“Why Dad? I enjoy living in India. Two years abroad was a good experience. And yeah, I’d like to see more of the world. But I want to live right here, in my home country.”
“Karishma, listen to your son,” called out Durgesh. “The whole world is progressing while Dev is moving in the reverse,” he said with a sarcastic smile.
“Why don’t you get a job to suit your qualification, Dev?” asked his mother. “Okay, maybe you want to live in Mumbai. Fair enough. Multinationals will simply grab you if you apply to them.” Dev had always been a difficult child. She never could understand him. It was his grandmother Meena Wadhwa that he spent most of his time with. But then, Karishma couldn’t have managed a rocking marketing career and the twins who had just turned eighteen this year, without her mother-in-law’s help.
“I have set my heart on this farm Mom. I’m going with it,” said Dev firmly, getting up from the breakfast table. He had too much planned that day and arguing with his parents was simply getting in the way.
“If you don’t change your mind, I’ll simply cut you out of my will,” threatened Durgesh, his eyes turning red with temper.
“Dad,” Dev walked to his father and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’m planning to be so rich that I’ll amass way more than what you can leave me in your will,” he said softly. “I’m good as long as you both hold me in your hearts,” he smiled.
Durgesh was stumped, not knowing how to react to that. Once Dev stepped out of the dining room, Karishma said, “Let him do what he wants for a year or two. He will probably change his mind once he knows the kind of back-breaking work he needs to do with farming. Let him be for now.” Durgesh nodded his head reluctantly. What were they going to tell their relatives, friends and colleagues? They would laugh their heads off if they heard that their son had turned to agriculture after the kind of education he had had and passing out with flying colours.
The duo made it clear at every point that they were ashamed of the choice their son had made, not that it stopped Dev from doing exactly what he wanted. But yes, deep down, he was terribly hurt. Though worse was yet to come.
The Wadhwas lived in a row house in Vashi and shared a common wall with the Madhvanis. That morning, when Dev stepped out of their home to get on his bike, he heard a tinkling laugh. Walking to the compound wall, he saw a young woman gurgling with laughter as she played with the Madhvani kids who were still preteens. She looked about sixteen, her long, curly hair up in a pony. Her laughter was so infectious that it brought a smile to Dev’s face. He found her too attractive for words.
“Mom, are the Madhvanis having guests at their home?” Dev asked his mother that night at dinner, “I saw this girl playing with the kids there.”
“That’s Anya,” said his sister Chaahat. She’s Niti’s cousin from Punjab. Anya’s nineteen and has just finished her degree. She’s taking a break before doing her MBA.”
Dev smiled at his sister, delighted to know all the details without having to ask too many questions. Her name was Anya. It suited her. If she was from Punjab, he wondered how long she planned to stay in Mumbai. He had to meet her, but in private; might not be that simple with so many people around, but he wasn’t giving up without trying.
Later at night, his mother said, “I spoke to Sonal Madhvani. I understand that Anya’s parents are on the lookout for a husband for her. Do you want Dad to ask for her hand for you?” His parents had concluded that getting him married was a sure fire way to stop Dev from turning to farming. Which modern woman would want a farmer for her husband?
Dev shrugged, not really paying attention to his mother’s words. Marriage was a long-term plan. He hadn’t really thought about it. Taking his shrug as assent, Karishma decided to talk to her husband and take the matter further.
At eleven that night, Dev sat on the second-floor terrace, talking on his phone when he saw Anya on the Madhvanis’ terrace. And she was alone. Cutting the call, he waved to her, “Hey!”
She gave him a hesitant smile. She had noticed the handsome hunk a couple of times in the past twenty-four hours since she had arrived at her uncle’s home. She also knew that his name was Dev. “Hi!”
Dev climbed over the wall that separated the two terraces and went to meet her, thrilled with the opportunity. She was even more beautiful at close proximity. “I’m Dev.”
“Anya,” she said, a trifle breathless at finding him this close. She studied him boldly though, taking in his attractive features.
Seeing the book in her hand, he asked, “Do you read a lot?”
She nodded enthusiastically, “Oh yeah! I love reading. Do you?”
“I do.” They chatted about this and that, while their eyes held a dialogue at a different level. “Would you like to go for a coffee tomorrow?” he asked.
She looked up at him and decided to be upfront. “I don’t think my uncle will approve. I don’t want him to complain to my parents.” She grimaced. “I’m sorry,” she apologised.
“Hmm.” His grey eyes turned mischievous. “Would you like to meet me somewhere away from Vashi? I can pick you up on my bike at the end of the street. What say?” he asked, his eyebrow up in query.
She studied his face for a few seconds. He was thoroughly likeable and polite to boot. What was the harm? A grin lit her gamine features. “I say yes.”
“That’s my girl. Does six o’clock work? Can you get away?”
Anya nodded. “I’ll manage,” she said, smiling into his eyes.
The next evening, Anya sat pillion on Dev’s bike, holding on to his well-muscled shoulders, doing her best to keep some space between their bodies. It was such fun, meeting him clandestinely. She had never felt the urge to meet a guy this way before. He rode via Palm Beach Road, and on to Kharghar. It was a long ride and Anya relaxed her body, settling against his hard back, her arms locked around his narrow waist.
He stopped the bike outside the Café Coffee Day outlet at Kharghar. “Do you have a curfew?” he asked.
Anya rolled her eyes, smiling at him. “He asks me now.”
Dev grinned at her, his grey eyes roving over her attractive features, her hair windblown even as her coffee brown eyes sparkled with excitement. “So?” His brow went up in query.
She stared at him in wonder. He was probably the handsomest man she had ever set eyes on. How come he wanted to spend time with her, Anya from Punjab? “Are you going to get out of buying me the coffee you promised?” she asked, tongue-in-cheek.
Dev threw back his head and laughed, before taking her hand in his and walking into the coffee shop. They found a table for two in a corner in the open air seating area. “What would you like to have?” he asked.
“Chocolate flavoured coffee, if it’s no trouble,” she said, smiling politely.
“Anything to eat?”
She shook her head.
He placed an order for two cups of Café Mocha, returning to their table after paying the bill. They chatted as they waited for their order. “Anya,” he said, taking infinite pleasure in saying her name, “Where do you live in Punjab?”
“I’m born and brought up in Chandigarh. And you Dev? Have you always lived in Mumbai?”
“Most of my life. I studied in Panchgani, living in a hostel there.” Also the reason why he preferred the clean air in the hills to the pollution of Mumbai.
While he was keen to share his farming plans with her, he decided to talk about it after he got to know her some more. His parents’ reactions hadn’t exactly been encouraging. And his siblings, Jai and Chaahat, who were a year younger than Anya, believed that the profession he had chosen was pretty ‘uncool’.
After barely half an hour into the conversation, Anya said, “I think it’s best we leave now, Dev.”
He nodded, getting up immediately. As they walked out of the coffee shop, he asked, “So, would you like to go out again tomorrow?”
“Let me see. I don’t know if my aunt has planned anything. Will let you know.”
Dev was disappoin
ted. But then, he was too much of a gentleman to pressure a woman into spending time with him. “Sure,” he said, handing her a helmet before placing his own firmly on his head. He dropped her at the point he had picked her up, waiting for her to take the turning towards their row houses, before following her on his bike.
What Dev didn’t know was that his parents had already set the ball rolling for an alliance between him and Anya and had spoken to the Madhvanis regarding the same.
It was more than twenty-four hours after their coffee date and Dev was keen to meet Anya again. And that’s how he landed at his terrace the night after. He had been waiting for almost forty-five minutes when she turned up on her uncle’s terrace, making Dev’s heart go hammering against his chest.
She was gorgeous and he had enjoyed their conversation at the coffee shop. Though their tastes varied, they both liked reading books. Dev hoped that she planned to stay in Mumbai for some time and they could get to know each other a bit more before she took off to complete her MBA and he to building his farm.
With his heart in his throat, Dev jumped over the wall to her side of the terrace and said, “Hey, I was hoping you’d turn up.”
Dev was amazed at the way Anya’s brown eyes lit up as she tilted her head at him and asked, “Were you?”
He grinned at her. “You mean you weren’t expecting me?”
Anya shook her head, her brilliant white teeth biting into her luscious lips. “No.”
“I’ll go then,” said Dev, turning around, without taking a single step forward, hoping that she’d stop him.
He wasn’t disappointed when Anya said, “Please don’t,” with a hand on his arm. Her touch sizzled across his skin, giving him goose bumps.
Dev caught Anya’s trembling hand and turned back to her, the smile disappearing from his grey eyes when he saw the expression on her face. “Anya...” His touch as light as a feather, he traced the side of her face, fascinated with the curl of dark, silky hair that clung to his forefinger.
He looked down at her face that was softly lit by the moonlight. Her rosy lips were parted as she seemed to have difficulty with her breathing. And her chest heaved. Dev eyed her breasts for a couple of seconds before raising his gaze back to her face.
Will she let him kiss her? Well, he had to try, now or never. She was definitely attracted to him, even if not as much as he was entranced by her.
Dev took her small chin between his thumb and forefinger, bringing her face closer to his. “Anya...you don’t know how tempting you are. I...”
He was surprised when she suddenly went on her toes before placing her hands firmly on his shoulders. And then it happened, the kiss he had been thinking about for the past few minutes. Anya took the initiative, pressing her soft lips to his. Unable to resist, Dev gathered her in his arms, pulling her close against his body before tracing the shape of her delicious lips with his tongue.
Dev felt himself drowning in sensations that he had never experienced before, as her innocent lips fluttered against his. On the verge of losing himself, he suddenly came to his senses and jerked away from her, removing her hands from his shoulders. “My God! Anya...” The words were torn from him as Dev shook his head, colour running up his cheeks.
Dev had had his quota of girlfriends, but had never, ever, felt this way in his life—as if his whole body was burning up with need. He had to leave before the situation blew completely out of control. “Good night Anya.” Dev walked away from her, jumping over the wall and going towards the stairs with a small wave.
He did his best to keep away from the terrace, too disturbed by his raging emotions. Raging hormones he could handle, but emotions were a different ballgame. He couldn’t face those now, not when he was on the threshold of setting up his farm, against so many odds. Dev was extremely focussed that way. And Anya was a kid, damn it! He could do without the complication just now.
On the following Wednesday night, Durgesh started the topic of marriage at the dinner table. “Dev, I spoke to Anya’s father in Chandigarh. They are keen to get her married off. She’s an only child, by the way, from a very well-to-do family. She’s also educated, actually smart enough to bag a seat in MBA. They are also keen to have an alliance with our family. But...”
Dev glared at his father, a heavy frown on his face. He placed a hand against his chest, as if to tell his heart to shut up. “Dad, I don’t want to get married at this point in my life. I’m just twenty-five, not for another five years at least. Right now, my focus is only my farm. There’s too much to do. I won’t have time for a wife or family.”
“That’s another thing I wanted to talk to you about. Anya’s father was thrilled to know that you are also well qualified and is eager to take this forward. But one thing though...”
“Dad, did you even hear me?” asked Dev, his scowl turning fiercer.
“Of course I did,” said Durgesh. “It’s you who’s not listening to me. You can get engaged for now and get married a couple of years later, if you prefer.” Karishma had been convinced that their son was attracted to the Madhvanis’ guest and Durgesh was keen to strike iron while it was hot—anything to get his son away from the madness of farming. When Dev didn’t respond, he continued, “Her parents are really excited to get their daughter tied up with a boy from Mumbai, especially one who is...who is...” He turned to look at his wife.
Karishma started from where her husband had left off. “It’s like this Dev. They are keen to go ahead with the alliance if you have a job with an MNC.”
“You guys aren’t serious, are you?” asked Dev, his voice having gone quiet, even as his temper rose diametrically. So that’s how it was going to be. Anya and her parents had sided with his mother and father to force him to give up his idea of becoming a farmer. Wasn’t it a good thing that he had decided to stay away from her?
“Of course we are, Dev. What do you think?” flared his father. “We have only your best at heart. Both your mother and I are keen that you settle down, that you have a good life...”
“...and you believe that I don’t have a good life as of now. Dad, Mom, let’s get this clear once and for all. I don’t plan to change my mind. I’m going ahead with my career in farming. If it really irritates the hell out of you guys, I’ll move out of our home,” said Dev. Maybe it was best if he did just that. He could rent a home in Karjat, not far from his farm, till his farmhouse was built. The foundation was already being laid and it would probably take another eight months at the most. And living close to the farm would definitely be advantageous.
Durgesh lost it. “Do that. Struggling by yourself will probably knock some sense into you.”
Dev stared at his father, nodding slowly. “Okay, give me two days and I’ll get out of your hair.”
It was a week of upheaval and Dev kept shutting away the picture of Anya that kept popping into his mind. Anya was not for him—not today, not in the future. Not if she wanted him to change his mind about his career.
Even before he moved out of his parents’ home, Dev got to know that Anya had left her uncle’s place to return to her hometown. Good! That should shut his heart up completely. And to be truthful, he really didn’t have the time or the energy to be in a relationship, not when Wadhwa Farm was still in the nascent stage.
It was not long before Anya became a forgotten dream or so believed Dev, only to find out that she promptly popped to the surface of his mind every time he met an attractive woman. And Dev realised over time that he couldn’t connect with any other woman emotionally, not with the lovely Anya buried somewhere deeply within his heart.
6
It was Monday afternoon by the time the police connected Anya Chhabria’s name to the accident victim. Even then, they weren’t sure. Police Inspector Borkar was under tremendous pressure what with the call from the Police Commissioner’s office. He had an assistant dig out Wadhwa’s contact number and called him.
“Arre Wadhwa, mein Inspector Borkar,” he growled into his phone, his ego taking a dent
. But then, he wanted to do it personally so that it earned him a brownie point in the Commissioner’s eyes, or so he hoped.
“Hahn sir, boliye,” said Dev, hoping against hope that the man had got a lead.
“That woman who got hurt in the car accident that day, do you know where she is?”
“Ji, she’s in the hospital, getting treatment.” Dev wasn’t keen to divulge too much to the man as he didn’t trust him at all.
“Do you know which hospital?”
“Why, sir? Is someone asking for her?”
“Look here, Wadhwa. I am asking the questions here. Which hospital is the victim in?”
“Lajwanti Hospital.” Dev was getting angry by the minute.
Inspector Borkar disconnected the phone without saying another word, much to Dev’s chagrin. The bastard!
Dev called out, “Come in,” when there was a knock at the door. In walked Nurse Saldana along with Inspector Borkar and two other men. Dev got up, his stance threatening. “I don’t think the patient is ready to meet so many people.” He stopped them in the middle of the room, not allowing them to walk any further. He didn’t want Anya to undergo more trauma than what she was already suffering from.
“He’s right,” said the man wearing a ponytail. “Hello, I’m Arth Sharma and this is Farhan Merchant, my partner. I hear that you’ve already met Inspector Borkar,” he said, shaking Dev’s hand. He turned to the policeman and said, “Why don’t the two of us wait outside?”
While Borkar didn’t like it one bit, he wasn’t left with a choice since he knew that it was Arth Sharma who knew the Police Commissioner personally. He walked out with Sharma and the nurse, giving Dev Wadhwa an angry look.
Farhan spoke softly, a tremor in his voice. “It’s Anya.”
Dev’s head jerked towards him. “You know her?”
“I was married to her until a few days ago. And we were besties since kindergarten.” Farhan rubbed a hand over his eyes. “Did she open her eyes at all since the accident?” He walked slowly towards the bed, staring at the fragile woman sleeping there.
Flaming Sun Collection 3: Perfect Twins Find Anya (Box Set with 3 novellas) Page 13
