Chapter 17: New beginnings...
"Hi Aadit! I'm glad you came," Anjali said. She'd been waiting for him at the Coffee shop they'd decided on. She was wearing a lavender colored cotton sari, and wore her hair in a loose braid. She looked like a fresh flower on a spring day, thought Aadit poetically.
"I was intrigued by your message. I had to come!" said Aadit, sitting down opposite her.
"So, what's on your mind?" he asked after they'd ordered 2 cappucinnos.
"Are you seeing Khushi?" blurted out Anjali unthinkingly. That wasn't she'd meant to say at all, she groaned mentally at her faux pas.
"Err. Minnie. No. Why do you ask?" asked Aadit looking puzzled.
"What do you and your friends want?" she asked.
"We want Min to be happy. If that means she needs to make peace with her family and be with ASR, that's what we want." Said Aadit.
"Hmmm. OK. It's going to be an uphill task," she sighed.
"Is that why you you wanted to meet? To talk about Minnie's problems?" asked Aadit, his face falling.
"Errm. Yes. What did you think?" asked Anjali looking a little puzzled herself now. "I wanted to see if we could join forces. Do something to make Khushi see sense."
"Of course. Of course, I understand. And it's a great idea. We can all get together and plan something, you, me, Freddy and Nigel," said Aadit sounding like he had eaten something particularly nasty.
"So, any ideas Aadit?" she asked easily.
"Ideas? Oh, I dunno," he said. He had lots of ideas. But none of them involved anything she was keen on, apparently.
"Well, I was thinking. We need to find opportunities to remind her of the good times we had together and also to throw her and Chotey together as much as possible," said Anjali.
"They really can't resist each other for too long," she laughed. Even her laugh sounds melodious, thought Aadit.
"Umm. Sure. Sure. Whatever you say," said Aadit. He really cared very little right now about Minnie and ASR. Here was this lovely creature in front of him. They were drinking coffee. It should have been a first date. Instead she was droning on about her brother's love life. Damn, he cursed mentally. "But, you did promise Min you wouldn't ask her out!" his conscience reminded him uncomfortably. "But she said I could" said another tiny voice. "Oh, be a man and go after your girl Aadit Murthy!" a third voice chided. "Minnie will be OK. She's a big girl She can handle it," He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Anjali was now saying something about the party tomorrow and what she thought they should do to get ASR and Khushi together alone.
"Is there anyway you can get her to wear a sari? She always knocks his socks off in a sari!" said Anjali. Her voice finally penetrated through the thick haze that surrounded his brain.
"Sari? Minnie? I dunno." Said Aadit. "Besides, Anjali. I think his socks have already been knocked off. He's the one that needs to impress her."
"Yes. I know silly. But it works both ways. When a man wants a woman, the way he looks at her changes. And she knows that. She feels that. A woman knows when she's wanted. And she likes that feeling. It makes her feel powerful and desirable," Finished Anjali.
"I'll see what I can do," said Aadit, quietly. "But Minnie has a mind of her own, I can tell you that."
"Yes. She has changed so much. She used to be such a bubbly, innocent little thing. She's very different now. So controlled, so much in charge of everything. She's made something of herself. I respect her for that. And me. I'm still where I was 7 years ago." Anjali looked slightly rueful.
"How do you mean?" asked Aadit, intrigued.
"Forget I said anything. The story of my life is neither pretty not interesting," Said Anjali.
"Well, I think that you are both pretty and very interesting," said Aadit winking at her.
"And you are an incorrigibe flirt," she said laughing in her mellifluous voice.
"I speak the truth milady," said Aadit very seriously.
"OK, Aadit. I gotta go. Thanks for the coffee." Anjali stood up quickly. She was a little flustered with all this open flirting. She was out of practise. She hadn't flirted with a man in 10 years at the very least. She wondered if the rules had changed in the past decade. Aadit thought about her as he drove back. "She likes me!" he grinned.
Anjali went home with a smile on her lips. She hadn't felt this light-hearted in years. She had seen the gleam of admiration in Aadit's eyes. And she liked it. It felt good. She was 39 years old. The big 4-0 was round the corner. And a man much younger than her liked her. Thought her attractive. It was flattering. Very flattering. She was very tempted to yield to her instinct and drop him a broad hint or two.
"Anjali bitiya. Where have you been and why the broad smile?" asked Naniji.
"Nowhere Nani."
"Nowhere. You just came from out, right Di?" asked Payal.
"Oh. That. Yes. It was nothing. Just went to have coffee with a friend."
"Must have been a very good cup of coffee. Or a very good friend Di, to put that smile on your face. You look 10 years younger," said Akash.
Anjali smiled and disclaimed. ASR walked in at that moment and saw his family, laughing together in the living room. Akash had his arm around Payal and she was lounging against him, her fingers interlaced with his. Anjali looked more beautiful than he had seen in years. Nani was looking at Anjali fondly. ASR walked to the couch and sat next to his Di.
"New sari Di?" he asked, sinking into the couch.
"Err.No"
"Well, something about you is new!" he said. He looked at her intently. "New hairdo?" he asked doubtfully.
"Chotey! You might be the head of a business empire, but you are blind as a bat," said Nani.
"Sorry Nani?" he said. But Nani had gotten up and was already walking to her room, muttering under her breath about men.
"What's with Nani?" asked ASR.
"Nothing, silly. Let's eat dinner," said Anjali, linking her arm with ASR's and getting up slowly.
Khushi's home
Freddy, Aadit and Nigel sat around the dinner table talking.
"That was excellent Minnie," said Freddy. "You are a fantastic cook."
"Go sit in the living room. I'll bring dessert out," said Khushi.
"Not Jalebis, I hope!' said Aadit. He received a punch on his shoulder for that piece of impertinence. After everyone had had a very healthy slice of pineapple upside down cake, washed down with some very good Moscato, Freddy spoke. "What are you wearing to dinner at ASR's tomorrow Min?"
"Oh, I don't know. I haven't thought about it," she said looking surprised.
"Well, I do. I have something for you," said Freddy, reaching for a bag he had placed discreetly under her side table. He flashed a quick glance at Aadit as he did so. Aadit had talked him into this, and he hoped it would work.
"Oh! Freddy, No. Not another dress. I simply can't and won't accept it," said Khushi firmly.
"At least take a look before you decide," said Freddy.
"Freddy, it doesn't matter if it's the most gorgeous creation by Yves St.Laurent! I am NOT accepting another gift from you!" said Khushi, peering into the bag he held out to her. "Hello! What's this/" she said, fishing it out. "It" turned out to be a deep blue kanjeevaram silk sari with a red border. It was very simple, and had minimal embroidery on it. There was a matching blouse magically tailored to her size with it."It's a sari," she said blankly.
"Well spotted Minnie," said Freddy.
"Well, I think you'd look lovely in it. Blue's not just your favorite. It suits you too." Said Nigel admiringly.
"Besides, it's from my hometown, Chennai. I'd be hurt if you didn't wear it," said Aadit, making puppy dog eyes.
"Aadit! Your hometown is Ealing, London where you've lived for 25 of your 29 years. You haven't been to Chennai in 18 years and I speak better Tamil than you, so please, stop BSing," said Khushi. "It is a lovely color though," she sighed.
"Well then. It's decided. You're wearing it tomorrow. I've never seen you in a sari. I'm sure you'll look absolutely heavenly," said Freddy.
"I haven't worn a sari in 7 years," said Khushi. "The last time I wore one, he ripped the palloo to shreds," she said quietly.
"Who did what?" asked Nigel worriedly.
"ASR! He tore her sari," said Freddy understandingly. "It's time to move on Minnie. You can't not wear a sari because you have bad memories of the last time you wore one," he said. "In fact, all the more reason to wear it, and wear it with lan, in front of ASR. Show him you're over it. Over him." He finished.
"He tore your sari! I should just kill the bas***d and be done with it," said Aadit tightly.
"I wouldn't do that, if I were you. Anjali loves her brother dearly," said Khushi dryly. "OK, Freddy. You sold me. I'll wear the sari. And don't think I don't know what you guys are up to. Or that you had coffee with Anjali today!" she said smiling at Aadit.
"What the heck Minnie! How did you find that out?" asked Aadit petrified. "It wasn't a date, by the way. Just saying."
"Female intuition," smiled Khushi.
"No kidding! This is weird shit," said Aadit, now thoroughly puzzled.
"Stop looking so scared Aadit. I was shopping at the same Mall you guys were having coffee at. I saw you," said Khushi.
"Oh!" said Aadit looking reassured. He was afraid Minnie had acquired some psychic skills to accompany her superior physical abilities.
"You're dating Anjali? I told you not to!" hissed Nigel angrily.
"Seriously Aadit. She's ASR's sister. He's going to kill you when he finds out. Not that I mind. I want to kill you myself for throwing a very unnecessary spanner in the works," said Freddy in his usual lazy tone, which held a note of underlying steel.
"I'm not dating her! We just had coffee. And she was the one who…never mind," he trailed off.
"Well, it's your grave. Date her, for all I care," said Freddy disgustedly. "Here Minnie, I'll have another slice of that cake."
Khushi fingered the silky material of the sari after they
all left. She draped it over one shoulder and peered at herself in the mirror. "Not
bad Khushi Kumari Gupta. You'll knock his socks off!" she said smilingly.
Not a very happening chapter, I know. But the dinner party comes next, and with it plenty of ArHi..promise. In the meanwhile, tell me what you think.
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