Valley of Flowers

Chapter 1

Ten years later...... Delhi

'Beautiful Khushi,' NK complimented Khushi on her semi-classical dance performance earlier that evening, on the song Kahe Ched Ched Mohe. In reality, he had only come into the auditorium at the very end of the performance. Though it pleased him to have a talented fiancée --future fiancee he corrected himself -- classical form of dance was not his cup of tea. What did interest him was the girl herself. He sat next to her.

It was a beautiful night and they were sitting out on terrace of the Raizada mansion after dinner. 'Beautiful!' he repeated, looking into her eyes, this time his pleasure quiet evident. Khushi had a lovely mouth, cushiony and curving, a passionate mouth. He only wished she would be as passionate in her nature as well. He would just have to wait and find out, he thought with a well concealed irritation.

'I suppose it was good --- technically,' Khushi said and moved so that she could put some distance between them.

'Don't be silly, Khushi. You are always hard on yourself.'

'It could have been better.'

'Khushi you are good. Why do you doubt yourself?'

'It's this particular song,' she sighed.

'Couldn't you just choose a different one?' he asked her. Looking at her surprize he said, 'I mean if it gives you so much stress.'

How could she answer? She could say, 'I am compelled to perform, though it does nothing but unsettle me and make me unhappy.' Or she could say, 'Tonight, for some reason it has disturbed me unbearably.' How could she say what was in her mind?

'Well?' NK demanded, a smile on his lips that never quiet reached his eyes. He was a handsome man, clean shaven, hair cut stylishly and she knew he spent a lot of money to make sure he looked that way. A day old stubble and hair too long enough to curl slightly at the nape, was definitely not his style, Khushi thought wistfully. 'Of course, you arty types are notorious for your mood swings.'

'Not really,' Khushi breathed deeply, unmistakably melancholy. 'It's pretty late, I should go back downstairs.'

'Not so soon. I want to spend some time with you. I wish our engagement wasn't postponed,' he sighed. She was everything he wanted, beautiful, gentle and refined. His thoughts went back to the time six months ago when he had flown down to Delhi from Australia to visit his cousin Akash. He distinctly remembered how he had been mesmerized when Akash had introduced his wife's sister. Within three months he had expressed his desire to marry her and his mother had asked Khushi's parents for her hand.

'Narenji, you know jeejaji is still recovering from the accident.' Khushi admonished.

Akash Singh Raizada, her brother-in-law had met with an accident just days before the engagement, forcing the postponement of the ceremony. Akash had sustained a serious head injury, resulting in a clot in the brain. The doctors had decided to avoid an operation and had put him on an intravenous treatment that would melt the clot over a period of few weeks, after which, they predicted, he would recover completely.

'Well, I didn't mean it that way.' NK wished he could take back his words. 'I wish Akash bhai hadn't met with that accident.' He finished, feeling lame.

'Narenji, I really have to go relieve mamiji from her babysitting duty.'

Payal and Akash's six month old son Palash, who everyone loving called Ashu, was a fiery little baby who seemed to calm down only in the presence of Khushi other than his own mother.

'I don't understand why we can't hire a maid to baby sit Ashu,' NK muttered irritated at his aunt Manorama for being such a fussy grandmother. She constantly complained about the baby, feigning a pain in her knee within moments of carrying him. God she was such a drama queen.