Here's the next installment. Bouquets, brickbats, bring 'em all on😊. Thanks for reading and commenting. If you want a pm, please buddy me. It will make it easier for me.
Chapter 2: KKG-1, ASR-0.
Aadit and Khushi finished their dance, and Khushi excused herself to go find Freddy and bring him down so they could get the launch going. There was to be a diya-lighting ceremony, traditional Indian style, followed by a presser where Freddy would answer questions and plenty of photo-ops with the high-flying socialites of Mumbai who would buy these beautiful, designer clothes once they were available. She rode the elevator to the 27th Floor where Freddy had his Penthouse suite.
ASR strode quickly to Aadit. "We need to talk." He said.
"What about?" asked Aadit, jaw tightening. He didn't like the way ASR had held Khushi's hand, though she had given it back to him in her own inimitable way.
"Khushi Kumari Gupta."
"I don't quite see what there is to talk about Minnie?" said Aadit warily.
"How long has she worked for you?" barked Arnav.
"3 years. Almost 4 if you count her internship. She's very good, our Min is."
"Why do you call her Minnie? Her name is Khushi." Said ASR tightly.
"Oh. That's just our little joke. Minnie for Minerva. Roman Goddess of wisdom, creativity and resourcefulness. She's the only one who can handle Freedy Meek..whom we like to call Freddy Mercury for his Mercurial temper, among other things. And the only one who can calm Mercury down when he's in a rage is our Minerva."
"Are you seeing her?" asked ASR, his heart beating very fast.
"None of your damn business." Snapped Aadit. "And I don't discuss my employee's personal lives' with anyone. You two seem to have some kind of history. I don't really care what it is as long as you are civil to her. And Min won't appreciate my interfering in her business, so I'll say no more. She's more than capable of fighting her own battles." Aadit walked off angrily.
Khushi knocked on the door softly. "Fred, its me."
"Entrez!" came the very soft, but imperious reply.
Khushi walked in to the room to see Freddy Meek dressed in his bright tye-dye Tee and low slung black jeans. His hair was fashionably unkempt. He wore a nose ring and several earrings in both ears. His boots were polished to perfection and he sat on the black leather couch looking faintly unhappy.
"You ready to go Fred?" asked Minnie.
"I haven't heard from Jon-Jon yet." said Freddy unhappily. "You know I can't go out there without knowing Jon-Jon's OK."
"Fred, Jon-Jon is fine. We spoke to Ashlyn right after we landed. He'd had his lunch and was merrily chasing imaginary rabbits round the yard."
"That was 12 hours ago Minnie. What if he's been run over by a car while she walked him? What if he couldn't sleep while Daddy wasn't around to sing to him? What if he didn't like dinner? OhmiGod! What if Ashlyn forgets to give him his favorite pooch blanket? You know the one.." Freddy trailed off unhappily.
"With the ladybugs on it. Yes, I know. I personally went over the entire list of Jon-Jon's necessities with Ashlyn before I left. We've left him with Ashlyn before. He loves her. Now come on, stop being stupider than that mutt of yours. Get your ass downstairs and be the diva we know and love!" Khushi shook her head affectionately. Freddy loved that dog of his more than anyone else in the universe.
"OK. But we need to call Ashlyn right after the launch is done. OK?"
"I promise." Said Khushi, gently ushering him out, rolling her eyes at Jeremy, Freddy's long-suffering personal assistant.
"I saw that!" said Freddy sharply.
"Saw what?" asked Khushi, eyes widening innocently, a small smile playing on her lips. "C'mon Fred. You know I love you." She planted a light kiss on his cheek and walked him to the elevator.
"I love you too Minnie, my love." Said Freddy smiling. They were in the elevator now. He was very tall, and in phenomenal shape, Freddy Meek. 6' 3", 210 pounds of muscle. His eyes were very blue and he had a trick of staring someone into discomfort. Occasionally, faint-hearted interns had been known to have nervous breakdowns after being subjected to a few of his long, piercing glares when their work wasn't up to his very high standards. He put an arm around Khushi's waist and lifted her off her feet with one hand. She was playfully swatting his arm when the elevator doors opened to a fuming Arnav Singh Raizada. Freddy, who still held her above ground level, let her down gently.
"Ahh. ASR! How are you?" Freddy held out a hand. He and ASR had met once, in the UK while the deal was being struck.
"I'm good. And I can see that you are doing extremely well." Said ASR, sneering at Khushi who had disentangled herself from Freddy now.
Freddy turned a puzzled eye towards Khushi who stared at ASR boldly. "C'mon Fred, the launch awaits." She said quietly.
2 hours later, the launch was over with. The press conference had gone well. Freddy had behaved himself and hadn't said anything outrageous. He'd talked of Indian women being the epitome of beauty and poise. And he's mentioned his good friend Miss Khushi Gupta as being one of the inspirations for this collection. She'd gotten Jon-Jon to bark a few greetings to him on the phone, so he'd loped off to bed happy. The guests had all left. A number of people had given her curious stares. The idea of the hired help being an inspiration for a collection of very expensive clothes didn't sit well with the socialites of Mumbai. The Hotel staff was cleaning the Banquet Hall. Aadit had stepped out to escort the last few guests to their car. Khushi sat at a table and stretched out her legs on a chair. She slipped her pumps off. Her feet hurt after all the running around she'd done that evening. She threw her head back against the chair and closed her eyes for a minute, wanting to rest before she had a final word with Aadit and headed back upstairs to her room.
"You've changed." Said ASR's flat voice.
"You haven't." She didn't bother opening her eyes.
"Look at me when I'm talking to you." he bit out tightly.
She opened her eyes and looked straight into his. "I'm looking. Speak."
"How are you?" he asked softly.
"Fantastic." She said, her tone completely devoid of emotion.
"You look it." He said eyeing her admiringly. She didn't crack a smile.
"Anything else you want to say to me Mr.Raizada?"
"Are you seeing Aadit Murthy? Or Freddy Meek? Or do you still keep to your old style and distribute your favors equally?" he asked, voice hardening.
"Who I sleep with is none of your concern Mr.Raizada."
"I know. I shouldn't have said that." He said, in clipped tones knowing he'd been unforgivably rude.
"I don't really care what you think of me Mr.Raizada. I'm here to do my job. I'll be gone in a few months. If you can keep it civil, it will help. If not, I know how to take care of myself." Khushi stood up and thrust her feet into her pumps. She was about to walk past him, when he gripped her hand. "I'm not finished with you yet. I want answers." He said furiously.
Next thing he knew, he was flat on his back on the floor. She stood over him, panting slightly with the exertion of having floored him, Taekwondo style. "Oh, but I am Mr.Raizada. I am. I warned you about touching me." She walked off without a backward glance. She smiled slightly to herself as she stepped into the elevator. Her Taekwondo instructor Sharon would be proud of her.
Arnav lay on his back for a minute, stunned by what she'd just done to him. He picked himself up slowly, and saw Aadit walking towards him grinning. "Told you she could take care of herself. Try not to get on her wrong side too much." He said to Arnav.
"I've only ever been on one side of Khushi Kumari Gupta. The wrong side." Said Arnav quietly.
"What happened between you two anyway?" asked Aadit.
"Ask her. Ask your friend." Said Arnav, before stalking out of the hotel angrily. ASR drove himself back home thinking all the while of her. Of mistakes that had been made. Of things that should have never happened one magical summer 7 years ago.
So, whatja think?😊
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