~Trespassers Prohibited 2 ~ Update 13,14: page 134 - Page 8

As decided previously, Khanak picked up Shaan from the IGI Airport, next day at the scheduled time.

He was reminded of the day when Khanak picked him up when he had returned from international trip…………..she still looked as excited on spotting him from a distance as she always was !!!

She came jumping to him and put her hands around his neck to hug him……….he encircled her and hugged her back.

"Wow !! You look lovely………..thanks," he said softly around her ear.

"Thanks??!! Why thanks??" she spoke while detaching herself.

"For taking pains to get ready…………… for me….."

"I didn't take pains to get ready," she blushed while walking to the parking lot.

"I know that you look gorgeous always…………..but I also know that you take special care when you come to meet me…………and I love that…………so stop pretending."

He raised his eyebrows and smiled looking at her face.

"Jerk !! Why do you have to know everything about me?" she whispered while she unlocked the car.

He laughed on hearing this……….put his hands across her shoulders to hug her.

They drove till central Delhi for a meal at The Claridges.

It was a place which Shaan had always loved………..the ambience, the food, the decor, everything was perfect.

And Khanak loved everything that Shaan loved…..

They took the seats slightly away from the central lot, towards a quiet corner separated from rest of the place. The lighting was dim and it felt simply alluring to sit there and look at each other. They were still not able to believe that they had crossed the hardest of hurdles and were soon going to be tied in a knot that would last for a lifetime and more…..

"Tired?" she asked softly, thinking about his tight schedule and the two-way round Bangalore trip in a single day.

A subtle smile swayed on his lips, as he whispered, "I was…………..but not anymore………."

"I'm flattered……" she whispered back.

"I was talking about the restaurant…………"

She frowned, picked up the menu folder and hit him at his arm in a soft chide while he laughed teasing her.

He told her about the trip in detail and she sighed.

"Remember, we had gone for the Hyderabad conference together?"

"How can I forget that? You sat with Ronit !!"

"Someone was 'J'………" she almost swayed the words to sing the sentence….. teasing him.

"I wasn't……….. even a bit………" he lied confidently dismissing her claim.

"Don't lie Shaan, I know you. You were so insecure…….." she pointed a finger at his irritated face.

"I was missing you………….I had just come from the Chennai trip." He defended himself.

She blushed as all the memories refreshed of the Hyderabad trip, their kiss conveying his possessiveness and her anger at him refusing his promotion, her sneaking in his bed and their trying to be with each other as much as possible.

A dash of sadness swayed on her pretty face, thinking about the times, they struggled to meet, to stay together and to talk…….she sighed as she remembered his business trips………. sending him off and then waiting and pining to meet him, talk to him and their meeting after every separation.

It was tough but was nothing when compared to those dark six years of severance. She shuddered and tried not to remember those ugly six years that now felt almost like an exile….

"What happened?" he asked with a frown on his forehead, keenly observing her from across the table.

She nodded in refusal and felt that her face had gone pale. Impulsively, she stretched her hand and placed it on his hand, trying to gain the assurance that transmitted through his hand to hers, "Shaan…………..I still can't believe it that everything is set right and we will be getting married soon……"

He didn't reply back…………..just squeezed her hand tightly………..while she continued in a soft, insecure voice, "It still feels as if I have been dreaming……….. and as if someone will come and wake me up…………and I will be sitting on my bed crying and wanting to meet you……."

He pinched the back of her hand with a naughty smile.

"Ouch !! what was that for?" she shrieked and opened her mouth with a shocked expression making him chuckle out loud.

"See…………….. it isn't a dream………" he raised his eyebrows.

"Jerk." She hit him again.

"Ouch !! learn to behave yourself…………I'm soon going to be your husband and an Indian girl should respect her husband……" he warned her with a fake anger and an evident tease.

"I really respect you………..that is why I hit you so slowly……..just with this folder…."

"And if you didn't respect me, what would you have used?"

She picked up the heavy glass flower vase kept in the centre of the table.

"Oh God !! No, no………….I got it that you respect me enough."

They both laughed at it…….

He picked up her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers, "You are enjoying this phase……….aren't you?"

"I am…." She suddenly was very excited, "I love this phase………..we meet everyday, spend quality time and no one objects………..our parents know about us……… and they are planning our wedding………. Wow !!... I love it when your mom and daadi ask me to accompany them to the designers for the dresses………….I love the trips to shopping malls……………preparing for two weddings at my home, selecting cards ………….shopping for Jai and for us…….. do you know yesterday we went to the jewellery store and it was so mesmerizing……… everything is so fascinating…………"

She continued speaking in a flow which showed her excitement and he kept sitting, observing her sparkling eyes, her lit face when she spoke of all the arrangements going on in both the households and he smiled occasionally while using his eyes to drink in these moments of sheer bliss.

"I really don't understand what makes you so excited about all this?" he spoke still amused at the grandness of the event.

"It is exciting Shaan………….only that you are so dull and uninvolved…….Why are you not excited?"

"I am excited about 'our marriage' ………… but definitely not about these grand functions and celebrations…………I have told you before…….."

"Yeah, you have………" she spoke slowly when she saw her bubbles bursting.

"But, don't worry………….I am not going to play a spoil sport and will let you enjoy it as much as you can…………do whatever you want……." He spoke indulging her.

"Wow !! Really ??!!!" she was excited again, "so you mean you will come tomorrow with me?"

"Where?"

"Me and Madhavi mom have decided to take you to the designers….."

He took a deep breath, "Sweetheart, have some pity……….."

She giggled at the way he spoke, "Why don't you have some pity on me for a change… ….. I don't want people to comment negatively on the not-so-upbeat groom sitting beside a beautiful, out-of-the-world bride………"

"Yeah, Right !!!!" he dismissed her comment with a huge smile and by getting busy with the menu folder.

She told him a lot of other things about the preparations and he told her about the office and how his work was going………

"I want you to join me as soon as we get married…." He spoke while driving back.

"I am dying to………" she spoke in a low and dull tone…….reclining back in the passenger seat.

"You are sleepy………." He told her.

"Hmm………….no I am not………" she spoke yawning and he smiled at her lie.

"I am coming tomorrow to your house and after that we are going to the designers," she reminded him turning to him when they reached his house, as she was dropping him.

"First you go and call me when you reach home, I'll be worried."

"Don't be…………….I'll be safe……….I'll drive slow, will put on the seat belt, will lock all doors and windows and will stay locked inside the car till I reach home……. bas?"

"Thank you……." he smiled.

"Your welcome……….so tomorrow, be ready."

"Hmm……" he nodded.

She smiled with a satisfaction which comes after accomplishment of some huge mission. He looked at her and out of impulse, took his hand behind her ear to reach her hair, bringing her near for a small peck which lasted for more as she pulled him towards her, slowly and subtly.

………………………………………………………

"Shaan, look at this photograph…………….isn't she gorgeous?" exclaimed Madhavi,

showing a photograph to Shaan at the breakfast.

"Yeah, she is………………who is she?"

"She is Khushboo…………we have chosen her for Akshay."

"Wow !! She looks great………….what does she do?"

"She is an art graduate……… is a daughter of Agarwals', a renowned name in business circles, works with an NGO for the orphaned children."

"Sounds great…………what does Bhaiya say?"

"He hasn't said anything as yet……………but I think, he will like her………" said Madhavi confidently.

"I hope so………" shrugged Shaan.

"If he does, my headache will be over…………….what is this that you and Khanak decide to get married after Akshay………… don't you want to get married as soon as possible?……… I just can't wait more to bring Khanak home."

"I want to get married mom, but not before Akshay bhaiya…….." he spoke matter-of-factly, while buttering his toast.

"And what if I am not able to find a bride in these 2 months?"

"We'll extend it for 2 more months………" he winked.

"Shaaan…………….no way……..Jai is getting married after 2 months and I have talked to Savita. We'll see to it that your marriage date is fixed within a few days after Jai's. Till then, I have 2 months to find a girl for Akshay and I really hope he likes Khushboo."

"Yeah………" Shaan didn't speak much as they were joined by Sunil and Akshay too.

After some general discussion, Sunil asked Shaan about a project report that was to be prepared and sent to the investors.

"Dad, I'm preparing it………….it will take a few more hours. I'll send it before lunch."

"It's fine, take your time beta." Said Sunil.

"Sunil, didn't I tell you that you all are not supposed to talk business when on the dining table."

"Madhavi, I was just asking Shaan about it as I am going for a meeting."

"IDC, if you want peace here, no more business talks when me and mummyji are around."

"Okay baba," Sunil raised his hands in self defense making everyone laugh.

"Stop these antics now, we will be having our DILs around us in a few months time….."

"That is why I am doing it, our sons should know how to keep their wives happy," he joked making Madhavi blush.

…………………………………………………………………………

Shaan dashed in Sunil's cabin with the project file in his hand where Sunil and Akshay were discussing some other business venture. Sunil and Akshay both smiled at him.

"Come beta, sit. I was just leaving for a meeting."

"Dad, I'll just take a few minutes."

"Bolo……"

"Dad, I was going through this project report. For our new factory, the area if we calculate should be around 16 acres, but we have a land only of 4 acres……how are we going to manage this huge gap."

Sunil smiled knowingly and shrugged, "You don't worry about the area, see rest of the details."

"But dad…….." Shaan was confused and he frowned as he couldn't get the relaxed attitude of his dad.

"Don't worry Shaan………….I said that it will be managed." Said Sunil getting up from his chair and picking up his Ipad, "I'm going for a meeting at The Ashoka……..and will see you in the evening. You take care about the other issues."

Sunil left and Shaan sat down again facing Akshay………… he was still confused and was not used to working without clarity. He worked efficiently with every detail crystal clear in front of him.

Akshay noticed his frown and patted his shoulder, "Dad said – Don't worry….."

Shaan twitched his lips and shrugged, "I think you know what he meant, right bro?"

"Yes, I know."

"Good !!" he shrugged in anger now while standing up, "Why have you made me the Country Head – Operations when I am not told of such important decisions?"

"Sit down…………It's not something huge chotey, don't over-react."

"Can you please tell me what's cooking up…………if you don't mind divulging your secrets?"

Akshay made him sit down and spoke when Shaan sat and looked at his face keenly,"The proposed land for our factory is adjacent to a land that belongs to the Agarwals ………… they have around 10 acres…………so we have combine 14 acres now. You see to it that how we do things in 14 acres instead of 16………I think it is not much difficult now…."

Shaan opened his mouth in a shocked expression, "But how can we count Agarwals' land with us? Are we buying it? It is a huge investment………..why will they give it to us?"

Akshay did not speak anything but just smiled.

"Bro, the pic mom showed me at the dining table in the morning was Agarwal's daughter, right? Don't tell me that you agreed to marry her and this is a part of the deal…."

Akshay didn't reply back but Shaan's tone softened from strong to much milder.

"Bro, you can't do that. You are marrying someone just because that benefits the business?"

"It is like……….. I have to marry someone……….if it benefits the business, what is the harm?"

"No Bro, It is very different." Shaan tried to explain it to him, "See………..you are not under any pressure. Me and Khanak are in the best phase of our relationship. We are not in a hurry and will wait for you till you find someone whom you really, truly like."

"I like Khushboo………..Shaan."

"Maybe, but can you decide that in one meeting? I mean, she might be a very good girl, I saw the pic…………she looks pretty and intelligent too…………but don't you think that you should meet her for a few more times before you decide to take the plunge."

"I don't want to think more chotey. Mom and dad are happy and I have never loved someone so I don't have criterias……..before choosing someone. All I want from a future life partner is sensibility and sophistication. That she is……. She is pretty and well educated, belongs to a good family, understands the pressures of business…….what more could I ask for. Plus, it benefits our business too…….they are a huge name in the industry……."

Shaan left a deep breath, "If it was not for this 10 acres land and other businesses ……… even then would you have said yes??"

Akshay tilted his head to think and then said, "Maybe….."

…………………………………………………………………..

"Sweetheart, I don't feel like going for shopping today," he spoke slowly….. scared that she might feel bad.

"What happened?" as expected, her voice and it's tone pitched down.

"I just want to sit with you………..and we are not going to any designers."

"I was just getting ready to come to your house. I have called Madhavi mom too."

"I'll call her and tell her that programme is cancelled. We still have more than 2 months, what is the hurry?"

"No, it's not about hurry……………just that there are loads of things to be done," she was just thinking aloud, "Okay, no problem. You appear tired."

"I just want to talk to you……..and spend some time with you."

She smiled, "Alright."

"Shall I pick you up after the office?"

"No, we'll sit at the terrace. The weather is really nice…….."

"Fine."

……………………………………………………………………….