Dohraha: Tale of Crossroads:Update&Note Pg 22 6/9 - Page 6

hei jenny,
nice part..
y is dari taking medicines??the way u mentioned it as 'vitamins' made me think does she have any serious health problem??
love the bonding between shaan-dariya..they r awesome..
raina looks like trying to stop shaan from spoiling her like a brat..
hhhmmm..i still wonder wat went wrong..
on the other side poor khanak didnt know wat to do in his house n she slept for just 2 hrs and armaan didnt come back after attending the phone call..hhmmm..wat does armaan think of her??does he think theirs as a forced marriage??
khanak all set to become western khanak..wat sort of dresses has he arranged for her..lets see..
do continue soon..

nice update👍🏼

Psychology, Museums, and Personalities

"Hello…?"

"Yeah Khanak it's Armaan…are you ready…?"

"Jee…"

"Do you mind coming downstairs and meeting me up front…? I am pulling up the street in a few seconds…"

"Door lock kaisay karo..."

"Oh don't worry…just shut it behind you and I'll call the keeper to lock it…"

"Okay…" She hangs up after the dial tone from his end becomes audible.

The vanity mirror in the room captures her reflection and she carefully scans the simplistic shirt dress she had selected from the closet that was pre-arranged for her…it is pastel pink with a detailed waist belt as its only accessory…she had made conscious efforts with her own matching clutch, shoes, and pearl studs…the dress was the only thing that was new…the only thing her conscience allowed her to pick out from the closet….

"Hi…"

"Erm..Hello…"

"You look lovely…"

She acknowledges his compliment with her frail smile and then questions… "Uncle theek hain…? App se millay meeting mein…?"

"Haan…phone karay gay tumhay in a while…" He informs her as he moves and holds the passenger side door to his Corvette open for her.

………

He is wrapping up his session with Mr. Forbes after not being able to progress any further from his depressed mental state…this patient of his had watched his family get murdered in front of his eyes in a terrible break-in two years ago yet the repercussions and guilt from the incident remained fresh in his subconscious to this very day…he was declared only stable enough to be alive but he wasn't really alive…

"Is this your daughter Doctor…?" Forbes points to Darya's photo frame on his desk.

"Yes…She is my daughter…"

"I have one too…a two year old… but she is four now…"

Shaantanu's looks up from his notes and looks at Mr.Forbes with a solemn expression…he was talking about his dead daughter like she is still around…the fact he mentioned her being two and then acknowledges her being four made it clear that she had passed at a very young age…gone before she even lived…that thought scared Shaantanu as well, but for a different reason…it's a thought that his mind wouldn't dare linger within him…he just wouldn't let it.

"Her name is Darya…"

"Rachael…her mother named her…"

"I named her…" He picks up the photo frame and pulls it closer to him.

"I better get going…"

"Okay…"

"You're going to let me go…?"

"You came for help yourself Mr.Forbes…if you wish to leave you can…you may…"

"You won't make me talk more…tell me Rachael is dead…her mother is dead…"

"No…no, I won't…" There is complete silence in his office after that and Mr. Forbes is simply observing the pendulum clock on the wall behind him…he lets him be.

"I am going to go…will you be in your office Thursday…"

"Yes…yes I will be…"

"I'll bring Rachael's baby album…she is just the cutest child ever…"

"Sure…we'll talk some more then…"

Mr. Forbes gets up from the chair and takes slow steps towards the door…Shaantanu isn't bothered about him harming himself...because for Mr. Forbes the maximum damage has already been done…both on a physical and mental levels.

……………….

Armaan took Khanak to Cafe Friolleo for Lunch and just as she had expected the restaurant was a very attractive and filled with people of certain class…she had seen this type of galore only through mass media and pop culture…Armaan Malik being recognized and smiled at like a celebrity is something that she is going to get used to…he is brought up here, this is his world…he affluent, young, attractive, and successful…

"I am going to go with the Grilled assortment…and you Khanak…?"

"Soup…I'll have soup…"

"Okay…what Kind…?"

"Ermm…"

"Let's get you the tomato basil…and bread sticks…yeah…Thanks…" he is cordial with the waiter and he sends him off with the waiter…he turns to her with curious eyes…

"Kya hua…?"

"Umm…Nahi, voh…are you…a vegetarian…?"

"Tuesdays aur Thursdays ko sirf vegetarian prefer karti hoon…"

"Interesting…"

"Bahut pehlay se aadat hain issi liye…lakin ajj Wednesday hain toh…"

"Yeah…but I went ahead with a safe choice of soup…"

They have lunch and undoubtedly it's quite lavish and filling to her standards…he talks about the city and generalities according to his lifestyle…she listens, nodding and acknowledging him with a small smile on occasion…

"Drinks…I forgot…! anything you would like to have Khanak…?"

"Nahi…water is fine…"

He nods and then gets up to walk over to the bar nearby…she watches his interaction with the pretty blonde bar tender…his genuine smile when she places his drink in front of her and then he leaves her a tip right there and then…the fact that he is going to choose alcohol for lunch didn't alarm her…she had prepared her mind for whatever discrepancies she will discover today…she had shut her heart off completely from these matters.

……………..

"Hello…?"

"Hi Daddy…!"

"Hey Darling…what is my munchkin doing with Maama's phone…"

"You are on speaker Daddy…"

"Acha…I see…Maama kahaan hain…?"

"Shaan main drive kar rahi hoon…I have just got Dari from school…"

"Okay…"

"Daddy daddy!"

"Yes my love…"

"Miss Susan gave me a teddy to take home today…"

"Really…? Darya ko teddy acha laga…"

"Hmm…bahut…!"

"Dari baby, let daddy work…" Raina intrudes in the middle as she stops and waits on the red light.

"Daddy are you working…?"

"Maybe…"

"I love you Daddy…"

"I love you too my Princess…"

"Shaan we're almost at Grand Central…Dari and I won't take that long…and remember we have that Greck-o-Roman showing tonight…try and be home around six as I have to be there at seven…"

"That's today…"

"Yes…did you…"

"No…I…I will be home...take care of Darya…"

"I will…and pick a tie please…"

He hangs up from his end not wanting to respond to Raina's last comment…Shaantanu Sachev is not much of a socialite like his wife Raina… he is very opposite in fact…the sense of maturity and complexity isn't just a part of his professional persona…it's who he is as a person…very closed off even ignorant at times from the world…

………………

"Khanak...? Kuch interesting find kar liya kya…? any place you want to see or go to…" Armaan questions while she browses through his IPad for events just as he had told her to after handing the gadget in her hands and keeping his focus on the wheel.

"Umm…"

"Come on…nothing…what do you like…? Nightlife…?? Arts…? Movies...?"

"Arts…?"

"Yeah…like Theater, Opera, or Museums…? Anything you wish…"

Her eyes did came across this particular invite for the Art screening over Grec-o-Roman style and design…she had been infatuated with the monumental Parthenon a long time ago and the invite did manage to rekindle her curiosity for it...she just wasn't sure if her husband would like that sort of a thing…

"Yeh invite…umm…jo Upper East Side Museum ka hain…is it for…"

"Let me see…" He gestures to lift the IPad so he can take a peek at what she is talking about. "Oh wow…I forgot about this…A friend of Dad's is one of the organizer's…you want to check it out…?"

"App ko koi problem…

"Nahi Khanak…it will be fun…I'll admit to not being the artsy geek lakin I am a people person…aur tum bhi vahaan hogi…I won't be completely bored…" He smiles widely at her and gets only the same small smile from her…she goes back to her browsing and he focuses back on the road.

P.S: Please Critique...

nice update...waiting 4 shan and khanak meeting...

lovely update jenny

like armaan's and khanak conv

loved the conv betwaan shaan and darya

lukin fwd to the shanak part

update soon

hei jenny,
u didnt answer my question in prev comment reg darya..but now after reading this update i'm very much worried abt her..is she having serious health problem??
did that caused a ridge in his relation with raina??
Mr.Forbes hope he'll come around now in terms of accepting his loss..i felt so..
Khanak n armaan..hhhmmm..so khanak is not a socialite..same with shaan..
hhhmmm..both the families r going to the same place..so will shanak meet again??no idea abt armaan's character yet for me..
do continue soon..

Tie, Black, and Beyond…

"I am so very sorry Shaan…Dari and I got held up…the traffic was just…" Raina walks in through the front door of Sachev's household with Dari trailing behind her…her scurry and rush is obvious by the way she is stuffing her jacket in the coat closet….Shaantanu is dressed without a tie.

"Hey Munchkin!"

"Daadddyyy!"

Shaantanu scoops his daughter up in his arms and hugs her to him...Raina gets his isual acknowledgement and she rushes in towards their room…she has got fifteen minutes in total to get dressed and head back out…her presence at the opening is mandatory…

"Park mein maaza aaya…?" Shaantanu questions lovingly as he helps Darya out of her heavy Jacket and Boots…his care for her is incompatible with any of his other relations.

"Yesss..!! Ducks…daddy…hum ne ducks ko kaana kahaya…" Darya's response in her toddler tone is just adorable…Madhavi took most of the credit for Darya's capability of understanding and talking in Hindi…it's not perfect, but it's sweet.

"Hmm…next time main bhi chaloga saath..."

"Promise Daddy…?!"

"Haan meri Princess…I promise…!" He seals the deal as he carries Darya in to the living Area…Madhavi is in the kitchen fixing her grand-daughter a little snack…

"Shaantanu Darya ko yahaan lay aao kitchen mein…paranthas tayaar hain…!" Madhavi calls out from inside the kitchen and before Shaantanu could lets Darya down from his arms…she slides down on her own…rushes to the kitchen.

"Darya bhaago nahi…araam se…!" He goes after her, giving her precautions that she must follow for her own good….a part of him always worried.

"Daadi Maa…! App aagayi…!" The little one stood hugging her grandmother's legs…Madhavi bends down and picks her up with her warm smile…Shaantanu breathes a sigh of relief walking up to them.

"Haan meri jaan…app kay liye toh aana he tha na…"

"Maa app aur kitnay din Mrs. Avinaash kay yahaan rehnay vaali hain…? Ghar vaapis kub aaye gee…Darya misses you a lot…aur main bhi."

"Beta she is not well…open heart surgery kay baad voh akelay kaisay rehti...bus thoday dino mein unn ki beyti University se vaapis aajaye gee toh main yahaan vaapis aajao gee…"

"Thoday din means a few days Maa…issay se na zaayada aur na kum…"

Madhavi nods and gives him her promising smile…Darya gets her attention as she tries to reach for the plate of parantha's on the counter-top…Madhavi gets busy with her and Shaantanu looks on…content with the fact that his daughter is under the most genuine and trusting care in the world…Madhavi had been nothing but supporting and loving with her grand-daughter from day one…Shaantanu appreciated that a lot and he could never be thankful enough for all that his mother had done for his child and livelihood…

"Shaan…lets go…I am ready…!" Raina calls out as she steps out while slipping her diamond studs in her ears… she is wearing a well fitted black dress that reaches barely down to her knees...Raina's preference of western wear has always been very attractive and modish…it's the lifestyle that she was born and raised in…

…………………

Armaan and Khanak were back at the penthouse after their lunch outing…She spent time talking with Yuvraaj Uncle over the phone while her husband indulged in his afternoon nap and then his IPad later…she felt somewhat at ease but nowhere close to her usual normal self…adjusting in progressing, you could say…

While Armaan gets himself ready for the evening…she busies herself in picking out something formal…she remembers seeing the flyer and how it was advertised as a social event…she couldn't decided what formal would be appropriate for it…her mind and heart were both for a particular black sari in her bag…

"What's up Khanak…? Something wrong…?"

"Ermm…voh…mujhe…"

"Oh come on…tum keh sakti hoon voh jo sooch rahi hoon…"

"Aggar main…if…main sari pehno toh theek rahay ga…"

"Oh…! So that's the worry…mujhe laga something is terribly wrong…"

"Main pehn lo…sari…?"

"Yeah…go ahead…and don't feel the need to ask what you should or should not wear as long as it is appropriate for the occasion…hmm…?"

"Jee…"

She goes back in the room once he resumes cuffing his designer dress shirt...it doesn't take her long to drape herself on the very elegant sari that one of her friends in Delhi had gifted her as her going away gift…the designer label on it made her realize how very expensive it must have been…but the way it looked on her figure made it worth it, even though she didn't let her mind indulge in self-praise…

When she stepped out the room looking stunning in minimal make up and wavy locks reaching down her slim back, Armaan glanced up momentarily from him phone and acknowledged her with an approving nod…she was relieved he didn't express any dislike or aversion towards her choice…

…………………..

"Shaan please put on this tie before we head in…"Raina gave yet another attempt in getting Shaantanu Sachdev to conform to social norms of formality.

"I am already dressed up as it is…I don't see the dire need for this…"

"This is not something that will kill you…it's just a tie…

"I don't want to wear it…now you head in and let me get the car to the valet…"

"So you won't do it…even for me…"

"Raina please…let this one go…" He reaches over her and opens the car door on her side…she gives him her final suggestive look and the tie…he takes it from her hand and places the tie in the glove box. "Head in Raina…tum late ho rahi hoon…"

"Yeah…Tie…please..." She is unwilling to give up as even after getting herself out of the car she turn to make another plea.

He drives up to the valet and before getting out of his Lexus he glances at the closed glove box…takes a brief moment to think about it…reaches for the tie inside and then gets out the car…the polite valet takes it and gives him a token for the parking which he will need to turn in once he is ready to leave…

……………..

"Khanak I need to get the car to the valet…you can head in…that's the entrance…I'll be there shortly…"

"Main...main akelay…"

"Just through the enterance…it won't be long…"

"Okay…a minute…?"

"Yes…you can count, if you like…" Armaan gives her a reassuring smile and a gentle squeeze to her cold palm...she froze still on that physical contact but managed a small smile before stepping out his fancy convertible.

……..

Shaantanu Sachdev is contemplating on putting on the tie he is holding in his hands…Khanak Armaan Malik is walking up the same corner to get to the entrance of the museum…He takes the tie and puts it around his neck but before giving it the last knot, he changes his mind…he has never been a tie person... She is walking through the crowd of couples and people that seem excited for the event but with her gazed fixed on the entrance she misses a step and her perfect balances falters…Shaantanu Sachdev had made his turnabout at the exact second her arms yelped for support in the air…he became her support…her frame in his arms resembled one of those snow globes with a dancing couplet inside…seconds…moments…an entire minute ticks on before she opens her closely shut eyes…he had recognized her already…the "stranger bride" his mind clicked…!

"Err..I..um…"

"Just a second…" He pulls her up while gently removing his hand from her bare waist under the chiffon of her beautiful sari…she wasn't cold or frozen at his touch for some unknown reason.

"I am sorry..I…"

"It's fine…your ankle…app theek hain…?"

There is something strangely familiar in his tone…she looks up properly when he speaks a familiar tongue…her senses recollect their first meeting…

"Jee…app…?"

"Airport per millay thay…"

"Jee…Thank you…again…"

"That's all alright…but app ka shoe…is it okay…?"

"Hmm…"

An awkward silence fallows the moment…they hear all sort of chatter from the people passing them by…he has no clue why suddenly the color black is so beautiful…why her petite frame in that sari with her waving curls look so appealing…her nervousness and lowered lashes personifying her timid nature...he felt a gush of something odd…indescribable…

"Shaantanu….Shaantanu Sachdev…last time naam exchange nahi…"

"Khanak Goy..Ma…Khanak Malik…"

He nods inquisitively, obviously her nervousness had gotten the best of her and she had cut him short and divulged her name a moment too early…

"Khanak…you are here…? I didn't long now did I…" Armaan appears from behind soon after he spots her at the street corner while heading towards the entrance to the museum…She had turned when her senses recognized Armaan's calls…Shaantanu stood two steps back looking out to her…

"Main voh…"

"I know you must be counting down that minute…I am not super late…am I…?" Armaan takes her by her hand and begins to walk her down to the entrance….

She didn't realize it but her attention went back to him on her third step way from him…he was still there with that strangely familiar look on his face…she is going to remember his name and his crisp white collar shirt without a tie, paired with pinstripe formal pants…remnants of their moment will linger on in their subconscious without their cognizant knowledge…she keeps her neck turned looking back at him for as long as she could…he is no different by not leaving the spot until she could no longer be seen in the crowd...they will meet again...shortly.

P.S: SO they finally met...do shares your reactions and predictions please.

Finally an update

it was superb

as always love dari's and shaan bonding

i really like how in each and every update u write sumthing that always shows their differences

i mean all 4 of them

i like armaan's way of handling things or i shd say the way he is making efforts to make khanak feel at ease

yipeee they met

their meeting was lovely... em glad they recognized each other and simple intro

i loved it even more that she turned back and keep on luking at him and he either didn't leave the spot

lukin fwd to more meetings and interactions

plz update soon... asap