-chalantly toward the foyer nodding and shaking hands to people who intercepted him constantly. His checked his impatience and smiled vacantly keeping his eye on his beloved wife whose tinkling laughter was attracting the attention of the guests. They were passing those looks at her, 'enchanted', 'how charming' kind. He didn't get how she could do it, mesmerize people, tug their hearts, get under their skin. He reached her at last.
Two well muscled bodies came and stood before him, as tall as him, correction, taller than him, he sidestepped to pass them…they stepped in front of him again, confused he tried to go the other way and when he was blocked again, he was certain that they were doing it on purpose.
He raised his head to give a blistering tongue lashing to whoever was holding from his single handed pursuit of his wife. The laughing eyes of his hyderabadi bhais stopped him short. He gasped…
"Tum?"
"Looks like you are in a hurry to go somewhere, Jai bhaiyya?" Vishy talked as Vikrum smiled in his own disarming way.
"How? I mean who?" Jai colored as the words came out all wrong.
"Bani di invited us even if you forgot us" Vikrum hugged him in his steely embrace.
"I don't understand! Bani invited you? Where are tatu and nani? And your mother?" he exchanged the hug perfunctorily as he was engulfed in another pair of arms. Not as well muscled as his older brother's but getting there.
"For the last six years, Bani di was living with our mom in Florida. Vishal bhaiyya settled down in Brazil, Vikrum bhaiyya was in NY and I was going to school at Princeton in Jersey, mom needed someone to keep an eye on her. Bani di needed someone in her condition after her husband", he paused, looking at him ominously, "ditched her unceremoniously!" For a minute he sounded so much like his grandfather.
"You knew all along where Bani was and didn't bother to tell me?" Jai was boiling with rage.
"She was in a bad way when I met her in Goa, she didn't have much money and she was having your baby and you were not there holding her hand. She refused to go back with you. Since you were my grandfather's adopted grandson, that makes me your brother and makes her my sister. I wouldn't have abandoned her even if you came and asked me to do it. My parents raised me to take care of my family." Vikrum crossed his arms and looked at him challengingly.
"Before you get any ideas, she ties Rakhi to all three of us, so we will always protect her" Vishesh stood next to his brother, defending him.
"How could tatu do this to me? He knew about it and he didn't tell me? He owed it to me, at least to give me a call and let me know where she was, if she was okay" Jai looked disillusioned.
"He doesn't know" Vikrum was short with his answer.
"I don't understand!" Jai repeated his confusion.
"Pretty soon after Vishal's wedding, Tatu had an accident, he was in the hospital for a year. It was a touch and go situation, we chose not to tell him. Nani was too worried about him – and her health is not that good either. So we didn't tell him. He is much better now and they are planning to visit us in Mumbai in a couple of days. Mom told us that if Bani di was adamant not to tell anyone about her whereabouts, she figured di had a good reason. She chose to support her" Vishesh replied this time.
Jai looked frustrated. He was happy that she was taken good care of, but was unhappy that no one told him where she was.
He turned to Bani and Aparajit who were talking animatedly. "Who the hell is he? He looks familiar"
"His name is Aparajit Dev, he is one of top 100 rich Indians in the US." Vishy looked at AD in admiration.
That's why he looked familiar. "How does he know Bani?" Jai wanted to do his homework before he confronted his adversary.
"He is a partner in my mom's publishing company. He met Bani at one of the book readings at my mother's house" Vikrum supplied the answer.
"Does he know that Bani is married?" Jai stared at Aparajit with intense dislike.
"He knows that Bani has a daughter, but even if she is married, that wouldn't have deterred him from pursuing her. He didn't get to where he is today being scared of getting involved." Vikrum laughed cynically. "He truly is a believer of getting down and dirty when it comes to fighting for what he wants. For him it's the fight that counts, not so much the reward! On the other hand, this time, it may be he really wants Bani di." His voice turned sympathetic to Jai.
"Is Bani interested in him?" Jai murmured in a low voice.
"Oh, no! I am not getting involved in this. I think this is our cue to go and meet the rest of the family, where is my niece? Did you know that you daughter wants to marry me?" Vishy winked at Jai.
Jai stared at the boy, "Stay away from her! You are too old for her!"
Vishy raised an eyebrow. "Bhaiyya, take a chill pill…Reya is five! I am her first boyfriend!" He laughed disarmingly.
Jai looked chagrined at his prior outburst. "Sorry!" He looked sheepish.
He watched with jealousy as Reya and Rohan launched themselves on the two young men with much exuberance. Bani along with Pia and Rano dragged them to be introduced to everyone else.
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Aparajit Dev dressed spiffily. A $250 Egyptian cotton shirt from Brooks Brothers, a $600 trousers from Versace, $800 Gucci loafers, a $3500 Cartier watch, $200 cashmere scarf and $2200 sports coat from from Armani and last but not least diamond cufflinks from Tiffany's worth about $1000 adorned his well worked out athletic frame. Jai wasn't sure if all the Italian clothing also influenced his gesticulations, because Aparajit moved his arms and eyebrows like an Italian too. He looked balefully as Dev's eyes caressed the graceful back of Bani. His hands itched to topple the expensive wine AD was holding on his very expensive clothes.
"Mr. Dev" Jai extended his hand to Aparajit, "I am Jai Walia, Bani's husband."
Aparajit looked up from the lovely picture of Bani bending down to talk to Reya and passed a cool look toward Jai. He didn't bother to take Jai's hand.
"So this is Bani's erstwhile husband who ditched her when she was pregnant and she had no one to look after her" Aparajit raised his eyebrow at Jai.
Jai seethed with irrational temper to choke Aparajit with his soft cashmere scarf.
"Not so erstwhile, Mr. Dev, Bani married me again today!" Jai responded defensively.
His response was rewarded with Aparajit's full attention being turned toward Jai. Jai looked underdressed in front of the impeccably dressed man.
The stole that his daughter lovingly tied around his neck started choking him. He decided to be upfront about his intentions toward his wife.
"Mr. Dev! I read somewhere that you like the pursuit more than the game. For me Bani is not a game. Bani is my wife. About six years ago, Bani asked me if I am going to fight for my princess, at that time I told her I was not sure. But now, I am ready to pick up that sword to fight for my love. If you want a duel, you got it! You may be getting into the arena for the laughs and for the mere fight. Don't get me wrong, I love that kind of thing once in while too! But this time, the stakes are too high! I am not going to lose this fight, I trust Bani, I made a mistake six years ago, I paid dearly for it. Now, I believe that she wouldn't have married me again, if she didn't feel something for me. Besides we have a family, she belongs with me and Reya now!" Jai's eyes clashed with Aparajit's challengingly.
"Wah! The one and only asamany, adhbhoot Aparajit Dev had the asambhav happening to him. Jai Walia is throwing a gauntlet down to fight with the anokha, arijit, apurv buddhiman Aprajit." He put together his hands to applaud Jai's confrontation.
"Well, I think you have omitted one adjective, Apaar ahankari (highly egotistic), Mr. Dev!" Jai grinned widely.
Aparajit threw back his head and laughed. He extended his hand to Jai and shook it firmly.
"You better take care of her, otherwise I am coming back to haunt you. By the way, Walia, I am a very good fencer. Consider that this is not a retreat, just a strategy to gather more forces for the next time we enter the battlefield." He nodded to Jai, this time without a smile and walked regally toward the table where some beautiful women were sitting. A new twist and turn in the chase.
Jai stared at the man in surprise, he was shocked that Aparajit stepped back without much of a fight.
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Jai felt elated with his easy win. He looked back to see where Bani was hanging around with his family and sauntered casually towards her.
Maasi was waiting patiently for him.
"Munna, idhar aao!" She ordered him peremptorily. Her eyes brooked no argument from him.
"Ji – Maasi!" he acted deferentially toward his beloved aunt.
"Pushkar, paper walle kidhar hai, mera munna aur Bani ka photo chapane ka hai kal akbaar mein. Photographer ko bulao beta!" she issued the command to Pushkar.
Bani looked at Maasi in shock. "Yeh sab jaroori hai, Maasi?"
Maasi held both Bani's and Jai's hands and made them hold each other. "Haa, beta! Jaroori hai! Mera Jai ka shaadi ho gaya, aur Mumbai mein sab log ko malloom hona chahiye ki mera munna abhi Bachelor nahin hai aur woh sirf tumhara hai" She glared at Roshni with distaste.
"Maasi, trust me, I am a one woman man! I belong to Bani just as much as she belongs to me" Jai's eyes collided with Bani's.
Her heart and the world both stopped, as they both stared at each other. The flash of the camera had no impact on each other. The photographer asked them to pose for some more photos before letting them go.
"Maasi, I need to have a word with my wife in private! Ask the photographer to take some pictures of Ranveer and Rano!" Jai ignored the smiling eyes around him as he tucked Bani's hand in his and pulled her outside.
He ignored her protests as he dragged her outside to the spot where he first kissed her. The swing under the Gul Mohar moved slightly in the breeze. Instead of sitting on the swing, He leaned against the tree, shielding them from the inquisitive eyes from inside. The rough bark scraped his back uncomfortably. He ignored it and pulled Bani into his arms, his fingers meshing in her silky hair and cupping her head as he leaned and took her luscious lips hungrily.
"Bani! I have been meaning to do this forever!" He groaned as her mouth opened under his aggressive encroachment of her senses.
She returned his kisses with passion, pulling him closer with his long scarf. She couldn't get enough of him, as she traced his hair roughened jaw, his cheekbones, his ears, his eyebrows. It was her turn to entwine her fingers in his thick and coarse hair that bespoke vitality.
"Mr. Walia!" She moaned as he placed his hands on the curve of her hip to pull her closer to him. She inhaled the smell of Givenchy on his clothing and the Davidoff on his jaw.
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PS: A friend asked me to do a photoshoot in next couple of chapters. I can do Italy or Costa Rica....Italy is romantic with Gondola's and museums and such, Costa Rica is tropical and adventurous! Please let me know which you prefer when you comment....Loved both countries.
Edited by Sheena_Row - 18 years ago
Kumkum Bhagya
