Chapter - 20 The Journey

I feel grumpy taking the morning flight from Mumbai but Kiyansh bullied me into taking one. My eyes are sore, not sleeping till midnight because of two specific crazy people who adamantly denied to take their butt off from my apartment.

It is 11: 45 when I come out of the flight. I pick up my phone to call Ashraf Kaka but see a message from him. " Someone told me they will pick you up. Sorry. "

What? I am contemplating on who it might be when my guess comes out to be true. My phone rings , " Come Out I am waiting. " Kiyansh says placidly.

" Wait. " I say and head out and there he stands with a defiant pose and his usual incensed eyes. His eyes softens the moment it lands on me and a scintillating smile comes on his face.

I smile back even though I meant to give him a hard look. And my heart ding dangs, " Hii " I prod him gently. " How is it possible you are not in office when you are dressed in your work suit. " He is dressed in Black Gabardine Suit with grey pinstripes. His 6 foot two inch dangling above mine.

Whereas I am just in a black denim and a simple white plain t-shirt. Maybe with dark circles under my eyes, so I triumphly complete the outfit of a panda.

" You are so grumpy today. " Kiyansh smiles at me in the car. We are driving towards....I don't know, I just want sleep. So I remind myself that I have to talk to him about the reporter thing, before I fall into a deep slumber keeping my head on the cool glass window of the car.

" Hey. We are home. " A soft hand touches my hair, I groan in sleep. Someone opens my seatbelt and I groan again. A hand goes under my waist and lifts me from the seat. I hear the click of a car and I open my eyes when I feel as if I am in air. And I am, i squint my eyes up at Kiyansh.

His brown eyes go down directly at me , a surge of emotion in them.

I gulp and I croak out, " I can walk. "

" Nearly there " he gives a small smile and I hear the welcoming barks of Mikey.

My head turn towards the glass door which automatically opens when Kiyansh stands in front of it. Kiyansh takes me to a black leather sofa in the living room and gently drops me on it. Mikey jumps from the foot and gets up on my stomach licking my face excitedly.

" I missed you too munchkin" I giggle when in answer he licks me again.

" You both play like this. And you take some rest after having breakfast. I will meet you in the evening. There are clothes for you in the room you stayed that day. Call me if you need anything else. " His soft eyes are looking at me and Mikey with such an intensity I feel something move in my chest.

" Okay " I whisper and scan my brain to say something to him. Nothing comes out.

" I will be going then. " He keels some step towards me then with some hesitation bends down and kisses me on the forehead. My whole body goes still. And again I feel as if hundreds of butterflies are dancing on my head.

Not Allowed Shanvi Stop.

The position seems so awkward. His eyes seems to wander on my face for a second then he afftectionately touches Mikey , his hands unintentionally touching my stomach in the process, I feel a tickle, my stomach without control skimming under his fingers. I instantly pick up Mikey and sit on the sofa.

" Okay see you." I say flusteredly waving at him awkwardly.

Please Go. Go or else don't look at me like that.

**

All day I spend snoozing on bed, with Mikey occasionally waking me up. I text mom and dad to inform them I am back. And I switch on TV watching Money Heist when the glass door to the living room decries someone coming in.

I turn my head and see his curious eyes watching me. I forget and ogle at him until I realise I am wearing his t-shirt instead of the ones he bought for me in the closet upstairs. I think what to tell him before I can say anything a grin flashes across his golden skin.

" I see you like my clothes more. "

" Umm no. I just, just couldn't find the closet " I say stupitedly, seriously Shanvi? You could'nt find the closet?

His grin widens even more then a loud bang causes us to turn, ofcourse it's Denver in Money Heist. I turn and close the tv.

" You and your habit of watching thrillers. " His hands go to his tie and he loosens it up.

" So " I clear my throat. " How did you got to know about the reporter thing? "

On cue his eyes goes to my neck as if scanning for something. " Where is your pendant? " His eyes, they seem to burn.

I tug it from underneath the t-shirt and roll my eyes. His smile comes immediately back up.

" So? " I wait for his response.

" Ahem. Someone told me. "

" Ofcourse. " I roll my eyes. " Who? "

His hand goes to his jaw. " Doesn't matter"

He has a habit of touching his jaw when he is nervous.

My eyes widens. " Who ? "

" Doesn't matter, I kept my end of the deal that reporter has got her job back. "

" What ? " I shriek. " You made her lose her job? Are you insane! "

" I didn't she did. Now let's go tell your parents"

" Kiyansh this is serious "

" Do you think what I am not talking about is not serious? " His brown eyes incense in fire. His eyes look like wide forest. His voice covered in glacier.

" Anyone who disrespects you, should know whom they are talking about."

" This is not the way. I handled it."

" You handled it your way, I handled mine. I didn't object to your way did I ? I even agreed to your objecting so can we let go of the topic now? "

I wanted to say something. Something that would make him understand that he was wrong. But I knew him since childhood, I knew how stubborn he is. I knew if he didn't like something, he didn't like it.

" Can we go to your parents now please?"

His voice suddenly turns soft and I nod my head. Praying to God to give me confidence to speak to my parents but I should have known better.

********

We are sitting in my parents living room. The table covered with pastries, donughts and different type of juice that I like, my father is trying to feed me almost everything on the table while my mother is looking at me curiously.

" So there must be something very important that Kiyansh called both of us?" My mother looks at us sitting on the couch opposite her.

I deliberately scoot away from Kiyansh under my mother's scrutinizing eyes. A lump forming inside my throat. Then suddenly Kiyansh's hand reaches forward and he holds my hand stopping me in tracks.

" I wanted to ask for Shanvi's hand for marriage. " My father stops dead in his tracks his hands still in the middle of the table freezed. My mother opens her mouth to say something but Kiyansh beats her to it. " She said Yes " he motions at me. " And before you say anything about my previous relationship " he clears his throat. " I want to say that path is clear and away from me. I know you might think that we are doing this without thinking, but you both know we know each other since childhood. There's no else for either of us ." Kiyansh squeezes my hand, and I realise he did the whole talking because he knew I was nervous. " As for my parents you know they would be beyond delighted after hearing the news."

My father's face looks like it has turn into an Egyptian statue. My mother for the first time looks like she have no words to say. Her eyes goes to Kiyansh's hand holding mine and for the first time I don't feel the urge to remove it from under my parents eyes. It feels good, it feels nice that he can hold it in front of my parents. And with respect and honesty explain everything to them without even hiding about his past relationship.

There's complete silence for two minutes then my mother's eyes directs at me. She looks at me , I look at her , then her lips turn to a feeble smile. And she shakes her head, " I knew this was coming. Transfer my money to the account I told you this was coming. " She squeals and taps on my father's lap.

While my father shakes his head and looks at me with fake disgruntled look

" You lost me my bet. "

" What?" I say unbelievably " Did... did you just bet on me if I was going to say yes or no? " I ask them unbelievably while Kiyansh snickers a suppressed laugh beside me. I pass him a threatning look, his face instantly turns into a straight line.

Then I turn my face towards my parents with accusing eyes. " You bet on your daughter! " I say pointing my index finger at them.

" So? " my mother chortles, " I knew you were going to say yes, how could I lose the opportunity to make your father lose to me? "

My father opens his mouth to say something and my mother just turns her head towards him and he closes his mouth. " See,a what a bet! " She laughs "but forget about it, tell me how she said yes. " She looks at Kiyansh and for the first time in my life I see him tounge-tied.

Then a certain image of me lying on him and him holding me tight which comes to my mind.

And I say, " I said yes. "

My mother and father wait for me to continue but I just give them a cretinous laugh. This time unexpectedly even Kiyansh joins me in the awkward laugh. My parents look at us as if we are crazy. Which we meticulously are , imagine thinking about those types of things infront of your parents then awkwardly saying " I said yes. "