After having a long conversation with Rehan on marriage, Ananya tried to convince herself with the fact that what he said was right. But she was constantly reminded on various moments that it is time to take a step foward. She herself was irritated by this thought not leaving her mind. There was a time when her parents wanted a wedding for her urgently but she ran away but today when she had a partner and is willing to talk about it nobody is interested. One such event was the upcoming New Year's Eve which holds an esteem positon in the Kundra family. And when Ananya asked Rehan about his plans he said that he would attend it alone like any other year and maybe they can attend it together next year. She tried to remove that thought from her mind and went to sleep.
"Why is she late again and where is the damn file?", she said to her assistant on one of her employee not being in office after an hour passed of working time the next day.
The employee came minutes later.
"You are late again! What the hell does responsibility and punctuality mean to you?", she said going through the papers without even looking up to her .
"Ma'am actually my husband....", she started to answer in the frightened tone.
" Husband problems!",Ananya said but as soon as she looked up to her she said," Shit I'm so sorry. Why are you so bruised? What happen? You really don't look ok?", she stood up and walked to her.
"Oh! Nothing ma'am. They are nothing big. Just small cuts.", she sounded frightened and naïve.
"Sit.", she tried to make her feel comfortable and asked her assistant to get some ointment and apply it on her wound below the eyes and on the forehead. " If something happened on the way to office or while going home, tell me. We can report it. Don't be scared. ", she ran her hand through the woman's back.
"No. Nothing.", she was adamant on that answer.
"Ok .You go home. Take a break for a few days and I'm so sorry for yelling. You know this was an important file and I freaked out. But now I think you should go home. My driver will leave you.", Ananya apologised for her high pitch.
"Home! No! It's absolutely alright. I'm fine. ", she shook at the name of home.
"But you are..", before she could finish her sentence her assistant glanced to her asking her not to force the woman. "Ok . Fine. But have you been to the doctor?", Ananya asked but she just nodded a no.
"Fine. So today evening I have an appointment with my doctor for my check-up . Accompany me.", She nodded a no again. "It's an order.", Ananya told her and she left.
The assistant then informed her about the domestic violence that the employee was facing. The fact was that it was just six months of her marriage and all this had started 3 weeks ago.
"I think they rushed their beautiful relationship into marriage..", the assistant told her and left leaving another seed in her pot of thoughts regarding marriage.
Later in the evening she visited the doctor as Rehan had urged her to because last month it was third time that she had an asthma attack due to over work. Post that he has made it a point that she is regularly visiting the doctor even if he can't accompany her. She even attended the doctor with her employee and also he confirmed of domestic violence stating it a common phenomenon. Is it really common?
As she was walking back to parking she was called by Rehan's grandfather. He had visited the hospital for his regular check-up. They headed towards his home where a lot of preparations were going on for the New Year's Dinner. She suddenly heard someone playing the guitar. And found Armaan rehearsing a few tunes. He was really melodious but was nervous. He played a few songs for her.
"Man,you are really good. You are amazing. So melodious and beautiful. I hope you could always keep playing for me. I always wanted a singing partner but you know Rehan. He himself tends to close his ears when he sings.", Both of them laughed at this.
"But he is amazing in other things. He is a great actor and has a lot of intelligence when it comes to movies, storytelling and in fact even in the technique of film making. He is working on his writing which I'm sure he'll excel at. That's the story he'll direct.", Armaan said playing a few chords on the guitar.
"Really. He has never really told me about this.
"He has told nobody. Not even grandpa.",Armaan told her
"Woah! But still if he'd sing and play like you ,that'll be the day man."
Armaan said nothing.
"What happened? Why are you nervous?", she asked him.
"Today I'm meeting a few music directors. I hope they like my work.", he said in a low tone.
"Of course they will. And if they don't someone better will.", she said smiling.
He was relaxed and finally smiled.
"Thank you", he said.
"Pat your head. You should never say thank you to friends. Come give me a hug.", she told him. She removed a chocolate from her bag and gave him. "Have this. All the best."
After he left, Ananya went on to meet Grandpa.
"So how is everything?", Grandpa asked.
"Ok. I guess.", she said taking a seat beside him.
"Why you not sounding convincing?", he asked her.
"Because I'm not convinced myself."
"Spill it."
"Can men really get harmful?", she asked him.
"What?", grandpa was shocked by her question. "What do you mean?"
She told him the story of her employee and how her image of her husband is. She was worried about the woman and also concerned because she herself has seen many failed marriages.
"It is not whether man can be harmful or not. It is just what situations are. You only know one side of the story. May be there is more to it than just physical violence. The success and failure of a marriage does not depend on how perfect you look with each other. It's much more than that. She didn't tell you about her husband's action maybe because she loves him and knows that he loves her too. Maybe it's just a phase."
"Why does he hurt her if he loves her? It's a crime. I would report him", Ananya asked.
"I can understand your concern but may be its not that bad. I know you will not agree with me now. Maybe a few years after marriage you will understand."
"Understand that you should quietly suffer abuses from a man?"
"No. Understand why she didn't tell you about her husband. By the way if you think my Rehan would do something like that he would not and I can assure you that.", He said looking down at her.
"Ummm. No. I was just generally concerned.", she said running her hand through her hair.
"He has never got into a fight in school also. He was the one coming home crying seeing other boys fight.", Grandpa said which immediately made Ananya laugh in blush.
Meanwhile Rehan's mother joined them and thanked her for the arrangements for her kitty party.
"You did an amazing job. You should try event management. We'd hire you.", she said and went on to do something else.
Hire me? Really? It was really strange, the tone in which she said that. She was Rehan's girlfriend not a girl looking out for a job.
"Also for a successful marriage the two people should be of the same standard.", Grandpa added while he was having a conversation with Rehan's mother.
The next afternoon Armaan called up to inform that he had finally got a project and really wants to celebrate and since there is a football match they planned to go a lounge and watch it .
She reached the venue, where Rehan was already present on the neighbouring table. She congratulated Armaan on his success while Rehan completely ignored their existence.
"I told you. They'll like it.", she gave him a hug.
"Yeah! All because of your chocolate." ,he said pulling a chair out for her as Rehan's eyes were glued on the screen.
"It always works.", They chatted for a long time. Rehan occasionally turned to look at them but then ignored.
During the half time, she walked up to him.
"Hey", she said.
"Hey", he said while sipping a drink and doing something on the phone.
"Listen...", she tried to start a conversation.
"Please it's finals today. I don't want to ruin my mood talking about marriage like you did to Grandpa and doing every place you are going. Including the hospital checking on woman who are abused by their husbands."
"I was not trying to talk about that. I was about to talk about Armaan. I was happy for him.", she said totally confused by his strange behaviour.
"We all are. That's why we are here. In fact you were with him since you came. I know you are happy.", he said in a sarcastic tone.
"What's wrong with you?", she asked and a girl walked towards them. Dark brown, dense curly hair and winged eyes she looked bold and outrageous. Rehan went to meet her and then brought her to the table Ananya was sitting.
" Ananya,this is my friend .", He said.
She simply turned to her and smiled while the girl took a seat next to Rehan. Ananya raised her eyebrows, "Friend?"
"Yeah! She is actually a creative director and I must tell you that she is really good at it. We are working together on our next project."
"So she is colleague.", she took a sigh.
"No. No. We are great friends since a long time. Ever since he knew Katherine.", She said.
Rehan immediately turned to Ananya as she said this .
"Ohkay.", Ananya said taking a pause.
"He is a great guy. I always wanted to work for him. He just so easy, charming and good-looking.", the girl said wrapping her hand around Rehan's arm and placing her head on his shoulder. He gave her an awkward smile. "Don't you think so?"
"Hmmm.", Ananya said.
"So what are you good at. What do you do? Designing, art?", she asked.
"I'm so sorry but I'm not even half as creative as you are.", Ananya said and had a sip of her drink and looked away. "But yeah I was quick enough to have made him my man before you.", She said and the girl awkwardly moved away from Rehan.
"I think you should go and have a look around the place. It really great.", Rehan told her slipping his hand away.
And as he did that an envelope place on the table. It had a dozen of female photographs. Rehan came back alone.
"If she your creative director, these may be models?", she said holding up the pictures.
"Oops! Yeah, you are absolutely right", he said taking them and placing it in the envelope again but Ananya refused to let them go.
"Ok fine. My mom has given this.", he said.
"Why?", Ananya never thought she would.
"Just to, like go through.", he said.
"For?", she took a pause ."Really. Your mom knows we are dating. Why would she do this?"
"Yeah, but what if it doesn't work out?"
" What won't work out? Are you kidding me?"
"You know I can't say no to mom. And I'm not like getting hitched or something.", he really didn't look convincing.
"And what about her?", she asked about the girl who just left.
"Well she ... you know I know her since a long time and she kind of had a big crush on me. But since she knew Katherine well she never told me. She is mom's friend's daughter. So mom told me to catch up with her and because I was anyways coming here, she is here.."
"You! Mama's boy. You really think you can have an arranged marriage? What about your notions of love. All gone . When mommy said. You gave me long lectures on career before marriage and stuff. You think you can still work as professionally as you do now. The first thing she'll do is stop you from kissing onscreen. Actually let's see. Let's see which big producer's daughter gives you the space that I do? Who manages up with your weird schedules and lets you do love stories and love scenes with actresses? Let's see who can understand you? Who can be with you? Goodnight and good luck.", she said and left.
The next day, she bunked office just because she didn't feel like going. She sat home. Coincidently her maid bunked worked too. So she helped her mom.
"You didn't leave?", Baba said
"Just.", she said.
"Just. You don't bunk office just.", He said coming in the kitchen. "Anyways I'll just be back by evening. Going to meet some friends."
Until afternoon she somehow spent the day. While she was in the kitchen washing some utensils her phone rang.
"Hey", Rehan said from the other end.
"What?", she said bluntly placing the phone between her ear and shoulder.
"What's up baby. What you doing?",Baby? She thought to herself and cringed her nose.
"Nothing great. You say. Why you called?" she asked in a monotonous tone.
"I miss you. What you doing?", he asked a bit more lovingly.
"Washing utensils. Want to join?"
"What?", he said sounding shocked.
"What What? You eat food in a plate, it gets dirty, you have to wash them. That's what I'm doing."
"But why are you doing it?", it was still some kind of a shock to him.
"Because just like you ditched me last night, my maid did today.", she said giving a fake smile.
"Oh come on Ananya. You didn't even listen to me properly last night. I can explain"
"Go on."
"Not like this. Let's meet up. Evening?"
"I thought you would have to prepare for your meeting with girls your mom has chosen."
"Ananya"
"Rehan", she mimicked.
"I'm picking you up at 8. Be ready."
"I'm not coming. I don't want to be a part of your match making process."
"8 pm. Sharp."
"I'm not."
Then the door bell rings. A parcel that has a beautiful red dress and a note.
"It would be weird to ask you out once I'm hitched. So playing my cards now.
8 pm sharp.
-rehan"
He reached her house well in time in the evening. Although she was still in her pyjamas, he forced her into the room, locked her and refused to open till she is ready.
"Oh my red velvet cake.", he said as she stepped out. She just smirked.
They drove to a nearby theatre to catch up a private screening.
"I thought you wanted to talk.", she said.
"We shall. We shall. But first choose.", he held up his iPad with a few wedding ring pictures on it. "Too confused what to buy for the New Year's. Mom has told to choose and keep. I'm very confused.", He said browsing through them.
She shut the music in the car off.
"So you won't be alone this New Year's. Show.", she snatched the iPad. "What size will you buy? Free size. Anyway", she continue to look at them. Diamonds were her weakness. "If you ask me , this this this this and this.", She pointed at all pictures on the iPad.
"Now please drop me back home. I have already watched this movie last screening. Thanks. "
"Thanks for helping me out. And I know you have already watched but today you have to go and host the people at the screening. I have something important that has come up. I'll be back by the interval."
Meanwhile Aisha came up to them who were standing at the entrance and took her inside.
"I don't even know why I listen to both you friends.", she said as she walked inside with Aisha.
They encountered the Creative Director just before taking their seats.
"Hey! You left early that night. Couldn't catch up.", she said while taking a seat next to her.
"Yaa. To give you guys some privacy.", she smiled and stood up.
" Oh! By the way I'm very excited for this movie. What about you?", she tried to change the topic.
"I have already watched it last week with Rehan. I hope you enjoy.", She smiled and walked to the top row.
(Heya readers!
Not just a successful but a caring boss.That is a quality that each senior must possess. There should be an ease that you feel with them. Ananya is definitely one of them. Her insecurities regarding a marriage is valid because she has already seen a number of failed ones herself. But life has its own fate. Having full faith in your relatiomahipand fighting for it when needed makes it more pure and beautiful.
What do you think is coming up next? Do let me know in the comments.
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