MMZ – Legally Yours – chapter 5 & 6

Legally yours
Chapter 5

Arjun glared at her with such fury in his eyes, that Radhika though she may have holes in her in a short while.

She walked her his chair and kneeled down, held her ears and softly apologised, “sorry Arjun!” she said innocently.
“sorry, for contradicting you in front of the entire office. I realise I shouldn’t have done that. I could have spoken to you privately. And sorry for calling you tiger, I have no idea what was I thinking.”

Arjun was high up in flames but one look In her crystal sparkling big brown orbs, he came crashing to the ground. All his anger, his fury melted away.
Mature and Innocent. Cute and Bold. Rough and Childish. Diplomatic and Straight Forward. He wondered how could she be all those things simultaneously.

He let out of a sigh, “get up radhika.”

“only if you forgive me.” Came the curt reply.

He let out a sigh, rolling his eyes at her impossible nature, “okay, you are. Please stand up now, woman?”

Radhika smiled like a little child on being given her favourite chocolate. The very smile which made his heart skip a beat.

She finally got up and blabbered like a kid, while Arjun couldn’t help but stare at her.

“How could people call her shy?? She is a monster…well, a cute monster.” He thought.

She slapped her forehead suddenly, bringing him out of his parallel universe.

“what?” he cocked up his eye brow.

Radhika brought two bowls of half melted butterscotch ice cream.
She gave a sheepish smile, “brought these for you…to say sorry…but I kinda forgot. No issues, I’ll just keep them in the refrigerator.”

Before she could even turn around to go, Arjun was up on his feet stealthily picking up his bowl of ice cream.
“don’t bother. I love ice cream and now, half melted ones as well.” He said winking at her.

Radhika was surprised, she didn’t know that her strict boss had a child’s heart. She, momentarily felt his hard exterior to be a cover up for his soft heart. She shrugged it off.

“can I ask you something?” she asked as she dug into her own bowl.

“what happens if I say no?”

“I am going to ask it anyway.” She replied.
Arjun smiled, “shoot away.”

“why are we not friends?” she asked innocently.

“what do you mean?” he paused to look up to her. He quickly pulled her bowl towards himself, passing her a sheepish smile as he dug into hers on finishing his own. “my favourite.” He explained.

“sir, I mean..”
She was cut off by his glare.

She smiled and started over again, “okay…arjun, I mean, we work together for a major part of the day…are practically the only people leaving the office after everyone else…and I don’t hate you in the i-can’t-stand-to-look-at-your-face way….and I am pretty sure even you don’t. So, would being friends be more convenient?” she looked at him eagerly for a reply.

He didn’t reply, instead an amused smile plastered on his face. He just couldn’t help but fall even more for her after little speech.

“and I promise, I wont let your friendship violate the work environment…and blah blah….everything boring, you are about say. Trust me.” She added with a puppy dog face.

“okay, friends.” He said finally giving in.
Radhika jumped up and down with happiness.
“finally, no more of the boring akward silences and interpreting your bipolar nature.” She blurted out, leaving Arjun wide eyes.

She passed him a sheepish smile, realising what she said.

“and no more mincing words.” He added laughing. Radhika joined too.
“I’ll call you tiger, from now onwards.” She teased.

“don’t. I don’t like it.”

“that gives me all the more reason to.” She retorted, with a big smile.

“call me anything you like, if it makes you smile like that.” He spoke all dreamily, losing himself in her smile.

For the first time, she felt at ease in his office. And he for the first time, felt a fresh breeze all over his life.

Sam had planned an elaborate spread. Neil was oogling at the food the second he laid his eyes on it. Sam giggled, “stop staring at it…it isn’t going to run away. Come, sit.”
Much to sam’s surprise, neil engulfed her in a bone crushing hug instantly. Sam was surprised. But she too wrapped her hands around him contentedly, leaning on him.

Sam asked gently, “whats the matter, neil?”

Neil smiled and broke the hug, “samundar singh, what will I do without you…the spread is so inviting that I have no clue, how I am resisting it and talking to you.” This earned neil a punch.
He continued, “ you know what sammy, my mom called saying she had finalised a alliance for me….and since you take so good care of me…I want you to teach her everything, but yeah….no telling our secrets…okay?” neil chuckled and started helping himself out, munching his breakfast delightfully.

Sam’s face lost all colour, she was ash stricken. What just happened? Her heart screamed. She hadn’t been able to confess her love for him, and yet his alliance has already been fixed with some other girl. What if he actually gets through with the marriage??

She was brought out of her thoughts by neil’s shouts.

Sam replied, still distracted, “umm…yeah…yeah?”

Neil was concerned, “you all right?”

“yeah…yeah..”
Both had their breakfast in silence, sam was about to tell him her plan for the day, but was interrupted by the ringing of neil’s phone.
His face immediately beamed, he spoke cheerfully, “maa…how are you?”
“……”
Neil turned to Sammy, covering the speaker of his phone with his other hand, “Sammy, this may take a long while….she wants me to video chat, deciding options and stuff. You may want to carry on.”
Sam nodded, grabbed her bag and walked out in haste. She almost ran to her car and before she knew she was in tears. She could almost see her future self shattering on the day of her only love’s marriage. She wanted to confess, but wasn’t really sure. She knew her brain wasn’t in a condition to function properly. She needed assurance and review of her decisions. And who could provide a better review than her two besties…Radhika and Arjun. Following these lines, she drove like a maniac to legal ease.

Radhika and Arjun were in the midst of an animated discussion in his cabin, when sam crashed in. She had consoled herself a bit. She looked fine but her face was dull, had completely lost its shine.

Before anyone could say a word, she dropped the bomb, “neil is getting married.”
Radhika was shocked and Arjun was upset.
“and he decides to tell you that first?” he said with a pout, earning glares from both the girls.
“what the hell… When? He didn’t even inform..Did you tell him?” Radhika asked.
“date hasn’t been fixed. His mom got an alliance for him and the idiot said yes.” She spoke almost as if complaining to them.

Radhika was getting irritated, “you didn’t answer, did you tell him?”

“no.” came a short reply.

Radhika’s temper knew no bounds, she sprang on her feet, pacing around. She screamed, “samaira khanna, are you waiting for his wedding day to tell him that you love him?”

Arjun jumped in, “okay…umm, I need a little context in here. What the hell is talking about, sam?”

Radhika threw daggers at him, bringing him up on the subject simultaneously, “sam loves neil like mad…but hasn’t spoken it out in words till date, and that idiot doesn’t get hints.” She briefed him up.

Arjun nodded, but kept quiet. As if making up, his own mind about the issue in hand.

Sam hung her head low, “was worried for his reaction till date….now that he is so excited about his wedding, I don’t know…getting second thoughts.”

Radhika jerked her up by shoulders, “sam, what do you mean? Babe, you need to tell him. Now that the circumstances have changed. His response doesn’t matter. If says yes, then great but even if he says that he doesn’t love you and will marry the girl he is supposed to, atleast you’ll have the satisfaction that you opened your heart to him. Will you be able to live your entire life thinking how life would have entire out had you dare to speak your heart?”

Sam blinked. Her words did make sense.

Meanwhile, Arjun had called up neil. He had primarily scolded him for sharing such huge news with only sam and secondly had got the details of the girl. After chit chatting a little more, he disconnected the call.

“I dare say, it is safe to wait a little while longer.” He announced, as if this was some legal case, he was handling.

“what?!” Radhika spat out.

“the situation is not as bad as it looks. The girl’s parents are friends of prerna aunty. Everything is finalised but Neil hasn’t meet the girl yet, whose name by the way, is Neha.” He paused.

“so what I feel is that, if you aren’t comfortable in confessing yet. Then you can wait, maybe neil doesn’t vibe with Neha and refuses to marry her himself. That is possibility for all you know.”

Sam counter questioned “but what if he does vibe?”

“if he does, then you can always confess later. If he realises that he is in love with you, then he can always say sorry and refuse the girl. If he doesn’t love you, it is a no irrespective of when you confess.”

Radhika thought hard, “Sammy, tiger actually makes sense. Do that.”

Sam nodded. She realised that she had spoiled their moods as well.
“thanks by the way, for treating my love story like a legal case.” She said with a pout, making both Arjun and Radhika laugh.

…………………………

Chapter 6

Sam had followed their advice, but had started to hang out with neil only in the presence of one of the other two. She felt it might get hard for her to control her feelings if left alone.
And neil on the other hand, seemed over enthusiastic about his wedding preparations. He kept annoying the trio specially sam, pestering them for help in deciding everything from his sherwani colour to the menu.

“neil for godsake, stop! The date hasn’t been finalised yet and you haven’t even met the girl. Why are behaving as if getting married was the only goal In your life? Can you please shut up and behave like a normal human?” Radhika screamed. Arjun seconded her.

Neil made a sad face, “I just thought to be prepared in advance.”

“stop all the drama dude, the wedding may actually take place after four years for all you know.” Arjun rolled his eyes.

Neil cheered up suddenly, “ohh..by the way, I am meeting Neha, tomorrow night for dinner. Please atleast, tell me what to wear?” he requested.

Radhika slapped her forehead, while Arjun rolled his eyes.
“not again..” they said in unison, which made them giggle, giving a chance for neil to roll his eyes.

Because of the neil and sam drama, the time Arjun and Radhika spent together also increased a lot. To make possible for sam to remain in the same room as neil, the presence of them was required. They bond quite well, and now knew each other more than themselves. An unknown person would easily assume them to be childhood buddies. Radhika was completely free with Arjun, she said what came first to her mind and behaved as she liked. Arjun too kept happy these days.

Arjun’s mother, nandini was rejoiced at the sudden change. After his father’s death, she had never seen her son to be truly happy. It was almost seemed as if his actual life had ended then and he was just living like a robot. But now, he was giggling, laughing, smiling and even humming to himself. Nandini prayed to god for the well being of the person responsible for the change in her son’s life. She thanked that person a thousand times a day.

The next morning, nandini smiled bright as she stood on the door of her son’s room, with a cup of coffee in her hand. Her heart rejoiced at listening him laugh loudly. She pushed open the door and walked in. Arjun was on phone with somebody, the person responsible for his happiness.

“okay bye radzzie…yeah…see you in office.” He said before disconnecting call.

“so, this is all because of a girl.” Her mother thought, chuckling to her self.

Arjun, much to her surprise engulfed her in a bone crushing hug. “good morning maa.” He wished her brightly. “I’ll just go and get ready for office, then we’ll have breakfast together…okay?” he asked.
Nandini nodded.
“so, radzzie it is. Thank you so much beta. Office….he said meet you in office…right?
Well, today is the day for me to visit your office Arjun.” She muttered to herself, smiling.

Arjun had breakfast and then left for office. Completely unaware of his mother’s intentions.

He was taken by surpise seeing her walk in his cabin, a couple of hours later.
“you here, maa?” he asked surprised.
“cant I come and visit my son at work? Was getting bored at home, so decided to visit you.” she retorted.
“anytime you like.” Came his reply.
They engaged in mother son talk. When the door pushed open. Radhika was completely unaware of arjun’s mother’s presence, nobody had informed him. She was dressed elaborately in blue kurta with her hair braided, with a single stroke of kohl lining her eyes, she looked beautiful….., beautiful not like those girls In the magazines but truly beautiful.
She walked in balancing a big bowl of ice cream in one hand and a file on the other. She was trying to read the file simultaneously. She didn’t look up, expecting to find the cabin empty except Arjun.
As soon as Arjun saw her, his face lit up in a bright smile, nandini didn’t fail to notice this. Arjun got up and walked to her, while nandini looked on with an amused smile.
Arjun grabbed the bowl of ice cream from her hand, making her cringe and look up.
“radzzieeee..” he dragged She was about to snatch back, when she realised the presence of his mom.

She gave a embarrassed smile, “sorry, didn’t you had company. Will come later. Good morning mam.” She said, walking out.

She was stopped by Arjun voice, “Radhika wait.”
She turned out.
“this is my mom. And mom, this is Radhika, my best friend.” He introduced.

Radhika instantly greeted her with a warm smile and touch her feet.

The very instant Radhika struck a chord with nandini and she was proud of his son’s choice, all she needed was for him to confirm everything, she had been thinking.

Radhika and nandini chatted like lost mother and daughter duo, completely sidelining Arjun, making him smile.

He pouted, “ hey! Mom you are my mom…and Radhika you are my radzzie…talk to me, you guys.”

Nandini got up and slapped him lightly on his cheek, “will see you at home.” She said.

Arjun got up, expecting her to hug but instead she hugged Radhika and left. He make a sad face, accusing her of stealing all his attention. But internally, his heart was happy seeing his mother and his love get along with each other well.

At was almost night, Radhika barged in his cabin again.

“seen sam?” she questioned.

Arjun nodded in negative, “may she has gone home..”

Radhika replied, “ no she hasn’t…I checked with the watchman.”

“where’s neil?” Arjun asked.

“gone for his date with Neha.”

“which means sam…” Arjun started.

“no!” they shouted in unison….before rushing out of the office in haste.
……………….

So, a surprise double dhamaka it was. Couldn’t sleep so I wrote this down. I don’t know, these days I have a feeling that my writing isn’t up the mark. Please pardon me if so is the case.

Please let me know how it was. Ignore my typos and grammatical errors, also if I ate a few words somewhere. NO PROOF READING.

Silent readers, I have any… please drop in you precious comments.

Thank you!!
Bye bye….i’ll sleep now!