Posted: August 30th, 2020
| . . . C H A P T E R - 3 . 2 0 . . . B U R N I N G - C A L O R I E S . . . |
"Are you sure I can't convince you to let me drive you to work again?"
Slipping my hands inside the coat, I face Arnav for the nth time. "Yes, Arnav. It's my turn to take Aarav to school, remember? Stop butting in on our bonding time."
He grumbled things under his breath about how he wasn't butting in on that by simply wanting to be a good fiancé. Aarav claimed otherwise, siding with me. "Yes, you are."
"Oh, shut up." Arnav snapped at him, and I swatted his arm instantly.
I scolded him right back, "Child, Arnav." He couldn't be telling a child to shut up and expressing a glimpse of irritation he felt on him.
Aarav chuckled and I helped him put on his sweater vest. When it messed up his hair, he whined. "Look what you did now."
"Don't be such a perfectionist." I teased and fixed his hair back in place for him. "Go on. Shoes."
He ran off towards the entryway where his shoes were and sitting on the floor, started slipping his socks on. I took that moment to peck Arnav on the cheek wishing him a good day at the office and that I'd see him in the evening.
He stopped being his grumpy self with a concerned comment, "Drive safe."
I blinked at him in assurance before picking up my purse and putting the straps over my shoulder then getting Aarav's bag as well and joining him by the door. Just as we stepped out of the house, me holding Aarav's hand, Arnav yelled for Anjali and Lavanya to get down already so they could get to work too.
. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .
Reaching Irani House, Aarav and I walked to the elevator. It dinged before the doors opened and I stared ahead at the clutter. It was almost full as everyone had just piled in to go up to their individual floors.
One of the guys said, "Are you getting in or not?"
As if noticing my concern, Aarav took my hand and nudged me in. "It's okay."
My lips thinned into a forced smile and let him pull me inside the box that had me clench my muscles and stand stiff. Aarav stood in front of me and my hands moved to his shoulders, holding him there protectively so he wouldn't be squashed by the tall adults all around him. Within few seconds, the door opened at the 3rd floor, and a lot of them filed out. Normally I'd get out here too, but given I was taking Aarav to meet Sam, I stayed.
It stopped at floor 4 and 5 and by the time we got to the sixth, it was just Aarav and I. As we walked out, Aarav lifted his hand to hold my index finger, looking intimidated at being in a workspace that wasn't AR Fashion House. I offered him a comforting smile and within few seconds, knocked on the cabin door that belonged to Sam.
As the first time before the interview, he answered with 'Come in'. Pushing the door open, I walked in and Aarav followed. I greeted with, "How's the wife hunt going?" His eyes widened as I announced that in front of a stranger for him. I rolled my eyes, "He's a kid."
Aarav added, "And no one will believe a 6 year old." He left my hand, comfortable with having only two people in the room compared to a whole bunch of strangers. He walked off to the couch and settled at the other end of the same one Sam was seated on.
Sam gulped down his nervousness, realizing it was just a child I had said that in front of. "Who is this?" He asked me, but I didn't get the chance to answer.
Aarav forwarded his hand for a shake, "ASR." I realized that he was like his dad in this too. To strangers, they both offered their initials. Only after forming friendships or for family, they allowed others to call them by their first names. "It's nice to meet you, Sam. Khushi has said a lot about you."
Sam was a mixture of amused and impressed as he shook the tiny hand with his large one. "I'm sorry I can't say the same for you. How do you know Khushi?"
I just let them be, realizing I didn't need to be the mediator here. Aarav could be quite confident when he needed to be. He was a brave kid in that manner. "Oh, she's my dad's..." He had trouble saying fiancé, and so said it in a different statement, "My dad is going to marry her."
"Really?" Sam looked up at me in surprise. I'm sure he had noticed the ring on my finger, but he couldn't have known about a child in the equation.
Aarav nodded, "Yes, finally. My dad's been in love with her for years! But she..."
I ended the topic realizing it wasn't going to the direction I wanted, "Hey, okay. My boss doesn't need to know any of that."
Sam chuckled as he started asking Aarav, "So, ASR, what are you doing here? Don't you have school? As far as I know, St. Johns starts promptly at 8:30 doesn't it?" He read the name of the school from there it was printed on the tie of the uniform.
"I wanted to meet you."
"Oh?"
"Yes, had to make sure Khushi's new boss was nice." Aarav offered the alternative reality, making me smile to myself.
"He can be protective." I said to Sam whose amusement continued to grow.
"So, did I pass?"
Aarav tapped his chin and I could mentally imagine him putting on his thinking hat. "Yes." He eventually answered and Sam pretended to look relieved at having his approval.
Aarav slid off the couch and walked back over to me. He motioned for me to kneel and I leaned down with my ear next to him. He cupped my ear to whisper secretly. "I approve of your choice." I grinned at the acceptance and stood up properly. Then he went back to his mature self, "Now take me to school, lady. I'm late! Jhanvi is going to skin me alive for leaving her alone in first period."
"Okay, okay!" I laughed at him pushing me out of the room with his hands on my back.
He yelled back, "Bye Sam!"
I don't know what I was expecting when I agreed last night to introduce Aarav to Sam, but this was probably not it. He didn't give Sam the third degree. He didn't ask a single question.
After dropping him to school giving the excuse to the teacher that Aarav had forgotten to put his homework in his bag and so we had to go back to get it, I returned to work. I was sure Aarav was disappointed in me for not coming up with a better excuse that would be more believable. Because let's face it. Aarav and forget something? Impossible. Even the teacher had seemed unconvinced at that and Aarav simply had shrugged his shoulders at her.
I decided to take the elevator to 6th floor first to talk to Sam. After a knock and 'come in', I walked in to find Sam blotting a napkin over his brown shirt. "What happened in the 15 minutes I was gone?" I questioned his pitiful state.
He exhaled, "Richa." I followed my eyes to the empty cup of tea and then the dirty spot on the shirt. I could imagine she came on to him and in an attempt to avoid her, the tea fell on him. "I may just have to fire her."
I advised, "Do that, but don't continue to blot that stain any more. I suggest you just change if you have an extra shirt. If you don't, I'm pretty sure I have one in my car. I don't think my fiancé would mind."
"I may take you up on that offer." He gave up on the hopeless stain and dropped the tissue on the desk. "Speaking of your fiancé, mind explaining the kid?"
"Yeah, that's why I'm here. I'm sorry for bringing him to work without notice. It won't happen again."
He waved his hand in the air, "Eh, not a concern to me. It was entertaining to meet him. I'm more curious about the fact that he exists. If you don't mind me asking... his mom passed away?"
"Oh no." I answered right away, wheels turning in my brain as to how I was going to explain Lavanya and Anjali. He just had to meet the craziness hands on to understand it. "Not at all! She's very much alive."
"Oh. Divorced then." He made the false conclusion himself.
I teased him, "Don't be so condescending. You were raised in the States. Do people not hook up there?"
I didn't need to finish the thought as he interjected catching on, "I just didn't think... Okay, fine. My bad for jumping to conclusions." I accepted his version of an apology. "You must really love the guy to look past his previous mistakes. Wait, no. I didn't mean to say it like that. ASR seems like a wonderful kid, ofcourse."
I smiled sincerely, knowing he didn't mean any offense by saying 'mistake'. "He has made many mistakes in the past, but Aarav is definitely not one of them." I let my true thoughts be known. "He has done everything right by him. Makes me love him more."
He smiled back as if getting that sincere vibe off of me. "Sounds like a great guy I should meet. What's his name? "
"You'll meet him alright. Speaking of, this might seem unprofessional given it's my second day and all, but I am going to have a request a week off. I would have mentioned it when I interviewed but I didn't know then that he was going to propose. It just happened over the New Years' and he doesn't want to wait. See, its already been about 3 years so..."
He put a hand over his heart, "I thought we were friends and I don't even get an invite?"
"Oh. Um, well, it's a..."
He laughed at my fumbles, "Relax, Khushi. We've only known each other a couple of days and I'm assuming it's an intimate ceremony?"
I nodded, relieved that he wasn't truly offended.
"Right. Well, ofcourse, take two weeks, but you may have to cover up for the work you miss when you come back if the project deadlines can't be pushed."
"Thank you, but really, one week is fine."
"One week for an Indian wedding when you're the bride? Don't you have tons of shopping to do?"
"You'd think so, but no. Everything's already handled. His sister is handling the outfits and his best friend - ASR's mom actually - is overseeing all the planning. The only thing I gotta do is show up. I don't need two weeks for that."
"Okay, just... explain one thing. You are okay with letting his female best friend who is also his kids' mother plan your wedding?"
I laughed for I understood where he was getting his preconceptual judgements. "What, I can't be friends with her too? Albeit, yes, she didn't like me at one point but she was justified because I may as well have told him to go to hell and walked away while she was there to see what it did to him. So, no, I never held a grudge against her and if anything, I admire what they mean for each other."
He raised a brow, "You almost sound like you have a crush on her."
I shrugged my shoulder, not caring enough to argue with the semantics. I wouldn't know how to put into words my relationship with Lavanya. It has evolved over the months and with our pasts having crossed paths, we've found a way to be each other's support system. "She's a wonderful mother. An amazing friend. Honest to a fault, yes, but that's what gives her character, I feel. She isn't afraid of telling it as it is. She won't spare you the sting of her words, but she's also fiercely protective of the people she cares for. What's not to like?"
In a way, I also used the opportunity to talk her up because Riddhima and I were trying to find a way to set the two of them up. "You didn't tell, by the way. Any luck on the wife hunting?"
He shook his head while informing, "Not exactly. I actually convinced my mom to give me a few months till things here at the office calm down a little before I focus on all that. My dad has kept some serious organized projects here, but there's still a lot I need to learn about taking over the reins."
"Ah. Good for you. Good luck." I wished him, thinking this was for the best. It bought up time as well. "Let me get you a shirt."
"You didn't tell me who your fiancé was."
I hid a grin, "Like I said, you'll meet him eventually," walking towards the door.
"Hey, Khushi?" I turned to face him and he continued, "This may sound creepy, but that's not how I mean it when I say I'm happy for you. You know? I mean, yes, we don't know each other well at all, but I still get the feeling that after a long rough patch, you are at a good place and I'm happy for that."
I smiled, hand lingering on the doorknob. "It doesn't sound creepy, and thank you." His geniality radiated in his words and I'd known he was a good guy since our first meeting. He didn't know this, but he just reassured me that I wasn't wrong to think he would be perfect for Lavanya. Most people would go on without saying things they truly mean.
With that, I went back towards the elevator to get him one of the spare shirts that I knew Arnav kept in the car for emergencies. Given he had multiple cars and he'd take them as per his wish, he had a few stashed in the trunk of each car. Even though this was personally my car that Armaan had gifted, they were in here too since often we took this car to work or quick lunch dates.
. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .
Friday night, I was in my room reading a book while Arnav was in Aarav's room putting him to bed with Lavanya reading him a story. That had seemed to become a routine over the week. Somewhere, a child was afraid to go to bed, worried that he'd wake up and something bad would have happened to his parents. We were slowly trying to get him out of that worry, but for now, we could just reassure him with our actions and eventually he'll believe it that nothing was going to hurt his parents.
With a loud sigh, Arnav crashed on my bed, making room for his head on my lap as he lied perpendicular. "Alas, free time."
I knew exactly what he meant. It had felt as if we hadn't gotten much time to spend together this week. Sure, we saw each other each evening, had dinner, saw each other in the morning, but it was usually with the whole family. Alone times were rare. With the wedding in one week, my parents were also here. We had this discussion weeks ago. Only after Shashank uncle had confirmed that it wouldn't be risky for dad to be on the flight for a couple of hours, Arnav had booked them first class tickets. If Shashank uncle has said dad couldn't fly, I had a feeling that Arnav would have had us all go to Shimla and have the wedding ceremonies there.
Since he was right now in my room, I also assumed that mom and dad must have retired for the night. Mom didn't want to be a bother and had said they could stay with Armaan and Riddhima at the penthouse, but we'd eventually convinced them that those two would be away for work and classes all day and sometimes even night depending on Riddhima's shifts at the hospital. Atleast if they were here, someone could be around if help was needed with dad. Even though Kripa and I were working full-time, Arnav, Lavanya and Anjali had scattered their work hours so one of them could always be home - the perks of being self-employed.
I closed the book when he lifted my arm to read the title, Girl by Edna O'Brien. I disposed of the book on the side table. Reading was one thing I was getting back to lately. I had somewhere lost interest in the last few years.
"Are you trying to depress yourself?" He comments reading the synopsis. I get it. If I wanted to get back to reading, I probably shouldn't be reading about a story of a girl's turmoil as she rebuilds her life after escaping with a child born out of rape.
I felt his chest rise and fall under my hand as the other one absentmindedly brushed his hair. "How are things at AR?"
"Hectic." He reached for my hand and moved it to his forehead as he closed his eyes. Getting the silent message, I pressed my fingers at his temple. "With the new line di is working on, things are all over the place. I am also trying to get this huge bid on next years' spring collection."
"Wouldn't happen to be the one by Spades, would it?"
He peeked through an eye, started to ask how I knew, but shut it understanding. "Okay, we are not going to talk about this." After a second, he grumbled with a frown, "I hate this."
"I know." I agreed, for we were used to sharing everything. We talked about these small things related to work too as a means of getting stress off our chests. Now, we worked for different fashion houses and may as well be work rivals.
"Next topic. Let's see... Oh yes. Aarav kept mentioning Sam. How does he know your boss?"
I played it cool, continuing to massage his forehead. "I can't talk to you about work but there's nothing stopping me from talking about it with him. Aren't there all these secrets you tell him about me?"
"Fair." To my relief, he accepted the explanation.
It was silent for a few seconds before he lifted his hand to tuck my hair back off the shoulder. I realized where his glance was at. My neck.
"Almost gone."
"Yeah." He sat up on his elbow, lifting his head off my lap to give me the space to slide and lay down next to him. Just as I did, he placed the pillow under my head. I shifted closer and rested my head on his chest instead. "Much better."
He expressed his agreement by draping an arm around to rest on my hip and nudging the rest of my body to his side. I didn't close my eyes even after few passing minutes. He seemed to understand I was thinking and not sleepy even though it was close to 11 in the night. "What is it?"
"Remember Monday when you called and I had taken the stairs instead of the elevator?" I started to prime him into the conversation.
Though he took a different route of worry, "It doesn't hurt does it?"
I shook my head, "No! No. I was fine after like five minutes. I would have told you if it was lingering pain. Anyway, it got me thinking. Maybe I should start on a little workout of my own."
Out of nowhere, I was flipped over with Arnav towering over me. I gasped at the sudden change and noticed the mischief in his eyes. "I can help with that."
I caught on to his sexual innuendo - I was getting better at picking those up. I responded by rolling my eyes and pushing him away. He laughed, turning to lay down next to me again. "I'm serious! It's almost pathetic that I get winded just climbing a few steps."
"Not everyone is physically fit, Khushi." He assured me, "There's nothing wrong with that. Besides, I doubt you have the time to join a gym."
"I have the weekends."
He threw that off the table in a millisecond, "Hell no. Weekends are for me, not the gym. And like I said, if you are really that serious, I can help."
"Get your head out of the gutter." I playfully scolded him as I attempted to not blush. I had no doubt that he could help with my workout. My heart started racing each time he was near. I didn't need him to add sexual proximity to the situation.
"Gutter?" He feigned innocence, "I was only talking about kissing! If anyone hasn't told you this before, kissing burns a lot of calories. What were you thinking?" He playfully raised his brows with a smirk on his lips.
I rolled my eyes and turned my face towards him. "I'm pretty sure we had a conversation about how lying is bad manners."
"That applies to Aarav." He brushed it off and I thought the topic was distractive enough, but he nudged at my elbow to get me to turn to him. "Now answer me. What were you thinking?"
"Nothing."
"Yes, you were."
"Drop it." I tried to turn my back to him again.
He pulled me to him. "Not till you tell me what you were thinking."
"Arnav."
Unfazed, he said my name. "Khushi."
"Ugh, just let it go!" I tried again to move.
"What's so bad that you can't say it?"
"Arnav you know exactly what I meant."
He towered over me, "No. I don't."
"Stop it." I warned him to stop this topic and also on what he was about to do.
Flinging his leg over to my other side, he captured me in between. "Come on, Khushi." It could also be counted as him straddling me to stop me from continuing my attempts at turning my back to him.
"I'm tired and sleepy. Stop annoying me."
"Admit it then." He refused to back off, and as for our position, started to lean down while holding my hands over my head so I wouldn't try to push him off.
"This isn't funny, Arnav. Let me go." His eyes found mines and the playfulness did leave. He decided I may honestly want him to move, but the reason wasn't because he was holding me captured. The reason was that I wanted to escape this conversation.
And damn him for figuring out that this wasn't scaring me or bringing off any form of anxiety. He knew I trusted him with me.
He decided to test me by shifting both my wrists into a single palm enclosed over them both and the other to tuck my chin so I would look into his eyes. "If I don't?" His eyes flickered back and forth between my eyes and lips. I knew exactly where his thoughts were headed. In fact, straddling over my tiny frame. I'd be lying if I said I didn't think about kissing him too.
"Why are you being like this?" Why was he pressing this conversation and dragging it? It couldn't be just for his own amusement of seeing my squirm.
"I don't know." He gave the smart answer, and searching his face told me he wasn't lying. It must have been his first thought and went with it.
I mumbled with a sigh, "Well, if you aren't going to kiss me, I suggest you get off me. You're quite heavy."
He chuckled, "How can you so simply ask me to kiss you, but not say..." His face loomed closer and I honestly thought he would abide and kiss me. My eyes closed on their own and before long, he finished by whispering in my ear. "Sex."
It could be the fact that he said it, or said it in my ear, or kissed my neck after that had me inhale sharply and feel the effect at my core. Enough that my hips twitched in an involuntary shudder. I could feel blood was rushing to my cheeks.
The back of my mind knew that I couldn't get out of this without actually responding. No one was going to walk in like the time in the pool or knock on the door like Aarav had a week ago.
This was all on me.
He must have noticed how many times I gulped since the pad of his thumb caressed my jawline. "Hey..." My eyes fluttered open at his voice and the breadth of space I felt between our chests. He moved to the side so wasn't straddling over my hips. He didn't have to say anything. His eyes conveyed the message, and even if he had failed, the gentle touch on my face was enough indication.
I did not have to be embarrassed or worry about what would happen next. He would never push my limits. Since the hold around my wrist had loosened too, I slipped my right hand out to circle his wrist. Resting on an elbow, his lips pressed over my forehead.
"I love you." His voice was in a hushed whisper as if the words were meant to be heard only by me, not even the air surrounding us.
Matching his whisper, I leaned into his hand. "I love you too."
He leaned away to turn off the lamp. Next to me, he laid down, bringing my head to the crook of his shoulder. I draped am arm around his torso and as he shifted to a more comfortable position for his neck on the pillow, the hem of the pale green Rugby shirt he wore shifted as well from under my hand. His stomach clenched at the sudden feel of my fingers over his bare skin, but no words were exchanged.
Looks like atleast for tonight, he was staying, breaking from our routine of him going back to his room after I had slipping into a deep sleep.
Every time I dozed off in the next fifteen or so minutes, he'd shift as if he was still uncomfortable. I could tell he was trying to remain still so as to not wake me up, but it wasn't working too well. I broke the silence, lifting my head. "What is it?"
"Nothing, sorry." He mumbled and with a hand on my head, brought it back down. "Good night."
"Arnav." I said his name as if to encourage him to simply come out with it.
Exhaling, he did. "Shirt. I am not used to sleeping with a shirt on. I can't."
That's it? I pulled up on my elbow so he could sit up. "Then don't."
His eyes locked with me for the next seconds, as if giving me a chance to take it back. But, I knew the meaning of my words. I figured I'd be a little uncomfortable at first with him being half naked, but I had already learned that if he kept the shirt on, he wasn't going to fall asleep anytime soon. As he sat up, I laid down on my back and with it, brought some distance between us. I tugged on the blanket to hide in the warmth of it as without his body heat, the onset of winter nights snuck in.
Even in winter, he wants to sleep without a shirt on?
Well, I couldn't argue with that. My own brother always had to turn down the AC even in winter of Shimla weather. This was still Mumbai. Nowhere close.
By the time I felt the bed shift under his weight again and the blanket pull as he tucked in his feet, I was already dozing off with the images of Shimla's valleys putting a smile on my face. His hand slipped into mine, but he hadn't pulled me to his chest again.
. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .