Valley of Flowers Chapter 20

ARNAV stood a little distance away as he watched Khushi watering the lawn, looking pensive. As the alamanda, plumaria and ipomea bloomed against the clear blue skies, Arnav realized Khushi looked like one the flowers in her baby pink saree.

His heartbeat quickened when he saw a drop of sweat trickling down the center of her curvy back, toward her waist.He went up to her. ‘A penny for your thoughts,’ He wrapped his arms around her middle and pulled her into him, placing a kiss on her neck just below her ears.

Khushi shivered delightfully. ‘It’s just this patch of lawn is drying up and I am not able to figure out why.’ She grimaced.

He reluctantly walked over to the lawn and squatted on the ground, inspecting the patch. ‘I think it has been attacked by termites. I will write down the pesticide needed for this one. Have the gardener spray the lawn with it.’ He took the hose pipe from her hand and threw it on the floor.

‘Now that I have solved this problem tell me what’s really going on with you.’

‘Nothing.’ She said in a low voice.

He pulled her close and lifted her chin,looking deep into her eyes. ‘You seem very preoccupied from the past few days.’

‘I have begun to teach classes every day now. I am not used to it. It’s probably just fatigue.You asked me to change my schedule remember?’ She said defensively.

‘Alright alright…. No need to get so uptight about it.’ He moved her errant lock out of her eyes.

‘Now that you don’t have weekend classes, I will schedule that meeting with Mr Sheik in Agra for this saturday.’

‘This saturday?’ Her face fell.

‘What’s the problem now?’ His brows snapped together.

‘I am choreographing for a show which is on Sunday.’ She said tentatively. ‘I will be busy on Saturday.’

‘You have taken up choreography?’ He took a step back. ‘You didn’t tell me.’

She had been afraid of this but she couldn’t back out now. ‘I didn’t think you’d mind.’

‘I don’t Khushi,’ He paused. ‘It’s just that – I thought -- ’ She saw familiar tightening of his jaw when he was trying to control his temper. He looked at his watch. ‘I am running late a meeting.I came down here to tell you that I have some bank forms for you to sign.’

‘What are they for?’

‘I am planning to open a joint account for us.’

‘Why?’Khushi’s face expressed her dismay.

‘So I can share your earnings.’ He said seriously.

‘Arnav, are you joking?’ Khushi said anxiously.‘What do you need my earning for? I earn peanuts compared to you!’

‘Look Khushi, I have seen many couples fight over finances. I didn’t want that to happen with us.’

 ‘Why would we fight about it?’ Khushi argued. ‘You arranged for my parents to get a monthly income without even asking me about it. Did I say anything?’

‘You just did.’ He bit out.

‘Arnav, I need some space,’ Khushi said wringing her hands in anxiety.‘I have lived by myself for the last five years. I am used to making my own decisions. Don’t try to take over my life.’

Arnav’s face turned into an unreadable stone mask. ‘I was kidding when I told you I wanted a share of your earnings,’ he said, ‘I just thought you could have your own credit card and a cheque book you could use when I am not around.’

The words hit Khushi like a splash of cold water. ‘Arnav, I am sorry I ---’

He walked away from her, his entire body stiff with anger.

A little later, Khushisat down on the floor at the pool side looking at the light shimmering on the surface of the water in the pool.Tears streamed down her cheeks when she thought of the conversation she had with Arnav in the morning. She hadn’t meant to say those things to Arnav but she had sworn to protect the secret about his mother. What could she do?

A week had passed since her encounter with Shyam and she would soon have to arrange for the the 1 lakh the vile man had demanded for his silence. She had received Rs 50,000 as a part of a pending payment from her show, which the producers had finally deposited in her account after a long delay. But she still had to come up another fifty grand. She had contacted Mr Mehta who had told her to perform in a Bollywood based show but she had refused. Though she loved all forms of dance, she had told herself she would never professionally perform in a non-classical dance form. Then he had offered her the position of choreographer which she had gladly accepted.

She desperately wanted to go to Agra with Arnav but how could she refuse Mr Mehta who was kind enough to find her a gig at such a short notice.

I need some space…

Don’t try to take over my life….

When he mentioned opening a joint account she had panicked. How would she be able to draw such a huge amount of money without him knowing?

She didn’t want space.

He was her life.

Why was life being cruel to her when she had finally found happiness with the only man she had ever loved?

All those years ago Sharada Raizada had left no stone unturned to separate her from Arnav. And now, five years later,even though she was no more, she was still doing it – through Shyam.

Sharada Raizada still had the power to haunt her even in death.

On Saturday morning, Khushi found Arnav packing his overnight bag and realized that he was going to Agra.

‘Will you be staying overnight?’ She ventured tentatively. Arnav had been reserved with her since their argument in the garden few days ago.

‘Yes,’ He said laconically.

‘I did try to get out of it, but --’

‘Don’t worry about it,’ he cut her off.  ‘Lavanya will attend the meeting with me at The Oberoi. Send her all the information you have regarding the project. She has time till evening to update herself on this. I will convince Mr Sheik that you couldn’t make it.’

Khushi felt a knife being twisted in her heart at the mention of Lavanya. But there was nothing she could do about this. She had dug her own grave.

Later, at the rehearsals, Khushi went through the motions like an automaton. Her heart was just not in her work. By lunch time, she was dead tired and had a splitting headache. She just wanted to go home, curl up on the bed and sleep.

She overheard two girls sitting nearby, chatting with each other. One girl was lamenting over the fact that her husband had not taken her along for a business trip. And here she had refused to go along with even though he had called her repeatedly. The irony of the situation just struck her with a force of a thousand blows. What the hell was she doing? She was pushing him away into Lavanya’s arms and for what? So she could protect him from a truth that was going to hurt him immensely. What was she doing now?

One hour later, after apologizing profusely for not being able to oversee the final rehearsals, Khushi sat in a taxi, on her way to Agra.

Khushi stood in the lobby of the The Oberoi hotel, oblivious ofthe beauty and opulence of the venue. Her heart pounding wildly, she enquired about the meeting at the reception, mildly surprised when they directed her to the conference room where the meeting was being conducted.

Shetook a deep breath before she raised her hand to knock on the door and tentatively turned the knob.As she pushed the door open, she saw Arnav standing near the white board, a marker pen in his hand, his caramel brown eyes shuttered. Lavanya and a man she couldn’t recognizesat on one side of the table while Mr Sheik sat on the other side with his assistant, Asif.

‘It is so nice to see Miss Khushi,’ Mr Sheik stood up and the other men followed suit. ‘Oh I am sorry, its Mrs Raizada now isn’t it?’ He gave her a warm smile.

‘Please call me Khushi.’ Khushi went red in the face, suddenly becoming the centre of attention.

‘Mr Raizada told us that you will not be able to join us today.’ He mentioned affably.

‘Well, Mr Sheik,’ Arnav walked toward Khushi, his eyes sweeping her from top to bottom, taking in her short kurti and jeans, his expression unreadable, ‘you have been married longer than me. I am sure you are very well aware about wives and their mood swings.’ He directed her to one of the chairs.

Mr Sheik began to laugh out loud at Arnav’s sardonic comment. ‘I am sorry Khushi,’He looked at Khushi, his face crinkled with amusement, ‘but I have to agree with Mr Raizada on this.’

Wishing she was anywhere but here, Khushi took her seat next to Asif, her face flushed with embarrassment. Just because she had refused to come along for this trip, he had gone ahead and brought his – she couldn’t even think of the word without cringing -- on this trip, without even thinking for one moment how she would feel about it. How dare he call her moody?

Khushi sat through the meeting, Lavanya’s hate-filled gaze burning holes in her. It hadn’t helped that she was forced to correct Lavanya, answering Mr Sheik’s pertinent questions regarding the project.It was only natural as she had been the one working on the project from the beginning.

Once the meeting had concluded, they proceeded to the restaurant for dinner. After dinner Mr Sheik retained Arnav and Khushi, while the rest of the group proceeded toward the lobby area.

‘I would like invite you both to my home for lunch tomorrow.’ Mr Sheik said.

‘It would be our pleasure Mr Sheik,’ Arnav accepted.

‘You are most welcome stay at my house tonight.’ Mr Sheik offered.

‘That is so gracious of you Mr Sheik, but I have a room here at the hotel already reserved.’

‘Oh of course,’ Mr Sheik said, his eyes crinkling with mischief. ‘How silly of me to invite a newly married couple.I will see you both tomorrow.’

He shook hands with Arnav and bade them good night. Just as Arnav went up to Lavanya, Khushi walked toward the reception desk and spoke to the girl who stood there. She stepped out of the lobby and moved toward the taxi that drove up to her. Arnav caught her hand before she could reach the car and dragged her to the darkened corner of the building.

‘Where the hell do you think you are going?’ He grated in his husky voice, his caramel eyes simmering.

‘Home.’

‘What the f@#$!’ He swore under his breath. ‘Why?’

‘I came here to attend the meeting and now I am going home.’She said nonchalantly.

‘What about Mr Sheik’s lunch invitation tomorrow?’ Arnav grated.

‘Take the one you have reserved that room for!’ Khushi’s eyes flashed with anger.

 ‘What the f@#$ are you trying to say?’ he asked a little too softly.

Khushi stared up at him in mounting consternation, as his mouth thinned into a hard, angry line. But she had gone too far to retreat now, and, raw with the angry motions which surged inside her, she wanted to see his reaction when he realised that his secret liaison wasn’t so secret after all.

‘Your “good” friend Lavanya Kashyap.’

‘Yes Khushi,’ He grasped her shoulders, pushing her body toward the wall. ‘Lavanya is a good friend – married to one of my business associates, Karan Singhania.’

‘Separated from him,’ she bit out, ‘I have been told it is because of ---’

The words died in her throat as Arnav’s head descended and his mouth captured her lips, shutting her up effectively. Warm and trembling, Khushi’s skin shimmered with an electric response at his practiced touch and she found herself returning the ardent pressure of his mouth,her hands beginning to wind around his neck. Then she froze, her eyes widening as she saw Lavanya standing beyond Arnav, her mouth open with shock. Khushi pushed at Arnav’s shoulder.

‘What?’ Arnav turned around to where her eyes were focussed and then turned back toward her. ‘Relax Khushi, it is just Lavanya. You are behaving like you just saw your buaji.’ He walked toward Lavanya.

‘Hey Lavanya,’ he addressed the shocked woman, ‘this taxi here will take you back to Delhi.’

‘What?’ Lavanya’s eye brows snapped together in confusion, ‘You want me to go back alone?’

‘Of course not,’ Arnav called to the man she hadn’t recognized earlier. ‘Aman will go with you.’

‘Aman?’ Lavanya looked at the other man in dismay.

‘It is absolutely safe Lavanya,’ Arnav lowered his voice, ‘I would trust him with my life.’

‘Why aren’t you coming?’ She asked looking beyond him, to Khushi, shooting daggers with her eyes.

‘I have some unfinished business with my wife ---,’ he told her with a straight face, ‘—which might take the entire weekend.’ He ushered her to the backseat of the taxi and shut the door.

‘Have a good weekend. I will see you in office on Monday.’