Quite soon this time, I guess. Happy Holi everyone! Play a safe Holi for those who are playing. And for those who are not, Welcome to the club! :D :D

Happy Reading! :D :D

Chapter-15

Ishani came out from her room with her traditional look for her office"pleated skirt and a formal white shirt. She quickly tied her hair to a fish tailed braid and pinned her silver badge which had her name engraved into it. Fixing the badge perfectly, she took her bag and stormed out of her room and had her two minute breakfast which consisted of a glass of juice and a granola bar. Locking the door, she quickly ran through the lawn and search for Skittle's kennel when she saw the little pup sleeping, devoid of any worries. She knelt down and refilled the pup's food bowls and caressed its furry skin which soothed her, making her feel that she was the only person sans any worry in the world. Whispering a good bye to the pup, she quickly got up and drove the car, storming to the resort. She had to clear everything with Gasper today, she thought whilst she revved Ranveer's car, turning swiftly to the right side of the boulevard, the sunshine clearly discernible from the horizon and the fresh breeze kissing the car along with her milky white skin. Checking the time simultaneously she changed her direction to the other side of the boulevard. 8.45 a.m.

"God, why was I late only today? I should meet Gasper now and at the same time, I gotta be in the hospital by nine. Why is only my life so hectic? Anyway, I'll finish my conversation with Gasper soon," she exhaled and drove rashly. Twenty five minutes later, she saw herself in front of the resort whilst she thumped the steering as a sense of accomplishment for reaching fifteen minutes early. She was a rash driver; she thought and lifted her collar, feeling proud of it. Parking the car, she descended from the driver's seat and quickly rushed to the lobby where there were a few families waiting for their check-in and check-out for the accommodations. Her eyes skimmed through the entire lobby when she sighed, for her eyes not finding Gasper anywhere. She breathed out in disenchantment as she greeted her senior staff and moved forward to sign the register, for marking her attendance.

"Hey, Ishani!" one of her colleagues spoke up, "You were supposed to come back tonight, right?"

"Yeah, but I changed my plan," she smiled, "Anyway, that doesn't matter. Where's Gasper?"

"He should be on his way, I guess," she said, "You have got loads to do today!"

"Me? What?" she exclaimed.

"We are planning for a beach fiesta, as part of our summer festival. So you have to be at the beach today at 3 so that the arrangements can be made. We'll be having a beach horse game today."

"Oh. That sounds great," Ishani said without any reaction, her eyes still wandering for Gasper. She couldn't resist waiting for him. She wanted to know about the reason behind Ranveer taking up so many projects.

"Ishani? Did you just hear?"

"I'll be right back," Ishani smiled and moved away from the place hastily and reached towards a gasping Gasper who was checking his watch whilst running when he was stopped by Ishani.

"Hey, Gasper!" she tried to be informal, her breathe irregular.

"Hey, Ishani! That's a surprise for me!"

"Ha, I know," she smiled uncomfortably when she asked, "had your breakfast?"

"No," he cocked his eyebrows, "But don't worry, I'll manage," he smiled when Ishani asked him, "How about some coffee?"

"Coffee? With me?" he chuckled, when Ishani ground her teeth, cussing him for being so dumb. Well, she was dumb too, she felt.

"Yeah, with you," she winked when the entire staff looked at them in silence, for them the entire scene being confusing.

"Eh, why not?" he tried to be informal now, though he knew that he had loads of work to complete. Both of them walked through the mini bistro which was alongside the lawn, the strong, warm breeze caressing the entire place. Both of them took a private place for each as they looked at each other, conversing silently. Five minutes later, Ishani looked at the time. 9.30 a.m.

"Oh shoot! I should be at the hospital already and I am wasting my time here," she thought when she quickly asked, "Well, Gasper, I have something really important to talk with you."

"Go ahead," he ordered two cups of Coffee Latte when she continued, "Well, all of us are aware about Ranv"I mean RV's accident, right?"

"Yeah," his face expression quickly changed when Ishani continued, "I want to know about his behaviour before the accident."

"What do you mean, Ishani?"

"I mean, I heard that he was going to take up two new projects and sell the other shares too at a low price. Is it true?"

"Oh yeah, it is, sadly." He gave one line answers when Ishani got irked and retorted, "Be serious, Gasper. Didn't you stop him?"

"Oh! I would have been dead, then," he chuckled when Ishani stared him when he answered, "I"I am sorry."

"Who asked him to do that? There is already a restaurant project lined up with Mr. D""

"Dawson," he finished, "Yeah, Mr. Dawson. What about that contract then?"

"I asked him not to sign any new project but all I got was a long stare of his. And well, you know about him. You can never question about his decisions, can you?" he exhaled, taking a sip of the Latte when Ishani countered back, "This is not an excuse, Gasp."

"What do you expect me to do?"

"What do you mean by that? Do you have an idea about the share prices? It's fluctuating already and how did he decide to sell these shares, to another company? Is he gone bonkers?" she shouted when Gasper snapped, "Hey, don't shout!"

"I will, Gasp! I will. He is taking a big risk doing this and it will affect our salaries and the financial position, do you understand?"

"I"I can, Ishani. But it is his decision!" he threw his hands up in the air when Ishani snapped, "Plus, our shares are already on a fluctuating rate. The points have gone down considerably for the past few days. Aren't you aware?"

"I am, I am," he had another sip when Ishani looked at him scornfully and countered; "Now this is going too much, Gasp. Two new projects will approximately take you around 50 to 60 million or may be more than that, right?"

"The latter, yeah" he quipped when Ishani got up and shouted, "Then why the hell didn't you stop him?"

"Shh, Ishani!" He got up and whispered, "Take your seat first," when Ishani sat down exasperated.

"Now, please, tell me. What should I do now?" he asked thoughtfully when Ishani answered, "Cancel all the upcoming meetings and so not sell the shares. I don't want any new project right now."

"He-he. Sounds funny, Ishani," he sneered, "Who are you to tell that?"

"A regular employee," she cocked her eyebrows when he countered back, "Ha! So? We cannot take up steps as you wish, do you understand?"

"B"But RV said so," she lied when Gasper snapped, "Don't lie, Ishani."

"No, no. Trust me, he did say that. I just met him in the hospital. And you can rely upon me in this regard," she prayed God that her lies aren't too bad to be found out soon.

"Oh, really?" he asked, his eyebrows arched when Ishani nodded, hoping for a positive reply from him. Instantly, Gasper replied, "Okay, I-I will try to do something and imitate it to you by noon. Fine?"

"Great! Okay, I got to go back to the hospital now. Excuse me," she got up and waved a goodbye to Gasper as he looked over Ishani, confusingly. Ishani quickly turned over to him and reminded, "Hey, I may ask you about his behaviour anytime until I get cleared, fine?"

"Yeah, okay," Gasper replied, his mind now entering into a tunnel of doubts and confusions which seemed to have no end. He had to start his day; he thought and walked towards the lobby.

Ishani quickly ran though the corridor and walked through the parking lot where she found the car. Quickly revving up, she drove towards the hospital hoping that she could have a word or two with him. She badly wanted to meet him after hearing about the accident and today, she did not wish to waste her time. But his strange behaviour did not act in favour of her. Constant thoughts of her nightmare rippled over mind which gave her a frightening sensation but she chose to remain calm and quiet hoping that everything comes to normal soon. She drove the car at a speed of 80 km/h, the speed only racing higher and higher when she felt the warm breeze caressing her cheeks and skin. She checked the time from the stereo. 10.23 a.m.

Ranveer slowly opened his auburn eyes which were shut for more than a day now. He turned his eyes over the entire place when he saw two people, as he guessed, one tall and another considerably shorter looking at a monitor with an check-up pad when he blinked twice to get over the giddiness and the hazy vision of his. After three long minutes, he was able to see a better version of everything around him when he noticed the doctor smiling at him whilst the nurse changing the drips. He exhaled slowly, his lungs resting at a significantly softer fashion as his thoughts dripped back to his own life, thinking about his survival after the incident. The voices of the ruffians were heard in succession whilst he groaned in the excruciating pain, hot tears flowing through his swollen cheeks. His eyes looked puffed up and face unusually swollen as he snivelled once again in pain, this time louder than the last time when the doctor looked up, distracted.

"Hey, Ranveer," he sat down fixing his bifocals properly when he asked, "How are you feeling now, chap?"

No answer.

"Ranveer? Are you there?"

No answer. All he did was to look on silently, devoid of any emotion.

"Now, Ranveer. Listen...Nothing can be found by us if you are not opening up, are you listening? Speak up! It's been nearly two days now and you haven't opened your mouth expect for those groans. What do you expect us to do?"

No answer. Raymond looked at him up and down as Ranveer looked at him the same way when he exhaled sadly, when he asked, "Okay, Ranveer. You don't have to answer me anything. But there's someone who's desperately waiting to meet you."

Ranveer raised his eyebrows slowly and looked at him shocked when he smiled, "Want to know about that soul?"

He nodded slowly making sure that his head isn't hurt when Raymond called in Ishani. He looked at her shocked, for him Ishani's entry to his cubicle making him realize that there was someone who was waiting for him. Until yesterday, he felt that there was no one with him and life was not worth living. Seeing her for the first time after three days now, he felt himself on a cloud nine when his eyes welled up gazing at her. Her one smile was enough to slaughter him every day. At least, it was better than being bed-ridden; he thought when Ishani gave her usual ruddy smile, her scent smelling lemony. He thanked his stars for not making his nose numb. He now wanted to cry hard over her shoulders telling her about how much he missed her and how much he wanted her these two days. But everything was a lacklustre now. Nothing gave him happiness. Neither home nor work place. He craves for love, right now. The two days have been no less than hell now and with these cuts and swells, it was worse than hell. He now looked at her placidly thinking of how to react. He wanted to give her tight hug but his health did not allow him to. Ishani slowly made strides with her feet as he saw in tension. She had kept all those points in mind which Raymond had cautioned her about"his conversation levels, mood swings. She somehow has to get something out from him. What is he thinking right now? Is he moody or tired? She wanted to know about these soon. If not everything, at least a single answer would do well for her, she thought as she gave him a tired, yet satiated smile when Ranveer simply looked at her, still thinking of how to react.

"Hey, Ranveer," she said after walking upto him, her voice audible enough to answer when Raymond said, "So, Ishani. Here you go. As promised, I made you meet your friend, Ranveer. Happy?" Ishani nodded whilst Raymond continued, "Excuse me," and left the room in silence.

She sat down in silence beside Ranveer's bedstead as she continued, "So...how are you?" her voice was soft like his pillow, he thought. He looked at her weary eyes when she asked him once again, "Ranveer, I asked you something."

He raised his eyebrows in question when Ishani slowly stood up, checking her skirt as Ranveer looked at her up and down. Realizing his question, she answered, "I came from our resort. Should I have to call you formally now, Mr. RV?" she chuckled when he smiled blearily, for him her silent laugh providing him with solace.

"I asked about how you were feeling now, Ranveer," her voice turned serious. She did not get any answer from him. All she heard was his breath and outbreath in sequence. He looked around the entire place searching when Ishani asked, "What are you searching for? You can at least answer that," she asked him annoyingly when he answered simply, "Calendar."

"Why?"

"I need to know today's date," he said, his voice still emotionless just like a humanoid when she answered, "10th July, why?"

He looked at her confused and asked with an instant, "And the time?"

"11.30 approximately. WHY?"

"You must be arriving back to France tonight, right?" he asked seriously when she answered, "Abel told me about the accident and I changed the flight. I came back yesterday," she corrected him when he rose up his eyebrows in response.

"Oh," he finally answered after a few seconds. Ishani was fuming though she wished not to show it towards him. She slowly sat back again and took his hands into hers and asked, "How are you, Ranveer?"

"Feeling dead," he answered after thinking for a few minutes. His answer pricked her heart and consciousness when she retorted, "Don't say that."

"What do you expect me to do?"

"Talk with me, Ranveer. I am the same Ishani, your employee," she said, her voice now pleading when he answered, "You're not my employee."

"So who am I to you?"

"My everything."

Done! Constructive Criticism will be more than welcome and sorry for typos :D :D