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Chapter Three
The falling of her mobile was all she heard and all that was required to pull her out of the spell, making her to go on her knees to pick up the now dismantled pieces of her mobile. When she was about to rise, had she felt something hard yet soft hit her head and when she raised her eyes, she saw his protective palm under the table, which had prevented her to get hurt from knocking her head to the table, when she was to get up…
The simple gesture caught her off guard as she saw concern in his dark irises, which now looked at her unblinking.
Her eyes locked with his for a moment and for the first time since she started working for him, she saw directly into those chocolate brown eyes, without any hesitation, without any reason, without any thoughts clouding her mind…
"Miss. Gupta?" his rich voice made her snap out of her musings as she got on her feet hastily, now cradling the dismantled pieces, which once was her mobile… Her eyes stubbornly were fixed on the pieces of her mobile as she didn't for some strange reason meet his eyes…
"Good that you're here, but I expected you soon. Mr. Williams called and he won't be able to make it till eleven thirty. That gives us more than an hour to review the presentation. Can I have the blueprints?" he spoke, already have turned his attention to his laptop, while she stood there, trying to piece everything together. It was as if the little moment they shared didn't happen at all…
"Blue prints Ms. Gupta" he said, extending a hand, his gaze still fixed at the screen.
"I've them in my car Sir, will get them" she mumbled before dashing out to fetch the files.
She stopped at the car catching the handle of the door for a moment longer feeling her heartbeat rate subside. For a moment, she thought it was him…Suraj uncle's son…
She closed her eyes as she left a breath she never knew she was holding for so long. The thought itself was disconcerting. Him and her…no that was too perturbing even to think about.
She closed her eyes and shook her head. Her friend Lavanya's dreaminess was probably rubbing on her making her brain over imaginative, she concurred as she shook the thoughts away and opened the car door to fetch the files he was asking her for…
Clutching the documents closer to her heart she stared at the entrance. "He probably didn't get your leave yet Khushi, and Rosy might not have given him the documents you've sent him. Thank God that the client meeting is at Canlis itself" she mumbled under her breath, as she felt a shudder run through her spine. She couldn't imagine what would've happened had she been little late. If the clients were here before her, or if she had not chanced upon meeting him, what would've happened?
In addition to the lost job of his PA Rosy, there might have had difficult situations. After all, her boss valued reputation a lot. And he wasn't a man who was known for his forgiveness.
Closing her eyes, she had thanked heavens before ambling in, too grateful for the coincidence.
Once she was back with the files, they went through the presentation once, and she had done briefing to him, and took notes whenever required.
When they were almost at the end of it, had he received a call, and walked away excusing himself.
She was having a final check at the presentation, when she saw him come back, his blazer now dropped on the loveseat as he sat down, and dropped his head back, and closed his eyes.
She could see the shadow under his eyes, and the traces of stubble, which showed he haven't shaved for a week now… In the silence that now surrounded them, he looked tired, and harmless; all traces of the strict boss she knew gone.
Removing her gaze from his face, she ran her eyes through the slides and turned it towards him, with a "Done Sir"
He opened his tired eyes with bemused expression, and she realized how tired his eyes looked, as if he was sleep deprived.
"Hmm?"
"Presentation…" she mumbled taken aback by his sudden detachment, "…I am done checking it Sir"
"Oh Good" he replied distracted "Mr. Williams would be impressed when he sees it day after tomorrow"
"Day after—"
"Some emergency—" he waved his hand, "He called from Airport, apologizing for the postponement of meeting"
She sat there flummoxed at his response. He was not mad or disappointed, rather took it all kindly, what was happening?
"Is that all? I mean…" she hesitated not knowing how to put her thoughts out. It's not that she thought her boss to be unkind and short tempered yet the reaction was too calm to connect it to her usual grumpy boss.
"It's a personal crisis Ms. Gupta" she heard his voice murmur slowly now "He lost his mother"
She lowered her eyes as she looked at the silver bracelet that was tied around her wrist; her mother's bracelet she wore to remind her of her presence... She touched it inconspicuously as she felt her own eyes fill, as a remembrance too painful to forget came alive. Who could understand the loss of a mother better than her?
She mumbled an incoherent apology as she let her eyes remain downcast. Surprisingly, she felt a grip on her closed fist, which patted her slowly. That one touch provided her reassurance, and a promise of protection from the pain that was ready to claw her; it filled her warmth as it showed the sincerity of being there. There were no words exchanged, but sometimes gestures and actions speak louder, and that was what had happened with her now…
No amount of apologies, no amount of kind words would get her mother back, rather the kind words only made the gash deeper. She often wanted to shut those words away, she didn't want to be a mature adult, who understood the death of her mother, as a departure which would never get her back… Yes, she put a brave face for her father, to bring him out of the misery he was in, yet at nights when she faced a nightmare, when she woke up with a start, she wished, just wished for her mother to be there, so that she could snuggle beside her.
She wished for her mother's cool hands to pat her to sleep, that warm embrace which had hid her from world's malice… she wished to sleep keeping her head in her mother's lap, she wished to crib to her sitting in her kitchen counter, while her mother worked, she wished to have food from her mother's hands while her hands were adorned with Mehendi…
All she wished was to have her mother back. Is it too much to ask for?
His grip around her wrist tightened lacing his fingers with hers, while she looked at their interlaced fingers, drawing strength from the simple grip…from him…
He didn't say a word for longer time, nor had she raised her eyes. She was too thankful to him for giving her ample time to pull her professional mask on.
"So…" he said pulling his hand back, making her look at him, while his eyes were stuck on his wrist watch "Since it's already lunch time and since I am starving, mind if I order something?"
She let a smile slip across her lips as she saw his face which showed clearly that he was famished. She shook her head and mumbled "Of course not"
"Good" he said taking the menu card in his hands.
After ordering main course for both of them, he held her gaze for a moment before asking "Like Mushrooms?"
The sudden query took her by surprise, yet she managed to nod her head anyway.
"Good. You need to try forest mushrooms here, one of the best recipes you could ever taste"
Before she could realize, the lunch was served, drinks poured and she was to dine with her boss.
- - -
A soothing instrumental played in the background as the order arrived. She saw him take a spoonful of the mushrooms and she felt a smile bloom across her face involuntarily. He was famished indeed, she thought and a food lover, she added in her head as she saw the slight smile of appreciation on his countenance as he inhaled the fragrance of the dishes, the rubbing of his palms in excitement, while tucking a napkin, the content expression when he took the first bite.
Her Papa always told her that one should always appreciate the food we taste. Being a chef himself, her Papa always loved his job, loved serving others, satiating their hunger and he always told her that nothing could be more rewarding than watching his customer lost in the glory of his food. Watching her boss this way, she thought she had to make him taste her Papa's dishes someday. Her Papa would like it…
Smiling to herself, she took a spoonful of the wild mushrooms and as the delicious aroma filled her senses, she gave in the pleasure of its rich taste, closing her eyes.
It was an expression of pure bliss, the one on her face, he thought. He never saw Miss Gupta that way. She was always the one who seemed to gauge her reactions too before showing them and watching her this way, when her eyes were closed in pure ecstasy, her dimple was peeking whenever she chewed, and the curry smudged lips which looked more endearing than ever… with a smile that was stuck to them… it had surprised him, and had made a smile to dance on his lips.
He didn't realize he was staring, until she opened her eyes and looked startled to see his gaze on her.
"Dessert?"" he said raising an eyebrow, quickly to avert her attention and she seemed to have bought it.
She thought to decline, but as she caught his gaze and the curved eyebrow of his, she bit her lip and mumbled her order slowly.
He wondered why she was hesitating to place an order for her dessert…until it arrived, of course. When the order was arrived, it was his turn to be surprised and he coughed in his fist, to hide a laugh. There it was, an edible DNA model… that is two pieces of licorice twisted and various colored marshmallows joining them via toothpicks, giving an illusion of a virtual DNA.
Being the geek she was, she always was interested in this DNA modeled dessert, and though she knew it would surprise or would rather make anyone cringe, she still ordered it every time.
She caught the gaze of her boss, who was bemused for a moment before he broke into a grin.
He nodded at a waitress and when his dessert arrived, it was her turn to cough into her fist.
There were white marshmallows stuck with peanut butter between thinly sliced apple slices, giving an illusion of full teethed mouth.
She gave a short laugh when he raised it to examine it from all sides, wondering where to take the first bite from.
He grinned and they bit into their respective desserts, and before they could realize, conversation was initiated and flew in and out between them starting from the weirdness of the desserts to their respective collage lives, treading slightly on their hobbies…
After around twenty minutes, when they went silent again, she raised her eyes to his and didn't see her boss. Instead, she saw a man whose tastes matched with hers, who was funny, outgoing and interesting, and most of all friendly and compassionate…
"Nice dress" she heard him say after a while, "Though I am surprised why you went Indian for a business meeting"
The sudden comment made her choke on her food as something she had not realized came crashing down. The lunch date with Suraj uncle's son. Damn!
She was so involved in her work that she forgot a personal commitment, again.
However, as if the pounding thoughts in her head were not enough, she felt sooth pats on her head by him, until the cough died down.
She pushed a water glass to her lips, making her sip the cool liquid slowly, easing her aching throat, while his hands slowly patter on her head, finally settling around her hands holding the glass.
"Are you fine?" he asked softly after a while, only to have her nod silently.
Then he did something which startled her again. He brushed the back of his fingers on her cheek, and only when her heart picked up its pace after a giant leap had she understood that he was wiping a stray tear of hers, which was an outcome of the coughing tirade…
There was something in his eyes that was disturbing and endearing at the same time. They were soft, and the way he looked at her, made her self conscious…
She averted her gaze making him remove his hands off her face too. He coughed into his fist again, and when she looked at him from the corner of her eyes, she realized that he was feeling somewhat awkward too, just like her.
He passed a hand through his hair, a characteristic gesture he did whenever he was agitated or confused or both.
"Sir" he heard her say once she caught her breath "Excuse me but I just remembered something. An emergency. Can I leave?"
When he looked at her, all sorts of the awkwardness went for a toss again, as the same man she had got to know over the lunch…the same friendly man took surface. He lifted his champagne and smiled in good humor, while she smiled back with a nod, and taking her bag, she got up from her seat and walked out of the place to her car. Now that her phone died unnatural death, all she was left with is to visit her father's restaurant which was ten minutes' drive from Canlis.
However, she couldn't help but to turn to look back at her boss for the last time before she could walk out, only to find him staring back at her, with one hand holding the flute and another half raised wishing her bye.
She raised her hand to him in half wave, and turned back, and for god knows what reasons, couldn't hide the color that rose on her cheeks.
She would be lying if she didn't admit to herself that she hadn't enjoyed the lunch. After all it was the first time she'd known him as Arnav instead of Mr. Raizada, her boss.
- - -
His dessert:
Her dessert:
Edited by AthenaA - 12 years ago
Hui Ghum Yaadein
103