Desde sempre e para sempre Chapter 19

Desde sempre e para sempre

Chapter 19

Aaji: “I want you to go to that place and get it all under control.”

Gael: “Fine. If it’s THAT important to you, I will do it. But let  me tell you, YOU have not won the bet. This is the last thing I am doing, without any further argument over it, unless you win that bet. Leo, you pray to God you win the bet because if you don’t, I am going to…”

Aaji: “You are going to what? Its not like you have the courage to go up to Naina and tell her that…”

That did it. Leo, John and Davi practically gasped…

Gael never raised his voice. But if his voice was devoid of any emotion…

Gael: “Never challenge my courage. That girl means nothing to me and never will…”

Aaji: “You may frighten the rest but you don’t terrify me. I just want you to stop lying to yourself.”

Gael: “What do you want me to do? Find her and tell her that I cannot stop thinking about her ever since we parted ways! Do you want me to tell her that she is making me go crazy! I have only known her for a couple of hours and she already has me longing for her…do you know what will happen if they find out? Do you know they will threaten her life? Do you know they could do things to her just to get back at…you don’t know anything! Neither of you! I cannot reveal yet another Achilles Heel when I am already so vulnerable…”

Aaji smiled as unknowingly he had revealed so many things that were locked up in his heart…but who were these people he was talking about. 

The rest looked at each other. Gael was already in love?!

Davi: “Who are these people!? Then why don’t you tell us!?”

Gael: “You know what; you want that place and want me to get it for you, right? Consider it done.”

He turned around and started walking to the door.

Aaji: “Where are you going?! Who is going to be there now!? No government official is going to entertain you at this hour…”

He stopped and turned around.

Gael: “Don’t forget I have been and will always be Gael Bourgeois first. And if Gael Bourgeois wants something, he gets it. No matter what the time and no matter where we are.”

He turned around slamming the door shut behind him.

Davi started to follow him: “I think I should go with him.”

John interceded: “No. I know how uhhh difficult he can get…let me…”

Leo: “You know everything, don’t you? You know all the things Irmão hides from us…”

John: “I am sorry. It is not my place to tell.”

Aaji: “Go. Go after him.”

Gael reached the executive parking deck at the Taj where a wide range of cars were kept ready at his disposal. He walked straight to a black Aston Martin, representative of his mood.

John reached just in time before Gael pulled out. He swiftly opened the door and got inside.

John: “Maybe I should drive. Its been a while since you have driven and these people drive on the other side…”

Gael simply stepped on the gas and pulled out of the parking in response.

John: “Okay. Where are we going? Its midnight.”

No response.

After a couple of seconds…

Gael: “Pull up the address to the Governor’s residence.”

John: “Governor’s residence!? At this hour!?

Gael: “We better not be late then, he is expecting us.”

John: “He is expecting us?!”

Gael: “It amuses me to see you surprised.”

John: “I am sorry. I mean I know you can…”

Gael: “Directions!”

John pulled his phone out but: “ON THE OTHER SIDE!!! THAT’S THE INBOUND TRAFFIC LANE!”

But it was too late.

The Aston Martin pulled out on the inbound lane just as an Audi pulled in.

It was only imminent!

John: “Please, Sir, stay inside!”

Kushal: “Stay inside!”

Naina: “I didn’t do anything! He is on the wrong lane!! This is the entrance not the exit!!!”

Kushal: “I know! Let me deal with it!”

Naina: “Let you deal with it! No way! I was right! Just let me…”

Kushal: “NAINA!  Look at the car! It’s tinted and it’s a freaking Aston Martin! We don’t know who is inside and we don’t know how this is going to play!”

Gael: “Please, it’s just an Audi.”

John: “Tinted none the less and entering the executive parking.”

Gael opened the door: “Whatever…I…”

John leaned over and shut the door.

John: “NO WAY! This is why you have hired me! Please, stay inside!”

Gael: “I don’t have the time for your PR skills right now. I have to get this stupid house matter settled.”

John nodded and got out of the car just as Kushal got out of his.

Naina noticed that the passenger had gotten out and not the driver which meant that the driver was somebody important. She tried to see through the windshield but it was too dark for her to see the driver.

John’s phone beeped in the car indicating that the route to the Governor’s residence was established.

Gael looked outside as the two men approached each other. He had had his share of accidents and he knew that the car could not have been that damaged and was absolutely sure no one was hurt. John could take care of the rest…

He keyed the ignition. Naina noticed it. He was NOT getting away with it no matter who he was!

As soon as he reversed the car, Naina was onto him. Just as he pulled out, Naina stepped on the gas and followed him out. He was going to apologize to her no matter who he was!

As soon as he got out of the hotel, this time using the proper lane, he realized that the Audi was following him. Not just that, the Audi was tailgating him!

What the hell?

He stepped on it; he didn't have the time for this.

She stepped on it too; she had all the time in the world to make him or her apologize to her.

It was late in the night and the Marine Drive was deserted, the two cars raced through the road. He was heading toward Malabar Hills...

Gael checked his rear-view mirror and noticed that the Audi was catching up even though he had lost his tail for a while earlier. This was not his city and he was at a disadvantage. Fortunately, he carried a gun with him.  He had begun to think that it was probably one of his rivals...he couldn't call John because his phone was with him in the car, he was not going to call his brothers…he was going to take care of this on his own. He was absolutely not going to enter the Governor’s residence with a possible Mafia encounter.

He realized that he was approaching a beach. He had vague memories of being there in the daylight when he was a kid but at this time, he hardly believed it would be filled with people. There would definitely be some on the beach but only those who shouldn't be there and who would mind their own business. He hadn't thought much about the plan; he was making it as he got out of the car and ran toward the beach; toward an especially shady section of the beach.

Naina saw a man get out of the car and race toward the beach. His erratic behavior instantly put one thought in her mind.

Was he going to commit suicide?!

She had to save him! She had to talk him out of it! She couldn't leave now that she had seen him take this step!

She got out of the car and ran after him.  She ran in the direction she had thought he had gone. Unable to find him, she stopped gasping for breath.

As soon as she had let her guard down, she was seized from the back by a strong set of hands and pulled under a deserted shed. Before she could even scream, one of the hands covered her mouth and she felt the cold metal pressed to her nape. There was no mistaking that it was a gun. She knew she would have to obey.

Gael couldn't see her face which was covered by her hair and he knew she couldn't see his.

Gael: “Who put the contract on me?”

That voice!

Naina knew who he was instantly and despite the condition she was in, she melted. Just like that.

Gael: “Moretti? Lombardi?”

When she didn't respond, he started patting her down with his other hand to check her for weapons she was hiding. It didn't matter that she was a female; a hired gun could be a male or a female and just as effective.

Great, as if she wasn't already so affected…what had happened to her vocal cords…he did have her mouth covered by his hand…

She was sexy! That’s all he was thinking! Was he even looking for a…wait, what was he looking for again?

Right, weapons! Finding none, he pressed the muzzle of the gun to the back of her neck to remind her that he was armed and pushed her away.

Gael: “Turn around with your hands in the air.”

Naina raised her hands and slowly turned around.

As soon as he saw her eyes, he felt weak in the knees.

Gael: “YOU?!”

Desde sempre e para sempre Chapter 18

Desde sempre e para sempre

Chapter 18

Gael: “Naina, nobody.”

Aaji: “She was not nobody on the plane.”

Leo: “On the plane? You got some booty and you told Aaji before you…”

Gael: “Shut up!”

Aaji: “Leo! I would like you to show some respect!”

Leo: “I am sorry…but I am a little…”

Gael: “No, I did not get any booty…HEY!”

Aaji hit him on his forearm as hard as she could: “Same is applicable to you!”

Leo laughed: “If you don’t want to talk about your Naina, suit yourself. I am going to talk about mine.”

Gael: “Say what?”

Leo: “I think I am in love and her name is Naina too.”

His heart curled with pain even though there was no way it could be his Naina! Could it? HIS Naina?

Aaji: “What do you mean?”

Gael: “Does it matter? He falls in love every week.”

Leo: “This time it’s different.”

Gael: “That’s what you say all the time.”

Leo: “Why are you being so rude? I bet you the success of Davi’s film, she is not the same Naina.”

Gael: “Bet with something that YOURS to lose.”

Aaji: “NO! Never gamble! You two are devils! Where is Davi?”

Leo: “This is not a gamble, Aaji. I am not uncertain.”

He fished in his pocket and pulled out Rs. 10.

Gael: “At the moment, that’s all I own.”

Gael: “How about if I win, you do everything I say for the next two weeks without any complains and if I lose…”

Aaji: “You do everything I say for the next two weeks without any complains!”

Leo: “What am I winning?”

Aaji: “If you win, I will make you Dal and rice everyday.”

Leo: “Oh, thank God.”

Gael: “Wait, what…(he tasted a spoonful and spit it out) This is disgusting! Why didn’t you say anything!?”

Leo: “I wanted to, Irmão, you know I did but Aaji threatened me not to…”

Aaji: “Do we have a deal?”

Gael: “Whatever happened to no gambling?”

Aaji: “Well, you only live once.”

Leo: “Dang! Aaji is a total G!”

Gael: “Let’s get this straight. You are betting that the two Naina’s are different and my bet is that they are the same?”

Leo: “If you have the hots for her, why would you even want her to be the same?”

Gael: “I don’t want her to be anything. It just so happens that in a wager the second party has to bet on the other outcome.”

Leo: “So, you have the hots for her?”

Gael: “I am not in High School.”

Aaji: “Breno, you make bets on things you are not sure about?”

Gael: “Never.”

Aaji: “Then why now? For all you know she could be the same person...”

Oh, he hoped he lost. He would do her bidding any day...he would not, he could not share HIS Naina even if it was only in his head that she was his!

Gael: “You only live once.”

He had seen the flash in her eyes as he had made the wager. He just wanted her to live.

Davi burst into the living room: “SHE IS GETTING MARRIED!!!!!”

“WHO IS???????”

Leo: “I bet Davi met a Naina…”

Aaji and Davi looked at each other and he nodded. Aaji suddenly grabbed her chest in shock.

Gael: “Aaji! Leo! Call the doc!”

John who had just entered the living room after Davi: “I am on it!”

Gael carried Aaji in his arms and took her to her bedroom. Davi quickly poured a glass of water for her and followed Gael inside along with Leo. John entered the bedroom a few seconds later with the medical entourage.

Aaji: “I am okay…its just….”

Doctor: “No shocks! Her condition is very fragile as it is…she is stable now…and I…”

Aaji: “I need to talk with Davi in private, please…”

Doctor: “But…”

Aaji: “Please inform Breno about what needs to be done. He is going to want to know more than I do anyway…”

Gael and the rest left the room. Davi closed the door after they left and turned around.

Davi: “Are you okay?”

Aaji: “It is when things like this happen, I remember the imminent reality of my situation...but I don’t want to talk about it…if I have learned anything, we have to work now and we have to work fast.”

Davi: “She said she is getting married!”

Aaji: “I have nothing against that. We are just going to have to change the groom.”

Davi: “I don’t think that is right.”

Aaji: “Please don’t go “Mr. Do the right thing” on me! I don’t have the time or the patience for it!”

Davi: “Bem. What do you suggest?”

It said a lot for Davi to be convinced so quickly to not do the right thing. He could see, just like she did, that Naina was meant for Breno.

Aaji: “How did you even bump into her?”

Davi: “About that…your place…well, there is a Community Center where your home was supposed to be…I guess after you left for Brazil things changed back here…”

Aaji: “How is that possible?! I owned that room!”

Davi: “Well, since there is no building in which your flat existed over there anymore…I believe they do things a bit differently here in India...”

Aaji: “Oh no! ”

Davi: “Anyway, I went inside to check it out and she was practicing Kathak.”

Aaji gasped: “Kathak?”

Davi: “Not only is she beautiful, she is also an extremely graceful and talented dancer…”

Aaji: “I want her for Breno NOW!”

Davi: “If only things worked that way…”

After the doctors left, Gael took John to the side.

Gael: “What did you find out?”

John: “The place where Aaji stayed was taken over by the Government 10 years ago. It was converted into a public property; a community center was established in its place.”

Gael: “Buy it back.”

John: “But it’s not a private property…”

Gael: “Private or public, all understand the language of money. Buy it.”

John: “Yes, sir. I will go to the Municipal Corporation…”

Davi entered the living room with Aaji.

Leo: “I don’t think you should be out of bed just yet…”

Gael and John turned around…

 Aaji: “So, my house, what happened to it?”

Gael and John looked at each other. Had she overheard them?

But she was looking at Leo.

Right, Gael had asked Leo to take care of it.

Leo: “Uhhh…what had happened was…”

Gael: “John, has it all under control!”

Aaji: “Does he?”

Davi had filled her in.

Gael: “Yes. He will go over there and get it all ready for you…”

John cleared his throat loudly.

Gael leaned forward to hear him out.

John: “I might just be able to buy the place back which will need all sorts of coercion considering the government is involved but I hardly doubt I will be able to build a house there in a day!”

Gael: “We will live in RVs for all I care! As long she is where she wants to be.”

Aaji: “No.’

Gael: “No?”

Aaji: I want YOU to go there.”

Gael: “Go where?”

Naina was lounging by the balcony lost in thought when something hit her. Scratching her forehead and trying to figure out what hit her, she stood up when another one hit her. Annoyed, she leaned on the balustrade when yet another one hit her on her face.

Naina: “OY…Kuku…”

Kushal: “Shhhhhh!!”

Naina looked around her. It was late in the night and everyone was in their respective rooms. Jaya had gone to bed already because of her mother. The boy and his family were going to come see her tomorrow…

Naina whispered loudly: “You are way too early...”

Kushal whispered back: “Shut up and come down!”

Naina: “No. It’s past 11 pm and I am not allowed to be out of the house past 11 pm…”

Kushal: “Just you wait till I tell your Dadi how many curfews you have broken…”

Naina: “Shhhh! Acha! Okay, I am coming!”

But before she left, she turned around and threw a pebble back at him.

Naina made some excuse to her Dadi and left the house. She reached downstairs and Kushal was about to hug her when she pulled away.

Naina: “This is not New York. You are coming to see my friend tomorrow and if someone…”

Kushal: “Got it, Nainai. Well, this is your town, where to?”

Naina: “I don’t know. Where are you staying?”

Kushal: “The Taj.”

Naina: “Aunty and Uncle here yet?”

Kushal: “Yup. They took the flight from Delhi in the evening. They are already in bed and since I am still running on the EST, it is time for me to wake up.”

Naina: “Tell me about it! I feel so sleepy at exactly 7 pm after having stayed up the whole day, our night, but past 11 pm, I am wide awake!”

Kushal: “We can go to the bar at Taj.”

Naina: “Only if you are paying.”

Kushal: “You are sooo Desi!”

Naina: “Of course! I am giving you my best friend, in return, you can at least take me out for drinks.”

Kushal: “One drink.”

Naina: “Why?!”

Kushal: “You have negative alcohol tolerance.”

Naina: “Whatever, how did you get here.”

Kushal: “My car.”

Naina: “Your car.”

Kushal: “I rented one.”

They walked over to his car. 

Naina: “You rented an Audi!”

Kushal: “They don’t have a Maruti at the Taj.”

Naina: “I wish I was born to a rich family as their only heir!”

Kushal: “You can always marry one.”

Naina: “Ha! My expiry date is looming. At this rate, I need to marry something, anything. Beggars can’t be choosers.”

Kushal: “First of all, expiry date? Gross. And you can marry that Brazilian, he is totally into you.”

Naina stopped and Kushal banged into her.

Kushal: “Ouch!”

Naina: “What?”

Naina: “I am talking about Pablo, the guy you were on the Human Rights Commission with, remember?”

Naina sighed relieved: “Oh! Him!”

Kushal: “Yeah, him. Who did you think I was talking about?”

Naina: “Nothing. I mean no one. I am driving.”

Kushal: “No way.”

Naina: “You can afford to pay for the damages.”

Kushal: “I don’t like how you take it for granted that there will be damages. I can afford to pay for the damages but I only have one life. I want to get married to Jaya, Nainai!”

Naina: “Jaya is all you think about now! As soon as the wife enters, you forget about your best friend?!”

Kushal: “Well…”

Naina punched him on the side: “You are supposed to say ‘No, Nainai, it’s not like that!’ and here you are…”