Thaltej, Ahmedabad
Anuj's Aaransh
Anuj and GK returned home after a scrumptious dinner at Anupama's house. The ride home was a quiet one except for the engine and the whirring sounds of the magnet. Anuj was bubbling with myriad emotions. Anuj had freshened up and got ready into his night suit. He was sitting in his dimly lit study. His eyes were filled with remorse as his mind was still stuck on the fiasco created by Vanraj Shah. He had come face to face with the person who had left a scar on his Anu's heart in an unexpected manner. The altercation between Samar, Vanraj, and Anupama gave him an inkling about the changing dynamics of relationships. He felt proud of Anupama as he could see the fire within her. She had surely outgrown herself. She was different from the timid college-going girl that he had known. Samar, the young lad had left him tongue-tied with the way he gave back to that vile man, who was Samar's father. Vanraj Shah appeared as a self-centered and obnoxious person who lacked mannerisms along with decorum. Anuj found the elder couple to be contrasting opposites.
Anuj was brought out of his reverie when he felt a warm and affectionate hand over his shoulder. It was GK who had come to check on him. Anuj sighed and held onto his old wrecked hands. "Are you thinking about them?" asked GK. The debacle had given them an insight into the nature of Anupama's ex-in-laws. Anuj nodded his head and spoke, "I wished I had the courage years back to ask her out." He further continued, "The exchange of words gave me a clear indication of a strained relationship that was held onto just for the sake of the kids. I wonder about what she might have gone through all these years. Today after all these years, I felt as if Maa was right there in front of me..." He trailed off and a tear rolled down his eye. GK wiped it off and completed Anuj's statement. "A lot of her nuances resemble the poise and finesse that Gayatri had." and consoled him. "Maa used to sing lullabies and leave her blessings beneath the pillow. I never thought that the one who used to leave behind her blessings would leave me forever. Then Dad left. I found you, Mummy." GK wiped his tears and spoke, "You did everything by yourself after Anand passed away." Anuj took a pause and removed his specs, "I just worked hard, GK. Maybe my dedication was liked by Kanhaji and so my talent was noticed by a man who supported me at the beginning of my career." GK covered him with Gayatri's shawl that was lying there on the couch. He cajoled Anuj lovingly and soon both of them fell asleep.
Sindhu Bhavan Road, Ahmedabad
Anupama's Ashiyana
"Mummy, I am sorry." spoke Samar as he back-hugged Anupama who was standing in the balcony seeking a moment of solace under the moonlit sky. Samar had noticed that his hug was left unreciprocated and he knew that she had been hurt. He knew he had acted out impulsiveness yet he was caught up in a dilemma that had begun to give him a burgeoning headache. He held onto his mother's warmth with one hand as he rubbed his temples with the other hand. The loosened hug made Anupama turn around and saw a flicker of discomfort on Samar's face. She held his hands and dragged him to his room. A little later she entered the room with the medicines as Samar lay on the bed with his eyes closed and head resting on the headrest. Samar looked at her and once again spoke softly, "Sorry." Anupama sighed and spoke, "Sleep, Samar. It has been a long day. You need rest."
The dance had drained off Samar albeit with his restricted moves and thus he was fast asleep as soon as he hit the bed. Anupama caressed his hair and wiped the tear that threatened to fall from her eyes. She was disappointed and hurt as she hoped that Samar would act sensibly. A mother's heart held onto courage as she continued with her silent treatment. She had seen the spark in his eyes when Anuj had showered him with unconditional love as her mind recalled the dance as well as the compliment. A crack had healed. There was a sense of contentment yet she was worried about the future as she could clearly see the thing that was next to impossible. It was something beyond her capacity and as a mother, she had given her share of love. It pained her heart yet she was helpless as it was Vanraj's deeds that had given rise to such a decision on Samar's part. The stark differences in the personality of Anuj and Mr. Shah when it came to parental love left her dazed. It left zero space for comparison. The way of dealing with spontaneous matters spot on represented opposites' calmness and chaos. She got up and made her way to the kitchen to fill up the empty bottle. Whilst returning back, her eyes fell on the beautiful marble idol of Kanhaji. She prayed earnestly and expressed her gratitude towards Anuj as she recalled the incidents of the day. "Dhyaan Rakhjo"
Bodakdev, Ahmedabad
Vanraj Shah sat in his dimly lit room with a morose expression on his face. He was lost and confused. He should be happy as he was freed from a loveless arranged marriage set up by Moti Baa. He went ahead and got married to Kavya whom he loved. He had never considered Anupama to be of his stature. It was a marriage that had started to suffocate him. However, here he was feeling raging and conflicting emotions. He was seething in jealousy. He was a known figure in the business field a few months back before everything went in for a toss. The issues in his life's personal and professional spheres had left him disgruntled. It irked him and deepened his bruised ego. The typical male chauvinist along with his regressive mindset found the leap of faith in Anupama's life to be cumbersome.
The final nail in the coffin was Anupama's close friendship with Vikram and now the ever-growing bond with Anuj left him in shambles. Though he was thankful to Anuj for saving Samar's life the priority gave rise to misplaced angst. The haughty outlook and approach denied him the liberty to swallow his pride. His mind was still stuck on the conversation with AK. A conversation that reflected the shrewdness and an aura like all other successful businessmen that warned him that he better be in his good books rather than messing with him or even being at the receiving end. His thoughts went back to the letter that he had received from AK Industries. The message had been loud and clear for him. He was all screwed up. Thus he had the only way out. He and Kavya would be meeting AK tomorrow at his office. A final decision had been taken.
Thaltej, Ahmedabad
Anuj's Aaransh
Anuj stirred a little as soon as the rays hit his face. He blinked his eyes and sat up on the bed. There was a full-blown smile as he recalled the events of the last night. It was a birthday that had been etched in his heart and memory. It was an achievement indeed. He wore his spectacles and got freshened up. He wore a blue round-neck T-shirt paired with black sweatpants and made his way to the small makeshift gym. Anuj was working out on the treadmill whilst being updated about his office schedule by his secretary through bluetooth. He called up Saveer a little later as was the routine now. "How are you, Dad? How is your injury?", asked Saveer "I am fine, boy. How's your back now?" Saveer scratched his nape and answered, "It's fine Dad. The pictures are drool-worthy and so instagrammable. Could you please forward me Samar's number. I wanted to ask you something .." and he trailed off. Anuj understood the implied question. He heaved a sigh and said, "Yes, Veer it's her." There was a moment of silence from both sides. Saveer was trying to absorb the information that he had just received. "I'll call you at night, Veer." spoke Anuj, who wanted to give Saveer some lone space. The call was hung. Anuj got dressed up for the day albeit the difficulty due to the injury. He wore a white shirt paired with a lined blue coat coupled with white chinos. It exuded cold vibes paired with his basic essential- a smartwatch.
New York, USA
Hudson Yards
Saveer kept on playing with the switch of the light. It was ages since he had known about the unrequited love of his father. He had heard so much about her and had been wanting to have a glimpse of her. He was feeling a conundrum of emotions within him. The happiness was radiating on his face. Finally, his father did meet her. He swiped through the pictures umpteenth time now. A mere look at her and he could feel the motherly love touching his heart. He felt a homely connection. It was his heart that had been yearning for a mother's love. He smiled through his tears and kept on looking at the picture. A picture that spoke volumes about the relationship of man and wife redefining respect and love just like his grandparents about whom he had been hearing from GK. He kept that picture as wallpaper and slept off with a smile before making sure that his wish of the heart was being heard by the lord of divine plays.
Prahladnagar, Ahmedabad
AK Group of Industries
The Shah Couple were seated in the lobby. Vanraj recalled the conversation that he had this morning. He had coaxed Kavya into giving a try to sell out their rusty yet upscaled garage and made a call to the office there by taking an appointment with Anuj unknown to the fact that AK was personally vested into it. He also wanted to put forth his business proposal. The decision had been informed to the elders and now here they were awaiting the meeting to begin. Vanraj was dressed up in a cream-beige brown checkered blazer over a crisp pastel blue shirt paired with beige brown checkered chinos. Kavya had adorned a semi-formal attire and was giving final touches of makeup when Vanraj warned her of her stupidity. He said, "This is his office, so please call him Mr. Kapadia." Kavya sighed at him. Nevertheless, she nodded her head.
Anuj had his head buried in the files. He had been busy reading about the drones and their issues when the intercom rang. "Yes", he answered in a cold voice and spoke again after a pause of a few seconds, "Tell them to wait in the lobby." Anuj sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. The Shah Couple. He picked up his intercom and called up Vikram and Devika on conference passing on the message for them to be present in the conference room along with Anupama.
The conference room was sparsely designed. There was a natural play of light peaking through the blinds. The plants placed around the blinds gave the room a certain tinge of freshness. The teak wood rectangular table was well-varnished and it was surrounded by six leather chairs. A wooden panel affixed with the wall looked like a cabinet displaying the certificates and trophies won by the youngsters who had interned earlier. It had books and photo frames as well which shined due to the yellow lighting. The design of the panel was a camouflage for the projector. The opaque glass on one side gave the members much-needed privacy whereas the wall adjacent to the sprawling wooden door had a coffee table with a coffee machine on it. The furry rug beneath the table protected the wooden flooring. There was a separate glass cabin that was a resting place. The interiors were breathtakingly simple.
Devika had already arrived and was busy reading the tender on her tab. Vikram arrived a moment later and sat on the chair with his eyebrows furrowed. He called up the secretary on the intercom. He said in an authoritative tone, "Send them in." A few seconds later the Shah Couple stepped into the room. Vikram gestured for them to be seated. Anupama had been caught up in work that required her to explain to the younger intern working under her. She was late. Thus she was rushing her way to the room when she bumped into GK. She was surprised to see him here and bent down to take his blessings. "Kaka, you're here?" queried Anupama. Anuj who had just reached the corridor was worried to see GK here. He took quick long steps towards them. "Yes, GK, Are you alright? You only visit the office when it is something urgent and important.", asked Anuj in a frail voice. GK did look weary. Even before GK could speak up, Anupama intervened.
"Anuj let us first take Kaka to the room.", spoke Anupama as she saw the cold sweat on his forehead. Anuj nodded in acceptance and pushed open the door of the conference cabin. The mere sight of GK made Devika and Vikram stand up from their chairs. The Shah Couple looked on cluelessly. Anuj made GK sit on the chair and handed over the bottle of water that he had carried with him. "GK, What's wrong?" came the chorus question of Vikram and Devika. GK took a deep breath and held Anuj's hand firmly. He spoke, "Relax, you four. I had just come to have a look here. It's just that I over-exerted myself." All four of them released the breath they had been holding onto till now. Vikram hugged GK and Devika spoke, "You scared us for a moment." Anuj was enraged yet he controlled himself and tried to free his hand away when the grasp got tighter. That's when Anuj and Anupama's eyes fell on the couple. There was a flicker of discomfort in Anupama's eyes which Anuj and GK noticed. Anuj decided to ask her out later on. Anuj turned to the Shah Couple and spoke, "He is GK, Gopichand Karodiya. My philosopher, my friend, my mentor, my guide, my father, my mother. My everything."
The Shah Couple exchanged pleasantries with GK. Vanraj was all mellowed down considering the fiasco that he had created. Kavya was awestruck by the simplicity of the cabin and was over the moon as she was meeting the class apart businessman AK in person. Anuj spoke, "GK would you please get yourself some rest." as he pointed towards the sofa set that was visible from the glass partition. GK excused himself followed by Anuj. Vikram turned towards the couple and spoke, "Shall we get back to work, please?" All of them settled down on the chairs and awaited Anuj who came back a few minutes later. AK settled down on the high-back leather chair when Devika passed him the glass of water. He took a pause for a momentary second and said, "Let's get to the point, Mr. Shah." Vanraj nodded and removed his laptop. Kavya was enthusiastic so she slid the laptop toward Anuj in lieu of the presentation. Soon the peon entered with six mugs. It had green tea, Chai, and Coffee served to its respective owners.
"I made this presentation last night. Business ideas are successful when they have the backing and the funding of finances are allocated systematically.", spoke Kavya in a sultry voice as she got up and moved towards Anuj. Vanraj interjected, "We have made the presentation." He was clearly displeased at Kavya's lack of presence of mind. "Yes, us." spoke Kavya in acceptance. The lack of finesse in her innuendos made Anuj uncomfortable. He had been observing the Shah Couple with narrowed eyes. The jab gave him an insight into the misogynist and narcissist nature that was deeply embedded in Vanraj. He saw Mrs. Shah near him through the corner of his eyes and so he got up. "You can present the presentation by being seated on the chair, Mrs. Shah." spoke Anuj giving a stern look. He realized the predicament that Vikram went through that day. She was outspoken and her gestures were loud and overflowing with emotions. Kavya muttered a "sorry" and went back to her seat.
Vanraj sighed and began, "Mr. Kapadia, the upscaled garage that my father owns has been converted into a cafe. We intend to open up a multi-cuisine restaurant more specifically a theme-based restaurant. We also intend to open a Gujarati menu-based restaurant too. Furthermore, the staff would be trained and a dedicated chef would be hired. Each dish would uphold the quality standard. The menu would be curatively laid down." He went on to explain the background search that he had done on his competitor restaurants as he pointed out the figures and charts of sales in reference. He further put forth the finances that he had planned out. Kavya spoke up, giving Vanraj a break, "The unique aspect of our restaurant is the theme. He is a fitness enthusiast and so he goes cycling. Therefore, we decided to have decor based on cycles, and simultaneously we can offer bicycle maintenance service. Thereby the customers can enjoy a curated experience. So yes that is it." finished Kavya.
The piercing tone had given Anuj a tough time and thus he had a migraine. He had listened to the proposal whilst twirling the magnets. Nevertheless, he spoke up pushing his frames to the bridge of his nose, "Interesting". Anuj looked at Anupama, Vikram, and Devika. All three of them nodded their heads in approval. A few seconds later they found Anuj pressing his temples. The three friends shared a look at each other, though Anupama was clueless she knew the signs of discomfort. Thus Anupama spoke up steely, "We'll discuss the other things after a short break. As it is it is nearing lunchtime." Vanraj fumed at the interference as he looked at Anupama, who was unbothered. The statement was backed by Vikram. AK had noticed the exchange and thus he spoke with certitude, "Mr. and Mrs. Shah, we continue after a short break. You can grab something to eat at the cafeteria nearby the office. I also need to check on GK. So we meet at 2:30." The Shah Couple walked out immediately. Vikram and Devika left the cabin. Anuj got up and walked towards the partition in long strides followed by Anupama.
Anuj entered the room and found GK wide awake. He sat down beside him and kept his head on his shoulder whereas Vikram made his way to the drawer and rummaged through it. He caught hold of a strip and handed over the tablet to Anuj who gulped it down. Devika pushed the glass toward him and asked, "Are you better, now?" Anupama inquired, "I noticed the signs of discomfort, Anuj so are you okay?" Anuj answered wearily, "The piercing and shrill tone gave me a tough time. Migraine it is and so it will go away when I will sleep at a stretch. I need to finish this as soon as possible. I'll be fine." The information left Anupama baffled. Vikram turned towards Anu and inquired, "Are you alright? I saw a tinge of discomfort when you spotted them." Anupama sighed and replied, "Truth to be told Vikram, I still have nightmares. I am trying to let go of that incident." The statement left everyone shocked which was masked well. Lunch was a silent affair and soon all of them were seated in the cabin.
Anuj was seated on the sofa and was going through the files in his tab. Vikram and Devika were going through the emails whereas Anupama was deeply engrossed in her file. Kavya entered the cabin and crooned in her shrill voice, "Afternoon, Mr. Kapadia." Anuj answered, "I hope you found the cafeteria, Mrs.Shah." The chair turned around and she was surprised to see GK. "I must say, Mr. Kapadia, you are very generous. I mean you have made a house help sit on the chair." The statement made Devika, Vikram, and Anupama look at her as if she had grown horns on her head. Vanraj sighed at Kavya's stupidity. Anuj got up with a start and spoke in a cold dry voice, "Mrs. Shah, I think you have the habit of hearing things loud. It seems you were too lost in the glam and glitz when I introduced GK. He is my everything. My friend, philosopher, and guide. My dad. My mom. I refuse to remember people who refuse to respect GK. Do you even plan to take his blessings? " The Shah Couple took GK's blessings. GK spoke in a firm voice, "Anuj." He looked away and took a deep breath. He pushed his spectacles to the bridge of his nose and twirled the magnets faster. Devika gestured for them to be seated. Anuj took a pause and spoke, "Your idea is practical. Well researched and grounded." He turned towards three of his friends, and spoke, "Any suggestions, three of you?" Anupama had been deeply contemplating something. She spoke while taking a deep breath, "Anuj, Can I?" Kavya interjected, "How would you know business?" Anuj turned towards her and said, "Mrs. Shah everyone has a right to put forth their opinions. They might bring a different perspective on board." Anupama gave a smug smile and spoke," The proposal is nice. However, it leaves behind room for doubt when it comes to the finances when compared to the competitors. The price range would surely be an issue in the future when it comes to running the restaurant and defining its success rate. A restaurant is a public place and with youngsters, food critics or food bloggers, or even families seeking quality yet a curative experience, it would create a hindrance. There should be a middle ground to this. It should be accessible to the rich as well as even the middle-class people at large." Anupama's impeccable English left the Shah Couple speechless. Vanraj was seething in anger that someone had managed to look through the loopholes of his proposal. The business acumen was too sharp. Vikram looked at her as if she had seen what they failed to look at. The details. Anuj and Vikram shared a glance at each other. AK spoke, "I need some time as I need to discuss this with my core team. Someone from my team will reach out to you soon. Thank you so much."
The Shah Couple exited the cabin and the ringtone hit Anupama's ears. The caller ID made her crease her eyebrows in worry. Vikram, Devika, Anuj, and GK looked at her as she answered the call. The call was hung a few minutes later. Anupama sat down with a thud on the chair muttering something incoherently under her breath.