PART 3
Note : so I am little pissed with Shaurya and CVs since yesterday but totally recognize , that I may be jumping the gun here ..let us wait and watch...
in the mean while inhabit our parallel universe ..My Shaurya is not a kameena ..shrewd yes ..kameena no
ok here we go
XXX
It was close to 1:00 AM. The last orders were taken around 2 hours ago and the most lethargic of patrons had also left about an hour ago. The cleaning crew was just about finishing their job.
Most of the kitchen staff had left , only the junior most members were either cleaning or storing things for the next day. Shaurya took one final round of the restaurant. It was an habit he had built through years . He always came across as a very hands on manager. Years of experience had taught him , that being more hands on and taking a keen interest in all aspects of running his business , made his employees more disciplined. It brought in a more eye for details in his team, because they knew he will be keenly observing everything and there was no room for error when Shaurya Khanna was watching over things.
Mata raani ..madad karo na..yeh kyun nahi bann raha ( help me Mata rani ..why is this not happening) the pleading prayer to Mata rani caught his ears all of a sudden
He looked at his watch again 1:15 AM ..that cannot be .. Mehak still here ..at this hour??..
The ring of a phone snapped him back out of his thoughts.."Chaachi   main aa jaaongi..kuch bahut hi important aa gaya ..agar aaj nahi kiya to kal problem ho jaayegi..aap mat chinta karo..haan haan .. company ki cab se aaoongi.".( Chach do not worry . I will be back, something very important came up which if not done today will lead to an issue tomorrow.. yeah I will use the company cab)
He was sure it was Kanta Chachi at the other end. He had not liked that woman earlier ..what with her prejudices , but he could not help but grudgingly admire her now, for the love she showered on Mehak It takes a very big heart to accept somebody's else's child as your own a bit like his own Ma.
Ms Sharma   ..have you not started a bit early today ..it is only 1:30 in the morning .
The foam maker jerked out of Mehak's hand and landed on the floor . The loud clang echoing in the silent kitchen. Shaurya could see cut papaya and oranges on the slab along with amaranth.
She looked back to find Shaurya Khanna , leaning casually against the pillar behind.. which she was hiding , well working, his pose as languorous as his tone.
God ..this man always knew how to get under her skin..I mean he could be the sweetest guy on earth, but when he chose to be irritating and sarcastic, she just felt like banging something onto his arrogant head...
Early?? ..you mean late Sir..I have not yet gone back ..yesterday...
Hmm..and is it because you miss me too much when you go back home...??.
.There he was doing it again , using that husky tone of his, the one that made her knees seem like they were made of rubber..the one that made her completely speechless.. and that deep shade of red starts covering her face..oh why does he do that...insufferable man ..khadoos kahin ka...
"Aissa kuch nahin hai " .. she schooled her face to be stern .."have you heard about molecular gastronomy"? ..she conjured up the most condescending tone she could. After all she could give it as good as she got...
I might have ..he smirked..
He truly did not know whether he should act offended or amused by her attempts to be sarcastic with him. He just loved getting a reaction out of her.
What about it. ? asked Shaurya
Umm It is new to me ..i have just read about it and watched a few videos.
Rajeev sir also told me a little bit about it.
Hmmm.so
You know the inaugural lunch we have tomorrow for that telecom startup.I just thought since innovation was their main theme .. I really wanted to do something truly innovative for their entre..
I was thinking of this orange infused amaranth with papaya foam..but yeh foam hai ki bann hi nahi raha .
.Her face turned wistful talking about her failure.. and looked up to find Shaurya staring at her with an unknown expression..it almost seemed admiration , appreciation an was there desire ??
Ofcourse not.. you think too much Mehak... . she reprimanded herself.
Hmm you know sometimes , he began softly, , things become easier ..after you give them a break. Come back tomorrow morning after you had some rest .. You may not know but this might be your body and mind telling you they are tired..Trust me give it a break ..and see tomorrow you will be able to do it..
There , again, in just a blink of an eye he turned from being the flirty sarcastic irritant to this mentor , she trusted with her life, and if she found the former hard to handle , she just did not know what to do , when she heard that sincere care in his voice.
It made her dream of things that were surely impossible ..sure he and her were from different worlds, he hated middle class people...
Control Mehak control..do not even go there...
So how are you going back ..
By the company cab..
I do not think so ..look at the time
It was 1:20 AM, the cab left by 1:10 ..
Oh what am I going to do now ..Kanta Chachi will kill me
Relax Mehak Sharma ..relax..afterall tumhari life ki saari tragedies main hi nibtata hoon..( I take care of all your life tragedies) came back the smug taunt.
Aap mere life ki khud hi sabse badi tragedy ho..Mehak responded petutantly as she walked away stamping her feet.
Shaurya followed , smirking ..he was looking forward to the next hour ..after all his TRP gainer entertainer was back for a live performance ..solely for his own benefit.