Chapter 18

Chapter 18
Shaurya was tired .He had been working like a possessed being for the past 3 weeks . The never ending meetings with underwriters , investment bankers and lawyers coupled with the stress to keep all this secret was taking a toll on him.
He had been functioning for the past 3 days from the room of a five star hotel . Those trying to track him knew that he was there with a model.
The model played videogames in the adjacent connected room . She had never been paid that much for a 3 day assignment and that too to play videogames.
Shaurya's only consolation was that It was all coming to an end .
Tomorrow the IPO ( initial public offering) will be out. In another 6 days a complex web of shareholding transfer and purchase will ensure he will personally own all the property and Mama or no one can ever do any backroom maneuvering.
Changing the holding company to a public limited meant better corporate governance and insulated him further from any threats .
The IPO would close in another 6 days /..by the time his broke Mama who lived on other's money would realize what is happening or try arranging for money it will be over.
All his hard work was done ..he needed a break from this depressing environment
The Goa trip could not have come at a better time .
He was going to start with his next mission of finding his laddoo
His sources had still not found any trail of her
He had a relatively light agenda for the trip . He had a couple of meetings and then Mr Sahay suggested , if time permitted they would visit the Nazareth Spice farm.
Those guys had some pretty interesting ideas.
He could focus on thinking where to start looking for her . Her last call that day from her phone was to Mohit .
He knew that , but she had never gone home.
No matter how much Rajiv pleaded , the Sharma family never told him where Mehak had gone.
Probably the answer was to trace and track the movement of every member of the Sharma Family .
There might be some clue . it seemd strange that they never tried to meet Mehak.
Or are they meeting virtually??
Mehak was using technology ..it was clear to him from her calling Shankar using VoiP, but would her family just accept a call
Ofcourse why did not think about this earlier .she might be video calling them using an app..
Ok he was going to get on this after returning from Goa
Sandra ensured that the itinerary of the visiting delegates was so full , that their was no room for meeting the kitchen staff including the chef.
Brian too, once he understood the situation, acquiesced.
They were coming at 10 and had to leave by 12:00 . There was any way no room to have a meal , and once the preliminary visit and financial discussions went well, Menu and food was something that could always be worked out .
Mehak decided that the Kitchen was a safe area to be in. There was no time for them to come see the kitchen . She could not have just stayed in the cottage and let Leelatai and Geetatai handle other guests. Not that there were too many . It was first week of May . The weather had turned hot and humid ..The tourist flow had turned into a trickle. There was a small group of 4 from Russia and then there were a few local schoolkids coming as part of their school exploratory trip.
She decided to place a video call home. She needed moral support today . Even if she did not tell them what was happening in her life , Just talking to her crazy family always gave her strength.
Just when she was about to end the call ..Nehal barged in screaming   DDiii
The sound vibrations were enough to Kaanta Chachi almost drop the phone
Kanta Chachi abused the inauspicious time Nehal was born as it was that what had turned her into a headless Moron and an irresponsible slug who had just ensured that another phone bites the dust.
Nehal paid least attention to Chachi's rant and ran away with the phone
Dii she whispered conspiratorially ... you have to do something ...
What do you mean do something ?? Mehak asked
He is getting back to his old ways ..
Who what ..old ways ?? Mehak did not realize why a sense of foreboding gripped her ..
Di aaj Delhi times mein tha ki ..Shaurya Khanna is spending time Pooja Grewaal... that Model.
Haan to main kaya karoon ( so what can I do ?) Mehak tried to act indifferent.
Di ... Nehal tried to reason ..
However Mehak told her that she was very busy and disconnected..
She had called up to find some strength ..she ended up feeling more depressed.
After promising a lifetime ..all it had taken him was 4 months to move on...
She almost ran to the Kitchen , her refuge for the day .
She hummed the song that her mother would always sing to her to beat the stress   and told herself that this day will pass. All she had to do was stay in the kitchen.
The break fast had already been served , and she had decided to get the lunch preparation on , when Sandra walked in looking distraught ...
Is everything Ok ?   Mehak asked Sandra ... she hoped this day did not bring anymore bad news for her ,...
She willed it would be 12 soon and she can breathe again...
Buzz has got a bad ear infection ..he cannot even stand and loses his balance if he tries to .. I do not want to leave the poor baby alone ... Can you help ?
Sure ..Breakfast is done.. I will give some instructions here for the lunch and go and stay with Buzz while you get your meetings done .
Just let me know of he needs any medication or feeding , this couple of hours ,
Oh no no don't worry , I have taken care of all that ...
Mehak forced herself to smile ..
"Don't worry Sandra ..focus on the meeting. It is very important for the farm to get the funding .
I will take care of the Buzz."
She opened the   Nazareth's cottage with the duplicate key that Sandra had given her , keep one with herself.
All Buzz did was just raise his left front paw to acknowledge her ..
"Aww poor baby "..she went near him and settled his head on her lap ... gently rubbing his back and head
She decided this was a position they both were most comfortable in ..drawing solace from each other...
She switched on the TV and settled for the next couple of hours.


Shaurya really liked what he saw ..the farm had great potential .
The novelty of the ideas mixed , with sheer natural beauty around the farm made it a winner.
He liked the owners . They were honest , passionate and open to feedback. They had managed to set up a great framework and could really take it further if hey got the capital.
No wonder they were already on a first name basis just after a few minutes of meeting.
"" So Brian ..tell me exactly where would you place the boat house ...and would not we require he green permission to place the structure in the lake.
BTW this coffee is amazing ..."
Shaurya raised his coffee cup in acknowledgement " as they walked towards the lake
They had separated from rest of the party as they had walked towards the lake . It was the best strategy to ensure the whole Farm could be covered in the two hours .
Brain knew Sandra could take care of the rest . She was the one who saved the morning for them., when it seemed to have been going down the drain due to Buzz's ill health .
She had still managed to join the meeting in time and had gestured to him that she had some arrangement in place . He knew he could always trust his wife.
""Do you see that small island there ..we can build a few stilts and provide the right anchor ..you can almost get 360 degree view too of the lake from that point of course ..the green perm...
He was cut short as suddenly a loud , boisterous group of school kids came running towards them ..followed by their harried teachers "
" Oh bloody hell .".Shaurya muttered a few more profanities as the hot coffee spilled on him , the consequence of a couple of kids brushing past too close to them..
"Oh that must hurt .."
Brian was concerned..
He could see Shaurya's discomfort and offered him help .."You know my house is not far from here ."
"We can get you a change and some first aid there ."
"Let's go." Shaurya accepted that offer immediately as the burn got worse"
"Do you know Buzz ..all it took him was 4 months to move on ..just 4 months ..."
She needed to talk to somebody as her mind was not on TV and tears would keep welling in her eyes ..so Pouring out her heart to her 4 legged friend , who just by being there was her source of comfort was the best option...
Buzz twitched his ears , and Mehak took it sign of his interest in her story..
He told me I was his princess and the light of his life and all I need to do is go out of his sight for a few months and he has found some other source of light ..
Mehak was still rubbng Buzz's back...
Men ..specially men like Shaurya Khanna should never be trusted ..you know we girls are stupid ..we believe in fairy tales and prince charming ...there are no charming princes left in the world...
She said brushing off her tears ..

"It is a good thing that no one is home ..we can get you mended and be out in a jiffy "
Brian said as he unlocked the door to the cottage and ushered them in the living area.
Two pairs of eyes , one droopy and brown and one big ,round and black stared at them.
It seemed as if everyone froze for a moment ..
There were multiple expressions floating on the faces of the three humans in the rooms.
The dog was the only one who seemed happy ...and would have jumped up to wag the tail of he was his normal self.
Mehak could not believe her luck ..rather ill-luck, the one man she needed to avoid in the whole wide world for two hours could find his way and stand right in front of her ..
She looked at Brian ..betrayal written in her eyes
Brian's expressions changed from surprise to finding her there to realization of who was looking after Buzz to guilt and then panic.
He stared back at Mehak contritely . He knew , he had inadvertently caused Mehak a lot of hurt and put her in a situation she did not want to be in . He was also concerned what I meant for their negotiations ..
He turned to look at Shaurya who seemed to have become cast in stone.
Shuarya ..he breached tentatively..
Shaurya did not hear him ..He was fixed at the sight in front of him ..
Mehak Sharma ..his laddoo was there right in front of him ..with a big dog on her lap in somebody else's home.. in a Goa spice farm...
"Your spice farm holds quite a few surprises Brian" ..he finally spoke and then turned towards Mehak
Ms Sharma ...what a pleasant surprise
tibs092017-02-25 08:30:07