UNEDITED

PART - 46

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"You always gain by giving love"

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"Is this Annie's house?" the elderly man asked as he curiously looked at Rishab.

"Annie?" Rishab called out loud "No, there is no one here..."

"That would be me, uncle" Kathryn quickly ran to his side. "Kathryn Annie Fernandez" she told her full name to him.

"Oh" Rishab nodded.

"Only my grandpa calls me Annie. Oh, by the way he is my grandpa..." she introduced the elderly man to Rishab "...Harshavardan Kapoor" 

The name rang a bell but Rishab couldn't remember where he had heard it before. 

"I didn't know you were in town, grandpa. When did you arrive and why didn't you tell me?" Kathryn asked forgetting to introduce Rishab and the others to her grandfather.

Why are you here, grandpa?

I don't want you here. Just go back to your house! 

"I thought I would surprise you and that's why I didn't tell you before."

I don't like surprises thrown at me like this!

"Oh by the way I came to India last night."

Wish you'd stayed in Germany forever!

"Now will you please tell me who these lovely people are?" Kathryn's grandpa asked too kindly.

"They are Arjun's family." She said evasively. 

"Arjun?"

"My boyfriend" she hissed. 

Don't act as if you don't know!

Once you even caught us making out in your library!

"I told you about him and you have even met him twice. Did you forget already?"

"Oh I remember him, your hotshot doctor boyfriend" Grandpa pointed at Arjun and smiled smugly. 

Arjun nervously returned his smile. He had never had a proper conversation with Kathryn's grandpa, why, because he just intimidates him. And because, he caught us once in a awkward position! 

Lately you're getting caught too often, Arjun!

Then turning towards Rishab, Kathryn's grandpa held his hand out of a shake. "Nice meeting you Mr.?" 

"Rishab... Rishab Kundra" he took his proffered hand and shook it. "Nice meeting you too, Mr. Kapoor" 

"Have we met before?" he asked with a frown. "You seem familiar to me"

What the fuck he is blabbering? Kathryn thought as she frowned. 

"I feel so too" Rishab agreed and glanced at his wife, hoping she would enlighten him but she looked utterly clueless. 

"Are you a policeman?" Mr. Kapoor asked to confirm his suspicion.

"Yes! I was in police service but I got retired few months ago." 

"Oh it's you then... ACP Rishab Kundra, the man who saved my daughter Simmy from the kidnappers..." he cried finally remembering him. 

Simmy? Oh okay! Kathryn's mother, Simran Kapoor Fernandez! Now he could connect the dots. Kathryn had mentioned to him that she was half Indian and half American when they met in the mall to have a private talk. 

"Oh damn yeah. I forgot." He momentarily felt upset. It wasn't his thing to forget things so easily. 

"It's really been so long so it's fine to forget." Kapoor said to appease him.  

True! The said kidnapping incident happened like some 27 years ago and he had dealt with so many similar cases so it wasn't easy for him to remember each and every such case. 

"Hmm yeah... oh, by the way, I didn't save your daughter, my wife did." he drew his wife closer to him and proudly introduced her to Mr. Kapoor. "My wife Madhubala" 

Heroic eh? Kathryn smirked. I hate you for saving my mother that day!

"I remember meeting this brave lady at her father's company's silver jubilee party, if I'm not wrong" 

Madhu nodded and politely smiled at him. 

"Years ago, your father and I had done business together" he added further.

Oh shit! More connections!

"I know" she said. 

Mr. Kapoor smiled and looked at the other two unfamiliar young ladies in the room. 

"This is my daughter Naira and That's my daughter in law Inayat" Madhu introduced her two beautiful girls. "Oh and that's my mother in law" Radha had gone to take pee break and just came back to the living room. 

"Pleasure meeting you, pretty ladies"  

"Likewise, Sir" Naira replied politely.  

Inayat shyly smiled. 

Radha nodded her acknowledgement.

"If you guys are quite done with introducing each other and reminiscing some horrible kidnapping incident, we all can go grab some food" Kathryn said rather rudely and impatiently. 

"Food sounds good but tell me you didn't cook, Annie" he joked. 

Don't be stupid, grandpa!

Kathryn rolled her eyes. "Of course, I didn't cook, grandpa. I ordered from outside." 

"Well, in that case we'll do dinner" he clasped his hands and made his way to the dining area. Everyone followed suit. 

--0--

"Annie, you choose well" Grandpa commented as he ate his white sauce pasta.

Oh shut up!

"Choose well what? The food?" Kathryn asked, puzzled. She had ordered copious variety of food as she wasn't sure about other's taste and preference.

"Be it anything, your choice is brilliant, including your boyfriend."

I didn't choose him, grandpa! He just happened by some miracle!

"You have found a fine man for yourself." He appreciated and glanced at Arjun who was anxious but managed to shed a small smile.

Inside, he was happy for getting her grandpa's approval but he didn't show it out, why, because he knew Kathy wouldn't take it in the right sense.

"Arjun is really good for you so treat him nice." He said with subtle warning. Kathryn scoffed. She didn't need his so called advice. 

Where were you old man when your daughter treated me bad? 

That time you didn't advice or warn her to treat me nice!

Then why this unfairness?

Is it because you felt I was no good to be her daughter?  

"My son is too good for her" Madhu sneered. He deserves better! She thought.

Mom, please! Arjun prayed everyone would shut their mouth for goodness sake!

Kathryn swiftly turned and looked at Madhu, keeping her face as impassive as possible. 

Ouch! that burns!

But yeah, right! He is too good for me, aunty! 

You better keep him under lock and key and never let him come near me! I will only contaminate your precious baby boy! 

"Madhu" Rishab hushed his wife from saying anything further.

"I know" Harshavardhan agreed with a rueful smile. "But she needs him" he was literally begging through his eyes to Madhu to let her son take care of his grand-daughter.

Oh jeez! Will he stop it now? 

"Grandpa, I don't need anyone..." Her pride and independent nature weren't letting her to agree with her grandfather. "...and stop begging for me." Kathryn snapped as she dropped her fork hardly on the plate. 

"Kathy, please" Arjun whispered as he held her hand but she snatched it away.

You don't touch me, asshole! 

See, your mother is burning hole in my skin! 

"Oh dear, you surely need him in your life to protect you..."

Need this innocent baby to protect me? What a joke!

"Protect me? From whom?" she snarled. 

"Yourself!" Her grandpa replied bluntly. "If he is not with you then you will head on the path to self destruction once again."

Fuck you!

"I won't!" She denied to agree with him.

"I think we should chuck this topic now..." Rishab suggested sensing Kathryn was getting mad and volatile but her grandfather kept going on and on.

You're the only sensible man I have ever seen, uncle! I love you! she shoot him a thankful look. 

"You and your wife saved my daughter years ago and now your son is saving my grand-daughter."

Saving my ass!

"For that I am really thankful to your family, Mr. Kundra."

"Call me Rishab, please and you don't have to thank us. We just did our duty. And for Arjun, it's more than just a duty. It's love. He loves your grand-daughter deeply and dearly so he will always keep her happy and safe." Rishab said with his gaze fixed on Kathryn to make sure she was okay but she wasn't. She looked so uncomfortable, upset and kinda agitated.

Not you too, uncle!

"I will go get dessert" she quickly stood up and rushed to the kitchen.

Before I kill anyone in this room!

--0--

"You okay?" Inayat asked as she gently placed her hand on Kathy's shoulder. She had come to the kitchen on the pretext of helping Kathryn in bringing the dessert bowls.

"No, I am not okay! I am freakin' angry." she burst out. "That old coot..." here she meant her grandpa as old coot, not Rishab, okay? "...shouldn't have run his mouth like that. How dare he belittle me in front of Arjun's family?" 

"He didn't belittle you, Kathryn. He just said Arjun is good for you and that's true. Don't you agree?" 

"And for that what did his mother say? My son is too good for her and what does that mean?" she asked. "It means I'm no good for him, right?" 

"No, please don't mistake her." 

"Well, I give it to her for stating the fact! He is too good for me and that's why I don't want to drag him into my shitty life. That's why I don't want to have any emotional bond or tie up with him." she rambled as she started shaking. 

"No, no, no, you are good for him." Inayat held her shaky hand and squeeze it gently as if giving her reassurance. "In fact you are the best for him." she said honestly. "Trust me, I have only been here for a short while and all this time, I have heard a lot about you from Arjun and all good things. And he had told me so many times how much you make him happy." she took her hand and gently placed it on Kathy's flushed cheek. "No one can ever make him happy or make him feel alive like you do, Kathryn. He really loves you. Just accept it, please, then your life will be lot more easier" 

"No!" Kathryn shook her head as her eyes brimmed with tears. "This attraction... this addiction to be exact... we have for each other... we will come out of it soon. We are just waiting for a breaking point... and after that we will never turn back!" she squeezed out the words.  

"Calm down, please" Inayat gently embraced her and whispered soothing words into her ears. "And don't say all that. You guys are meant to be together, forever..."

"Oh please! There is no forever! There is only now or never!" she yelled, frustrated. 

"Alright! Alright!" Inayat didn't want to push her further. "They will be waiting for us. Let's go?" she asked.  

"My supposed to be special dinner turned out to be disastrous!" Kathryn mumbled, strangely feeling Inayat's hug comforting. 

"No, it's not. We are having a good time here. Thank you for inviting us."

"I think I like you" Kathryn confessed pulling herself away from Inayat. Inayat smiled. She knew that since the moment Kathryn called her Inu di. "Whenever you find time do c'mere, we will hangout together" she offered. 

"Sure" Inayat agreed with a smile. 

Soon after dinner, Kathryn's grandpa retired to his home much to Kathryn's relief but not before secretly requesting Rishab to keep an eye on Kathryn as she was going to stay alone from now on and Rishab promised him that he would ensure her safety.

Arjun's family stayed a little longer on Rishab's insistence as he wanted to lighten up Kathryn's mood.

Now, sitting opposite to him, just nodding her head occasionally to whatever Inayat and Naira were sharing, she looked gloomy.

He wanted to bring back the Kathryn who was thrilled, nervous and at the same time so happy when they arrived an hour or so ago.

"Why don't you and Kathryn go and have a quick chat in the balcony before we leave, darling?" Radha suggested her grandson and studiously ignored Madhu's glare.

Ah mom! You have some guts to suggest that in front of my wife! Rishab thought, mentally laughing but he was glad his mother made his job easy.

Arjun flashed a thankful smile to her and she winked.

"No, I am..." Before Kathy could deny, Arjun offered his hand, urging her to go with him.

Reluctantly she took his hand and made their way to the balcony for some private moments.

"I don't get in what way you and your son find this girl appealing?" Madhu said to her husband in a whisper.

Uh-huh! Not again!

"I don't get what Kathrny has ever done to you that you vehemently dislike her" Rishab retorted.

"She's so disrespectful and you saw that for yourself at dinner time"

"Baby, look, this child has some complex issues..."

"Oh Rishab, I get that." She said in a mild tone as she melted at the way he called her 'baby' "She never got love when she was a child which is horrible... I have been there... So I know what exactly that feels like... but now she is getting genuine love from my son, from you... Maybe from me, one day, if she behaves. Then why can't she just grab it with both her hands? That's what I did Rishab, didn't I? When you showered me with love, I bathed in it..."

"You weren't an unloved child, Madhu. Your parents did show their love for you but you didn't want it because you were so angry on them. It was purely your choice but that isn't the case with Kathryn."

Madhu nodded in agreement.

"She tried every trick in the book to make her parents love her but she failed, miserably..." He sighed. "...and now she feels she is unworthy of anyone's love."

"Okay, tell me, what am I supposed to do now?"

"Treat her the way you treat our Inayat. Simple." 

"But she is no Inayat" she raised her voice making Inayat look at her way, concerned. 

"Nothing, darling. You carry on." Rishab said with a smile. Inayat smiled and went back to her conversation with Naira. 

Naira was telling her about the latest divorce case she was handling and Inayat was giving her input on that. Inayat wanted Naira to help the couple to reconcile their silly issues and get back together. 

"Look, Kathryn is really sensitive. She is poor at anger management. She speaks her mind which sometimes sound rude. She is disrespectful to people who degrades or demotivates her..."

"That sounds more like our Naira" 

"Yeah, right..." 

Both are my sassy girls! 

And I love them!

"...but I know she is a child at heart. A sweet innocent child just like Inayat"  

"I get you. I get you." she nodded her head, determined to show some love to her. "Love... She wants love. I can give love." Not a big deal!

"You should... otherwise you would be disappointing that poor kid who has taken some serious effort to impress you."

"Impress me?"

"You didn't notice?" 

"Notice what?"

"She wore the Kurti you got for her in Kashmir. She ordered so much of paneer dishes just because you like it. She was extremely polite to you. And mainly, she didn't rape your son." he laughed while adding the end bit.  

"Rishab!" she glared at him for saying that. 

"Sorry" 

"What are they doing in the balcony for so long?" she wondered out loudly. 

"Arjun! Time up! We have to go home!" he shouted from the living room. He didn't want his wife to go there and see something she shouldn't see. 

"Coming, dad" he shouted back and a moment later they joined the others. 

Now, Kathryn looked much calmer and tamed.

Well, that was the effect of Arjun's kiss.

"We three should hit the mall some day" Naira suggest. 

"Sure" Kathryn and Inayat agreed. 

"I can be your chauffeur, girls" Arjun offered. 

"Cool"  

"I love this music device" Radha said pointing to the Amazon Echo portable speaker. "You can buy me one for my birthday." she said, grinning like a small child. "Oh by the way, my eightieth birthday is round the corner and you're already invited, baby doll" 

 Baby doll? I like it.

"Sure. Thank you." Kathryn kinda blushed. Arjun looked at her, amused. My girlfriend knows to blush? Strange!

"Food was good. Thank you for having us here, tonight, Kathryn." Rishab said, dryly, before his mother could ask for anything else. 

"Why so formal, uncle" she teased him. "C'mon, gimme a hug" she could freely talk with him only because she knew he wouldn't mistake her words.

He chuckled and gave her a gentle hug. "See you tomorrow in my boxing ring" he reminded her. She nodded her head excitedly. 

These two better not kill me, dear lord! Arjun shivered inwardly thinking about boxing classes. 

"Eating outside food on daily basis is not good for your health... you better come home and have food with us. I will cook for you too, daily" Madhu didn't offer but ordered taking Kathryn by surprise. 

"Thanks, auntie"

"Take care. Bye" Madhu gently slapped her cheek. Well, that was her way of showing love. 

"Love you. Bye." Arjun quickly pecked on the cheek where his mother had slapped. 

Kathryn watched them till they got into the elevator and the doors got closed. 

"I love this family" she whispered to herself and smiled in contentment.  

...To be continued!

I know its a filler update and its obviously boring. Sorry for that. I will try to make the next update interesting. 

Naira's new hero will be entering in the next part.

Lots of drama is gonna happen so stay tuned! 

Please do VOTE, COMMENT & SHARE!

Thanks all!