“Really? You had to set up the meeting the day we have so much to do?”
Aarohi grumbled as she followed Akshara to the lobby of the Janatha Seva Party office building.
“Aarohi, remember we set this appointment weeks back. I didn’t
have Anisha’s final walkthrough scheduled for this day. We pushed it out so Abhimanyu could attend.”
“Brozilla again.”
“Aarohi,” Akshara warned.
“Fine. I’m sure you are madly in love with him because he said you should continue the search, and you hate me for asking you to stop.”
Akshara stopped and turned to look at her friend.
“I don’t love him or hate you. I thought it was good advice, and I knew he was being objective when he told me I should do whatever would make me happy.”
“Whatever.” Aarohi rolled her eyes.
“Hey, let me tell you that I could not have gotten over every failed investigation if I didn’t have you.”
“Yeah, yeah, sure.” Aarohi smiled as they started walking toward the front desk.
“We are here to meet Mr Nayan. I have an appointment.”
The person behind the front desk checked on the computer and said, “I don’t see an appointment. And Mr Nayan is busy at that time.”
Akshara smiled. “There must be a mistake.”
She showed her phone screen with the text from Nayan confirming the appointment time.
The person behind the desk looked at the date on the text message and said, “Oh, this was before our new system was set up. And unfortunately, Nayan sir is in a meeting with his brother.”
Akshara nodded. “I understand. Can you give me another appointment for later today or tomorrow?”
The man shook his head. “I am so sorry, I don’t have any openings.”
Akshara thought for a moment. “Since I have his phone number, can I text and ask him directly? Will you add it to his calendar if he agrees to a time?”
“Absolutely.”
Akshara pulled up the old conversation she had with Nayan over text and sent him a message.
Akshara: Akshara here, we spoke a few weeks back. I am here for our appointment to discuss the anniversary party, and I understand there has been a mix-up. Please let me know if you have another time this week to meet? Thank you!
She hit send and looked at the man behind the desk. “Would you please give me your contact info, so I can call when Nayan sir confirms the time?”
“Sure—” The man was about to give her the number when his desk phone rang, and he excused himself to answer it. “Yes, sir. She is here. Definitely.”
Akshara smiled liking the timing of the phone call and the sound of it.
“Was that Nayan sir?”
“Yes. He would like to meet with you now.” The man smiled and gave them instructions to his office on the upper level of the building.
“That was nice of Mr Nayan.” Aarohi smiled as they went up the stairs to his office.
The door to the office they were headed to opened as they got closer, and a young man stepped out.
“Akshara, I’m so sorry about the mix up.”
“No problem, sir. This is Aarohi, my Production Manager.”
“Nayan, please. Nice to meet you both. Please come. My brother is here as well, so it is a perfect time to discuss the services you provide for event management.”
He led them into the office where another man was seated. “Akshara and Aarohi, this is my older brother, Kairav.”
“Nice to meet you.” Kairav smiled.
“Likewise, sir.” Akshara smiled.
“Kairav, please. We are not formal around here.”
“Sure.” Akshara placed her business portfolio on the table and said,
‘Why don’t we share our experience with event management, and you can tell us what you had in mind for your weekend events.
Akshara and Aarohi spent the next twenty minutes taking turns walking the brothers through the various events they had organized in the past and spent time understanding the event needs for the political party.
After noting the details, Akshara was happy with the conversation they had. “Mr Nayan, I mean Nayan and Kairav, we will work on a proposal for the next few events with the associated cost in a few days, and we can take it from there.”
“Sounds good.” Nayan nodded.
“Thank you, I will be sure to get time on your calendar for our next meeting.”
Nayan shook his head. “Not necessary. You have my phone number. Call or text when you are ready, and I will make time.”
“I appreciate that very much, and we truly believe in Mr Goenka’s leadership.” Akshara was encouraged by the level of detail the brothers shared with her.
“Thank you. We hope to bring the much-needed change.”
Akshara and Aarohi left, and Kairav kept looking at the portfolio they had left behind.
“What are you thinking about, brother?” Nayan asked.
“Why does Akshara look so familiar? Have you worked with her before?” Kairav flipped through the folder with the event pictures.
“I didn’t, maybe you did. Secretly planning a wedding, huh?”
Nayan laughed.
“Stop kidding. I’m serious. Why is that woman so familiar?”
“Maybe you saw her at one of the weddings you attended.”
“Possibly.”
Nayan interjected. “I know why she is familiar. She looks just like Anu auntie’s daughter.”
Kairav scrunched his nose. “Who?”
“Ma’s first cousin who lives in Singapore.”
Nayan pulled up his phone and showed the social media image of the teenager.
Kairav smiled. “I can see the similarity except for the purple hair.”
“Right.” Kairav laughed and added, “Let’s meet with the other party members to discuss event ideas. I think we should plan sooner than later.”
“Okay. I will take care of it. I’ll see you for dinner. Ma wants us both home this evening.” Kairav reminded.
“See you later, brother.”
*****
“I need a break now.” Anisha collapsed on the back rest of the chair feigning a faint after running through the step-by-step plan of her entry and subsequent steps through the main events that were planned in a week.
“We can take a break, but we need one final run through. We will be back in thirty minutes.” Akshara smiled at Anisha and nodded at her team leads who were there for the event review.
Anisha’s mother stood up from the table where they were sitting.
“I will send snacks for you all while you relax.”
“Thank you, Mrs Birla.” Akshara smiled.
Anisha got up from her chair. “I will be right back as well.”
The key family members left, leaving Akshara and her team at the table. Akshara looked at Jai and asked, “How are the performances coming along? Do we need any other practices?”
Jai shook his head. “Didn’t you just say, we were all on a break?”
The group broke into a laugher, and Akshara smiled.
“Anisha is on break. We aren’t.”
“I object. We are all on break.”
“We all go on a break after—” Akshara’s voice was lost when she saw Anisha walking back to the table with her grandmother and Abhimanyu with her.
Akshara and her team stood up in respect to the elderly woman who had been so caring about Akshara and her team. Akshara had grown fond of the older woman from the moment she had stopped her in the middle of an event and asked if she and her team had eaten their meals. She had been sweet enough to make sure everyone on Akshara’s team was well fed at all times.
“You are all here.” The older woman sat on one of the chairs smiling at everyone.
“Good to see you, ma’am.”
The older woman nodded.
“I don’t want to disturb your planning, but I wanted you all to have something from me. It is our family tradition to gift our family and friends new clothes for a girl’s wedding, and I wanted to give to you all them before you all get very busy.”
Akshara’s eyes immediately went to Abhimanyu’s as he handed a paper bag to his grandmother. The older woman took the bag and handed it to Akshara.
“This is for you, my child. For the beautiful events you have put together.”
“Thank you.” Akshara took the open-top bag and one peek at the contents; she knew what her gift was. It was the outfit she had refused to accept from Abhimanyu that he had managed to get her to accept from his grandmother.
Sneaky. Sneaky but cute.
She looked around the happy faces of her teammates on receiving the gifts, and she knew there was no way for her to push back on what was gifted to her. She wasn’t going to do that to Anisha’s grandmother.
“This is very generous of you. Thank you.” Aarohi smiled.
“It was Anisha and Abhimanyu’s idea. They are the ones to thank.”
Akshara kept her eyes on him as he modestly declined the idea being his and that all the credit goes to his sister. The team thanked her for the gifts and left the table as if to catch a break from Akshara, leaving her with Anisha, Abhimanyu, and their grandmother.
“Next, I want to see my grandson married.” The older woman hugged Abhimanyu.
Anisha let out a laugh.
“That day may be sooner than you think, Grandma.”
“Really?” Anisha’s mother asked as she came to join them.
Abhimanyu let out a scoff. “What are you doing, Anisha?”
“Nothing. But I am very excited for you, brother,” Anisha teased, and Akshara found an opportune moment to seek some revenge for his persistence to get her and her team gifts even after she had told him she could not accept gifts.
“Anisha, is that why you asked me to keep my calendar free in a year?” Akshara smiled at Abhimanyu, and he narrowed his eyes at his sister.
“Abhimanyu, are you not planning to invite us to your wedding?”
“Maybe he will elope like his grandfather.” His grandmother laughed.
“Don’t you dare…” His mother warned her son as she placed the snacks on the table.
“Ma, cut it out. Anisha, I will deal with you later.”
His mother tsked. “I don’t know why you are being so secretive.”
“By the way, Ma, I think he shared the special dish you sent to his place with her.” Anisha giggled, and Abhimanyu rolled his eyes.
“Abhimanyu, how is it that Anisha knows all this?”
Abhimanyu shot one look at Akshara when he realized she was the one to add fuel to the fire.
“Yes, Ma. I shared the dessert you made for me with her. She loved it very much.”
Akshara let out a low gasp worried he was going to reveal the secret dance practice to save himself from the grilling.
“Anisha, we can get back to the planning if you are ready.”
Abhimanyu interjected.
“Let’s wait for the team to get back, Akshara. Let me also tell my mom that the woman I met that night licked the bowl clean of the dessert.”
Akshara blushed and hoped no one noticed her dying need to hide under the table.
“So, she came to your apartment?”
He nodded.
“She may have been in the apartment when you came to drop off the dessert.”
“What? And you didn’t introduce me to her. That’s rude.” Anisha was suddenly pissed.
“Excuse me.” Akshara stood up to escape the conversation she knew was going to get torturous, but she only wanted to get away.
“Oh, Akshara, you should stay. I might even give you some dates you can block on your calendar,” he stated, making her force a smile.
“Who is this woman?” Anisha demanded.
Abhimanyu winked. “Someone who thought your black wall was a brilliant idea and that I should let you redo my entire place.”
“I like her already,” Anisha said cheerfully.
“Yeah?”
“Abhimanyu, you better not be joking.” His mother looked confused.
“I’m not, Ma. This woman exists. She is smart, caring, hardworking, and very down to earth.”
Akshara kept her eyes on the sheets of printed paper as if she were not listening, but her heart thudded in her chest. She could not get herself to look up at him as he continued to sing her praises.
“He is joking, Anisha. He is just describing his ideal woman. We should not fall for his tricks.” His mother laughed, leaving the room, and Anisha followed to make a phone call.
The room fell silent as Akshara pretended to be looking at her phone, not wanting to make eye contact with him. Abhimanyu’s grandmother was the one to break the silence.
“Abhimanyu, I don’t know if you were joking or not, but the last few weeks you have looked so happy. I used to see you stressed all the time, but now, I see you spending time with us and just happy. I even heard you humming the other day. Are you sure you are not in love?”
Akshara’s heart started to thud, and all she could think about was to become invisible. She didn’t know why her heart raced like it was going to leap out of her chest.
He laughed, relief sweeping over her.
“Granny, you’ve been watching way too many Bollywood movies lately.”
“You just don’t know yet, silly.” The older woman smiled.
“Sure, Nani. Let’s see if I will get to know anytime soon. I’m surely impressed with the woman, and she doesn’t take compliments or tokens of appreciation well.”
His words made her smile which she kept it hidden behind the computer screen. She looked away when her phone buzzed.
Abhimanyu: Having fun, are we?
Akshara: I always have fun while planning weddings.
Abhimanyu: I’m sure you had a lot more fun adding fuel to the fire
Anisha set off.
Akshara: Me? I was just making sure why Anisha wanted me to block my calendar.
Abhimanyu: So, you busy blocking your calendar then?
Akshara: Do you want me to?
Abhimanyu: I don’t know yet. I’ll tell you when I’m ready.
Her heart started to thud again. What is he talking about now?
Abhimanyu: I’m busy with my factory reconstruction.
Akshara: Oh, repairs from the fire accident?
Abhimanyu: That and also expansion.
Akshara: What do you make in the factory?
Abhimanyu: Depends on the type of client. Mostly electronic components that are used for medical equipment.
Akshara: Oh, the one you have a patent on?
Abhimanyu: Someone did their research.
Akshara: I saw the patent certificates when I was at your parents’ house. I am curious to see what happens in a factory.
Can a visitor get a tour?
Abhimanyu: I could arrange something. When do you want to go? This week?
Akshara: Sorry, I’m in the middle of an event. How about the week after Anisha’s wedding?
Abhimanyu: Sure. Can you check with Kamala ma’am and set up time? You can ask her why she ordered the dress for you when you speak to her.
Akshara bit her lip not wanting him to catch her smiling.
Akshara: I have figured out why she ordered the dress for me.
Abhimanyu: Good you did.
Akshara: I will be sure to thank her.
Abhimanyu: Please do.
Akshara: If I may, I would like to get back to my current client’s event.
“Have fun, you guys.” Abhimanyu left the room and Akshara raised her eyes to look at him as he walked away.
“Thank you,” she called out, and that made him stop before turning to look at her.
“Thank you!” he emphasized, making her heart flutter with joy.
Love
Janus