FF - The Man of My Dreams - CH 2 PG -8 Up 29/8/11 - Page 5

Chapter 1

"Sunil….Sunil" shouted Madvi at the top of her voice, "Are you listening, did you call Dev and confirm the flower arrangement booking and the time he is supposed to send it all to Shallini here, so that she can see to the whole decoration and party arrangement"

"Yes Madhvi I did" answered Sunil, putting his phone down.

"Oh and before I forget, did you confirm the R.S.V.P we were sent and gave the total to Shallini so that there is no mix up or problem tomorrow evening." asked Madhvi. "I want everything to be perfect for my little darling Shan."

"Yes dear , she has the final list, I gave it to her just a few minutes ago" said Sunil a little bit exparatedly.

"Sunil….don't roll your eyes at me" chided Madhvi "Just for you and your mom , I have agreed for the party to be held here instead on Mumbai, where it would have been an event to be remembered , where all our friends, partners and clients could make it, instead of a selected few" she humped

"Madhvi…" Sunil said in a sharp tone.

"Yes , yes I know…just saying….I know it was not possible for your mom to travel again when she just made it back from her trip to Haridwar to Mumbai, and Shantanu should be welcomed back at the ancestral home, where the whole Khandewal Empire began from, yes I perfectly understand dear" she said in a pacifying tone.

"But Sunil just think of the possibilities, we would have had this whole party covered in the Page 3 of every newspaper, have been on every leading News Channel in the country and even have had this featured in all those high end magazines", ...she sighed thinking of all that could be.

"Next time you can have it your way dear, but this time this is way better, without the intrusion of reporters" said Sunil

While they were having this chat, Khusboo Khandelwal , Akshay Khandelwal's wife entered the living room, followed closely by her hubby.

"Mom, mom, look at Aksahy…he's making fun of what I plan to wear at the party." Khusboo whines, and took a seat right next to her mother-in-law, who was like her mother and friend, more than an in-law.

Akshay sauntered and took a seat next to his father.

"Akshay" , said Madnvi petting Khhusboo's hand and looking at her son, "Why are you teasing Khusboo?"

"Mom" started Akshay, "Khusboo is hell bent on wearing the very heavy elaborate diamond set, for the party, I just told her that she should wear something more elegant and not something that was too over the top and ostentatious , as its not Mumbai and one of the page three parties where reporters are at every corner ready to click her picture", he completed rolling his eyes.

"Khusboo darling, Akshay is right. You should wear the diamond set that we gave you for your Birthday today, instead of the one you bought before coming here" Madhvi advised in a pacifing tone.

"I too agree dear" said Sunil

"Alright, mom, dad." Said Khusboo

"See, see I was right, but you never listen to me" said Akshay making a face.

"Oh dad, in all this I completely forgot to metion, Shan's flight landed in Mumbai, half an hour ago, and he's already borded a flight for here, so are you both coming too to the airport or should I just go and pick him up?" asked Akshay.

"Hummm……" pondered Sunil and before he could continue, Madhvi chimed in, "Darling, why don't you go and collect him. We will be here to welcome him."

"Yes, that's better" said Sunil. "Akshay its already late, I would not like you to drive , so take Dharam"

"Okay dad, will do so" replied Akshay.

Dadi who had gone to meet her friend just entered on this.

"What will you do Akshay dear?" asked dadi making her way to them and taking a seat on the sofa next to her son.

"Dadi, Shantanu has landed and will reach her in about and hour or so, so dad was telling me to take Dharam with me to the airport to pick him up instead of driving myself." Akshay answered.

"Awww, Shan is here" she said with a smile. "He will come here after 8 years. He hardly go time to visit Darjeeling whenever he came to India, always stayed in Mumbai or visited Goa with his friends.

"It's about time he came back to his birth place and take his place in the family business." She said with authority and pride in her voice.

Akshay and Sunil, both felt the same and smiled at Dadi. Both father and son were happy to have him back with them, instead of them visiting him in America whenever they got time. They were happy and egger for him to join the growing business and lend them a hand. Sunil was just happy so that he could take a break from it all and enjoy life and leave the business to his two sons.

The mother was just happy to have her son back so that she could mother him as she always did.

Khusboo was happy to see all of them happy and get her friend back.