Happy birthday, Meera! My Sheera! Thank you for everything. I wish you all the happiness in the world đ
To all readers: I wanted to write something for her birthday - and this is what I came up with. Me and romance... I couldn't be more nervous. Also, this is meant to be a tribute to our beloved writer - so all the direct and indirect references and similarities you may find are entirely intentional. đ
A HAPPY BIRTHDAY
The room was spic and span, not a trace of dust on the floor, not a single thing out of place. One wouldn't believe if they were told that just a few hours back, at the stroke of midnight, the tiny apartment had witnessed a little party - full of balloons and cakes and confetti and music and dance and merriment. It had been a hearty and joyous affair, everybody more than eager to make this day special for their darling, the bubbly bundle of joy who never failed to brighten their day with her dazzling smile. Payal had had the hardest time keeping the plan to herself, making all the preparations without Khushi's knowledge - a task deemed even more difficult by the fact they were flatmates. Baking the cake had been the trickiest - she had to send Khushi out to buy groceries just after she returned from a tiring day at work. She wondered if any of it was actually worth it, considering this party was a yearly affair, and in all probability, Khushi was fully aware of her surprise' birthday party. She was a sweetheart though, she put on her finest surprised face every single year.
*
*
Khushi had moved to the city a few years back for an Internship at a reputed Media firm. She had outperformed most of her peers and had been offered a full time job within six months. She had been grateful for the job - not only because she enjoyed her work, but also because she had fallen in love with the city. It made her feel at home even in the midst of the maddening crowd - a refreshing break from the small town she had grown up in - a town where her business was everybody's business, and one couldn't so much as sneeze without that becoming something juicy for the local women to discuss about during their daily teatime gossip sessions. Khushi had been raised by her aunt, who had made sure to provide for her and educate her - without ever letting her forget that she owed her, and that she was obligated to return the favour when the time came.
House-hunting in the new city had not been easy - either the rents were unaffordable, or the flats were cramped in creepy, dingy corners of the city where the scent of urine and dirt were one's constant companions. For Khushi, the little advertisement Payal had put up at a small cafe close to her office had been nothing less than a blessing. She had moved in with her the next week, and it hadn't taken them much time or effort to become the closest of friends. Khushi had found in Payal a sister, a family she had felt deprived of since the day her parents passed away. And for Payal, Khushi was her kid, her little butterfly, and a true friend who never judged her for the way in which she chose to live her life.
It didn't surprise Payal when, on Khushi's first birthday after she move to the city, there had been over half a dozen people knocking at their doorstep at midnight, eager to wish her on her special day. And it had been a tradition since - a "surprise" party when the clock struck twelve, to end a few hours later when the angry neighbours came complaining. However, even they didn't leave without wishing her a happy birthday. That was the magic that was Khushi - she was not extraordinarily beautiful in her looks or seductive in her charms. The magic lay in the happiness that resided in her heart and spread to all those around her. She could smile even when life was at its cruel best; brilliant and generous like the sunshine, making everything and everyone glow with warmth and glee.
Khushi waited for her birthdays with a child-like excitement, looking forward to the fun and the food and the gifts. And Payal and the rest of Khushi's friends left no stone unturned to make sure her day was nothing less than perfect. That wasn't such a difficult task, a bar of chocolate would make her jump with joy. But to Payal, the only tough part was to watch Khushi clean up the entire apartment once the party was over. She wouldn't go to sleep until the apartment was spotless, and stubbornly refused any help that was offered. In her words, she wanted the place to be "Khushi-clean"*. Payal had tried to offer help and do her bit several times, only to fail each time around. She had come to accept Khushi's obsession with "Khushi-clean"-liness, but to watch the girl sweep and mop and dust on the night of her birthday was difficult to digest.
This year, however, Payal was far from irritated. If anything, she was excited. She pretended to be interested in whatever was on TV as she watched Khushi spray some more of the cleaning liquid on the dining table, meticulously and earnestly working on a tiny little speck that was probably visible to others only under a magnifying glass.
"You can go and sleep, you know." Khushi had said, still staring intently at the table to make sure she had wiped it clean. "I know you're up only to give me company; you hate that crap they show on TV. Go get some sleep! You can make me a special breakfast in the morning."
"I'm not sleepy. You won't let me help you with the cleaning so I have no option but to watch TV." Payal shrugged.
"You did help me clear the litter and -"
"Khushi! Just finish this so we can both hit the sack?" she tried her best not to sound nervous or excited. She hated knowing secrets and having to keep them. It gave her a stomachache. "You know I won't go to sleep till you're not done with your madness."
Khushi was done at about quarter to three, and the girls then retired to their rooms. Payal was waiting rather impatiently, checking her phone every few seconds to see if she had received a message from that smug idiot. She was tempted to call him and give him a piece of her mind for getting late, but held back when she realised that so far, he was just about 7 minutes late. Just then she heard her phone buzz.
"I'm coming upstairs" was his crisp message. Payal could almost visualize his casual gait and the smirk on his face as she carefully tiptoed her way to the front door, making sure she made no sound. She opened the door slightly and peeped out to find him coming out of the elevator - the smirk right in place just as she had expected.
"You're late" she admonished.
"Shhh ..not so loud, Payaliya" It was there again, the smirk. Payal hated his guts, but this was not the time to think about it. This night was for Khushi. And when it came to Khushi, her instincts told her just one thing - that he was the one for her. Even his smirk didn't seem annoying when he was looking at Khushi the way he did, his eyes shining with adoration.
She glared at him for second before she opened the door fully and stepped aside to allow him to walk in.
"She isn't asleep yet" he remarked looking at something behind Payal.
"No, she was-" she stopped mid sentence as she turned around and saw the thin beam of light that escaped from the closed door to Khushi's room. "I swear she said she was going to sleep."
"Never mind, she doesn't seem to have heard us till now and that's good. Should I go in there or will you bring her out?"
"Don't even think about it" was her immediate response, her timbre firm and assertive."I'll go see and ask her to come outside. You go stay in the kitchen, don't come out till I say so".
"Yes Ma'm" giving her a mock salute, he walked to the open kitchen at the far end of the living room, pulled out a chair from the dining table and took a seat.
Payal knocked softly at Khushi's door - once, twice. There was no response. Had she fallen asleep with the lights on? Payal was about to twist he knob and open the door when she heard it - the sniffing and the soft sobbing. What could have happened in less than an hour? Worried and tensed, Payal barged into the room, no longer bothering to be discreet about it.
*
*
Fear gripped her heart, choking her as she entered the room to find Khushi shaking uncontrollably as the sobs racked her body. She sat there on her bed, crouched, her back leaning against the headboard and the duvet covering her upto her neck - her face tear streaked, her eyes red and tormented.
Rushing towards her, "Khushi, what happe-" Payal's voice quivered. And then she saw what Khushi was holding in her hands. Instantly, the fear and the worry was replaced by relief, succeeded quickly by exasperation.
"What the hell, Khushi! What is the matter with you? I was worried sick!"
Khushi stifled and sob; wiping the tears with her wrists, "I couldn't...help it" *sniff* "You know... how it is" *sniff* "Lavanya.." Khushi said in a muffled voice.
"Oh shut up before I forget its you birthday! I swear I am going to throw that book into the ocean if I ever see you reading it again." Payal was positively fuming now. The girl would be the death of her someday, she was sure.
"Don't say anything about the book!" Khushi defended. "It's my favorite author!" *sniff* "This is her very best - its so beautifully written and so touching and the characters just-"
Payal wanted to pull her hair out. It was a shame she had chopped her hair off a month back - and now she looked like sheepdog. She couldn't even grip her hair with her fingers and pull to let out some of the frustration she felt.
Taking a deep breath, "Listen to me carefully, Khushi. I have never asked you for a favour but now I am asking for one - from this point on, Careless Whispers must only remind you of a decently melodious song by George Micheal with a rather ridiculous video. If I ever find you with that book again-"
"But Payal, it's Meera's - "
"This is not the only book by your beloved author Meera! Theres that A Fate Entwined-"
"Intertwined. But-"
"Yes, A Fate Intertwined. And then that one you forced me to read - Winds of Change-"
"Payal! Its Colours of the Wind! And I -"
"Yes, Colours of the Wind." Payal refused to let Khushi speak. "That was a nice one - and I never saw you sob while you read it. But this one, this Careless Whispers - I am sure it's a lovely book but pardon me for hating to see you cry yourself to sleep each time you read it, wake up with a massive headache and then having to watch you drown yourself in coffee the next morning in an attempt to relieve that headache. The first time I saw you read it, crying that Lavanya was dead, I thought you had lost one of your own friends! And then you kept complaining that your hero continued to love Lavanya more than he loved that other girl who directs his film."
Perhaps it was a mistake - having said that. For Khushi began to sob all over again. And now it was Payal who wanted to cry.
She walked up to the bed and sat next to Khushi, who continued to cry inconsolably. Payal patted her head awkwardly. And in a sudden, unexpected move, Khushi hugged Payal tightly to herself; Payal felt the girl's tears soak the sleeve of her kurta.
"Shh.. " Payal wasn't sure what she was supposed to say. Everything would be okay? "Err.. Khushi. It's..you know, okay..." Payal had never felt more foolish in her life.
She wracked her brains to come up with something that would get her out of this situation. That's when she remembered the reason she had come to Khushi's room in the first place.
"Hey, Khushi.." she spoke softly. "I actually came to tell you that theres someone waiting to see you outside."
When there was no response, she held Khushi's shoulder and shook it lightly. "Khushi?"
"Hmmm?"
"There someone waiting for you. Won't you come out and meet them?" Payal felt the excitement return to her body. She couldn't wait to see Khushi's face when she saw him.
"Someone to see me? At this time?" she turned to the wall clock. "It 3:30 in the morning! Who is it?"
"See for yourself." she said teasingly and got up from the bed and waited for Khushi to join her. Khushi followed suit; "Why won't you tell me who it is?" she said straightening the oversized grey V-neck Tee shirt and the black PJs she wore. In the mirror that was in front of her, she saw Payal smile mischievously.
Could it be him, wondered Khushi. No! Why would he be here? She was being silly. The man was arrogant and flippant and had the ego the size of the Milky Way, he couldn't care less about a promise. Could she even call it a promise?
*
*
"When will you come back from the States?" she asked and immediately reprimanded herself. When would she stop being such a naive child? When would she stop expecting things from people? It was just a silly birthday afterall. When would she stop behaving like a bumbling fool in front of him?
And then, she noticed him smile. It was no teasing smirk, no mocking twitch, no smug eyebrow raise. It was a smile - just that - simple and genuine. She felt it find its way to her heart and make it swell with joy like she had not known before.
"I will be there for your birthday, darling." he said, leaving her startled. How did he know what she was thinking about? Before she could say anything else, he bent to place a soft kiss on her cheek and walked out the door in quick, brisk strides.
*
*
She felt like a twit everytime she found herself day dreaming about him, imagining what it would be like when he came for her. Would he take her by surprise? Would he bring her flowers? Would he take her to dinner? Would he kiss her again? Perhaps on her lips...
And each time she chided herself. He was Arnav S. Raizada - the quintessential carefree, happy go lucky, womaniser. He made no qualms about it, neither did he pretend to be someone he wasn't. His words were never meant to be taken seriously.
And yet, when she saw the two hands of the clock come together at midnight, when she saw her friends barge into her apartment to wish her, she found herself searching for his face. She did her best to hide her disappointment when she realised he wasn't there. What was she thinking!
Yet, once again, she found herself hoping against hope that it was him waiting for her at the other side of the door. Oh what the hell, she decided. A girl's gotta dream! Even if it wasn't him, she would be happy that there was another friend who had taken the pains to come and see her today, had cared enough to come at this hour.
She saw Payal at the door to her room, holding it open for her. There was nobody in the living room, she noticed. She followed Payal into the kitchen and what she saw took her breath away.
He stood there, smiling at her the way he had smiled the last time they had met, the smile that had dared her to dream. Dressed in a pair of dark jeans and an inky blue shirt, his hair falling over his forehead, his eyes twinkling - he made the most enthralling sight Khushi had ever laid her eyes on.
She wanted to pinch herself to make sure this was real. He was here, in person. On her birthday. She didn't realise when the faint red hue crept through her entire body, when her expression transformed from surprise to that of pure, unbridled happiness or when her face broke into an enchanting smile.
"Swami?"
*
*
Payal felt Khushi's happiness in her own heart and found herself tearing up. Quietly, she excused herself from the room, leaving the two souls who seemed to be completely lost in each other to themselves.
*
*
She felt giddy with beatitude and her cheeks hurt as she just couldn't stop smiling. He had come. For her. He had kept his promise. It was a promise.
*
*
She looked ethereal, he thought. He didn't care about her unflattering attire. The radiance in her face had him gripped in rapture. The sparkling hazel in her eyes, the rosy hue of her cheeks, the provocative quivering of her mouth, the thick mass of raven hair that lay carelessly over her shoulder...
*
*
"You came" she said softly, a whisper.
"Did I have a choice?" he said, looking right into her eyes. As if daring her to challenge a fact.
"You are a bit late, don't you think?" she had no idea where she found the courage to be playful.
"Oh I think my timing is perfect" And the smirk was right back, but this time - it wasn't cocky. It was indulgent. He turned a little towards the table he was standing in front of to fetch a small paper bag. From inside that, he took out a small gift, well covered in newspaper. He took the little gift in his hand and walked towards her until his face was a hair's breadth away from her's.
He looked beautiful, she thought. His eyes are like chocolate. He is like chocolate. I could eat him up!
"Happy birthday, Khushi" he said, his voice deliciously husky.
Even his voice is like chocolate!
He brought his face closer to hers and she could feel their breaths becoming one. She closed her eyes and puckered her lips in anticipation. And then, she felt his hand grip her wrist. She opened her eyes in surprise to watch him bring her wrist close to his mouth. He placed an open mouthed kiss on it before reaching for her palm. With his other hand, he placed his gift in her hand.
His kisses were dizzying, she decided. And his proximity was... intoxicating. It didn't let her think straight. And so she took a step back, and looked at what was in her hand.
"Open it?" she heard him say.
She looked at him once again, briefly, before she began to unwrap the gift. His gift. For her. She couldn't get over the high.
She was unmerciful to the newspaper wrapping, shredding it into pieces in no time. She took a look at her gift.
It was unbelievable. She had thought him to be shallow and fickle - how had he known her so well ? How did he know what would make the perfect birthday gift for her? Khushi felt tears prick the back of her eyelids. She wanted to thank him, to hug him, to kiss him senseless. But she just stood there, unable to do anything but look an the man in front of her with awe.
"Do you like it?" he asked, his voice unsure. There was an unmasked vulnerability in his voice, and in that moment, she fell a little more for him, if that was even possible. He had wanted her to like it. Arnav Swami Raizada - sure, confident, sometimes even arrogant - he was here, hoping that this girl he barely even knew, liked his present on her birthday. "Why are you crying? Khushi...it's okay if you don't like it. You don't have to keep it. You can throw it if-"
"I love it." she said almost inaudibly, finding it difficult to talk as the tears threatened to choke her. "The Emerald Isle Tales by Meera. It was released just two weeks back.. I wanted to buy it but it was sold out before I could get my hands on it. How did you know?" she asked.
He looked at her sheepishly, running his hands through his hair. Khushi felt an urge to that that herself, run her fingers through his hair, his forehead, his eyes... she resisted the temptation. For now, she thought.
"I, err... I may have heard you say something to your friend on the phone the last time we met. I had come here to collect- "
"Aparna Aunty's sarees.. the ones Payal designed for her."
"Yes. Payal wasn't here and you were over the phone talking to your friend. I wasn't trying to be nosy, trust me. I just heard you mention the book. "
Khushi smiled. He had paid attention to little things about her even when she had thought he couldn't care less about a simple girl like her. She had been talking to Preeto about the release of the new book, about how she wanted to get herself a signed copy of it during the author's book tour to their city.
"How did you know I hadn't bought the book yet?"
"I asked Payal." he grinned.
"She knew about this ?" she was surprised. Not because Payal was involved in their little plan, but because she had actually managed to keep it a secret.
"Yes, she did." he said impatiently, like he was waiting for something.
She raised an arrow in question, and he silently pointed towards the book in her hands.
She opened the first page and let the familiar smell of a brand new book waft over her. She turned another leaf, and that when she saw it. A little note, in a handwriting that was barely legible. She read it carefully, lovingly.
Happy birthday, my dear Khushi
I hope this birthday of yours is special. I hope all your birthdays are special. I hope every single day of your life is special. And I hope you will allow me to take care of that.
Love,
Your Swami
She looked at him, speechless and awestruck. He had managed to sweep her off her feet. She knew now, in all certainty, that her heart belonged to him.
"See the last page" he urged. There was a boyish excitement on his face that made him look even more charming.
Trying to keep the tears in check, she turned to the last page of the book. She wondered how had missed it before, she should have felt the slight bulge when she had held the book. Perhaps she had been too consumed with delight and surprise to pay any attention to it.
On the last page, there lay a thin silver chain, with a small emerald pendant at its base. The gem shone brilliantly, and Arnav rejoiced when he saw its reflection sparkle in her eyes. This was the reason he had bought it in the first place.
"It reminded me of your eyes" he said softly.
She took the chain in her hands and held it out, beckoning him with her eyes. He took it from her, acknowledging the tacit request. Coming behind her, he moved her hair to one side of her shoulder, his fingers teasing the delicate skin of her neck. She could feel his breath on her shoulder, and gasped when he placed his mouth in it. A quick kiss, hot and moist. It was over before it began, but it sparked a fire in her belly that she knew was not about to die anytime soon. He placed the chain on her neck - she noticed how the pendant fit snugly between her breasts. She felt him clasp the chain firmly behind her neck.
Holding her shoulders, he turned her around. The heat in his eyes was unbearable, she couldn't look at him. He traced the chain on her chest with his finger, pausing for a second where the pendant lay. He hooked the chain in between his finger and tugged at it, bringing her closer to him.
"Open your eyes, Khushi" Somewhere at the back of her head, Khushi realised his voice wasn't just chocolate. It was chocolate and whiskey and honey with a dash of satin.
He tugged at the chain again, this time a with a little more force. She opened her eyes, slowly and stole a glance at his eyes. "Happy birthday, Khushi" he whispered close to her mouth and sealed her lips with his. Chocolate!
Khushi was delirious with joy. With him around, she wouldn't have to wait all year for her birthday any more. Every day would be special. He would take care of that.
*Remember Monica-Clean, Meera ? What is an OS for Meera without a FRIENDS reference :P
PS - Pardon me, books seem to be the only gifts my Arnav-s are capable of coming up with. What can I say? To me they make the perfect gifts - meaningful and timeless đ
Udne Ki Aasha
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