MehRya FF: Discovering the Magic Chapter28 pg148 (10/12) - Page 4

Chapter #1

It was during the first commercial break that Rajiv finally arrived and was hurried onto the set to be seated in the empty guest chair beside Shaurya. His friend acknowledged the late entry with a raised brow and a barely discernible tightening of his lips. In turn, Rajiv ignored Shaurya as two production assistants quickly readied him: one affixing the tiny mic to his lapel and the second, after first taking the shine off his face with a bit of powder, hastily tidied his hair which had become slightly windblown from his rush to reach the studio, where the live taping had already begun. Their ministrations complete, the duo left, leaving the older man exposed to the venomous look in the eyes of his business associate. He met the glare head on and greeted the man. "Namaste Shaurya," he whispered nonchalantly.

"You do comprehend how late you are don't you, bhai" Shaurya hissed, irritated by his friend's unprofessionalism. Of all people, Rajiv should know that no matter how good things appeared, that they couldn't afford to take anything for granted; that they had to strike while the iron was hot, and most of all, avoid any missteps no matter how insignificant. And in no way could this gaffe of his be considered the trivial matter that his greeting had implied. While not immodest in appreciating that his presence as the show's principal was probably of more importance, and in truth had made up for Rajiv Bhai's tardiness, they : all three of India's Super Cook's judging panel had committed to be here to be interviewed and interact with the live audience. Thus Bhai's tardiness without explanation was wholly; fully unacceptable.

"Hot mic," Rajiv warned softy under the cover of his disarming smile, and watched Shaurya clam up immediately, thus avoiding the vitriol intended for him: for the moment, anyway. It was but a short reprieve; the older man confident that they would have words afterwards. But not now; definitely not now, no matter how tempted Shaurya may be. In his incessant quest to present the very best face to the public, for now Shaurya Khanna would comport himself accordingly and present to the public the coolly sophisticated facade they had come to expect.

The commercial break ended, and over the signaled applause, the hostess introduced Rajiv bhai, and immediately began pressing him for information on his recollections of the just completed season.

Shaurya relaxed as his competent partner filled in the blanks for an audience rabid for all of the inside scoop on the highly popular series; winning them over with his affable charm. Knowing that bhai could hold his own against any line of questioning, Shaurya, uncharacteristically, let his mind drift from the present situation.

She was flying out today: very soon actually. And still he hadn't heard from MS, as she had promised. Knowing that her flight's departure was rapidly approaching, it had been hell resisting the temptation to check his watch to see if there was even time for her to send one, so instead he focused on her; on where exactly she would be right at this moment, if she had already boarded her flight; almost as if to do so would will her into action of sending him agreed on message before it was too late. Unbelievably it seemed to work, when, inside the inner pocket of his suit jacket, and right next to his heart, his mobile vibrated an incoming message: just one. He took it as an indication that she was soon to be on the way, and he now knew exactly how long it would take until he would possibly hear from her again, and be assured that she had completed the first league of her trip safely. Shaurya pasted a smile on his face, the sight appealing enough to the audience who thought him too caught up in his own memories of the recently concluded cooking show.

"Aacha, an elusive smile from you Shaurya Ji: is that a confirmation of our viewer's theory?"

Shaurya blinked back to awareness. What had he missed, he wondered, by zoning out just then? His hesitation seemed to egg the audience on with whatever conjecture had been offered up by the unanswered question.

The hostess turned to the other judges for their views on the subject, allowing the man behind India's Super Cook the necessary time to gather his thoughts, and get back up to par with the current topic.

Minutes later, Shaurya was still clueless as to the tone of the conversation, as first Rajiv and then Rekha hedged answering the still elusive question with vague responses alluding to the encouragement offered to all of the contestants; not just one in particular. Whatever be the truth of the matter, the audience clearly wasn't buying it and their excitement had reached a palpable level when the host finally returned to him for comment.

"So Shaurya Ji, are you going to follow the vein of your colleagues' responses, or tell us the true facts of a potential relationship between you and the Darling of Delhi?"

He froze. They had to be out of their damn minds, Shaurya immediately thought, knocked for a six, that anyone would dare to associate him and that woman. He needed to repudiate that insane idea before that suggestion could gain any more traction.

He opened his mouth to speak, but in a brilliant move the hostess, played her hidden trump card.

"Folks, rather than letting Shaurya Ji be the consummate gentleman, and gallantly demure from responding, wouldn't this be perfect timing to bring out one of our favorite chefs and ask their views on our speculation?"

The crowd erupted in vociferous approval.

Shaurya's smile dropped entirely, and for once, he didn't care who took note of it. He hated being blindsided like this; damn talk-shows, anything for f**king ratings. He looked past Rajiv's chair. How had the fourth seat being placed on the dais where they were located, gone unnoticed? And more to the point, how the hell was he going to prevent that insufferable woman from potentially destroying everything he had strived for with her dense opinions when she came out. Dammit, he truly hated these public relations junkets at times.

**********

"You're going to have to turn that off soon, they don't allow mobiles to be used during the flight."

"Oh, thik hai, do you think I have time to take one photo and to send it to a friend," Mehek asked.

Her seatmate nodded and watched as the young chef leaned to take a photo outside the window: proof of her impending departure she supposed, and with a smile sent a quick PM to someone she obviously cared about.

"Are you sure you shouldn't have sent a selfie, I'm sure he would prefer that."

Mehek turned back to face the woman a faint blush on her cheeks, "Huh...Nahi...nahi,"she sputtered, it's nothing like that it ...he's just a friend, a purely platonic friend. We just have a few things in common that's all."

"Thik hai," her companion replied unconvinced.

Just then the announcement came over the PA system to turn off all electronics and mobiles, and the nerves that Mehek had quelled until now, came rushing back.

"Are you nervous about the flight Mehek?"

"Haan, that and a lot of other things Rachna Ma'a...Rachna," she corrected herself.

"Don't be...I'm sure everything will be okay. Just sit back and relax and think of the grand adventure ahead of you, Mehek."

Her Grand Adventure, as everyone referred to it as, unlike the airliner currently lifting off the tarmac, had almost been a no-go from the very beginning.

**********

The incredulity that her entire family had was natural and the initial request had been met with the highest degree of suspicion. For starters, it just didn't make sense to any of them, not even to Mehek, and if at first all of them believed that this was yet another sadistic machination of Shaurya Khanna, then no one could fault them. He had put her and, by association, her family through so much. And so, leery of the offer, they had refused the first meeting requested by the executive who had traveled so far to meet the chef he claimed to be so impressed with, and hoped to propose something straight out of a dream to her.

Mehek would defer to her elders for guidance, and so after repeated attempts to meet her, it was Rajiv Sir's intervention, that finally had them considering the legitimacy what was happening, and eventually agreeing to an initial meeting, to hear the full details of the American group's proposal. Shaurya Khanna they would never trust, but Rajiv Sir had from the beginning, treated them and Mehek in particular with honor and respect. It had been clear that he had disapproved of his partner's behavior, but what was one to do with one so detestable, so uncontrollable? It would be unjust to lump Rajiv Sir as one with the younger man, and consequently they had listened when he expressed the sincerity of the group he willingly vouched for.

"So you have travelled so far because you want her to cook for a bunch of cartoon characters at an amusement park?"

"Bas Balwant beta," PD called out; immediately reprimanding her son, who took every opportunity to ridicule his grand-daughter. He would not do so today, particularly in front of such esteemed visitors.

The tall blonde man; the leader of the contingent smiled. "Not quite Uncle, but yes we proudly claim to be the home of some the most recognizable characters in the world, who are in fact the mainstay of our family based theme parks. However the Disney Corporation is so much more. We have expanded tremendously over the years and are continuously striving to offer a variety of options, for all members of the family: from the very youngest to our respected seniors. Whether it be from the addition new park attractions to the introduction of fine dining, we have worked to provide the ideal vacation experience for all manner of tastes." He nodded to his assistant who withdrew a number of book sized pamphlets from his briefcase, handing one to each of the family elders. "As the Executive Food and Beverage Director of the Disney Corporation it is my responsibility to oversee all of the dining affairs at all of our locations: from the park fare to, as I mentioned, our signature dining options for those with the most discerning tastes. The pinnacle of all these preparations is this specific program that we would feel privileged to have Mehek's participation in: The Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. It is an annual event that runs for a three month period , and the entire theme park is dedicated to it, as are our Signature Dining Restaurants to a lesser degree. As you can see this our 21^st year and each year it has grown bigger, and we would like to think better, and to be blunt, it is something we categorically believe Mehek can certainly contribute to the success of this year, as we, and please excuse the pun, cater to our guests - the foodies, who travel, in incredible numbers to the festival over the three month period it runs for."

After a few minutes of stunned silence, Aunt Kanta jumped in when it seemed no-one could, due to their collective shock , "And you really want our Mehek to be involved? I don't understand; how did you even come to know of her all the way from America? It doesn't make sense."

"And you are right Aunty, very right. I had absolutely no clue who Mehek Sharma was two months ago, but those who I highly respect did, and when her name kept coming up time and time again, I made my mission to find out all I could about this incredible young chef." The man paused and indicated to the man seated to the left of him. "May I present our Executive Chef of our Sanaa Restaurant at our Kidani Village at our Animal Kingdom Resort." Finally turning his attention to the young woman on whom the conversation surrounded, he smiled at her. " I would dare say that if not your biggest fan in the United States then Chef Malik can be placed at the very least in the top 10."

It had just got better after the Chef was invited to speak, and detailed how in meetings on potential Indian offerings for the festival's Global Marketplace that immediately two dishes Mehek had already prepared on the reality contest were offered up as the perfect vegetarian options. And just as the Food and Beverage Director indicated, on querying who exactly this unknown chef was, his Executive Chef introduced him to Mehek's talents via Zee TV's American broadcasts of India Super Cook which had a massive following in the US.

"We all became avid followers of the show," the Director added. "You have done your family very proud, Mehek."

"Thank you," the modest young woman answered, speaking for the very first time.

"And should she not win the competition," Aunt Kanta queried.

"Then we would still want her," the Director insisted. "You see as impressed as we were by her television performances, it would be irresponsible for us not to investigate further. While I, personally have not attended your Uncle's Dhaba for fear of bringing attention to our activities, I have, gratefully, might I add, have had numerous opportunities to sample Mehek's food since our arrival. Based on that alone, we would still make this offer to Mehek: even if she were to finish in last place. Naturally we would wonder at the ineptitude of the show's judging, but still the offer would stand."

To the side Rajiv coughed discretely, and then he smiled unabashedly at the talented woman in question.

Mehek could not help blush at the lavish praise being levelled on her.

The discussion then continued around her, and only when it broached the living accommodations that would be provided for her, did Mehek allow her hidden desire take root, for in her Uncles and Aunt's intense questioning, she comprehend that this amazing proposal was actually being seriously considered. In that moment she truthfully did not know how to feel, aside from overwhelmed, which she plainly stated when asked.

Their visitors left shortly afterwards, satisfied that the offer that they had at last been able to present, had not been rejected outright. It would be considered by her family, and by the next morning, after sleeping on it, it was apparent by the excitement that permeated the home, that her family had begun to look favorably on such an incredible offer, and what it meant for their daughter.

Everything happened so quickly then: they had met further to the Disney executives, who were more than ready to present a handsome four month contract to Mehek, not merely as a cook, but to be involved in the consulting process specifically for the vegetarian offerings of their Indian Kiosk at the festival, but also, should she be interested, to conduct a number of cooking demonstrations for the masses that attended the event. Her participation in India's Super Cook had more than proven to them that she was up to the task, but ultimately they would leave the final decision to her. She would also have the benefit to visiting their signature restaurants that specialized in Indian cuisine, not limited to Saana, to give her opinions and suggestions on new menu options that they would release on a trial basis during the festival. She would be busy for sure, but to her hearing, the prospect of participating in such an illustrious event sounded divine: a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The contract, they revealed, was one they rarely drew up: specific to the Festival itself, but they would be more than willing to consider a more traditional one if perchance she decided that she wished to remain after the Festival as a full time employee.

And then, with all of this information in hand, a few more days of reflection, and most astoundingly with her family's blessings; Mehek gave the answer her heart had led her to and said yes.

After that no matter what cheap games Shaurya attempted to play, none of them mattered. In fact she suspected that her attitude to his attention seeking antics - her total dismissal to be exact - had the beast of a man more perplexed than anything. She carried herself with such an air, that nothing he did fazed her. Tasks were meted out and challenges completed, and by the time the competition ended, the victory she attained was met with smug satisfaction knowing that she had seen the ordeal to its conclusion, and more importantly knowing the potential of what lay ahead for her was so beyond the farce of Shaurya Khanna's cooking competition.

But then her travel itinerary came and an irrational fear for her wellbeing, looked to bring everything to a standstill. With the need to overnight in New York City, every fear imaginable, and some purely irrational, rose for her safety. Straight away: America, the land of opportunity became one instead, rife with danger for a single woman travelling alone. It was a completely baseless premise, but one that none of her elders could shake. The more they dwelled on it, the more second guessing her family did. And when; brought on by her worry for her beloved grand-daughter, PD fell ill, Mehek felt the dream opportunity beginning to slip away from her. She was devastated.

"What you need is a travelling companion," Rajiv Sir had advised, when in desperation Mehek had sought his advice.

Afraid that the well -meaning man was offering himself up for the task, Mehek, immediately opposed the suggestion. "Sir I cannot possibly think to travel alone with..."

"Nahi, nahi. Please forgive me Mehek, in no way did I mean to infer such. Actually," he continued with a smile, "I may have just the solution for you. Let me just check into it, and if it looks to be a possibility, I will contact your family directly. I am sure however, it will address any concerns they may have. And then, you Mehek dear will be on your way."

*********

She was to find out later, that Rajiv Sir had called in a favor owed to him when a doting husband had contacted him begging for last minute tickets for the not long ago concluded live taping of the finale of India's Super Cook, that the man wished to surprise his wife with when the couple found themselves in Delhi for work at the same time as the show's finale. By acting quickly, Rajiv had even managed to contact the couple before they were about to leave Delhi to return home to Banaras. They agreed to his proposal and so, as soon as it was convenient to the Sharma family, Rajiv Sir had brought the married couple home to meet them.

Even had Sonal not been home at the time, Mehek would have immediately recognized the much adored wife for whom strings had been pulled for purely for her happiness. In preparation of her shaadi, Sonal had swooned over just about everything one specific designer had ever created, so automatically, Mehek became very much acquainted with them as well. The designer, Rachna Tripathi of Banaras Beauty, one of the leading bridal fashion designers in the country, was to be, it appeared, the one who would become her savior. Mehek could scarcely believe that she, and her husband, Kabir Tripathi of KT Creations no less, were here: in her home, proclaiming themselves to be such admirers of her, and that it would be an honor for them to assist her with her travel dilemma, as the couple, in what had to be complete kismet, where scheduled to travel to New York with their children for vacation around the same time Mehek had been. It would possibly mean a change of her departure date, but that was nothing in comparison to the alternative of not going at all.

And thankfully, Mehek thought as her flight gained altitude, it had eliminated the nigh insurmountable impediment that would have cancelled the exciting journey she was now on.

"Di"

Rachna laughed. " Well that's better than Ma'am, but stop already Mehek, it's Rachna just plain Rachna okay?"

Mehek shook her head. "Rachna," she began again, "I really can't thank you enough..."

"Nahi, please think nothing of it; we are more than happy to do this for you. Besides you have given me such incredible bragging rights. My best friend is so jealous. I can just imagine the tantrums Naomi is throwing right now. I'll forewarn you though; don't be surprised if the craziest, green-eyed girl shows up at one of your cooking demos with her husband and children in tow."

Mehek smiled, but said nothing. The best friend in question, Naomi was another fan apparently. The fact that she even had fans was still something Mehek had yet to come to grips with, not feeling as if she was deserving of any sort of celebrity status at all.

"Goodness if you could of heard her ranting whenever Shaurya Ji appeared to be giving you a hard time specifically," Rachna continued.

Mehek deciding that she liked the unknown woman already, smiled.

"Well to tell the truth Rachna, that is one thing I will not miss," Mehek stated, confirming the assumption that the Show's creator had roughed her up often and unnecessarily. "And I especially won't be missing the man in question."

"Aacha, So we can safely assume that you won't be keeping in touch with Shaurya Khanna while you are gone then," Rachna teased.

"Oh God no, that man is officially; categorically in the past. If I never see him again it will be too soon." She stopped when Rachna grimaced. "What..."

"Arrey, never say never, Mehek. I've found that things like that have a weird way of coming back to haunt you."

Mehek shook her head in denial. "Well not in this case, Rachna. I don't think that even fate would be so cruel as to bring that man back into my life," she proclaimed as she settled back for the long haul flight.