Chapter 31

Bukhara, ITC Maurya

Khushi stammers: Aaa Aap? (Yooouuu You?)

ASR bends his head on the side and asks: Haan main. Kyun? Tum kisi aur ko expect kar rahee thi? (Yes, me. Why? Were you expecting someone else?)

Khushi grits her teeth: No. We were not expecting ANYONE else.

ASR flashes his evil smile: How nice. It’s always lovely to see people you are not expecting… Isn’t it?

NK clears his throat and says: Nannav, what are you doing here?

ASR (innocent face): Having lunch. What else?

NK tries again: Umm… Are you having lunch all by yourself?

ASR smirks: Why no. I’m having lunch with you…

Khushi screams: WHAT?

ASR bends so his face is close to Khushi’s: Why Ms. Gupta… Do I make you uncomfortable?

Khushi stammers: No. Absolutely not. (Bolder stance) In fact, you don’t even exist for me. (Mentally gives a proud pat on her back for standing up against the Laad Governor)…

ASR’s sharklike smile widens: How wonderful. Then you won’t mind if I join both of you for lunch, will you? (sits down right across from Khushi and NK)

Khushi and NK gulp together while lamenting on their luck which is looking worse and worse with every passing minute.

Nandi (shakes his head): I personally think it’s rude to barge into someone’s lunch.

Devi Maiyya (sarcastic): I personally think it’s rude to give unwanted advice. But you do it all the time too… 

Close to Aravalli Range, out of the city line

Aakash and Payal comes down from their hiking trail, pleasantly tired but refreshed.

Aakash looks at Payal: Payal, coffee?

Payal smiles at him: Sounds good.

Aakash digs through his camping supplies and takes out a tin pan and a instant coffee mix, a packet of sugar cube and some sachet of powdered milk.

Payal walks around looking for twigs and branches they can use to light a fire.

They work together like a well-oiled machine as if they have been doing it for years.

Payal gathers the branches together to form a pile where Aakash lights a fire from his lighter.

Then he places the tin mug on the small fire and Payal pours the water from her water bottle to boil and soon they have water boiling for coffee.

Then Aakash takes out his mug from his pack and Payal takes out hers and they look at each other and laugh out in surprise.

Their Coffee Mugs:

Aakash (still laughing): Oh my God… That’s so freaking unbelievable…

Payal (also laughing): I know, right…

Aakash (stops laughing and thinks): I don’t believe in this kind of things, but is something is giving me signals to take the step towards Payal?

Payal (also stops laughing and thinks): I don’t know why I suddenly feel as if someone up there is trying to tell me something. Should I tell Aakash how I feel?

Both open their mouth to speak together and stop embarrassedly.

Payal (shyly): You go ahead.

Aakash opens his mouth to tell her about his feelings but he looks into Payal’s eyes shining in the camp fire bathed by moonlight and his words get caught in his throat. He clears it awkwardly: Ummm… The water is ready… Shall we make the coffee?

Payal was disappointed but smiles: Right. I’ll make it.

While Payal walks to the fire to add coffee, sugar and powdered milk, Aakash mentally smacks his head calling him all kinds of names.

Payal comes back with the both their mugs and Aakash asks: Ummmm… Payal, what were you going to say?

Payal looks at Aakash, fire light highlighting every one of his gorgeous chiselled feature making him look otherworldly handsome and her breath gets caught in her throat too. She swallows to wet her dry throat and was about to speak when she remembers that she still hasn’t talked to Khushi about him.

So she says instead: I was just going to say thank you for a wonderful day.

Aakash was disappointed but smiles: You are welcome. In fact I should thank you. I never had this much fun in years.

Payal smiles back: You are welcome as well.

They sip their coffee in comfortable silence under a blanket of stars enjoying each other’s company and sneaking glances occasionally at each other.

Nandi: No no no… Why why why did you stop Aakash? Why couldn’t you say those words? And Payal? Why are you waiting to talk to Khushi? Why can’t you see what is clearly visible in Aakash’s eyes?

Devi Maiyya sighs: Nandi, you know you are starting to resemble those melodramatic female leads in daily soup. Just tone it down a bit, will you?

Nandi (crazy eyes, desperate): Devi Maiyya, please do something. You can, I know you can. Just zap them or something and make them fall in each other’s laps or whatever, the nature will take its course.

Devi Maiyya smirks at Nandi: The nature will take its course in its own sweet time. Stop watching late night movies. They are corrupting your mind.

Nandi (sulking): Well, will a petition help? If I get my blog readers sign up for it?

Devi Maiyya (sarcastic): Noooo. What do you think this is? Democracy? This is heaven and I rule here. So you have two options, shut up and watch or shut up and don’t watch. Capische?

Nandi pouts…

Bukhara, ITC Maurya:

ASR signals a waiter and he comes running with the menu.

ASR signals to Khushi & NK: What did they order?

The waiter replies: Sir, ma’m ordered Hillary Clinton kabab platter and sir ordered Chelsea Clinton kabab platter.

ASR smirks: Hillary eh? Well, then get me the Bill Clinton platter I guess.

Khushi fumes and NK looks at Khushi miserably.

The waiter bobs his head: Very well sir. And something for drink?

ASR smirks at Khushi: Mango Lassi no sugar please.

The waiter bobs his head again: Sure sir.

The waiter leaves.

Khushi bends forward and furiously whispers: What do you think you are playing at Raizada.

ASR sighs: Tsk tsk Ms. Gupta. Is that the way you talk to your boss?

Khushi widens her sarcastic smile: You are my boss in the office Monday to Wednesday from morning to afternoon and Thursday to Friday from afternoon to evening. The rest of the time, I’m my own boss and today is Saturday which you are ruining for me. So eat your food and leave us alone. Capische?

ASR’s eyes blaze in response while NK looks at Khushi in awestruck eyes.

Devi Maiyya giggles: I love this girl…

Nandi sulks: I know. This is why you are not paying attention to my girl.

Devi Maiyya frowns and zaps Nandi’s voice into silence.

Nandi continues talking but no sound comes out.

Devi Maiyya winks: Learned this trick from Mute button in TV. What a lovely technology.