To Love or Not To Love

Chapter 48

"Bansal", hollered ASR. The sound echoed through the empty storefront making both acutely conscious of the awkward position in which they had been found, and the possible misapprehensions it could lead to. They immediately broke their hug and put some distance between them, with Khushi particularly taking to fidgeting with her hair and dress. Aman was taking long strides to reach ASR to explain the situation.

Two things struck ASR at once - that Khushi had taken extra effort to dress up and that she was acting extremely nervous.

"ASR you have to listen to me. It isn't like what you might imagine. Khushi and I..."

A lone hand stopped Aman's tirade in mid-sentence. ASR casually walked up to Khushi, carefully inspecting herself, while she continued to fidget with her hair, her bracelet and other accessories that were part of her attire.

"Ms. Gupta," he said curtly, the moniker drew a sharp response from Khushi who jerked her head up to look at him. "What are you doing here?"

The question was fairly reasonable. His tone, totally unreasonable. Holding her head high, Khushi replied, mimicking ASR's icy tone "Enjoying my life!"

The answer aggravated ASR further. "It's interesting Ms. Gupta, that you have no time to attend an important client meeting but have plenty of time for a secret rendezvous. I can only assume that your priorities have changed."

"People see what they want to see ASR. Who am I to correct their misgivings?"

Khushi, in the past, had addressed Arnav as Arnavji. She had also called him Arnav. She had never, in their four months of acquaintance called him ASR. The name didn't sound right on her lips.

"Arnav...", he whispered through gritted teeth.

"Of course, I forgot," she replied nonchalantly, picking an invisible fleck off her dress. "Arnav...Singh...Raizada... Now if you'll excuse me, I am getting late for dinner."

And she made her way out of the store, but not before thanking Aman once more for showing her this incredible space.

After Khushi had left, Aman made his way to Arnav. He could sense that Arnav was going through an internal turmoil. Although he didn't understand what it was all about, he had come to guess that Khushi Kumari Gupta affected ASR in a way no other woman had.

"Arnav," said Aman, using the name he often used when he transitioned from employee to friend. "What's bothering you?"

When Arnav didn't answer, he continued. "I've noticed that Khushi has a way of getting under your skin. I don't know why, but you lose all sense of rational thought when she is around. Is there something I should know?"

"Is there something I should know?" countered Arnav. "Di called me this afternoon. Between talking to me about the revisions in our partnership contracts and telling me about her and Shyam's upcoming Milan trip, she mentioned a phone call from your mother. Apparently, the Gupta's have reached out to her with a marriage proposal for you. No brownie points for guessing who the bride is!"

Arnav waited for Aman to respond. When he didn't, he continued: "Aman, I know we usually talk shop and have always kept our personal and professional lives strictly separate. But as your friend, if there is something going on between you and Ms. Gupta, I would rather hear about it from you than Anjali Di."

When Aman still didn't respond, Arnav lost all his patience. "Bansal," he stated through gritted teeth, "Are you dating Khushi Kumari Gupta?"

"No", pat came the reply. "Not yet."

And not waiting for Arnav's response, Aman made his way out of the store, far into the maddening crowd. He didn't know what was going on with his personal life. And he guessed Khushi didn't either. He had to find out. But first, he needed to speak with Khushi.