Prithvi...(Vol. 6)

Chapter 149

Nandini felt a prickle of uneasiness at the look on Rajesh Garewal's face. She had a strange feeling that she had let him down somehow.

Aruna looked victoriously at her husband. "See, she's fine with it. I knew my Nanhi would take my side. It's two against one now, Rajeshji," she told him smugly while walking towards him and Nandini and putting her arm happily around the younger woman.

Rajesh gave his wife a sour look, while Nandini glanced at her with an uncertain smile, which became a touch more unsure and confused as she glanced impulsively at Prithvi, unconsciously seeking confirmation that she had not made a terrible mistake in perceiving what he had wanted her to say. The softness in his black eyes made her breath catch in her throat, and temporarily drove away her anxiety about Rajesh's reaction. As her cheeks turned warm, she awkwardly looked at her phone.

Prithvi grasped with a startled discomfort that something in him had escaped layers of controls to display itself on his face. He looked away, with a tinge of colour on his skin. The self-consciousness in his eyes transmuted into a sharpness as he looked at Rajesh Garewal, who was trying to hide his displeasure at the turn of events, and had been quiet for a longer-than-normal spell, patently wanting to continue with his objections but not finding the best way for it.

Then Rajesh dryly said, "Well, she has always been partial to you, Arunaji." He offered Prithvi a feeble smile. "Looks like I'm defeated for now, Prithvi. Well, then, we should hurry up if we have to also visit Taravan later," he said with a false heartiness, while indicating to the chauffer to turn the car around.

Prithvi's jawline tautened unconsciously. He could already predict what was going to happen. He would receive an apologetic call or message in some time, cancelling the plan for tonight, and excuses would be made about not being able to meet up later in the week too. And the golden child of the Bharadwaj family naturally wouldn't dream of going against the wishes of an elder.

Aruna gave her husband a stinging-plus-doubtful look, but her thought process was interrupted by the sound of her phone ringing. She rummaged through the different sections of her handbag and found the mobile. "It's your aunt, I'll have to answer it," she muttered to her husband.

"Don't waste time and have a long conversation now. Tell her we will call her later," Rajesh told her impatiently, moving towards the car.

Aruna fumed inwardly at being instructed like she was an idiot, and mentally added one more subject to the list of things on which they were going to fight later.

"Wait, Rajeshji. You know she will want to talk to you as well," Aruna told her husband stiffly. And with an apologetic murmur to Prithvi, she answered the phone while moving a few feet away.

Rajesh looked at Nandini and gently prompted her towards the car. "Nandini, you don't have to stand in the sun, go sit in the car."

Confused, Nandini obeyed Rajesh and began walking reluctantly to the car, which was now facing the other side.

She glanced at Prithvi hesitantly. Everything in her was rebelling against parting from him again today, even though it was only for a few hours.

Her heart leapt as her gaze locked with his. She saw a turmoil in his eyes. But there was also an inexplicable anger in them, which she'd sensed in him a while ago too. Then he looked away. Nandini's confusion intensified. She'd felt certain before that his irritation was not directed at her. But she wasn't certain anymore...

There was a painful twinge in her chest. She wasn't sure what was happening but there was some strange disquiet in the air, and she was uneasily conscious of it being centred on her in some way.