Chapter 14: Freddy gets flipped.
"What is this? Tastes like sewage!" Freddy flung the cup into the dustbin, and glared at Khushi angrily. "Can't you get me a decent cup of coffee Min?"
Khushi drew in a calming breath. "That's the 4th cup you've trashed today. There are only so many places that make Soy Latte in Delhi Freddy. I can't keep sending the interns out for your coffee every 20 minutes."
"That's what I pay you for, right? To keep me happy? To make sure my coffee is exactly how I like it? To cater to my every whim?" he asked flippantly.
"You know what? I've had it with you. You can take your darn job and stuff it, I quit." Khushi turned on her heel and made to walk out. Freddy reached for her quickly and caught her hand.
"Hey! Minnie. Stop."
Next thing he knew he was on the floor, having been flung there by Khushi in anger. The moment she saw him lying on his back on the floor, she realized what she'd done. "Oh! Freddy. I am sorry. I didn't mean to. It's just. I'm so." She trailed off sadly. She held out a hand to him. He took it and got up. He looked at her gently.
"What's up Minnie?"
"Nothing"
"Minnie! You've worked with me for close to 4 years now. Not once have I seen you lose your cool like this. And I can be the very devil to work with. I know. I'm sorry. Forgive me?" he asked. She burst into tears and flung herself into his arms.
"Oh Freddy! I hate this city. I want to go back to London" She wept. He let her sniffle and sob her temper out. His silk Ermenegildo Zegna shirt was tear stained as he rode the storm out with her. When she was finished he handed her a box of tissues. She blew her nose and dabbed at her eyes.
"Sorry about your shirt!" she said.
"Don't give it a thought love"
"Thanks for holding me"
"Anytime, babe."
"Minnie, you want to talk about it?" he asked gently.
"Oh! Freddy. It's a mess. I need to figure it out for myself. I don't think talking to you or anyone will help. Thanks for the offer though" She said.
"OK Min. Take the day off. Go be with your children. Figure out what you need to. I'll be here yelling for my Soy Latte when you come in tomorrow" He said, ruffling her hair affectionately. She planted a kiss on his cheek. "Love you Fred" she said, picking up her bag and walking out.
Freddy sat down after she left looking very thoughtful. After about 20 minutes he made a decision. He picked up his phone. "Aadit! Hey it's me. We need to talk. It's about Min."
Khushi lounged in her hammock on the terrace. Her eyes were closed. She'd been home for a couple of hours now. The kids were taking their nap and she finally had some time to think about what to do. ASR was right and she knew it. She did love him. She couldn't help herself. No matter how much she hated him, she loved him even more. They'd always had that emotional rollercoaster of a relationship. With him, it was never about safety and security. It was about challenges and passion. He wanted to be with her. And all she could think about was what he'd done to her 7 years ago. The hell she'd been through. She couldn't find it in her heart to forgive him. He'd scarred her too badly, she thought. But there had been good times too. There had been happiness too. He had once given her so much joy. She let her mind drift back to a cold November day just like this one, 7 years ago.
It had been the day ASR was getting engaged to Lavanya. Khushi had been through hell the past 1 week. ASR had made sure he flung his engagement in her face every opportunity he had. She had organized the engagement down to the last table setting. He had made her accompany them to buy the ring. Just watching him and Lavanya select rings together had made her deeply unhappy. And he knew it. He showed it in every smirk he directed at her, every snide remark he tossed at her. All of them screamed, I know you love me Khushi Kumari Gupta and I will make you admit it. He wanted to torture her till she said it. He was insanely jealous of her engagement. He'd recognized he loved her by then. The thought of her with another man made his stomach churn. But he was ASR. Proud. Arrogant. Ruthless. He wouldn't admit his love for her. He wanted her to say she loved him first. Then he would send Lavanya packing, shock his family no end, marry Khushi out of hand and make her the happiest woman on Earth. But for that, SHE had to say it first. Not him. Not ASR.
Khushi walked up the stairs towards Lavanya's room muttering to herself about errant Caterers. An arm reached out, snaked around her waist and pulled her into his room and against the closed door.
"What are you?" she couldn't finish because he clamped a firm hand on her mouth.
"Did you wear this Red Saree for me Khushi? Because you know I love Red? You look beautiful in it, by the way" He said, running one hand along her bare stomach, feeling her sharp intake of breath at his touch. He removed his hand from her mouth. "Does he make you feel this way?" he whispered, now both hands spanning her waist, his head dipping to her neck to kiss it. She threw her head back and closed her eyes.
"What are you doing? Stop" she whispered.
"What I should have done on Diwali, by the pool." He said, now holding her very close. He bent his head to her lips and kissed her. He felt her tremble a little under his touch, then sigh a little. He lifted his head up a few seconds later and smiled at her. "Does he?" he asked.
"Does who?" she asked breathing heavily and thoroughly confused.
"Your fianc. Does he kiss you like this? Does he make you feel this way? The way I make you feel?" he asked. He saw her fight to regain her composure. She squared her shoulders and looked into his eyes.
"I don't know. He's never kissed me. Do you kiss Lavanyaji the way you just kissed me?" she asked sweetly. Before he could answer the question, she left. He was happy that her fianc hadn't kissed her. That he'd been the first. It suited his alpha male personality very well, that. As for Lavanya, he didn't care about her. He loved Khushi. He would whatever it took to get her. If that meant hurting Lavanya, he would do it. Lavanya mattered very little in ASR's grand scheme of things. She was a means to an end and that was it.
Khushi went through the motions that evening. She was helpful, she was social. She smiled and welcomed everyone. She was on top of the arrangements. Even Mamiji was reluctantly impressed. Lavanya looked lovely in a peach lehenga. And the moment when ASR placed the ring on Lavanya's finger, she had sudden tears in her eyes. She saw him, his eyes boring into hers. Asking that question. Why the tears Khushi? Why do you care about my engagement? Why are you so unhappy with your engagement? In that moment, she knew the answer. She knew she loved him. And she also knew what she had to do.
3 hours later, the party was over. The guests had left. Lavanya had gone with her parents to spend the night with them at their hotel. The family had gone to bed. Khushi had supervised the clean up and made sure everything was put away. It was 11pm by the time she was finished. She walked up the stairs to Arnav's room. Somethings between them lay unfinished, and tonight she wanted closure.
She knocked on his door and walked in. He looked up and saw her. His face hardened. "What is it? What do you want?"
"You win" she said flatly.
"What?"
"You win. I admit defeat. You have tortured me and made me suffer, and humiliated me these past 10 days. I can't take it anymore. You want to hear me say it. I'll say it. I love you. There. Happy?" Tears ran down her cheeks, and she made no attempt to brush them away.
"Khushi. Shhh. Don't cry. Please" he walked up to her and brushed her tears away.
"I've said it. What more do you want? Now, leave me be. Please." She said, stepping away from him.
"Leave you be? Khushi. I can't. I know I've been horrible to you, but it's the only way I know. I love you more than anything, Khushi. You are mine!" He crushed her to him and kissed her. She said nothing. Just stood there like a statue while he made love to her lips. He pulled away and looked at her. "What is it Khushi? Why are you so upset?"
"Arnavji, I am engaged. You are engaged. And not to each other. This is wrong. I just told you so you would stop torturing me this way" She said. He looked at the gleaming ring, resting on her finger. He lifted her hand and pulled it off. He put it into her satchel that she had slung across her shoulders, as usual. He also pulled his own ring off and placed it on the table.
"There. Neither of us is engaged anymore. Not you. Not me. Tomorrow, I will tell Lavanya and my family, it's off. And I will go with you to tell your fianc, sorry, ex-fiance, it's off. OK?" he asked.
"It's not so simple Arnavji. Lavanyaji will be so hurt. I can't do that to her."
"And I can't live without you" he shot back.
"Arnavji, No" she protested, turning away from him.
"Khushi, I want to marry you. OK? I am not proposing some sordid affair here. I want to make you my wife. I love you. You love me. We should be together. That's the bottom line. And Lavanya will understand. As will your fianc, I'm sure. After all, no one wants to be with someone who doesn't love them" he finished sensibly. He put his arms around her, pulling her to him, her back to his front. "Say yes, Khushi" he said, nibbling on her neck. He turned her around and kissed her. This time, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back. "Yes" she breathed between kisses. He pulled her to the bed, and they fell on it together, kissing passionately. It was the most memorable night of Khushi's life.
The next day had been the worst day of her life. Khushi smiled wryly as she jolted herself out of her reverie.
Freddy, Aadit and Nigel were in Aadit's hotel room. Aadit was smoking.
"I thought you quit?" asked Nigel, raising an eyebrow.
"I did. Don't tell her. She'll kill me" Said Aadit. "Now, I only smoke when I'm stressed out" he said.
"It's a non smoking room. You'll get in trouble" said the ever careful Nigel again.
"Nigel, I don't care if Aadit dies of Emphysema. We're here to talk about Minnie" snapped Freddy.
"Good point" said Aadit, stubbing the cigarette. "What are we going to do with her?"
"Well, she won't tell me anything. Do you know anything Nigel" said Freddy.
"Nope. All I know is that ASR came to see the girls. She was very happy. She seemed relaxed and he was having a good time too. Then the next morning this girl came to see her and made Minnie really angry. I've never seen her that upset. She scares Sheila a little." Said Nigel.
"Do you know who it was?" asked Aadit.
"Nope"
"Did you happen to hear their conversation?" asked Freddy hopefully.
"No. I try not to eavesdrop on personal conversations." Said Nigel dryly.
"She floored me this morning with her Taekwondo thing. She's getting really good at that" said Freddy, rubbing his arm gingerly.
"What did you do?' asked Aadit, smiling.
"I threw away the 4th cup of an excuse for a Soy Latte that she presented to me" said Freddy ruefully. Nigel glared at him, and even Aadit looked mildly admonitory.
"I know. I know. I am a grouchy fusspot" said Freddy throwing up his hands.
"After all that girl does for you Fred. You should be ashamed of yourself" said Nigel.
"And so I am. I begged her pardon too. Now can we move on and decide what we're going to do to help Min?" said Freddy.
"Well. Only one thing to" said Aadit.
"What's that?" asked Nigel.
"Talk to ASR" He said.
"Bloody brilliant. Talk to ASR. ASR is a cold bas***d. He'd never say anything to us. Not if we threatened him at gunpoint" said Freddy exasperatedly.
"Well, so I will threaten him at gunpoint if I have to!" said Aadit looking mutinous.
"Aadit. No guns" said Nigel warningly.
"Don't worry Nigel. Aadit is just being over-protective of Minnie We all are. You know that" said Freddy.
"How about we talk to ASR's family. I think this issue has something to do with his family, right? She went to dinner at his house and met them and her family, right?" asked Nigel.
"That's right. Her Mother and Sister came here to see her one day. If Aadit hadn't hustled me away trying to be polite, we would have exactly what went down. From what I saw, it wasn't a friendly meeting. And she wasn't looking forward to dinner" frowned Freddy.
"Well, sounds like we should try to go talk to her family. They live with ASR?" asked Nigel, looking puzzled.
"Yes. That;s what she said" said Aadit.
"Should we just drop in unannounced?" asked Nigel doubtfully.
"Surprise is the essence of attack" said Freddy grandiosely. He never thought anything through anyway, preferring to jump headlong into things. Aadit had a huge blind spot where Minnie was concerned, thereby rendering him incapable of taking objective decisions in this case. "It'll be up to me" thought Nigel. "These 2 are pretty much useless."
"Nigel is a such a ninny. He couldn't kill a cockroach with 2 legs. As for Freddy, he has no instinct when it comes to delicate matters such as this. I'll have to take care of this" said Aadit to himself.
"Ah Minnie. You have such nincompoop friends. One wants to pull out a gun at the slightest provocation. The other baby sits your kids and can't see past his nose. Man, I'll have to take charge of this situation, and by George, I will!" promised Freddy, to himself.
"Shall we go? I know where ASR lives" said Aadit. They scrambled out, heading to Aadit's car.
In the meanwhile, Khushi had done some soul-searching of her own. She had made some decisions. She was going to the Raizada Mansion now.
Bring it on people.😊
Edited by madmaxine - 12 years ago
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