The Uninterrupted Suitor

Chapter 6

His open flirting would get on her nerves soon. She had to own the conversation. There was nothing objectionable in him. She just didnt want anyone right now.
"I don't think I know you."
"Um.... Lets start again. Hello I am Aditya. I am the CEO of AK group of Companies. I am also a family friend of Vikram Shanbaug, another impressive Corporate bigwig. And right now I am irritating you with my over friendly jokes."
"Your jokes are really over friendly. "
"Now your turn Maithri."
"Hello. I am Maithri. I am the daughter of Vikram and Vaidehi Shanbaug. I am a college student. And right now I am scratching my head on how to handle your strong jokes. "
"You are still in college? That makes you five six years younger than me. Damn no wonder you are irritated. I don't even know what kind of humor your age are tuned into. Your mother would have fried me. "
"So how closely you knew my mother? "

Hmm. Catching up now my love.

"And she knew me well too. I came to see her a couple of times. My mother also visited. I brought my mother, sister and her husband once. Last we met her five days before her passing away. By then your brothers had taken you away."
"I think I saw your mother at my mother's funeral."
"Yes we had come. Of course we missed her funeral which you kept private. We saw you carried away by your brother Prashant."
He had watched her large brother carry her away.  She was hugging him tight and crying in his neck. Aditya saw Prashant climb in the back seat still carrying her.  He didn't put her on the seat. Instead he placed her in his lap and held her tenderly close. His mother sat with them and tried consoling. Maithri's other cousin drove the car away. Aditya was held steady by his parents. They saw their son breaking down at the sight of his inconsolable love.
Her younger aunt had located Aditya's family. She informed both Maithri and her father would be taken to his elder brother's home. Vikram had frozen and Maithri was uncontrollable. It made matters worse for everyone. They couldn't be left unsupervised. Radhika spoke through unhalted tears.
"She will be taken care of in her uncles home. Her brothers can physically handle her. Most of us women are losing strength at Maithri's state. Vikram is just stone cold. At least Prashant gets through her. "
She let out a long sigh.
"She didn't suffer much in the end......... Was hospitalized only for two days.........she knew her time had come........she died in utter peace. Shocking isn't it? Well that is Vaidehi. Never ordinary always legendary."

"You know my brother Prashant too?!"

Please say you don't.

"You only need one meeting with the large man and you cannot forget him. And how does such a huge man have such a cute smile. I mean what kind of paradox is that? Like a five-year -old -can -hurt-me-cute smile! Men that size are devils or Gods not cute! "
"You know him closely don't you? Cause that super cute smile is only for the close ones. "
"Hmm. Okayish. "

Okayish enough for him to stop himself from openly threatening me regarding you. Normally it is keep your eyes of my sister or I will pull them out of their sockets.

"What is okayish? "
"We know each other personally and a little professionally."

Seriously! Another guard down! What is so good about you?

"And my older brother Prasanna? "
"He knows me better. We work together. Also he was my senior in college."
Her eyes went a shade cold.

You should check out with him, love.
We don't talk about you. But he sort of accepts me around you.

Aditya saw the damage happening.  Her walls of human guards were falling. He would now see her standing alone left at the mercy of her wits. No one had seen her totally alone. Many joked she could be having hidden knives or worse guns! Yes the speculations were a runaway because she was the daughter of a legendary couple. Her parents were extra ordinary. Still they kept their social appearances low key.  There were whispers about them. About their wealth, their ventures, their contacts  even their absolute lack of show of pompous wealth. But the most gossiped fact was their failure at hiding their beautiful heiress.  The most prized gem they could not watershed into blandness. They would have if they could. But how can one hide such a girl anyways?!
And now she was sitting in utmost regality watching Aditya. Her smile both welcoming and discouraging. A smile to mellow down his teasing. Not that Aditya planned to stop but he changed it to a softer approach.