"Kartik, in my cabin now" Avinash called for his PA through the intercom.
"Book my tickets to Manhattan for tonight or at the latest tomorrow and make sure other arrangements are in order" he instructed without looking up from his laptop and dismissed his PA.
There was some issue with their partner company in Manhattan which he was in charge of. He hated it when people slacked and that exactly what was happening. They needed a good lesson and he was going to give them just that for the next 1 week. He looked at his watch accidentally and realised the time. He was done for today he knew. Oh how much he wished he had another abode on such days. Now he had to deal with his mom for being late again.
He parked his car and slowly slipped in to the living room hoping and praying his mother was asleep. He quickly put his phone in silent not wanting to disturb anybody and noticed that it was 11pm. He cursed himself under his breath and his eyes fell on his mother who was reading a book.
"Look at the time Avinash Nanda. Even ghosts have their time fixed and then there is you" she sounded angry.
"There was an issue Ma" he said opening the first two buttons of his shirt. He knew he had some pacifying to do. He slipped on the seat nearby and rested his head against her shoulders and closed his eyes for a few seconds.
"You can't be repeating this habit Avi" she warned him knowing he would repeat the same in the next few days.
"Let me fix my dinner. Why don't you go and sleep ?" He tried cajoling her sweetly. Not his forte he knew very clearly.
"Get yourself to your table I am coming with your food. You would eat like a bloody pigeon if I were to let you fix your dinner. You're worse than a kid" she spoke clearly irritated.
He made his way to the table having no intention to rile her up any further. He had an official trip tomorrow which was yet to be disclosed and he was sure of another class coming his way.
"Bas Ma" he stopped her after she served 2 rotis on his plate. He took another roti seeing her pissed off face.
"I am leaving to Manhattan tomorrow night. I should be back in a week tops" he said devouring his dinner.
"What do I even do with you ? I mean you returned 2 weeks back and now you want to go again. Here I was hoping you would stick here for a while" she complained.
"One week max this time" he promised her.
"You better take care. Wish you were the old Avi" she quickly shut her mouth after letting slip those words. His face darkened for a second, reminiscing those dark days. He did not want to think about it.
"Sorry" and she wrapped her arm around his shoulders.
"It's in the past" he replied and asked her not to bother.
"Did a certain someone call you ?" She asked and pulled his cheeks.
"Ugh Ma. I am not a kid. Why would anyone call me?" He replied irritated and rubbed his cheeks.
"Aadhya. The name rings a bell?" She reminded him.
"No" and he got back to finishing his food quickly and asked her to hit the bed after promising to place the dishes in the sink.
"Night Avi ! And call her like a gentleman" she spoke and walked to her room leaving him alone.
A small smile played on his lips upon thinking about her. She literally lived in his head the whole of last week and today all of a sudden he had completely forgotten about her. There was something about her that drew him towards her. She wasn't the typical meek person. She did not want to be recognised by his name and that was all it took to develop something for her in his heart. The way her cheeks burned when he had asked if they wanted to know each other to play her 20 questions. There was an unknown innocence behind all this that made her precious. Well this one week in Manhattan would give him the time to analyse what he wanted to do with her and he decided to show himself to the media this time hoping this reminded her about him in a nice way.
He was in Manhattan and the tall buildings reminded him about the work he needed to do and he really wanted to get back in a week. It was already Wednesday morning. He quickly got ready in his suit and drove to his office,
Her day was never ending . She suspected some virus in the air that was troubling the kids. Dealing with worrisome parents was something that took more energy than dealing with sick kids. Parents expected their kid to have an appetite as that of an elephant even when they were sick and on meds. Making them understand that kids were human beings too just like us adults when sick was tough. She walked to her room tired and knew she needed a shower. But only if her body was cooperating. She managed to drag herself to the bathroom and stood under the shower. The warm water trickled down her body relaxing her stressed nerves. She felt good at the end of her shower and applauded herself for dragging her body. She wore one of her comfortable shorts and tank top then hit the soft mattress and was out like a light.
She woke up late in the morning knowing very well that she had a few consultations lined up for the evening but otherwise she was free. Oh she loved days like these after a tiring day at work.
"What are you doing at home at this time of the day?" She asked Rohan grabbing an apple from the kitchen.
"Off day madam" he replied and lounged on the sofa. Her parents soon joined his brother and they started talking on random things.
Rohan had a sudden itch to irritate his sister. She was happily biting in to the apple and laughing away. He loved pulling her legs and this was the right time he thought.
"Behna" Rohan called
"I hate when you call me this way. Ask now ?" She said knowing her brother was throwing some nonsense at her.
"Any news from our CFO" he asked laughing out loudly.
She threw a cushion at him and looked at him accusingly.
"Replying to your question no we haven't talked" she said.
"Don't tell me you don't have his number Aadhya" he asked unbelievably.
She shrugged her shoulders and told her parents about her brother flirting with a nurse
"Yesterday the nurse's station was pretty colourful. All discussing about our talented gynae" she said and laughed at him.
"That's healthy flirting Aadhya and no hanky panky stuff. Plus it's Dr. Rohan Chopra's charm" he said lifting his imaginary collar.
"Now both of you shut up" their mother silenced them and switched on the TV.
Avinash Nanda flashed on screen in full glory. He looked the same as in real. She rubbed her eyes to make sure she really was seeing him on screen. He was wearing a dark blue suit and his stubble had pretty much grown in to a beard. His hair neatly set. That guy was good looking every single time making her heart beat go wild. He was being interviewed for something and from the interview it seemed like he was not in India.
Rohan was upset watching his sister's eyes glued to the TV. She definitely did not know about his whereabouts and did they not say they wanted to know about one another. What was the story here he wondered. He wanted to be sure that his sister wasn't saving the CFO's ass. She sure was not a person who go to protect someone after barely knowing someone but this was strange. She had blushed that day and nothing looked fishy. He saw the way they looked at one another, the way he rubbed her back when she choked on her food and their silent goodbyes. Rohan could irritate her all he wanted but no one gets to fool his sister . If anyone mattered the world to him that person had to be his sister. He looked at her again and once again he saw the red hue flashing on her cheeks. She wasn't a bimbo to fall for his charms. What did the guy say he thought and found nothing specific on TV, then was she being goofy about he wondered.
"Aadhya, you are blushing" he said as a statement but his demeanour had changed completely.
Her cheeks heated up more on being caught.
"Let's be serious here. You don't have his number, you had no clue that this guy had taken off and here you are blushing at nothing" he interrogated.
"It's all fine Rohan. Trust me" she said and meddled with her phone.
He pestered her again.
"It's nothing Rohan. You will know when everybody else knows. Now shoo" she shut him up and continued checking something on her phone.
Their parents asked him to keep quiet. They trusted their daughter. And they were confident that this son of Nanda wouldn't fool their daughter with his charms. The guy was a workaholic and no one could change that. Well they were surprised to see him on screen but nothing was out of place and so they let it be.
Aadhya was in another world. Checking her phone was just a pretence. She remembered telling him that she would find things about him on TV or internet only the things he wanted to show. She was smart enough to know that he wanted to convey that he wasn't in station when he made that statement
"Manhattan is an official visit and nothing more" she did see a small smile that lasted for a fraction of a second before he masked it with a straight face.
Her phone pinged just then and it was Rohan. She glared at him and opened his message. He had shared a contact. And it was his number. Avinash Nanda.
To be continued ~
I have been pumping out chapters on a daily basis as of now. Hope I am doing justice to the characters. Every single like and comment matters to me. Hope you are all liking the pace and the story of course. Thank you again.