Adventures of KALPI-GIRL

A (RAGNA COMICS) Presentation

Day 36:
KLM Flight A642, arrives from Amsterdam.

Tripping over an ill placed suitcase in the arrival lounge of the new T2 terminal at Sahar, the man cursed himself for the nth time. Trying to spot the love of his life through the crowds pouring into the lounge was a task he was not particularly used to, because Raghav Singhania was a guy who didn’t do economy class. He always travelled in his private jet, and was accustomed to being instantly wheeled away from the runaway, either into yet another private set of rotors or some other of his classic set of motors.

But today was an exception. He was not Raghav Singhania the sauve and cut throat real estate tycoon from Mumbai, sure of himself and his surroundings. Instead he was a man at the end of his tethers, just about managing to keep his emotions in check, his thumping heart from being squeezed by an invisible hand and all the while awaiting a glimpse of the girl child, whom he had cruelly and very selfishly abandoned more than a month ago.

He was not a man who would wait in lines or queues to get through an airport lounge, but today he was ready to do that too. The charade was supposed to continue and get over in matter of a few days, but then exactly 30 days ago, everything that he had intricately planned had gone for a toss, beginning with the disappearance of Kalpi and then a strange turn of events that had left him completely gobsmacked, harassed and desperate.

His eyes traversed the space in front of him over the numerous people coming down the escalator, his heart in his throat, he was thankful for his aviators for keeping his emotions hidden and was all but  oblivious to all the hitherto glances he had been receiving from the female populace that occupied the arrival lounge. His heart was racing at a speed of 200 per minute, in anticipation of meeting his dear Kalpi ever since he had got that call from Sammy early on in the morning!

But what happened to him next was nothing short of his most erotic fantasy come true.

He would know those hands anywhere, anytime and anyhow. He’d held them so lovingly every chance he would get since his unexpected love confession at the office celebration party. He knew her touch and over the last month had imagined her touching him in umpteen ways, umpteen times in the depths of his daylight misery as well as his most cherished night fantasies.

Her slender weight pressed onto his back as she hugged him from behind and let her hands move easily over his tight blazer to stop at the exact spot, where his heart was thumping like nine pins shattered in a bowling alley. Just when he thought he could not take any more, she squeezed him tight and screeched in his ears – Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!

Raghav bechara kaan ke dard se maara, removed himself reluctantly from her death grip and turned around, least expecting what was to next hit him. Gone was the girl he had left in tears at the entrance of the marriage hall, while he forced himself to sit in the SUV and drive off with Pooki occupying the space which rightfully belonged only to his Kalpi.

This girl who stood before him was Kalpi as he had never seen her before. She’d got her hair curled and her sunny smile accentuated her eyes.... her eyes... her eyes.... what had she done?? Was she wearing lenses? When had her eyes become blue? Behind his aviators Raghav’s eyes went gol gol and unknowingly his eyebrows lifted up.

Seeing this Kalpi laughed out loud and caught hold of a pair of well manicured and very very male hands. Raghav’s gaze slid towards the owner of those hands,  then up  to the man’s face, and froze. He sure did not like what he saw. This guy was too dishy and a serious threat to his well being. Where the hell had she got hold of him? And why was she smiling at him like that? He wasn’t used to her smiling like that for anyone.

Just when his mind was racing with all kinds of jealous thoughts, both Kalpi and the man started to laugh their heads off... and he began to feel like an unwanted fifth wheel.  It was not a feeling he savoured, not after burning in the nightmarish miseries of his own creation for a whole month. He was Raghav Singhania, and he was not used to being ignored by anyone, least of all the person who he loved more than anything in his life.

But he also knew that he had wronged her grossly, he had made her wait the whole day of their wedding, and when he’d landed at the entrance of the marriage hall, it was with Pooki in tow. He’d watched her like a dying man being stabbed with an invisible knife all over his body, as she ran towards him in hope, he’d watched her change of expression when pooki gave her yes to pakiya’s question. He’d watched the gamut of expressions that crossed her face, while she searched his neutral and stone cold stare... and then he’d watch her completely break down in front of him, when she realised that she’d decided to marry a man who could not be moved away from his decision.

She’d tried every avenue to get him to say it was a lie, and oh how tempted he had been to take her in his arms, crush her to his chest and whisper loving endearments into her ears. But it was not to be, his hands were tied. He’d suffered the pains of a thousand deaths when he first saw her crumbling to the floor. But he had to be cruel, hoping against hope that when he explained to her his real reasons for doing what he was doing then, she would understand his dilemma and forgive him.

Raghav was brought from his reverie with a word that he did not understand. Had he heard Kalpi saying “BHABHO”? Who was Bhabho? Had she gone and got herself married to this man? And if yes, what was she doing hugging him the way she just had. He’d let go of her death grip yes, but his whole body was still tingling from the aftermath of her open hug. She’d never been so free with him before... it was always him taking bold steps with her to increase their level of intimacy. She’d always shy away from him like a little innocent bird, whenever he so much as talked about a kiss.

He remembered how mad she drove him with her jealousy over Pooki kissing him. What had started off as a prank on his part had swiftly escalated into a ravaging hunger. Her shy and indulging response had the effect of fire on dry straw. After that day he’d had the urge to take several cold showers at absolutely inconvenient moments in his working days. Having her there right in front of him in the office had not helped. His body was on fire 24/7 and he found it really hard to stop his hands from roaming all over her body every chance he would get.

It had all been so perfect for the first time in his lonely life, and it all would have gone well too, if not for the frantic call from Pakkhi on the morning of his wedding day. How happy he’d been, thanking the stars for.... UNTIL!

Extracting himself with difficulty from his dark thoughts he looked speculatively at the still laughing couple in front of him, and his brows immediately frowned on auto-pilot.  COUPLE??? Wtf!! They were not a couple. They could NOT be a couple. Kalpi was his and she was going to stay his!