Love and Respect

Chap 17 - Conversation

Rudra's POV

When we got home, she tied her hair in a neat ponytail and began cooking the dinner.

She firstly cleansed the spinach in boiling water and put them in a grinder. Then she worked on the rest of the food items. In just a little while, three delicious dishes were ready to be served.

She took off the apron and called out for me to eat. "Time for dinner."

I, sitting on the sofa, put down the newspaper. My eyes hadn't been in the newspaper. All I had done was observing her all the while. I was more curious about her now.

She started serving me. Seeing me stare at her, she couldn't help but ask, "What happened? Does my face look dirty?"

She wiped her face with her hands. I really wanted to hold her hands and kiss her, but I just control my urge.

I shook my head. "No, nothing. Come let's have dinner." 

She didn't push too much. She quietly finished her dinner and cleared the table. Then she went upstairs to revise the plan.

I knew it was because of me that she had to keep revising the plan again and again. But I wasn't satisfied only because I wanted to stay with her longer. I knew if our relationship went at this pace, we might just end up as "normal roommates".

I kept thinking about our relationship. The more I thought, the more frustrating it became for me. So I called dadaji (grandfather) for help.

Dadaji was considerate enough to leave the newly wed alone in the house. He went to USA to visit  my sister Monica (his granddaughter).

I called dadaji.

Converation between me and dadaji:

Hello dadaji.., that's it and dadaji bombarded me with his questions. 

"Rudra, how have you been? Do you get along well with Mittali? Is she is a nice girl? Are you enjoying your newly wed life?"

From his cheerful sound, I could tell that he felt quite comfortable there in USA

"Dadaji, when will you come back?" I asked him directly without giving answers to any of dadaji's questions.

"A couple of days later." Dadaji continued, "Why did you call? What happened? You sound low. Is everything ok between you two?

I hesitated for a while and then said, "No big deal. It's about Mittali. She just..." but before I could he cut me off.

"What happened to my dear daughter-in-law?" Dadaji asked in shock.

He hadn't seen her before but he liked her very much ever since the wedding day and I never knew why?

"What happened, dadaji?" Over the phone, I heard the voice of Monica, my lovely sister. Monica shouted at me and said, "Bhai, (bro) I've packed up my luggage. We'll come back soon."

I was delighted to hear that.

"Ok dadaji come back soon, I'm desperately waiting for you people" after saying this I hang up the phone.

Hetal's POV

The next morning, I had already left for work. But I had prepared breakfast for Rudra and left a note with it on the table. I made sandwich today along with coffee in the thermos.

I spent all night working on the plan. Despite that, I left for work early in the morning via train. When I reached, the office was empty. So I made myself a cup of coffee in the pantry. When I heard Sara's voice outside when I was about to leave.

Sara's voice - "Did you hear that? Mr. Oberoi lost his cool yesterday, because Hetal tried to seduce him. I don't understand how this slut had the nerve to do that?"

"Sara, don't gossip behind her back. She is not that type of a girl." 

On hearing someone stand up for me, as I knew that person after hearing her voice, it was non-other than Alfiya

Sara continued, "She pretends to enjoy working here, but she only wants to find a rich husband, get married, and settle down. Just wait and see whether Rudra will fall in love with her or not. In my eyes, it's simply impossible. One shouldn't cross lines just to get male attention."

I didn't bother to quarrel with her. I just took my coffee and headed straight back to my office, without paying any attention to them. Because it was only me who knew the truth. what relationship I had with Rudra. 

I send the plan to Mohit via email. A while later, I received his call. "Miss Mehra, our CEO thinks the plan still needs some improvements. We can give five more days to revise it"

I was pissed off. My anger was fuming. I just wanted to hold Rudra collar and ask him why was he doing this to me?

I told Mr. Khan about this. His facial expression changed immediately, I could see threw he didn't think of me as highly as he did before and this was all because of Rudra.

The day went off and Rudra called me as he came to pick me up. There was complete silence while driving back, I was pissed off and just prayed that this one year contract gets over.

I started looking out of the window and was in my thoughts, as there were many questions in my mind. I was feeling like he was trying to ruin my professional carrier, but why?

Why was he telling me to revise the plan? What does he want? And then suddenly I was brought out of my trance by Rudra's voice.

"Tomorrow is Saturday. Keep yourself free. We have to go to the airport to pick someone."

I didn't say "No" although I was confused.

************

मिल रहे हो न खो रहे हो तुम,
दिन पर दिन और दिलचस्प हो रहे हो तुम.

**********

समझ में नहीं आता जिन्दगी में उलझन है,
या उलझन ही अपनी बन गई जिन्दगी है.