by Sonia Rao
“It’s the…” she began but just then the doorbell rang.
“The food…!” They both said in unison, and got up at the same time to take delivery. VK smiled and it made her heart go thud-thud. She hoped he could not hear it and swiftly gestured she would take the door.
Meanwhile, VK moved towards the small kitchen to get the crockery and cutlery. When Shivalika returned to the room, VK had already set out the plates and forks. She was impressed. It always bugged her that when they called for takeaway, the guys in the office just sat back and waited for the girls to serve the food. Now, she watched mesmerized as his long, well-shaped fingers moved swiftly and expertly. With a pair of office scissors he cut open the packets and emptied their content into the bowls. There was multigrain schezwan noodles and her most favorite, chilli paneer supposedly cooked with secret Chinese spices and whose recipe was jealously guarded by Mainland Chinese.
Shivalika stretched out to collect the empty packets and as she did so, his hand brushed against his. She jumped back nervously.
“I don’t bite,” his voice was sardonic but she was sure he was laughing to himself about her overreaction.
“Don’t know about that, but I’m sure you’d rather sink your teeth into the paneer than into me.”
For a moment, there was deathly silence. Then, VK looked deep into her eyes and said, “I wouldn’t bet on it.”
She dropped her eyes even as she felt the pink rush up her cheeks. What the what was that?!?! Playing with fire!!!She had to be careful not to get burnt.
When she looked up, he had already put a serving of noodles and paneer on her plate and was happily digging into his own food. The rats in her tummy were having a rollicking time, but she had to stick to her earlier stand.
“I’m not hungry,” she said, sulking.
“Eat,” he ordered, in a stern voice. She meekly picked up the fork and stabbed the paneer. She heard VK give a short laugh, but hunger pangs finally engulfed her and she began eating.
“Did you know this paneer is made from a secret recipe?” he said, suddenly.
Shivalika nodded, smiling. “So I’ve heard and I intend to ask them for it.”
“Why? Do you like cooking?” he asked.
Now this was a sore point with Shivalika’s family. She promised them delicacies every time she entered the kitchen but the only output had been burnt offerings.
What Shivalika did not ever reveal was that the very act of cooking was a stressbuster for her. She was never aiming for taste and looks in her cooking. But she had always been able to find solutions to her problems every time she cooked.
“Yes, I do but I’m not sure my family does,” and laughingly refused to elaborate on the subject any further.
“I’ll get that story out of you one day,” VK said in a threatening tone but his eyes twinkled with mirth.
“We’ll see,” was her rejoinder, ready to give as good as she got.
“So, who’s your most favourite family member?” he said, giving the conversation a different twist.
This question made Shivalika pause. She pondered.
“I adore my dad. I’m very lucky to have such a wonderful father.”
“So, the little princess twists her dad around her little finger?” His words were mocking but a slight smile played at the edge of his lips.
Shivalika stuck her nose in the air and said, “Why not, indeed! But I am also the darling of my Gramma. Not so sure what my baby twin brothers feel about me but I love them to death.”
“And your mother?”
Shivalika pretended she hadn’t heard his question. She began looking around for her phone and gasped. “It’s 10:00pm. I’d better get home if I don’t want to be late for work tomorrow too.”
VK gave her a quizzical look but did not pursue the matter. They carried the plates to the kitchen where she rinsed the crockery and cutlery and he stacked them on the side of the sink. Raju, the peon, would wash them in the morning.
They switched off the lights and locked the doors. As they went down the lift, Shivalika began fiddling with the Cab App on her phone.
“What are you doing?” he said.
“Booking a cab for home,” she said.
“Don’t! I’ll drop you home.”
“But it must be out of the way for you.”
“Depends on where you live.”
VK’s car was as outstanding as he was. A sleek, black Jaguar, it made heads turn like its owner did. Being a sports model, it was a tight fit and she almost felt her thighs touch his as she sat in the passenger seat.
He saw her squirm away and gave a short laugh.
They strapped themselves in with the seat belts. He put on the music and the AC and they were on their way.
The song Kandisa, that now played over the speakers, was her favourite song by her favourite band. So, VK too was a fan of Indian Ocean. It pleased her to know that.
They reached her house and as he brought the car to a halt, she hurried to open the door. In her haste the electronic door opener got jammed and she had to wait a few more moments while VK reset it before she could open it again.
Stepping out of the car hurriedly, she banged her head badly on the edge of its roof. Tears welled up in her eyes with the pain and she brushed them aside. She didn’t want him to see her like this, like she was a nincompoop and a clumsy one at that.
The day had been difficult, as if she had been wrung through the grinder. Her heart, soul and even her mind felt as if they had been through a big ordeal. It was a surprise her hair and clothes were not all disheveled and frazzled, seeing the state of her emotions.
She said a quick thank you and goodnight and ran inside the society lobby. Later, when she heard the screech of tires as VK took a turn and left, she wondered whether she had been rude and she should have invited him home for coffee. Anyway, it was already too late to think about that now.
“Your boyfriend?” The shrill voice of Mrs. Virmani who lived on the ground floor hurt her ears and it took her a minute to understand what the senior citizen was referring to.
Her ears turned red and she sputtered out, “My boss.”
Mrs. Virmani suffered from insomnia and she could often be seen slinking around the society compound like a ghost. No harm done but she did seem to sometimes say things that were uncomfortable to hear.
Shivalika hated having to explain to her neighbours about her life but wanting no confrontation, she quietly took the lift to her house on the fourth floor.
CHAPTER 6
Vashu opened the door for Shivalika as soon as she rang the doorbell. Shivalika wondered if her grandmother had seen VK drop her home but Vashu’s expression was blank.
“I’ll set out the food while you freshen up,” Vashu said, moving towards the kitchen.
But Shivalika caught hold of her hand and led her to the sofa. Taking her favourite position with her head in Vashu’s lap, Shivalika said, “I’ve already eaten.”
“With Nate and others?”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “The new boss ordered takeaway.”
“Oh, so introductory dinner for all of you?”
Shivalika shook her head. “Only me and him. All the others had left. I had to wait back because he wanted to go through my presentation,” she said softly.
Vashu looked at her for a moment and said, “Young fellow?”
Shivalika just put her hands to her head and pretended to tear her hair out.
“Gramma...what’s wrong with you? Every guy in my life is beginning to appear to you as a prospective match for me.”
“Your boss is the guy in your life?”
Is he? But I am not interested in all these love-shove things. Her thoughts tormented her but her face was calm. Shivalika looked her in the eye, she said, “You very well know what I mean. I refuse to add fuel to the fire of your words. Where’s Baba? He’s gone to bed?”
“Yes. You know he hits the sack at 10pm.”
“And if we disturb hi
m, he’ll be sleepless all night.”
“Right. And your mother is watching TV in their bedroom. On silent mode, of course.”
Shivalika seemed to have not heard this comment made by her grandmother and said, “Aloka is after me to meet Moksh over dinner. She says she wants me to meet him at least once.”
“She’s a sensible girl,” her grandmother said. “And she’s your best friend so I am sure she would want you to meet him.”
“But I don’t feel like going out. Especially after knowing about Mrs. Naidu’s illness...it makes me so sad.”
Vashu hugged Shivalika. “Darling, we have no control over life, death, diseases, but we have to face situations that confront us and then move on. That is the way of the world. Now go, call her up and tell her you will meet them for dinner.”
Shivalika kissed her grandmother goodnight before going to her room. Once inside, she threw herself on the bed. Finally, she could relax. Keeping a straight face about VK had been tough in front of her grandmother. But now, as she shut her eyes, his image swam in front of her. Her heart pounded so hard she could feel the blood rush to her head. The guy in her life. These words played again and again in her mind and she shook her head to stop them. No doubt he was a disturbing presence in her life but she had her life set out. Working in La Piazza till she was ready to start her own interior design studio.
Just then her phone rang. It was Aloka.
“Good you called. Gramma and I were talking about your dinner invitation.”
“And of course, you said yes.”
“Ummm...I have another appointment on that very day,” Shivalika said. Her excuse sounded weak to her own ears.
“Reschedule that.”
“I have loads of office work to complete.”
“That’s best done in the office during office hours.”
“I have to go to the temple with Gramma.”
“If you don’t reach Tamnak Thai by 8:45pm on Saturday, then both Moksh and I will come to your house and carry you away to the restaurant.”
“Okay, I’ll be there.”
“Shivalika, babe, listen, one can’t choose whom to love. It happens as and when it does. Let go of the past. Anyway, I promise you I am not setting you up for a blind date. Happy?”
“Thanks for your gyaan, Madam Guruji. And I would have killed you if you’d even dared to set up a date for me. And I will kill Moksh if he ever hurts you.”
“Muaaah,” Aloka said, as they ended their call.
*******
Shivalika was glad she agreed to meet Moksh. VK had not been in office since that first day, so she was not emotionally wrung out. Everyone in the office wanted to discuss VK but Nate put a stop to it for which Shivalika was secretly very relieved. The pressure of working so close to VK was disturbing enough.
Tonight, she was going to focus only on food and friendship.
Moksh was great company. Aloka and he had been batchmates but now he assisted his father in business. All through dinner, he kept on looking at Aloka with his sweet, brown, cocker-spaniel eyes and Shivalika knew who was going to be the boss in their house. It would be a unanimous walkover.
He was gracious with the serving staff and did not create unnecessary fuss. In his soft-spoken way, he made sure they were looked after well. “He’s a keeper,” Shivalika wanted to shout out to Aloka.
The ambience at Tamnak Thai, one of the top Thai food places in Mumbai, was as enticing as its food. Shivalika couldn’t get enough of its old-world charm and feasted her eyes on the charming wooden chairs, orchids set in vases, big-sized, elegantly-framed paintings of olden times.
But when the food was served, Shivalika tucked in as heartily as Aloka and Moksh. They began with Tom Yum soup. “Slurpilicious,” said Aloka, holding up her thumb and forefinger in the A-Ok sign. It was followed by the main course of Green Thai Curry and Pad Thai Noodles. The three ate in silence, immersing themselves in the wonderful flavours that tantalised their taste buds.
Finally, it was dessert time. “Coconut custard, anyone?” Moksh asked. Both the girls put up their hands to show they were full.
“Are you sure?” he asked them again.
“Not for me,” said Shivalika.
“I’m too full,” said Aloka.
But when the waiter brought it to their table, the girls dug in heartily. “Just a taste,” they said, as they spooned bites of it into their mouth. Moksh smiled beatifically and signalled to the waiter to fetch two more of the same.
“I’m sure I’m waddling, I’ve eaten so much,” Shivalika said, laughing, as they finally exited the restaurant.
“Me, too,” Aloka said, passing a hand over her tummy. “But it’s too early to go home, isn’t it, Moksh?”
The valet had brought their car to the front and as they got in, Aloka said, “Let’s go for a long drive, Moksh. Let’s go, please, please, please.”
Moksh was in no mood to refuse her. They had to take a turn homewards anyway, so they decided to go to Bandra via Worli sea-link and back.
Shivalika demurred because she didn’t want to be a bone in the kebab or the third that made a crowd but when even Moksh insisted she gave in.
Moksh held Aloka’s hand throughout the drive. On and off he would raise it to his lips and kiss it. He did it without any embarrassment or fear.
Shivalika smiled indulgently at their PDA. Aloka was not at all self-conscious and enjoying every bit of that attention.
At one point, he suddenly bent towards Aloka, who was looking adoringly at him, and kissed her fully on the lips.
The sudden honking from the car at the back made Moksh spring back and grab the wheel and steer it out of danger. Love makes one reckless, Shivalika thought. But why did the thought of VK cross her mind this very minute, though?
They stopped at Worli Seaface. That place had a buzz around it. The high-tide waves splashed against the wall that bordered the sea, sending up salty sprays on all those who sat there. Some loitered on the roads and the pavements while some were dining in the eateries that lined the opposite side of the road. Lovers, families with young children, college-going youngsters, senior citizens out for an after-dinner stroll: there were people everywhere. On Moksh’s continued insistence, they had ice-cream and milkshakes.
Aloka had been raising her eyebrows again and again at Shivalika, trying to get her to say what she thought about Moksh. Shivalika wondered what would Aloka do if she said no. Not that she wanted to. But even if she did, she wouldn’t have the heart to. It was so obvious that Aloka was very much in love with Moksh. This reminded her of what Aloka had said the other day: that you could not choose who you fell in love with. She would have never believed this earlier but now her deeply-held belief seemed to be living on shaky ground.
It was pretty late when she reached home but the next day was a Sunday. She would need all the rest she could garner tomorrow to face her boss on Monday.
CHAPTER 7
Monday morning blues had always been a myth for Shivalika. While her colleagues came in drooping and groaning to work on Mondays, Shivalika would be chirpy and peppy, eager to get started on her work for the week. Nate often joked that if there was an ‘Excited By Work’ Award for employees, she would always win it hands down.
But that was in the past.
Today’s Monday was different. Shivalika wondered what new work challenges VK would throw her way. Not that she was afraid of them. And not that she was not keen to see him again. Oh gosh, I’m such a bundle of contradictions, she thought.
VK had called her presentation “crap” and said that it wouldn’t work. She was all geared up to fight for her project. As she walked into the office, she looked towards VK’s cabin. The door was half-shut and she could see him partially, his head bent down, reading some papers he was holding in his hand.
She walked quickly to her desk and taking a deep breath willed her galloping heart to slow down. She had hardly settled down when the peon came over to her and said, “Saheb bulaa rahein h
ain.”
VK had called for her. Shut up, she silently berated her thudding heart. As she walked towards his room, she shook her head and tried to get into her warrior mode. She had to fight for her project.
“In your presentation, you’ve mentioned Mainland Chinese as one of your sample studies,” VK began immediately as soon as she entered the cabin.
As she nodded, he said, “We’ll go there this afternoon to check out your theory. Bring along your presentation,” he said, dismissing her, as he turned his attention to the papers on her desk.
Shivalika noticed that he was dressed to go out. The white linen shirt he wore was open at the collar, the little sprigs of hair curled on the olive skin giving him a rakish look. She imagined him in the impeccably tailored, midnight blue coat that was hanging from a hook on the wall and her heart missed a few beats. She fled from there, afraid he could hear it galloping in the silent room.
Once she reached her desk, she looked around. The interns were gaping at her but the rest of the people seemed to be quite immersed in their work. Shivalika went back to her presentation to give it a second look to make sure it was up to the mark. She had a tough taskmaster to answer to, though she had already done a ton of research and was very sure of her stuff.
Lunchtime came and Raju collected everyone’s tiffin boxes to heat up the food. As he began placing the heated food on the table, one by one everyone began converging towards it.
“Shivalika, try this palak paneer,” said Krina, holding out her plate. But Shivalika was not at all hungry. Her overactive heart had put her hunger pangs on hold. Not wanting to bring attention to it, though, she took a bite of the roti and the veggie. “Yummy,” she said absently, her mind on the upcoming meeting.
There was a lot of sharing of food and fun as they bantered and ate. Nate sent Raju to ask VK to join them but he politely refused.