FF~Human After All #11~Imp NOTE on 144:) - Page 74

Hello, excuse me?!

Huh...what?

Can I sit in that window seat? I'm so uncomfortable sitting along the aisle.

Sorry, it's taken.

But the doors are closed and ever since I boarded I haven't seen anybody in that seat! How could it be taken?

I'm sorry but I paid for it and that's how I'd like it to stay.. unoccupied!

A puzzled and frustrated frown replaced the wide and confident smile on the heavily made up face of the middle aged white woman who's perfume was already reeking through all the airplane ducts and vents. She was quite obviously used to getting her way and wasn't yet willing to give up without a fight.

Shaan glared back, egging her on,...if she didn't yet realize who this nice and good looking young man really was like, she would soon!

Young man! I think that you are being unnecessarily rude and stubborn! I am willing to overlook that as a mistake and put forth my proposal again, because you look essentially like a gentleman in a bad mood! I think you should calm down and reconsider my request. She spoke with a distinct Boston accent, reminiscent of the his Harvard days.

Well ..he grinned..enjoying the high which came along with being unreasonably ruthless, to hell with the world! Why should others be happy when he wasn't?

I'm sorry, I'm flattered that you took me to be a gentleman. But this happens to be one of my off days...and my decision is final, you cannot have this seat! He shrugged in dismissal and went back to flipping through his National Geographic Magazine.

He felt wickedly satisfied to see her shocked and taken aback! Serve the ^%#@! right! People like her walked around with a permanent sense of entitlement; that everybody in the world owed them something or the other and they'd seize it as their birthright; it didn't matter who got crushed underfoot in the process.

He saw her flush with anger and walk away to her seat surprised and thoroughly beaten but Shaan wasn't going to back down or take pity on her. He was the one who needed to be pitied.

He sighed and ran his palm over the smooth leather of the adjacent seat, the one he had bought for his wife in the hope that he could persuade her to come with him.

He had given it a final try just before the security lines..taking her hands in his..

Come with me. We can have fun; You, me and Filter Coffee?? He winked playfully.

She smiled but didn't demur.

All right, you may ask that new guy to cover for you! He can be fired after we come back. He put on his most disarming smile, she had never ever failed to fall for it.

She giggled, but then became serious again; No I can't, and besides Dr Rajeev Vidhyarthi lives out of town, he is yet to move here.

Sounds like an idiot! Don't hire him! He said bluntly.

She looked at him in wonder; You changed your mind in a flash, just because I'm not coming with you?

Well, if he is of no use to me right now, why should I care? Anyway his name sounds too goody goody and that makes me always suspicious, he sounds too good to be true! Don't hire him!

She looked away nervously biting her lower lip, her hands had started to tremble; It's time, you've gotta go now.

Baby look at me!

She turned to face him reluctantly. He saw that she was trying very hard to put on a brave face. But she was feeling vulnerable and helpless just like he was..

He decided to give it another shot, maybe her resolve would weaken...

I know you very well darling! You cannot live, cannot sleep without me holding you, loving you. You need me just as much as I need you! Don't fight this feeling, give in. Come with me please!

She closed her eyes; he was so right! Maybe I should just go with him!

Then the scenario of a potential disaster at the clinic played in her mind; patient's screaming, nurse D'Souza trying to maintain calm..saying Dr Agarwal will be here soon! No she won't be able to handle it!

She shook her head; No I can't! Now go!

Not before I get my farewell gift, you stubborn wench!

Her eyes shot open when his lips came down on hers, full of anger and hurt. She felt a thrill of ecstasy, she had been longing for that touch so much that her heart ached. She kissed him right back, not really caring that they were in a very public place. All she knew was that she loved him and nothing else mattered.

She finally broke out of his grasp, turned and walked away without looking back. She couldn't bear to say good bye.

He leaned back in his seat closing his eyes, imagining the feel of those trembling lips on his mouth.

Damn her! Why does she always try to act like a saint! What is she trying to prove? Doesn't she know that I am her pati parmeshwar? And her duty lies first towards me and not her bloody clinic. I'm being way too nice about all this...mera bhi kuch haq banta hai ke nahin ( Don't I too have some claim on her or not?)!! He fumed...

SMS...Beethoven's 5th..

It was from her !

( Aa gayi na line pe! My baby cannot stay without me! Must be catching the next flight!)

Who's sitting in the seat next to you?

(He was surprised..no endearments, no I miss you already?)

What seat?

My seat..burthal! The one you bought for me! Who is sitting there? I know somebody is because they announced that the flight was full!

(He looked at the empty seat and grinned wickedly, she needed to be taught a lesson!..)

My secretary..Ms Rinni Khanna..

Pause..( Did she faint? Did she blow an aneurysm?!!! Damn Shaan remember that you cannot live without her either!)

WHAT DID YOU SAY???!!!!! YOUR Secretary???!!!

(He chuckled with relief..his sweetheart was very much alive and kicking! He blew her a kiss and winked at the white woman who was glaring at him in disbelief.)

Yes, She was on standby..so when you gave up your seat, I gave it to her! I hate wastage of any kind!

Since, since WHEN did she become YOUR secretary? I thought that she was Rahul's! How did he give her up so easily?!!!

(He could almost see her bosom heaving as she worked herself up...God she drove him crazy even long distance!)

Well, he didn't care! He has taken some time off to spend with Jyo! And you know her, possessive like hell! Not as sweet and generous as you sweetheart! You wouldn't mind even if I went on a date with another woman..would you?

(Be careful Bacchu...you are over reaching yourself!)

God! I hate you! I wish that you and YOUR secretary both rot in Hell with my blessings! I don't want to see your face ever again!

Can you turn your phone off sir? The pilot has announced take off! This is your last warning sir!

Shaan reluctantly turned the phone off..under the glare of the young bespectacled male flight attendant, who seemed bent on giving him misery.

He would have to wait another couple of hours at least before trying to call her back.. she might even hire a divorce attorney by then...

Nurse D' Souza was startled when she heard a low wail escape from Dr Agarwal's office. Hope she wasn't murdering some patient..she shook her head..no that was impossible...she wouldn't do that!

But it sounded like some kind of crisis for sure!

She hurried in to find Khanak sitting at her desk very much intent in the process of knifing her prescription pad with a scalpel as if she had some personal vendetta to settle against it.

Why did I add on his last name to mine? Khanak Agarwal Khandelwal! He is not worth it! Why didn't he do that too? Why this discrimination? Why does society always favor men? No more sir! I am going to rebel! Tum apni secretary ke saath gulcharre udao, aur mein yahaan chup chaap sahoon? Nahin ho sakta!!! ( You have fun with your secretary and I keep my silence, won't happen!)

There!!!

With a big satisfied smile she tossed the now destroyed prescription pad in the trash can..it landed neatly on target.

Slam dunk! Now what will you say my sweet Shantanu???!!

A lover's tiff..these two have stolen my heart a hundred times over!!! Thought Nurse D'Souza as she walked in startling Khanak . She tried hard but couldn't wipe the anger and anxiety from her face.

Ahem..Dr Agarwal? That was you last pad. The new ones will take at least another week to arrive by mail.

Really? Bummer! Then we will use the generic ones, no problem! They are a lot better anyway, plain and nameless! She smiled.

I heard that it was Mr Dhak Dhak's birthday yesterday! Forgot to congratulate him! How did it go?

Uhh..quite well I think! She bristled with anger when she thought of all that the preparations that she had made, then blushed unable to meet her friend's eyes when the scene at the swimming pool replayed in her mind...Ohhh! She missed him so!

Nurse D'Souza watched her favorite doc's face run through a gamut of emotions but just as she thought she had calmed down..she exploded again!

How dare he? How dare he Nurse? Tell me, does your husband replace you with his secretary when you are not with him? Khanak looked at her as if her life depended on her answer.

He's cooling his heels at home, retired right now doctor; but when he was working, he never would even lift a finger without letting me know, for if he did he knew he had it coming from me! But Shantanu would never do that willingly! He cares for you too much to hurt you. Perhaps, it's just a simple misunderstanding or something he had no control over.

No! It isn't a misunderstanding and he did it on purpose! He doesn't love me anymore Nurse! She burst out in tears.

Nurse D'Souza tried hard not to laugh, as she hugged Khanak and tried to pacify her. These two were behaving like kids, at least Doc Agarwal was.

Don't worry sab kuch theekh ho jayega! This is just temporary, it just goes to show that you both love each other a lot.

Khanak looked up at her favorite nurse's face, she wasn't crying anymore.

Two can play at this game, you've had it coming for a long time sweetheart, you can run but you cannot hide ; she thought smiling impishly.