Chapter 7
Shalini was chopping the almonds coarsely on the chopping board, the rhythmic and regular sound made with the chopping board caught khushi's attention. Her eyes followed shalini's hands that were quickly and ruthlessly cutting those almonds.
" di what are you doing?"
" making ladoos." She replied without raising her head. khushi made a face on hearing her answer, she wasn't fond of sweets.
" I'm making these for you. Everyday have them with milk." She added further.
khushi gaped at her, now she was supposed to have milk and that too with ladoos! What a horrible combination.
" I'm not going to eat any ladoo vadoo." She declared while picking up the tea pot to pour morning tea for herself. Shalini's eyes shot up as soon as khushi refused, she was not used to of taking no for an answer therefore informed or reminded her," for next nine months what you'll eat and what you'll not eat, I'll decide." Her words were firm and precise, sending across the message clearly. She passed on a glass of milk to khushi and said," you'll have milk thrice a day and if you still crave for tea then have a cup in the evenings."
khushi frowned at her, how dare she stop her from having tea and dictate her like this?
"khushi can't do without her morning tea." She declared pursing her lips.
Shalini didn't care and indicated the servant who standing close to her to take the tea pot away. This annoyed khushi more, clutching the glass of milk in her palm she stared at shalini who was busy mixing the almonds in the batter of gram flour, suji and ghee.
khushi turned towards her right where arnav was sitting, today buttering the toast himself. She softened her expressions and looked at him expecting him to support her but he was too engrossed in his upcoming meeting to feel her gaze on himself.
" am I some doodh peeti baby?" she complained like a child.
Shalini was still not bothered whereas arnav's eyes moved from the glass of milk in her hand to her face, he was slightly amused to see her words not matching with her actions. He took a bite of his toast. khushi realized what she'd said and what she was holding, immediately she left the glass.
Arnav shook his head and stood up to leave with the toast in his hand, he had no time and interest to intervene between his over bearing wife and the lady who was bearing his child (a fact he still had to come to terms with). He had far more important things in his mind.
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Arnav went through the legal papers one more time sitting under a tree on a wooden chair that creaked every time he shifted his weight. The papers were all in order and it shouldn't be a problem if the opposite party cooperated with him which was quite unlikely. He looked around at the vast expanse of land, it was indeed a very good property where the proposed shopping complex could be built.
" namaskar arnav bhai." He heard someone say and turned to look into the direction from where it was coming. A middle aged man stood before him in a spotless white safari suit which was in complete contrast to the black suit that he was wearing.
" myself Raj." He lend his hand out across the table.
Arnav clenched his jaws while glancing at the hand that was being offered to him then flopped the file in raj's direction. Raj adorned a fake smile on his face seeing arnav's arrogance, it infuriated raj to see someone sitting on his land and posing as if instead of him the other person owned it, nevertheless he maintained his composure and began the conversation.
" what will you havetea/coffee?" he offered in an attempt to be hospitable with him.
"just this piece of land." Pat came arnav's reply. raj's face lost its color however that grin was still there.
" arnav bhai I can give you my life this land is nothing...in fact I've an excellent plan for you." arnav could see through his fake smile the devilish intentions in his mind and he allowed him to blurt those intentions.
" why not set up a factory in partnership?" raj suggested but before he could spell out the whole proposal, arnav intervened," drugs ?"
raj nodded his head instantly to which arnav shot him an ice cold stare and said," as long as ASR is alive nobody in ratnagiri will deal in drugs."
Raj felt that his sweet talks and his hospitality were taking him nowhere, thus it was time to show arnav his true colors.
" this is my land and I don't need anybody's prior permission to start anything." raj spoke while resting hands behind his head. It was a clash of titans with neither of them willing to bow down.
Arnav gestured his advocate who'd come along with him to speak. The advocate gave an account of the whole situation. The piece of land had been collectively' mortgaged' not 'sold' to raj by the farmers of ratnagiri, thus technically raj was not the owner of the land. Arnav was willing to repay the debt on behalf of the farmers along with an extra ten percent of the cost of the land to raj if the land was transferred to arnav. The advocate placed a brief case containing the required amount with the necessary legal papers for raj to sign.
" I refuse to agree." raj said flaring his nostrils. Arnav slipped down his chair making himself comfortable and replied," I have two more ways to have this land. One I call up the MLA and the police to let them know about your drug deals two I take away your life that you were offering me minutes ago." He finished the last part of the sentence after leaning forward and gazing right into raj's wicked eyes.
Raj was aware of the power and dominance that arnav possessed especially in his hometown. He was the uncrowned king of this region and it would be really difficult for raj to create a niche for himself in this area forget of trying to dethrone him. Still he'd attempted to lure arnav into his drugs business only to gain his trust and eliminate him later. However the man sitting right across him was hell bent on foiling his plans which was making him furious.
Raj narrowed his eyes and looked at him as he slowly took out a cell phone from his right pocket then a pistol from his left pocket and kept both of them on the table for raj to choose. There was a gang of around 7-8 hefty men dressed in black tee and jeans standing behind arnav with guns in their hands. Waiting for a signal from him to pull the triggers.
" wipe off that sweat and sign these papers." arnav suggested. He took the small yellow towel hanging around his neck to wipe off the moisture on his face, no he wasn't nervous or frightened of him, the bright sun was making him sweaty, raj told himself.
raj carefully weighed his options, if he refused him then he would put him behind bars and he'd rot in jail for life or as it was amply clear that he'd butcher him into pieces and let the street dogs devour him without anybody getting the slightest of hint that a man called 'raj' ever existed on the face of this earth.
raj gulped the lump down his throat and thought, if today he signed the papers, took the money and left then probably he'd get the chance to get back to him sooner or later which he would definitely. He took the pen and scribbled his signature on those papers.
arnav stood up at once, grabbed the papers and turned on his heel to leave without caring to meet those murderous eyes.
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khushi turned on the gas stove to heat the milk, right milk! She couldn't believe that she'd given in to shalini but then shalini was right, the coming nine months of her life belonged to her. shalini was paying her to carry that baby in her womb. khushi touched her belly and felt that shalini was doing all this to have a healthy baby, technically once he/she would come into this world then shalini would be the mother, she'd nurture the child so if she was doing this from the onset then what was the harm.
khushi opened the lid of a steel container and gazed at its contents 'ladoos' she couldn't help making a face. Turning off the stove she poured the hot milk in a glass when she heard some footsteps from behind. Arnav came in the kitchen, glanced at her back then shifted his gaze to the fridge. Opening it he took out a bowl of rice and a bowl lentil then transferred some of them on a plate. He turned to walk out but stopped in his tracks on hearing her.
" I'll heat it for you." She offered while looking at him from the corner of her eye. He nodded a no and took a step forward only to be stopped again.
" it won't take more than two minutes." She said after walking up to him. Seeing him stare back at her with a serious expression she slowly brought her hands up and took the plate from him. He didn't protest and went out in the hall.
The dining area was dark and silent as always, he didn't bother to switch on the light and sat on the chair with his head low. Minutes later he saw a tray in front of him with hot rice and lentils along with two glasses, one had water and the other had milk. He wrinkled his face on seeing milk.
" this is for me." She informed him and picked up the glass of milk. She looked at him and then at the empty chairs around him, he definitely wouldn't appreciate her accompanying him for dinner but her maa had taught her not leave alone a person who was having his meal, its inappropriate. As per her maa someone who has food alone is the most lonely one around and he was clearly one of them. When we have a meal with somebody we not just share food but we also share our feelings with the other person, we exchange the events of the day and thus spend some quality time with each other.
Taking her glass she sat on a sofa in the hall that was right across the dining table. He took a spoonful in his mouth and saw her sitting in front of him, he'd thought that she'd retire to her room like others but she didn't. Her wish and he was least bothered about it.
" arnav ji ..dal has less salt." She said all of a sudden on remembering that a few hours back when she'd tasted the dish it was completely bland. He frowned at her as if she was speaking some alien language.
" add some salt to the dal..SALT." this time she told him loudly.
He shoved his hand in the air, how the food tasted it hardly mattered to him. He ate only to survive and not to enjoy.
She drank half the glass then opened her palm and saw the ladoo, as soon as she took a bite he cocked his brow, she thought he wouldn't notice but he did. Taking the rest of it also in her mouth she could barely speak clearly still she defended herself after keeping her hand on her stomach, " di said it's good for the baby."
His eyes moved where her hand was placed and stayed there for some seconds. The pulse in his neck throbbed rapidly, he dropped the spoon, pushed aside the plate and marched towards the bar making her wonder, had she by mistake touched his wrong nerve?
Thanks for reading
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