Prithvi...(Vol. 6)

Chapter 153

Aruna dipped her fingers in the small steel bowl containing warm oil, anxiously saying, "I really don't know if it's a good idea for you to wash your hair in this cold weather, Nanhi. I know you're used to doing it regularly even during winters, but the winters in Shamli are not this severe."

"Don't be worried, aunty. I'll be fine," Nandini insisted.

"You're already looking so pale," Aruna fretted as her fingers gently moved on the thick, lush tresses. "I'm really worried you'll fall ill."

"That's just because I woke up early and couldn't sleep again for some reason," Nandini said uneasily. "I'm feeling perfectly fine."

Rajesh Garewal looked over the rim of the newspaper he was reading and said, "Don't fuss so much, Arunaji. She's a strong girl."

"She is, but I'm going to remove the evil eye from her anyway," Aruna said mulishly.

Nandini smiled as she enjoyed the oil massage.

It always helped her relax, and she was in desperate need of relaxation after the night she'd had. She didn't know at what point the crying had exhausted her so much that she had fallen into a deep sleep. But although she had slept for a few hours, for most of it, she'd been stuck in a single, never-ending nightmare of being trapped in an old, dark structure, and no matter in which direction she had run, with her heart hammering with fear, she hadn't been able to escape, and there had been a horrible feeling of impending doom...that time was running out, and if she didn't get out soon, she was going to be trapped within that ancient place forever...

She had woken up an hour ago, with her heart still feeling heavy and sick with grief, and her nerves still stretched with tension and anxiety. Her sorrow wasn't going to disappear or even lessen in this lifetime, but she'd decided to try this time-tested method to at least get rid of the anxiety from the nightmare.

"Dry your hair properly, okay? Or you could catch a cold. You should use the hair dryer," Aruna encouraged. "It won't damage your hair if you use it sporadically."

"That's really not necessary," Nandini awkwardly. "My hair dries quickly on its own."

"Yes, keep your modern contraptions away from my daughter," Rajesh commented from behind the paper. "She doesn't need them like you do."

"Don't be mean, uncle," Nandini protested lightly. "She just wants to help."

"This is what happens when you've been married for too long, Nanhi," Aruna said sniffily. "Men lose all sense and say any rubbish that comes to their minds."

Nandini chuckled as she listened to Rajesh Garewal's indignant response and the banter that followed, knowing that it meant nothing, and underneath all of the arguments and leg-pulling was a bond of unshakeable love.

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After signing on the last page of the thick wad of papers, Prithvi closed the file and pushed it across the smooth surface of the table to the grey-haired man sitting on the other side.

"That's the last of it for now?" he asked the oldest member of his team of assistants.

"Yes, sir, thank you," the man said, rising to his feet, holding several files.

"Tell the others I'm not to be disturbed for some time," Prithvi directed.

Once the door was shut, Prithvi pushed back his chair and got up.

He walked to the tall glass windows, and gazed out at the sprawling green grounds. Arms crossed, he leaned against the side of the windows, which were open as usual, letting cold air circulate through the room. This had the added benefit of ensuring the room was so chilly that Inder couldn't stay in it for long.