Chapter #33
Acknowledging her guest's likely inability to hear her, Mehek knocked on the bathroom door a little harder than she normally would. "Mel, she called out over the pelting shower water, "I grabbed the things you asked for and have laid them out on the bed. I'm going to call the driver and see if he will be available for eleven, thik hai?" A muffled affirmation, thanking her and wondering if they should make early lunch reservations somewhere, was her reward, which had her smiling. Despite their late start this morning, precipitated by Mel's persistence in seeing if she could glean more information about hers and Shaurya's night, Mehek was relieved that her friend seemed in a far better mood than she had been the night before. "How hungry are you," she asked outside the door separating them as she pondered where they could go before they ran their few errands on this rare occasion that saw both of them off work at the same time. However, before they could make any progress, Mehek's attention was taken by a knock. She walked to the entrance and after checking the peephole, opened the door.
"Good Morning Ms.Sharma. I'm from the Henry P Leu Gardens." Holding one of the daffodil arrangement before him, the man then stated the obvious. "I have a delivery for you."
**PING**
...I have no idea if this will be a regular practice for you Shaurya, but these OTT overtures are not necessary. I hardly need anything more to convince me of your intentions...especially after last night.
As soon as Shaurya collected his personal items after they had gone through the security screening point, he noticed the incoming message from MS and smiled. Mission accomplished he thought, as he put his jacket back on. As a precaution, he patted his inside pocket, satisfied when he felt the ring box that had been placed there. Safe: secure. Not even trusting the exquisite piece to his carry-on luggage, he moved quickly to his gate so that he could answer her in the minutes before his flight boarded.
...Overture; not at all, Dost. Consider it homework: an assignment to keep you out of trouble until we next meet again. Past and present, I have taken care of. Like I said last night, the flower that represents our future will be one of you choosing. I have only provided the opportunity for you to fulfill your work. Are you up to the task, Dost?
More than ready Mehek thought as she considered the items in front of her. Besides the sweet floral arrangement that reinforced the memories of their night, she had also received instructions on how to maintain the plant, in addition a pair of books from the curator of the garden. The subject of both were the nature, characteristics and meanings of what looked to be every flower known to man, as well as a personal invitation to meet with the curator, should additional research be necessary. She shook her head over how determined the demonstrative Shaurya was. A warmth enveloped her as she thought about her "assignment. She was sure that a full accounting would be expected, and then that her final selection would be incorporated in some other flamboyant scheme of Shaurya's. That was a guarantee, for if nothing else, the man she had chosen was one of a kind , Mehek surmised with an amused shake of her head. She bent her head to key her response to him
*********
He was later than he thought, and now with precious minutes, and much to do in that time, Shaurya took his seat in the first- class section of the airplane. After he gave his suit jacket to the cabin steward, he placed the ring box that he was unwilling to let out of his sight, on the armrest and immediately telephoned his PA. He would arrive in Delhi at noon tomorrow, and it was his intent to hit the ground running. Rest on the fifteen-hour flight would be imperative, as he would allow only sufficient time to freshen up before he began his quest for Mehek to become his completely. First and foremost, would be somehow getting the blessings of their families for their alliance: an insurmountable task at first glance, and something he knew that he would need his mother's aid for. She would, at his behest do her part gladly which included getting his father on board with his decision, but he knew that he would need to hedge his bets to get the job done. While allowing the elders of the families to take the lead, he would personally seek to solidify links with those it would be wise to have his and Mehek's corner from the get go. The Sharma siblings, would be key, he knew.
As soon as Hina answered his call, he directed her to advise his mother of his pending arrival and then to reach out and schedule a private luncheon for the next day at White Chilies for him and three guests.
"Sir, that will have to wait. I'm afraid you have something a bit more important to deal with before anything else."
"Excuse me?
Unfazed, his right-hand woman continued. "I am going to conference in Rajiv Sir. He has been anxious to reach you before he left for the day. He indicated that he has left a number of messages in the last twelve hours, which you haven't acknowledged, it concerns India Super Cook." She added before unceremoniously placing her boss on hold.
********
Practically shoving his mobile in Mehek's face, the chef showed her the log of unanswered calls, which had begun the previous night and then picked up again earlier that morning, after a very short respite. She had never seen the man in such an agitated state. "Malik, wait...calm down."
"Nobody has seen her since the two of you left to attend the gala last night. Neither this morning. I had someone track down her roommate and she said that she wasn't home when she left, which means she didn't reach home last night. How the hell am I supposed to be calm?"
"Stop," Mehek said blocking the man's path and stopping the frantic, dizzying, pacing in her living-room which had started as soon as he barged into her flat after she opened the door to his urgent knocking. "Sit. Let me get you some chai. Shouldn't you be at Saana anyway?"
The man tapped his temple with two fingers, "Are you mad Mehek," he asked. "Don't you understand what I'm saying? How was I supposed to work today..."
"And do you really think I wouldn't have made sure that she was okay after last night," Mehek spat out in return, losing her patience with him. She closed here eyes and took a deep breath. "Why didn't you just telephone me, Malik?"
"Right, like you would even have had the time for me now that you have decided to make a go with that..." he paused when a noise in the back of the apartment distracted him. He turned in the direction and then back at to her in condemnation.
Mehek shook her head; already she could see that he was misinterpreting things, something he excelled at. "It's not what you think, he left hours ago. And not that it is any of your business, the furthest he got to my apartment was walking me to my door". She stole a glance at her watch and moaned aloud, realizing that if his flight home was on time that he had already left, and that she hadn't sent her message back to him. Hastily she grabbed her phone and typed something that at least he would have once he landed. And then she turned her attention back to her visitor.
"Look Malik..."
The man swiveled and walked past Mehek, when the young woman he had been seeking suddenly appeared looking the complete opposite as he felt: rested, refreshed, guileless.
"Mel... I've been looking for you."
"So, I've, and probably the whole complex has heard." She folded her arms in front of her. "Well here I am, so you needn't worry. As a matter of fact, you can leave now and get back to your life, now that you are assured that the immature, silly little girl in me, didn't do anything dire."
" Mel...Melissa, at least let me explain to apologize."
"Completely unnecessary," the young woman answered readily dismissing him. "Is the driver on his way, Mehek?"
"Actually, I wasn't able to reach him. Perhaps Malik, since you seem to be free, you can drop us?"
"Of course. I have no.."
Melissa frowned at her friend. "Ah well in that case, I think I will take a rain check on lunch," Mel interrupted. "I'll just go back to my place, she indicated, determined, to have nothing to do with the man. She made her way to the door, and slipped through it before either chef could respond.
"Don't," Mehek said, when Malik was about to give chase. She grabbed a nearby bag containing her dress and Mel's outfit from the previous night. "How about you drop me to the drycleaner's and then we can see about bringing her back some lunch. Maybe by then she will have cooled down enough for you to have a chance of talking to her."
******
The first five minutes of the drive passed in silence, but then as if neither of them could contain their thoughts any longer, they both spoke at once.
"So, after everything he put you through, you've let that man back into your life."
"Malik, how could you have treated Mel they way you did last night?"
Malik spoke first after a brief hesitation. "I was...I am a fool."
"Yes, yes you are, but in your defense, you have only gone on what you have seen. I haven't been exactly forthcoming about everything, so if...perhaps you thought otherwise... badly of Shaurya, then it's not your fault. But Malik, Shaurya has never been your competition. Their association is nothing like you imagined, from either side."
Mehek glanced over and saw the man's jaw tighten. He remained silent before he made a telling disclosure "I didn't even believe myself a competitor; not until last night, when I realized the identity of her Handsome'. And then I saw red."
A wry smile came to Mehek's lips "Green you mean," she countered "Definitely green." She sobered immediately. "And you have no reason at all. Despite the outward facade, the real Shaurya Khanna is nothing like you would expect. You have been a good friend, Malik. If anyone deserves full disclosure, it's you. I was devastated when I returned, and with just reason, or so I believed. However, one lesson I had to learn is that when it comes to Shaurya Khanna is that nothing is simple. What I thought he had done, that he had seduced one of his contestants, he hadn't done at all. It was all a ruse, by someone who for reasons of their own, wished to create a scandal."
Thankfully they had just turned into the parking lot of their destination, because Malik's first response was to slam on the brakes and look incredulously, at his passenger. His expression said it all, as he gazed pitifully at the naive woman beside him, who had been duped by someone far more worldly and manipulative than her. He guided them into a parking spot and then tried to speak to her without blowing up at the young woman who was so far in over her head. He gripped the steering wheel, as he sought for the right words. "Mehek..."
"I know it sounds crazy. Even to my ears it seems hard to believe, but there are other factors, ones that only Shaurya and I are privy to that allowed me to recognize the truth behind the lies... when I calmed down." She flicked her hair over her shoulder. "You see, before Shaurya Khanna and Mehek Sharma came face to face and went head-to-head on India's Super Cook, there was KK and MS: two strangers who found each other online and became friends." She checked the time on the car's dashboard. "Let me drop our dresses off, and then we can grab a bite. I'll message Mel, to see if she wants me to bring her something."
In the end, the telling of her- of their- story took far longer than anticipated, but once she began recounting it, she couldn't hold it in. it was as if getting out the full scope of what she had had gone through out in the open was a catharsis that she needed. Notwithstanding the benefit of making Malik understand the man behind the reputation, which in turn, she hoped would allow him to concede that Shaurya's dealings with both her and Mel, were completely above board, Mehek acknowledged another reason for speaking out. If, somehow, she could manage to convince someone as opposed to Shaurya as her headstrong friend was, she knew that she may have an inkling of a chance of a similar result when it came down informing her family of her relationship with the man. A simple case of practice making perfect, she supposed.
They had finished their meals plus two cups of chai, and the waitress had just brought her the gourmet sandwich that she would take back to Mel, when Mehek felt she had divulged all that she could. She bit her lip: feeling far less confident now as she waited for something, any sort of feedback from her friend.
It came in the form of him grasping the takeout bag from Mehek, an action that revealed exactly where his priorities lay. "Do you think she is starving enough to accept her meal from anyone?"
Mehek chuckled, and took the sandwich bag back. "I wouldn't bank on it. Not today anyway. When we get back I'll take it to her and then meet you up in my flat. There is something I think may be of better use for you."
Malik nodded and then paid the tab. "You haven't chosen the easiest of routes for yourself Mehek Sharma," he said suddenly as he stood and motioned her to do the same. "With such a high-profile man, you will be subjected to all sort of extremes: some good, some bad. But as a friend, I have to respect your decision. I may never see entirely eye-to-eye with him, but your history with him, has to count for something."
Mehek hugged him.
"Thank you, Malik."
The tall man returned the embrace, and nuzzled the top of her head. "And, yes, you are welcome for the practice run, Mehek Sharma. Mind you, I don't think your Chachi will be as easy as a sell as I though."
Mehek pulled back and looked up at her fellow chef. "I may be a complete idiot in some regards, but there is still some functioning grey matter in my head, the man muttered sagely."
**********
The adage of when one door closes; another will open, was never more appropriate than right now, Uday thought as he sauntered down the corridor heading towards the station's conference room. He was mere steps from victory. With ISC in full crisis now, his growing influence was now allowing him to take the direction he wanted for the reality competition. Although the public tussle he had expected to take place had never occurred after his initial subversion, Shaurya Khanna had done all the hard work for him. By going AWOL the show's principal had provided the perfect window for a far better result; one more in line with Uday's original idea to ramp up the controversy level of the popular series. Dealing with Esha, who now ignorantly thought she had some rights over him and had begun making irrational demands had been an irritant, but the steps he had now taken, and more importantly, had gotten the network executives on board with, would soon rectify even that. He smirked as he thought of the chef who would replace the hotelier as the third judge on the show. She had it all: charisma; sex appeal, and was completely beholden to him for getting this opportunity. She deserved it, he thought, as he reminisced how far she had gone for her chance in the spotlight. Her skills were definitely not contained to the kitchen, and he couldn't wait for their next encounter. She had the potential to go far, and provided she tow the line, in accordance to his aspirations, he would help her as much as she deserved. A win-win situation. They had already agreed that one of her first acts was to work to eliminate Esha as a contestant, and once he had rid himself the petulant young chef, Uday will move India's Super Cook in the direction it should proceed. The TRP reward would be worth it.
Unrepentant he walked into the conferenceroom, expecting to command the get-together that had been scheduled in advance of the re-start of the show's filming, but was stopped in his tracks by discovery of a meeting well on the way.
"Uday Bahi, come in...We thought you would miss the meeting, but you're here at last," a smiling Shaurya Khanna offered as a welcome. "Chalo Bhai, I have the best of news to share with you."
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
