The train ride to Lucknow was uneventful. That is, if you ignore the fact that Arnav Singh Raizada did not once complain about the heat of the second class chair car compartment, that he spoke non-stop about work and the project for the six hours the train took to reach Lucknow Junction, that ASR's olive black versace three piece suit was still in an impeccable condition, his hair neatly gelled and his face sporting a healthy glow, while Khushi's clothes had creases, her hair was an unruly mass tied into a bun nesting on top of her head and she yawned every five minutes.
The train ride to Lucknow was uneventful. That is, if you ignore the fact that Khushi kept pinching herself every fifteen minutes to ensure what was happening was not part of her overactive imagination, that ASR was really travelling, sitting right next to her and that he had in the last six hours not said one nasty or mean thing, or forced her to do something against her will.
The train ride to Lucknow was uneventful. That is, if you ignore the fact that ASR has just spent six hours without his black coffee and had actually tried chai in a kullad on Khushi's insistence without a nasty retort about her background and class.
The train ride to Lucknow was uneventful. At least that's what Khushi told her Amma and Babuji when she landed on their doorstep and shouted surprise. But Khushi knew that was far away from the truth. The train ride to Lucknow was indeed eventful, for reasons Khushi could not understand.
Throughout the journey, Arnav was the kind teacher and mentor, she had grown to respect and appreciate. He taught her things about designing clothes and making business deals. He patiently oversaw her work and painstakingly corrected it and explained her mistakes when she made one. For Khushi, she had learnt more from Arnav in the six hours she travelled to Lucknow, than she had during the course of her entire undergraduate degree. She was glad that Arnav had given her a dossier, because the notepad was now completely filled with notes, ideas and suggestions, all that were a result of their discussions and her line of questioning during the journey.
What she didn't understand is, why was ASR giving her special preference over other trainee designers. Come to think of it, there was nothing about ASR that she understood. Every time, she felt she had him nailed, he would surprise her with one of his actions. Just like what he did when he travelled with her to Lucknow. Just like what he did after, dropping her home but letting her walk the last two blocks so people wouldn't gossip. She couldn't place him. And she was tired.
Back home in her bed, she felt a sense of calm and peace that had been missing from her life for the last month. Her hair was dripping wet, and her mother was telling her about everything going on with regards to Payal's engagement while gently towelling her hair. But Khushi wasn't listening. Sleep was taking over and in no time, Khushi was fast asleep, with her head on her mother's lap.
****
ASR too had showered and changed into his night clothes. The employees at Sheesh Mahal were shocked to see their boss, to say the least. They hadn't prepared for his arrival and with it, came a flurry of activities. The giant sleeping palace was thrown into chaos. There were lights and noise everywhere, that of running footsteps, loud instructions and lots of swearing. It usually happened wherever ASR went, and was something that ASR had gotten used to. But today, he was oblivious to all that was happening. He was thinking about his journey with Khushi and the conversation he had with her in the train. Her questions had prompted him to think about their new line they were going to introduce in Milan.
"But why are we simply spicing up western wear with an Indian touch?, Khushi had asked him, when he was busy explaining to her about their partners and giving her a bit of history about the new international AR store and the problems the expansion had faced so far.
Unable to understand what she was getting to, Arnav had stated: "So what is it that you would have done?
"There are enough designers who recycle the same designs with a touch of their own, Khushi had stated. Before Arnav could argue she continued: "Look at the suits you wear. They are all "black, as far as the common man is concerned, but to the trained eye, we can see the different shades - two days ago you wore charcoal black, yesterday raven black and today onyx black. What more, a trained eye will also tell you that the charcoal black suit was Ralph Lauren, the raven black - Gucci and the onyx black you're wearing today is a Versace.
"But most people don't know the difference. And yet, they want to own a piece of designer wear that can be recognized by one and all. Obviously, unlike accessories, there is no way of putting a logo on the outside of an actual piece of clothing without making it look gaudy and commercial. So the only way is to make the cut and design unique enough that makes people unmistakeably recognize an AR creation when they see one. Not just superimposing motifs or switching colours on traditional designs, but something so unique that everyone will want one, and everyone will know where they can get one.
Just as Arnav was thinking about what she said, Khushi continued, drawing miniscule sketches on her dossier, encouraging Arnav to peek. "I have been toying with this idea for quite sometime, she chirped enthusiastically. "We could launch an entire black tie collection for men and women. The collection would be sold in pairs - for His and Hers and will have design elements that will flow through the both complimentary clothes. For example, we could have a bowtie made of wood with a design embossed on it and the same design embossed on a wooden flower that could be part of the women's ensemble. I have other ideas too. And although I know some of these sound outrageous because they have never been tried before, but that also means that we can patent these designs so only AR can exclusively make and manufacture them.
Arnav had asked her to go ahead and create the designs she had in her mind in the next 48 hours. With only eight weeks to go for the launch, if they were going to make changes, it would have to be done fast.
It wasn't everyday that Arnav was impressed with someone. But this Khushi Kumari Gupta had found a way to impress him all the time. Just when he felt, he had her figured out, she would say or do something that would make him question his assessment of her. Arnav prided himself on being able to assess people, situations and emotions accurately. However, it was time he accepted that he had been wrong in judging this one Khushi Kumari Gupta every single time.
Sighing, he switched the lights off and drew his comforter over his lithe body. But as usual sleep evaded him. He tossed and turned for two hours and then got up to switch on his laptop. He was browsing through his emails when a particular one caught his attention.
It was an email from Aman Bansal to Khushi Kumari Gupta, where he had copied Arnav. The email was all about work - details to do with the expansion, copies of designs that needed reworking and some other relevant information that was probably sitting in one of Khushi's files. But what caught Arnav's attention was the last sentence of the email. "All the designers are missing you and so am I. We all hope to see you soon. Take care. Aman x x .
And just like that, Arnav was back being ASR. Aman had just sent Khushi hugs in an email. And although she had only been away for less than six hours, he had stated that he was missing her. He had to find out if there was something going on between Aman and Khushi.
And so at 2.00 am Arnav called Aman to ask him to take the first flight to Lucknow the next day.
Chapter 36: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/4807996?pn=22
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