Hello friends, This part had become too long. so posting in two parts. I will post part B later in the evening. Just one more update will be in Ooty. So, enjoy the holiday romance. cheers👍🏼
PART 9(A)
"Ohhhhhhhhhhh", groaned Milind clutching his abdomen. He hit his pillow in frustration. He had rushed to the toilet 5 times in the last 2 hours, it's just gone past midnight and there was still no relief to his upset growling tummy. Chillies…ugh.. he hated them. Twisting and turning and groaning didn't help. He has to take something, but what and where can he find them. Giving up finally, he picked up his mobile and called the one number he was avoiding to call all along.
"Hello", mumbled a very sleepy voice on the other side.
"What the hell do you take for an upset tummy?", barked Milind into the phone .
"What…. What tummy , whose tummy" , cobwebs were slowly clearing from Vicky's head.
"Mine….", Grumbled Milind followed by another groan.
"Oh sh*t, Did you drink too much beer or what ? But you have a very strong head for alcohol", wide awake now, Vicky sounded worried.
"Oh, man, even a barrel of beer wouldn't hurt me. All it takes is 4 plates of chillies infested pani puri", groaned milind.
"Why the hell did you have panipuri"? Barked back Vicky. As silence greeted him, he smiled slyly, "oooohhh, Prachi"!!.
"Now you know why, tell me what to do ? I have a date tomorrow and can't stay rolling on the bed like this" said milind.
Vicky chuckled. His mate has fallen in deep and hard. After telling him what to take and where to find it, he asked, "But bro, I know you are out to impress the girl but don't you think 4 plates was a bit too much ?".
"Shut it , you…. as milind growled, Vicky cut the phone off chuckling before Milind found the dirtiest names to call him. Still cursing, Milind dragged himself to the medicine cabinet to find the solution to his problem.
Milind drove an open top jeep to the coffee shop to pick up Prachi. She had called him last night to tell him to meet her at 10 am near the coffee shop. The coffee shop had become a landmark for them. He smiled happily and silently thanked Vicky to sorting out his tummy. It was still tender but manageable. Prachi was already waiting for him, when he reached there. "God, she is so very punctual", he thought appreciatively as he was used to girls who thought that being late was a fashion statement. "Hey, sorry I made you wait", he apologised.
"No no. I was just early. Papa was not very happy about me going out today. So I left early before he tried to stop me. I really want to see your estate", She smiled at him excitedly. On seeing the jeep, she was even more excited. It was a beautiful sunny morning and the wind tousled her open hair mercilessly. She should have tied it back sensibly and not left it open just because he liked it that way, she grimaced.
Seeing her struggling with her hair, he stopped the jeep and taking out a handkerchief, he tied her hair in a pony tail. "That's better, much as I like your hair left open, I wouldn't want you to struggle with the knots tomorrow. That would really hurt you", said milind. The thought that he cared so much made her smile happily showing off her dimples. Milind felt his hand itch to trace them. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he set off towards his coffee plantation on the outskirts of Ooty.
Milind's Coffee Plantation
As Milind drove through the plantation he was pointing out various things to Prachi. He explained that a coffee plant usually starts to produce flowers 3-4 years after it is planted, and it is from these flowers that the fruits of the plant (commonly known as coffee cherries) appear, with the first useful harvest possible around 5 years after planting. The cherries ripen around eight months after the emergence of the flower, by changing colour from green to red, and it is at this time that they should be harvested either picked by hand or by machine. They walked through the plantation and Prachi picked few ripe cherries and smelt and tasted it. "Owning a coffee plantation is a pleasure when you love coffee" said Milind inhaling the rich aroma. Prachi agreed completely as she loved it as well.
He then took her to the main house, a beautiful white washed sprawling bungalow. It looked completely modern inside, with plush carpets and fantastic wooden furniture. Prachi looked around taking in her surroundings, eyes sparkling , she turned to Milind, "Its so beautiful, no wonder you love this place so much".
"Yes it is, I am glad that Dad bought this place. It was just an off-hand purchase done years ago and I am glad I picked this place for a holiday" , he said smiling at her meaningfully. She smiled back, very happy that he picked this place to visit and at the same time as her.
"Come , let me show you around the house. Having shown the ground floor, he took her up the stairs. He pointed a far corner and said, "That's Vicky's room and it is not decent to take you there when he is not around. And this one is my bedroom. Come and have a look", he invited her. Prachi hesitated. It felt too intimate to go with him and have a look at his bedroom. She flushed and shook her head, "No, Its alright, Milind. Let's go down". Smiling naughtily at her flushed face, he said, "Don't worry, I don't have posters of nude girls on the wall or entwined figurines on display anymore". Prachi looked at him shocked. Now grinning at her shocked face, he continued, "I have grown out of it. Now-a-days, I prefer the real stuff", his voice dropping seductively. Prachi's face changed from shock to embarrassment and finally mortified, she closed her eyes, "Dear god". Milind chuckled heartily at her, "What do you think then, I have a reputation to protect – am the bad boy, hahaha, beware of me. I eat girls for breakfast, lunch and dinner", he laughed dramatically. She hit his arm, "Come off it, you are not a bad boy" she shook her head. "Sweetheart, You don't know me", he drawled. "But I know myself, I don't make friends with bad boys", she giggled. Bowing gallantly, he said, "Thank you mam, so shall we", and still giggling she went into the room.
It was a big and airy room with a king size bed in the middle. It was very clean and the bed was made up, no sign of last night's tossing and turning. Prachi walked to the big window and the view outside was fantastic. "Your room is very nice".
"Thank you" said milind.
"Ummm, Milind, can I ask you something?", Prachi asked suddenly.
"Yeah, go on he encouraged".
"How does your tummy feel now?" Prachi asked holding a hand over her mouth trying not to giggle aloud.
Milind stared at her with narrowed eyes, "How did you know?" He growled.
"Vicky sent me a text this morning". Unable to control any more, she burst out laughing.
Milind closed his eyes shut , clenching his fist he threatened, "I am going to kill that idiot".
"Sorry milind, I didn't want to ask you, but just couldn't help myself", she giggled.
Milind was really grumpy and kept muttering, "Wait till he comes back,... that dog. He will be dead meat".
"God, you are such a grumpy bear", teased prachi.
"What, do I look like a bear to you?" Growled milind again.
Giving him a once over from head to toe, "Hmmmm, more like a grumpy teady bear"she grinned.
Milind narrowed his eyes, "I have been called many things, but never a teddy bear"
. Suddenly with a mischievious smile he walked towards her, "Do you know what people do with a teddy bear?"
"What?" , prachi asked him.
" People cuddle teddy bears", extending both his arms , he neared her, "Come on baby, give teddybear a cuddle, ….cuddle cuddle".
Prachi shrieked in shock and amusement, "No milind, no…" and jumped out of his way.
"Take it back then, or else..", threatened milind playfully.
"Okay, okay, you are anything but a teddy bear, happy", laughed Prachi. Laughing silly, both went downstairs for lunch.
Shankar, the cook, had already set the table up and they sat down to eat lunch. Seeing Milind pile up salad on his plate, prachi giggled. "Don't go there again", warned milind. "Okay, okay, but you know, someone was showing off so much yesterday, beware of indian Chillies mister", she shook her finger at him warningly still giggling. "Alright now, a lesson well learnt", smiled Milind. Shankar looked completely bowled over by Prachi and served food enthusiastically to her, suggessting she tastes the different varieties of food he had cooked that day. He was a bit too enthusiastic for prachi's comfort and she wriggled uncomfortably. Grinning , Milind saved her by sending Shankar off to do other chores. "You have a admirer here", teased Milind. "Don't worry, I will tell him that he is wasting his time as you are already taken" he said smiling. Halfway through eating, prachi stilled, "Taken?" She asked surprised."Umm, You are my date for today", explained Milind muching on his salad leaves. Prachi smiled , "Just today", she wondered silently.
After lunch, Milind took her to the stables. "Meet Thunder", he pointed to a handsome black stallion. Prachi gasped, "Isn't he the one you were riding the other day?", She asked with a small laugh.
Thunder, Milind's black stallion
He nodded patting him affectionately, "We make a very good team. I love riding him. Come on, feel him" he invited.
Nervously, Prachi stepped closer, "Gosh, he is so big", she mused aloud and tentatively reached out to touch him. She drew back her hand as Thunder, snorted at her.
"Go on, he is just a bit of a show off", encouraged milind smilingly. Prachi stroked him gently. He felt like satin.
"He is so beautiful, Milind". She smiled up to him. "Do you want to ride him?" asked Milind.
"No, no", prachi stepped back , horrified. "No way, I have never rode on a horse before", she shook her head visibly scared. Milind just laughed and didn't press her again. Before they left Milind stroked the horse promising to take him for a wild ride later in the evening.
Anupamaa
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
Indian Mythology
Sampoorna
