Only When It Rained

It was three in the morning. It was London, the Hyde Park. 1Schnade pushed herself closer to Akshaye; she was drenched for it had been raining cats and dogs. Akshaye too was wet, wet to his bones. They didn’t know if they would be alive longer and expected to die anytime now. The terrorists had been firing indiscriminately.

They were caught in a London terror attack and had absolutely no hope except prayer.

Akshaye thought of his son Vicky and his wife Anita, he couldn’t die before he met them again, he too came closer to Schnade her nearness somehow gave him some solace and a hope that they would come out of this terror dream. He and Schnade had just come out of a major impasse and had been celebrating at the Lido Café when the terror struck. Decidokinase was probably safe but the same may not be true about them, they had been lying next to one another for nearly six hours now in rain and on the hard ground thinking about their near ones and facing death, there was nothing they could do to help the situation, they were left to the mercy of Gods.

Schnade was probably one of the richest and most beautiful women in entire Europe, an attack by the terrorists had made her realize that life could be lost at any moment, your power and your riches, at times, would not help you. She was virtually the owner of Hull & Chrom one of the biggest Pharma companies in the whole world. Akshaye was the brilliant senior executive of the company and had risen meteorically in the company to reach international level.

Akshaye picked up his arm to encircle Schnade and pulled her more close to him, he could die with her, she was the one who had inspired him to the great heights he reached.

Schnade looked at him as if saying leave it to the Gods, let the destined happen, we are together.

Akshaye closed his eyes.

His story was a long one and started in Mumbai India.

Part One

1

Akshaye was a cool and good hearted man. He knew that he couldn’t bear the pain of others; had a distasteful feeling whenever he saw pain.

He left the office late today. It was 8.30 p.m. he had to reach his apartment think of dinner, may be a drink then go to sleep to repeat the monotony again tomorrow. He was unmarried.

He finally did reach his small apartment haphazardly arranged, unclean in the sense that nothing was kept in order, a functional TV and a laptop were in the room, his companions, to while away his time. He washed, freshened and put on a T-shirt, pulled out his oft used jeans and decided to go out to the nearby bar for his drink and his dinner. He followed his routine mechanically without any sense of enjoyment or discomfort. His body and his mind as usual behaved independent of one another. The body performed the routine as the clock clicked by; his mind the thinking machine did its own work. He had no idea of tomorrow as to what was to be done or was he very concerned about his future. He lived on without much thought about the passing days.

He finished his two drinks, sitting at his regular table, at the Wong’s as it was popularly known. Ordered his very regular Chinese meal, which even the waiters knew, what it was going to be, finished it lazily and left Wong’s place for his apartment.

The problem with Akshaye was that he wasn’t able to slip into slumber soon. He had to pass another two hours before his eyelids would become heavy and pull him down, deep in sleep.

He switched on the Television, the program wasn’t important it was the sound emanating from the television which acted as a lullaby and finally put him to sleep. When half into the dream world he switched off the television with remote and exhausted, fell into sleep.

Akshaye was finally asleep. He did not know it. He was to really start living from tomorrow. The Gods had planned massive changes in his daily monotonous life. He was to be alive and realize that why people were merry, happy, and enjoying life, he was also to realize why people were immoral corrupt and money minded.

Finally the clock did tick 2.15 a.m. and he was in deep sleep.

The date on the calendar showed November 15.

Morning and Anita would totally take over his life, his thoughts and his world absolutely everything till his death.

2

I was feeling a little cold; I pulled up the blanket and put my head inside it. But then, enough, for air I had to push away the blanket. I knew it was morning but didn’t feel like getting out of the bed. I had an urge to pee, if I could hold it I would have slept for another half an hour. But enough I could not, it was a little cool. I went to the washroom and got ready.

Yes relaxed, now for the first time I took the day into consideration as to what was my spread for the next twelve hours.

Today I had to go to Hull & Chrom to get an order for my computer stationery and meet one Akshaye over there.

How would he behave? How was he? Would he agree to my proposals or was he corrupt and demand a cut like many others or had he placed orders already with somebody else. Shit! It would take a lot of time of mine.

After that I had to go to the bank, withdraw some amount for the payment of the red dress which I had bought.

I then got up went to the kitchen and made coffee for myself. My head clearer thinking of Akshaye and planning a huge order from him. I finished the coffee and went to the bathroom relieved myself, feeling a little uncomfortable maybe I had not eaten the right kind of food yesterday, it must be the fast food.

I came out of the bathroom rubbing my hair with towel, started getting ready and thereafter I made myself two bread and butter slices with a glass of milk, finished the same and decided to call Akshaye and fix an appointment with him.

3

“Good Morning, Hull & Chrom”

“Can I speak to Akshaye?”

“Yea just a moment”

“Sir a call for you”

“Yea, who is it?”

“Speak Here”

“Sir, this is Anita calling from Alabama Stationers, we specialize in computer stationery and accessories, and can I have an appointment with you, sometime today?”

The voice was very enchanting, captivating, magical, sensual and out of this world. Akshaye was lost in the sound of her voice; he took a little longer than usual to respond.

“Yea, yes most certainly, when can you come?”

“Say, post lunch.”

“Around 2.30 p.m.”

“Okay”

“Thank you, very much Sir, see you then.”

Akshaye had never in his life been so impressed with any voice anywhere.

She must be a beauty, he thought, very well educated as was obvious from her speech. He had fallen for the voice. He had created her image. So far he had never as much looked at a woman twice, but this voice was different. It was like; you could give your life for a person who could sound like that. She must be a real beauty.

Akshaye further drifted into dreams. Dreaming of her face, as to how she would be. He was disturbed now unable to concentrate on work. The voice of Anita had completely brought him alive, alive with a beating heart; all his body cells were suddenly awake. It was only ten thirty in the morning. Suddenly two thirty seemed very far off.

Agony and anticipation was what he now experienced. Not knowing what to do, how to kill time. He got up left his cabin and went to the cabin of Kapil.

“Kapil, I am feeling a little lost.”

“Why?”

“I heard a voice today like that of an angel.”

“Why what happened?”

“Forget it, what are you doing?”

“Nothing much, just looking into the next month’s promotional material, planning a new visual for Hullmetanic.”

“Have you ever fallen in love?”

“Why?”

“What would it be like?”

“Akshaye something has happened, what is it?”

“I love somebody”

Kapil looked at him and wondered as to what had come over Akshaye. He never thought women. He didn’t know women, and probably had never had any thoughts of sex, or was there a sudden surge of hormones.

Kapil said “Man let us have a cup of coffee in the canteen.”

Both proceeded to the small canteen which they had behind the offices.

4

Kapil had never seen Akshaye like this, the kind of look in his eyes. Like, either he had lost everything he ever had or gained actually the whole world and had suddenly become very rich. Kapil couldn’t make out what had happened to Akshaye. It really was strange; a predictable man was Akshaye, not used to change his routine ever, even his thinking routine, you knew how and why he came to conclusions. A straight as an arrow man, not corrupt, God fearing and believing deeply in the good and thought of everyone as good, was very helping and humane.

What has happened to Akshaye? Today his look and twinkle in the eye was different, he definitely had changed. What could be the cause? Why the change so drastic, was what intrigued Kapil.

The waiter came and gave an inquiring look to them.

“Coffee” said Kapil.

“Yes Sir” and left the table.

“What happened?” asked Kapil for Akshaye to spill the beans.

“I heard a voice today”

“What kind of a voice?”

“I heard a voice today, Kapil it was a dream voice saying “I love you” I guess I’m going to be in love very soon.”

“Have you seen her as yet?” inquired Kapil.

“No, but I know it will be only her.”

“Have you gone mad, Akshaye, she is single, married, or in love with somebody, maybe she has kids, how old is she, do you know absolutely anything about her?”

“I don’t know, Kapil” said Akshaye.

The waiter quietly laid down the coffee, before them; even he thought that things were different today and far from normal.

“Dude be practical, whether she is married, loving, lovable or otherwise, just have fun with her, try your best to poke her…. relish her, have a couple of dinners with her and then good bye”

“How can you even think of such a thing Kapil, about any woman, the voice as that of an angel, and you don’t think in terms of sex with angels, you can only love them, and moreover I don’t think that any woman can be so low, as to bed with you without having any kind of love for you?”

“Guy the world has changed, and you really do not know anything about it,” said Kapil.

“Okay forget it.”

“Is she meeting you?”

“At two thirty.”

“Call me, when she is there”

“How is Sanjana,” asked Akshaye. Sanjana was Kapil’s wife. A lady, who had a presence, was majestic, soft spoken, fun loving and an extrovert lady. She understood and enjoyed life. A mismatch for a guy like Kapil, a frivolous man married to a deeply cultured lady. Well that’s the way it was.

“Okay yes… she is fine, preparing for the New Year celebrations and the party.”

It was time to get back to the office work. Both got up and proceeded back to their cabins.

Kapil noticed that for the first time, Akshaye had forgotten to add two sugar cubes to his coffee and never noticed the taste or difference without sugar. Well there really was a lot on Akshaye’s mind.

5

Shit, I thought, I was late for meeting with Hull & Chrom. I had to meet Akshaye there. It was nearly twelve. I was waiting for Veer at his office, and he was not there, God knows where he was. In all probability, he could be with some woman.

That idiot is so fond of females, I thought, and spends such an enormous time and money on them. Will I be lucky to get my orders and the resultant incentive? I waited, as I had no other choice.

“Gopal” I called his attendant, “get me a glass of water please.” Gopal went away.

While waiting, my thoughts drifted back to when I had first met Veer.

It was June; I was waiting outside his office for it to open. And, it was raining I had been waiting for about fifteen minutes and a little wet. He came and I had introduced myself, God he had never heard of Alabama. We had gone inside the office; he had called Gopal and had asked him to bring coffee. The coffee had been hot but hotter still was his hand when he had shaken with me. The guy was bursting with desire. Touching him, I had felt that the guy was a volcano spitting forth a jet of lava continuously; maybe, the rain was playing tricks on my mind. It had been a rainy June this year. After that we had met regularly at diners, clubs, but surprisingly I had never made a sale to him. It had been five months and probably ten meetings with him, we had had a lot of fun times together but I hadn’t made a sale as yet. Today I was intent on getting a huge order from him or else I had decided that I shall never meet him again.

I then heard a sound behind me and before I could turn I felt his caressing hand on my neck, as always fingers hanging or more so in the nature of dangling down and resting on the upper softness of my breasts. It gave me slight shivers.

“Hey Anita”

“Hi”

“You’ve been waiting since when?”

“Oh a century may be”

“Sorry, Sorry, Sorry”

Today I knew I had to be direct, otherwise this horny bastard was not going to place an order and would definitely going to take me for a ride.

“What about my orders?”

“I have zero stocks and was waiting for you”

“Then when can I send?”

“Monday”

“Okay”

I then filled out the details of his requirements.

I was virtually intent on doubling the figures than his actual six monthly requirements. I succeeded; he didn’t haggle at all, as was his nature.

I mentally calculated the amount it would fetch. It was good and my commission and incentive on that would fetch me a lovely sum. Good, I thought. I felt warm inside.

“Anita, let us meet for dinner tonight”

“Where do you suggest?”

“Copper Chimney”

The guy wanted privacy and his three drinks. God knows where that would lead to, I thought. I had been there with him.

“Okay” I said

“We’ll meet there at nine” he said.

“No, no nine thirty”

“Okay”

Now, I was in a rush to get out of the office as I had bagged my order and was ready to leave for Hull & Chrom, where, I had to meet Akshaye, it was to be my first call on him. Would he be like Veer or would he be different? I left Veer’s office thinking all the way about my next call. Never did I know or realize it was going to be the call of my life and my future.

6

Akshaye glanced at his wrist watch, it showed two pm. There was still half- an-hour for Anita to come. His heart was beating abnormally, much faster than its usual pace. He had a very sweet feeling all over his body, for it was profusely supplied with fresh oxygen through his high blood pressure, created by the so far unknown hormones to him.

He looked at the watch again. Akshaye was at this moment totally incapacitated to do anything else or even think of anything else. His thoughts were in the total captivity, to the name of Anita.

He once again glanced at the wrist watch; it was third time in one minute that he had looked at the wrist watch. Could a female do that to a man… he thought… totally dislodge him from the track, make him a useless vegetable. He thought he would be unable to even think, speak or move when she came. Whether it was the mind or was it destiny which was playing games? He did not know.

Today he felt all stories he had read in his childhood of Romeo & Juliet, Shirin Farhad, Laila Majnu, Heer Ranjha were true. He loved like them. For them it may have been love at first sight, for Akshaye it was love at first sound. Until now he had only heard her voice and had gone into feelings of deep love.

He looked at his watch again. He literally was willing it to move faster. He had to see her. He was reminded of his early childhood when he was about eleven years old and a girl called Amrita had moved into his the neighborhood. She was pretty. Akshaye had just come into the knowledge that girls had a different anatomy than boys. She used to go to school in a Tonga early every morning.

Akshaye was blind to the entire existence of the world he was just too much in love with Amrita and he just had to see her. He remembered that he had not slept the whole night and waited for the clock to strike six thirty. That then, was pain as well as pleasure. The time took too long to wear off but the moment he set his eyes on Amrita getting on to the Tonga he was in heaven. He had no other parallel pleasure giving moment stored in his earlier life. A look yes, just a look, at Amrita was the best thing he had ever experienced in life. As he was savoring his childhood moment and sweetest sensations flowed through him, his telephone rang and he snapped back to the present times.

“Hello” he said.

“Sir, a lady from Alabama, Anita is here to see you”

“Send her to my cabin”

“Okay Sir”

7

Kapil sat working on the visual of Hullmetanic; it was a haematanic preparation, launched by his company last year. It was just not selling, the sales were bad and down. This is what disturbed Kapil.

He sat in deep thought. The preparation was good enough, the contents of elemental iron high, may be the sales reps were not working enough, these idiots they just do not know how to implement strategies. The strategy was perfect. The idiots were not taking interest. He was mentally berating the sales staff.

What to do, thought Kapil. He thought of adding an incentive for sales guys to get them interested. That, would require redesigning the Sales Promotional Plan and reallocation of budgets, Shit, he thought.

What to do… he was lost.

Kapil did not know anything; he had no clue to his approach. He put his head down and started playing with his fingers on the table… Tap…. Tap… Tap… Tap… Tap Tap…. Tap Tap Tap… Tap

“May I come in sir?” asked Sheila, she was a steno in the pool. And good looking. She was mother of one, and with a voluptuous body.

“Come in” said Kapil he had been with her and had a relationship with her. But, the moral guru Akshaye had no idea about it. Kapil thought that no one had any idea about his relation with Sheila; it was his closely guarded secret. Sheila too, obliged him off and on. It sort of kept the working and the flow of events smooth within and without the office; Kapil was not perfect or up to the mark. At least she had something.

“Sir, I need to drop Akhil to Pune, can I borrow your Station Wagon?”

“Of course you can”

“I’ll leave Friday and be back on Sunday.”

Akhil was Sheila’s son studying in seventh standard at a private school, on the outskirts of Pune. It was expensive. She occasionally took Kapil’s station wagon for such trips, for it was efficient, fast and safe. Many a time Kapil offered to drive her to Pune.

“I have work at Pune on Saturday evening; I have to attend a meet with Sandra Construction”

“Then come Friday, we can have a day at Pune.”

“No” said Kapil.

“I’ll come by the evening flight on Saturday and we can drive back on Sunday morning.”

“That would be great” said Sheila

“Okay, then my driver will come Friday morning and leave the car at your place.”

“Thanks Boss.”

“Any time.”

8

I reached the office of Hull and Chrom at about two fifteen. I had an appointment with Akshaye at two thirty. The lady at the reception looked good, fresh and competent.

Good. She won’t act bitchy or keep me waiting; she had a kind look on her face.

“Hello!” I am Anita from Alabama; I have an appointment with Akshaye.

“Ok” said Denise, she was the receptionist.

“I am Denise”

After this small conversation she asked me to take a seat, and immediately dialed Akshaye.

“Go right in”

“Straight and second cabin on the right, his name is there on the door”

“Thanks.” I said

It wasn’t difficult to locate.

The office was beautiful, dark teak paneling throughout and lots of glass. It gave a healthy, receptive, welcome kind of a feeling. I was feeling positive vibes. I knocked on the door and heard a come in sound.

There in front of me was a man tall, handsome, with a look of respect and awe for me. The kind girls called the husband material. I could make that out right away.

“I am Anita” I said

“Uh…Uh.”

“Thanks” I sat down.

“I’m from Alabama.”

“I am Akshaye”

“Our quality and services are the best, you would ever want.” My, the guy was looking at me as if he had noticed a woman for the first time.

He had a strange look in his eyes. I noticed. He just kept looking at me. A kind of look as if he was melting away. I sat quietly and thought that he say or do something so that I could continue with my sales pitch.

He didn’t say anything for a minute or so. He looked at me and then and looked away. He probably looked like not wanting to move or say anything as if his secret would be out, if he said or did anything.

I waited.

Finally he asked.

“Tea or Coffee?”

“Coffee.” I uttered.

He pressed some kind of a button for a signal, soon a white uniformed young person came in.

“Kadu two cups of Coffee please” Kadu went away.

“Yes Anita, I want to know your range of products.”

“Well, Sir, we have everything that can be used by a computer, all kinds of data sheets and printing material, and all kinds of computer accessories.”

I had a feeling that he was actually not listening to me. There was something else on his mind. What was it?

Anyway, I continued my sales talk, and kept observing his movements. He was lost; God knows what was worrying him. He looked at me, looked away and came back to me again. He kind of glanced at me, as if he had hardly seen any women.

Strange. I thought. He’s handsome and could have had a dozen by now. And then, why me of all the persons, I was not all that beautiful.

My internal woman intuition gave me strong signals, that this guy liked me in a different kind of a way. His look had lots of respect and love. His expression and movements were full of ‘bitten by love bug’ kind of a thing but at the same time respect. There was no element of sensuality in his look. It was kind of wafting expression and of intense internal feeling. As if he was floating in the skies without his hold on anything. He was giving a look of weightlessness, as if in heaven. Totally smitten, love at first sight kind of a thing. Kadu came in with a tray and served our coffee. Akshaye added a sugar cube to it. I added milk and two sugar cubes. I liked it sweet.

Suddenly he moved as if he had reached some kind of a decision. And now was back from his flight of fantasy and in control.

Awaken.

Out of his dream state, and said “Can t we meet again?”

“We sure can.”

“I’ll just check out the list of the things we need.”

“Okay”

“When?”

I thought about it, and told him that he could call me at my residence and gave him my phone number. He wrote the same on a pad. That was that. I felt as if the guy had ended the interview and now was ready to get rid of me.

He was in some kind of a hurry to let me go. It didn’t make a damn difference to me, as it was my very first call on him. And he could go to hell if he wanted. Order or no orders, that will now be clear only in the next meeting , that too if he called me or else I planned to call him again after a month or so.

“Goodbye.” I said.

“See you soon” was what he uttered.

On my very way back I said thanks and bye to Denise, gave her see you soon again kind of a look and stepped into the elevators to get to the ground floor and start back for home, as I had had enough today and needed rest, all of a sudden I felt exhausted and just wanted a lie down, close my eyes, think, and not to get to sleep. I encouraged myself, another half an hour and I’d be home. Nobody had ever made me feel the way he had made me feel.

9

Kapil sat in his cabin still pondering on the sales of Hullmetanic. Why wasn’t it picking up? He didn’t know what to show and say in the visual aid. The doctors still followed the age old practice of listening to medical representatives and deciding what to prescribe and what not to. Often the good speakers, jokers and guys who could directly or indirectly oblige, got away with the maximum sales.

However, the things were going to change and change rapidly in the coming year or so. In the present competitive environment sales person was to be taken over by the policy of give and take. Exotic holidays to places and abroad and the fountains of alcohol and cash/kind incentives, from the form of a ball pen to a luxury car would soon be ruling sales getting ideas and would rule the profession for over a decade and a half.

That was to come in future. Kapil’s mind still wasn’t capable of looking into future. He still thought of what to write in the sales talk and visual aid that would make Hullmetanic sales pick up. God! He thought what to do? He just wasn’t getting anywhere. His mind also held the images of Sheila, she looked fantastic when she took off her formal dress and wore only a panty and a bra. The look itself was so intoxicating thought Kapil. He wanted Saturday to come real fast so that he could be away from his table and hellish Hullmetanic. The sales would just never pick up.

He glanced at old competitive literature lying on his table. He picked them up, maybe he would get an idea from his competitive friends. But no, they looked dull and boring to him. He threw them back.

Still thinking drumming the table Tap… Tap… Tap … Tappa… Tappa… Tap… To hell with it, he thought he would repeat the earlier campaign, may be if it was extended for another two months, the product would register in the minds of the doctors. He decided to do just that. There was a knock on the door.

“Come in.” He said.

It was Akshaye who looked visibly bowled over. He looked like as if he was in a trance or a zombie.

“What happened?”

Akshaye didn’t answer.

He just came in and sat with a thud on the chair, loosing and throwing all his body weight. His mind was the only living thing at the moment.

“Kapil I’m dead.”

“What happened, do tell me, did she come?”

“She was here. Kapil, she is the most beautiful woman I’ve seen in my life. I’m in love with her. I want to marry her. She has a perfect face, a beautiful smile and the deepest eyes I’ve ever seen.”

“I love her” he repeated

“I want to marry her.” He again repeated.

Akshaye was in kind of a trance and repetitive. He really, deeply and truly was struck by the arrow of Mr. Cupid. Until now he had only thought of work but now he wanted to think only of Anita and the rest of his life with her. She was the most beautiful women in the entire universe for him.

“Kapil, do something, do anything… Now I cannot live without her” he again pleaded before Kapil.

“Okay, let’s go and meet her parents and put forth our proposal.”

“Yes?”

“Yes.”

Kapil knew this guy was going to be blind to everything else until his problem of associating with Anita was solved. He would be good for nothing and also that one could now take as much advantage of Akshaye as one wanted by talking of Anita.

“Be practical.” said Kapil.

“Consider it as a marketing challenge, make a plan and follow it like a campaign and you shall be victorious.”

This idea went into the mind of Akshaye like a perfect way to accomplish and achieve Anita. God! Yes, he thought if I plan well and execute the same as a work plan there is no way that she won’t reach my arms soon.

It was impossible to fail….. Why? When will my management skills come to my aid? He thought. Kapil was right he had to have a definite progress plan to achieve his target he would do just that now.

He understood plans, campaigns, and strategies well, much better than Kapil. He would hence do that and that alone and rest not till he reached his target. He was now mentally prepared, all else had faded away, the target for him was as clear as the birds eye to Arjuna. He now just had to shoot his arrow. Good, he thought. Very good the task was beautiful.

10

Veer after departure of Anita sat in his chair and kept thinking about her. She was kind of a very pretty woman. Soft spoken. Well read. Gentle, and carried herself well.

She looked beautiful in whatever she wore.

Even a slack and a simple top suited her. She was pretty. In fact she was more than pretty, thought Veer. Evening he had to meet her at nine thirty at Copper Chimney. Tonight was important. Today he had given her good orders. He could be a little more adventurous, than on an earlier occasion.

Veer mentally clicked on the program he was going to follow with Anita. May be he would get her to drink a little. Things would be dramatic then.

He like a true one of the starved generation was a women seeker irrespective of her look or age, to Veer a woman was to be looked at with a single objective. Bed. That was his greatest ambition in life.

He was prepared to take risks and also the gossips which accompanied his activities. His worst acceptance was that of the knowledge of his carnal pursuits maybe within the knowledge of his wife and may be his son as well. But that did not make any difference to Veer; he could not resist his temptations. He was a total slave to his desires of the opposite sex.

He kept thinking Anita while playing with a paper weight on his table.

The phone rang. It was Sharmista his wife.

“Yes Darling?”

“Evening we have to go and buy gifts for Kapil’s daughter’s birthday” she said.

“Oh yes, why not.”

“Darling, you come over to my office at eight thirty and we will go from here later I’ll drop you back home. I have a meeting with a client at the club”

“Okay” said Sharmista

Kapil’s daughter was probably two or three years old and a precious child as she was born after a lot of visits to doctors, and various kinds of treatments herbal to yogic, allopathic and in vitro fertilization methods. Yes, she was precious he thought and it called for a good expensive gift, Kapil was quite close to him and worked in the product management side in Hull and Chrom the pharmaceutical company.

He thought, he had promised Anita to meet as well, thus he had to first get Sharmista the gifts, drop her back and go and meet Anita. It would difficult to manage. Earlier on too he had faced similar problems, but luckily had gotten out of them.

Money had never been a problem for Veer; he had a good genuine supply. Sharmista was happy for she never had to think of money ever. Udayan too was happy all his demands were met instantaneously.

The flow of life for Veer was smooth, extremely smooth.

In his thirties, he was doing well and was well settled with small production house of his own manufacturing corrugated boxes. His business was good and he also had a good house and was staying with both his parents who were leading a retired life and were healthy. Veer thought, life was progressing well.

It was this time in his life when everything was smooth and he did not want to encounter any problems. He was in too hazy a state of mind to handle or be pressurized by any new challenges.

Well, he didn’t know it, as he was smiling thinking of Anita, that soon he would be facing not a singular but multiple kind of problems. He would be mentally tortured to a breakable extent but yes he would have to manage everything with a smile he knew nothing or had an iota of doubt about his smooth progress of life that was going to be disturbed and disturbed turbulently.

11

I reached home. Went straight to the bathroom, relieved myself, washed my face and hit the bed. I just wanted to lie down and think. What was this world all about? Why was I, where I was? What was in store for me in the future?

A lot of questions kept clouding my mind. It was time that it rained heavily so that the clouds could be relieved of their darkness and it would be sunshine again. Well I thought. Let me think it out logically. Do I have a profession? Can I ever be a CEO? NO. Would I always have to be in sales, go to people for orders and see people salivating and lechhing was this life? It was shit. I was a very normal woman with very normal needs. I needed the basic things in life home, shelter, food, sleep and sex. Well that was it. I didn’t want to unnecessarily continue struggling without being dished out reasonable happiness in life. Well happy I had to be.

Could it be marriage? Was it time for me to be sleeping with my head resting on the upper arm of a handsome male? And every morning waking up in his arms? Shedding the feeling of laziness? And, in near future carrying a kid within me and playing the role of a happy mother.

What was happiness? Was it growing old, meeting ex lovers smiling at old remembrances and episodes or still making new ones as they came along? I really didn’t know what would be real happiness. May be all the things put together would be happiness. A singular pursuit may not lead me to happiness. Many may. Career, money, husband, love making, kids, new relatives, all put together.

God, this guy Akshaye was really strange. The way he was looking at me. It definitely was different. He sort of wanted me but there was no cheapness about it, what was it that he was after? I had no answers to his thoughts. But, yes his behavior was definitely different. We shall see to that. He definitely had conveyed that he wanted me badly, in a good kind of a way.

Tonight I had to meet Veer. The guy had money, style, looks and an eagerness to spend and to please. That was good about him. He really made me feel important whenever he met me. May be I’ll give in to him some day. He was kind of blessed with a charm which a few men would have.

Akshaye again, what was he… he was husband material. Again I thought he was straight as an arrow. In all probability may still not have lost his virginity.

He may still be just thinking about women. Men were different.

I was sure Akshaye sooner or later would find a good female, an arranged marriage, the guy thereafter would live happily. He just was not the kind to have any kind of complications in his life. You could see through him, he was transparent, in his dealings.

God, now I wanted to get married and put an end to this singular existence. I had to delve into it. May be someday, sooner or later I too would find a good husband and be happy forever thereafter.

My life should change. Now, I was willing it to change. I was desperate that it should change. I was mentally appealing to God to change it.

I didn’t know it today. I did not have any premonitions or even the thought that it would be too soon. I knew ultimately it would, because nobody continued to live a monotonous life like I did. But, what I’d know soon that it had changed. All my prayers were going to be answered. I was to take a sharp turn and reach destination which only the luckiest ones could. And I didn’t know any of this as yet.

12

Kapil finished his meet with Sandra Construction on the Saturday evening at Pune, after reaching there by the twenty minute flight from Mumbai. Kapil had the money and was interested in booking a luxury penthouse atop Divya Mansions being constructed by Sandra. It was kind of expensive but he could afford it. He had a lot of money. He also had sources of earning the same by dubious means. He didn’t even want to think of the ways he was making money. It was a part and parcel of life. He had the commonest of all the excuses…everyone was doing it. He thought he had booked the expensive penthouse and shall have to manage payments for that. The initial amount required for booking had been paid today. Good again. He shall have a reason to keep coming to Pune, to check the progress of Divya Mansions and would certainly arrange the visits in such a way that he could bring Sheila along.

She must be waiting for him, he thought, he hurried the taxi driver to Meena Apartments where Sheila was. His car was with Sheila and he would drive back with her tomorrow, but tonight was going to be special.

He reached Meena Apartments, paid the taxi and hurriedly took the elevator to the fourth floor and rang the bell of the apartment where Sheila was staying.

‘Hi’ said Kapil and again hurried inside, even before Sheila could reply.

Kapil removed his shoes socks and coat and settled down on the sofa.

“Sheila” he said “what are we doing today?”

“Well, your choice” she said.

“Ok” said Kapil

“Then we shall have a couple of drinks here and call for the Chinese stuff from ChinaTown”

Sheila went to the small bar in the closet and made a gin cocktail for herself and vodka for Kapil. Kapil was not the man to enjoy pungent drinks his choice was bland, insipid straight drinks which gave him the pleasure of having known that he had had a drink, the drink actually didn’t affect him much. He was drunk with unaccounted wealth which was coming his way. It would continue to come.

Sheila and Kapil settled on the sofa and sipped away slowly on their drinks. Sheila had managed the onion, cucumber, and tomato and carrot salad with a slice of lemon, which Kapil relished so much. He never liked hot snacks. The only problem for Sheila was that he smelled so much of onion, when he tried to kiss her; it turned her off.

“Sheila, Akshaye has finally fallen for a female like mad.” said Kapil.

“Who?”

“A female who visited him, from Alabama”

“What’s her name?”

“Anita”

“Do I know her?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“But he never had any interest in women, he is the saintly type, doesn’t even look at you. How could he be interested in somebody?”

“He seems to have fallen head over heels, for her.”

“Is he serious?”

“Very, I am sure he will not be able to work, until he finds a solution to the Anita problem”

Kapil shifted closer to Sheila and rested his right palm over her thigh. Such small things were a great turn on for Kapil.

“Akhil, how is he doing?”

“Good, tomorrow he has a special session on Math genius and painting”

“Sheila; lets order dinner and have one more drink, till the time he brings it.”