ArHi FF - Aftershock: Chapter 9, Pg 26, 23 September - Page 3

Glad I found this story...The title intrigued me...
Very Interesting Story!!!!

Awsome FF...different concept, loved it❤️...saying in Khushi style...i m in😃

nice ff
would love to read more

Originally posted by: Neha2014

Glad I found this story...The title intrigued me...
Very Interesting Story!!!!

Thanks a lot (:

Originally posted by: -HEAVEN-

Awsome FF...different concept, loved it❤️...saying in Khushi style...i m in😃

Thank you so much (:

Very interesting story and nicely written

Originally posted by: saduf

nice ff
would love to read more

Thanks (:

Originally posted by: pooja102

super

Thanks (:

Originally posted by: jg12

Very interesting story and nicely written

Thank you (:

Chapter 3:

Monsoon air buzzed with unknown magic making the two kids sigh and sink further into lush dewy grass. Sun played peek-a-boo with clouds and the foliage above them, their collective enthusiasm curbed to a soothing lullaby. If she could, she would have collected the scene and preserved it in a large glass jar, watch it every time life tried and sometimes even successful, to screw her over. All of her fifteen year old heart doesn't recognize the strings that pluck her heart. She only knows that the thudding of her heart increases in speed when her hands brushes against his making him look at her with a private smile. The onset of monsoon means a lot in the village they have been spending time at; it marks beginning of a new season, new hopes and old dreams about to be realized. She didn't know that the mark of rain would become important to her as it would for the local farmers.

It takes them three weeks and two bouts of rains to properly hold hands. One afternoon finds them dipping their feet in now half-filled river that is gently gushing and wanting to be roaring, when water drops the size of five rupee coin splashes on her forehead. Laughter catches her throat as the exhilaration bubbles from her stomach - warm and honey like. He grabs her hand and makes a run for it, ignoring their sullied shoes and raw mangoes. Their collective laughter trails behind them as they make run for the nearest shelter - an old Banyan tree. The old tree whispers old tales of young maidens tying thread around the trunk of the tree, weaving their innermost desires into the thread and hoping for its sanctification with every step they took around the old Banyan tree. The old tree sometimes forgets the promise it holds under its wide foliage when a young boy plants a sloppy kiss on the corner of the girl's mouth. Her skin turns to brilliant fuchsia when he pulls her by the waist and slots her head in the crook of his neck and shoulder. She places a tentative hands on his waist while her other hand clutches his biceps protectively. The old tree for all its age and wisdom cannot fathom who is holding who.

He promises her that their next summer together will be longer. His eighteen year old body acts like a man when he catches her hand in his and promises to expect a letter from him every month. He convinces her that the separation between them is for less than ten months and the next summer will be their best. Like how this summer was. She clamps her mouth shut and nods her head, an errant tear escaping her eyes and splashing on his hands. He pulls her to him and holds her tight, the relationship of gentle friendship crossing the line to something else.

That monsoon changed her to a woman when she watches him waving a forlorn good-bye and her heart clenches achingly in her chest in return.

"Khushi?" She looks away from window where the rain splatters in rhythmic staccato, to see her department liaison, Aman, waiting on her.

"What's new in mount Doom?" She asks, conversationally, wiping the traces of melancholy and the ache in her bones.

Aman's lips twitches reflexively but doesn't give Khushi the happiness of making his ever stoic self - smile. "I have some things for you to go over before the board meeting that's going to take place this evening. He waves his hand at the expanse of sofa and says, "Shall we?"

"I thought we had a board meeting last week," she walks to the sofa and sits down, frowning.

Aman shakes his head. "It was actually Executive Council meeting - just the active senior management who hold the top roles in Raizada industries. Board meetings also have-"

Khushi waves her hand and interjects, "I know what a board meeting is Aman, thanks. I assumed people don't turn up all the time, that's all. Or maybe the invites can be named appropriately." She chides. Aman flushes under her gaze and being called out on a rookie mistake. She feels sorry for her semi rude behavior and starts to back pedal. "Even Arnav tagged it as board meeting while it was a simple EC one. Can't blame you when your bosses misspeak all the time." Aman knows it's a rope handed to him and he gladly takes it.

"There is a lot of spill over from other departments," Aman begins and hands her a thick file. At Khushi's raised eyebrow, he shrugs, "I work better when there is tangibility in my hands. So I work with paper instead of megabytes of documents." Khushi shakes her head and motions him to go on. "There have been many complaints with respect to employee satisfaction when HR conducted their annual survey. An audit was performed to probe this issue further but they came up empty. With the attrition we are facing in research and development, it's becoming harder to channel our government subsidies. This has been our primary concern for almost a year and your predecessor couldn't fix that."

"Is this issue on the top of the list?" Khushi asks, looking at the list of employees and their accomplishments who were no longer with Raizada industries.

"Attrition is something that's becoming more of an issue than a primary concern. Other countries import from us because of the quality we deliver for the cost and there seems to be a systematic degradation in talent in manufacturing section also. We are pro union Khushi, since the time of your father. But for the first time in almost three decades we are seeing friction between workers and administration." Aman explains.

"I have read all these reports Aman. I am not sure why..." Khushi trails. Arnav had dumped a massive load of documents on her the afternoon she accepted her job with two simple words following the exchange. "Fix it."

Aman smiles mirthlessly, "Hiring was outsourced two years ago Khushi. There were complaints in house that the hiring process consumed time and the interviews couldn't take place with the kind of work load they were having. After a lot of tussle, it was decided that it was best if a third party was involved so that our employees can save time to do more productive things."

Khushi scoffs. "Hiring is productive and is important."

"Try telling that to the board." Aman replies. Khushi looks at him for several moments before shrugging. If her nonchalance puts him off but he doesn't bring it up. They continue to discuss for another two hours, the paper pile on Khushi's lap growing dangerously tall and she getting incredibly frustrated with the half-ass job her predecessor had performed.

"Why didn't anyone investigate this...nonsense before?" Khushi threw up her hands after listening to yet another failure to implement simplistic strategy.

"It was investigated but nothing really came out of it. That' what I have been trying to tell you." Aman's words were cryptic and she wondered if he let on more than he intended to.

"Fine," she says resignedly. "I'll do what I'll do what I'll do." She pushes the files from her lap and stands up, making Aman scrambling on his feet. She knows what she just said doesn't make a lick of sense but it's a good way to keep people guessing. No point in showing all her cards so early in the game.

She waits several minutes after Aman retracts from her office and there corridor is thinned of foot traffic. She wasn't a fan of glass cabins but Arnav had a twisted sense of implementing transparency.

She takes out another phone from her bag and types in the name of the company to which the hiring has been outsourced. She doesn't know what she is looking for yet but needs their dirty laundry in her basket soon.

'You have 12 hours to find out everything about them.' She adds in for good measure. She doesn't wait for a response; she knows there will not be any. The only response she is going to get will be in her email exactly twelve hours from now.

She decides to pack up for the day to go home and study for the board meeting a little. She knows she will be seeing some old faces again and there will be questions thrown at her and Arnav.

It was going to be spectacular debacle of epic proportions.

Memories of childhood,playing in rain..getting new feelings..promises..thats what were the arnav khushi's life..but what made so sudden change in their relationship?
Her every step from joining the company,to get every details abt the employers..all are leading to sth big..is she here to find the real culprit who did the mistake of food poisoining?

so technically, arnav and kushi were childhood friends, or to be precise, childhood sweethearts or lovers. but due to uncertain circumstances, by next year, kushi's parents suicide and now she is working for her own company but she has a mystery which only she can solve. and arnav looks as though he has no recognition yet he acknowledges her presence. that is a difficult web of mystery and thriller series.😉 👏 i appreciate ur talent in bringing such a plot and i am waiting eagerly for the next update for more of the mystery to unfold. great going

wow something new love it 😊