Chapter 17

Aakash's Office, ASR Designs:

Payal knocks in the door.

Aakash looks up and smiles at her: Payal, come in.

Payal smiles back: Hi, I was just going for coffee. Would you like me to get you some?

Aakash smiles back: No need to get me a coffee. I could use a break. Let's go together.

Payal blushes: Okay.

They go to the kitchen on Aakash's floor which is used just by the people in that floor.

Aakash's Kitchen:

Payal and Aakash walks into the kitchen.

Payal tells him to sit and she walks to the coffee machine to make coffee.

She asks Aakash: How would you like your coffee?

Aakash smiles at her: Medium roast, one cream, one sugar...

Payal looks at him surprised. Aakash teases her: Don't tell me, you have coffee with one cream, one sugar and medium roast too?

Payal nods still surprised. Now it's Aakash's turn to be surprised.

Then he smiles at her: It seems like our choices are quite same.

Payal smiles, nods slightly and turns her back towards the coffee machine to make coffee for both of them. She finishes making the coffee and turns with the cups on a tray to see that Aakash is not at the table. She puts the tray on the glass table and looks around for him.

Suddenly a stem of White Lilly appears on her side, she turns to see its Aakash standing there holding it and smiling at her. He must have grabbed it from the flower arrangement on the table.

Aakash smiles at Payal: A small thank you from me to you for making me coffee.

Payal looks into his face surprised, then smiles and teases him: At least drink it first and then say Thank you.

Aakash smiles at her looking at her eyes: I'm sure I will love it.

Payal blushes and accepts the Lilly with a smile.

Aakash picks up the cup and takes a sip. He then looks up at Payal and says with a glint in his eyes: Perfect.

Payal becomes shy under those twinkling dark eyes: Thanks.

They drink their coffee while sneaking glances at each other over the coffee mug...

Devi Maiyya sighs up there: Oh... (Pats her heart) Nothing like a good romance to get the pitty pat going and nothing like a coffee to get a romance started...

Suddenly Khushi's voice buzzes in her head.

She grabs her popcorn bag and pepsi: Oops, time to change focus...(sticks the pepsi straw in her mouth and slurps her drink) Ooohhh, can't wait for Arnie's reaction... (Squeals in glee)

Meanwhile, on the floor right above:

Khushi knocks at the glass door. ASR's voice booms from inside: Come in, Ms. Gupta...

Khushi walks in with the tray and puts it on his massive glass table with a beaming smile on her face: Your black coffee without sugar, sir.

ASR looks up from his laptop and sees the tray.

He looks at Khushi angrily: Didn't you hear my instruction properly, Miss Gupta? I said bring me coffee and today's newspaper.

Khushi beams a bigger smile: I heard you just fine, sir. (Points her index finger at the flower) There is your newspaper.

ASR gapes at the flower and then at Khushi and then at the flower again.

He explodes: What the hell did you do with the newspaper?

Khushi exclaims sympathically: Oh ho... You can't see very well? Must be old age catching up. That's okay. I'm happy to help.

She picks up the flower and holds in front of ASR's nose: Ab dikha?

(Did you see it now?)

ASR's temper boils at a dangerous level: I asked you to bring me the newspaper...

Khushi (round innocent eyes): Haan to? Wohi to laye hain. Ab apne humme yeh thodi kahan tha ki jaise newspaper deliver hota hain waise hi leke aao?

(Yes, so? I got you your newspaper. You did not tell me to get your newspaper the way it gets delivered in the morning)...

ASR closes his eyes shut tightly and clenches his jaw hard to bring his temper under control: Never mind.

He grabs the coffee and takes a large sip and chokes...

He spits the coffee out and screams: What the hell is this?

Khushi (even more innocently): That is your coffee. Black with no sugar.

ASR explodes: You call this coffee? What the hell did you put in it?

Khushi (pretending to think): Humm... Let me think. I put Coffee grounds, water, Red chilli powder, paprika, black pepper...

ASR screams: Shut up... You put fricking spices in my coffee? How dare you?

Khushi (saucer eyed): Arre? Aapne humse kahan tha black coffee with no sugar... To humne naa is mein chini daali hain aur naa doodh. Apne humse yeh to nehin kahan tha ki is mein sirf paani aur coffee hi daalna...

(Arre? You told me to get you black coffee with no sugar. So I did not put sugar or milk in it. You did not tell me to just put water and coffee in it)...

ASR (shouting): Who told you to make coffee with spices?

Khushi (nonchalantly): No one. Tabhi to aisi coffee banake le aaye. Humne kab kahan ki humme coffee banani aati hain?

ASR's nerve at the temple starts throbbing in tune with his throbbing jaw due to clenching his teeth too hard. If this continues, his dentist is going to buy a Ferrari by the time this contract is over...

ASR opens his mouth to scream: You're fir... (notices Khushi's eager expression and sparkling eyes)

ASR's brain catches the little minx's plan: So she is planning to make me fire her so she can get away easily without paying the price. Hummm... We will see Ms. Gupta...

ASR swallows his anger for the first time in his life and smirks: You may go to your office Ms. Gupta and wait for the next instruction.

Khushi (Now genuinely surprised): But I thought that... that...

ASR (wider smirk that would have made a shark proud): Fire you? No... I will not fire you for this little mistake, Ms. Gupta. (Completes the sentence in his head) I will make you suffer for this, until you beg for mercy...

Khushi's eyes flashes with anger but she forcefully stretches her lips in a smile: How nice of you sir. I'm looking forward to work with you...(Completes the sentence in her head) And drive you up the wall until you beg me to leave your company...

Both stretches their lips in a smile, but both understand the battle lines have been drawn...

Devi Maiyya was popping popcorn one after another with her wide eyes glued on them when suddenly a loud conch shell blares in her ear. She jumps a few feet at the sudden sound and sees that her husband's useless companion Nandi, the cow, was holding the conch shell and grinning at her.

She glares at him and shouts: What the? Why did you freaking blared that conch shell, you moron?

Nandi (now apologetic): I thought I heard that a battle has started, so I thought I'd make it official...

Devi Maiyya (Thinks for a moment): Humm... That's fine. I don't mind when I'm checking out other stuff. But don't interrupt me when I'm on the Star A+ channel... That's my special channel for my favourite people. Got it?

Nandi nods vigorously: Can I watch it too?

Devi Maiyya (haughtily): Humm... But keep your mouth shut... (slaps his paw that was slowly inching towards her popcorn bowl) And get your own freaking snacks.