Getting the recent project was a huge success for a not-so-old company. The next morning, Arjun made an announcement.
"Hello, everyone, we would be happy to let you know that our company has cracked one of the biggest deals. Yes, we got it. But it doesn't end here, it's just the beginning. We have to show them that we deserve it. So keep up the good work going on. But, but, that doesn't mean we wouldn't celebrate it. We are going to a small success party next Saturday evening. I invite you all to attend along with your family. So, that's all."
The whole office started clapping at the good news and for the party. The excitement touched everyone with the staff started chattering among them.
In the midst of all these Ananya saw the glow on the man's face. He was happy, truly happy. She couldn't say and that made her happy.
Ananya was about to enter his cabin when she heard him talking to his father excitedly.
"Dad, you won't believe we got the deal. The client was a tough nut but he doesn't know that I am a tough nut too."
Ananya couldn't help smiling hearing him talking about his achievements to his father like a kid telling his parents about him being first in class.
Arjun was facing the window and engrossed in talking. She slowly entered with the lunch.
As Arjun turned after ending the call he saw the woman of his life leaning against the door watching her amusingly.
She was looking extra gorgeous today with the white shirt tugged under the blue jeans with her high heels on. Her hair was held in a ponytail showing the skin of her neck. Pearl's earrings were cherishing her ears. He couldn't help but stare at her pink lips. The bare skin of her collarbone was calling him like a magnet to touch his lips there, bite there. He gulped. Desire consumed him as his thoughts got more sinful when his eyes moved towards her chest which got lost behind the shirt. His fingers tickled to tug at those buttons that were hindering the view. Damn, he wanted her, he wanted her so bad.
Ananya raised her one brow noticing him staring at her. When he didn't stop she cleared her throat. He finally came to his sense and smiled at her.
"Sneaking in your boss's cabin?" Amusement laced his voice.
"You were busy. So I just helped myself." Ananya said shrugging, finally removing herself from the door. She came forward and pointed at the lunch packets.
"I brought lunch for you."
Arjun came behind her. He hugged her from behind snuggling his nose in her neck.
"Hmm," Ananya shivered at his humming. He was touching her but not fully. His lips hovered over her skin but not kissing. Her mind was desperate for his caressing her sensitive skin.
"We are having lunch together?" Arjun asked still holding her.
"No," she said breathlessly. She needs to get a grip. Ananya scolded herself in her mind.
"Why not? Aren't you eating?" Arjun asked again.
Ananya freed herself from his embrace despite his protest and turned toward him.
"We are in the office. What will others think? It won't be right."
Hearing her words Arjun locked the door of his cabin. Ananya looked at him in confusion.
"Now, no one will see it." He said smilingly.
"So, where is your lunch? We need to get it from your office?" Arjun asked.
"No, it's here. With yours?" Ananya said.
"And you didn't want to have lunch with me?" Arjun smirked while questioning her.
"I would have taken mine after giving yours? I just came to bring yours." She answered smirking back.
"Really? Ok, now that the matter of people seeing us no more, can we finally eat? I am hungry." Arjun said while taking the packets and setting them on the spare center table with the sofa.
After they ended eating Ananya was about to leave, when Arjun stopped her.
"Get ready by 3. We are going somewhere."
"But..."
"I need to tell you something. Remember you asked me in the morning what I was thinking." Arjun reminded her of their early discussion.
"What is it? Tell me now." Ananya asked eagerly.
"Not now. We have works to do. Remember, Ms. Roy?" Arjun questioned her with a fake bossy tone.
Ananya rolled her eyes at his pretense.
"Fine, boss. Whatever you want." With that, she left keeping behind an amused man.
They met at the parking, again.
"So, good to go?" Arjun asked.
"Yeah"
"So, another beach date?" Ananya asked her seeing him driving the car in a different direction.
"Date? Kind of? Beach date? Nope." Arjun replied without telling much.
The place was a little far from the usual crowd of Mumbai. The greenery was seen here more. The horn of vehicles sounded less. Their car stopped in front of a house. named 'Anuradha Homes'.
Ananya turned toward Arjun in confusion.
"You will see." He replied while getting out of the car and coming to open the door for her like a perfect gentleman.
They entered the house together. As they crossed the front patio Ananya noticed a small garden. The noise of children's laughter reached her ears.
Then she saw the kids playing in the garden. 3-4 kids sitting in a corner with their books, the nerd ones probably. Some kids are laying in the grass. There was also a dog lying under the tree while a girl rubbing its back with full concentration. One girl of 7-8 age probably flying bubbles sitting beside her. The rest kids are busy chattering.
The girl flying bubble first noticed their appearance. Her eyes brightened seeing them.
"Hey, it's AJ bhaiya." She shouted in excitement attracting other's attention.
Ananya can see the joy in their eyes while they came running towards them.
"Hello buddies, how are you all?"
"We are good and you? They replied in union with so much enthusiasm.
The girl with the dog looked at Ananya. The dog roams around her legs while its tail moved like an antenna.
"You are pretty, but we don't know you." Ananya felt the girl was curious but cautious. She held Arjun's hand. Arjun picked up her in his lap and the girl hugged him with her little arms. Ananya felt like crying out of joy seeing such a cute scene.
"Who is she, AJ? Is she your girlfriend?" Was that jealousy she heard in her voice?
Her eyes almost looked at Arjun in a 'how could you do this to me manner'. The girl seemed to be in her fangirling moment.
"That's a friend of mine, Pihu," Arjun replied softly.
Before Ananya could answer she felt a tug at her hand. When she looked she noticed one of the kids crawling in the mud, was holding a bunch of Rongon flowers with a mischievous smile playing on his innocent face. The boys looked the same age as the girl. As Ananya took the flowers she saw one of the brightest smiles ever.
"I am Pablo and you?"
"Hmm, Pablo the artist?"
"Nope, Pablo the cricketer." The boy answered confidently.
"Ok, I am Ananya but you can call me Anu Didi perhaps."
"Ananya, nice. I'm Pablo but you can call me Pablo." The boy said following her manner. "But I don't want to call you Didi. You are so pretty. I could be your boyfriend." The boy answered looking at her mesmerized.
A laugh was heard. Ananya turned to see Arjun watching them with the second brightest smile of the day.
"Well buddy, then we have a little problem there. She can be your friend but girlfriend, she already has one." Arjun answered playfully.
"Who is he? I am sure I am better than him any day. I could play cricket and will be a famous batsman like Virat Kohli, Could he?"
"Ah, for that to happen it might be a little late for him. If he had known he had to compete with the future batsman of India he could have tried." Arjun said in fake seriousness.
"That's what I thought." The boy replied confidently.
This time Ananya couldn't help laughing at their banter.
"Arrey Arjun, you came. We were just looking forward to seeing you. Every year your father used to come, this year you. The kids have also got attached to you very fast."
"I had to. Have all the gifts arrived?"
"Yes, and you are? Has Arjun finally got his dream girl?" The lady asked teasingly. Ananya couldn't help the blush creeping up on her cheeks.
"Well, there is no reason in hiding it. She's Ananya. Ananya, this is Meena Aunty, the care-taker of this home "
"Oh, You take care of these kids?"
"Yeah, but not alone. I have helps. Nice to meet you." Ananya felt a warm vibe from her.
"So, Congratulations Arjun. When is the marriage?" Meena asked with enthusiasm.
"We'll see, but whenever it is you will know surely."
"About marriage, I am not sure, I just got one more proposal here. One of your boys just asked me to be my boyfriend, isn't it Pablo?"
"Oh, he's a charmer. So, have you met all the kids?"
"Not yet."
After that, the kids introduced themselves. The kids were bright, naughty but innocent. Arjun and Ananya distributed the gifts and the food. Arjun also donated a cheque.
The whole afternoon they spent with the kids. The kids warmed up to Ananya fast, even the introverted ones too.
Ananya noticed how carefree, playful Arjun was with them. He didn't mind ruining his white shirt with dirt. Well, he became a kid. It's noticeable that he genuinely loved them.
"So, you and Arjun? You two look good." Meena came standing by her side.
"Thanks" Ananya replied shyly.
"I am glad that he finally got someone in his life who makes him happy." He's a true gentleman."
"The kids love him," Ananya said with proud eyes watching him.
"Yes, but he wasn't even with them much. You may know he was out of the country. Lately, he started to come here sometimes. The kids got attached to him in no time. His father also used to come when he was not here. But Arjun is their favorite."
"If you don't mind me asking. Anuradha is Arjun's mother's name?"
"Oh, you got it right there. It's an orphan home built by Arjun's father in memory of her. He loved his wife very much. Unfortunately, she passed away at such early age. But this father-son duo never forgets to celebrate today's day."
"What is it, today?"
"Arjun didn't tell you! It's his mother's birthday."
"Ohh." Ananya felt a lot awkward at the sudden revelation.
"Don't mind. He doesn't like to talk about his mother much. But he's a gem and I'm sure you are too. Take care of him and yours too."
Meena gave a pat on her back.
"I will." Ananya said assuredly.
"Now I have to go. We'll see you, again?"
"Maybe."
After some time the girl with the dog came to sit beside her. Ananya watched she wants to say something.
" Hey, what is it?"
"You love him?" She asked looking up at her with her innocent eyes. There was a sadness in those little eyes Ananya could feel.
"I love him too. So if you are together, that means you are family?"
"Hmm, maybe."
" I want a family too. I don't have one."
" Hey, you too have a family. You have all these friends."
" But I don't have parents." Ananya's heart broke seeing the little girl sad. The World is really cruel to some people.
"Hmm, let me tell you one secret." Pihu looked up eagerly hearing the word 'secret'.
"I didn't have parents too. But I have my grandmother. We two were family. But trust me I have never had the chance to stay with this many friends. We were only the two of us. You are lucky on that part."
"And when you grow up you can make your family." Arjun came to them sitting in the middle of them.
"Like I am making mine." He said the words looking into Ananya's eyes, not sure if the other girl heard or not.
*****
Ananya Roy was an unexpected, uninvited but not unwanted turning point in my life. She came and she took it without any announcement. What did she take? That was a simple answer. My heart, mind and it's about time she takes my soul. She came silently, and just like the first raindrop kissing the earth after a suffocating heated weather she drenched him in her comforting cold breeze.
Arjun Singhania had always lived with his loneliness and had never minded it much. Though he never had the fortune of a lack of friends. Let alone his handsomeness, his charisma, attitude, and aura of leadership have attracted people. He always knew what to do, how to act, and how to treat people according to their parts in his life. But Roy, with her his equation got messed up, and sudden confusing, baffling emotions have complicated things. The unanticipated attraction was too much perplexing for him to react. She appeared, messed with his emotions, and disappeared by accusing him of her broken engagement. Only he knew, in his subconscious mind, he was guilty of the crime committed by his eyes which searched that face in the crowd, by the utterly haphazard traffic, or, under the glamorous light of Mumbai, in the ever-artistic curvature of faces.
And like the first touch of warmth after a cold dreadful night, she was standing there in front of him as his employee in all her glory. His heart fluttered in anticipation or relief, he didn't know. And like color dissolving in water, she dissolved in his life. It was about time he falls madly in love with her. He tried to resist her at first with his anger, distant attitude but his control broke. Ananya was just that unavoidable enigma for him. Her innocence, that unuttered sadness hid behind her deep brown eyes, her helplessness, they made his dry heartache in discomfort. At the same time her stubbornness, rage, and fierceness challenged him to the point of him losing his calm.
And that way one fine morning he realized the inevitable. Ananya Roy had already curved her place within his heart. That acceptance alone released a burden on him. That relief densified a little more when she said yes and followed behind her saying it back. But today he was waiting for another 'Yes' for her to say.
It was almost 6:45 when the kids went into their respective rooms. Arjun and Ananya sat outside on the swing while the cool evening breeze caressed them.
"It's your mother's birthday. You didn't tell me."
"I was about to."
Arjun suddenly pulled out something from his pocket and took ahold of her right wrist. He put a gold bracelet there.
Ananya felt overwhelmed by his gesture.
"Arjun?"
"I wanted to give you this for a long time. First I thought to give you a ring but thought maybe when we have our engagement officially." Arjun stated with love.
"Arjun, you have already given me too much. It was not needed."
"Of course it was. If it's not me who will shower you with gifts?" He asked teasingly.
"Not saying that. But who gives such valuable gifts to their girlfriend on such a daily basis."
"So what? If you think just because we are girlfriend boyfriend stage I can't give you valuable gifts, then marry me? Then you don't have to hesitate. Marry me, Ananya Roy."
Yes, he finally said it.
Hello, guys hope you all are doing well. Here is the chapter. Please let me know how is it. And please please please vote share and comment.
Stay safe and be happy ❤️
05.06.23