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jab they met…

Priya Gole
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0
jab they met…

Chapter 3

Amishi couldn’t focus on any of the lectures next day. She kept stealing glances at her watch. She couldn’t wait for 4pm. Finally after the last lecture they all went to the auditorium. Their college festival committee was meeting up and wanted the students’ opinions on the upcoming events. Usually Amishi was very actively involved but this time she excused herself citing health issues and as soon as the meeting commenced she slipped away and went to the window. There he was standing in her favourite football jersey. He waved to her and she waved back. He sent her a flying kiss and she giggled silently. He pointed towards her and then his face. He gestured touching his forefinger to the tip of the thumb as if showing beautiful and again gave her an air kiss. She blushed and looked away. When she looked back he waved his phone and started to type. Soon her phone pinged.

She checked the message.

Hi Beautiful… you look stunning as ever. I wish I could see you closer…like right in front of me… can you send me a picture?

What? He didn’t want to actually meet her? She wondered.

She looked at him and saw him place the phone on his chest on the left side and rub there indicating heart ache. She grinned shaking her head.  He was full of drama. But somehow she found it cute.

Then someone called him and he had to go… He looked up towards the sky and slumped his shoulders indicating he didn’t want to go. He spread his hands in front of him and hugged himself. Then pointing towards her he gave her a flying kiss and ran off.

Amishi was disappointed. She wanted to meet him now… wanted to know him… to know why her heart was galloping out of her chest every time she saw him… She longed to speak to him… hear his voice… She wanted to call him but knew he had practise till late evening. She too got busy with her meeting not before getting a full length picture of hers clicked by her unsuspecting classmate. She sent it to him. She kept checking her phone every half an hour, rest of the evening but although he had seen her picture, he hadn’t replied…. Didn’t he like her? She shook her head. Since when did she bother what others thought of her looks? Especially boys?

That night too he messaged her ….

Hi Beautiful, i never hated my team mate more before today… when he called me and I couldn’t look at you….But thanks for the picture… It was the only sunshine in today’s dull evening….

She had been upset not hearing from him, but still she smiled. She replied,

I wondered where you disappeared… Can we talk? My parents are not home today and my brothers are busy watching TV. No one can hear me…

After what seemed like ages, he replied,

For as much as I would love to speak with you… I have this urgent list of submissions. Football takes up all evening…So its late nights working for me… hope you understand… So good night beautiful. See ya tomorrow… (kiss emoji)

Amishi was disappointed. But she didn’t want to sound desperate.

Good night Pavan…

This became the trend for the next few days. She would see him from the fourth floor or at times from the second floor auditorium window and he would wave and throw air kisses then run off sending her some sweet messages on her phone. Then at night they would chat on and off for at least an hour. She would be so engrossed that she often skipped her sleep deadline she had set for herself. She had to go away for field work for a couple of weeks. She was in a remote village in Guntur where the cell phone reception was poor. At times she felt lonely because she didn’t fraternise much with her classmates. But she received regular messages from him which always brought a smile on her face. He was busy with his exams but still frequently messaged her. She thrived on them.

He was a very knowledgeable person. He was brilliant. But then, studying in his final year B.Tech Computer Science, in Siddhartha Institute of Technology was no mean feat in itself. He was doing his research project based on Artificial Iintelligence and though she never was interested in the area, his way of explaining had her glued. She even started to read about it these days. He was a fitness freak and an avid football player. He was his college defender in the sport. But what appealed the most to her was that he showed keen interest in her work. He gave her tips and links to ease her problems with Research methodology. He frequently asked her different questions on her upcoming field work cases and gave valuable tips. She was amazed at how well he could analyse and fathom human emotions.

She waited for their nocturnal rendezvous daily. He never missed a day. He was very punctual… in fact he seemed to gauge her mood even without her telling or messaging him. As if they had telepathy of some kind. She found it easy to confide in him. He was not judgemental at all about her, her work, her choices in life. She couldn’t speak on the phone without calling for attention and their timings didn’t match. But though they hadn’t spoken to each other yet, she was falling for him… she realised with a start one day… She had to speak with him. It was high time they met face to face… She decided to convince him…

That night about two months after they had first seen each other, she had decided to ask him to meet her next day.

But before she could type she received his message. As usual he had begun the message poetically.

                   Hi beautiful,

My mind is in a great turmoil

I have let the storm brew

But … am more worried not to spoil

What I possess here with… you.

I can’t help it though I wish not to…

I am falling in love with you…

Amishi kept staring at the message. She looked at the ceiling fan in her room as if there were answers written there.  She typed,

Let’s meet tomorrow before your practise. Meet me in that café outside our campus? 3pm?

She wondered why she hadn’t revealed her feelings to him. For a few minutes there was no response from him. Then he replied,

Done beautiful. Cu tomorrow 3pm. Good night…. Sweet dreams. Will be seeing you in my dreams like I do every day…

The next day she skipped her last two lectures. It was revision based anyways and she had complained of headache earlier on. So no one suspected her when she left her campus by 2.45pm. She had told her brother she would be finishing early and would go home directly. So now she was on her own. She exhaled with relief as she left the exit gate of her campus with her college bag in tow. She had dressed for today… in a sky blue colour Patiala suit with her favourite phulkari design dupatta…

Would he be the same person when they actually met? How would he sound? Would he have a deep baritone? Anticipation building up she walked towards the café. He was already waiting there. He had worn a full sleeved white cotton shirt and blue jeans. These were her favourite combination. He stood up giving her his magnificent smile…. She almost told him she loved him…

As she came up to him she looked down to calm herself. Then looking into his eyes she gave her right hand to shake said, “Hi… we finally meet.”

He shook hands with her and squeaked… “AAi”

She suddenly looked up at his still smiling face. “Are you…are you alright?” She asked.

He nodded and said, “aai buthifull, … how aa yuu thudhe?” (Hi beautiful, How are you today?)

She stopped smiling and kept staring at him….

Copyright Disclaimer: All content posted here is a work of fiction and original work based on the author’s imagination. There is no intention to disrespect any person or faith. Any resemblance to any person living or dear is purely coincidental. No part of the content can be copied, reproduced or posted anywhere else either entirely or in parts, without the consent of the author.

And they meet…. just

Priya Gole
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0

Chapter 2

Two months ago…

Amishi attended Durgadevi girls’ college in the remote end of her town. It was one of the top rated colleges in Vishakhapatnam. The area was called Vidyanagar because of the large number of educational institutions that had come up in the place. Her huge college campus boasted of numerous courses for girls and she loved the facilities available. But she liked her room at home even more and her mom’s home cooked food so she travelled over an hour each day. Her eldest brother worked in a company nearby and dropped and picked her up daily. Amishi was preparing for her semester exams. Due to some university issues they were delayed by over a months and she now had all five papers back to back. She had taken permission to stay for a week in the girl’s hostel attached to her college.  That helped her to spend more time in the library and save on travel time.

Right in front of their college across the road, there was a huge ground where very often football matches were held. The ground belonged to Siddhartha Institute of Technology and Research.  It was a top institute for pursuing B.Tech or M.Tech and PhD studies in similar areas. Their campus too was huge and at a distance separated by the ground. So Amishi could only see people from that institute if they visited the ground. She didn’t have much interest in outdoor sports like football and cricket. Having 2 older brothers had given her more than enough headache related to the said sports. She preferred plain running or painting. She had an artistic flair for painting murals. She was a member with few groups and as a part of external field work she often visited places like railway stations, bus depots etc. to paint her murals with those groups.

It was a cold November evening in Vishakhapatnam and she had her research methodology paper next day… she loathed the subject as well as preparing for it. She was in the library bored to death when she decided to stretch a bit. She walked towards the window facing the ground. There was a football match going on.  From the fourth floor, she felt on the top of the world and enjoyed the breeze blowing on her face. The sun was soon to go down so she raised her face towards the sun enjoying the warm breeze. Suddenly there was a loud cheer, probably following a goal and she looked down, only to see a guy staring up at her, hands on his hips. He was in the college football jersey but must be the extra since he was on the sides and now… he was looking at her … He looked good… really good…

She wondered if she had understood correctly. The distance of four floors in addition to the ground floor was quite a bit. Though her vision was a perfect 6 she had doubts… She had always been a tom boy growing up with brothers. She had her share of crushes but never got reciprocated because of her brothers playing the protective card. She herself was dominating so boys she had come across didn’t usually like such girls. Then she was studying in an all-girls institute.  Now such a handsome hunk was looking at her.  She had never seen him before. Actually she had never bothered. She rarely got the time with her college, travel and mural field work. Her heart fluttered. She looked elsewhere as if checking the nature around and then looked back again…he was still looking. She blushed and looked away.  That night she saw him in her dreams… He was in his jersey but standing close…  That was the first time she dreamt about any guy.

The next day evening too she was in the library catching up on her studies. Her paper had gone bad as expected. She wasn’t in a good mood. She walked to the same window… and looked out. There was no game today so she was kind of disappointed. As she was about to turn, she saw him. He was drinking water from his bottle. From the looks of it he appeared to be running. Some other guys joined him and soon they were hi fiving each other. The others sat on the ground stretching tired limbs while he stood with hands on his hips and looking straight at her. Today she felt him smile. She smiled and looked away. Why was she blushing? She had no answer… When she looked back, he raised a hand as if saying hi.  She paused and then waved back at him. He looked down and dragged a hand through his hair and looked up again… she thought he was smiling…

From that day onwards for the next five days this became a daily occurrence.  About 10-15 minutes of a staring contest. But she never sought to go downstairs and look for him… she had to prepare for her upcoming papers. On the fifth day she had her last paper and was to leave early for home but made it a point to go to the library. This time he was already there on the ground. He was alone and wearing blue jeans pant and white half sleeved t-shirt. This was the first time she saw him in attire besides his jerseys. Her heart stopped…

She wanted to rush to meet him. But suddenly she was shy. She saw him gesture her to come downstairs.  She nodded slightly very sure that he wouldn’t have been able to make that out and rushed down with her bag. Her bag was heavy because of her clothes she had got along for her week-long stay in the hostel.  As she came down she realised her bag was slowing her down and left it in the watchman’s cabin. That took about 15 minutes. Then taking her purse out of it she exited the campus. She crossed over and reached the compound wall of the ground. . She stood on a boulder and tried to peep over the wall but couldn’t see anyone. She was disappointed and embarrassed too. Luckily her classmates had gone off for a movie and some had left for home. Otherwise she would have to answer their curious questions. But where did he go?

She then heard the roar of a bike. As she turned around she saw a Royal Enfield being driven by a guy in a helmet and behind him riding pillion was her football guy. The bike stopped in front of her and before she could react he gave her an envelope. They had a momentary intense eye lock and before she could realise he was gone…

She watched the taillight fade …and caught her bearings. After calming down her racing heart she opened the envelope. Inside was a beautiful sketch of hers…. When did he see her so close? She turned the sketch over and saw a letter written in a beautiful handwriting.

                           Hey beautiful,

As the breeze made your tresses astray

You took my breath away…

You came into my dream

My nights are now your realm

I want to get connected

But only if you are affected,

The same way that I am…

Now that’s my real test of time….

                                                                                    Your admirer

                                                                                         Pavan

Whatsapp me on 981*****28

WhatsApp? Was he serious? But she felt relieved. She wasn’t sure what she should be speaking… For a change cat had got her tongue. But her heart was racing…

That night after dinner as she rested in her room at home, she was still contemplating messaging him. She almost messaged and then deleted it for about ten times in a row. Finally she typed…

Hi Football guy…

It’s me… Amishi… we met today…that letter…

Holding her breath she sent it. She closed her eyes and waited… Within a minute her phone pinged with an incoming message.

Hey beautiful… sorry about today… had to rush for practise…

So… you at home or hostel?

She inhaled a quick breath when she saw him addressing her like that. Then thinking for a moment she typed,

Am at home….And you?

He replied

Here…and there…

Where u get some air…

She smiled and hit the keys,

You like poems is it? You write them?

He immediately sent

When I have a beautiful muse

I get a flood of words to choose

Don’t mind my blatant poetic misuse

I only tried giving my best produce

She laughed as she read it… He was funny…

She typed a laughter emoji.

He replied back.

Aww beautiful, you break my heart… (sad emoji)

She laughed again… feeling light hearted…

Her mobile pinged again

So beautiful, will I see you tomorrow? A little closer? Fourth floor is a bit too far…

She waited and sent

Hmm. Second floor tomorrow. Our auditorium faces the ground. Festival preparation- meet at 4PM. See ya… closer this time…

He replied

Awesome… beautiful, can’t wait for 4pm tomorrow…

Amishi smiled and sent him a good bye emoji.

He replied with the kissing emoji accompanied with an eye wink.

She laughed and shut her phone… She slept peacefully after many days… Dreaming of the handsome guy in his football jersey… him holding her, instead of the ball…

Copyright Disclaimer: All content posted here is a work of fiction and original work based on the author’s imagination. There is no intention to disrespect any person or faith. Any resemblance to any person living or dear is purely coincidental. No part of the content can be copied, reproduced or posted anywhere else either entirely or in parts, without the consent of the author.

missing…

Priya Gole
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0

Chapter  1

Amishi was waiting for the lecture to get over… How she hated research methodology… She couldn’t tolerate statistics subject. In the final year of graduation studies, this was a compulsory subject. She was doing her bachelor of social work and loved studying humanities, science and technology and most of all the field work.

 She loved to be a part of the group visits to various places where the need of a social worker was immense. She loved seeing the changes they made in the lives of people who genuinely needed them. Just yesterday she had been to a municipal hospital. They were following up every week with this young girl all of 16years. She was from a remote village on the outskirts of Lucknow. She had an affair with her relative who was of the same age and landed up being pregnant. The girl had been scared to reveal anything to her parents fearing backlash. However one day her mother suspected something wasn’t right and by the time they rushed to the government hospital close by, it was late. The pregnancy couldn’t be terminated. The social worker there had counselled the angry parents and the girl too. They were convinced to go ahead with the pregnancy and give away the child for adoption. The counsellors there were threading on bare ice because there was a high possibility that the parents would have visited a quack and risked the girl’s life. But fortunately, they had agreed and brought her to Mumbai away from the prying eyes of the village. Here too Amishi’s team headed by her supervisor had been continuously counselling her, talking to her… for last 3 months. They had spent days and many hours of field work…even going beyond the call of duty to help the girl. Finally yesterday she had an induced labour and luckily without any complications delivered a healthy baby girl. Though the young mother was prepared to hand over the child, she was sobbing uncontrollably wanting to see her baby, even though she wasn’t shown the baby as per rules. The parents and Amishi’s supervisor who was a clinical psychologist tried to calm her down but eventually she had to be sedated. The child was sent to the NICU for care taking.

But Amishi was pleased to bring about some kind of closure for that girl. Many times no one understood the importance of her work… accept for him.

The professor announced the project work in Research methods bringing Amishi back to the present.  She was happy the lecture was drawing to a close…She had to rush out of her classroom before her friends started to question her or look out for her.  She couldn’t wait to visit the place she loved the most these days besides her field visit, the college library. She had her hours piled for study and project work and the next hours would be spent in the library… where she would get to see him.  Especially today….it was important that she see him.

Amishi rushed to the library located on the fourth floor of her college building. She spent time after lectures in the library daily… especially in the last two months before leaving to go home at 8PM.  Her brother picked her up from the campus gate at 8PM daily. Today she had about 2 hours with her…  Most of her classmates either went home or stayed late in the cafeteria. She had escaped them to go to the library. Final exams were close.  Their study holidays were starting next week.

Today there were barely two other people in the library besides the librarian and her assistant. Amishi was more than happy. It meant lesser people would spy on her. Not that she bothered but she preferred to keep her secrets to herself. She placed her book stack on the corner most table near the window and dragged her chair towards the window. She took a book in her hand and looked out across on the football ground.

Where was he? She thought… the entire football team of Siddhartha Institute of Technology was present on the ground. But he wasn’t seen… her heart fell. She had waited all day long to catch a glimpse of the most handsome guy she had ever seen in her 21 summers.  The guy who had made a mark on her heart… on her mind…on her soul. She couldn’t sleep last night though she was bone tired after field work. He kept invading her dreams. She waited for the next half an hour for him to make an appearance but… he didn’t turn up. Every time there was a goal or cheer she looked back in anticipation but… he wasn’t there.

Was he alright? She worried. Was he …angry? After what had transpired between them couple of days ago, would he ever want to even see her? But she wasn’t at fault, was she? What could she do? She just reacted that way….

Tears rolled down her cheeks and she brushed them away with a frustrated hand. Since when did she care so much about a known stranger?

Yes… he was a stranger who had the most expressive face and the most beautiful eyes that looked into your soul. He read her like a book.  He looked at her like she was the only girl on this planet… made her feel beautiful inside-out…  Before him, she had been like an empty canvas which he had filled with colours of life. Even now her heart fluttered thinking about him.

If only life were so easy and restricted to special moments… If only life were predictable…If only she knew how she was supposed to react that day…. If only she could rewind back two days of her life she would move heaven and earth to change everything.

But if wishes were horses….

Copyright Disclaimer: All content posted here is a work of fiction and original work based on the author’s imagination. There is no intention to disrespect any person or faith. Any resemblance to any person living or dear is purely coincidental. No part of the content can be copied, reproduced or posted anywhere else either entirely or in parts, without the consent of the author.

happily ever after…

Priya Gole
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0

Epilogue

The engagement day arrived quicker than she had expected. She quit her job at the Patels who were more than happy for her. She became best friends with James who had stood by her though her difficult time. He was the one who had given her Patel home address to Ranvijay.  In fact he and Prasad were doing the engagement arrangements. The ceremony was simple considering her health. She had a couple of bouts of dizziness which the doctor had pointed to too much of excitement. So Ranvijay had declared a low key affair. She had absolutely no say in that.

Namrata couldn’t stop smiling…. Every puzzle had fallen in its place. The love between Ranvijay and her only grew stronger each day. It was torturous for her to stay without him… He doted on her even more especially since he had got to know of his impending fatherhood.  She often found him staring at her or touching her belly with tears in his eyes. She didn’t have to ask him why… she knew it. She felt the same too…

Shweta was helping Namrata get ready. She wore a beautiful off-white lehenga with minimal makeup. Shweta was giving her tips on handling her pregnancy. She was grateful for having a wonderful soul like Shweta to talk to. Since the men in their lives shared a common background, it was easy for them to connect as well. For a change there was no deception or hiding…

A little before the ceremony, Ranvijay wanted to see her alone. He came to her room in the hotel where they were to get engaged. When they were alone, he handed a set of papers to her.

She opened and saw they were stamp papers. “What is this darling?” she asked

“Your father had a dream… for him, for you and your brother. He had worked very hard for that venture at that time. Had it gone through we would have all made huge gains… I couldn’t do much then but this is a small gift to you which should fulfil some of his dreams. ‘For you forever’ is now yours.”

“WHAT?” she squealed

He hugged her when he saw she was fighting tears. “Hey … little sparrow … don’t…waste those tears. No one but you can run that enterprise better. You have it in you. And do you want to know who is the overall manager/supervisor for the company? Its James… I trust him… so do you…You will need help when you study and when junior arrives …” He lovingly touched her belly through her dress.

She hugged him tight as tears fell remembering her father…

A little later they were engaged in front of select friends.

They finally traded… but this time they traded rings and promises…to each other…

It was a trade no doubt but the balance was tilted their way forever…

thank you Kunal for the lovely poem…

Copyright Disclaimer: All content posted here is a work of fiction and original work based on the author’s imagination. No part of the content can be copied, reproduced or posted anywhere else either entirely or in parts, without the consent of the author

Will you marry me?

Priya Gole
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0
Will you marry me?

An hour later they both lay spent on the small bed their legs entwined and she in the crook of his arms… drawing circles on his chest.

“My little sparrow?”

“hmm?”

“Come home with me… live with me…in my house…. As my wife…” He said with a very soft voice…

Namrata jerked up on her elbows and looked into his eyes… did he just propose to her?

“Did you… did you…? … did you just ask me to…m…m… marry you?” she fumbled breathlessly.

He sat up straight. Then searching for the towel he wrapped it around his hips. He got down on one knee and held her hand. “My dearest little sparrow… will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?”

Namrata was on a crying spree since afternoon and this moment wasn’t any different. She struggled to say “yes”

He laughed and lifted her up and around and kissed her passionately. After the kiss ended they were panting. She held his cheeks and said, “there is… something…you need to know…”

He looked at her with a frown… she swallowed and said, “Um… I am pregnant… about three months…”

He stared at her as if she had sprouted wings. “Oh my God… it’s not just raining but … it’s pouring blessings…” he had tears as he held her face in his palms and kissed her forehead. “… You know sweetheart? I wanted this the day I realised I loved you… that was when you came home for the first time.”

“… so you are ok with the… baby?”

“…OK? I am on the seventh heaven… you have given me the best gifts of my life…your love and …” he touched her stomach and said, “…. And this one.”

He hugged her tight. “Come on let’s go home… our home… I will meet your mother tomorrow.”

Later in the wee hours of the morning as they lay in each other’s arms looking at each other, she asked, “how did you manage all this… you almost lost everything…. And about me? How did you realise I was framed?”

He sighed as he looked at the wall behind her. “I have been an extra cautious man… I have been ditched many times… starting from my birth. My parents left me to die… then the farce called orphanage….then the street gangs… finally going to juvenile remand. Om Prakash Mehrotra saved my ass and rightfully he is my father. Being a trader wasn’t easy initially. I developed a tough hide… especially after that fiasco seven years ago I was a tough nut to crack…even my engagement which I had thought would be fool proof was set in deceit….” He looked back into her eyes and whispered. “…then you my little sparrow… you came along and quickly chipped that hard exterior… I didn’t even realise when you became a permanent fixture in my heart… So when I was told…. About the information leak…. I just lost control…” He touched his forehead to hers and said, “I died a thousand deaths that day when I confronted you… I knew within my heart that you weren’t the culprit but I had to vent of my frustration…One good thing in my life … that too was tainted… it broke me little sparrow…then James called … immediately after I left your house…”

“James…?” Namrata asked stunned. “…what did James have to do with all this?”

“My love… James was my mole in that company of yours….” He laughed seeing her expression. “…yes… you heard it right. Though my case was dismissed those years ago, I have learnt to keep track of enemies…Premnath had staged his death years ago. I had realised even those years ago, that he was totally disillusioned. He always believed that the money he had planned to siphon was his… Then Smriti started that company about two years ago. I recognised her immediately.  I didn’t trust her nor did I want to warn her so I planted James there. I suspected her all the more later when I realised you were employed there. James was asked to keep an eye on you as well. He liked you already and was unhappy to do it.  But then we didn’t find anything amiss on either end. Even the cash given to you had no entry in any register… That was because Premnath was remotely managing things.  When we lost the first contract by a frisker, my friend Prasad hired an investigator. By the time I left your compound that day we had all dirt against Premnath. I wonder how he thought he could get away. In fact I was surprised he tried all this again. Maybe the Premnath of ages ago could have escaped like he did last time. But this time the frail old Premnath suffering from lung cancer couldn’t.  He died about a couple of weeks after the fall out. Then it was easy to trap Smriti…. She wasn’t as smart as her father and her paper trial was easy to convict her…eventually she confessed. They had thought they had tilted the balance in their favour but unfortunately for them, they were living a lie…”

“…How did I feature in all this?” Namrata asked…still not sure where all this was leading.

“You… my darling were a coincidence that they hadn’t expected. They then used you… traded you for information which you unknowingly passed on to them…. giving you gifts and career opportunities….the last time they gave money to Jatin and others as well so that you din’t doubt them… I could have killed him with my bare hands for using you.Your apparent backstabbing hurt me more than the loss of money and he knew it… They arranged your outing to Pune when everything broke lose here… You weren’t here to justify yourself…and I was all alone and… lonely. I am angry that they were privy to our private moments. But I got all those stored recordings destroyed… Our moments my dear…. are just those… OUR MOMENTS.” He stressed.

Namrata was lost in thought.

 “What is it little sparrow? What’s cooking in that busy brain of yours?” He asked her.

“You… you also… traded… when I came to your office the next day after that first night… You gave me that proposition…. Wasn’t it some kind of a trade?” she said frowning.

“I…I had no choice little sparrow. I wanted you badly… one night weren’t enough at all… I couldn’t accept the reality that I was falling for you… kind of love at first sight… I was scared to the core of wanting somebody so badly. You could hold me to ransom… and I couldn’t be vulnerable…. So I did what I did… trust me sweetheart, I hate myself for it.” he pulled her close.

“I accepted it so I was involved as well… I think I fell in love with you that first night itself. I don’t know what drove me to you but there was no going back…” Namrata confessed.

Their lovemaking that followed was explosive… they slept till mid-morning next day.

The following morning after feeding the Patel’s cat they went to meet her mother. Her mother was thrilled and in tears. Nirmay too was very happy to see his sister settle down.

“So when do you want to have the wedding?” Her mother asked them.

“After our baby is born…” He declared looking fondly at Namrata. “… I want my lit… er… Namu to enjoy her wedding. Her dream wedding.”

“Fine…” Her mother laughed “But… you know… considering the society we live in… let’s have an engagement ceremony. I want to keep a puja for warding off the evil eye…” her mom blinked tears of joy.

They both agreed and at the end of the day the engagement was fixed for the following Saturday. After the engagement it was decided that she would move in with him…

“You know darling….?” He spoke into her ears. “ … I have an engagement surprise gift for you.”

“What is it?” She asked smiling.

“What’s the meaning of a surprise…?. Have patience my little sparrow…have patience” he whispered.

Copyright Disclaimer: All content posted here is a work of fiction and original work based on the author’s imagination. No part of the content can be copied, reproduced or posted anywhere else either entirely or in parts, without the consent of the author

the special sister…

Priya Gole
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0
the special sister…

The special sister…

Sumona was waiting eagerly for the school van. It was 1PM and her younger child Raj was due to return from school. She was thrilled at the prospect of knowing how his day was. She wanted to find out all the information from the Ayah whom she used to pay extra for these tidbits. Today too she held a fifty in her hand and her eyes were glued to the entrance of the lane.

Sumona felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around to see Kamala aunty.

“Oh…hello Aunty, “Sumona said with her eyes back to the road.

“Waiting for little Raj, Sumona?” Aunty asked.

“Yes… actually they are late by five minutes…” Sumona sounded worried.

“Don’t worry Sumona, they should be close. You know the traffic these days… Anyways I will take your leave. I am going to get bread. Do you need anything?” Kamala aunty asked.

“No …. It’s ok Aunty…” Sumona replied distractedly, her anxiety levels starting to rise.

Sumona had a reason to worry. Her five-year-old son Raj had Down’s syndrome. He attended a regular school in the nursery section. Her older daughter Ananya was also in the same school in the seventh grade. Raj wasn’t speaking fluently as yet and she began to fear for his safety. Sumona called the driver repeatedly but the call wasn’t connecting. She called the school and they informed her that the van was yet to leave today. They had gotten late because of some dance practice for an upcoming event in school and they had apparently messaged the parents. Sumona checked her mobile. There were no messages… the school was still considering Raj tentative? After four months? They hadn’t added her number to their group message system…

Different scenarios came to her mind in the next five minutes. She was in tears… worry for her son eating her up… her heart shredded to every last bit.

Sumona’s life from the last few years flashed before her eyes. She had a life she had always wanted. A loving husband Rakesh and a cute daughter Ananya who was a quick learner. Sumona worked in the IT industry and was a team lead in a software company. She had consistently moved up the corporate ladder. Rakesh worked in the pharmaceutical industry where he was the general manager in the company where he worked. Ananya had grown up with nannies and then from the age of two onwards she attended a professional daycare. She was an achiever from the word go and transition to school was a cakewalk for her. She was not just good in studies but also a lucidly competent dancer. Dance was not just her passion but she was touted to be a child prodigy and Sumona and Rakesh ensured she got the best training. They even had teachers come home on weekends in addition to the dance class she attended. She was also attending gymnastics to improve her flexibility further. They had a great lifestyle only confined to dreams of the common man. They lived in a posh locality in a huge three BHK flat in a high rise. The society boasted of all modern amenities with a huge play area for children. Ananya attended a nearby Cambridge board school which not only helped her maximise her potentials but also gently nudged her to become the confident little kid she had metamorphosed into. Sumona and Rakesh had loved the place at first sight mainly because of the proximity to Ananya’s school. The EMI was exorbitant given their expenditure but since them both had great jobs they had gone ahead.

All was going great till one day, about five years back… Sumona realized she had skipped her periods. She had been thoroughly stressed at work and felt that must have contributed to the same. However, within two weeks her worst fears were confirmed. She was pregnant. They had thought their contraceptives were fool proof but were proven wrong. What followed was a huge emotional turmoil for Sumona. Rakesh and she were not prepared for another child…. They fought almost every day. Rakesh had even contemplated terminating the pregnancy to which she had initially agreed but then couldn’t get herself to do it. Her parents were no more and her in laws were in their village. They refused to help out. Sumona and Rakesh had an inter-caste marriage. Rakesh hailed from Vijaywada and was from a family of farmers and landowners. Her in-laws had never accepted her so she didn’t expect any support from them. Sumona had decided to bring up her second child just like Ananya and went ahead with her pregnancy. She worked throughout her antenatal days. She worked extra hard so that she could enjoy her six months maternity leave hassle-free.  She very often skipped her obstetrician appointments.

Finally, on the day of her delivery she had some complications and had an emergency C -section. She wasn’t conscious but when she came to, she heard soft crying. She turned around to see Rakesh crying silently with his head bent low. She was suddenly worried.

“What is it Rakesh? Where is the baby…?”

Rakesh looked up into her eyes. He looked angry… “I had told you not to have this baby…” he said accusingly.

Sumona was confused and scared…  “Where in my baby Rakesh? Is it a boy or a girl…?”

“He…. It’s a boy. But…” Rakesh looked away.

“But what… Tell me something Rakesh. Where is he?” She was getting agitated and breathing hard.

Rakesh came to her and held her hands. “Sumi, our baby is not… not normal. Doctor said…something synd…syndrome. He is now in the NICU. He has trouble breathing. Doctor said something about a hole in the he…heart.”

Sumona started to sob… Just then the room door opened and eight-year-old Ananya came running in. “Ma… my brother is the cutest baby on earth…” She was beaming. She held her favorite teddy from her childhood. “…Ma…I got this for him. Will he like it…?”

Sumona hugged her daughter. She was already feeling better now.

Soon they took Raj home and from day one it was a huge struggle. Raj was soft like a jelly.  He could be bent in all ways and Sumona was scared to even hold him. Rakesh plunged himself into work and was barely at home. Sumona suffered from post-partum depression and amidst this chaos it was Ananya who spent time with Raj. She helped Sumona with his baths, changing diapers… rocking him to sleep. She sang songs to him and even tried to play with him. Gradually Rakesh too started to show interest. When Raj was five months old, he had his heart surgery. It was a taxing time for the family but Ananya was at her chirpy best.

All this while Ananya’s grades never fell, but her dance took a back seat.

Raj started to develop better. But he needed therapies. His physiotherapy was taking place almost daily at a private center and Ananya used to visit the sessions every single time.

Soon it was time for Sumona to join back to work. However, since she couldn’t keep Raj with nannies, she had to leave her job.

 The loss of her job meant loss of income and they had to heavily cut down on expenditure. The biggest blow was they had to change Ananya’s school to her current state board one  because the fees were now beyond their reach. And the final nail in the coffin came when they had to totally stop her dance classes. The ones she attended were expensive and the cheaper ones were not up to the mark. Ananya never uttered a word about the changes. Rakesh and Sumona had talked to her about these and she had accepted everything like a pro. Sumona was at times worried that her daughter had matured way beyond her years.

The honking of the van brought her back to the present. A smiling Raj stepped out of the van assisted by the ayah. Sumona gave her the fifty and asked her about his day. She was pained to know that Raj wasn’t selected to perform in any event.

Later in the afternoon as Raj slept after lunch, Sumona kept thinking how she could calm herself. She was agitated. She was tired of seeing people treat Raj like an outcast. Many of her neighbors sneered at him. Some laughed and made fun of him, called him names. But Raj only smiled and went to them. He was such a friendly and smart kid.  Ananya’s friends used to come home often and they would play with him for some time. He had learnt so many things from them. If only people gave him an opportunity…

Ananya had taught him to dance. Raj also loved to dance.  He was very flexible. He was able to do steps which even typically developing children of his age couldn’t do. But why didn’t his school teachers give him a chance? Sumona knew it was futile to ask them to involve him. Later that evening when Ananya was back from school, Sumona told her about Raj not been taken in the programs.

Ananya took out Sumona’s phone and asked her to record their performance. She switched on the stereo and it played Raj’s favorite song and they danced together. The number was choreographed by Ananya and she had taught Raj. Sumona’s eyes filled as she saw the performance. She felt awful… Ananya couldn’t pursue her passion and yet she never complained.

Ananya convinced her to upload the video on youtube. Within an hour they had about fifty likes and views.

Ananya’s friends shared the video among their families and within a day the video had gained immense popularity. The following day Sumona received a call from the school to arrange Raj’s costume since he was now a participant in a dance number in school. To their surprise he had picked up the dance with ease.

On the day of the event, Sumona and Rakesh were thrilled to see Raj standing right in the front and he didn’t even need cues. The entire hall roared with a thunderous applause. The school gave him a special performance award.

The event was a game changer for Raj and everyone around him regarded him with renewed appreciation. There was appreciation flooding in from all around and he thrived. He even started improving in his academic concepts. He now loved learning. Everyone around him tried to teach him something or the other and they were proud of him when he learnt them. Ananya and Raj made a few more videos which were all a hit.

A few years later…

 Sumona was very happy today. Raj was awarded the performer of the day award in his school. He was in the fifth grade in an integrated school, where there were other educable children with special needs. He was now loved and accepted. He was admitted to that school about three years ago and Sumona had started working again. It was difficult getting back and she felt like a fish out of water. But Raj had inspired her. If he could be a different fish in the society and stay in the water happily then why not her…? She restarted dance class for Ananya who was now in college doing her graduate studies in humanities. Even today she was Raj’s biggest supporter. She taught dance to Raj even today. Raj had become famous not just in India but abroad as well for his dance moves. He had given quite a few performances choreographed by his sister. She had even arranged a performance of his in her college festival which was appreciated by all. Ananya was approached by other parents of children with special needs to teach them dance and she was considering pursuing it after her graduation.

Sumona’s phone pinged, getting her out of her reverie. She had received an email from an NGO which worked for the disabled and was asked to give an interview on her journey with Raj so far. She had already spoken with them last week and this was a formal invite.

The interview was live in front of an audience. Many of them were parents of the children with special needs. Sumona spoke about Raj’s habilitation via therapies and his development so far. She then added, “We consider these children Disabled. But Children like Raj have proved that they are specially abled.  They all need an opportunity which itself is a blessing. Raj has been blessed too. He has a very special ability via a very special person. That’s Ananya, his guardian angel, a special sister…”

There was not a single eye which wasn’t wet…

Copyright Disclaimer: All content posted here is a work of fiction and original work based on the author’s imagination. There is no intention to disrespect any person or faith. Any resemblance to any person living or dead or any community is purely coincidental. No part of the content can be copied, reproduced or posted anywhere else either entirely or in parts, without the consent of the author.

 

the eagle is back…

Priya Gole
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0
the eagle is back…

Chapter 19

After three months

Namrata typed away the invoice details and took a print out. She handed it over to the store manager Mr Patel.  “Thanks Namrata, why don’t you go and have lunch?” the bespectacled balding manager Patel bhai told her. She nodded and pulled down the shutter of the general store half way through. Patel bhai slowly shuffled with help of his walker and went to his adjoining little office to nap like he did daily. It was 1PM. Namrata opened her tiffin box and started to eat.  She didn’t have an appetite these days but … Everything around her reminded her of him. And then how he trampled on her heart….

Her eyes fell on the day’s newspaper. She picked it up and opened it.

Ranvijay Mehrotra Vindicated….

About three months after the largest coup took place….  Fraud amounting to crores of rupees… The late Premnath Chopra…. His daughter Smriti charged with money laundering….

….Past incident involving late Premnath Chopra…. Suvarna  guddi jewellery group….fraud.

Shareholders happy…

RM industries win both tenders in absence of PC Infotech which has been dissolved…

Tears streamed down her eyes as she read and re read the news article on the front page. She was finally relieved.

Immediately after the tender fiasco and the scene at Smriti’s office she had started looking for a job. James had helped her find this job. It didn’t pay much but it offered her other perks like daily lunch sent by Mrs. Patel and time for her to study. She wanted to complete her MBA. James had helped her with the fees and she had promised to repay him once she got a job. She had just started the distance learning program. Mr and Mrs. Patel owned a departmental store in the far end of the town. Since the distance was more, Namrata stayed back most days. The Patels were a childless couple and Mr. Patel was handicapped after an accident. She helped them with the invoices, accounting at the end of the day and inventories. She also helped Mrs. Patel in her kitchen whenever the flow of customers was lean. The Patels doted on her. Especially since last month when she skipped her period… Her abdominal cramping had been caused by the conception and stress.

Namrata touched her belly which was yet to show. Her mother knew but left the decision to her. She never had second thoughts about keeping it. She was sure the baby was conceived on the day Ranvijay had declared his love for her. Everything seemed so surreal now… He probably wanted nothing to do with her anymore… she wondered if she should tell him about the baby. But she decided to wait for a while. She wanted to clear her head which was still mush. She didn’t want anything from him but wanted to give him a chance to know his child someday and vice versa.

Nirmay got a scholarship on clearing an exam by armed forces. He would join college there next year after completing his tenth grade. She was so proud it hurt. He was working as an errand boy at Sanjana’s café after school. She didn’t want him to but he insisted. Her sobs increased as she thought of her brother and how matured he was for his age.

Her mother worked as a supervisor at the NGO driving home a small stipend but collectively they managed comfortably… Her mother managed household chores fairly well with a little help from NIrmay and occasionally from her. She often got provisions for home from the Patels. Overall it was going fine…

But she missed him… she craved his touch… the feel of his lips… She often cried herself to sleep at night…thinking about him.

Namrata sighed. She had been following the news coverage in the initial days but for the past month or so the media was not very interested and their attention was focussed elsewhere. But today the papers were filled with this latest news. She wondered how Ranvijay pulled this through. Her mother apparently had more confidence on him. They had never discussed him after that evening. She only wished she could tell him her side of the story. That she had been a fool of the greatest order. She was also upset with him for not giving her a benefit of doubt… for not trusting her enough…

As she finished the last invoice for the day, it was 8PM. The Patels had to attend a family wedding in Baroda. They had left about an hour ago. They had requested her to stay back for a couple of days to take care of the store and feed their cat. She was only too happy. She wanted to be alone….

That night she sat for studying. A ritual she had been pursuing for last couple of months. It was raining heavily outside. The July monsoons used to be her favourite but these days she didn’t like anything….

The doorbell rang. The Patels lived on the first floor above their store. She often stayed in the adjacent room to their flat. She wondered who it could be. The Patels never had visitors. Why would someone come when they weren’t there? She saw the time. It was 11pm. She was scared and protectively touched her belly as she often did these days.

The doorbell rang again. She looked around and found a wooden stick used for drying clothes. She held it and went to the door. She looked through the peephole but it was too dark to see anything. “Who…who is it?” she asked.

There was no answer but the doorbell rang again with a knock on the door. She took her phone and dialled 100 and opened the door. She almost dropped the phone… it was him.

Before the phone fell he caught it and cut the call. He walked in and closed the door gently behind him. He was dripping wet… how long was he in the rain? Her heart was thudding and she couldn’t say a word… her throat was clogged and she was trying to hold back tears…

He came close to her. He was in a white shirt which now was stuck to his toned body and black trousers which was dripping water on the floor. His hair was plastered to his head and he rubbed his hand over his face to clear the water… She missed him so much that she only kept looking at him, rooted to the floor. He came closer and lifted her chin with his finger. “My little sparrow…” he whispered and gave a peck on her lips. She pushed him away.

“WHY…. Why are you here?” she cried out. As he tried to get closer she held her hand up. She was breaking inside but she had to put a front.  She looked at him with accusing eyes… she saw him clearly then. He was haggard as if he had not slept for days… he had become thinner as well. Was he not eating well? How did he manage to do what he did?

She had many questions at the tip of her tongue. But first… he had to get dried. She went to the cupboard, took out a towel and held it in front of him.

“…Here… take this. Get out of those clothes. You will… catch a cold….I… will get you something hot.” She gave him the towel and went to the adjoining little kitchen. She checked what was there. She had kept some milk which she heated. She added a pinch of turmeric and a little honey and got it for him. He had taken off his clothes and had tied the towel around his hips. Her heart skipped a beat. He may have worn rags and he would still be desirable to her.  “Take this…” she gave him the glass. “…drink it up…” He took the glass and consumed the milk his eyes not leaving hers even for a second as if she might disappear. He kept the glass on the table and came towards her. He stood eyeing her with longing in his eyes…

Her heart was overflowing with strong emotions and she was being pulled towards him like a magnet. Amidst tears she said softly, “…it… it wasn’t me… It was Smriti and ….”

“…I know that sweetheart…” He interrupted. “…. And by now you too must know about Premnath and your…father…”

She nodded… “I was hurt… alright? When… you accused me…” her voice cracked

“…I am sorry sweetheart… the circumstances surrounding what had happened… I was a mess and when i found out the leak was from you… I lost it… just lost it… I have always been betrayed in my life… so I was always extra careful … till I met you. With you around I let caution to the wind. I trusted you blindly….” He rubbed a hand over his face. “… When my technical team did a close check of everything around my house they found traces of transmission during the time you were there… it was unbelievable but the… the proof was undeniable….”

She was silent as she took in what he said. Then she said, “… It was Premnath who had planned everything… that mic was designed by him…”

“Yes…I… got to know that later… He was a disillusioned old man”

“Hmm…” She nodded and turned around hugging herself… She was a nervous wreck.

He came closer and hugged her from behind. He hid his face in her hair as he took a deep breath. She tilted her head to her side and he kissed her neck exactly the way she had wanted… had craved. He turned her around and held her by her shoulders. “My little sparrow…these months spent without you… has been a living hell. Please… please forgive me darling… There was not a day when I didn’t want to rush back to you…But it was not just getting back my company but also I had to clear your name… and fulfil a small dream of your father’s.”

“What…what dream?” She was confused…

“That’s a surprise for later darling… for now I can’t… stay away a minute longer…” saying he pulled her to him and claimed her lips.

Copyright Disclaimer: All content posted here is a work of fiction and original work based on the author’s imagination. No part of the content can be copied, reproduced or posted anywhere else either entirely or in parts, without the consent of the author

revelations…

Priya Gole
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0

Chapter 18

Namrata rushed outside and ran to catch an auto to reach home. Her mother was coming back tomorrow itself. She must have taken the news seriously. Namrata was relieved. She wanted to confide in her mother about all that had happened… all that she had found out…

She kept crying even as she entered her house. Suddenly her lower abdomen started to pain… she held her midsection and bent down… when the pain passed; she went to the washroom and freshened herself. She hadn’t eaten anything so she fixed herself a snack and after having it with a coffee she went to bed. She was tired to the core…drained out mentally. She desperately wanted to speak to someone… unfortunately the only person she had trusted and given her heart to had crushed it under his feet… first by hiding his identity and then by distrusting her.

She kept her phone on silent mode and went off to sleep.

Her mother arrived the next morning. As she wheeled her mother inside, she patted her hands. Her mother got busy with her exercise and unpacking her bag. After lunch as her mother lay on the bed, resting, Namrata sat on a chair beside her. Namrata was wondering how to broach the topic.

“Namu…” her mother called out to her. “… He… I mean that client in the car was Ranvijay isn’t it?”

Namrata looked up stunned… Her mother knew? She turned beet red with embarrassment.

“Namu… dear, I was initially not happy but then… you were glowing… I saw you happy after years…so … I am really happy for you dear.”

Namrata started to cry, “ma you don’t know…he was responsible for what happened to papa…. I don’t trust him anymore…” her heart clenched as she said the words.

“Namu… you don’t know anything at all…” She sat up supported by pillows. She then took Namrata’s hand in hers and said, “Namu my child, irrespective of what people tell you, remember one thing. Your papa was solely responsible for his decisions and no one else should be blamed for that….” She raised her palm as Namrata tried to interrupt. “…Just hear me out alright?”

When Namrata nodded she continued. “Your papa was a whiz when it came to financial transactions and investment decisions. He gave up his job and started freelancing a couple of years before he… passed. He was yet to make profits but things were looking up. It was when RM industries approached him. RM industries was trying to acquire some jewellery making unit… it had huge potential He studied the finances of the unit for over a period of two months and along with two other investors he raised about two crores of the needed four crores  in funding.. Your father too saw potential and pooled in everything he had as well as took loans to raise the major amount. Not just that, he was a guarantor for the other two investors as well….RM industries was a major stakeholder in the same. Ranvijay too had put in almost everything he had at stake…. What Namu…?” she looked at her daughter. “… You don’t believe me?”

Namrata shook her head… she actually couldn’t believe her mother knew so much.

“Namu… your father told me everything. I was his partner not just in life but in business too… I was not active because you and Nirmay need me more at home. I was not in favour of this investment decision because of Premnath Chopra.”

“How do you know Premnath Chopra ma?” to say Namrata was shocked would have been an understatement.

Her mother sighed as she said, “Premnath was your father’s childhood friend. He was much older to your father and considered and respected by your father like an elder brother. They grew up together in their village in Punjab. Both were equally brilliant. Your father in Finance and Premnath in both Finance and electronics. He was street-smart though and your father was… a very emotional person…

 …Actually when we got married and had you, Premnath had visited us few times along with his wife and daughters… His wife was a wonderful woman…very wise but Premnath dominated her…put her down.  He didn’t give me good vibes from day one. But your father trusted him. He was the finance head of that jewellery making unit. In fact he was the reason; your father was emotionally attached to the project. …”

Her mother looked away…she was lost in thought. She took a deep breath and said, “Premnath wanted to achieve a lot in life… in a short span of time. He fudged the documents so that the valuation of his sinking company increased. Your father blindly trusted him… his biggest error of judgement. Ranvijay trusted your father and Premnath, since he was engaged to Premnath’s older daughter Rhea. That was an arranged alliance. However on the day of the merger the money got transferred indirectly to a proxy account. That account was owned by Premnath and another insider man from Ranvijay’s office. Premnath had played with the software. Those days’ electronic transfers were fairly new and not very secure like today. That other man later turned out to be Rhea’s boyfriend. The engagement was a farce…there was total deception everywhere. The papers were signed but were fraudulent too… the owners sued both, us and RM industries… Premnath had been planning the coup for a long time…”

“….suddenly everything fell around like a pack of cards. Ranvijay tried damage control but the media had caught wind of it and all those involved were tried by the media… Namu it was like a living hell for your papa… He tried his best to consolidate things but this time it was way beyond his league. Premnath escaped within a day but his wife didn’t go with him. She called me and I in turn informed Ranvijay and your papa. Ranvijay had a strong IT team and they took action immediately. They got back some of the money but the rest was already withdrawn and put away… they couldn’t find a trial. Premnath was that good. That man from Ranvijay’s company confessed… Premnath’s family back here hardly had anything and your father refused to allow anyone to trouble his wife and daughters. His wife died of a heart attack as these events unfolded and Rhea hanged herself out of depression after her boyfriend’s arrest. ….”

“…Premnath disappeared from the face of the earth with his daughter Smriti… only to be heard of now…” Her mother wiped her cheeks…

Namrata sniffed a cry and asked, “… what about that man who confessed and what about papa?”

“Namu on the day of the accident your papa was driving to Ahmedabad along with that man to lodge him in some safe house Ranvijay had arranged till they went on trial. They had to recover the money somehow from the insurance….It was almost a year since everything had fallen apart. Your papa had become depressed and… had given up… I was a last minute addition to that trip. I didn’t want him to go alone…. “

Her mother started to sob… Namrata went up to her and hugged her tight. But she pushed Namrata and said, “… just hear this… you have to know… He… your papa….  We didn’t meet with an accident that day…. “

“…what?” Namrata could barely hear herself.

“…. Your papa rammed the car to the road divider…. On purpose… I saw him do that. He dropped off that other man just couple of minutes before asking him to take a taxi.  I was sitting right behind….He…he just gave up….He must have even forgotten I was in that car…” She covered her face with her palms and cried. Though Namrata was stunned and shaken by the revelation she tried to calm her mother.

After a while her mother stopped crying and said hoarsely, “When I regained consciousness in the hospital, Ranvijay visited me. He was acquitted from the case put by those company owners because of lack of evidence and neat paperwork by your father, which helped. Your father had apparently dug deep and had found massive corruptions related to Premnath. That actually killed him from within. He had felt responsible for the entire debacle.The case was dismissed. Ranvijay compensated the other two investors. He was broken too…”

“Ma… he… I was told he got the accident investigation…. stopped? Why?” Namrata asked.

 “He got the accident investigation averted because he didn’t want to tarnish your father’s image further…. Yes… he knew what had happened. The police probably were guessing it too….He paid some of our debts. The creditor’s list that was shown to you Namu was only half of it. If he hadn’t helped us we would have been ruined even more. But… I dint want him near any of us at that time. He reminded me of what I had lost. However he has been discreetly paying the NGO all these years. He paid a deposit for Nirmay’s school once we moved here. He didn’t personally meet me after that. …”

She held Namrata’s hands again and said, “…Namu… he is… a good man. Good at heart… He didn’t have it easy in life either… he could have just left us to our fates but he didn’t. Unfortunately for him he got cheated…. Again…. Yesterday’s news… it was like… history repeating itself… Namu I am feeling so bad for him…”

“….Ma… I … I … am partly responsible for this too…” Namrata said softly. When her mother looked at her questioningly she revealed everything that had happened. Smriti’s deception, her whirlwind affair with Ranvijay minus details… and what the old man, Premnath Chopra told her…

Her mom took in a deep breath. “It’s not your fault Namu. You were cheated too. Given the circumstances I would have probably believed that slimy Premnath. He is a snake. But… if I understand Ranvijay well… he has a reputation for being a ruthless trader, an eagle… but to me he is a rising phoenix. I am sure he has something planned. Don’t worry… he must be busy working something out… And you learnt a lesson too isn’t it?”

When Namrata nodded, she continued, “…Come let’s start dinner. Nirmay’s coming today….”

As they got busy, Namrata kept thinking about him… was he alright? Would he ever know the truth about her? Her breathing got heavier as she remembered their last encounter. Could the chasm of misunderstanding get any deeper?

 But she had other things to worry. Namely… finding a new job…

Copyright Disclaimer: All content posted here is a work of fiction and original work based on the author’s imagination. No part of the content can be copied, reproduced or posted anywhere else either entirely or in parts, without the consent of the author

the plot unfolds….

Priya Gole
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0

Chapter 17

He gripped her shoulders. “YES… I lost it. I lost everything… just everything… but you know Namrata… what hurt the most?”

She just kept staring tears flowing…

He brought his face close to hers. “…what hurt most was BETREYAL… being stabbed in the back by the one person whom you trusted the most… Just…just tell me ….just ONCE… WHY DID YOU DO IT?”

Namrata shoved his hands away. She raised her hands and cried, “… I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT… okay?”

He glared at her his nostrils flared with rage as he removed his phone from his pocket. He showed her a video and said, “Explain THIS”

Namrata was stunned to the core. It was her video accepting money from Smriti and another accepting the envelope from Jatin … Just the part where they were giving it to her. It was edited to show her in bad light. Only the part where Smriti thanked her for everything was there in the clip. Her initial refusal and later talk was missing. Even Jatin’s conversation was missing.

She looked at him through tears and pleaded, “This… this  is not what it looks like. It’s edited… I…I don’t know who did it but it’s not…”

“….JUST SHUT THE HELL UP… “He bellowed and she startled. “…Did you receive the money or not? Twenty thousand in cash … twice? Besides the gold ear studs. They cost forty thousand…”

She nodded…”It was…. Because of my work on the gig….” she spoke softly unable to trust her own words.

“…Ha… look at the naivety. Do you think I am a fool? Who gives that kind of money as a perk to a mere employee who had completed just over a month in the company? So don’t…. just don’t fool me. Enough –of- your -deception. I just want to know why and how… I want answers….”

She was shaking now… “You have to trust me on this. I have no idea…”

He held her arm and pulled her to him. “Trust you? Trust you? You know what? I was a fool…. I was a lovesick idiot. You used yourself so well… what a charade… I have to give it to you…You traded me… My future… my everything… I only want to know why you did that.  HOW DID YOU GIVE OUT OUR FIGURES AND WHY?”

“What… figures…?” she asked still crying. He furiously backed her till she landed on the sofa. He leaned over her and spoke with a sneer. “I am sure now that you don’t know the relationship between me and your father. Then what was it? The money? You could have asked me. I could have given you more… a lot more… I want to know… what was in it for you?”

“N…n…nothing… I don’t know anything. My mother just told me…. About you knowing my father…just before you got here. Don’t… don’t know what…” she tried speaking between tears.

“That’s it… though it’s very tempting, I can’t strangle you…. I can’t… believe it. I believed a lie… Fell for your deceit… I had prided myself on being the Giant Eagle…. A great trader….  But today …I realised I was the one being traded all this while…” saying he stood up straight and started to leave. He turned his back to her and as he approached her door, he stood for a moment and rubbed his eyes.

Then as he opened the door as he took out his phone again. She yelled, “Wait Ranvijay… it’s not what you…” He banged the door after him.

She dropped on the floor sobbing. Things were now making sense to her… the money, the earstuds… how she could be so stupid. She should have realised something was amiss…

The alarm sounded and she woke up. Her eyelids were heavy because she had cried herself to sleep. She remembered the events of the earlier night and fresh tears started to flow. But today… she HAD to get some answers. She quickly dressed up had a cup of coffee and rushed to office. As she entered the building she saw it was heavily decorated… The old ‘for you forever’ sign–board was replaced by a new one and it was lit up. All the employees were present. Namrata’s confusion prevailed. She was getting angrier by the minute. She met James and asked him what was going on. “for you forever  has been taken over by a new conglomerate. Merged… to be precise. Celebrations are on.”

“Who… who took over?” she asked with her heart thudding.

“Some…. PC infotech…”

Now where did she hear the name before? Probably on the TV. Her head was spinning. She rushed towards Smriti’s cabin. Today she didn’t knock…and entered directly.

Smriti was standing and talking to an old man with a crooked nose sitting on her chair. They both stopped talking as Namrata barged in.

“What is it Namrata?” Smriti asked with a smile…

That angered her all the more. “Smriti M’am, I want some answers. Why did you… Why was that video taken…and why was it edited?”

“Aww, look at her….” She told the old man waving a hand towards Namrata. “… So you are in love with that asshole is it? Your GIANT EAGLE…” She looked at the old man and both started to laugh. The old man suddenly started to wheeze and Smriti helped him with the inhaler.

The old man sighed and spoke, “Look Namrata, you should thank us…we did you a favour. That man didn’t deserve you after what he did to your father. And after what he did to us…he got a taste of his own medicine…”

Namrata stared at him… “How… how do you know my father?”

The old man regarded her for a while and spoke, “…Abhinav Kiri and I go a long way back…He was a good man. An emotional fool though… My late wife always said, ‘being emotional was ok but not an emotional fool’….”

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she remembered her father. “I…I… want answers…Why…” she waved her hands around not able to form the words to voice her turmoil.

“Of course… you are Abhinav’s daughter… you would want answers….” the old man wheezed as he spoke. He typed something on his laptop. After a moment he turned it around. She saw news articles dating seven years ago.

RM Industries’ meteoric rise….

RM Industries to takeover Suvarna guddi jewellery group…..

Deal goes down….

Ranvijay Mehrotra Director of RM Industries arrested…. Fraud…. Released on bail…

Major accident on Mumai –Ahmedabad highway… Venture capitalist dead, wife seriously injured….

Mehrotra free…. Case closed …. No evidence.

Namrata started sobbing as she read about the accident which resulted in her father’s death.

The old man got up and walked towards her. He patted her back and made her sit down. He walked with a slow gait towards the window and said, “Your father’s accident investigation too was suspended by Ranvijay. That man destroyed all our lives. You see my daughter Smriti? I had another daughter… Rhea. She was engaged to Ranvijay. But after this fall out the alliance broke and she… she hung herself. She was addicted to that man…” He wheezed again… “…I saw him do that to you too. He lured you. And you caught the bait….”

Smriti spoke then, “…that’s why we decided to …. to use you, as well as open your eyes.” Then she took Namrata’s purse. She zipped it open and emptied it on the table. Her meagre contents fell out. She then pulled the inner lining of the purse outside and tore it. A chip like thing fell out of it. “This…” Smriti showed her and said, “… this is an advanced microphone made by my genius father.  It can catch human vocal frequencies to up to 300 metres radius…. I got it stitched to your bag before the Five star hotel gig. You did the rest of it dear…” she laughed as she said it.

Namrata just couldn’t believe anything anymore…she realised she was being played all this while. She had thought she had made it big in her career… but she was just being… traded. She stood up. She had already removed those ear studs and placed them in the box. She took the second envelope given by Jatin the other day and placed both on the table. “I… I can’t work here anymore… you…all of you are full of lies and deceit…. You may keep the rest of my salary and allowances against the twenty thousand you had given me. I haven’t taken anything from this… you may check….”

Her heart was already crumbled… she was now totally shattered. As she opened the door, she heard the old man, “He is not worth it Namrata…

As she came out of the cabin she wondered if she could trust Ranvijay ever again… her mother’s word kept ringing in her ears,

‘There is nothing like free lunch’

The old man smiled to himself. Today he had his revenge. Premnath Chopra had done it. He had stolen RM Industries right under The Eagle’s nose and Ranvijay couldn’t do anything. That man was hit where it hurt the most… his baby RM Industries and then his lady love… Now that Namrata knew the Eagle was responsible for her family’s condition, she would hate him…

Premnath laughed… he had avenged the death… of his dreams, his wife and Rhea. Finally Smriti would inherit everything and he could die in peace…

Had he done anything wrong? No…he didn’t think so.

His wife always said, “the law of karma is also the law of cause and effects…as you sow so shall you reap…”

He coughed into oblivion as he thought of her disapproving looks….

Copyright Disclaimer: All content posted here is a work of fiction and original work based on the author’s imagination. No part of the content can be copied, reproduced or posted anywhere else either entirely or in parts, without the consent of the author

and…all hell breaks loose…

Priya Gole
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Namrata settled in her hotel room in Pune after a hectic preparation on Friday evening.

They had barely reached Pune when they had to scramble around with the allotted staff for the event preparation. A political scion was launching his son. Their company was one of the three event management companies hired to do the job for the launch event which was spread over the weekend. Namrata’s company was signed the food and logistics. Namrata and James got busy with the former while Jatin and the other subordinates were immersed in the latter.

By the time the preparations were half way through, it was 1AM. Jatin asked them to retire for the night as they had to be up and bright with the remaining preparations before the event started by 10AM on Saturday morning.

thank you Smita Biju Thomas for the poem

Namrata freshened up and changed into her nightgown. Before crashing out she checked her messages. Her mother had sent pictures from where she was visiting. Her brother had also reached the location safely. But there was no message from him…. He had looked extremely tired and worn out last night… was he alright? She was getting increasingly concerned as the time went by. Sleep eluded her because of worry…

She called him but his phone was unavailable…She started getting paranoid about what must be happening to him….. She just hated the uncertainty. He was still a closed book to her…a mystery. He was a Giant eagle who had her in his talons…she already felt ripped apart… her emotions were all over the floor…

The next couple of days went in a total blur. Namrata was physically present but mentally she was a wreck. There was no message from him. She had messaged him couple more times but there was no reply. She couldn’t even make out if he had read her messages. She was worried sick. They had to stay back Sunday night because it was too late at 2AM for them to drive back. She couldn’t sleep and kept pacing her room…

The formalities took a while in the morning and by the time they left it was 11AM. Something or the other kept coming up and they were getting delayed.

Namrata  was extremely uneasy. Something was troubling her at the back of her mind. It was as if he was still a stranger… an enigma… as if she never knew him at all. Then what was all that about proclamation of love?  Was he so busy that he couldn’t even message her? Was she only a means to satisfy his physical craving? Her heart was breaking with every such thought. Before she realised tears fell down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away before James or anyone else could see her. She decided to have a talk with him… give him an ultimatum that she couldn’t continue like this… him going off the radar every time… and she under perennial turmoil waiting for him.

They faced heavy traffic snarl on their way back and it was 9PM in the evening when she reached home. She was a bundle of nerves and before she got in and locked the door, she was sobbing. She was so depressed and for the first time in over six years she had nothing to do… She felt extremely lonely. She decided to watch TV… it was 11PM and sleep was still miles away.

As she switched channels, she stopped on a business news channel because she thought she saw him. Yes… It was him. She unmuted the volume and heard the news.

…. Scion of RM industries Ranvijay Mehrotra has stepped down as the director….

……following heavy losses incurred…… mortgaged….. May have to file for bankruptcy…

…shareholders in panic…. You can see the crowds outside RM Tech park….. police bandobast….

…PC infotech takes over the functioning from today…

Namrata had turned a statue with the remote in her hands as she saw the news unfold. The visuals were from daytime which meant this was hours ago… She had overheard him talk about the tender opening today… he had said something about things being at stake…

Her phone rang jarring her out of her thoughts. It was her mom. She didn’t want to take it but her mother would get worried or in case there was an emergency… she answered it.

“Yes ma?”

“Namu did you see the news today?”

Why was her mother asking about the news…?

“Yes ma… why what is it?”

“Did you hear about RM industries…? Namu that was Ranvijay….” Her mother sounded anxious.

Namrata was puzzled. How did her mother know him?

“Ma… do you know him?”

“Namu he is the client for whom your father had free-lanced that last investment project… The one which caused…. Everything…” Her mother said frantically.

Namrata stood paralysed with the phone in her hand.

“Namu… are you there? “

Ye..yes ma… so he is the c…c…cause of our troubles….?”

“It’s not that simple Namu… I will explain when I get back… network bad….” And her call was disconnected.

Namrata had totally blanked out what her mother spoke last. Ranvijay was connected to her father?

Suddenly her doorbell rang and along with that someone was banging her door. She rushed to open the door before her neighbours gathered.

As soon as she opened a little, he pushed the door along with her and barged in. He kicked the door shut behind him. She was thrown behind with the impact and fell flat on the floor.

He looked furious. She saw him looking down at her with fire in his eyes… he looked like a raging bull. His beard was grown, his eyes bloodshot. His shirt was dirty… he looked horrible and unkept.  His hair was a mess showing he had drawn his hand through it many times….

Suddenly he was out of his apparent daze… He held her arms and drew her up against his. She had to keep her palm on his chest to steady herself… She tried to push him away. But he held the back of her head and held her hair in his hand. Pulling her head behind he spoke through clenched teeth, “you knew … all this while you knew…” He was breathing heavily on her face. She closed her eyes as she cried… he released her hair as if woken from a trance and moved back dropping his hands by his sides… he looked defeated.  “Just… Just tell me one thing Namrata…” He didn’t call her his little sparrow “…Why… WHY DID YOU DO IT?”

Her head was reeling. What the hell was he talking about? She wiped her eyes and when her vision cleared she saw he had tears in his eyes as well… he looked totally shattered. She understood that but…

Was this all about money?

He continued his tirade. “Was this all about money? How much… how much did they give you?”

She couldn’t follow anything that was going on. First her mother, and now him. She sobbed, “What are you talking about?”

“Stop the farce Namrata… it doesn’t suit you… the innocent looks…. They don’t match your conniving self. So tell me… how much you traded me off for…” He looked away and mocked laughter. “… Here I thought I was a trader but you my dear, you have surpassed me… congratulations…” He looked back at her and raised his voice. “… why Namrata…?WHY?… all this to avenge your father? You don’t even know the truth Goddamnit…”

Namrata kept crying… not knowing what was going on… why was he behaving like that? Why was he being so hurtful?

She tried to speak with her clogged throat, “Why are you talking about… my father? Why get him into all… this? What truth…? I have no clue… Wait… I saw the news … you…lo…lost…the tender…” she added the last part softly.

Meanwhile few kilometres away…

The old man and his protégé were playing bluff… as always he won. He always won except that one time years ago. But now he got everything that was his. The eagle was destroyed… almost… and if his protégé was to be believed the rest of the plan was also in place. As his beautiful late wife had always said, ‘Do or die was getting old… do before you die was the new concept’

He was doing it now… before he died. His daughter…his protégé had to have the legacy…

Copyright Disclaimer: All content posted here is a work of fiction and original work based on the author’s imagination. No part of the content can be copied, reproduced or posted anywhere else either entirely or in parts, without the consent of the author

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