Mirage 21:
Natchiket was just about getting ready to return to India having taken care of all the formalities in relation to the explosion that had occurred almost a month ago. Matter of fact he was glad to be going back home. He had just returned to the hotel and asked for his messages. They handed him a few papers and he headed to the elevators, flipping through each one. The Construction company had called, his friend Raj had called too…and Jigyasa Di?
Mhmm, he thought. Wonder what that was all about. He used his key card and let himself into the room. He headed straight to the phone and dialed Walia Mansion. Tony picked up.
"Oh hello Sir, so good to hear from you," Tony said.
"How are things back home?" Natchiket asked pleasantly.
"Going as well as can be expected Sir."
"Great. Is my sister there?"
"Why yes Sir, I'll just get her now," Tony excused himself and hurried to get Jigyasa.
A few moments later she was on the line, "Hello?"
"Hey Di, how are you?" he asked.
"You are such a bad person. Why do you never keep in touch?"
"Come on Di, there's a lot to do here….."
"That's a load of crap and you know it," she said.
"Okay, it's a load of crap, I get it. Thank you. So how are you?"
"I'm fine thank you. You?"
"Dying of curiosity."
"Why?"
"You haven't told me why you called."
"You didn't ask," she pointed out drily.
"Okay," he said slowly, "Now I'm asking."
"It's your knuckle head brother Jai."
Natchiket gave a tired sigh, "Now what did he do?"
"Well it's not so much what he's doing…it's more who he's doing it with."
Natchiket paused a moment, "Bani."
"Bingo!" Jigyasa said.
"How is she? What did he do?" Natchiket asked anxiously, "I knew I shouldn't have…"
"Calm down baba, he hasn't done anything," she said, "Yet."
"Then what?" Natchiket was curious now more than ever.
Jigyasa began to fill him in on the events of the Gala Nite, the kiss and his firing five people in the week following the Gala Nite. Natchiket was howling with laughter.
"This isn't funny Nattu," she said seriously, "Think about what he may be doing to the poor girl if he really is playing with her."
"When Pia was playing hard to get, he didn't react this way, did he?" Natchiket asked.
"No."
"He didn't attack his own employees when any of his other women were giving him a hard time, did he?"
"Well not that I know of," Jigyasa was pensive.
"Look, the way I see it I think she has done a good job of tying him around her pinkie," Natchiket said in a happy voice.
"Are you sure about that?"
"Didi, I'll tell you one thing. This is Jai Walia we're talking about. Only God is sure when it comes to that pigheaded man. Only thing I know is I was hoping she would be the one to bring him around."
"I was talking to Adi earlier on today. We would go to Ma but the thing is she would lead a procession down to Dixit House if we so much as told her a single thing."
"I believe that," Natchiket said, "But why don't we do this. Let's wait a while and see what he does."
"I think that makes the most sense right now. Thinking about these two is driving me crazy."
"Relax Di, everything always sorts itself out in the end."
"For everyone's sake I hope so," Jigyasa said, "So when do we expect you?"
"Two days time. I can't wait to leave here truth be told."
"No place like home eh?" Jigyasa teased.
"No place like home," he reiterated.
"Okay kiddo, see you when you get here. Take care now."
"I will Di, good bye."
"Bye."
After she hung up, Natchiket was smiling to himself. Wow, his brother was actually strung out over Bani Dixit. Well that was a welcome change of pace. Usually the tables were always turned on the woman in question. He was happy someone was thawing the ice king slowly but surely.
Rano entered the hospital and walked to the reception desk. By now she was used to most of the stares she got.
"Hello Nikita," she said to the friendly nurse who was walking towards her, "How are you doing today?"
"I'm fine Miss Dixit," the woman said, "We haven't seen you here in a while."
Rano knew there was no malice behind the comment, "Oh my arm is better so I thought why not go back to work?"
"How's that working out?"
"You'd think I never left. They put me right back to work."
"Silly people," Nikita said with a conspiratorial grin.
Rano laughed with her, "Is my doctor in?"
"Mhmm," Nikita gave a slow nod, grinning from ear to ear, "About to order lunch I believe, but that's taken care of isn't it?"
Rano gave a shy smile, "Aap bhi na. I'll see you before I leave."
Rano made her way to Aparajeet's office where he had just finished with the last patient on his list. He looked up as she tapped on the door. His face broke out in a wide smile.
"Come to bother me I see," he smiled, leaning back in his chair, the light bouncing off the rims of his glasses.
"You are so full of it," she said, entering and dropping the basket on his table.
"Oh, that's the excuse to see me right?" he said, nodding at the basket.
"Are you trying to get me upset?" she asked, her hands on her hips, a hint of annoyance creeping into her face.
"Far be it from me my darling," he got and came to give her a hug, "It's so nice of you to bring me lunch."
"Well I'm hungry too so don't get carried away," she said against his shirt as he held her. She felt his body shake with the laughter that was bubbling inside him, "Will you ever just admit you came to see me?"
She looked up at him, "I came to see you."
"There now," he said dropping a kiss to her forehead, "That wasn't so bad now was it?"
"Whatever," she smiled coyly, and began unloading the food from the basket, "So, how was work?"
"The usual, trauma patient still hasn't woken up yet," he informed her.
"Oh that is sad," she said, shaking her head.
A little girl had been hit by a bike and the force of the hit having flung her clear across the road while being a good thing was also bad, as she had been thrown against the trunk of a tree. He had had to do an emergency surgery to stop the internal bleeding, sedate her heavily to keep her brain from swelling any further, and now he just hoped her little body could take it and would repair itself.
"How are her parents doing?" she asked again.
"They're holding it together," he said, inhaling deeply, "Did you make this?"
"You're not that special," she informed him, slanting him a 'get real' gaze.
He placed his hand on his heart as though genuinely hurt, "And here I was thinking I was the best thing that ever happened to you."
She looked like she was going to give a sharp retort, then a smile curved her lips as she placed the steaming dish in front of him.
"In time," she said.
"Now you're scaring me," he said, giving her a suspicious glance.
"Will you stop talking and put something in your stomach, I didn't come here to…"
"Okay, okay," he said, chuckling at her irritation, "But I also won't eat alone."
"Maine keh di ya, buhk lagiga mujhe," she said, picking up another plate.
"At least eat with me," he said, pulling her to seat on is lap, "It's no fun if you're way over there and I'm way over here. Come on, open wide now."
She gave him a funny look but none the less opened up and swallowed the food he held out to her. She finally relaxed and they were having fun, teasing each other as they ate. She didn't even glance at the clock to see that it was way past her lunch hour. A rap on the door interrupted them. The door opened immediately after. Rano was still comfortably snuggled up against Aparajeet.
"Ma!" he exclaimed.
Karuna stood in the door way, taking in the scene before her in silence. Behind her stood one of the nurses, a catty look in her eyes.
"Good day Ma," Rano said, wishing the earth would just quake and the ground would open up and swallow her.
"Good day indeed," Karuna said, as she came in and shut the door behind her. It was only when she turned that they worried expressions on their faces cleared. She was smiling, "So this is what you get up to when I'm not around to monitor you?"
"Ma…it's not what it seems like…" Aparajeet stammered.
"Oh? Then pray tell how does it seem?" she asked calmly.
"Well…"
"Just be quiet!" Rano hissed.
Karuna laughed, "I just came to bring my son lunch but I see he is being well taken care of."
Rano looked guiltily at the tiffin in her hands, "I'm sorry Ma'am, I didn't know you were…"
"Bas, bas, bas," Karuna waved her away, "It's good to know when my back is turned someone will be looking out for him. Besides, if not now, later right?"
The last part referred to the food she had brought. An uncomfortable silence settled over the room.
"Okie dokie, I can take a hint," she said with a bright smile, "I'll see myself out."
"No," Rano whispered, alarm entering her eyes, as she saw the time, "They are going to kill me!"
"What?" Aparajeet was confused.
"You! This is all your fault!" she slapped his arm.
"Now what did I do?" he was genuinely confused.
"I just came to bring you….oh, you!" she exclaimed again, as she grabbed her bag and walked towards Karuna, "I'm sorry I ruined your surprise Ma'am."
Karuna shook her head, an amused smile on her face, "Not at all my child. Aur haan, Ma'am nahin, Ma."
Rano nodded her head, pulled open the door and was gone. She walked past the nurse that had been giving her the evil eye, smiled a victorious smile of her own, and walked on without a backward glance.
Back at the office, Karuna began clearing the lunch Rano had brought into the tiffin and putting the disposable plates in a paper bag. Aparajeet waited for the twenty questions he knew was coming.
"So…"
"Here we go," he muttered under his breath.
"Don't start with me," she said in a scolding tone, "If it were anyone else I imagine they would be laying into you right about now."
He gave her a charming smile, "But you can't do that. I'm your pyari bacchi, hai na?"
She tried to glare at him, "So, how serious is it?"
He took his time, "Serious enough."
"What are your intentions towards her?"
He frowned, "I thought that was supposed to be her father's question."
Karuna gave him a level look.
"Come on Ma, it's too soon to tell."
"Is it?" she asked him as she lowered herself into the chair opposite him, "I heard the nurses talking about the two of you. From all indications this isn't the first 'lunch date' the two of you have had."
He sighed, cursing the hospital grapevine, "Ma, we're trying to take it easy. We only began dating about a month ago. Can you please just clam it down for a while? I really like her Ma, and I don't want to scare her away by moving too fast because I'm scared she's going to hurt me. She's a good thing, and I want to take it slow."
Karuna studied her son. He was dead serious about this and inwardly, she smiled. Slow fast, whatever pace they wanted to take it, she just knew that if she had to pick a girl for her son, the seemingly scatter-brained girl that just left the office would be it! If in the next three months these two hadn't made a move, she would do the moving, regardless.
"Okay son," she said finally, "But good things don't always come to those who wait. Remember that."
"Now what does that mean?" he asked in exasperation.
"You'll figure it out," she said, rising, "Now I have to be on my way. Do come home early today."
He came round to hug and kiss his mother, "I will Ma, thanks for stopping by."
She left the office smiling. Aparajeet for the life of him could not understand his mother's rush.But he did think about her last comment. Did she know something he didn't? What was her angle? He knew she never said anything out of turn, so why had she made that comment? Knowing her, he knew he would soon find out.
He thought of Rano. Seeing her was becoming the high point of his day in the office. Why had she started bringing him lunch, he had once complained of the hospital food not tasting like food at all! He knew 'healthy' food would not do his patients any good so they had to stick with the 'healthy' stuff that was dished out to them. Next thing he knew, the food was either sent to him or hand delivered.
He smiled at the memory of her expression when his mother had walked in. Had it been any other girl his mother would have raised hell! And he'd seen the expression on the nurses face behind his mother, no doubt she was waiting for the hungama they had once experienced with one of his 'girlfriends' almost a year ago. However, this thing with Rano…it felt right. It felt like he had met his best friend after a long time. She never ceased to amuse and surprise him. She made him laugh, she made him want to see her, she gave him something other than work to focus on….she had basically added some spice to his otherwise drab life.
He was so lost in his musings that he did not hear the knock on the door or the door itself open. It was hearing the voice in his office that stirred him.
"Doctor, it's the little girl," the nurse from before said, "She's waking up."
That brought him down to earth, and he jumped to his feet with a hushed, "Thank God!"
"What did you do?" Bani was laughing really hard.
"What could I do?" Rano said miserably, "She didn't say anything but I can imagine what she would say after I was gone!"
"Calm yourself babes, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about."
"You think?!" Rano whined, "Lord, why couldn't this happen to someone else?"
"You know what?" Bani said, "I'm glad you're happy. I don't think I have ever seen you this way before."
"Yeah, I am pretty happy aren't I?" she said softly.
"I hope he makes an honest woman of you after what I just heard," she said sharply, "Or I'll set Tarun on him."
"What is it with you all, we've only been dating about a month!"
"Yeah, so?" Bani retorted, "Marriages happen in that space of that time you know."
"Well not mine," Rano said firmly, "I will be wined, dined and courted like every well deserving bride."
"Well good for you," Bani said, and beckoned the secretary who had just poked his head around her door, "Listen I gotta run now. See you when we get home alright?"
"Okay, bye!"
Jai was having a hard time concentrating on anything today. He had tried to work but it was impossible. She just kept popping into his head…like an annoying beacon light, just popping…popping…she wouldn't go away! How the hell was he to function when he couldn't even think straight? He was prowling like a caged tiger, hating the hold this woman had over him. Come to think of it this had never happened before. He was always the hunter, now he was being hunted. He couldn't do almost anything without worrying about what she would think if she heard about it…men, that disapproving look always got to him.
He thought about their meeting the previous day. He had wanted to be angry after seeing her with Tushar, but how could he? He was confirming everything that had ever been printed about him and all that was important was to make sure she didn't lock herself up from him…well, not that that ever stopped him before. For the umpteenth time that day, he didn't hear the discreet knock on his door and was startled when it opened and he found Natchiket standing there.
"Well it's about time you showed up here," he ground out at him.
"Hello brother of mine, nice to see you too. How was you trip by the way?" Natchiket was putting the mildly sarcastic questions to him, "Oh fine thank you…"
"Yeah yeah," Jai waved him off, "So you're here. Big deal."
"Whatever's eating you must be major," Natchiket said, watching Jai pace up and down, "Wanna share?"
"Like hell," Jai hissed at him again, going to drop himself into his chair, "I thought you were supposed to come back tomorrow."
"Miss me that much huh?" Natchiket was toying with him, enjoying his brother's discomfort for a change. The normally calm and together Jai was a mess!
His face was now set in grim determination, "How's the factory now?"
"Done."
"And the workers?"
"Everything is fine Jai, and these are things you'd know if only you had bothered to call," Natchiket said in a chiding tome.
"What did they do to you over there?" Jai asked irritably, "You weren't this talkative when you left."
"What to say my man," Natchiket leaned back and relaxed in the chair, "Things change in an instant don't they?"
Jai eyes him suspiciously, "What do you mean by that?"
Natchiket glanced at him, "Well for once I'm the one looking at a very flustered and upset man and you have to admit, each time I find my way here when the bone of contention is not a meeting, I'm usually the one flustered and angry cos you've gone and done something stupid."
Jai glared at him.
"You know, you don't scare me," Natchiket said in a reasonable tone which caused Jai to mutter and curse under his breath.
"Then could you at least leave me alone?" he said finally, "I think I have work to do."
"Okay, see that you actually work then," Natchiket said as he made his way out of the office.
Jai stared after him, a considering look on his face.
In the hallway, Natchiket greeted a few people on his to his office. He was very sue Jai's unrest was because of a certain Miss Dixit. Either way, he would give it a rest to see what actually became of his brother within the next week.
Later that evening at home, Uday and Krishna Walia had returned from a three week holiday in Australia to the warmest welcome ever. The whole family was there, Jigyasa, Adi, Anu, Ranveer, Natchiket and even Jai.
"How was the trip?" Anu asked.
"It was as it should be," Krishna was so happy to see all her children and grandkids.
"Welcome home Dad," Natchiket said, taking his father's blessings.
"Thank you son, and how was your trip?"
Uday asked as they all subconsciously drifted to the living room.
"It was rewarding. I'm just glad everything has been settled amicably and the factory should be up and running by the end of the month," Natchiket answered.
"What is the prognosis…"
"Dad," Natchiket pulled on the word, "You just got back from a holiday. The point is to rest yourself, and not stress yourself again. Besides, it's not like you don't have two sons and a grandson looking out for your empire?"
"I know, but can't I ask how well they are faring without me?" Uday teased.
"You can, but not to stick your nose in it," Natchiket chided him, "Besides, you only act as Chairman to okay major decisions. This khadoos here has managed to do a good job in my absence."
Both of them were now looking at Jai who was sitting, staring at the amber contents of his wine glass and not saying a word.
Krishna who was sitting with Anu and Ranveer had noticed Jai's withdrawn attitude. I mean, he was the one always looking to take pot shots at Natchiket but today he had said not a word, and Natchiket seemed to be more relaxed and was having fun sticking it to Jai.
She leaned over and asked Jigyasa in a hushed tone, "What's wrong with him?"
She threw Aditya a glance before answering, "Beats me. He's been like that for a few days now."
"What happened?" Krishna asked.
"Well nothing that we know of. As usual we just sit and wait for whatever he's planning to come to light," Jigyasa said.
Jai seemed to have come out of his reverie to hear the last part of Jigyasa's supposedly hushed statement.
"Who's planning what?" he asked.
"Oh nothing, just me and Mom talking," Jigyasa said brightly.
The look on his face showed he didn't believe her but she was not about to clarify matters for him. He was the one who had to sort himself out once and for all.
Tony took that moment to step in, "Dinner is served."
"How about you two go freshen up while we wait?"
"Na, I've missed home cooking way too much to wait a minute more," Uday said adamantly, "Lead the way. I'll eat first."
"And I have no objections," Ranveer said, "I could eat a horse!"
"When can you not eat a horse?" Anu asked dryly, "It's amazing how you stay so thin with minimal exercise."
"It's called mental exercise my dear," he said in a wizened tone, "Trust me, when you work the way I do, you'll never put on weight."
"Enlighten me Ranveer, what exactly do you do if not arrange a schedule for me?" Natchiket asked.
At Anu's look Ranveer glanced at Nathciket, "Arre Mamaji, you're supposed to be on my side here. I'm trying to look serious."
"Sorry," Natchiket chuckled.
Dinner was laid out and they began to eat amidst a lot of talking from the recently returned couple. Jai gave noncommittal answers to the questions asked and though he made a valiant effort, could not understand the double edged barbs Natchiket was sending at him. I mean what he done now to deserve that? It was not like he had hurt anyone or made the headlines like he usually did, so what was it?
Much later, after a lengthy discussion and a good family down time, Natchiket left to go home amidst the usual requests to move back home though it was more light hearted this time as opposed to the heaviness that came with the request on previous occasions.
Everyone retired to their rooms to go to bed. Jai excused himself and headed to the study. He needed to be alone.
Early the next morning, before going to see about breakfast, Jigyasa went to wake Jai up, as knowing him he would probably have knocked the alarm clock from the bedside table so as not to disturb his sleep. The bed however, had not been slept in. Frowning slightly, she made her way down the stairs, wondering whether he left the house again late at night. She was walking past the study when she saw the door was slightly ajar.
She opened the door cautiously, and sure enough, there he was on the couch, fast asleep. She was going to tap him when the moving image on his laptop caught her attention. She moved closer and gasped, turning to look at a still sleeping Jai. It was stills of Bani from the Gala Nite and some other event she couldn't place! What on earth was going on?Why did he have her pictures on his laptop?And that too for anyone to see?
When the shock of it wore of, she reached out and turned off the laptop. It would be best if he didn't know she had seen the pictures. Silently, she left the study and headed for the kitchen.
This was somewhat eye opening.
GOTTA STOP HERE. SLEEP BECKONS!!!
