Heer turned and closed her eyes. Preet had been thinking about the future they would share, and here she was...with her ex. Heer opened her eyes and they fell on a picture frame on a small table. The picture was that of a woman smelling a rose, a candid picture, but beautiful picture none the less.
Prem saw what she was looking at and offered an explanation. "That is my mother. She was beautiful wasn't she?"
"Y...yes she was," Heer said.
Not wanting to go into details, Prem quickly changed the subject.
"So is one month enough time for you to clear out this mess so I can get the house ready?" Prem asked.
"In that much of a rush to sell the house Mr. Jhuneja?" Heer mocked.
"Who said anything about selling the house? I just want these things out."
"But you said you hated the house?" she replied with a frown on her face.
"Yes, the house and the memories. But I have plans for this house. I want to turn this house into a home, with my own two hands. I want this to be the home it was always meant to be."
"Why? What is the point?" she asked, under her breath.
"I'm sorry?" Prem asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I mean, you...you are a confirmed bachelor. What is the point of turning this into a home, when it will only be for you?" Heer really wanted to hear what he had to say regarding this matter.
Prem looked at her for a few seconds then moved over to the window before he finally spoke. "Like I said the other day, things have changed, I have changed. I have had to give a second thought to what is important in life."
"Marriage?" Heer asked cautiously.
"I have realized that one cannot go through life alone, they need someone there with them; someone to help them, guide them, love them. A companion for life is as much a necessity as it is a desire," he stated, matter-of-factly.
Heer felt her stomach churn in anticipation and fear. She was afraid that if he looked close enough, he would see the guilt of keeping him from his son, plastered all across her face. "What about...about...other things?" she asked.
"What 'other things'?"
"Kids, pets...that sort of thing," Heer tried to say it as nonchalantly as possible.
Prem's face hardened at the thought, "No" he said, "No, I still do not want to have kids...ever. That is one thing I haven't changed my mind on," saying that he turned around and faced the window.
Heer felt a pang of disappointment in the bottom of her heart. Half of her wanted Prem to say that he did want children and that he had been wrong all those years ago; half of her wanted him to say that he had not changed his mind, so she could feel justified in keeping him from Aarav. She was justified now, but was she happy at that fact?
"So Ms. Maan, do we have a deal or not?" he asked.
Heer thought for a minute. She really didn't want to do this in the first place, and now add Prem and her in close quarters to the mix; she was dead set against it. However, she decided she would do it, for Preet. He was a great man who always took her and her feelings into consideration; it was time she returned the favor.
"You have yourself a deal Mr. Jhuneja," she saw Prem smile in victory. "I will be here at 9 o'clock and leave at 4:30. If that works for you, then you have yourself an appraiser."
"Why 9 to 4:30, that's not a full eight hours?"
"I have other...commitments," Heer replied with a cool and calm voice. She might as well take advantage of this mess and get some time with Aarav squeezed in. With this deal she would be able to drop him off at school and pick him up from his day care in the evening.
"Ok, deal. Did you want me to pick you up in the morning?"
"No, that is not necessary; I'll find my way here. However there was one more thing.
"Yes?"
"Given the past relation that we share, I think it is necessary to set ground rules," Heer stated cutting right through the bullshit.
"Ground rules? Like what?" Prem asked, confused.
"Simple rules like you won't get in my way while I am working, no unnecessary conversations that are non-work related, no touching…"
Prem looked at her wide eyes and cut her off before she could continue, "No touching? Where did you get that from? Why?"
"We both know just what kind of relationship we shared. I think it is only appropriate that we keep boundaries."
"Oh you do, do you?" he teased.
"Yes I do."
"Ok fine, I won't do any touching, as long as you don't do any looking?"
"What are you talking about? What 'looking'?"
"I mean the look that you keep giving me when you look me up and down, like you have seen me naked, and can't wait to feast your eyes on 'this' again?" Prem teased.
Heer blushed a nice shade of red at Prem's insinuation. "I don't know what you are talking about, but just to be on the safe side, I will not look at you questionably."
"Good."
"Alright then, see you tomorrow Mr. Jhuneja."
Heer turned to leave, when Prem grabbed her hand gently and caused her to stop, "Thank you Heer," he whispered.
"This constitutes touching," she said, her voice trembling a bit, without turning.
"We will start officially tomorrow," he retorted back.
Heer felt the touch on her skin, like and electric fine raging against her body. She looked at him, and her eyes fell on his lips. A small bubble of desire came up in her, the desire to have his lips on hers once more, to feel the imprint to his lips on hers. She mentally scolded herself for having such thoughts. Shrugging out of his hold, she turned to him and held out a hand, which he took. "No big deal Mr. Jhuneja, I'm sure that Preet and I will look forward to doing business with you."
Having said that Heer turned and left, not giving Prem a change to say or do anything. She almost ran to her car and sped off, not a moment too soon. She sat in her car, catching her breath and her thoughts. One thought and feeling she just couldn't shake was the one telling her that working with Prem Jhuneja was not going to be easy.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Prem stood by the window and watched as Heer got into her car and drove away. His emotions and hormones were wreaking havoc on him. He had expected the meeting with Heer to be rather interesting, but he didn't imagine that the woman he hadn't seen in over four years could still have such an effect on him. The first meeting at the Radisson was one thing, but this was something else.
Prem couldn't help but watch as Heer walked a few feet ahead of him; his eyes were glued to her body. The black she wore was sliming, not that she was fat, but it gave her a touch of elegance. The belt around her waist only accentuated the curves of her body. The tight form-fitting top showed off her shapely shoulder and arms, and also drew attention to her chest in a subtle way, nothing overly inviting. The hip-hugging trousers showed off her round and plump bottom and elongated her legs. One look at her and he was a goner; he felt like a teenage boy. He had been with many women, but none had such an effect on him like Heer did. Around Heer, he didn't feel like the thirty-three year old, always-in-control man that he was, he felt more like a seventeen year old, barely-hitting-puberty, hormones-running-wild, boy that he had once been. She awoke a hunger in him that he had thought died long ago.
When he had seen her standing under his old tree house, emotions stirred up in him; emotions he didn't know he had. When he and Heer had been together, he had wanted to tell Heer about his childhood on a regular basis. He wanted to show her the house that he grew up in, the fields he played in, the high school he went to...he wanted to share his most intimate and difficult memories with Heer. Many times he had almost done so, but at the last moment he had managed to control himself and keep mum. When he saw Heer's eyes land on his mothers picture, the question and confusion in her eyes, he hadn't been able to stop himself from telling her who the woman was. Prem knew his mother would have loved Heer, she would have adored her, and been proud on Prem's selection.
His mother and Heer had so much in common that it amazed him. Both women were beautiful, a classic beauty, not like the models you saw, true beauty that came from the inside. Both women had a knack for gardening, cooking and art, which is why he had so many pieces of art now; it was his mother's collection. Both women had influenced him ways that he didn't care to admit. Both women held places in his heart and soul, that he knew no one could ever take over. He held both women with the utmost respect and love...although the love part...he wouldn't admit to, especially with Heer.
Seeing Heer move around in his house was like a dream come true. He had always imagined that he could settle down with Heer here. However, he only kept that thought as a fantasy, something that had no chance in hell of becoming a reality. He could never have that; he could never want that...it just wasn't possible.
He wanted to tell her about his past, but he never did. It was never that he couldn't trust her; he could close his eyes and trust her with his life at any time, all you had to do was ask. What scared Prem was that he would lose her. He was afraid that if he told her about his past, she would leave him. He had been selfish, but he couldn't help it. He did what he had to do to hold on to her.
Prem couldn't help but grin at the irony; he didn't tell her about his past in fear that he would have lost her, yet he had lost her, that too over his past, even though she knew nothing about it.
When Prem and began the relationship with Heer he had made it clear from the beginning, it was to be a no-strings affair. He had seen Heer at a business function; she had been a waitress for the catering service. One look at her and his eyes were on her all night; her smile, her eyes, her black hair...they had all taken him by surprise. He was lucky that one of his closest friends was Tarun Sablok, a lawyer who had connections. Prem soon found out that her name was Heer Maan, she was an eighteen year old college student who worked for fun, and pocket money because she was on a full scholarship for her education. Once Prem had heard her age he had decided to back off, she was too young; she was a mere eighteen to his twenty seven years…almost a full decade.
His mind had later changed when he had seen her at a club with her friends. Prem had gone to celebrate his new multi-million dollar contract, that too only at Tarun's insistence. Him, Tarun and a few other friends had been sitting at the bar and just gazing out into the crowd. In a flash his eyes had stopped on a feminine figure. It took him a second to realize that it was Heer, the girl he saw that the event a few weeks back. She looked different, but great. The stuffy tuxedo uniform was swapped for an elegant green and golden empire waisted dress; the sensible shoes were traded for shimmering gold stilettos; and her straight hair had been transformed into a sea of curls. She was dancing and laughing her heart away. Seeing other men hit on her and dance with her did something to Prem; at that moment he knew he had to have her.
'Have her' he did, nearly a month later. He began by sending her flowers and chocolates as a secret admirer, and soon he came to her school one day. Heer had been floored that her admirer was Prem Jhuneja, and just like any other girl - she was swept away by him. Prem had wined and dined her...the whole nine yards. He figured, he would sleep with her and then she would be out of his system and he could go back to his life.
The night they had slept together had been magical. Prem was so hot for her that he didn't take her needs into consideration even once, he just went ahead on his urges. He was beyond shocked when he realized she had been a virgin; he didn't think girls like that still existed. It had surprised him, but it gave him a sense of pride and joy knowing he had been her first. After that he couldn't let her go, so he told her that this relationship meant no marriage and no kids. Heer said that she was fine with that; she didn't need commitment like that.
But she was wrong - it was almost two years later that she left him. Apparently Heer wanted more from their relationship...more then Prem could give her.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Heer had managed to get inside the house and put her purse down, before she saw something flying straight out of the playroom. By the excited shriek of, "Mommy!" that she heard, she knew it was Aarav.
Heer went down on her knees to greet her little boy. A second later Aarav was in her arms, his small arms around her neck, squeezing her in a hug.
"Hi Mommy. Guess what I did today?" Aarav asked with a glint in his eyes.
Heer pressed a soft kiss on the top of his head and held him for a moment longer before letting him go, taking in the smell of her son. "What did you do today my little munchkin?" she asked.
Getting a hold of one of Heer's hands, he slipped his between hers and began tugging her towards the play room. "I drawed a picture," he announced with pride.
"Drew," Heer corrected. It had become a habit for her to correct his infant grammar mistakes. Slowly they would sink in. He would be four in a few months, and before she knew it he would be going to 'big boy' school, as Aarav called it. Soon her babying her son would be over.
"See?" he said handing her a rectangular piece of paper, "Do you like it Mommy?" he questioned her.
"Well, let's see what we have here." Heer took the paper from him and glanced over the stick figures and the bright colors he drew. Bending down to his level, Heer pointed to a figure and asked, "Who's this?"
"That's Nana, and the one in the big hat is Nani," Aarav answered.
Heer chuckled as she saw that Aarav had not missed her mother's outrageous hats, even in his art work. Pointing to another figure she asked, "And this one?"
"That one is Meher Massi," Aarav answered.
Heer should have known. The figure in the picture was wearing some sort of costume, most likely some sort of mascot. Aarav had seen Meher is her costumes for her 'gigs' for her many jobs.
"That one is Ashlesha Massi, with the people she wescues at the hospital." he said before Heer could ask.
"Rescues," she said.
Heer's eyes came to rest on the last figure on the page, the one that was stand in the center behind everyone else. "Who's that?" she asked hesitantly, not sure that she wanted to know the answer to that.
"That's you," he said, a hint of sadness in his voice.
Heer tried to hide her hurt and swallowed the lump in her throat, "Really?" she asked.
"Yes," he said, his eyes meeting hers; eyes that were so much like his fathers that Heer just wanted to cry.
Pointing to the figure she asked, "Why am I all the way back there?"
Aarav's eyes moved away from hers, his small shoulders slumped and he let out a small sigh from his lips, "I miss you Mommy."
"Oh, baby." Heer clutched him close to her heart, burying her face into the baby-shampoo softness of his hair. She squeezed her eyes shut tight, afraid that if she opened them tears would roll out. "Mommy has to work, you know that honey." Easing him away from her, she put her hands on his shoulders and looked into his up-tilted face. "Aren't you happy at the day care, and don't you like the time you get to have with Nana and Nani?"
His little chin wobbled for a moment before he got it back under control, "Yes..."
The insecurity was evident in his features, seeing it caused her stomach to churn. She had seen the same look played out on Prem's face in the past, both father and son did their level best to hide it, however.
"I have to work munchkin," she said, "I have to provide for you. We can't expect Nana and Nani to be there for us all the time."
Aarav's eyes shot up and he said, "What about my daddy? Doesn't he want to provide for me too?"
So help me God, I'll kill you Meher. Heer knew that this was Meher's doing. Aarav had never mentioned his dad to her in the past. Now, all of a sudden, Prem is back in town and Aarav is asking questions.
Deciding to stick with the truth she said, "He doesn't know about you."
"Why not?"
Heer just couldn't manage to look her son in his eyes. She was sure that this was how it was going to be for the rest of her life; guilt keeping her from looking into Aarav's eyes, eyes that mirrored his fathers.
"I couldn't tell him..." she managed to say.
"But why not Mommy?" Aarav pressed.
She closed her eyes, counted backwards from ten, before opening them and responding to Aarav. She figured why not tell him the truth, after her conversation with Prem today; she was even more sure that he would never want to know Aarav, "Because he never wanted to be a daddy."
"But I want a daddy," he said, his big eyes tugging on Heer's heart strings. "Do you think if I met him, and asked him really nicely, he would change his mind?"
Heer looked at his face and plastered on a smile, masking her pain, "I just know that he would but you can't meet him munchkin."
"Why?"
Not knowing what to say, she just pulled him into a hug, and held him close. As if sensing her apprehension, Aarav too didn't press for answers anymore.
"Mommy?"
"Mmmm?"
"I still love my daddy, even if he doesn't want me," Aarav said, before going back to playing with his car.
Heer watched her son play, but no smile was on her face. She felt like someone had just run over her heart with a big 18-wheeler truck, then stomped on the remains.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
JAZ
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Hindi TV Shows
Bindi
