Thanks, everybody! 😃
Part 5
Prateek and Sur were very excited about their trip to Wild Wadi Water Park the next morning. They were getting bored staying inside the Suite, after all how much Cartoon Network could one watch. Nishant had no meetings and intended to spend the whole day with his family.
The Water park had water slides, wading pools, rides, etc. (This is the park shown in original KYPH)
Nishant wore his swimming shorts and took the kids into the shallow cascade pool. Prateek was already quite a good swimmer as Kripa had given him lessons in Mumbai….he splashed around confidently wearing Spiderman-design black trunks. Whereas Sur, wearing a cute, red swimsuit clung to Nishant in the water in fright, but her dad kept on encouraging her to get rid of her nervousness and fear of water.
Kripa wore a white T-shirt and capris, she didn't think it would be appropriate to wear a swimsuit in public in a traditional place like Dubai. She was sitting near the pool watching Nishant with the kids, but soon the children started calling their mama to join. Prateek called her insistently "Mama pleeease aao na"
"Bilkul apney Dad per gaya hai," Kripa grumbled "Mujhey paani mein utaarkar hi dum lega" She suddenly remembered their sea dip in Goa and became tearful. To distract her mind from her painful thoughts, she jumped into the pool and splashed around with Prateek and Sur. They all went on the water slides, got wet under the spinning fountain and had loads of fun, squealing with laughter and excitement!
Kripa excused herself after a while and got out of the pool. Just as she was climbing out, a tall, broad shadow fell on her…she looked up with a tremor of recognition. Zeb was standing right in front of her, looking down at her. She suddenly became aware that her white T-shirt had become almost completely transparent, revealing everything underneath it. She blushed violently as she saw Zeb's eyes hotly moving down her clinging front and smiling in appreciation! She tried to side-step him, but he stepped right in front of her; then she moved the other way, but he blocked her escape again.
She looked up at him angrily and muttered with clenched teeth: Raastaa chhodo mera"
Zeb bent low and said in a low, dangerous tone: Aur agar na chhoda toh kya karogi?"
She glared at him but he smiled shamelessly at her, his eyes caressing her womanly curves clearly outlined under her wet top.
He seductively whispered: "Why are you running away from me, little Mermaid?"
She gasped with the memory of his caressing words and trembled, her eyes tearing up as she looked at him with anger and hurt. She opened her mouth to say something but Nishant suddenly spotted Zeb from the pool.
HEY ZEB, he yelled from the pool, What are you doing here? Come on in, join us here in the water" Nishant signalled him with his hand.
As Zeb stepped aside to talk to Nishant, she quickly grabbed a towel from the side of the pool and ran to the changing room.
Zeb looked after her departing back and smiled wickedly. He shouted to Nishant: Not today, Buddy! Abhi mujhey yahan kisisey milna hai" he winked at him and left.
Kripa ran into the changing room and took the bag she had left there with dry clothes. She was still trembling from his whispered words: Little Mermaid…..what her pirate had called her in Goa when he had carried her into the waves. She closed her eyes, remembering her sweet days and nights with Angad in Goa 5 years ago.
Suddenly a muscular arm circled her waist from behind…..she gasped and almost screamed but a big hand covered her mouth.
His breath tickled her neck as he whispered: Don't be scared, its just me, don't scream, Got that?"
She nodded, trembling violently at his nearness and the solitude of the changing room. He let go of her mouth, brushing her soft lips as he did so.
He nuzzled her neck, rubbing her stomach with his circling hand.
" You look so sexy in that top" he whispered huskily. Kripa moaned with pleasure as she felt his mouth against her skin and his warm breath stirring her senses. She shivered as his beard tickled and brushed her soft skin. Then she suddenly remembered who he was and his denial of her. She pushed his arm away from her waist and moved away, facing him, holding the towel in front of her.
Tum yahan kyun aaye ho, chaley jaaao yahan se….she said angrily.
He lounged casually against the door and lazily said: Kyun jaaoon, do you own this room? He challenged her to make him leave.
This is a Ladies room, you are not allowed here, she raged at him.
Why don't you call the security and tell them? He mocked her.
She fumed with helpless anger, knowing fully well she couldn't be found there alone with him.
She used her last resort: Angad, aakhir tum chahtey kya ho? Kyun mera peechha kar rahey ho? Jab tum maanney ko tayyar hi nahin ke tum Angad ho?
His face tightened: I am Zeb, don't call me Angad! Then he grinned again: "By the way, if I WAS Angad, would you entertain me? Then I will be Angad….he laughed shamelessly.
He suddenly started moving closer to her : Main kya chahta hoon? Main tumhey chahta hoon. Zeb ko jo cheez pasand aa jaaye, wo usey haasil karkey rehta hai. So what do you say, Mrs. Saxena?
He looked heatedly into her eyes, approaching her as she backed away into a wall. He pinned her against the wall, his body just barely touching hers, his arms on both sides of her shoulders, trapping her. She closed her eyes again as the familiar weakness came over her at his nearness, her heart beating heavily, her breath coming faster, her body tightening in response.
She didn't know what would have happened if Nishant hadnt come right then at the door. He shouted for her from outside: Kripaaa, are you in there? Bachchon ko bhookh lagi hai. Aur kitni der lagegi tumhey? He asked rather impatiently.
Kripa pushed Zeb away and yelled back: Sorry Nishant, main abhi aa rahi hoon. Can u please change Prateek? Bag bahar rakha hua hai, saarey sookhey kapdey hain usmein"
As they heard Nishant move away and go into the other changing room, she turned to Zeb and said without looking into his hungry eyes: Please yahan se chaley jaao, mujhey change karna hai"
Zeb chuckled: We will continue later, Sweetheart! He promised in a silky tone and left the room.
Kripa closed her eyes for a moment, her heart pounding at what almost happened: "I must not weaken in front of him, hes just playing games with me" she reminded herself. "Lekin iss dil ka kya karoon, uskey paas aatey hi bekaboo ho jaati hai, she thought helplessly biting her lips. How can I stop my response to him?
She changed with lightning speed into a pink salwar suit, then she went to Nishant and brought Sur with her and changed her into a beautiful pale pink frock.
They took the kids for lunch at a Pizza Hut near the Hotel and took them for ice cream later on. Prateek and Sur were both very excited and happy to be with both Mama and Papa for the day and talked incessantly, but Kripa was too distracted with her thoughts of Angad and how to prove that he WAS Angad so he would have to admit it.
They went back to the Suite for naps. In the afternoon, Zeb called Nishant on the mobile: Why don't you join me at Zinc, the night-club downstairs? We can have dinner at Khazana and then go to the club.
Nishant asked Kripa if she wanted to go, Kripa shook her head in denial. " Sorry, Zeb, Kripa nahin jaana chahti"
Zeb insisted: Come on, what will you do sitting there in the Suites all evening? Give the phone to Kripa….I can call her Kripa, cant I? If you permit? He asked smoothly.
Of course you can call her Kripa….Nishant passed on the phone to Kripa who was still shaking her head but he urged her to take it: Zeb tumsey baat karna chahta hai"
She took the phone unwillingly: Hello, haan boliye"
Zeb's mocked her in a silky tone: Are you afraid of me? Why are you refusing to come?
Kripa said a little angrily: Mujhey nightclubs achhey nahin lagtey, Mr. Zeb.
Nishant shook his head at her: Don't be rude to him, hes just being nice.
Zeb heard Nishant, he chuckled at her on the phone: Suno tumharey patidev kya keh rahey hain, don't be rude to me, you have to be nice to me, after all I am your husband's business partner now… He said suggestively.
Kripa ground her teeth angrily: Theek hai, Mr. Zeb, hum aayengey. Are you happy now?
She slammed down the in-house phone angrily.
Nishant asked her with surprise: Kya baat hai, Kripa? Tum Zeb se itna naraaz kyun ho jaati ho? You never behave like this with anybody else?
Kripa fumed: He just gets on my nerves!
Nishant asked quietly: Is it because he looks like Angad?
Nishant had seen Angad's painting in her room in Nainital. He knew the resemblance was very strong.
Kripa turned her face away: Pata nahin, mera mann kyun kehta hai wo hi Angad hai, lekin …..
Nishant gently turned her face towards him: Main jaanta hoon tum Angad ko kitna chahti ho, kitna miss karti ho, lekin yeh Zeb kaisey Angad ho sakta hai? Wo to teen saal pehley jail se chhoota tha, teen saalon mein itna bada businessman kaisey ban sakta hai? Zara thandey dimaag se sochkar dekho.
Aur agar wo tumhara Angad hota, toh tumhey pehchanney se inkaar kyun karta? Bolo?
Tears of pain rolled down her cheeks as she thought: I know hes Angad, hes hurting me because he thinks I have betrayed him and married someone else, but he wont even listen to me…. meri baat sunney ko tayyar hi nahin, sirf mujhey sataa raha hai aur tadpa raha hai. Very well, Angad, I will PROVE it somehow who you really are, uskey liye mujhey kuchh bhi kyun na karna padey, main yeh saabit karkey rahungi ke tum hi Angad ho….
Nishant comforted her, patting her on her back: Don't get upset, I am sure Angad ek din zaroor lautkar aayega, tum apna ummeed mat haarna. Tum bahut bahadur ho, jab itney saal inteaar kar liya toh thodi der aur sahi"
But Nishant's mind filled with doubts too……Could it be possible that Zeb was really Angad? If Kripa was so sure of it…..I mean she should know better than anyone else about Angad. Mujhey iss baat ki tehkeekaat karni padegi, he pondered.
Kripa went down to a Fashion Boutique in the 1st Floor shopping center and bought a red halter-neck dress to wear at the night club. If he wanted battle, she would be ready for him with all her battle gear. She will seduce him into admitting that he was Angad. She went to a jewelry store and browsed around for something light to wear with the dress. Suddenly a store clerk came to her and gave her a red velvet box and said: Madam, This is for you"
Kripa was astonished: For me? But I didn't buy this…
Clerk: That gentleman sent this for you, he said this is a gift.
Even before she looked up, she knew who it could be….Zeb was standing outside the store window, looking in and smiling at her. He winked wickedly at her when their eyes met. She glared at him and told the clerk: Sorry! Please return it to that gentleman….I don't take gifts from strangers!
Zeb wasn't really surprised when the clerk went out and returned the gift to him, he quietly put the velvet box in his pocket. His eyes promised her that one day she will take that gift from him.
Kripa turned away from him and started looking at the other jewelry in the glass cases, finally selecting a slim red garnet bracelet and matching dangling earrings. She quickly paid the cashier and left the store with her purchases, looking around to make sure that he wasn't following her. But he was nowhere in sight. She heaved a sigh of relief, she would be ready to face him in the evening but right now she felt a little vulnerable.
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Pallavi
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