STOLEN HEARTS

CHAPTER 4 - THE COLONEL AND ROCKY

Rocky was relaxing next to the swimming pool. He was around 24 and handsome. Skinny, twig like arms, flat stomach and a delicate look. He was the kind of guy girls swoon over. The kind of guy a girl wanted to pet. They wanted to take care of him, like a male doll. Barbie's Ken.

His Ray Bans covered his eyes. He wore shorts and a floral shirt, sipping on a pink cocktail. All around him were beautiful young things either swimming or basking in the evening sun. Yes, this was Rakesh Dhingra, the object of Sonia's, and many other girls', affection!

The Colonel and the Secretary walked up to him. They looked out of place in their elegant suits. While the Colonel stood a couple of feet away, the Secretary walked right up to the lounge chair and addressed Rocky, "Mr. Rakesh," he said gently.

Rocky didn't seem to hear him as he was busy day dreaming.

The Secretary raised his voice, "Mr. Rakesh."

Mr. Rocky still hadn't heard the Secretary.

The Colonel decided to take matters into his own hands, "RAKESH ... OR SHALL I SAY ROCKY!" his loud voice boomed around the swimming pool. A waiter, startled, almost fell into the water.

Rocky finally opened his eyes, "Yeah buddy?" and looked at the Colonel without recognising him. "Who are you dude?"

The Secretary introduced them, "Mr. Rakesh Dhingra, this is Colonel Shamsher Singh...Sonia's father."

Now Rocky recognised him, "Oh dude, why didn't you tell me? Sonia says I should call you Dadyeee!" He got up suddenly, spilling the pink drink all over the Colonel's suit.

The Colonel brushed himself and stared at Rocky, who was beginning to babble, "Ohhh dude, I mean dad, so sorry, so sorry, you startled me. Anyways, Sonia has told me so much about you. She said that she had a talk with you about our marriage and that you were very happy and had agreed to give us your blessings and–"

Colonel was shocked at this blatant lie, "What? I agreed to give you my blessings? The only thing I agreed to give you is a piece of my mind for trying to ruin my daughter's life."

Rocky chuckled nervously, "What, dad! What have I done? Ha, ha, you must be joking."

"No, no, I'm not joking, you are joking. Because this whole idea of a marriage is a joke."

"But dad!"

"And don't you call me dad! I would much rather be dead than be your dad! And if my wife, Sonia's mother, was alive she would much rather be an Egyptian mummy than be your mummy!"

Everyone was watching this play out in front of them and the Colonel's words had stunned them all into silence. They all expected a good comeback from Rocky. Rocky looked at Colonel and Colonel looked at Rocky and everyone looked at both of them. Then said Rocky genially, "OK then it's decided, will not call you daddy, I will call you Papa!"

"I'm the last person in the world who can be your papa. I prefer not be called by you at all."

"But I love Sonia, dad...papa...err, ok I will call you babuji or maybe Pop, like I saw an old man being called once in a TV show that I saw."

"If you call me Pop I will ensure that you pop off soon."

"OK, then it's decided, I will call you babuji," Rocky said, still freewheeling the conversation. He was pretty sure that his proclamation of love would clear up any objections the Colonel may have had regarding their union.

The Colonel breathed deeply and calmed himself down, "You want to marry Sonia?"

"Yes. I love her madly, truly, deeply and I'll keep her very happy Da...I mean...babuji!"

"OK then, you can marry her on one condition."

"Really? Oh thank you babuji, thank you so much, Sonia was right about you, you are so nice, I'm going to..."

"Stop babbling you moron."

Rocky shut up.

"First, listen to what you have to do to marry Sonia." Rocky nodded. "You'll have to join the Army. You'll have to become an officer, my boy, an officer and a gentleman!"

Rocky protested, "But I'm already a gentleman babuji. I open the door for Sonia whenever we go clubbing!"

The Colonel now assumed his most threatening manner, "Yeah, you think so. But ask me and I'll tell you what you are. You are a cute woman, a WOMAN! To become a man you have to shed sweat, blood and tears, you'll have to exercise, you'll have to jog..."

Then the Colonel shouted an order like the army man he was, "ATTTTTTTTTTENTION."

Instinctively Rocky snapped to an attention, as did a lot of other people around the pool, including those who were currently swimming in it.

The Colonel continued, "Tummy in, chest out, eyes front, stand like a man, you twerp."

The twerp tried to stand like a man.

"Now imagine, imagine what you have to do to marry Sonia. Marching..."

And Rocky began imagining as the Colonel continued, "It's early morning and a bunch of cadets march smartly. The only one messing it all up is you with your short crew cut hair!"

"No, not my hair! It's a designer haircut!" said an alarmed Rocky reaching up to touch his hair.

"You'll have to go through one of the toughest training routines known to modern man. Imagine getting up in the morning for a cross country race, obstacles, push-ups, parade, stomach crawl, role climbing, diving...imagine pain, blisters, wounds, blood, broken bones...imagine!

Rocky heard these words, scared and began to take steps back, away from the Colonel, who walked menacingly towards him. Rocky walked and walked and, unbeknownst to him, stepped on the spring board to the swimming pool, and continued to walk.

"And imagine big heavy guns, shooting, explosives, hand to hand combat..."

Rocky, who was walking backward, reached the edge of the pool, lost his balance and fell in with a loud splash.

The Colonel smiled. This meeting had had the desired impact. If this didn't make Rocky think twice about the marriage, then he would eat his hat. If he had one. The Colonel shouted at Rocky who'd just surfaced in the pool, "So you want to marry my daughter, eh? Well, it's not going to be easy, I'll see to that!"

Rocky was angry now and sputtered, "You can't stop us. We are consenting adults and we can take our own decisions. This old school mentality will not do. She has said yes and we are getting married after which we are going to stay away from you. We have already made plans of staying in the US of A. And no one can stop us!"

Colonel gave his moustache a twirl and said with a sneer, "Don't ever challenge an Army guy, you bloody civilian. I won't be stopping Sonia, it will be Sonia who will say no to marry you!"

"Ha, ha, now I know you are joking! She will never do that. She does everything I say. I own her, like so many other things I own in life. I have bought her. She is mine!"

"Own her? Wait and watch what my strategy will be in this war. And don't you be mistaken you twerp, this is war!"

"Let it be war from your side but from our side this is love!"

"So be it," said the Colonel grimly.

"Just before you go Babuji, remember everything is fair in both love and war!"

Rocky meant this as a threat. The Colonel turned and walked away with the Secretary behind him. Rocky stood in the water looking at them go, just as determined as the Colonel. He was ready to show the Colonel what he was made of.

He was going to marry Sonia if that was the last thing he did, if only to spite the Colonel! Just to show the father of his bride down, just to be able to sneer in his face and say, "I won, you lost!"

And he did love Sonia, at least for the time being, and who knew about the future, who cared about it anyway; when the future came it would be the present and Rocky knew how to live in the present! He got out of the swimming pool and went straight to his phone and dialled a number.