Alright, we are at the last update for this Year.
I just want to thank all of you for being such a support.
See You Next Year...😃
Happy Holidays
22.Ye Nayan Dare Dare...
It struck midnight and he poured himself a glass of wine, walking around the study, finishing his work. He liked the peace of the night when he worked tirelessly, relaxed and relieved from every worldly responsibility. He put the half filled glass on the table and went back to the charts. His head though went back to the events of the evening. She had been crying so badly over the cake that even dadima couldn't help her.
But the cake was a disaster! Epic Fail! I have to give her that!
It was much later that everyone decided to just order dinner and have fun at home...actually cheering her up. He sighed...she could be such a child. He stopped writing and dropped the pen on the table and leaned back on the chair, leaving out a long held breath. He was getting distracted. He shook his head picked up his wine and looked at the music player. Soft music filled the air in a low volume, setting a very calming aura. He went to the bay window and watched the estate lawns glow with the shimmering full moon light. The music changed and amidst the floating notes, he heard a faint click of the door, followed by soft footsteps.
No one visited the study at night. They knew he worked and he liked his space. Curious, he turned back and saw her standing by the arch that joined the inner room with the antechamber. A little nervous, a little fidgety, she looked like a tired little bird, looking at him as surprised as he looked at her.
With one hand in his pocket and another holding a glass of wine, she was surprised to find him up and about. The moonlight from the window illuminated half his face and the lights of the room illuminated the other half.
Was he working? This late?
"You aren't asleep?" he asked, taking another sip of wine.
She looked around to find his files and charts strewn on the table and some even found themselves on the floor. The fireplace was lit but the crackling sound drowned in the soft music that he played. It was almost like a movie, the lights, the fire, the music and him.
"Ah..I just couldn't sleep so I thought of taking a walk around and found the study open..."
"Ohh..." he exhaled thoughtfully.
"I just thought maybe I could read some books to get some sleep..." she spoke softly.
He didn't reply but just kept on watching her. her eyes were still puffy and he noticed she just looked down at her feet, trying to hide them. she wore a purple night shirt and polka dotted pyjama pants that reached just the middle of her calves. The music lingered for a while and she squirmed under his gaze.
"Ah.. its okay if you don't want me to..Sorry if I disturbed. I'll go.."
His eyes then fell on her feet, wearing fluffy bunny printed bed socks; her right feet drew circles on the ground. She was such a child!
She turned to leave and he stopped her.
"You can stay!"
She turned back immediately with a weak smile. She didn't want to go back to sleep...not when her head was so jumbled up. And in wandering in the dark mansion like a ghost, she had found the lights of the study on and made her way towards it.
"You sure?"
"Yeah...just don't make any noise, okay?" he walked back to his chair, keeping the empty glass by the window pane.
"umm okay.." she sighed and relief and quickly turned on her toes, "erm Maan?"
He glanced back, "yeah?"
"Can I see those books in the shelf?"
He shrugged, "okay..."
He went back to his work and she swiftly slid towards the bookshelves, running her fingers across various books and reading the title. She'd find a book of interest, pull it out, check the pages and put it back. Unknown to herself, she had eased a little and swayed her hips to the music he played. It soothed her...the soft music and the peace. After searching and swaying for a while, she found a guidebook to USA tours and travels. She looked around and found the arm chair and an ottoman at one corner and plopped herself there.
She flipped through the pages and then stopped at a point where the guidebook described the best eating places in US, including bakery. She stilled and was instantly reminded of her disastrous day. She had so much wanted to do something for someone with all her heart and she couldn't even do one thing properly. Her college sucked big time. She was doing well for the sake of it. but it didn't satisfy her. Ana was already up and about doing internships under various companies and what was she doing? Baking? And ruining everything? Tears welled up in her eyes. She didn't even score well in her internship with Maan too.
What in the world was she doing with her life?
He heard the music change and smiled. it was one of dadima's favourite songs and he just felt it soothing, calming his nerves and hence it had found a place in his playlist too. he stretched himself a bit, looking for a pencil when he realized there was another soul in this room too.
She felt the shift in the rhythm too, a more Indian version of the music he had been playing all along. She blinked quickly for she didn't want to cry all over again and disturb him. she wiped the tears from the corner and looked up at him. he had stood up and looked for something. he was wearing track pants and a fitting full sleeved t-shirt. She could almost outline his physique from behind.
He turned back abruptly and she stilled, not expecting their eyes to lock for a moment. he saw her then, her glassy eyes, looking lost and confused...looking at him.
Was she still crying?
He sighed and looked around only to find his glass on the bay window. He swiftly walked towards the window, picked up the glass and poured another glass of wine.
Yeh Nayan Dare Dare, Ye Jaam Bhare Bhare
Zara Peene Do
Kal Ki Kisko Khabar, Ik Raat Hoke Nidar
Mujhe Jeene Do
Yeh Nayan Dare Dare...
Her eyes followed him and a Hindi song in Jagjit Singh's voice filled the air.
He felt her gaze on him and raised his eyes to find her still looking at him with those glassy eyes.
Beautiful glassy eyes...
He exhaled and raised his glass to her, "Do you want some wine?"
She snapped back and shook her head quickly, "Nah...No thank you."
She turned away and sniffed. The music wafted in the air, making her nostalgic. Jagjit Singh, she recalled had been her father's favourite singer. The events of the day and then the memories were perhaps getting to her. she sighed and rubbed her eyes with her palms. The day had been pretty bad.
She heard his footsteps approaching and then his voice followed.
"Geet, are you still upset about it?"
She looked up only to find him standing tall, right beside her. She wanted to deny but then they had been through that phase already...this hide and seek thing. Suddenly the equation got more simplified and she looked away, sighing, answering his question.
He shook his head and pulled the ottoman and sat on it, holding his wine, his eyes wanting to look at her face that she so hid from him.
Raat Haseen Ye Chand Haseen
Tu Sabse Haseen Mere Dilbar
Aur Tujhse Haseen, Aur Tujhse Haseen Tera Pyaar
Tu Jaane Na
"That was the worst cake I had ever tasted!" he stated with utmost honesty, twirling his glass in circular motion and saw her shoulders sag with the guilt she carried.
She turned towards him with those same glassy eyes..perhaps with a thin layer of tears in them and her lips trembled, trying to form words.
"I...I know right...", she hung her head low, finally speaking, "I am so sorry about that. I.. I just shouldn't have done this in the first place...its all my fault. I ruined Kabir's day for him."
Yeh Nayan Dare Dare, Ye Jaam Bhare Bhare
Zara Peene Do
Kal Ki Kisko Khabar, Ik Raat Hoke Nidar
Mujhe Jeene Do
Yeh Nayan Dare Dare...
He watched her eyes glint in the moonlight... those tears! He took a sip and thought for a while.
"do you think Kabir is upset about it?"
She once again raised those eyes that had somehow taken his attention for the night and recalled the evening where Kabir had cracked jokes and tried to make her smile.
"N..No... I don't think so!"
"then there is no need for you to feel upset about it Geet. Accidents happen...and they are sudden and unprecedented. He understands that. Everyone does. then why can't you?"
Pyaar Mein Hai Jeevan Ki Khushi
Deti Hai Khushi Kai Gam Bhi
Maein Maan Bhi Loon, Maein Maan Bhi Loon Kabhi Haar
Tu Maane Na
She shook her head in denial, "You don't understand Maan..."
"Then explain it to me..."
She felt this restlessness stir up within her with his statement.
"Its like I just can't do anything right. The college thing... you know. I ruined the internship with you, then this baking... I have no idea where I am heading to. I tried to do at least this one thing perfectly for someone I care so much about...lekin phir bhi. Phir bhi I ruined it. what good am I doing Maan? What am I doing?"
She held her head in stress and left the long breath she had been holding. He took his time to finish the wine and kept the glass aside.
"you did make those wonderful muffins though... don't forget that! Everything starts with a small step."
Those beautiful eyes looked back at him again... almost making him forget what he was about to say but then who was he if he lost himself like that?
"Muffins?" she questioned.
"Yeah...the ones you sent home with Ana. I wanted to thank you for that. It was really nice. Just with the perfect amount of sugar I like...So, its not as bad as you think! You can't expect a child to run the moment it is born. You first crawl then walk and then run. Then why are you trying to run when you haven't even learned crawling?"
Yeh Nayan Dare Dare, Ye Jaam Bhare Bhare
Zara Peene Do
Kal Ki Kisko Khabar, Ik Raat Hoke Nidar
Mujhe Jeene Do
Yeh Nayan Dare Dare...
She nodded in agreement. He was right though but she needed a break from this. The mention of muffins made her think of the past when she had baked those in her apartment. Ana had been with her that night. A faint smile tugged at her lips and those glassy eyes vanished, much to his surprise and then crinkled into a more amused expression.
"ohh those!! Well... that was an accident too." she confessed, a smile still on her lips.
He raised his brows, "what?"
She shrugged and nodded like a child, "ye..yeah. Actually we were trying more muffins and i used a different measuring cup accidentally rather than the usual one. As a result it actually came out really tasteless. Ana said you would like it because you liked those sugar free stuffs and so i packed it for you."
With a guilty smile, she looked at his face and couldn't hold her laughter. She burst out laughing, seeing that angry, amused, irritated, confused...all expressions in one. His jaws set tight and his eyes narrowed at her, she gulped down, trying to hold back that laughter.
"Geet..."
She raised her hands up in the air, "hey...you said you liked it. Purpose is served. I didn't want to throw it out plus you hadn't liked the mug cakes because of the sweetness so..."
"why you bratty kid..." he gritted his teeth in annoyance.
She fell back on the chair and laughed seeing his expressions. Ohh how she enjoyed talking to him like this!
"hey don't get angry. You liked it."
"Yeah I did but you thought I could be your trashcan...didn't you?" he frowned.
She giggled and realized the music player had stopped.
"hey... why did you stop the music? I liked the song."
He wondered how easily she could shift gears...jump from one conversation to another just in the blink of an eye.
"it was in auto-mode. Turned off when the playlist got over."
She looked at him naughtily, "So, you listen to Jagjit Singh? Who would have believed that mighty Maan Khurana, owner of the Khurana Empire, brought up in the USA and listening to ghazals...how..."
"..weird?" he completed her sentence, amused at her thought process.
"..Intriguing!" she corrected.
He raised a brow at her, "intriguing?"
"Yeah... No one would ever believe you like street food and listen to ghazals... I didn't believe at first too. Where does this come from?"
He smiled a bit and stretched his legs on the floor, "half of all this comes from Dadima. I never listen to hindi music unless dadima is around!"
"Dadima was here?"
"Yeah. She was here post dinner and we kind of have this habit of spending time together.."
He watched her eyes twinkle in joy. She was listening to all of him!
"Did she put up the song?"
"Ah han! I keep busy so its routine for us to catch up some evenings, just talking and listening to both our favourite music. I tell her a lot of things, she tells me a lot of things..."
"You must be very close to her then?" she asked cutely that made him smile.
"yeah. I practically grew up with her in India. Back in those days Dadaji used to sit with her in his study post dinner and they talked about everything under the sun. After he passed away, I didn't want dadima to miss him. So I kept up the ritual. And it still continues."
He looked at her and saw her so curious to know more.
"So, you are one pampered kid, aren't you?" she asked him cheekily.
He cringed with that, "Oh no no. am not pampered. Ana and Kabir are, considering the amount of time they had stayed away from her!"
"away? You all were not together?"
"Yes Geet. I stayed with dadima in India when my parents decided to expand this business to the States. Kabir was very small then...Ana was hardly a year old. It was only when I completed my schooling that we both shifted here, almost twelve years later. So we are very close but they are the most pampered."
Her eyes held enthusiasm but she yawned. Sleep was slowly getting to her. he sighed and stood up, holding the empty glass now.
"Go to sleep."
"Hmm..tell me more." She asked drowsily.
"Not anymore. I have to work. Go now."
She watched him walk to his table and realized its been almost an hour that they have been talking. A warmth filled her heart... he always had something new and something interesting to tell her. She glanced once more at the magazine she still held and sighed. She needed a break. She wished him good night and walked out.
He leaned over his table and ran his fingers through his hair! What was he doing? That day at the Brooklyn bridge and now today... he was exposing himself way too much! He was never like that!
Never!
She just came out of nowhere and brought so much out of him that he himself hadn't ever presented to anybody.
Ohh Geet...what are you doing?
He heard a knock and turned towards the door to find her standing there, with a smile on her lips. Didn't she go to sleep yet? He stared at her, confused about her and him.
"Erm Maan..thank you!" her soft voice wafted in the air like a lullaby.
"For what?"
"For being honest about the cake. I know Ana and Kabir would have never told me just to keep my heart. but I really needed to know where I stand. Thank you."
She didn't even wait for his reply. She turned back and hopped her way out. He just stood there, staring blankly at nothing in particular and then crumbled into his chair. The night was going to be a long one. Very long.
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>>Did You Like It? He has solution to everything, doesn't he?😉
>>The song in question is a beautiful rendition by Jagjit Singh.
If You Are Interested...
[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM-ZGCwW8II[/YOUTUBE]
>>Precap anyone??
He throws her out of the house!😲
>>Keep Guessing!😃
Prev: Chapter 21
Next: Chapter 23
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