RISHTAA: An Arranged Love (IPKKND AU) **ON HIATUS**

Chapter 36: Payal

The temple bells rang as Payal rushed up the stairs, her puja thaal balanced carefully in one hand. Her other hand was engaged in battle with her dupatta, which had been hastily flung around her neck as she'd hurried from home and now threatened to fall. In her distraction, she didn't register the figure that stepped out from behind the pillar until it was too late.

"Payal-ji!"

Marigolds fell to the floor in a shower of petals as the platter collided with his chest. The minuscule container of vermillion followed as Payal watched in horror, and a smudge of scarlet appeared on her saviour's crisp blue shirt. Her eyes flew up, an apology already on her lips, but it died when she realised it was Aakash-ji patting his hands over his chest in an attempt to brush off the mess. A blush crept up her cheeks instead.

"I ... I'm sorry," her voice trembled, "I didn't see —"

"—It's fine," Aakash-ji interrupted, his hands stilling, "Are you okay?"

Payal nodded, taking a careful step backwards to introduce distance between them.

"Is Anjali-ji with you?" she asked, eager to distract herself from the rapid thunder of her heart. Her palms seemed suddenly sweaty.

"No, I was checking fabric samples from a new supplier and thought ... I thought to stop ... stop by."

Aakash-ji turned away, taking off his shoes before striding towards the dais where the priest was making ready for the aarti, and she followed quickly. Silence reigned between them until the observances were over. Payal stepped in line behind other devotees, aware of every small movement her companion made as he hovered to the side, and explained her purpose in visiting when it was her turn to speak to the priest. He blessed the small collection of sweets she'd laboured all morning to prepare, including the syrupy golden spirals her sister loved so much, and then it was time to leave.

"Khushi has an exam," she explained as they retrieved their shoes, "I want her to do well."

"How is she finding her last semester?"

"I think it both excites and terrifies her. Just a few months left."

Aakash-ji smiled at this. Though Payal half-feared that he would make his excuses to leave, he seemed content to escort her home. They turned a corner before he spoke again.

"I liked the safety college offered," he confessed, "I didn't know what I was going to do when I graduated."

"You work with Arnav-ji now?"

"Yes, in Strategic Management."

Her incomprehension must have been clear on her features because he explained after glancing down at her, "I implement strategic policy. Where to invest and when, how much to commit, which directions will be best for our company, things like that."

She braced for his questions about her own studies, dreading revealing that Babu-ji hadn't been able to afford college for her and that Abhishek-ji's family had promised further education but ...

Payal sighed as they entered a small market area, stalls lining either side of a narrow pathway. A woman bustled past her, roughly pushing her out of the way, and she managed to catch herself on a small wooden cart. Luckily, the prasad stayed on her platter, though a handful of tomatoes from the cart fell to the ground.

"You will have to pay for that!" the grumpy vendor accosted her almost immediately.

"But the lady ..."

Her protest was swiftly cut off, "I don't care, I have to pay for the ruined merchandise somehow."

"I'll handle it," Aakash-ji offered, already reaching into his trouser pocket for his wallet.

Embarrassment curled within her at the thought of being in his debt, but she hadn't brought her own purse and so couldn't even offer to pay for the damaged goods herself. The vendor blinked in surprise when Aakash-ji pulled out the outrageous amount he'd demanded without hesitation.

And suddenly, all her half-formed hopes and tentatives dreams seemed that much further away.

"I also want a bag of potatoes," he handed the money over, "and some cauliflower and okra."

Payal frowned, wondering what the army of servants in Shantivan did all day if Aakash-ji had to buy vegetables himself, but soon realised that he was buying extra things to ease her anxiety over the damaged tomatoes.

"You don't have to," she protested in undertone, but he only tilted one corner of his mouth in a half-smile before turning his attention back to the vendor.

"Shall we?" he asked when his arms were laden with his purchases.

They continued down the lane, with Aakash-ji positioned slightly in front of her as protection from further jostling, and soon her house came into view. And parked across the narrow alleyway was a small white car.

"Bhai's car was vandalised overnight," Aakash-ji said suddenly, "and he took my car to work. So I have this one today."

"What happened?"

"Kids. They put misri into his fuel tank."

Happy-ji chose that moment to stroll out of his garage.

"Our neighbour is a mechanic," she offered, "Happy-ji takes care of Babu-ji's car and is very talented."

The words were out of her mouth before she considered that he not asked for recommendations, nor did he need them, and that Laxmi Nagar was really too far out of his way in either case.

"I'll mention it to Bhai," Aakash-ji smiled, "Thank you."

There was a short silence, in which Payal tried to untangle her confused thoughts as she readjusted the bag on her shoulder. She didn't want him to leave.

"Would you ... would you like to come inside for tea? Babu-ji is home and he'd love to see you."

"I should get back to the office," he seemed apologetic.

Mortification swept through Payal as she nodded hastily, "Of course, I didn't mean ..."

"May I visit tomorrow instead? I'll rearrange my day."

He gave a small smile when she nodded. Out of excuses to delay, Payal turned to the steps that led to her verandah with a heavy heart.

"Payal-ji," he spoke before she'd taken two steps, "Take this with you."

"Khushi-ji likes potatoes, doesn't she?" he offered a small bag when she turned around, frowning in confusion, "She should have something she likes to celebrate tonight."

Taking the bag with a grateful smile, Payal corrected him, "Khushi eats potatoes three times a day. To say she likes them is to say that the Sun is warm."

Instead of releasing the bag as she'd expected, he adjusted his grip so his hand lay over hers. Payal gasped, her gaze flying up to find his face.

"And what do you like?" his tone was soft, and much too intimate, "What do you want?"

Heart galloping, breath suddenly stuck in her lungs, Payal could only blink. He leaned down to whisper, "See you tomorrow."

He strolled towards his car, and she was still standing frozen as he'd left her when he turned to wave goodbye. Her hand seemed to rise of its own accord to answer him shyly. And when he was gone, and the alleyway empty once more, she allowed a grin to form on her lips.

You're just as fanciful as Khushi, her oft-practical mind admonished, but her heart was already singing to a different tune.

Rajkumar.

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Author's Note: Thank you for your patience! I really appreciate all the nice messages everyone has sent.

The next update will be on 6 May 2017.