A Hundred Flukes

Bacardi

Bacardi - Chapter 5

"Am I allowed to talk to my brother now?" Anjali expressed her slight annoyance with the manager.

"Am I allowed to say no to you?" said Aman giving her a sheepish grin, " but I am afraid, you'd have to wait for a while, he's in a meeting."

"Abort the meeting." she said storming towards the door. "Anjali.." Aman called and bit his tongue, "ma'am you need to stay...". The door swung open cutting him short and a stout man in a faded reebock T-shirt walked out. Anjali turned to face Aman and jerked up her brows. "He's the contractor." replied Aman. She nodded at the man and dragged her feet inside ASR's large proxy office.

"So this is your temporary hide out." she speculated. ASR gave her a dull look from over his macbook screen and drawled in a monotone, "hi di."

"I thought you missed me." she said sitting on the arm chair opposite to him. Arnav didn't remark. "So when did you begin this bride picking business bro, umm, bride c-a-t-c-h-ing, rather?" she said puckering her nose a little.

" You saw that, so, big deal?" he said maintaining the monotone.

"No, no big deal, the media frenzy, the paparazzi are no big deal! A girl in a bridal attire descends from the stage like a seraph from heaven and lands straight in the lap of, oops, arms of Arnav Singh Raizada- a sight to behold!...what if the family, especially nani stumbles upon this? 

"I am sure you can handle that...like you always do, after all it does entertain you." he said uninterestedly.

"Don't take me for granted young man, I am fed up with your unwarranted page 3 appearances and this time you and your literal arm candy have given them enough to last for a month."

"I can't help it if people are so interested in me."

"And you don't do anything to arouse this interest." she grinned.

"What do you mean?" he said sharply.

"You want me to believe all this reached the media without your company's stamp and seal on the package?" she said disbelievingly and added softly, "Arnav, have you given it a thought, what could be the consequences for that girl?" 

Her face flashed in front of his eyes for a moment, hadn't she challenged him with her words, you can't do anything? A wickedly satisfied expression passed his chiseled features, "why else do you think I did it" he muttered under his breath.

"You said something?"

"No, I mean, di I am in no mood for one of your speeches on women empowerment, it’s pathetic, please not now, not in my office." he protested.

"If you give such misogynistic statements again, I am going to get you kicked by my girls at Sakhi, in full camera glare." she warned.

"Duh, as if the girls at your useless NGO are any better than the one in the video."

"Why do you donate for it when you find it so useless?"

"Company policy." ASR quipped and jerked up his head, "where the hell is that husband of yours, he promised me to tolerate you all his life."

"Why do I even bother to talk to you." Anjali said in a mock angry tone. Arnav turned his attention back to the screen.

"By the way, "she began barely able to suppress a giggle, "what was her name?" ASR stared at her with eyes narrowed to slits. "Oh, sweetie I was only concerned about Lavanya", she continued. He raised an eyebrow. "Now don't look at me like that, I am sure if she sees it, she'd only be wondering whether her boyfriend was posing for the camera with bridal props!" and burst out laughing.