To Love or Not To Love

Chapter 17

Anjali Jha was rarely perturbed. As a practicing lawyer and with a womanizing brother, she firmly believed there was nothing that she hadn't seen or dealt with. Which is why she was seldom caught like a deer between the headlights. Today, however, seemed to be an exception.

It was already bedtime when Anjali reached home.

"How's Anya", she asked Shyam, relieving herself of her jacket, laptop, and handbag.

"Good", said Shyam, lowering his reading glasses, to shift his attention from the latest edition to The Law Report to his wife. "I've just tucked her in. She might not be asleep as yet. If you want, you can go and say Good Night."

"No. Let her sleep. I'm not really in the right frame of mind. And I have a throbbing headache. I just want to shower and change and call it a night."

"Dinner?"

"Not hungry."

*****

Anjali was just getting out of the bathroom, toweling her damp hair when she noticed two steaming hot cups of chai laid out on the coffee table.

She looked up to see Shyam absentmindedly staring out of the French windows that overlooked the balcony. She slowly tiptoed up to him and laid her hand on his shoulder indicating her presence.

"Chai was a great idea Shyam. Just the thing I needed," she said, picking up one of the mugs to join him near the windows. 

Without looking at her, Shyam asked: "Something seems to bother you."

It wasn't a question. It was a statement. Shyam and Anjali had now been married for five years and Anjali still marveled at how attuned they both had become to each other's moods. There were times, in the past, when no words were required between them.

Today, however, was not one such moment. Anjali knew that. She also knew that the only way she could deal with whatever was going on in her mind was by talking to Shyam about it. 

"Its Chhote." When Shyam chuckled, she smiled a bit and continued: "He's doing things I can't make head or tail sense of. And I don't feel like discussing any of it with him over the phone."

Gently running his hand in a soothing motion on her back, in an effort to relax her, Shyam encouraged: "You can talk to me, maybe I can give you some insight. After all, I'm not half as bad with advice as you make me out to be."

The comment elicited a chuckle from Anjali. Shyam was very good, in fact, he was the best, but although Anjali acknowledged it, she would never admit it in front of him. A husband-wife thing, she said.

"You know Chhote has found himself yet another Business Developer."

"That's hardly surprising! I'm amazed Lavanya lasted as long as she did. Arnav does get bored with his "Business Developers" faster than seasons change in the course of a year."

"True. But this time its completely different. The girl, Khushi Gupta, is an average middle-class girl from Lucknow – not his type at all. Moreover, her dad owns a sweetmeat shop, called Devi Maiyya Mishtan Bhandar in Lucknow."

"And that is crazy because..."

"Because one week ago, Chhote bought the land that the shop stands on and a bit of land around it as well. I initially thought he intended it for AR's new offices in Lucknow, but apparently, he has leased the shop back to Mr. Shashi Gupta at more lenient terms than what the original contract had."

Shyam, who was in the process of picking up his own mug of piping hot chai, stopped and looked up with amusement.

"Really? Arnav playing the knight in shining armor? Very hard to believe."

"Exactly and one week later, I see Khushi Gupta in the office meeting with Lavanya for a "handover". I ask HR to send me a copy of her offer letter and it specifies that Khushi is joining AR as a Trainee Designer."

Anjali paused to take a deep breath.

"Khushi is nothing like any of Chhote's previous dalliances, Shyam. She is a simple girl. She came to AR today wearing jeans, a kurta and no make-up – JEANS, KURTA AND NO MAKEUP. Shyam, when have you seen any of Chhote's "girlfriends" ever dressed in anything less than the exclusive collection at AR Designs?"

When she didn't get an answer from her husband, she answered it for him: "NEVER"

Anjali sighed and rested her head on her husband's shoulders.

"I have a very bad feeling about this. I don't know what is going on in Chhote's devilish mind but I am very worried about this girl. She seems too naïve to know the twisted ways of my brother."

Shyam pulled Anjali closer to himself putting an arm around her shoulder. "The girl might not know anything about Arnav but you certainly know a lot about your brother. And by the sound of it, you've decided to take this girl under your wing, although she doesn't know about it, right?"

"Something like that," murmured Anjali, the warmth of his arms soothing her restless spirit.

"Then all you need to do is talk to her. Tell her about Arnav so she is forewarned. If she decides to quit, you won't have anything to worry about. If she decides to continue, it's not on your conscience."

"I think you're right," she murmured, laying her arm across his chest. "I'll pull her address and phone number from her file tomorrow and give her a call. I only think its fair she knows what she is in for."

The piping hot tea and the relaxing caresses were finally working their wonder. Anjali slowly made her way to the bed, propping a pillow against the headboard and picked up a book read. Five minutes later, when Shyam turned to look at her, she was fast asleep, the book lying open right next to her.