MehRya SS: Forbidden - Ch5 Teaser pg 14 04/08 - Page 7

Chapter #3

"Your speech, Bhaiya; was it well received? What am I saying: of course, it was!"

Having just shut the door in order to give them the privacy they would need, Shaurya was glad that, for the moment, his back was to Vicky since he was certain his face would have given away precisely how he felt about his brother's words. Deflection had always been Vicky's go-to defense, and it appeared that today was to be no exception. But then, Nehal's earlier declaration of how hard Vicky had worked to earn his attendance at this year's conference came to mind, and he squelched the thought, willing for the minute to give his younger relative the benefit of the doubt. Maybe, he was actually interested in knowing. Still, Shaurya did not answer him until he took the seat next to the bed that put him more-or-less at eye level with Vicky.

"As I expected it to be," Shaurya replied without a hint of modesty. "I doubt many disagreed with my points, and as I hoped, my address confirmed a 7AM foursome on the golf course tomorrow morning with the investors I know can support us with the expansion plans I have in mind for the company."

"Hell yeah, Bhai," Vicky answered clearly elated for his mentor's success.

"I should be at the driving range brushing up on my golf stroke this afternoon, but I'm not. I would really like to know why."

Shaurya recognized that it was a brusque comment under the circumstances, but he felt his brother would have been warier if he had suddenly taken a sentimental approach with him. The fact that he seemed to have no qualms about responding told Shaurya that Vicky saw nothing out of the ordinary. Which was what he wanted. Patiently he waited for the younger man to find the words that would justify why they were where they were today.

"I've found her, Shaurya: the woman I want to share my life with. My life-partner. I'm in love, Bhaiyaa."

Both Shaurya's jaw and fists tightened as it took everything in him to refrain from going ballistic.

"A f**king woman, Vicky," he fumed. "You were going to end your life because a damn piece-of-ass rejected you! What the bloody hell is wrong with you?"

"End my life?"

Hesitating when Vicky interjected, Shaurya watched as his brother's confusion gave way to pure, unadulterated anger, as he grasped what else Shaurya had said.

"I will kill you...injured or not, I will kill you if you ever refer to her like that again Shaurya. And just for the record she hasn't rejected me at all. How could she when I haven't..."

Shaurya raised a hand. "So, you didn't try to kill yourself..."

"Are all of you crazy that you actually believe that I could do such a thing? Perhaps a couple of years back," he continued, before hastily amending his statement. "I mean to say that a few years ago when I was more out of control, more reckless then maybe the chance was greater...but even then, I loved life too much. The fact..."

"Bas Vicky...ok ...just tell me what this great love of yours has to do with what happened today: the abbreviated version."

"The rock formation that I fell from; she has it on her Instagram page, and since the beach is only two minutes by cab from the hotel, I took advantage of the morning break to leave the resort to visit it...to scope it out as a potential proposal site. I knew that I had to be careful, Angel had forewarned me that it was dangerous before she pointed me in the right direction. And I had to convince her of that, she definitely didn't want me up there. Anyway, I went up and took a quick look around, and decided it was the perfect spot. I remember taking out my phone and then, I don't know what happened Bhai. Somehow, I stumbled, toppled over, and then I remember being more scared then I've ever been in my entire life. The only thing that ran through my mind was that I would never see her again...and that Nehal would never know the extent of my feelings. I just thank God there was an angel in the vicinity."

*******

Owing to rest that Vicky would need for his recovery, it was less than an hour later when the car they were travelling in pulled up to the hilltop resort. Exiting the vehicle, Shaurya reached to assist his mother out and then waited for his PA, who had stepped out on the opposite side. Before he could speak, the previously silent young woman, bravely stood in front her supervisor, and requested a moment to talk to him. After assurance from his mother that she could manage on her own for the interim, Shaurya gestured for his assistant to proceed with him in the direction of the lobby bar. "I do not know about you, Nehal, but I could use a drink about now." They commandeered seats in the corner of the mostly empty saloon and placed their orders: he a peg of Scotch and Nehal a fruity cocktail. Downing his before Nehal could hers, Shaurya dissuaded the waiter who approached him for a refill; holding off for now pending his assistant's confession. He didn't have long to wait even though the young woman's head remained down, almost in her drink as she began speaking.

"I will prepare my resignation letter as soon as I go back to my room, Sir. Since it's so late in the day, I will stay the night, and check out in the morning. By then I should have found accommodations that are in my budget. I will also document that the company is authorized to deduct the cost of my return flight home from my final wages," she added.

"As per usual you have worked the entire situation out before I can even ask, with the exception of the foremost concern, which is why you are resigning in the first place, Nehal."

Her eyes, still red from the tears that now made more sense to him, rose to courageously meet his, which he was glad for. Having heard his brother's version, he was keen for what his PA would disclose.

"Section 7.2 of the employee handbook clearly states that fraternization between co-workers within the same division or department is strictly prohibited. Under the circumstances..."

"Is this your way of letting me know that you have been having an affair with Vicky, Nehal?"

"Nahi Sir... definitely not...well not exactly. What I mean to say is that we have become close. For some time now. He first approached me to assist him with a few matters, nothing that took me too far from my day to day responsibilities; and from there we developed a...a friendship. A very good friendship," she insisted.

"And in the course of this... friendship, did you become intimate in any way with my brother?"

Her complexion took on a fiery hue "He holds my hand; every chance he can, but never anything beyond that. There have been times when I suspected that he may have wished to go farther, but I was wrong, and he never did," Shaking her head, she reaffirmed this. "Never Shaurya, Sir. I knew of his reputation; so, I was extremely cautious being around him at first, but there never was a need for concern. I suspect that while he found me helpful, I was not the sort of girl he was attracted to."

Considering that he knew different, the information Nehal was imparting was more pertinent than she even knew. His PA was not wrong in indicating an awareness of Vicky's reputation. His standing as the typical rich playboy had been the bane of the family for the longest time, and it hadn't been above Shaurya to have to intercede to save the family name on many an occasion in the past. Now, to his utter amazement he was learning that his brother was for all intents and purposes courting the distressed young woman sitting across from him, in a fashion completely at odds with his womanizing ways and had been for close to two years. Shaurya smiled at the waiter who had re-approached, indicating that he would take that refill now, and kept his thoughts to himself for the moment.

It was evidently too much for his PA, who reaffirmed her decision. "So, now you see why I have to quit."

"Actually; I do not, Nehal, not at all. From everything you have told me, you have not overstepped your boundaries in any way that would hinder your employment status."

"I love him Shaurya Sir. After coming so close to losing him today, I realized that I love him with all my heart. It would be improper...and if he wants..."

"If he hasn't proposed then there is no issue." He noticed her face blanching at the thought of her feelings being unreciprocated, and regretted upsetting her unnecessarily, when the reality was Vicky's declaration had been forthcoming. Resolutely, she shook her head. "That's not the point, Sir. It would be unethical for me to remain."

Shaurya continued as if she hadn't spoken at all. "To be honest, I would hate to lose you as an employee, Nehal. How about you hold off making any decision, until things settle down, and then we proceed as we deem necessary, thik hai?"

"As long as you promise that if it comes down to it, that I am the one leaving, and not Vicky. He has made such strides at his job. He is totally committed to his work, and making the family and you in particular, proud, Sir. I do not want this matter to affect him; please."

Shaurya hoped Vicky knew how fortunate he was to have found and earned the affections of such a woman. Her devotion and concern for his wellbeing was admirable, and Shaurya would loath if the feelings his brother had expressed were just a passing fancy. He felt no shame in admitting that in this case his loyalties lay with the steadfast woman who had worked for him, and he would certainly not let her jeopardize her career for his brother's philandering ways. On the other hand, he couldn't discount Nehal's words. In addition to his efforts to impress his family, Shaurya suspected that much of Vicky's progress had been done with her in mind; that the real person he hoped to impact by working hard was Nehal herself. Maybe not at first, when the vibrant, attractive girl had caught his brother's roaming eye...but now...

"Thik hai, this is how we are going to handle things for the moment. You are going to hold off any decision for 24 hours."

"It won't change my mind, from doing what is right, Sir."

"Be that as it may, I am still asking this of you. It has been a traumatic afternoon for all of us, so I suspect we all need come time to collect ourselves." He reached across the table and took her hand. "Since we will be unable to see Vicky until tomorrow, I suggest, nahi I am ordering you to put any pending work aside, and..."

"And what Sir, spend the night contemplating everything? I do not see how that will help me."

She was right, Shaurya supposed. Down-time may not be exactly what the emotional girl needed. Off the cuff he changed tactics. "Actually, I was going ask something else of you. I need you to locate an angel: the rescuer," he clarified, assigning her the task of identifying the lifeguard, that could have easily asked of the liaison officer who had been assigned to them. "We have much to thank her for, and I think we should meet her as soon as possible." Nehal obviously agreed as she enthusiastically nodded her head. "Ji Sir, your mother said the same thing. By the time you finish with your golf game tomorrow morning, I will have the details you need." She saw hesitation cross her boss' face and instantly shook her head. "You worked far too hard to even consider cancelling with those investors. I will handle anything that may come up in the interim."

Shaurya couldn't help but smile; having heard basically the same thing from his brother before he left the hospital. If nothing else Nehal had proven a positive influence on Vicky, nurturing the character that had been latent in the idle boy Shaurya had been raised with. Whether not his brother deserved it, or Nehal, was another matter entirely.

*******

As soon as she parked her scooter, Mehek noted that the liveliness she had returned to in the form of the identical boys rough-housing in the yard. So much for their martial arts classes stemming the boundless energy that flowed through the twins. If anything, it looked as if they had gained their second wind, which is probably why Mom had sent them outside. She had barely put her bike on its stand before the double bundles of energy made a beeline for her. " Laddoo Didi!" Stepping away from the scooter, Mehek braced herself just in time, when the two sturdy little boys barreled into her. Unbidden, tears came to her eyes when she thought how much she would miss these two when she left. "Thik hai, let's see what you two have learned today. You know I'm going to need all the tips I can get when I am away and alone." She let them drag her to the lawn where they demonstrated what had been imparted in their lesson. At one point, Mehek furtively corrected them, having gone through the same lessons at their age, and then followed their instructions, effecting the defensive move with ease.

"You did it Didi!"

"Of course, I did Sensei Dev, cause you and Sensei Ravi are the most awesome teachers I've ever had."

"Unh-unh," Ravi piped up, "it's because you're a super-hero Laddoo Didi. We heard it on the radio!"

"The radio," Mehek asked in confusion.

"Yup on the drive home. And then after we heard it Mumma called Papa on the phone and let him know. And now Papa is coming home early too. Is dinner almost done Didi? It sure smells good, and we're starving!"

As if the words had spoken him up, the siblings watched as their father's company car pulled into the driveway. Immediately deserted in favor of their parent, Mehek stood aside as her rambunctious brothers offered up a similar greeting to their father, forgetting all manners when they rushed him. Grinning, Mehek watched as the pair were greeted lovingly and then sent on their way, when Sushil Sharma saw that his eldest stood just to the side. Belatedly, the twins realized their error, and before they left their father, they both bent down to take his blessings. Smiling his approval, the businessman sent them on their way, and then waited for his daughter.

Folding her hands as she rose, Mehek smiled. "Namaste Papa, did you have a good day?"

Sushil nodded, and then studied his first born. "How are you Beta? I hear you've seen some excitement today. Are you okay?"

"According to my brothers I'm a super-hero Dad, so how can I not be," she replied with a grin, and then sobered. "It was rough Papa. At one point I didn't think that we would be able to bring him back."

"But the important thing is that you did."

"Haan, and hopefully he will make a full recovery." She gave herself over to the support that had always been there and stepped into her father's waiting arms. "I was so scared Daddy, you can't believe how much."

Sushil held his daughter. "I'm so proud of you, Laddoo. And being scared is natural; even super-heroes are human at times." He sighed when he heard her laughter and hugged her tighter, before noticing his wife standing at the door smiling at the two of them. "Chalo Mehek," he whispered "Whatever that is your Mom has cooked smells amazing, and I'm starving."

"Like father like sons, Mehek teased, as side-by side they approached the house. "And actually, I cooked. A new recipe that I hope everyone likes."

"Saving a life and getting dinner on the table, maybe you are hiding a cape, after all, Laddoo,"

"Just a day's work for your average independent modern woman," she joked. "I think I will pack a small tiffin for Vicky and take it to him tomorrow."

"Vicky?"

"Vicky... Vicky Agarwal that's the guy I rescued. He is here for that huge conference going on at South P. He's from Delhi, so I figure he may appreciate it more than the hospital food."

"Th...that would be very...kind, beta."

"I probably should pack it before the twins are ready for dinner; they're starving too apparently,"

Sushil let his daughter precede him through the door and stopped in front his wife. Her worried expression let him know that she had heard the tail-end of the conversation, and she reached for her husband.

"A coincidence: nothing more, nothing less. India...let alone Delhi is huge, the chances that there is any sort of connection is remote at best. You have nothing to fear, my love," the worried woman whispered to her husband. Sushil nodded in agreement, because that was what was expected of him, but for the first time since Mehek had decided to pursue her passion was he anxious for his daughter to be on her way to start her studies. The sooner he could put more distance between his Laddoo and the past he would protect her from the better it would be. Above, thunder clapped and the heavens opened up as stormy weather from an unexpected system, reached the vicinity. He tried not to consider the inclement weather a portend of trials to come, but for the life of him; he could not.

*****

If you had asked him last night, Shaurya would have all but considered his pending tee time to be cancelled: such was the storm that settled over the island to stay for most of the night.

It hadn't stopped him from preparing for the meeting that was due to take place on the greens; going over his project notes for most of the evening. After a late check in with the hospital on Vicky's condition, and ensuring that his mother and Nehal were settled for the evening, Shaurya had reviewed the portfolios that Nehal had previously complied on Khanna Industries' next venture, until he decided that enough was enough. He would have to rest at some point.

Only then, when he lay abed, did he reflect on everything that had happened and the current situation he now faced. Vicky and Nehal: even if they came to an understanding, there were other factors at play here. Two families would also have to reach an accord, and he recognized that it was theirs: his and Vicky's who would pose the biggest problem. Any potential risk to her access to the family wealth, especially a bahu who could turn her son's attention from her, Svetlana Mami would fully oppose, and when it came to Vicky's father; well Shaurya wouldn't wish his repugnant uncle on anyone: simple as that. Thankfully a work-around was not needed immediately; something that Shaurya knew he had to thank Vicky for. His and Nehal's association could have taken a turn for the worse if his brother had not chosen to act the gentleman with her. Although personally, he could not fathom reaching at point where a single woman would rule his emotions to that extent, he was in fact pleased for his cousin. His choice if nothing else was impeccable. Women of Nehal's ilk were few and far between; he had met few who were as virtuous.

"Shit," he mumbled; his train of thought interrupted when he checked the time. Any further thought on women virtuous or not would need to be pushed to the back burner for now. He had rest and then a critical game of golf in his immediate future.

... No to mention, the little voice in his head said, the opportunity to meet and thank another one of these rare women...should Nehal be successful that is.

Chapter4