Illusions Of Perfection

Chapter 2 - I'm Meet, Meet Hooda.

Precap - Meet Hooda is running late due to the de-tours she's had to take. She reaches her destination finally, only to discover that it's a mistake.

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Ahlawat residence, Chandigarh, India.

'She called me a delivery boy! I'm not.'

The firm, yet feminine voice was sufficient to support her claim. But there was something else underneath it, like... self-respect? Pride?

Meet Ahlawat looked closer.

The girl standing in front of him was barely five feet, something, and yet her bright, clear gaze, held him rooted to the spot. He turned to his sister, instead.

'What..er..is the problem, di?'

'I was telling her that there's no one called Priya, in this house, but she insisted that the package is for us. And then she mocked me!'

'Sorry madam ji. But it was you, who called me illiterate. Look, the address says, 502/ 4 - Sector 17, Chandigarh. I can read too, see!'

The impish twinkle in the girl's eyes riled up Masoom again, like petrol to fire. Her nostrils flared.

'You see bhai! This rustic lowlife, this...'

Meet held up a hand, blanching inwards at his sister's disrespectful words. The delivery agent's eyes bore into him, plunging daggers visually. This girl was no simpleton. He was going to have to bear the brunt of his sister's haughtiness, soon enough.

'Di, I'll handle this, okay. She's just doing her job.'

Masoom threw up her hands in exasperation. As her brother steered her towards the living room, she could only follow. He towered over her slim, willowy build, after all.

Meet turned towards the girl.

'I'm sorry for that.' He flexed his hand, adjusting the bandage, 'But there's actually no one with that name, here.'

'The package has your address, Sir ji. Here,' she thrust it into Meet's hand, briskly. 

Easy! His face contorted with pain. The bandage bloomed red.

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Hooda House, Shahbad, Haryana

Anubha, O Anubha! Where is the ghee? This jar is empty, didn't you tell Meet? This girl, she never listens to me carefully, I've told you to...',

The heavy, staggering steps approaching her bedroom made Anubha grasp her pallu again, wiping away her tears hastily. She couldn't let Amma ji see her this way. It would lead to a barrage of questions that Anubha wasn't ready to deal with now. She got up from the bed, hobbling towards the door of her bedroom.

'Amma ji, why did you climb the stairs again? The doctor has forbidden it, isn't it? I was coming downstairs, myself.'

Amma ji waved her off. 'Anubha...What happened here?' She gestured towards the scattered papers near the wardrobe.

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Ahlawat residence, Chandigarh.

'I...I'm so sorry Sir ji, I didn't...', her eyes mirrored the shock she felt. 

How did she miss the gauze-wrapped hand? Oh right! she'd been too busy glaring at him, expecting an apology. Since, when did she start caring so much? It wasn't the first time that customers had been rude to her. So why now? Why him?

'It's fine, I'm fine.' His eyes belied the assurance of his voice.

Great job! She'd managed to argue with a customer and injure an innocent man too. Her cheeks burned in shame. What was happening to her?

She was looking at his bemused expression now. Thank God! At least he'd stop hurting. Her neck arched from looking up, he was so gigantic! Something solid was pressing against her palm. She looked down to a massive hand nestled against hers, imprinting it with the diamond on his finger.

She eased her hand out of his, transferring the parcel to the un-injured one.  

Meet pretended to stare at the plain, brown box. He checked his phone, for messages of this particular delivery. None turned up. Finally, he peered at the agent again. 

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The Regent Clubhouse, Chandigarh.

'This canopy is more important, put the carnations here. Yes? The tables should all have silver runners with blush pink napkins, white cutlery, complementing the glassware and the honeysuckle candles on each of them. The music...'

'Boss! You, okay?'

Vishal gripped the steel back of the chair. His heart rate was alarmingly elevated and bile rose to his throat. He was pushing himself, too far. But he had no options left. It was his last chance to redeem himself or he'd better kiss his inheritance goodbye. The floor swam before him.

'Boss! You need to sit down.'

He felt a cushion underneath. Vishal took a deep breath, trying to calm the the rising panic inside of him. If the paparazzi saw him puking his guts out, it would make the evening news, for sure.

'Thanks Kunal. I..I think I need a minute, here. Can you go see Mishki?'

'Sure thing boss. I'll meet you at three.'

Vishal watched his assistant turn towards the dais. Mishka Sonya, Mishki, was a family friend and the event manager. She had reporters eating out of her hand, these days. The paparazzi loved the youngest entrepreneur of June, 2022. And, she was drop-dead gorgeous too. Some people had all the luck!

But if things went according to plan, tonight, Vishal would also get a taste of success, preferably with Mishki. She had promised him that, probably as an added incentive. He chuckled!

No wonder she was so famous. That girl had the brains to make it!

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Ahlawat residence, Chandigarh, India.

'I...I'm very sorry, Sir ji please...'

That chirpy vibe a few minutes ago, was replaced with a sombre, mortified tone and Meet Ahlawat felt personally responsible for it. It was instinctual and silly!

He'd never met her before and yet, her discomfort suddenly bothered him. This wisp of a girl with short, cropped hair, a denim jacket over a white t-shirt and weathered running shoes, had grabbed his attention from the time he'd heard the commotion at the main door.

It was crazy! This had never happened to him before. What was so special about her? What anchored his attention to this stranger?

'You didn't do it on purpose, Miss...', he waited for her name.

'Meet'

He blinked. What? How did she know his name? Maybe the address on the parcel...

'Yes, hi, I'm Meet, and you are...,' Meet Ahlawat extended his hand.

The shock on her face was a mirror to his own.

'No, I mean Sir ji, ...My name is Meet ... Meet Hooda.'

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