MUKTA
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'Mukta...Can you please take a look' Meher asked me and I nodded walking towards the terrace garden. I had an instant smile on my lips looking at the way our 2 months of hardwork had shaped up. If anyone could tell we would be able to set up something like this 2 months back the day I joined Nayak's I would have laughed it off. But this indeed looked heavenly.

We had every variety of rare wild flower smiling in the garden. It wasn't those fancy gardens where there were two plants for formality and the rest of it decorated for showing off. We had plans of utilising evey inch of the terrace space and I was glad after weeks of planning and months of hardwork, it looked exactly... infact even better than what we thought of.

'Happy now???' Kalindi asked and I pulled her into a small hug saying 'Very'. I had earned a great team and a wonderful friend in Kalindi since last 2 months. She would always make me feel home. Not just by feeding me those delicious Rasgullas every time her mother prepared them but also by standing as my strongest supporter. She helped me cope up with this work culture and environment. It is fun to have a Bengali friend who speaks fluent local languages may it be Tulu or Kannada while being with the Nayak's I have tackled to understand broken Konkani. It's honestly Marathi's cousin brother just with a extra sing in addition.

'Well you know what I think we must call up O.K and show it to him' Kalindi insisted and I stopped her quickly.

'No Kalindi please...He has not sleep since a week. And anyways you can't wake him up with a phone call, That beast sleeps like a dead body. He has been busy due to the new clients, he slept quite late last night...let him sleep' I said while Meher chuckled and moved away. Kalindi pressed her lips thin trying to hide that laugh and I rolled my eyes. But then she burst out laughing. I huffed and gave her a 'You are impossible!!!' look and went to check if the swing was installed properly or not.

'Dont worry Madam, 100 percent teak wood, strong and can handle upto 200kgs of weight easily.' she taunted and I looked at her saying 'Shutup!!! It's just that he and Rudra Dada used to swing in childhood days but that one broke because of the big baby that he grew up to become, so I wanted a stronger swing' I said and she looked at me and smiled saying

'Ofcourse Babes ...I didn't say that you and he on this swing...I mean you know ahhhemmmmm'
And my eyes popped out and I hit her shoulder.

'By the way when are you guys making it official?' Kalindi asked and I was shocked for a brief minute then I added...
'Kalindi I have already told you, there is nothing between me and him...we are just colleagues and friends and his paying guest now that too because a month ago I wanted to leave Nayak's but that Tsunami of a girl 'Mrs Prarthana Rudra Nayak' created a whole drama wrapping up the entire family into it manipulating me to stay. When I objected Omkar's mother Gauri Aunty came up with this idea of staying there as their paying guest. So please!!!' saying I looked elsewhere
..

'Welllll and you think Nayak's needed to keep you as a paying guest??? Really??? Please Mukta ..we all can see your bond with O.K'

'Tchhh...Noooo...my bond is not just with Omkar...it's with everyone in that house. They make me feel like family Kalindi. Knowingly unknowingly God has blessed me with this beautiful family. Damodar Uncle and Gauri Aunty treat me just like a daughter, Prarthana loves me like a elder sister and I see a elder brother in Rudra Dada' I said while Kalindi smiled and asked...

'And O.K???' while my heart skipped a beat.

'He is a sweet friend!!!' I added and watered a few roses.

While Kalindi spoke up...

'Hmmmm sweet and friend... nice!!! A friend who always needs you and me in a meeting room while discussing the project with Manisha and avoids her glue like behaviour...I mean he even denied to be her date for the Navratri Dandiya event' she said and I was shocked.

'He...He did???' I asked however looking at the smile on Kalindi's face I controlled my facial expressions.

'So??? What should I do???' I said touching and caressing the soft rose petals.

'Well...nothing...ummm...maybe deny Karthik!!!' she said and my eyes almost popped out.

'Kart...Karthik???' I was shocked.

'Well yes... that boy called me sometime back asking for you and then I told him we are here upstairs to finish the terrace garden set up before Navaratri and then he asked more about you, your favourite color and then you know' while suddenly I heard...

'Mukta???' and I turned around to see Karthik standing there standing infront of me and I smiled nervously saying...
'Ummm Karthik...sorry I'm busy..you know there is so much work here'

'Can we talk...will not take more than 5 minutes...Please' he requested and I couldn't say anything.

He took me towards the little guava tree we had planted on our terrace garden on the other side and I was feeling bad. I was going to blow him off. I wanted to do it nicely. Karthik is a good man it's just that Omkar hates him. I still can't forget when Karthik took a lot of effort and made a complete Maharastrian meal for me that consisted of delicious Sabudana Vada, Pulao ani Amti, Puran Poli, Ukadechi Modak and I don't know what not but this beast of a man ate everything!!!

Without giving me an opportunity to even smell it saying 'Mukta is full!!!'. Yes I had lunch with him, that's our routine. Ever since he got a food poisoning eating at some stupid star hotel, I made it a point to prepare tiffins for both of us. And now that his family enjoys my cooking although I'm a pure vegetarian I have a fanbase from Nayak's for my Maharastrian breakfast recipes.

Rudra Dada is the happiest as he doesn't have to eat Prarthana's breakfast experiments however we still are forced to eat her experiments at dinner ofcourse with Gauri Aunty's back up dinner.

'Mukta I really wanted you to join me for Dandiya. You know I'm a terrible dancer and I have never thought of participating in this event since last so many years because of the stage fear, but with you everything feels so comfortable' He said

'Actually Karthik...I ...I..'

'You must not get so comfortable with people Mr.Karthik!!!' I heard a booming voice from behind and I knew who this was. I rolled my eyes.

I turned around to see him standing there in a black jeans, a sleeveless black ganji and an orange red overcoat. His brownish golden hair tied in a chic pony tail, his bearded face having a evil smirk and his orange sunglasses hiding those beautiful brown orbs which I'm sure now want to burn Karthik into ashes!!!
And then he comes and stands infront of Karthik hiding me behind him!!!

Lai Bhari!!! Ekach Number Bawalat!!! Murkha Manus!!! (Great!!! Number one  Stupid!!! idiotic man) I mentally cursed him while Karthik smiled and said...

'Ummm No Sir actually I don't know dancing so I thought' while Omkar interrupted saying

'Surprise Surpise Mukta doesn't teach dancing at Nayak's!!! She's a green manager with loooooots of work right Mukta' he asked looking at me and I gulped nodding yes helplessly.

'Goooood....seeeeee....awwwww sadddd...but don't you worry I will get folks organize the best dance classes for you infact for all the employees till Navaratri. Infact you can take one hour early from work in evening go to the classes and learn Navaratri Dandiya, you see I believe in encouraging employees interest in extra curricular activities...so deal???' he said and Karthik helplessly nodded while Kalindi and Meher stood there hiding their smile behind their palms.

'But Sir...I'

'Karthik I want you to give me the final health report of the new set of rubies delivered to us last Monday. I need it by today evening. Hard copy printed in a file, soft copy emailed, a proper presentation ppt and the lab reports attached!!!' he said in his alpha tone and Karthik simply nodded and looked at me once while again Omkar stood infront of me hiding me from him saying...

'Its early morning I know... you have an entire day to make the report as well but I need perfection. So LEAVE NOW!!!' he said and this time the Demon was alive and Karthik ran away like a little pup.

I tried to hide my smile. I bit my lower lip. He turned around and looked at me. Before I could say anything he slowly took his index finger and thumb finger closer to my lips squeezing my lower lip while Meher gasped. Omkar shot her a look and both she and Kalindi left the terrace. He slowly pinched my lower lip and pulled it from the grip of my teeth saying...

'Dont hurt them!!!' and I had gone pink. Tucking my stray hair behind my ear he said 'Beautiful!!!' and I shot him a look while I felt a shiver down my body with his gaze. This man could make me weak in my knees just with a simple touch.

He bent to my height while his lips grazed my earlobe and he whispered...'I meant the terrace garden...'. My breathing went erratic. I nodded and was about to go away while he whispered...

'You are breathtaking!!! There are no words to define your beauty baby girl' his hot breath brought a butterfly park alive into my tummy. I shivered more. While his index finger played on my right cheek and he asked...
'Breakfast???' I nodded a no. He made a grumpy face saying 'Its going to be 11... Come let's eat together' he dragged me along to the cafetaria.

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'Hash browns, Egg whites, Muesli with berries in milk and Idli Sambhar' he ordered and tbe chef looked confused.

'Sir...Idli Sambhar???' and I could hear Amrutha and her friends chuckling. I was putting the CEO under a scanner right now. No sane person orders Hash browns and Idli together.

So I pitched in saying 'Anna...Idli Sambhar is for me...' and Omkar asked me to go and take a seat. He said he would get our breakfasts together.

I took a seat while I heard Amrutha say...
'Although some people's dressing sense got better being with Kalindi but looks like class can't be bought...you maybe CEO's arm candy but definitely can't be his buddy!!!' her words hurt. I hated the word arm candy. I knew many called me that behind my back but this one always was a notch higher. I tried looking into my mobile.

'Oh looks like someone bought a phone...I thought these villagers still use pigeons to communicate...Bloody illiterate' and that's it I was done.

I walked to her table and said...
'I think you must watch your upbringing before watching other's education and background Miss Amrutha!!! And I'm not anyone's arm candy...a man and a woman can be friends too!!!' I spoke up while she smirked saying...

'Yea sure!! You are not arm candy...you kinda types are called something more powerful...wait...ummm... how about something which begins with a K and ends with a P!!!' she said and I screamed out 'Just Shutup!!!' and I held her up via her blazer while Omkar shouted 'Stop... what the hell!!! Both girls come with me...and rest of you...it's not a exhibition here!!! Back to work!' he said while my eyes were filled with tears.