Valley of Flowers Chapter 5

KHUSHI paused outside Arnav’s office, looking at him through the open blinds of the glass partition. It had been a few days since their last encounter, but he gave no signs he remembered anything.  She had expected some form of awareness, mockery, even patent vulnerability she had revealed at his almost kiss, but he had chosen to ignore her and swamped her with a mountain load of work.His hard face set in business mode, he was the cold, commanding, high-flying tycoon in full regalia. Then, he looked up.

Aware that her colour was high, she regained her composure before entering the room. It was the way he had suddenly raised his head that had done it, sent her body into an abrupt awareness of him as she had met the piercing caramel gaze so suddenly.

‘Coffee.’ She placed the cup on the table.

‘I have a business meeting at a client’s place in an hour. I will be back by four.’ The husky voice was brisk.

‘I hope your meeting goes well,’ she said politely as her senses registered  the dark hair slicked back and gleaming with health, the sleek planes of his face, with a day old stubble that were far more attractive than any pretty-boy good looks.

‘So do I.’ He grimaced as he shut his lap top settling back in his chair, coffee mug in hand, in a way that indicated his ease with himself and the world about him. ‘But it won’t be pleasant, not initially.

‘I have the impression that these people have browbeaten Akash, and are now trying to back me into a corner and I don’t like that at all, so it will have to be the tough-guy approach, with all the guns firing. They think they have the upper hand, but I won’t allow myself to be manipulated by anyone, and they might as well realise that straight off.’

The way he looked today, she couldn’t imagine how anyone would have the nerve to take such liberties. He wore a black business suit, grey shirt and a tie with wide diagonal stripes in black and grey. She nodded a response.

As he left the room, she felt the odd sensation of being bereft. She rebuked herself sharply for such a dangerous weakness. She was helping him out for a few days. That was all. That was all.

At four, she sat at her desk munching on biscuits dipped in tea when she saw Lavanya walk into the office and  up to her desk.

‘Khushi!’ she exclaimed, ‘I wasn’t expecting you here. Is Arnav in?’

‘He is out attending a meeting across town. He should be back any minute.Would you like to wait for him in his office?’ She stood up and led her up to his office.

‘Bring me a cup of coffee will you?’ Lavanya said as she seated herself on one of the chairs.

‘That is not Khushi’s job,’ Arnav had come up behind her. ‘I will have Raju, our office boy bring you a cup.’ He said taking his seat. ‘Hold on Khushi,’ he stopped her as she made a move to leave. ‘Lavanya will be joining us to help with marketing and PR,’ He waved her into a chair. ‘I have fixed a meeting tomorrow so we can brief her up on what we need.’

‘I don’t think you will need me for that one Arnavji.’ She had no intention of being a dog in the manger, especially when she could see Lavanya shooting daggers with her eyes.

Arnav’s eyes hardened at her reply. ‘I would appreciate it if you could let me decide that.’

‘I don’t work on Saturdays.’

‘You have got to be kidding me!’ He exclaimed. ‘We have loads of work here.’

‘Oh leave her be Arnav,’ Lavanya interjected leaning on the table, in a slightly provocative gesture. ‘I am not free tomorrow either. Let’s reschedule for Monday. And now tell me, if you have decided about tonight?’

‘Tonight?’Arnav said distracted, looking at Khushi typing a message into her phone.

‘I sent you a text earlier ……about the night club – Rockman’s in Gurgaon.’

‘I am not sure Lavanya,’ he said typing furiously into his lap top. ‘There is this proposal ----’

Khushi’s phone rang. ‘Nanheji, I am in a meeting. Can I call you back?’ She disconnected the call.

In a few seconds, Arnav’s phone rang. He picked up the phone and listened to the caller for a few minutes. ‘Alright then, I will bring Khushi and Lavanya and meet you there at nine. Thanks for making reservations.’

‘Guess what?’ he said looking at them both, ‘NK was planning to going with Khushi to the same nightclub.’ He turned toward Lavanya. ‘Since you wanted to go, I told him we would join him.’

‘But I can’t. I have to ask Naniji …..Mamiji…jiji’ Khushi stuttered like a parrot.

‘Leave that to me. I’ll talk to Nani who will talk to Mami who will talk to Payal. Problem solved.’

‘I will have to go home and change,’ Lavanya stood up, slinging her handbag on her shoulder.

‘Do you want me to pick you up later Lavanya?’

‘My apartment is out of the way.’ Her voice was curt.

‘That’s not going to be a problem.’

‘It’s okay. Since you have so much work, you will probably come there directly. I will see you there at nine.’

When Lavanya left the office, Khushi turned toward Arnav. ‘You did that on purpose.’

‘She didn’t want a ride.’ He shrugged nonchalantly.

‘I am not talking about that.’ Khushi stood up. ‘I am talking about us going to the night club!’

‘What’s the problem?’ he asked looking up at her as he leaned back in his seat, his eyes rife with insolence. ‘You want NK all to yourself, is that it?’

Khushi left the room, closing the door with a bang.

An hour later, Khushi sat at her desk typing furiously at the key board of her desk top. What did he think he was doing? Did he think he could fluster her by flaunting Lavanya in her face? Well, she would show him! Tears welled up in her eyes. Why did he have to come now when she was trying to pick up the pieces of her life? Didn’t she deserve any respite from all the drama that had taken place in her life since her parents had been so rudely taken away from her?

Khushi closed the document she had been working on and began to pack her bag. The Laad Governor had ordered that she be ready to leave in a few minutes.

As she sat in the car, adjusting the buckle to her seat belt Arnav said, ‘I can take you home if you want to change.’

‘You think this is a joke don’t you?’ she said still struggling with the clip. ‘I don’t know what Naniji and Mamiji are thinking about me right now.’

Arnav stilled her hand and fastened the buckle in one single click. ‘They are probably thinking that four adults who are well-acquainted with each other are going to have dinner together.’

‘But you are one I am going with.’

‘That’s just a matter of logistics.’ He said calmly. ‘NK lives in Gurgaon. He can hardly come here to pick you up to take you back again so far. Especially, when he has tons of work.’

‘And whose fault is that?’ she shot back. ‘You haven’t made a decision about going to work for VM and poor Nanheji is stressed out.’

‘I don’t understand why people get stressed out about work,’ he said as he turned the key into the ignition.‘I find it extremely therapeutic.’

As they passed the late evening traffic, Khushi looked into the night lights of the Delhi streets thinking about what Arnav had said. In the past week, she had seen him work like a zealot, achieving things that Akash couldn’t manage in one whole month. Having assisted her brother-in-law in the past few months, she had come to the realization that he was a pushover at times, which wasn’t a good trait for any kind of job, let alone running your own business.

They stepped into the elevator that would take them to the night club on the thirteenth floor, and before the door could close, a group of boys entered the elevator Khushi found herself plastered to Arnav.He immediatelyturned her into the corner, his body acting as a shield against the rowdy crowd.She looked up at him sharply.

‘Don’t tell me this is my fault,’ she heard him whisper throatily into her ear. ‘Or would you rather be groped by one of these guys?’

‘I’d rather not be groped by anyone.’ She whispered back.

Khushi felt the hardness of his muscles as her palm lay against his chest and realized he had discarded his coat and tie. The top two buttons of his grey shirt was undone revealing the light sprinkling of hair on chest. As the musky smell of his cologne reached her nostrils, her heart began its erratic dhak-dhak, echoing the beat of his own under her palm. She looked up to catch him staring at her with his caramel depths causing her breath to catch in her throat.

‘Sir, we have reached the thirteenth floor.’ It was the lift attendant.

Khushi jumped up in fright, but Arnav slid his hand around her waist to steady her. ‘Relax, Khushi.’

When they reached the reception, the manager took them to the table reserved for them and Khushi was a little surprised to see Ria sitting there with NK.

‘Hey, you made it on time,’ NK stood up, his eyes reaching beyond themashe pulled a chair for Khushi. ‘Where is Lavanya?’

‘She said she would meet us here.’ Khushi informed him.

‘Hi Ria, how are you?’ Arnav drawled in his lazy husky voice.

‘I am fine, thank you.’ Ria gushed her eyes a little bright.

Khushi recognized the behaviour. Arnav generally had that impact on the female population. With NK on one side and Arnav across from her, Khushi was sure she was totally invisible to Ria at this point of time.

Just as they had ordered their drinks, Lavanya joined them, looking sexy in a cream off-shoulder dress, to contrast her dusky complexion. The mid-thigh costume showcased her long legs to perfection, complete with pencil heel stilettoes. She walked with the confidence of a woman who knew she had turned a few heads on her way here.

Khushi glanced at Arnav, for some reason wanting to see his reaction. His eyes gave away nothing, even though there was a pleasant smile on his lips. He politely stood up and pulled out a chair next to him.

‘We just ordered drinks Lavanya, what would you like?’

‘A cosmo, please.’

Just then a young man came up to their table. He extended a paper napkin to Khushi. ‘If you don’t mind, could you give me an autograph?’ When he sensed Khushi’s hesitation he added, ‘My sister watched your show and is a big fan. It would make her happy.’

Khushi smiled and obliged immediately.

‘So Arnav, how’s AR doing?’ NK asked nonchalantly as the man sauntered away from the table. ‘Is it salvageable?’

‘It’s just been one week, NK,’ Arnav took a sip of his drink. ‘It’s too early to say anything.’

‘That’s true,’ NK nodded in agreement. ‘That company is in pretty bad shape. I once told maasaji to just sell and cut his losses. It’s a lost cause.’

‘I said it is too early to say anything,’ Khushi saw the way his jaw clenched indicating his ire. ‘I did not say it was not salvageable. I am working on it.’

‘So, what do you plan to do about VM?’ NK asked the question that was foremost in his mind. ‘You are obviously going to be tied up with AR.’

‘I do this for a living NK,’ Arnav countered smoothly. ‘Heard about multi-tasking?’

Before NK could say anything, Khushi said in a rush, ‘Would you like to dance Nanheji?”

After they stepped on the dance floor, Khushi observed that people were dancing erratically with no sense of rhythm to a popular Bollywood number, Hookah Bar. Khushi followed the other youngsters and picked up the rhythm in no time.

‘Khushiji,’ NK shouted over the blaring music, ‘you should have changed into something appropriate.’

‘Why Nanheji? Do I look funny dancing in a suit?’ she enquired.

‘No, but you would look so good in a …..skirt.’

Khushi sensed the hesitation before he said “skirt”. He probably meant a hot pink, short, tight spaghetti sleeved dress that Ria was wearing. ‘There was no time to go home and change.’ She answered evasively. She didn’t want to tell him that people in the Raizada household might not look at her too kindly about wearing a skirt and prancing off into night with her not-yet-fiance. She still had no idea about what they thought about her prancing off with Arnav. After a coule of songsRiacame up to them.

‘May I dance here?’ she asked. ‘Lavanya is no fun and Arnav doesn’t want to.’

‘Of course, Ria,’ Khushi said affably, ‘In fact, I am a little thirsty. I will take a sip of my coke and be right back.’

Just as Khushi made her way through the crowd, the man who had asked her autograph approached her. ‘Dance with me?’He put his hand on her shoulder, sweeping her lasciviously.

‘Sorry, she already promised me this dance.’ Arnav interposed himself taking Khushi’s hand in his. He caught the man’s hand and moved it away from her staring at him menacingly. Khushi saw the man wince with pain as he backed away from them.

‘Who asked you to do that?’ she said. ‘I can take care of myself!’

‘Oh really, I didn’t know you were enjoying that.’

As she made a move to shrug off his hand, Arnav dragged her to another part of the dance floor and pulled her into his arms. As the music wafted into the air, Khushi realized it was a slow number TeAmo.

Kisi KoSapnaLageyTu, Kisi KoBehtiHawaa

Kisi KoBaatoon Mein, Kare Pal Mein YahaanWahaan

Pulling her flush against himself, he slid his left hand around her waist and took her hand in his right.

‘So this is what you were after.’

‘What?’ Khushi raised her eyebrows in enquiry.

‘Fame.’ Arnav said laconically. ‘So, men will come after you, seeking your attention.’

‘Do you think I would have go to such great lengths, when I could just wear skimpy clothes like Lavanya?’ she shot back.

‘It wouldn’t suit you.’ A barely controlled temper simmered in his brown eyes.

‘That’s not what Nanheji thinks.’ Her own eyes flashed with anger.

‘Is that why you admire him?’ Arnav’s tone was mocking.

On the crowded dance floor, with dim lights she had enough cover to grit her teeth as she placed her right hand on his shoulder and put some distance between them. ‘No. He’s a very clever man.’

‘That’s true. He was clever enough to choose to work for VM instead of AR.’ Their bodies came together, never quite touching.

‘He wasn’t very keen on working in a family enterprise.’ She said as she twirled away from him.

‘That, or he wasn’t keen on working in a sinking family enterprise.’ He pulled her back.

‘Stop judging him Arnav,’ she admonished. ‘He has really worked hard for this position.’

‘The reason I asked you that question is, though NK is good man to have around – capable, loyal, diplomatic and honest, he doesn’t have the aggression that is needed for the position that Vishal uncle is looking for.’

‘Are you trying to tell me something?’ she said shivering as she felt the heat of his palm, scorching the small of her back, through the think material of her anarkali suit.

‘Yes.’ His brown eyes scrutinized her flushed face. ‘Vishal uncle wants me to accept his offer.’

‘That doesn’t mean you have to take it,’ she said hotly feeling bad for NK.

‘You know I cannot resist a challenge.’ He bent her, arching her back, one hand onthebare skin of her upper back and the other at her waist, his lips just inches away from hers.

‘I hate you,’ she whispered, as her hand wrapped around his shoulder, fighting a hopeless yearning. Being together was so intense, so intimate,she was frightened it might be showing on her face.

‘Your body tells me differently Khushi. Your eyes. It’s something beyond us, that’s all. I can’t put a name to it.’ He pulled back to a standing position and put his hands on her waist.

‘Why is Mr Malhotra being so cruel to Nanheji?’ she lifted her head, her heavy lashes spiky with blinked back tears.

‘He is a business man, that’s all. If I was in NK’s place I would never have allowed myself to build castles in the air. That goes for…..everything.’ His caramel eyes looking into hers, he lifted her up high in the air.

TeAmo….Me TeAmo

TuChaaonhai….TuDhoopHai

TeAmo….Me TeAmo

TereHazaaronRoopHai

As he slid her slowly back, Khushi had the strong feeling that everything meant her.

‘I have to use the restroom,’ she said walking away from him as fast as her legs could take her.

In the bathroom, as she stood in front of mirror washing her face with hands that shook.She heard the door open and looked up as Lavanya stepped in.

‘The dinner has been set Khushi.’ She informed her.

‘Oh, thanks Lavanyaji, I will be right there.’ She smiled at the older woman.

‘Stop this pretence Khushi!’ she lashed out, her mouth twisted in anger. ‘When will you stop coming between Arnav and me?’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘Shut up!’ she yelled. ‘I saw the way you danced with him just now. I know you TV actress types. You are trying to make your slutty move on him aren’t you?’

‘Lavanyaji!’Is that how it had looked to others? ‘I am engaged …almost engaged.’

‘Well, that didn’t stop you five years ago, did it?’ She left the ladies room, closing the door with a bang.

‘Khushi, make some tea will you?’ Sharada Singh Raizda came into the room when she was in the middle of practice. ‘My friend and her daughter are visiting and Hariprakash is out running some errands.’

‘Sure auntyji.’ Khushi stopped her practice and bent down to unwind her ghungroo.

‘Do you think you could make some pakoras, as well? And some sweets too?’

‘Why don’t you get them from outside Sharada?’ Naniji enquired.

‘Amma, it’s not every day that I ask for some favour,’ Sharada said a little irritated with her mother, ‘I don’t think you mind, do you Khushi?’

‘Not at all auntyji.’ Khushi said in a rush leaving the room.

That was the first time she met the suave, sophisticated and ultra-modern Lavanya Kashyap. As she served tea and snacks, Arnav came down the stairs, his eyes staring at her warily. After the incident in the garden they had been avoiding each other meticulously.

Lavanya, having completed her bachelor’s degree in arts was planning on doing MBA and wanted to know what the prerequisites were. Khushi left the room so she could resume her practice as there was nothing more for her do.

Soon Lavanya had become a frequent visitor and in one such visit, neither Arnav nor his mother was home, but Lavanya had decided to wait for them anyway.

‘Khushi, could you come in here for a minute?’ Lavanya called Khushi. She had been up to the terrace to water some of the plants there before winding up to go home. Just as she stepped inside she realized it was Arnav’s room.

His room had a masculine feel to it. Probably, because the bedspread, rug and curtains were a combination of cream and dark brown. The room was large with a king size mahagony bed in the middle of the room, flanked by matching nightstands. There was a green couch on one side accompanied by a coffee table. A beautifully carved wooden artefact, hung on the accent wall behind the headboard. There was nothing appealing to her in the room, except for the black and white photographs that hung on the adjacent wall.

‘Yes?’ she said studying the pictures in fascination.

‘I just cleaned up Arnav’s room,’ she announced proudly. ‘Could you take these old newspapers and magazines and dispose them off?’

‘I don’t think that this is a good idea Lavanyaji,’ she warned her.’ Shouldn’t you ask Arnavji, first?’

‘He will not mind,’ Lavanya said with a wave of her hand, an air of confidence about her demeanour. ‘Just do it, will you?’

‘If yousay so.’ She brought the pile and put in the utility room near the kitchen. Then she went into Naniji’s room to wish her goodnight.As she sat chatting with Naniji for a little while, they heard a commotion and went out to the living room to see what had happened.

Khushi realized that Arnav was yelling at the quaking Hariprakash for having touched his things without permission. He seemed to be asking him about a sheaf of papers that he had kept on his coffee tabl as Mamiji, Sharada Raizada and Lavanya looked on.

The poor man had no idea what had happened and was trying his best to explain that he had not stepped into his room. On seeing Khushi, he turned toward her.

‘Khushiji,’ he said in a low voice. ‘Didn’t you come out of Arnavji’s room with a stack of newspapers?The harried man looked at her beseechingly.

Arnav turned toward her, shaking his head in disbelief. ‘Khushi, did you go into my room?’ he asked her.

‘It was only because ----‘ Before she could continue, she caught Lavanya imploring her not to rat her out in front of everybody. ‘because the room was messy. I …..I took the old newspapers and magazines and put them in the utility room. That’s all.’

‘Who the hell asked you to do that?’ Arnav was livid. ‘Hariprakash, go get the newspapers! I had better find my papers in that pile.’

‘But, Arnavji the newspapers just went in for recycling.’ Hariprakash said meekly.

‘Unbelievable!’ Arnav rasped,his eyes blazing with anger as he strode up the stairs and went into his room.

‘Khushi, why did you have to go and do that?’ Sharada admonished her. ‘You know Arnav doesn’t like anyone touching his things.’

‘I am sorry.’ Khushi said her eyes brimming with tears.

‘This is what happens when you take pity on people and allow them into your home.’ Mamiji said scornfully. ‘You come here to learn dance, not to snoop around in people’s rooms.’

 ‘That is enough Manorama!’ Naniji raised her voiceas she gave everyone a stern look ‘Come with me Khushi.’

Once inside her room, Nani had smiled at her kindly. ‘There is no mistake that cannot be forgiven with a sorry.’ She wiped her tears. ‘Just go up to Chotte’s room and apologize, bitiya. Everything will be fine.’

Naniji couldn’t be more wrong.

‘There is a limit to carelessness Khushi,’ he had yelled.‘Those were designs done by AR designer to present to a client tomorrow morning. This was the first opportunity mamaji gave me and it is all f@#$^% up thanks to you!

Just then he picked up his cell phone. ‘Yeah Aman, did you happen to make copies of the designs?’

‘F@#$!’ She understood from that the copies hadn’t been made. That meant bad news.

‘I am frigging tired of this blasted place and blasted incompetent people!’ He threw his cell phone, which luckily landed on the soft carpet. He strode up to her and caught her arms in a crushing grip.‘You know, if those designs got into the wrong hands they could make a fortune out of it?’ He bodily walked her out of the room. ‘Now just get out of my face! I have an entire night to think about what excuse I can give mamaji for botching up this presentation.’ He had shut the door on her face.

She walked out of the house tears streaming down her face unconsciously aware that the security guard at the gate had bid her good night. Suddenly she had a brainwave.

Early next morning she knocked on Arnav’s door. He opened the door ready to blast when he saw the papers she shoved under his nose.

‘What the ---?’ He saw the two sets of designs, one damaged and torn and other a replica. ‘How?

‘I found out the paper shop’s address from the security who sits at your gate. I went over there to find that the papers had been dumped in a pile ready to be recycled. I managed to get them out but they were damaged. I took them home and copied them neatly onto fresh sheets.

‘I hope you have what you need?’

‘Yes.’

‘Good luck on the presentation.’ She left him staring after her in disbelief.

Just as she left Arnav’s room she heard her phone ring. It was Lavanya. She had been trying to call her since yesterday night. But Khushi had been too mad at her to pick up her call. But she couldn’t avoid her forever, could she?

‘Yes Lavanyaji.’

‘Khushi, I am so sorry for what happened yesterday.’ Lavanya said desperately. ‘Thank you so much for not ratting me out. ‘It’s not that I was afraid of Arnav’s anger. It’s just that I didn’t want to disappoint Sharada aunty. You see, she is going to be my future mother-in-law.’