****part 9****
On the flight to New York.
Ria and Nikki were asleep. Ria on her lap and Nikki beside her. This was the kids first flight journey and so they were not letting go of their mother. Onto her left, separated by the aisle was seated Virat and the seat beside him, by the window was empty. He seemed engrossed in work as he was typing away furiously on his laptop. Manvi looked at him feeling guilty about their previous outburst. She had pushed him away, very far away. Did she do the right thing? Why does this feel so wrong? Why does her life feel complete ever since he had joined them? Why does she get this sense of supreme satisfaction when she sees him bond with the kids? She kept looking at him. He was wearing a white polo shirt on a pair of rugged jeans.
He hadn't aged or changed at all, nobody would take him to be the father their twin three-year olds. She looked at herself. She was clad in a cotton suit, which was simple and ordinary. It had a ketchup stain from feeding Nikki earlier. She looked frail and worn-out. She didn't think about dressing up anymore, she wore no make-up. Her hair was messily tied back to keep it away from Ria who is so used to playing and plucking at it. She had a big baby bag with food and clothes for the kids in the flight. She definitely changed.
She remembered being conscious when she was with Virat. She used to give a lot of attention to her dressing to look beautiful for him even though he maintained that she looked lovely in whatever she used to wear. Is that it? Did he fall for someone prettier than her? Someone much younger? All his young female staff used to look at him with a wide-eyed appreciation that used to make her very insecure. Had he succumbed to one of those blonde damsels???
Arghhh!!!! she stopped her train of thought. This is how it had been all these years, she used to search for reasons and explanations about why he did whatever he did. Sometimes, she even blamed herself and concluded that she might not have been enough for him. With great difficulty, she had learnt to avoid this line of thought, as it only brought hurt and tears. But, now, he is asking her to open up to him, again. Love him, again, trust him, again. Will she be able to do that? Is she even capable of love again? Would she be able to trust him again? More importantly will she survive if life hands her down another betrayal??? Deep within her, she knew the answer to all these questions. She did. She did want to give him a second chance.
Virat turned away from his work to quickly check on them. To his surprise, he found Manvi looking at him with her eyes slightly moist. She quickly turned her gaze away. Her arms were around Ria and her fingers interlocked at her back. She was fiddling with the ring on her finger nervously. He saw her look back at him slowly, as if she was making a conscious effort and then her lips curved into a small smile. He loved the shape her mouth took when she smiled. It reminded him of all that was good with the world. There was a kind of innocence in her smile which had completely disappeared now. It was an awkward smile.
What is it baby? He asked her through his eyes.
He had decided to give her the space she wanted even though it is being very difficult for him. He didn't have any option other than to wait for her to feel home and secure with him once again. He was going to give her all the assurance and security he could give. He used to work night and day to earn money, enough money to show her the whole world, shower her with all the things she could only imagine having, give her the lifestyle fit for a princess. And now, he had all that, he had everything he had ever hoped for, sans his love.
He smiled back "Kuch chahiye tume???" he asked.
She looked down, towards Ria who was stirring in her sleep. "No. I am fine." Manvi replied.
He continued looking at her, trying to read into her. She is being different. She doesn't seem angry. She seems to be in deep thought. They looked into each other's eyes. Virat was scared to pursue his points again. He did not want to antagonize her. But clearly, something was troubling her. He needed to know.
Oh Manvi! I miss the way your eyes light up when you look at me, I miss your sweet chatter, your innocent carefree laugh, your child-like giggle, your beautiful blush, your mind-numbing perfume. I miss you baby, please, oh please, come back to me.
He got distracted as Ria opened her eyes sleepily and extended her hand toward him "Hi sleepy head!!!" Virat welcomed her out of her slumber with a wide smile, ruffling her hair boyishly. His hand brushed over Manvi's in the process.
Manvi didn't move her hand back. She let it in, she let herself react to him; she absorbed his touch, whole-heartedly. It was still the same. She closed her eyes and gulped. She remembered the first time he had asked her out. She was an Art's student in New York. She was an aspiring painter. He took her out to a French restaurant to show some of the painting there. They had danced after having dinner.
That was the first time he touched her, the first time he kissed her. She could never forget that night. She had found his touch so electrifying that every time he brushed past her, cold shivers ran through her entire body and her face warmed up blood red under his unwavering gaze. He couldn't take his eyes of her. He made her feel special and beautiful. He was one of the few people who listened to her non-stop chatter, that too with full attention, enjoying every bit of it. She felt like the luckiest girl in the world to be loved and cherished so much. After that night, she knew he was the one for her.
Six months later, they were married.
"Momma, can we sit by the window?" Ria asked pulling her out of the reverie.
"Daddy is working. Maybe a little later." Manvi replied.
"No, I am done." Virat said closing up his laptop and putting it above in the over-head bin. He tried to take Ria from Manvi. "Come..."
"But I want to sit with mommy." She replied holding onto Manvi.
"Alright, you girls move over there. We guys will settle over here." Virat replied disappointed looking at his still deep asleep son.
Manvi grinned at his sad face and got up to move over. He was trying to smile dismissing her chuckle. She was teasing him now. He waited until Manvi sat down and was comfortable, straightened Nikki and was about to sit down beside him.
Ria complained again "Why did you move???" she asked looking at Virat ready to cry. She was asking him come and sit beside him.
"Bunny, stop it." Manvi chided her to which Ria made a face and started crying. And in between all this, the other trouble-maker got up and wanted to sit with his mom. "Mommy''." He cried.
Virat rolled his eyes at all this drama and the rest of the passengers who were now looking at them annoyed. He took Nikki up in his arms and sat beside Manvi letting out a big sighhh.
"Is this going to be a daily thing??" he whispered to Manvi.
"You bet." She replied smiling.
"You seem to be in a better mood today Mrs. Vadhera." He stated clearly wanting to test the waters. He needed her to talk to him, tell him what she is pondering over. He knew the one thing that would make her talk.
She looked at him shocked. "Its Choudhary.." she replied in a low voice.
"Ohh, I don't think so, you are still very much married to me Mrs. Vadhera. And these muchkins here are Nikhil Vadhera and Ria Vadhera. I am going to get the formalities done as soon as we land. I cannot believe you have them as Chaudhary on their passports" Virat said with great irritation.
"I am Nikhil Choudhary.." Nikki retorted playing with Virat's nose.
"No beta, its Vadhera, we are Vadhera boys. We are macho and hot and we never play with pink teddies."
"We are?" Nikki looked at him dropping his head back in deep though, taking in this new piece of information.
"Yeah, Choudhary is a very ancient and uncool and lame. Vadhera is hip and happening..hai na Manvi??"
"Virat!!!!!!!!!" she objected.
"Yes Mrs. Vadhera." Virat suppressed a smile.
"Arghhh..." Manvi clenched her fist.
"Are you Vadhera too momma??" Ria asked to which Manvi closed her eyes shut and banged her head to the back of the seat in frustration.
"Yes. Technically. We will talk about this later bunny. Okay?"
"In the meantime, I am going to tell you kids about the history of the Vadhera clan..." Virat started.
"Ohhh puhleaaase..." Manvi made a face. She was ready to take on him, she didn't care that the kids were watching them.
"Ok let's start with the Chaudhary clan. They are whiny and tiny." Virat smirked.
"Vadheras are arrogant and selfish and so full of themselves." Manvi retorted angrily, her face filled with vehemence.
"Are we now?" Virat burrowed her eye-brows and looked at her as if he was going to release miniature missiles at her.
"Sir, do you want something to drink??" the airhostess walked upto them and asked.
"No, but please get Mr. Vadhera a chill-pill." Manvi told the lady politely.
"Yes, please do, he needs to shove it down his wife's throat." Virat added even more politely.
"Ermm... I will come back after a bit." The airhostess escaped.
Both kids were sitting in their laps facing them and looking at them as if a TV show was being aired. "Are you both fighting?" Nikki asked.
"OFCOURSE NOT!!!!" Virat and Manvi said together looking away in opposite directions.
Virat grinned triumphantly. "What are you grinning about Vadhera???" Manvi snapped at him.
"Your buttons haven't changed one bit." Virat smiled.
"WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?" Manvi retorted angrily.
"Matlab, I still know you inside out, I know what makes you angry and what makes you smile."
"Huh! You only know how to anger people!"
"Ohh really? Ok. But, one thing, honestly, you have the most amazing sense of humor, only you can make even Blanco laugh like a kindergarden kid."
"That I can!!" Manvi immediately smiled widely sporting the most smug expression, thinking about their old security person cum driver Blanco. He was ex-military and he was trained to keep his face expressionless, like the soldiers in the Buckingham Palace. One day, she took up the challenge and told him so many old-time jokes that the poor guy had to hold his stomach to keep him from dying of laughter.
"Gotcha!" Virat smiled.
"That's just...you just complimented me." she complained angrily.
"Your point being???" he winked.
"Virat!"
"Yes baby..." her stomach twisted and turned in knots at this sudden endearment. She looked at him melting under his burning gaze and blushed hard. For godsakes Virat, the kids the watching. She looked out through the window to hide it from him.
~~~
Manvi opened her eyes sleepily and found herself dozing on Virat's shoulder. She got up in a haze searching for her babies. "I have introduced them to in-flight entertainment. They are watching cartoons" Virat informed her pointing towards Nikki and Ria who were sitting in the seats across the aisle laughing and giggling.
"How long was I asleep??" she asked Virat embarrassed.
"About two hours. Don't worry. I have everything under control." Virat smiled.
"If you had to work, you should have woken me up. I usually don't fall asleep when I am travelling with the kids, I don't know how I dozed off for so long." She said looking guiltily at him working on his laptop.
"That's probably because I am with you now." He observed. "Manvi, I have noticed that you don't sleep and eat properly. You need to, you have lost so much weight. I have ordered a vegetarian lunch for you. I hope that's ok. Rest of us have eaten."
"Yes." Manvi replied a little surprised. He was telling her to eat. It was always the other way around. He was the fussy one. She pulled back her hair and looked around for her clip that might have fallen down while she was asleep.
"Don't tie it back, you look lovely with open hair." Virat tucked in a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. Manvi closed her eyes feeling his thumb tracing her cheek to her ear lobe slowly. Virat looked at her and smiled sweetly as he saw Manvi blush crimson. She gulped and froze at his touch. "Oh baby, you haven't changed one bit." Virat whispered looking at her adoringly so that only Manvi could hear. "Breathe Manvi." he added and moved closer inhaling the sweet smell of her hair.
Her reaction was not in her control, her breathe was heavy and her heart slammed up into her mouth.The airhostess interrupted them by bringing in Manvi's lunch. Thank God. Manvi thought. Virat moved back and looked at the hostess as she placed the food in front of Manvi. Manvi's noticed how readable her reactions were. He is capable of deflooring her, even today. She looked down at her food and then at Virat who was all normal and smiling at the hostess. She felt ashamed for being so transparent and obvious. Obviously Virat wasn't affected by her like she was by him. However, as soon as the lady made her exit, Virat let out a deep heavy breathe and sighed looking at her with a broad smile and Ohh-so-smitten expression. Oh he was affected alright!!
A nave and silly girl was completely smitten by him four years ago. You are not that girl anymore Manvi. You are only going to get pain from all this!!! Her subconscious warned her. This is all his charm and magic, DO NOT SUCCUMB. It steered her off. She looked at her food and she didn't have any appetite. What was happening to her? They haven't even landed, if he is affecting her like this now, just imagine how it is going to be living under the same roof, indefinitely. No Manvi. You need to get a job there and move into your own place. Virat can come and visit the kids for how much ever long he wants, but she needed to be independent.
"Stop over-thinking Manvi, its normal, it happens. Please eat." He said as if reading her mind.
"Virat, I can't" she murmured.
"You can, all in good time. EAT." He replied confidently.
His confidence!!! His freaking confidence!!!!!!!! Stop with it already. I am not a foregone conclusion. I have every right to be mad. I have every right to choose to stay away. Why is he so bloody arrogant, so bloody sure of himself. He should be guilty after everything. Why the hell am I feeling guilty? Being away from him should not feel this wrong. The thought of being with him should scare the heck out of me? Why is it the other way? Why am I being so drawn to him??????????CAN I DARE TRUST MY HEART AGAIN?
~~~
The flight was about to land in a few minutes. Virat stood up and went to talk with one of crew members.
"Is everything okay?" Manvi asked worried.
"Manvi, I am sure there is going to be a lot of media at the air-port. I have made all arrangements for a rear end exit but if we do get mobbed by the media, just don't speak anything, let me handle it." Virat explained.
"Media?? But why?"
Virat laughed sardonically "Because we are in the top 10 fortune 500 companies in US, and as the CEO of the company, I get surrounded by these idiots everywhere. It is very annoying." Virat said. There was apprehension and irritation in his voice. He looked at the kids who were fast asleep. His body was stiff overcome by a strong sense of protectiveness.
"Are you ready?" he asked looking at Manvi.
"Yes. After you." She replied equally worried. What now?
Once the flight stopped, Virat completely turned pale and business-like. He didn't look at anyone. He put his glares on and his laptop bag over his shoulder. He gave Nikki to Manvi and carried Ria in his arms. They were still sleeping so they stuck to them like another piece of clothing on them respectively. The crew members came and allowed them to exit before everyone else. Two men in black suits were waiting for them outside in the terminal. They took the rest of the stuff they were carrying and escorted them through a hidden channel. Manvi was beginning to feel very strange and eerie about the whole situation. She looked at Virat who was expressionless. He held on to Ria tightly and kept looking over Manvi like a hawk, his arm around her shoulder.
They were almost at the end of the channel and she saw a big limo waiting. She finally felt relieved. It was a person she knew, Blanco, who looked like he had aged quite a bit but he was still the stoic and ex-army person she knew. He looked grim looking at Virat as they walked outside. It seemed like he and Virat were exchanging something through their eyes. She couldn't tell. They had to walk out of the door at the end of the channel and get into the limo waiting by the sidewalk. As they were near the exit door, Virat's tightened his grip around Manvi. He pulled her close to him. She skipped a heart-beat at his proximity, she was finding it hard to balance herself. But, as soon as they stepped onto the sidewalk, she knew why he was so tensed. There was an army of media people waiting for them with microphones and cameras and there was a huge uproar as soon as they came in their field of vision. Pictures were being clicked and thousands of questions being shot at them. They were security guards stopping them all from coming near her and Virat.
"Mr. Vadhera, is it true that you ran away because of the latest legal case defeat?"
"Are you still the CEO of the Vadhera enterprises?"
"Were you in drug rehab?"
"Are you battling a divorce case with you wife?"
"Mrs. Vadhera !!!!!!!" she heard some of them gasp in shock.
"Manvi chalo andar." Virat turned her to face him and nodded, his hand still around her, made her sit inside the car and he quickly settled in beside her.
"Are you okay?" Virat asked her once inside.
"f**k! Who are you? Did you murder someone??" Manvi held her head and muttered, bewildered at what she just saw.
"Shhh Manvi!" Virat laughed. "Kids..." he reminded. His glares were off and as their vehicle hit the highway, all warmth and life returned back to his eyes.
~~~
The limo stopped before a palatial house in a closed neighborhood. There was a four people waiting for them outside. They welcomed them with a formal smile.
"Manvi, this is Mrs. Andrews, housekeeper, Martin, he takes care of all the house-hold chores, inside and outside. Tim and Randy, security."
Manvi looked at them with a wry smile. She didn't know how to react, if it was before, she would have thrown a fit as she did not like having strangers work in her house. But, now, she didn't feel like she had the right. It was Virat's house. She nodded at them politely and walked inside.
"There is a room for Nikki and Ria, this way. It's not set-up yet, we will have to soon. I wanted to do it with you and kids." Manvi followed him silently. She walked into a huge room, it had two beds and some table and chairs. They put the kids on the bed. Manvi looked at Virat. He had changed a lot, she was just beginning to grasp the enormity of the change in him.
"Let me show you around. I figured since we are making a new start, we move into this new place and I kind of sensed you don't want to move into the old place" Said Virat. Manvi tried to absorb all this information. Her husband was a billionaire and the whole country was after him and he was running around her in her home-town trying to win her back. Doesn't these things only happen in movies?? She followed him again as they passed room after room. The living room was huge, like a small cricket stadium she thought. He lived alone in such a big house? She wondered.
"I had bought this house before you left, it was being constructed then. I wanted to surprise you on our wedding anniversary. I was never able to come back in here." Virat said looking at her and watching her reactions slowly. Next, he showed her a magnificent bedroom which had the view of a swimming pool and garden. The garden had a hammock. She looked at him stunned. He remembered. She told him that she wanted to lie with him lazily all afternoon in a hammock, maybe in a garden, basking in the sun, in his arms and reading her favorite novels.
"Why would you think I would let you read, if you are in my arms." She remembered him teasing her when she told him her idea of a holiday one night.
"This was going to be our bed-room." He said, carefully stressing on each of the words, gauging her reaction. He never forgot.
Manvi blushed scarlet remembering that conversation. How is she supposed to react to something like this. "I need to check on the kids." She looked down and tried to leave the room. She kept repeating in her head. Don't look at him. Don't look at him. Virat held her hand to stopped her. "Mrs. Andrews is watching them, she will call you once they are up. I still have to show you your art-room and the guest-rooms."
"I am sure, they are very beautiful." she replied stopping for a second.
"How long are you going to ignore the obvious Manvi?" he asked even though he had resolved he wouldn't broach the topic again until a month or so. He couldn't stop himself, more so, over here. This was his dream-house, each and every nook and corner was build for her and him, for them, together. He had imagined them living there, having kids and growing old here, with her, the love of his life. She felt him squeeze her hand. Her heart was racing now. Please Virat.
Please Manvi, look at me.
I can't.
Manvi closed her eyes. She felt him walk upto her. "You have already let me in Manvi, it is only a matter of time before you see it." She heard him, in his husky voice.
Ohh I see it alright. Please, oh please, stop saying these things to me.
"I thought you I lost you forever Manvi. Do you know what I went through? Do you know how many nights I was sitting with the cops, detectives, security and other dozen rescue teams going through their leads? Do you know how many times my hopes crashed and broke mercilessly? Do you know how I have been dying every single day since they told me that you might not be alive? Do you? Do you even have an inkling as to what I went through without you? Baby, please look at me. " The last part was an order.
NO, NO, NO. Uninvited tears streamed out of her eyes.
~~~
"Suit yourself." She heard him whisper after what seemed like a really long time. She felt his hand leave her hand slowly. She felt the disappointment that he was feeling in his heart, through his touch, on her skin, even with her eyes closed. She clasped his hand back. Softly. His heart did a small somersault.
"Manvi..." She heard him call her name. It was a sweet, sweet sound, she let her heart embrace the warmth in his voice; she let her whole-heartedly embrace all the love in his voice. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at him.
"I am willing to take a leap of faith Virat." She told him softly, looking into his hazel-colored eyes which were leaping with joy and relief as soon as she uttered those words. "I cannot see you like this." She added. "But... please don't hurt me again." It was a plea, she was begging him. "I will not survive this time Virat."
Virat wanted to argue with her about how he did nothing to hurt her in the first place. But, right now, nothing was more important than her, she was willing to come back to him. He couldn't think of anything else. "Never baby." He replied.
"You promise?" she asked through her tear-dripping, wide dove-shaped eyes. He saw that spark come back into it for a momentary glimpse.
"Yes baby, will all my life. I promise. I am never going to hurt you. Trust me." He squeezed his hand as tightly as he could.
"Ohh Virat !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I missed you so much." She flung herself into his arms and started sobbing uncontrollably, drenching his shirt.
"Manvi, please don't cry. Please. I can't see you like this." Virat patted her back gently comforting her. But, Manvi wasn't nearly done.
Virat didn't know what to do. He decided to try humor. "Now, I understand why Ria and Nikki are such cry-babies." He chuckled.
"My kids are not cry-babies." Manvi looked at him sniffing and wiping her tears.
"No? Only their mom is?" he smiled looking down at her relieved. He still knew how to calm her down.
"VIRAT! Do you know what I had to go through, resisting to kill you with my own hands in these past few days?" Manvi grabbed a pillow and started hitting him left and right.
"Manvi!!!!" Virat was trying to stop her. They were running around in the room and in all the rucus, Virat bumped into Mrs. Andrews who was there with Ria and Nikki beside her and they both were watching their parents and laughing like it was the continuation of the Tom and Jerry cartoon they were watching on the flight.
"I am sorry." Mrs. Andrews mumbled and Virat signaled her to leave.
"Daddy, are we having a pillow flight?" Ria asked.
"Yes, all of us are attacking daddy." Manvi told them and they jumped on the bed grabbing a pillow each.
"Ria, Nikki, you will fall!!!!!" Virat and Manvi rushed to them to hold them but they both started coming at Virat with a pillow. Trying to steer them away, Virat moved forward to grab them and Manvi pushed him on the bed and the kids started plunging on him with the feature pillows.
"Yes sweety, lets pillow-attack daddy." Manvi laughed joining them.
"Nahiii" Virat screamed.
~~~
note: Hello everyone, sorry I have been missing. I was really busy these last few days but I managed to complete this update and its long. So enjoy and good luck to everyone having their entrance exams!!
Edited by bluebolt - 12 years ago
Bigg Boss 19
