Valley of Flowers

Chapter 5

'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. 'Narenji, 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 Narenji 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.'