Bikhre moti (Scattered pearls)

30. A Business Tycoon's Sweet Shop (Valentine's spl)

Note - Keeping the tradition from last 4 years to celebrate Valentine's day special OS on Bikhre moti, presenting this year's Valentine's day special OS to you! Enjoy❤️

[Loosely inspired from the scene added above]

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'Khushi Meethai Bhandar (Sweet Shop)' Arnav read the large colorful board of the shop and looked for the glass door to enter. But when he didn't see any and realized there was an open entry, he hesitated before stepping inside.

It was still early in the morning, 9 am to be precise. And although shops in Delhi might open at that time, he didn't know if Lucknow people went shopping that early in the mornings. That too for sweets!

The shop was completely empty; not a single salesperson was present let alone the owner. He surveyed the surroundings and observed that, despite its small size, the shop was remarkably neat and orderly. Numerous glass compartments displayed containers filled with various Indian sweets – Barfi, Pedha, Milk cake, Laddus and so on. The delightful aroma in the air told him that all of the sweets were likely very tasty.

Interestingly, the shop also had a wall-mounted television broadcasting a news channel where the anchor was presenting some local news.

Was this even the correct address? He wondered and pulled out his cellphone to call his cousin. After all it was his arguably dear cousin brother who had sent him here.

"Yes, bhai, have you reached there? Did you meet Payal ji?" his cousin, Akash asked as soon as the call got connected.

"There is no one here, Akash. Are you sure you sent me to the right address?" he asked, simultaneously holding his left hand up to look at his Rado watch and see the time. He had to leave from here shortly if he planned to make it to the investors' summit, at least online. He had let go attending it in-person just to accompany akash to Lucknow, where his fiancé Payal lived.

But then Akash declared at the last minute that he was planning some surprise for Payal and thus he had sent Arnav ahead to meet Payal and her family.

Arnav had never visited them before. He was away on a business trip when the rest of the family had come here to fix Akash and Payal's alliance as well as do a small, intimate engagement.

"Yes Bhai, you are at the right address. Your location is shared with me, remember? Please hold the fort for me a little bit, I will be there as soon as possible."

"No Akash, I can't-" Arnav tried to refuse, but it seemed akash didn't want to hear.

"I knew you'd help me, Bhai. Thanks. Bye." Saying so, Akash cut the call.

Leaving Arnav alone and confused.

He had never done this. Waiting that is. As the young entrepreneur who owned Raizada Construction company, he had people waiting for him.

Anyhow. He had to do something. Ask someone if there was a way to meet Akash's fiancé's family or the said fiancé herself! Akash had told him there was an entrance to the house through the sweet shop itself. But even for that he would need to see someone.

"Excuse me? Anyone here?" he called out loudly.

And exactly at that moment, a gentle breeze carrying an enchanting fragrance reminiscent of sweetness and jasmine reached his nostrils. This was followed by the delicate sound of jingling bangles...or was it anklets? He was still wondering when he heard a melodious voice, "Ji, kaun (who is it)?" making Arnav turn to look at the source.

And breath left his body in a whoosh. Because there stood the most beautiful girl he ever saw wearing a lemon-colored salwar suit with a white dupatta, carrying two large trays of what looked like freshly made jalebis and having a pretty smile playing on her perfectly pink lips!