Chapter 4:Prinku's dilemma
Priyanka Singh Oberoi met Anika through Priyanka's friend and Shivay bhaiya's ex Mallika. It seemed to Priyanka that all her friends ended up as her bhaiyas girlfriends. Luckily for her, though the relationships all ended, her friendships survived. "How I wish... thought Prinku, shaking her head vigorously she thought "No, this can't happen.
Mallika was an architect who had recently renovated a slum and built rehabilitation homes for several displaced young girls. The inauguration was a grand success. Unlike the typical ribbon cutting followed by a speech and rounds of fancy hors d'oeuvres, this inaugural had a colorful tableau presented by the very same girls for whom the homes were built. The tableau was followed by an exhibition where each girl presented an art form she was interested in. Handicrafts and other knickknacks were not sold for a price but instead were bartered for school supplies and books. Prinku was mighty impressed by the air of self sufficiency and pride which permeated every inch of the event. When Priyanka went to congratulate Mallika on her fabulous work and idea she was directed to Anika. "Prinku, it was all Anika's idea! I just enabled it, said a very proud Mallika as Prinku shook hands with Anika. "Aww Mallika, thank you! beamed a very happy Anika as she shook Prinku's hand with gusto. Growing up in the lap of luxury with Shivay bhaiya fulfilling every demand of hers even before the words left her mouth, Prinku was, well... a little ashamed. Prinku never felt a sense of accomplishment and always envied strong women who held their own and had done something for themselves. Just like the kind of a woman her mom was once.
Anika, she understood was a lawyer who organized and managed events that pertained to law and survival. She did not practice with a firm. She hated the word charity and refused to call her work so. She would connect huge corporations with support groups, but no money would be exchanged. Goodwill would be traded for services and opportunities. For example, Mallika's firm in exchange for the rehabilitation work, could now employ these young women at a standard price to work in her offices, manage smaller events for the company etc. When the women grew confident enough to complete some kind of formal education, they could chose to pay Mallika's firm back or become regular salaried employees if such an opportunity presented itself.
"I am self made, well my body was made by two other humans, but everything else is just me said Anika to a confused Prinku. Anika then proceeded to explain that she was an orphan who was raised in various orphanages across the country till she was adopted by a young social worker and her journalist husband. It was with them that Anika was able to complete her formal education and go to law school. Just about when she was graduating with her degree in Law, Meera didi, her adoptive family died while giving birth to her son Sahil. Krishna bhaiya died of heartbreak soon after. "Poignant isn't it? said Anika, "that in this story Krishna left the world for his Meera. So now Anika and Sahil were a family. Anika with her sharp intelligence, wit and keen sense of survival would have made an excellent criminal lawyer. But Anika grew up facing the harsh realities of life and the occasional kindness of people like Meera didi and Krishna bhaiya. So, Anika decided that she would put her training in Law to good use and help women and children like herself stand on their own two feet.
Priyanka not only admired Anika's ethics but was also taken in by her magnetic personality. Prinku could bare her soul to Anika without any inhibitions and receive only understanding in return. Anika was Prinku's link to the real world, something that was lost inside the marbled walls of the Oberoi Mansion.
And so Prinku in the left wing of the second floor of the Oberoi Mansion was very worried.
This wing was entirely Prinku's. This wing housed room after room dedicated exclusively for her footwear, clothes, jewelry etc. Pacing about in her satin dress gown Prinku groaned as she was handed her gown for the evening. The cost of the gown far exceeded the value of merchandise Anika managed to help sell at her last event. She was afraid to be judged by Anika. "Oh NO! she thought, "Anika would not wear anything appropriate for the party!. Prinku was not pitying Anika, she knew that no matter what Anika wore, she would hypnotize everyone in the party with her charm. This is the problem, Anika would draw attention to herself even before she tried or flashed that confident smile of hers. To top it all she did not get time to inform Anika about her Oberoi connection. Thinking quickly she buzzed Khanna, "Khanna ji please inform me right away on my private line the moment you see Anika...Yes, you won't have a hard time recognizing her,...um,.. she is the girl from the video...Yes, the video with Shivay bhaiya...Thank you!. "That should do it she thought, "I will meet her before she enters and sort this mess out.
Little did Prinku know that her bhaiyas O and Rudy were planning a similar ambush.
Chapter 5: The O bro plan
The usually placid and unruffled O was intrigued. How is it that some girl smashed Shivay's windshield and got away with it?Where was Shivay? It was obvious now that Shivay would be unreachable, he definitely smashed his phone!. Grinning at the thought of the smashed phone O slowly made his way to meet Rudy. A plan was forming in his mind and he needed Rudy for it.
Lost in his thought O walked right into Rudy, "O! watch where you are going, where are you off to?You are never around when I want you said an annoyed Rudra. "Shut up Rudy! I was coming to get you, We need to talk! said Om. "Khanna? asked Rudy. "Not bad bro! said a surprised yet happy Om. Both brothers paced as they waited for Khanna to pick up his phone. "Khanna bro, listen, inform us the moment you see this mind blowing...Shut Up Rudy!,...just call us up on our private lines the moment you see the girl from today's video. Saying so Rudy hung up without giving Khanna a chance to finish what he was saying.
"Come on O lets get ready for the party, this is one party I know you are looking forward to saying so Rudy dragged O to Shivay's bedroom on the right wing of the second floor of the Oberoi Mansion.
The O Bros occupied the entire right wing since Prinku got the left. Besides the right wing was where Shakti had first designed Shivay's nursery. The right wing housed a large and airy bright studio for Om's art. Om was a sculptor primarily and a painter as well. After graduating from Sorbonne, Om set up several galleries across the world but some of his best pieces were produced right here at this studio in Oberoi mansion. The right wing also housed an enviable state of the art gym. Young Rudy was all about the brawn. His well honed physique could give any Hollywood or Bollywood hero a run for his money. A large library was also housed in this wing. The Oberoi mansion had 3 large libraries. The largest was on the third floor and was for the use of all the family members. This library contained financial journals and financial history books for Tej, art history for Jahnvi and Om, Mysticism and religion for Shakti, Politics for Shivay and Punjabi literature for Kalyani and Pinky. Apart from this, Tej and Shivay owned their very own libraries stocked with more personal collections across various subjects. The library on the right wing was Shivay's and almost mirrored Tej's private library. Shivay's library was his personal sanctuary where none except his bros and little sis could enter. While each brother had his own room designed to suit their distinct styles, it was only Shivay's room that was mostly used and slept in. A habit that started in childhood was to continue till the first one of them married. All three brothers slept together to date.
Shivay's room was majestic and befitted the man. Easily the largest room in the mansion, the room was decorated exquisitely. High quality olive wood flown in from Greece was used to make the reading desk, wooden king sized four poster and the three large wardrobes. Why three wardrobes you ask? One was for Rudy, half of one wardrobe was for Om and the rest were for Shivay's clothes. Fine raw china silk upholstery was used on the olive wood furniture. The four poster housed a king sized memory foam mattress and was covered in fine silk sheets. The room was colored white with deep blue highlights, to mirror Greek style architecture. Besides, blue was a shade in Shivay's eyes. Adjoining the room was a large roman style pool. The pool and surrounding area was for the O bros to hang out, laugh, cry and contemplate life.
"What do you think O, blue or black? asked Rudy holding up a shirt of each color, "I want to look my best when I meet her, added Rudy. "But why?asked a puzzled Om, "Are you going to hit on her?. "Come on O, remember in school we were always taught to look good for the chief guest? "Besides, she is way over my league added Rudy, "I just really really want to be friends with her finished Rudy. Om chuckled at his brother and added "I want to be friends with her too. "Well then tidy up bro said Rudy and threw open Om's wardrobe. "Come on, why do you have to dress so drab?for some one who plays with colors you sure have have an all white wardrobe. Just as O opened his mouth to speak "Yeah I know the whole blank canvas theory of yours, spare it! said Rudy and thrust a pair of khaki cotton trousers and a crisp white shirt at Om.
Just as Om was done with his hair, Rudy phone rang and Rudy leapt to his feet yelling "She is here and ran all the way out towards the lawns.
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