She was in two minds about sending Avinash a message. He had conveyed what he wanted to and now it was her turn. Making up her mind, she pinged him

"Have a good trip - Aadhya Chopra"

She threw away her phone not wanting to stare at it. She was nervous. Why did she have to be so desperate and go message him, she chided herself. What if the whole press statement was a huge misunderstanding. He could just be saying. God she wanted to go and bury herself some 10 feet beneath the face of the earth. The guy gave interviews like he was attending meetings. She avoided media like plague. But why was she comparing. That was his business. Her business was treating and curing kids. And she was good at it. End of story. Her phone pinged again. She searched for it thinking it was some emergency but then the notification surprised her. It was the devil himself.

"Thanks". That's all it read. She slapped her forehead for messaging him like an idiot. She couldn't sit at home after that foolish act of hers. She quickly got ready and left for her safe haven. She started her car and there was nothing that could stop her. Frontline hospital was her destination.

She drummed her fingers against the steering wheel irritated while waiting for the traffic light to turn green. Her phone pinged again. "No phone while driving" was her mantra and she focussed on the traffic ahead of her. It pinged again. She was least bothered. Another five minutes later her phone rang bringing the car audio speakers to life.

"Crap , shit , fuck" she cursed.

He was calling her. She looked at the time and that was an ungodly hour to call for a guy in the US. Nevertheless, she picked up the call through Bluetooth.

"Dr. Aadhya Chopra speaking" she replied robotically.

"Hey Doc" his manly voice boomed through the speakers.

"How are you ?" She asked him not wanting to give away too much. She wasn't going to make a fool of herself again.

"Good. Glad you got the message" she heard him reply.

"The thanks ?" She asked.

"My Manhattan trip"

"Oh" she replied dryly.

She wasn't wrong after all. The message was of course as predicted.

"I hope I am not disturbing you" he asked.

"Just driving to hospital" she replied back.

"Then a quick question, gold, silver or platinum"

"Rose gold or champagne but why" she replied puzzled

"Remember 20 questions ?" He said.

"Ah" was all she could reply

He chuckled at her reaction.

"Don't you think it's a little too late to play 20 questions. I mean aren't you supposed to be sleeping" she asked doubtfully.

"Not all the 20 but definitely I have all the time for 1 question. Plus I have a board meeting next week and a bunch of idiots to deal with" he said.

And she was a puddle. He was busy slogging and the one word reply made so much sense all of a sudden. I mean if he wasn't busy, it was still night in Manhattan and he still chose to reply. What was he turning her in to she wondered.

"Thanks Aadhya" there was a sincerity in his tone.

"No problem but why" she asked accepting his thanks.

"For messaging me. I wasn't sure if you would get to know about my official trip. The thought of informing you was only last minute honestly" she was a mess listening to him and she felt it again. Her heart thumping wildly.

"You want to meet next weekend?" He asked her.

"Weekend evenings work for me" she replied.

"That should do. I should leave now" she heard him say.

"Bye. Take care"

"Drive safe. Bye" he replied and the line disconnected.

Avinash was smiling like an idiot. He had no one to tease him so he found no reason to keep his actions in check. She got his message about the Manhattan. That was just a wild card he played. He'd win at the casino if he gambled today he thought. It was just a silly thing he did by entertaining the media. He did get a call from Akhil asking what strategy was it. He lied smoothly saying it was a warning to those who were slacking and his ever smart brother also bought the lie for the first time. Why was he playing silly tricks with her. All he had to do was get her number and message her or call her and

let her know about his trip. But he was beating around the bush. He loved the way she answered his call. So much attitude. He wanted to take her out next weekend and he wasn't going to do that without gifting her. She wasn't someone who would be floored if he gifted her a Louis Vuitton or a Chanel. He had to use his brains. And if Avinash Nanda was going to use his brains to gift someone, the person was important to him. And Aadhya Chopra was special. Her choice mattered and his choice would revolve around her answer as the base. His laptop speaker came to life and it was time for the next zoom call.

A week later :

He was back as promised. The trip was hectic but he was satisfied at the end. A few fired, a few hired and a few got promoted those were the words he used to sum up his trip. It was close to 11 at night and how much he craved for his bed and his room. Sleep was robbed off him during this trip. He needed one night of good sleep to feel recharged. Day after was the board meeting and he could relax. After that was the weekend he was looking forward to. He saw his car and driver waiting at the VIP entrance. The journey back home was great. Surprisingly, less traffic and his driver had the sense to zoom through the roads. He took a shower and his room was dark exactly the way he wanted. All he had to do was lie down and close his eyes. That's exactly what he did.

The dining table buzzed with activity at the Nanda house. He saw his father scrolling through his phone waiting for bfast. No matter what kind of a day his father had ahead of him, he never rushed his wife. His ears picked some hushed voices and he wondered who it was. He could kind of guess the voice but he had to be sure. He walked carefully towards the voices and it had to be them.

"Did you not find any other place" she asked struggling in his hold.

"No Mrs.Akhil Nanda. No one comes here plus my wife has been such a cock blocker these last 2 days. You have been leaving me high and dry" Akhil cribbed and bit her earlobe sensually.

She played with the buttons of his shirt shy and closed her eyes feeling his lips do it's work along her neck. He was peppering her shoulder with kisses when they heard someone. She pushed him with a jerk showed her back to Akhil and Akhil saw his brother standing in all glory with a huge smirk on his face.

"Having some fun Akhil?" Avinash teased him

"Clearly" he replied irritated and ignored him. Avinash was going to pay for this.

Akhil sat at the dining table annoyed and his father noticed his sour mood. He saw Avinash joining them in an unusually happy mood.

"What's wrong Akhil" Anand asked and Purnima watched both her sons keenly. Of course she knew it.

"What did you do Avinash ?" She asked her younger one.

"He is not getting laid Ma" Avinash replied winking at his brother whose jaws dropped at his answer.

"Besharam (shameless)" Purnima said and slapped his arm.

"Papa, did you ask him why was he so nice with the media recently ?" It was Akhil's time to have fun.

"Business strategy Akhil" he stressed.

"My foot. Majnu ke aulaad (Majnu's son)" Akhil retorted and laughed at the end.

"Bastard" Avinash mumbled.

"You know what Anand, get this one married already and then I want to go on a vacation. Not see both their faces for a while. Just you and me" Purnima said frustrated and slammed the plate with bread on the table.

Shraddha joined them for breakfast who was blushing profusely. To make things worse her mother in law added "or best make me a Dadi I will happily disown these grown up buffoons".

Shraddha looked at Akhil who was grinning goofily. She lowered her head feeling shy and she suddenly felt her hand being caught by her husband's.

"Akhil, let's go meet Gautam then" Anand announced and served breakfast on his plate and his wife's plate.

"For ?" Akhil asked

"To settle Avi's wedding" Anand replied and stifled a laugh that threatened to escape.

"Papa" Avinash talked terrified.

It was everyone's turn to laugh at Avinash who definitely was blushing without his knowledge much to the enjoyment of others.

"Remember the annual medical checkup we want the employers and workers to take" Anand reminded.

"Oh yea" Akhil replied and Avinash felt relieved.

Purnima was happy for her family and sent a small prayer up to keep them all happy and really hoped Aadhya was a part of them soon.

To be continued ~