Book II - Darling, I Love You (Part One - Completed)

Part 41

UNEDITED

Part - 41

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"I need you like a heart needs a beat"

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"No one had ever won me in skiing, not even dad... You're the first." Veer said with ill-concealed amazement. They had an alpine (downhill or straight) racing. "You're an ace skier, Kathryn" he patted her back and gave her a side hug.

"Thank you" she returned his hug, smiling.

"Yeah, Kathryn. You glided on snow like a fireball. It was a delight to watch you two compete in the final round." Rishab praised though he was little disappointed that he couldn't make it to the final round. He got out of the game in the previous round much to his shock.

His wife Madhu got out in the very first round itself and that didn't surprise him because he knew she wasn't a good skier.

Naira didn't contest at all because she was scared of this sport ever since she cracked her neck while skiing in Manali at the age of 15 so she became the cheer girl.

"And you're a keen watcher and a fair judge, Inayat." Rishab appreciated her as well. Inayat didn't know skiing so she agreed to be the judge.

"I thought you would favor me, your husband, but you didn't, Inayat" Veer pouted as if he was disappointed.

"I am sorry" Inayat mouthed, giving him a pleading look. "Just joking" he mouthed back and smiled.

"She beats you by just 2 seconds" Inayat said hoping it would appease him that he didn't lose to her by a big margin. "You were really close to winning" she said rubbing his arm with her palm.

"I'm not upset, Inayaa." he laughed. "I actually feel proud that I have competed with a champion." He said looking at Kathy with admiration.

"You show great sportsmanship in defeat, jijz." Kathryn decided to call him jijz even since she saw Inayat as her elder sister. (Jiju - Sister's husband in Hindi)

"You won with class and I lose with grace" Veer said with a fond smile.

"Yeah" Kathy smiled.

"Where is Arjun?" Madhu asked finally realizing he was missing.

"Oh shit! I think he fell in a pit" Kathryn said and bit her tongue. "I saw him losing control and rolling to the side when I was sliding down the high slopes."

"And you're saying that now? Why didn't you go help him?" Madhu asked angrily.

"I thought he would manage on his own and would come here but..." now she felt guilty for not helping him but focusing on her game.

"What if he is hurt?"

"Madhu, don't assume things." Rishab chided her. "Veer, you go look for him"

"Yes, dad" he said and quickly removed his mittens and dropped them on the snow surface. Inayat picked them up and kept safely with her. "Here, hold these props too" he gave his ski helmet and poles to her this time as he didn't want her to pick them up from down. Then he removed his skis and started walking in his boots when Naira spotted Arjun at a distance and yelled his name.

"Hey, we are here" Naira waved her hand to catch his attention. Arjun waved back and walked towards them holding a cup in one hand and his skis in other hand.

"Where have you gone?" Rishab asked.

"You didn't get hurt nah, baby?" Madhu asked, raking his body with her eyes to find any sign of injury.