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On Monday morning, in seeing Raya and Raunaq off, I got late for work so I had rushed through the stairs. Just as I reached for the handle of my cabin's door to open it, the door swung open on the outside, knocking hardly on my hand. I pulled my hand back and yelped in pain. Vyan, who had been coming out of the cabin was immediately apologetic.
"Oh! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" He held my right hand, the one I was rubbing to dispel the pain. "Oh no! It's getting red! Come inside. You sit here, I'll get some ice." He quickly pushed me down on my chair and sprinted out of the door in his panic-stricken state.
My knuckles were still throbbing when Vyan came rushing back with some ice wrapped in a small towel. He pulled a chair for himself and sat right in front of me. Carefully taking my hand in his, he put the towel on the red area. I noticed the frown on his forehead as his complete attention was on the task at hand. Why did he look so upset?
"Better now?" He looked up anxiously, and I hastened to hide the small smile I had not felt forming on my face. "Geet?" He called when I didn't answer immediately. "Is it still hurting?" He glanced at my hand in worry as I felt him adjusting my hand in his so the towel covered more space. "I'm so sorry! I was coming out to see if you had come and look what happened!" The down-turned lips told me he was feeling a little guilty.
"It's alright, Vyan." I assured him as I took the towel in my left hand. "My hand is fine now. See?" I pointed towards it with my eyes and then realised he was holding my hand in his. My gaze impulsively drifted to see his face and know if he had noticed it. The slight loosening of his grip stated that he did and I slowly pulled my hand to myself.
It was a moment before I cleared my throat and decided to feign normality. "So there's no need to panic at all." I smiled at him and got a small one from him as a response.
He got up from the chair and started to pull it away to put it back in its place before suddenly turning back to look at me.
"What have you done to your hair?" His expression was so twisted that it made me laugh.
"Just cut them off."
"Why?"
"Because I wanted to." I shrugged and then looked him right in the eye. "It doesn't look nice?"
He smiled sheepishly. "It looks different."
My eyes trailed after him as he went out of the cabin to dispose off the towel. I didn't miss the fact that he had answered neither positively nor in negative. "It didn't seem like he liked my hair this way." I mumbled to myself, and jerked my head dismissively. "And anyway, I like my new hair and I don't care if anyone else likes it or not."
My knuckles were still aching but I distracted myself by setting things up on my table and going through the plan for the day. Vyan and I were supposed to spend half the day in our office before we needed to head to ARK.
Vyan was more observant than usual today, and every time he felt I was having difficulty in using my right hand, he stepped up to offer his help, forcefully making me sit and give my hand a rest while he did what I had to do. I was constantly writing off his behaviour today as a result of the guilt he felt at being the cause of my nearly kaput hand, rather than a consequence of any feelings he had for me.
"Do you want to have some lunch before we go to ARK?" Vyan offered when we were seated in his car. I just shrugged in response so he decided that we would stop and grab some quick lunch at a restaurant near ARK.
It was a four-star Italian restaurant in the heart of the city.
"Do you dine out very often?" I asked him casually after we were seated and had placed our order.
"Of course! Why do you ask?"
"I was just thinking that you seem to know a lot of places to eat. Good places, to be a little precise." He leaned back against the plush sofa seat and smiled in satisfaction.
"Lunches and dinners with friends and family quite often." He shrugged. "You know, besides having the best food to offer, this place is a very popular one for business meetings as well. It has a few conference halls for privacy."
I was looking around the place when he said that which made me laugh without any conscious effort. "You sound like you're advertising the restaurant." We both chuckled.
Our order arrived and we ate in relative silence, as we both realised we needed to be at ARK in not more than fifteen minutes. We had just cleared the bill and were getting up to go when Vyan ran into someone who had been coming from behind him. He quickly apologised to the elderly man before our eyes fell on the person standing beside him.
"Mr. Khurana." Vyan said in surprised recognition.
I nodded towards Maan in greeting. He was dressed impeccably in his business suit, hair gelled away from his forehead, one hand in the pocket, and his face a mask of professionalism.
"We were just heading towards ARK." Vyan said as an explanation.
"Hmm." Maan nodded. "See you in ARK." He dismissed us both and then led the elderly man away from us while they discussed some business matters.
"Wow." I turned towards Vyan at his exclamation to see his eyes trailing after Maan.
"What?"
"However arrogant, I admire Khurana for his professionalism." His eyes met my curious ones. "I mean, when it comes to work, he's got a no-nonsense attitude and when it's fun time, he isn't even the same person."
"Hmm." I answered faintly as we started walking towards his car. The residue anger from my argument with Maan two days ago did not let me agree with him completely, though I knew in my heart that what Vyan had said about Maan was true.
The progress of work in ARK was pretty good. Our team was at its efficient best, and that was what satisfied Vyan and me, as we seated ourselves on one of the pair of chairs placed to a side. We discussed the ongoing work and what was yet to be done when Vyan's phone rang and he excused himself to answer it.
"Geet, I need to leave." At my questioning look, he explained Tracy had called and said she needed him to be present for an impromptu meeting with an old client who I did not know much about.
"Should I come along?" I offered as I stood up from my place.
"One of us needs to stay here." I couldn't deny him then. One of us needed to be present here and it seemed like it had to be me.
"Okay." I looked at my wristwatch. "So will you be coming back here after your meeting?"
"I don't know. The meetings with this particular client always stretch on and on. She talks a lot." He chuckled. "But she's good." I cocked an eyebrow at his comment and he waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, don't even bother thinking about it. I've got my eyes for someone else." He winked, making me pucker my lips in thought.
"So I guess we'll meet in the office tomorrow." I deliberately changed the topic.
"No, I can come to pick you up."
I shook my head. "No, no. You need not come halfway back here. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Okay." He sighed. "I'll go tell Smith that you're here and I'm leaving. See you."
"Hmm." I nodded as I sat back down after he trotted off.
I observed the workers go on for a few minutes before pulling my phone out to find an occupation for myself. Not finding anything, I put it back in my bag again, and then inspected my hand closely. With Vyan around all the time, I had not taken a thorough look at the damage, but it seemed quite painful. My hand was still red with a constant pain and I had just noticed it was swollen.
"Am I disturbing you?" I had been so deep into my inspection that I had not heard anyone come and stand close to me. The sudden sound of his voice startled me and I jumped up from the chair, making Maan give out a small chuckle before schooling his features back to those he was used to carrying in office.
"Oh, no. Not at all." I hastened to get a grip on myself as I shook hands with him.
"So what is the progress, Miss Handa?" There was no hint in his voice or manner of what had passed between him and me just two days ago.
"Quite well, Mr. Khurana." I began an oral explanation of the work done till now and what the plan was for the coming week, how fast we would be done with his work. He was nodding along solemnly as he payed acute attention to every detail. Twice, his phone rang as I spoke but he just looked at the caller ID and cut it. The third time, I did not hear his phone ring but he pulled it out and I figured he had put it in silent mode. I was standing quite close to him in such a way that I could see who the caller was. It was his mother, whose call he cut once again.
"So, Miss Handa, may I see the pictures of what you've planned once again?"
"Sure. Please do be seated." I told him as I picked up my briefcase from the floor to pull out the file. I sat on one chair and signalled him to sit on the one beside me. As he sat, his hand landed on my injured one, making me let out a hiss of pain which alerted him immediately.
"What happened?" I quickly pulled my hand back and straightened up.
"Nothing." I pulled the file open and prepared to show him the pictures Vyan and I had printed as a visual for him to see the outcome of the work we were to do in ARK.
Maan's eyes probed my face for a few seconds before it seemed like he had decided to let it go. His resolve only lasted until his gaze landed on the hand I was using to turn pages.
His next action was something I did not expect so it shocked me into jerking my head towards him.
"It's swollen, Geet." He pointed with his eyes towards the hand he was carefully holding in his. "What happened?"
"I... I..." I stammered for a few bewildering seconds as my mind slowly shrugged itself out of the muddled state. "I hurt it in the morning. It's fine, Maan."
Saying his name out loud made me snap back to where we were and I pulled my hand back. "Anyway, this is what we have planned for your office." Showing him the pictures distracted both of us from the moment of informality we both would otherwise have avoided.
We were discussing the pictures and I was explaining to him the stepwise procedure of what was to happen in the two weeks until the final look, when his phone rang again. It was his mother, I could see, and he was about to cut it when I suggested he should take the call. He looked at my face before taking the call.
"Yes, Mom."
"..."
"I'm sorry, I'm in a meeting."
"..."
"With interior designers."
"..."
"Yes, Innodea."
"..."
"Hmm."
"..."
"Come on, Mom! We're in a meeting right now."
"..."
"Okay, fine! Talk to her yourself."
I was listening to his side of the conversation with a suppressed smile and my face turned away from him until he pushed the phone towards me.
"What?"
"She wants to talk to you."
I hesitantly took his phone and put it to my ear to hear the pleasant voice of Aunty.
"You've forgotten me!" She complained.
Feeling conscious of Maan's attention, I got up from my place and walked a bit farther.
"It's not like that, Aunty. I've been a bit busy with work, and then Raya came over for the weekend..."
"Raya came to stay with you? You should have brought her to meet me. I haven't met both of you in so long."
"I know, Aunty. I'll make sure to bring her to meet you in a few days."
"Oh, no, no, no!" She was quick to cut me off. "Not in a few days. Come meet me today, you two!"
I regretfully told her Raya had gone back just this morning and that she would want to spend time with Raunaq, especially since he was away for two days.
"Then you must come meet me today." Her modified plan was immediately put forward and since she must have known I would protest, she added, "I miss you!"
I could not deny her then. "Alright, Aunty. I'll come after work, okay?"
"Yay!" She squealed childishly, which earned a chuckle from me. "So tell Maan you'll be coming with him in the evening."
"What? Why?" My eyes flew to Maan's who was surprisingly standing right beside me. In shock, I took a step back and stumbled over something on the floor. Maan's hand shot out and held my arm to stable me as I heard Aunty speak over the phone, trying to grab my attention.
"Yes, yes, Aunty, I'm here." Taking a careful step away from Maan, I continued talking to Aunty. "I'll come myself, Aunty."
"No, darling, what's the point when you both have to come from the same place to the same place? Give Maan the phone and I'll tell him to bring you along."
I shook my head as if Aunty could see me. "Actually, I..." I quickly thought what excuse was the best. "I have some work to do at home."
"No problem! Maan can take you home first, you do what have to do and then you come here together."
"Aunty, it's really fine, I'll manage it m-"
"Stop making excuses, Geet." Maan's mocking voice made me turn around to see him lean casually against the railing. "You won't earn anything." His smile was as sardonic as his voice and I had no choice but to finally agree to him. Aunty wouldn't listen so I gave in and agreed on going with Maan.
"None of us can win against her." Maan laughed slightly when I handed his phone back to him. "My Mom, after all."
Giving a deadpan expression in response to his smugness, I walked past him and invited him back to the work we had been doing prior to Aunty's call.
Once done, I looked at my watch and exclaimed in surprise. "It's already five. I didn't even realise this much time has passed!"
Maan murmured in agreement as he stood up. "I'll meet you in the parking in ten minutes."
"Look, I -" I called after him as he was about to walk away.
"Don't bother. You know you won't win this one from me." The raised hand had made me pause, but the smirk I could see on his face made me speechless as he smoothly glided away and disappeared into the lift.
Fifteen minutes later, after having had a small conversation with the workers before they left, and a brief call with Raya to inform her of where I would be for the next couple of hours, I found myself strapped in the posh black Mercedes, sitting beside the man whose strong cologne was beginning to fill my senses in the enclosed interiors of the car, while he sat unaware and uncaring of my presence as he busied himself in his phone.
The drive was as smooth as it was silent. Neither Maan, nor his uniformed chauffeur had spoken a word, so that left me to stare out of the dark tinted windows as buildings after buildings zoomed by. I was not expecting a lot from today's visit to the Khurana Mansion but I was determined not to take a ride back home with Maan like Aunty had forced me the last time.
The Khuranas had only stepped up with their living standards, I realised yet again as the car stopped in the front porch of the mansion and the driver hastened to open his master's door, who lithely stepped out. It was only when he turned to see me that I realised I had to get out of the car too. The driver held my door now, as I exited the car in as much grace as I could, before I followed Maan inside the house.
Aunty was waiting for us along with Zara and Ameerah, who ran to her uncle as soon as she saw him. I sneaked a glance at the pleasant scene of Maan Chachu engulfing his dear niece in his arms and throwing her up in the air before catching her again, even as I stepped forward to greet Aunty and Zara.
The time at Khurana Mansion passed really fast, and it was legit since I was having such a good time chatting with Aunty and Zara. They were discussing plans for when Ameerah would have a baby brother or sister. Listening to such excited dreams they had lifted my mood by so many degrees. They even complimented me on my new hair and that was when I realised Maan had not said a word about it. It was not as big a deal, I told myself. He must not have even noticed.
"Aunty, I think I'll leave now." I told her as I saw the setting sun from the long panels of the glass windows in their living room.
"So soon?" Zara interrupted. "You haven't even had dinner yet." Aunty nodded in agreement.
"No, I think I've had enough for tonight." Pointing at the delicacies laid out on the table in front of us, I patted my stomach.
"Oh, no! You must have dinner." I started to shake my head so Aunty spoke again. "At least a little." At the uncertainty on my face, Aunty probed, "for me?" I smiled and nodded. I could not refuse anything to Aunty. "And then Maan can drop you off." The smile on my face vanished and my eyes flew to see Maan, who was just descending the stairs after changing out of his business suit, halted at the mention of his name. Before I could protest, Aunty asked Maan if he had any issues, to which he just shrugged and shook his head before walking towards the dining table.
I suppressed a sigh. Why, oh, why! I didn't want to spend another sleepless night if he said or did anything unexpected or untoward. As I was led to the dining table, I absentmindedly walked along with Aunty as I racked my brains for an excuse to get out of this. It was not until I heard Aunty say my name that I snapped out of the thoughts and saw where I had unconsciously chosen to sit: on the seat right beside Maan. Aunty was sitting at the head while Zara and Ameerah had taken their places on the opposite side. Ranbir was out for a business dinner tonight.
"Doesn't it, Maan?" I heard Aunty ask him with her eyes on me. I had not heard the question except my name and then Maan's eyes moved to my face, taking an interested look which made me feel self-conscious, especially since I was unaware of what it was they were discussing.
"It does, indeed." He nodded to his mother and then went back to eating his dinner while I stared with confusion at him, then at Aunty before my eyes met Zara's and she touched her hair to indicate to me what the topic was. I smiled my gratitude at her before continuing with the dinner.
"Whether anyone likes it or not, I love your new look, Geet," said Aunty, conversationally. "You look really different and so beautiful."
I smiled timidly at her and then felt a blush rise up my cheeks when Maan looked at me for a few seconds.
"Do you want to leave immediately, or after some time?" He asked me after some moments of silence had passed.
"Why immediately?" Aunty butted in. "She'll stay for some more time. We'll have some nice coffee and then she can leave."
"Actually, Aunty." I interrupted before this went on any farther. "I'd like to leave now." She opened her mouth to protest but I did not let her speak. "And I will go myself, Aunty. There's no need to give Maan the trouble."
"What trouble?" Aunty said at the same time that Maan said, "It's nothing to trouble me."
"No, really..." I began again but all I got was a glare from Aunty and an eye-roll from Maan.
"Come on, Geet! Stop being such a spoilt sport." Maan mocked.
"I am not being a spoilt sport." I huffed.
"Of course, you are, Miss I-Will-Do-It-Myself!" His comment earned him a chuckle from Aunty and Zara each.
"Refusing to be trouble to anyone does not equal to being a spoilt sport." I said, offended.
"Forget it!" He wiped his mouth with the napkin and threw it on the table. "Either way, you're not going to achieve what you're trying here."
His smirk screamed "Busted!" as he gave me a last look and went away after telling me he'll be back in a few minutes to take me home. I was left to pout as Aunty and Zara laughed at the way Maan had dealt with it.
A few minutes later, I was sitting in the same black Mercedes once again but the difference from evening was vast. Sitting beside me, driving the car was a completely different man, jollier than before, whistling some tunes and generally looking relaxed, unlike how he had seemed uptight during the evening.
It was bizarre how one man could be in so much contrast to himself. It was like he was two separate men in one body. It reminded me of Jekyll and Hyde. He even had one good and one unpleasant personality like them. The thought made me chuckle which captured his attention.
"What's so funny?"
I knew I did not share such a bond with him to share this thought just yet so I simply shook my head.
"Nice car, by the way."
Maan smiled at the compliment.
I remembered Ryan's friendship with Maan and I was curious to find out what he thought of it so I thought of what to say. "I heard you're going to get a Porsche for yourself." It was the most indirectly direct question I could think of.
"Hmm, yeah." He nodded in surprise as he glanced at me. "Soon enough, but I don't remember telling you this."
"You didn't."
"Then?"
"A friend of yours did."
He was confused now. "Ayush?"
I shook my head. "No. By the phrase "your friend", you can't even think of a twelve-year-old and yet you befriended him."
It cleared to him then. "Ryan told you about it." I nodded. "He told you that I'm his friend?"
"Yes." I recalled how Ryan had thought I was not acquainted with Maan and chortled. "He introduced you as G's friend, Mrs. Khurana's son. He thought I didn't know you."
"Do you?" He murmured very softly with his eyes fixed ahead. I immediately caught on to the underlying meaning but I pretended to not have heard it, because I knew his question was not seeking an answer at this moment.
"How did you make friends with a kid?" I continued with what I wanted to ask.
"Just like that." He shrugged as normally as he hadn't uttered the two-word question, so I figured that by not highlighting his question, I did the right thing. "He is such an enthusiastic kid with an exceptional passion for cars. Has he told you what he wants to be when he grows up?" He asked with a grin and I shook my head. "An automobile engineer."
"Really?" I asked in surprise.
"Yes! Unbelievable, isn't it?"
"Definitely!"
He laughed a bit. "He thinks by becoming an engineer, he's going to live, breathe and eat cars." I laughed with him this time. "He's an adorable kid."
I smiled just as Maan stopped the car under my building. The way had passed considerably easily as compared to the last time, without anything to grant me a sleepless night.
"There you go." Pointing towards my building, Maan passed me a smile.
"Thank you." I turned away from him to get off the car when he called, making me turn.
"I like it." There was a very small smile on his lips.
"Like what?"
With eyes wide open, I watched him raise his hand to my hair and wrap a strand around his finger.
"Your hair." His eyes darkened, the smile disappeared. "It can still be wrapped around a finger."
His words reminded me of the other day when he had been running fingers through my curled hair. Whether it was his words right now, or the memory he had pulled, I could not decide, but I could feel heat rising up my face and ears.
I did not know how to answer him but what I knew was that I had to step out of the car now to retain my sanity and to save my grace. "Uhh... Thanks... I think."
I slowly pulled my hair away from his hand and got out of the car. Without looking back at him, I headed towards the building... to prepare for another sleepless night.
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