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There was chaotic hubbub when Miku came searching the ladies group.
Pooja tiredly argued, “Maa, this is too much luggage! You won’t need half of these things!”
“What do you know, that you are arguing for so long? I’ll need all these things! Just pack them!” Leela Maasi retorted, her pitch rising as a shrew.
Pooja felt jaded in the moment. “Why don’t you understand, maa? All these things will not fit in one bag. You MUST travel light.” Her MUST came too strong.
“Look who is talking!” Leela jeered, “Every time you pack everybody's extra stuff, saying if needed in emergency" Looking at the pile of luggage, she tried justifying ".......And what if there are more bags? Where do we have to carry them on our back?”
On the other bed, Chandni was helping Naani to pack. “Naani, you must keep these warm clothes. You’ll need them.”
“I’ll just carry one sweater and that’s enough. My Saree itself keeps me warm.” Naani smiled.
“No Naani! Anything can happen, something can spill, it may rain, you’ll need a spare!” Chandni whined.
“The same can happen with even the spare. You can’t travel with all kinds of risk planning. Jo rab raakhe, toh kee fikr!” (Why fear when God protects)
Miku couldn’t stop himself from breaking out with a laugh. Women! As he always said. He should have had his cam in this moment. He would record all this and make them Chirkuts!
“Listen everybody!” He spoke loudly stunning all but making the chatter to stop. Everybody looked at him.
“Bhai called. He was in some important call earlier; when I was trying him. He is fine and he has a welcome dinner tonight. He may not call, if it gets very late. Nobody should worry.” Miku heaved a sigh, having narrated all the details of his long conversation with Bhai.
Everybody’s face lighted up with Advay’s news.
“Miku beta, I’m tired of this cacophony. I need some fresh air. Would you walk me to the patio, beta?” Naani requested.
“Of course, Naani! Come.” Miku walked to her and slowly hauled her up , his one hand around her shoulder and the other giving her anchor to get up.
So Dev was fine; Chandni felt the wave of relief passing through her veins making her tense shoulders relax immediately. His face crept up in her mind, making her own face light up with a smile.
She wished, he were right here by her side. Even when angry, his presence made her feel safe. And when in good mood, the house became a peace haven filled with love. The memory of last lovemaking in the private room came rushing to her mind…. His passion, his caress, Everything!
‘Aa jao na, Dev, Jaldi se! Tumhe sou hai..... har vaade ki jo diya aur liya.....' Her face lit up as she urged further, kya tumhe meri yaad nahi sataati?’ (Come soon! Vow to you......for every promise given and taken.....don't my memories haunt you)
“Bhabhi, you are muttering again! Missing Bhaiyya, right?” Pooja laughed teasing her.
Sure her cheeks must be a fiery beacon to her embarrassment, Chandni mustered a disinterested expression. “Nahi, Didi! I’m muttering about all this packing.”
Chandni concentrated on the packing, feeling aghast at how easily she’d slipped down the memory lane. Pooja continued her part of packing, still smiling wide knowing that Chandni was lying.
Advay realized, he wasn’t alone invited for welcome dinner. The room was full of dignitaries of different field. Of course, it was not unnatural, neither unexpected. The Spain trip of the family would naturally have huge agenda. Drinks kept flowing but there wasn’t much ice breaking as everybody looked pensive and kept to themselves. Without making them wait much, all were ushered to the huge dining hall. Advay walked ahead of all with his natural leadership.
They were passing through labyrinth hallways and Advay looked busy admiring the wealthy paintings hanging on the walls, when in reality, he was noting the cleverly hidden CCTV cameras next to the focus light put on the paintings. He knew, there would also be microphones around and someone would be monitoring any conversation happening here at the other end of those.
He jeered at himself, what had he expected earlier when he said yes? Life was not going to be easy herein, as DD had clearly specified. It would be huge challenge to identify why exactly had he been invited. In no way, could he be part of any work that would go against the Pentagon or otherwise the Spain government, who always treated him well and used his expertise for their space department as well as their Defense ministry.
“Hello! You are Mr. Albert, right?”
Advay was startled from his contemplation with a man’s voice next to him. Out of courtesy, Advay smiled and nodded; not wanting to get into much conversation, conscious of the monitoring devices around.
“You perhaps did not recognize me. I was invited to a programme few years earlier; when you were being felicitated by the government. I am Mr. Balcazar, the ambassador of Spain to USA.” The man was either unaware or maybe uncaring of the monitoring systems.
Advay’s smile widened. Not that he felt good about being so renowned in top circles. He was used to such fame and admiration many a times. His smile was more because here was a contact to take support from in case things did not go well....... And it would be good for that other side on the monitoring end to know and to pass on information that he had good contacts in Spain Government.
“Oh yes! I remember. Forgive me for not recognizing you directly, Mr. Balcazar! How do you do?”
“I am fine Thank you and it’s OK that you didn’t recognize me. I was myself trying to place you earlier in my mind while we had drinks, but it clicked me only now. I am well aware that it becomes difficult remembering everybody, especially when you meet a lot of people every day.”
This man was chatty contrary to his own succinct self, Advay noticed, “True! Yet, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance now. That felicitation of mine was for my work in their Defense programme.”
Advay purposely spoke pompously though it was not at all his style. He just wanted the message to pass through.
His tone became friendlier and much softer. Without looking directly at the man and also not showing much emotions, he casually asked,
“So Mr. Balcazar, would you care to share what brings you here?”
“Oh! They call me sometimes for government related matters in their international business between Spain and US.”
Advay knew very well that these families were very big multinational industrialists too. He started putting two and two together. If this man was invited for Government related work, it might just be Advay’s luck to be invited for something similar. Of course, he couldn’t cut cake in his mind. After all, had it been that simple, Mr. Gomez would have had an idea and he would have already shared it with Advay.
A gust of cool breeze hit the duo as they came out to the patio.
“Are you cold, Naani?” Miku was immediately concerned.
“Na beta, I’m fine…..really” She smiled further as he didn’t sound convinced. “What’s happening between you and Shikha?”
Miku was stunned! He had genuinely believed that Naani needed fresh air. Her tone was soft and caring but somehow Miku found an undertone of reproach in her voice.
He couldn’t understand where she was coming from. “What do you mean, Naani?”
This boy was truly innocent. Naani rephrased, “Is everything alright between you and Shikha?”
“Yes of course, it is!” Came prompt reply.
“Are you genuinely not knowing or you know, but still you are refusing to acknowledge?” Nani’s tone became sharper.
“I don’t know what you are talking about, truly Naani!”
“What happened to Shikha today? She didn’t talk much with everybody.”
“Oh no! That must be because she took a double drink and must have felt a little lighter… And then the fork slipped from her hand and she must have felt embarrassed……She is fine, Naani! We are fine!”
There was a bright smile on his face, trying desperately to convince both him and Naani that All was Well!
Naani shook her head in disagreement, “I don’t believe so! The drink and the fork were both signs that she was not OK.”
“Nah Naani!" Miku denied emphatically, "maybe Bhabhi was remorseful; so same as me, her mind must have been on Bhabhi’s mood.” He tried reasoning out.
“Miku, understand Beta! You are truly Laxman ka avatar! I am very happy and proud about that….. But think for a minute, which girl in today’s world will want to go through his wife, Urmila's pain?.....Who’ll want to share her loved one with his elder brother and sis-in law?”
“But Naani! Bhai and Bhabhi are my priority, always! Doesn’t mean, I don’t care for Shikha!”
“I know that. And that’s how it should be if those two are in trouble and there’s nobody else to help. But today, we were all there to take care of Chandni’s mood.”
She urged further, “Pursuing idealism is OK, but make leniencies for love! Love is like a soft petal in your palm, cherish it! A little negligence and love could turn to anger…. Such are the perils of love!”
“Oh Naani!” Miku spoke with a smile in a quelling tone, “You must be thinking of her angry outbursts at times…. She is not like that, you know!”
His smile grew wider, “She is fire, only if troubled; but otherwise, she’s as sweet and peaceful as morning dew.”
“Precisely, Miku! But do you realise?.....The dewdrop in your palm gets troubled easily and then it will burn you!” Her pitch rose a little with the warning.
Miku crossed his arms over his chest, a hollowness churning in his gut, “Don’t say that, Naani! She’s my other half!” He couldn't breathe in that moment, the fear of losing her choking him.
“Miku, she might be like your shadow; but remember the shadow has feelings too! …….Don’t let the sun set on your love, beta,……otherwise even your shadow leaves you.” Naani caressed his back lovingly, her touch helping him to breathe again.
Not that he completely understood Naani but somehow, he felt emotionally completely connected. Nothing was wrong as yet; but he would have to be more careful in his ways.
Naani understood his thoughts completely, “Miku beta, you are so very much like your father in so many ways…… You can be wise, you can be patient and you are caring!...... I have Chiku and Chandni to worry about. Their relation fell into trouble many years back….. Yours is newly started and it’s in good condition…. You can easily take care of it, right?”
Naani left when she noticed his pensive stance. The boy needed his own pondering time. She left quietly, a smile of satisfaction lighting up her face as she walked back to her room.
Miku sat there long…. remorse and anguish in him, his life events passing in his mind one after the other….. His and Shikha’s love story… they had met. they clashed, they hated each other, they bristled around each other, and then he had not realized when the bristling had turned into love…. The girl who had his mother arrested and whom he hated from his guts….. Slowly, in Allahabad haveli, he had seen the real Shikha…she was honest….it was part of inner core….. somehow she had made him feel that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.
Suddenly, the wind brought her scent and with true lover’s instinct, he turned….. looking through the flowing curtains….. She was there, walking slowly to her room.
She was the light in his eyes. “Shikha!” ... A beautiful call of the heart!...... She turned, trying to smile but unable to and then somehow as if she couldn’t bear it herself, she turned back and walked away. His heartbeat stopped!
The moment they entered the dining hall, Advay was taken aback by the heavenly banquet. It was simply fabulous, the display of the opulence celebrating the splendor of power with pomp. The floor was sapphire glass lighted up from within. The hall was beautifully decorated with lavender blue shear curtains with periwinkle hangings fastened with gold linen cords. The pillars in the hall were shining decorative marble. Gold and silver couches were peppered on the sides to allow seating. Exotic foods of all kinds with elegant decorations was piled on tables on pavements having mother-of-pearl, sapphire and other costly stones mosaic design.
Advay indicated his choice of drink to the server and took his crystal goblet. The generosity of the Family reflected in all servings of the food. Advay took his plate and sat at one of the tables alone as Mr. Balcazar had suddenly disappeared some place. Within hardly a moment, a dignified looking gentleman asked his permission to seat with him. Advay nodded happily to get some company.
“Buenas noches, Senor Raizada!” The man greeted him softly. Advay was surprised and concerned as this surname was not his official surname in Spain. The man noticed the alert on Advay’s face and introduced himself, “I happen to be the Consigliere to Senor José Luis González Garcia, my name is Thomas Naro.”
Advay smiled. At that high position, it was natural that they were privy to secret information about him., “Buenas noches, Senor Naro!” He politely added further, “I prefer to be addressed as Albert, here in Spain.”
Mr. Naro smiled. He knew that Advay maintained himself as Albert in Spain; yet he had chosen to address Advay with his real surname to convince him of Naro’s own position and power. “That will be a pleasure Senor Albert; you may call me Thomas, just Thomas. No need of formality.” His smile was wide and genuine.
Advay’s expression momentarily became quizzical but he controlled himself and smiled back, “Same here, you may call me Albert.”
Noticing the flicker of query in his expressions, Thomas clarified, “We shall be working closely in coming future, so why be formal…Rather we can be friends!”
The man sounded genuine. Advay would otherwise admire such confidence; but here he wanted to trade very carefully. Any statement or action of his should not be taken as acceptance of the work for which they had called him.
“Yes of course, only if I agree to do the work you expect me to do.”Advay welcomed his invitation with his own disclaimer.
Thomas was impressed. This man was going to be more than cent percent true to his famed personality. Right from the first interaction, his traits were shining out. He was smiling when he spoke, “We had not expected you to even accept our invitation, Albert. Just meeting you, sitting here is more than expectation and with this meeting itself, I am ready to befriend you!” He was almost laughing now.
Advay laughed too. He was himself surprised at his presence here. Right from his youth, he had this feeling, on a purely visceral level, something was oddly attractive about these Family’s worlds. He knew the back story of these people…… And he understood them…… His own story was very similar, wherein the dark side and justice were elided and confused!
Indrani had played her power game imposing tyranny, the brunt of which both him and Miku had borne. Jimmy Papad king had again imposed insults and dangers on Chandni. The only comfort for Advay all throughout was his knowledge that in this world soon would come the time when he though being not so powerful and also not an oppressor, if he kept his eyes open, he could take his revenge on the most powerful.
“Yes! Let’s be friends.” Advay nodded. “What is going to be plan next?”
“Well! Tomorrow, I will arrange to have you picked up at nine o’clock and personally take you through various aspects of our supply chain operations. It’s necessary to have you acquainted with the background basics before the issue is narrated to you.” He added politely further, “Forgive me, I hope morning nine is Ok with you?”
Advay nodded, his piercing chocolate brown eyes staring intensely into Thomas’s yet giving nothing away. Detached and cynical, he anticipated and foreshadowed every potential issue in his mind before opening his mouth. The information had been clear around the plan yet completely vague about what the supply chain operations entail. He would need to insure himself against any future hassles with Government legalities.
“Is the food to your taste?” Thomas asked politely.
“Oh Yes! It’s sumptuous.”
“Senor Gomez informed me that your wife hasn’t accompanied you. My wife had been looking forward to spending time with her tomorrow.”
“My apology. Something came up.” Advay’s thoughts were pulled from the business to Chandni. And with her thought, his spoon halted mid-air. Had she eaten?
Advay's mind went completely off track and he couldn't eat a morsel further. Thomas tried urging him but Advay excused himself apologizing saying that he had some important details to attend to.
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