Chupanke Ki Saaza
-PART
22 -
Valentines
"God
that was long," Jai groaned, as he shrugged off his coat and threw it on the
couch.
"Oh
really?" Bani said throwing off her heels too. "I thought you were having the
time of your life!"
Jai
raised his eyebrow. "You think making sure no one stole you tonight was fun?"
She
smiled involuntarily and slumped next to him on the couch. "Why did you have to
make sure?"
Jai
rolled his eyes. "Did you look at yourself today?"
Bani
shook her head. "That doesn't answer my question. Why did you have to make sure?" Flirting with him was becoming easier by
the minute.
Jai
sat up, so that he was fully facing her. "So I could do this."
He
raised his hand and gently brushed a loose strand of hair off her face. Bani closed
her eyes as she felt the warmth from his hand travel through her body.
"And
this," he whispered. His fingers lightly traced her cheek and then her lips.
His
hands slid down to her shoulders, tempted to just push the thin straps of the
dress down.
Bani
opened her eyes, when Jai suddenly withdrew his hands. "Kya hua?" she teased.
"Aren't you tempted?"
There
was no way to deny it, when all evening all he wanted to do was claim her as
his. But even at that moment, in the semi-darkness of the room, when he could
only see his wife and nothing else, a little voice in his head reminded him of
all the things he worked for in the last month.
Jai
cupped her face with one hand. "You have no
idea."
Bani
leaned into his palm, enjoying his touch after a very long time. "Toh phir…?"
A
grin worked its way up his face, but he didn't reply. He held still, continuing
to watch her as if it was the first time he was seeing her.
Bani's
eyes then fell on his lips. She suddenly sat up and inched closer. He didn't stop
her and continued to wait as she drew closer and closer. And without a warning,
she pressed her lips to his. And that's when Jai's walls came tumbling down
with a final crash, all reason wiped out of his mind, as he wrapped his arms
around her waist and pulled her close, never wanting to let go.
"BANI!"
came Rano's voice, from somewhere faraway.
The
couple broke apart as Bani stared at Jai's face in wonder. He still had his
eyes closed, a small smile playing on his lips.
"That
was a
lot better than what I imagined," she whispered.
And
then she quickly picked up her heels and almost ran out of room, calling
"COMING RANO!"
Jai
didn't know what hit him.
* * *
Should I just
knock?But then what should I say? Urghh! Why is it soo much of a hassle to talk
to my own husband?
It was the next morning and Bani was pacing her her office, trying to figure
out the situation at hand. After their unexpected kiss the previous night, Jai
seemed to have disappeared altogether. He didn't return to their room the
entire night and even this morning, left before she woke up.
Though
there was a good possibility that Jai was busy, for he often chose to spend
nights in his study, working, Bani thought these signs meant he was ignorning
her. Afterall, she was the one who
kissed him yesterday.
But he kissed me
back,
she said to herself. That must mean something?!
An
hour later, however, of pointless speculations, on what Jai might and might not
be feeling, she decide to talk to him.
Annie,
on the other hand, was having almost as bad a day as Bani. After failing
miserably to catch Jai's attention in the party, she was back to finding ways
to corner her boss.
"Stupid
Bani," she muttered to herself. "Why the hell did she have to be born? And Jai?
He didn't leave her side the entire time… she wasn't even looking that pretty. I mean come on, yeah the
dress is nice, but she wasn't looking better than me!"
"Annie,"
came Bani's voice, causing the latter to look up in surprise. Itni subhe subhe mujhse kya kaam hai isko?
She thought.
Bani
didn't understand Annie's surprise, but couldn't care less either. "Is Jai
here?"
"No,"
Annie replied. "He is in a meeting till lunch."
"Accha
teek hai, tell him to give me a call, when he is done, okay?"
Annie
nodded and Bani turned to leave.
"Umm…
Bani?" Annie called, suddenly.
Bani
turned around with a pointed look. No way in hell was she going to let Annie
get on a first-name basis with her.
"I
mean Ms. Dixit," Annie corrected quickly. "You looked very nice last night."
Bani
raised her eyebrow. Did her mutual enemy just compliment her? "Err… thanks!"
she said, awkward.
"But
the colour pink was horrible," Annie continued. "You were looking so washed out
in it. It was a nice try, but next time try some better colours, like the one I
was wearing."
Bani
smirked. It was very clear that Annie was beyond jealous of her attire from
last night. Suddenly, an idea struck her mind, the credit to which was truly
Jai's. If you can tell Neil, she
thought. Then I can tell this bimbo too!
"Accha?"
she said to Annie in a mock-serious tone. "But my husband said that I look very
nice in pink."
Annie
stared, as if Bani just grew a second head. "Husband?"
"Haan,"
she said, thoroughly enjoying the look of bewilderment and anticipating the
shock which was going to follow her words. "Jai ne tumhe bataya nahi? We are married!"
The
colour drained from Annie's face as the words registered in her mind. M..married? To Jai? When? Where? HOW?!
Annie
suddenly began to relax, as her brain began to think through the sudden
information. She is lying, she
thought. There is no way in hell Jai would marry her!
Bani
seemed to follow the direction of her thoughts, for she said, "Kya hua? Yakeen
nahi aa raha?"
Annie
looked at Bani, seeing the confidence in her words. But at the same time, she
just couldn't get herself to believe. "Tumhara naam toh Dixit hai," she
replied, smartly. "So, how are you married to Jai?"
Bani
snorted. "Everyone here knows me from before I got married. So, they are just
used to calling me Dixit. But my real name is Bani Jai Walia, surely you know
that?"
Annie
didn't let that get to her. Mrs. Jai
Walia? You wish Bani! But still,
even in denial, she couldn't help but notice that Bani had no reason to lie.
And even if she did, it was a big one to tell.
"I
will tell you what," Bani said, truly enjoying the disarray Annie's head was in
right now. She appeared to be demented, as her brain struggled to find reason
in sudden revelation. "Jab Jai wapas aa jayega, tum khud pooch lena!"
That's
when Annie's disbelief shattered and she saw the truth in Bani's words. It was
as if a bucket of ice cold water was unceremoniously dumped on her head
"Or
even better," Bani replied, walking around the desk, and standing right behind
a still Annie. "Google it."
When
Annie didn't move, scared of what she might find, but Bani was having too much
fun to stop. So, she typed her own name in the search engine.
And
what followed after were probably one of the best moments of Bani's life. Annie
stared at the screen infront of her, her mind refusing to process the picture
of Jai and Bani posing for the press after they took the 'saath pheres'.
Bani
began to shake with laughter as Annie refreshed the page over and over again,
hoping that it was all a lie. But there was no point. All the variations of the
search term "Jai Walia's wife" showed only one face.
Unable
to control her laughter, Bani left the girl to lament on her fate.
* * *
Bani
hummed to herself as she checked her emails. It was the afternoon, and still
there was no sign of Jai, but she didn't mind. In fact, Annie's reaction seemed
to have driven every worry out of her mind.
"Ms.
Di – I mean, Mrs. Walia?" came the timid voice to Neil.
Bani
looked up to see her assistant standing awkwardly in the doorway.
"What
happened to calling me Bani?" she asked cheerfully.
Neil
let out a nervous laugh. "I wouldn't call making personal relationships with
the boss's wife safe."
Bani
laughed. "Come on! I am still the same!"
Neil
didn't answer. Jai's possessiveness the night before was enough for him
understand that he was allowed no where near his most favourite person in the
company. So, he began to explain the issue at hand.
Bani
smiled when he finished explaining. "Another problem," she said, not at all
depressed at the prospect of trouble. "Anyway, leave the file. I will talk to
Jai about it."
Neil
nodded and turned to leave, but hesitated at the door.
"What?"
Bani asked, watching his still figure.
"How
long have you both been married?" he asked uncertainly.
Bani
smiled. "Over a year now."
"And
no one knows about this… why?"
"Because he likes to keep his personal life…
well, personal."
"Its
personal alirght," Neil grumbled. "No one even knows what he is planning for
you today!"
"Matlab?"
"Its
valentines," he reminded. "Don't tell me you forgot?!"
"Really?'
she asked, surprised. When Neil nodded, she smiled in joy. "That is the best
news I have gotten all day!"
Neil
was confused. "Its 11am Bani."
But
she didn't reply and hurriedly picked up the files. "Got to go Neil. Will catch
you at lunch!"
And
she was on her way to Jai's cabin, leaving a very surprised Neil.
That's why I
haven't seen him since last night, she thought to herself happily. I am sure he is planning something for me. A
surprise… That makes sooo much more sense!
But
a small voice of caution also arose. Or
maybe he doesn't care for you, it said. It
was you who kissed him. Not the other
way around!
A
frown appeared on her forehead. Im sure
he must have felt something after
last night. I mean, its not like he wasn't tempted!
But he didn't
make a move,
the voice reasoned. Face it – Jai Walia
is not into you anymore!
Bani
stopped infront of Jai's office, hesitating to go inside. Should she just
accept that last night was one ray of good luck fate offered? However,
curiosity got the better of her. She had to see Jai, had to understand what he felt and wanted.
So,
she barged in without knocking.
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