Part 9.... the Masquarade Ball........
recap... Kasturi safely escapes robbie's bathroom without being notices. Robbie finally hears kasturi's voice...after 4 loong years...and is nervous about her reaction to seeing him..Everyone is getting ready to go to the ball and ajay falls sick and stays behind, ronauk accompanies shivani and kasturi to the ball.....
Kasturi, Ronauk and Shivani are standing on the threshold to the grand foyer of the Mansion where the Ball is being held... they slowly scan their surrounding in utter awe before puttin on their maskes.......
Tonight the elite of Dehli has come out to support the Cancer Wing, in all their best appereal... a small fortune was on display here tonight that could easily pay off a small country's National debt..😆
Kasturi scanned the room for her parents.. and spotted them standing by the Shinghania's so she makes for a bee line towards them...
Robbie was soo nervous and he couldnt stop himself from wondering if tonite would be the nite that he finally would come face to face with the women that he saw in his dreams every night and loved so dearly.. what would she say to him? would she have a good reason for never contacting him?God how robbie hoped against all hope...suddenly his thoughts were interupted with a waiter offering him Champagne..robbie took a crystal flute from the tray... as his eyes scanned the huge room, the moment kasturi entered robbie knew for the tiny hairs on the back of his neck rose.... he was glad that he was wearing a mask tonight...it was an Achilles iron mask from the movie Troy... for robbie did feel today was a battle for his life...Robbie could totally relate to Achillies of Greece for he was a Noble fighter/general, whose passion for a spartan women weakened a strong man enough to give his life up to save hers..suddenly robbie's thoughts were interrupted by the MC of the evening.. who was requesting for people to joint their partners on the dance floor.
Anita looked towards robbie and sighed and looked heavens ward, ohhh what a total dream come true you are robbie she thought to herself. and went to ask him to dance...robbie led anita to the dance floor. the first song that was being played was :how do i live without you sung by Lee Ann Womack...slow soft song...Anita loved the way Robbie smelled with his soap mixed with his cologne, Zegne... smelled soo fresh and citrusy..she inhaled deeply, being held by robbie was being in heaven and hell all at once.. Robbie watched a man lead a very uncomfortable kasturi to the dance floor.. and kept watching them... infact if robbie was so close to her back that if he reached out he could touch her small, delicate back..
Ronauak, come on kasturi lets dance a little before the song ends...as he drags a reluctant kasturi to the dance floor and hold her close...ronauk thinking i hope your getting jealous shivaniii...
Kasturi at that moment can feel she is being watched. very intensly.. she looks around as ronauk leads her to the dance floor.. she feels as though someone is willing her to look at him/or her.. kasturi's eyes rest on the man in the iron mask... for he the way he stood erect...almost as though he was expecting something...weird she thought.. and put her arms around ronuak and swayed to the music... as the music ended the MC asked the men to change partners with the couple on your right. for Ronauk that happened to be Robbie and anita😉.. Robbie hesitated for a quick second but was forced to exchange spots with ronauk...
Robbie looked at kasturi and said hi.. may i have this dance..
kasturi recognizes his costume as the man that got out of the X5 and grudingly says my pleasure,
robbie says no the pleaseure is all mine..and for the first time in 4 yrs robbie touches kasturi again.. as soon as kasturi put her small delicate hand in his both of them feel a current and an undefinable bond btw each other..
kasturi draws her breath in quickly from the sheer tingling of her pores on her back and arms...she gets goose bumps from the touch of this man, kasturi looses her balance from the contact of robbie.
Robbie steadies her and his heart at that moment knows that kasturi's body has recognized him...and his heart soars...and his beat increases...
Robbie says, hi i'm robbie raichand.. kasturi's mouth drops open and she shuts it so hard she almost bit her tongue..
Kasturi sutters out welcome to Dehli Mr. Raichand
robbie thinks she's nervous and hiding something for kasturi never stutters unless she's nervous and or hiding something...which one is it kasturi he wonders..and the song Pehli nazaar mein is playing in the background
robbie says, please call me Robbie for i'm staying at your Hotel.. i'm sure we'll be seeing alot of each other..
kasturi thinking if this reaction is gonna be the norm to seeing you robbie, i'd rather hope not.. how could i stand this sweet intoxication on my nervous system.😳
as their bodies sway together like the were meant to be as one always, Robbie realizes that is it possible kasturi never regained her memory from the attack that night?
As kasturi is holding robbie to her, she can hear soft whispering muddling her mind...she shakes her head for clearing, but she can hear voices in her mind.. god what is happenin to me bhaghvan am i going mad...😕
robbie as he is holding kasturi soo close his chin is resting on kasturi's head she smells like lavender.. he very lightly kisses her hair.. so softly in fear kasturi might feel it...before kasturi gets a chance to say anything or even react the song ends and robbie abruptly lets go of kasturi and walks off without a backward glance...robbie needed to take some fresh air.. asap...😆 kasturi feels as though main jaanti hoon is admi koi, kahin na kahin hum phela mil chukah hain.. kasturi pursuses robbie out through the double french doors that he just exited through.. but as she was was leaving shivani says kahaan jarahi hoi kasturi?
kasturi says, tum jaanti hoi main abhi kis ke saath dance kiya hain?
shivaniii looks at her confused: ronauk ke saath duffer, kya huwa hain kasturi, you look like you just saw a ghost?
kasturi: nahin robbie raichand ka saath aur shivii main tumhai bathara hi hoon, main robbie koi jaanti hoon. the way he makes me feel i know hum phela kahin mil chukah hain.. and i'm gonna go and find out... mujhe kuch jawab chaaiyah uss seh... aur main jaanke hi rahoongi😡 kasturi head out looking for him... Is Pal (is playing from the movie aajah nachle) as kasturi follows robbie receeding back she half runs after him.. and yells Robbie please rukh yeh... mujhe aap se kuch puchnah hain ?
Robbie looks around he walks into a gazeebo, surrounded with ivory wrapping around it.. and their is a soft waterfall behind him..and so he stops and sits on the bench..waiting for kasturi to catch up..
Kasturi.. aap dance floor se aachanak aasai kyun chaalagai?
Robbie: mujhe ghootan se horai thi anthar.. i need some fresh air.kyun tum kya soonchi?😉
kasturi: nahin mera woh matlab nahin tha...
robbie interrupts kas and says toi phir kya matlab tha??
Kasturi very hesistant to say that she has lost part of her memory and cant remember if they have ever met.. so she says: hum kahin pehla bhi milliah hain kya?
Robbie not sure what to reveal to kasturi, is she playing some sort of game? or could it be possible kasturi koi woh waqt yaad hi nahin, for according to the doctors report kasturi had amnesia. but what or what she didnt rememeber the doctor couldnt say..or wouldnt say at the time..😡 robbie taps his fingers on the bench and decides to play cat and mouse with kasturi....for robbie recognizes that smell she is wearin now, at first he wasnt sure but he's willing to gamble and see where it takes him..
Robbie says: tum bohut jaadli bhoolti hoi, werent you in my office yesterday?😈
kasturi eyes pop out and she says rather too quickly: kya matlab hain aap ka?
Robbie says it again: matlab saaf hain kasturi were you or were you not in my office yesterday? toi jawab tumhari sawaal hain Yes we have some what met....😉 havent we😆
kasturi excuse me are you laughing at me? for i was not in your office, you are a guest at my hotel, that is against the law, i believe i could go to jail for that and forget baadnaami aalag for my family's name..😳
Robbie: oh come kasturi i'm not about to press charges for i have no proof its just a feeling i got... as he looked at her.. through his mask.
kasturi says why wont you take your mask off?
robbie: why are you planning to kiss me?
kasturi looks at him like why are you thaatttttt good loooking that girls fall face first on you?
Robbie looks at her in his are you serious look and laughs out loud, and says: no they dont but i have a feeling you feel a certain amount of attraction between us?
Kasturi totally infuriated by now says: okay mazaak baand karoi and answer my question, have we or have we not met before?
Robbie get up takes off his mask and walks towards kasturi.. kasturi takes steps back. until her back hits the back of the gazzebo.. and there is no where else to look except at robbie coming towards her with a gleam in his eyes that seem to say, lookin into my eyes and read your reply😳 the look schorched kasturi on the spot, her body seemed to have a will of its own, she couldnt stop herself from reaching up and touching his soft clean shaven cheeck even if she wanted too. robbie closed his eyes and smiled deeply...and takes a step back..
robbie:kasturi i dont believe we have met before..(it pains robbie to lie to kasturi but he isnt sure what mental effect it could have on kasturi if he told her the truth...he needed to be very careful with her, she looked so fragile standing there..looking at him as though he holds the keys to all the answers she has been waiting for. and she was right...)
Kasturi wishing to be held by this man who seems soo familiar yet is a complete stranger to her.. why then do i feel as though i know you robbie, she thinks to herself..
just then the breeze from the past blows a lock of hair into kasturi's face. robbie reaches up ane removes it like he did sooo many years agoo...as he does robbie's watch gets caught in kasturi hair and as he's trying to extricate it gently kasturi hold his hand and threads her hair out of his watch she notices its a steel grey watch with gold link interwinded into it with a deep blue background...
Kasturi gets a flash back of the statue Ondheen again. and shakes her head.
Robbie apologizes and back off...and says i think we should be getting back to the ball, otherwise kaal subah we could be front page news..of the gossip columns..
kasturi as robbie is leaving she askes: Robbie in yesterday, paper the pic showed you with a statue, aap batasakh teh hain mujhe koi is ke baareh main?
robbie alittle uncomfortable says: thats the famous statue of a Merlady.. her name is Ondheen.. and sorry kasturi iss se zadah main nahin batah saktha. sorry..
kasturi: oh thanks.. chaale..
and the head back to the ball...
As kasturi and robbie enter the ball all anita comes up to robbie saying:kahan chaalegah tha tum?
Robbie: anita tum jaanti hoi mujhe parties main koi interest nahin hain, main bohut bored hoi gayah tha so i went for a walk..that it..and shrugs it off..
kasturi watches robbie walk off as she turns and looks for shivani...
just then the MC says its time for the auction of items for the Cancer Wing...and the first thing being auctioned off is a famous painting of a Merlady called Ondheen, the painting is donated by Robbie Raichand...bidding will start at 50,000 Rupees...
kasturi stops dead in her trax and stares at the painting and has a flashback of her drowning....and a hand grabbing her is wearing a grey steeled watch with gold links interwinded into it with a deep blue background... just like the one she saw robbie wearing tonight...