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Chapter 3 - C'est Toi!
Much of Saturday went by in visiting the commercial centers and malls. Neil had decided he would not be accompanying Radhika in any shopping related activity henceforth. The entire time he was being used as a size model to buy kurtas for her Bhaiyya, Papa and Dada-ji. And his size wasn't remotely close to any of said relatives. The only consolation was that she had good taste, so he was able to pick a nice saree for his mom.
Since jetlag was getting the better of them, they headed to the beach right after dawn. A few kids from local apartment block nearby were up early playing a 20-20 cricket match. Neil couldn't resist and had joined them in some beach-cricket fun.
The sun glistening over the ocean with orange hue was an artist's delight; Radhika was completely in love with the view. Though she loved photographing landscapes and nature, she decided to capture the scene of Neil playing with the young kids. The action profiles and background sights made for some really nice clicks.
"Radz, watch out!!!" screamed Neil from the batting pitch.
But it was too late. Completely unaware of her surroundings, she had backed into what felt like a solid wall and fallen face forward in the sand. Luckily she held on to her camera making sure it didn't hit the ground.
"Can't you see where you are going?!" shouted what sounded like a familiar voice.
"Can't you see where you are going?!!" replied Radhika with equal fervor, as she yelped in pain.
"You are the one who backed into me!"
Arjun had been out for an early morning jog as he usually does on Sunday mornings yet it was his first time being bumped into by paparazzi. At least he thought she was from the media with that big clunker camera wrapped around her arm. Noticing his assailant was hurt, Arjun let go of his anger and kneeled beside her. "Hey, are you ok?"
"Get away from her!! And don't you dare touch her!" yelled Neil in a stern voice from afar, as he rushed towards Radhika.
Arjun stood up right away, not wanting to create any more drama. "Take it easy - I was just making sure she is not hurt" he replied in annoyance.
As Neil closed in the distance, he then noticed the brick wall that Radhika had hit, "Arjun?"
"Neil?"
"Oh man... I am so sorry."
Her ears perked up at the mention of a certain name, and she awkwardly sat up turning her face towards the man who had intrigued her so.
"Radz, you alright?!"
"Yeah I think so... it was more shock than anything," she said glancing at Neil.
Arjun couldn't help but stare at the person who had pleasantly haunted his thoughts. She had grown to be a very attractive young woman. Her hair was much longer now, but she had the same captivating eyes and innocence in her features.
"Umm, Arjun, the person who accidentally backed into you is the Assistant Brand Manager. Meet the lovely and usually not so clumsy, Radhika Mishra."
"Hi" was all he could muster in a gentle tone, putting his hand forward.
"Hi," she replied shaking his hand.
He pulled her up gently making sure his grip was light. "Are you ok?!"
"Yeah I will be alright - umm, I am sorry about everything. I wasn't conscious of my surroundings - I mean the views here are so breathtaking with the perfect morning light. And I was so engrossed in taking pictures... I guess I didn't see you."
"It's ok."
Neil noticed the slight exchange between them, as curt and formal as it was. A smirk played across his lips as he realized the Mumbai Arjun was in fact the Montreal Arjun. "Well, this was interesting" interrupted Neil unsure of what to say considering the bizarre circumstance.
"Umm, I should carry on. Hope you guys enjoy the rest of your day," Arjun stated in a stoic manner.
"Oh, we will" answered Neil.
Giving a nod in his direction, "Well, I shall see you both tomorrow then."
"For sure... Later, Arjun" he replied.
"Bye."
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The morning meeting at Future Media was a waste of time - there was nothing striking or innovating in their campaign pitch. Per the two Lancome executives, it didn't even come close to Arjun's preliminary presentation. They had reached the Bird Song office a bit earlier than expected. Nonetheless, the admin assistant had seated Neil, Radhika and Amit in the main boardroom, stating that Mr. Mehra would be joining them shortly.
"Good Afternoon," entered Arjun as he formally shook hands with the trio. He was soon followed by Piyali, Sam and Teji. Everyone exchanged brief introductions and pleasantries, before heading right into the presentation. Arjun gave a background summary on Bird Song's marketing pitch, with Sam and Teji discussing the creative details. All in all, it was a very well put-together campaign. While there were some shortcomings, overall they had managed to capture the essence of Lancome's new skincare line.
Radhika was a bit annoyed by Arjun's stoic behavior, but chalked it up to the fact that perhaps he didn't want their prior personal connect getting in the way of professional work. Apart from the initial hand shake and introduction, he had tried his best to avoid her completely. If he required any clarification, he asked Neil or Mr. Dutta, even if she may have been the topic expert.
Oblivious to all though, he had secretly been stealing glances her way. To be honest Arjun couldn't help it. As much as he tried to stay focused, he couldn't but look in Radhika's direction. Usually, he never needed to clarify anything from the client during these meetings, but distraction in the form of Ms. Mishra had made him interrupt the presentation flow by confirming certain items with Neil.
"Well, that was it everyone. Any questions?" said Sam concluding the Bird Song presentation.
After a few moments of silence, Neil replied smiling "I think we are good for now. That was nicely put together guys."
"Good." she replied with a smile, holding Neil's gaze.
"Alright - well, I think we can call it a day here. Radhika and I will go over all the presentations we looked at today, and let you know our decision some time tomorrow."
"That is perfectly fine" replied Arjun.
Watching the Lancome executives pack their belongings to leave, Sam couldn't resist asking, "So how are you guys finding Mumbai so far?"
"So far so good; it's only been 2 days and we haven't ventured out much."
"Yeah, and the most 'venturing out' we have time for today, is to just go to a nice place for dinner" added Radhika.
"Oh nice... what did you guys have in mind?"
"We were thinking of seafood, or perhaps Asian fusion type. Any recommendations would be highly appreciated!" replied Neil.
"There are a few good ones... I personally like Thai Pavilion a lot; their curries are just out of this world. Or if you prefer classic Chinese, then I would suggest Golden Dragon."
"I think Neil would be quite happy with either of those choices," said Radhika as she glanced at her friend.
"Thai Pavillion sounds good actually!" he added turning towards his Chashni.
Arjun had been silent during their casual conversation, but he did notice the little nuances between Radhika and Neil. He wasn't sure what their relationship was exactly; they seemed to be completely in tune with each other. It wasn't a typical mentor-subordinate rapport. There was definitely something more and for reasons unknown, it didn't sit well with him.
"I love their crab in red chili paste" stated Sam.
"You're making me hungry, Ms. Samaira" replied an amused Neil.
"Sorry - For what it's worth, I am making myself hungry too" she added laughingly.
Much to everyone's surprise, Arjun interrupted their banter "The tempura prawns at Thai Pavillion are quite delicious."
Radhika looked in his direction with a knowing smile and held his gaze albeit only for a moment. She then turned towards Neil and added softly "Thai Pavillion it is!"
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The next couple of days went by in finalizing agreement details and getting everything ready so they could work on some pilot advertisements. It had been particularly long work days for Arjun as he was making sure the contract gave Bird Song an edge over all competitors when it came to representing future Lancome products or lines. As calm and casual Neil appeared to be, he was a shark when it came to business dealings. Arjun now realized that Radhika was the creative brain in Lancome's executive team of two, while her manager was definitely more business savvy.
He had just reached home when his cellphone started to ring. Looking at the caller, he instantly picked up the phone.
"Hello"
"Hi Arjun," replied Aunt Nandini.
"How are you, Mausi?!"
"I'm doing good... I had been meaning to call you since last week, just didn't get the time."
"It's ok... I have been busy too."
"Hope everything is good with you?"
"Yeah... everything is alright. How is work these days?"
"The company is doing well, but I have scaled down the number of events a year. I just don't have it in me anymore. Don't get me wrong, my employees are quite amazing and handle almost everything... but you know my habit of micro-managing."
"Well, you could simply not do weddings anymore... I mean they are a huge hassle especially dealing with the brides and their never ending wish lists. I think women go mental when it comes to their wedding time."
Laughing at her nephew's words, she added "Good Lord Arjun! How many weddings have you attended, anyway?!"
"Hmm... Not attended, but I did help you organize a few back in Montreal! They were such a headache," he replied.
"Well, it's an important event in someone's life - so the craziness you are talking about comes with the territory. But just for your kind information, I am not organizing weddings anymore, except this one coming up in a few months' time."
"Why even that one?!"
"I am actually invited to that wedding too. I met this girl a couple years ago at the runway events we used to organize. Ridhima, she is a fashion editor for Elle Magazine... Anyway, she had asked me a long time back to plan her wedding one day. So, when the time came, I complied. She's a sweet girl; very pretty too... in fact, to be honest, I had wanted to set her up with you. She's probably 1-2 years younger than you..."
"Mausi! Not again with the marriage thing... and in any case, this Radhika is taken, so no point!" he complained softly.
"Ridhima" corrected Nandini.
Realizing his slip-up, Arjun simply brushed it aside stating, "Same thing. You know I don't like being pestered about said topic."
"Achaa baba! You are so stubborn - just like your father! You know I worry about you."
"You never married and look at how much you accomplished on your own."
"Oh Arjun... Believe me when you get older, you will long for a companion. That one person, who will be by your side through thick and thin! It maybe late for me, but you are still young. And I don't want you to be alone anymore."
"Hmmm..."
"Anyway, you tell me... what's new with you? Clearly, no romance!"
Chuckling at his Aunt's comment, he replied "Nothing really... Once things settle at work, I was thinking of taking a trip to Canada."
"I would love for you to come. I miss you a lot!"
"Me too... hopefully in a few months' time"
"Good... Listen, I need to get going ... have to attend this meeting in a few minutes."
"Ok... well, don't work too hard."
"Likewise... Bye Arjun."
"Bye Mausi"
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During his teenage years, Arjun had been quite popular with the ladies. It's not like he had girlfriends or relationships, but he greatly enjoyed the female attention. His single status made him even more attractive to the girls in high school. All that changed after his father's death, as he had to take up additional responsibilities at home. As tragic as his father's death was, it also came with the line of work he did - and Arjun accepted it as God's will.
It was the time his mother was diagnosed with cancer, life completely threw him out of sync. It was something he never fathomed. As painful as cancer was for his mother, it was even more distressing for him to see her suffer through years of chemotherapy. He saw her in the most fragile state battling life. It was some of the worst years of his life. Had it not been for Aunt Nandini's support, Arjun would have succumbed to depression long time ago.
His mom and Aunt would always make sure he attended various social events and gatherings for his own sanity. Arjun was a loving son, and though many a times he didn't want to leave his mother's side, he abided by her wishes. It made him forget life's worries even if only for a few moments.
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Year 2009
Dinner had ended some time ago and his eyes kept searching for Radhika in the ballroom. Arjun knew she didn't attend many social events, but this was the annual Bronfman Ball at McGill. Every student and faculty made it a point to be part of this formal affair. And to top it off, they even had tempura prawns in hors d'oeuvres this time around.
The speeches were coming to a close, and he knew dance would be commencing next. Per tradition, the first dance was a must for everyone present; he really didn't want to waltz with Ms. Fitzgerald seated beside him. A nice old lady, but she always smelled like moth balls and seemed to only talk about her pet cats at home.
"Hey you!" she whispered tapping on Arjun's shoulder ever so gently.
Surprised, he turned around, "Uh... Hi"
"Congrats on the award," added Radhika.
"Thanks," He paused for a moment and went on to ask her nonchalantly, "Have you been here a while?"
"Yeah, my friends and I got here right after cocktails. The hockey game was on, hence the delay."
"A very valid reason to be late" he replied smiling.
Arjun had a hard time trying not to stare at her. At university, Radhika was always dressed in simple casual attire with her hair in a ponytail and absolutely no makeup. The other times he had met her at formal events she wore dress pants with a silken top. She always managed to look elegant, but today she looked breathtakingly beautiful. Her dress was monochrome with cream sleeveless top and long flowy black skirt. Her smoky eyes and vintage hairstyle only accentuated her look.
"Well, I should get back to my table... have to make sure my friends don't go overboard with the free wine."
"Uh, Radhika, wait..." said Arjun, getting up from his chair.
She looked back quizzically at him.
"Umm... the dance will be starting soon... I was wondering... well... do you have a partner?"
"Actually, my friend Farhan had asked me some time ago."
"Oh" was all he could muster in surprise.
Smiling, she added "I thought you didn't enjoy dance, or music for that matter!"
"I don't really have a choice."
"Any girl here would love to dance with you!" she said sincerely.
She knew well that a lot of girls in her batch had a major crush on Arjun. He was after all the tall, mysterious type with very handsome features. And he was always dressed impeccably. Though they weren't friends or even acquaintances, Radhika would surely miss her brief encounters with him once she was done university. They both were in their respective final terms and upon graduation, it was highly unlikely their paths would cross again.
He smirked at her comment, and replied "Perhaps - but for now, I only see Ms. Fitzgerald as an interested party. And I don't think I can take that torture."
Before she could say anything, Farhan interrupted their conversation "Radhika, umm Eva just asked me for the first dance... I'll turn her down if you want me to?"
"Really?! I know you've had a major thing for her... You know what, go for it!"
"Are you sure? You don't mind, right?"
"It's all cool, Farhan - don't worry!"
"Thanks... you're the best."
As she saw her friend rush to the girl in white cocktail dress, Radhika turned towards Arjun and smiled, "I guess I am all yours for the dance!"
Just then, the lights dimmed and the master of ceremony called on all couples for the traditional slow dance. Arjun walked up to Radhika, gently taking her hand in his, and leading her to the dance floor. He kept one arm around her waist, as he held on to her other hand. Then he began to move them ever so slightly to the music.
"For someone who doesn't like to dance, you are very good."
"Do you always talk this much?"
She smiled softly, "Well, you could have asked Ms. Fitzgerald if you really wanted a quiet dance."
Chuckling out loud he added "No thanks!"
"I love this song." It was a Sinatra classic, The Way You Look Tonight.
"Hmm... it's one of my mom's favorite too," he added - his expression turning grave.
Radhika noticed the distant look in his eyes and decided to change topics. "Will you continue working with the event management company once you complete your MBA?"
"I am not really sure."
"I've applied to a few places in town - hoping to hear back from at least a couple."
"You'll be ok."
"Why did you apply to be a TA when you already have a job outside of university?"
"The professor had asked me to when I joined the MBA program. He was my instructor during undergrad years as well."
"Oh"
"So tell me... did you have the tempura prawns?" This time Arjun surprised her with the question as he twirled her to the music. It was very unusual of him to converse so casually, and she truly appreciated the gesture.
"Of course! But they weren't as good as the hospital gala."
"I'll pass your compliments to the caterer."
"Please do... and tell him to add more spice in the samosas next time."
Shaking his head in amusement, Arjun continued to sway with her. "Well, I hope you are not grieving about that B grade anymore."
"Don't worry - I have come to terms with it. If anything, it made me work harder."
"Hmmm...You're different than most people."
"Isn't that a politically correct way of saying I am weird? Nonetheless I shall take it as a compliment."
"I meant it in a good way."
"Well, thank you! May I say something?"
"I didn't realize you needed permission to speak."
"Ha ha ... I don't! But I didn't want to be rude either... it's just that ... well, you look good like this!"
"Like what?!" he asked in confusion.
"You know, relaxed and content. You should try it more often... according to my Dada-ji, life is like a mirror: It will smile at you if you smile at it!"
"Hmm..." he said unsure of what to say. It was a bit unsettling for Arjun to know that she had observed him so well in their few meets.
"And well, this is it... the song is done. That went by quick." Smiling, she continued "Thank you so much for the first dance."
Arjun simply nodded at that.
"I guess we are back to the brooding, nostrils flaring persona." After a pause, she said "I should return to my friends ... anyway I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening."
"You too!" he replied with a curt smile.
He watched Radhika walk towards her group of friends, and realized that she was correct; the dance did go by quickly, much quicker than he had preferred.
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"Did you have the vada pav, Choti?"
"Oh it was amazing, Dada-ji."
Radhika had been on the phone with her family for the past half hour filling them in on her week excursions. Her parents had reiterated to avoid street food for hygienic reasons, and to not go overboard in trying Dada-ji's recommendations.
"Did you have it at the stall by train station?"
"Umm, actually no ... I had it at a cafe close to the beach."
"Oh... I guess something is better than nothing. By the way, how are things on the work front?"
"They are alright"
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong..."
"Well, something is up..."
"Hmm... remember in university, I had this TA"
"The one that gave you a B," the elder fellow completed his granddaughter's statement. Back when she was completing her undergrad, Radhika had gone on and on about how the Professor's Assistant was adamant on giving her a B only. She claimed he was biased and probably suffered from complex as he could never achieve an A.
"Yeah, well, he works for the advertising firm we gave the account to."
"Oh. That is great news!"
"Huh?"
"Because now you are his boss... and you can get back at him for that B grade."
Laughing at her Dada-ji's antics, Radhika added, "Seriously, you are too much! Quite frankly I deserved that B, and so far, everything about Arjun's work is worth an A."
"Arjun, is it?"
"Yeah, and technically I am not his boss - just the client. He is still higher up in seniority."
"So tell me more about..."
"Well, nothing more to tell... he is very quiet and distant. I mean there are times it seems we can have a casual conversation but then he appears completely uninterested. Neil seems to think he has a personality issue - but I remember him during the university days. Yes, he was aloof and didn't really have close friends, but he still smiled time and again. Now he has the same stoic expression. Maybe he is too stressed about work. Really though, who knows! But one thing is for certain, he is a nice person."
"So Choti, have you worked on anything else other than analyzing this Arjun fellow?" he asked playfully.
"Dada-ji... I know you are teasing, but believe me there is nothing there!"
"Hmmm..."
"Anyway, it's been a long day and I am very sleepy."
"Alright, well, take care of yourself."
"You too"
"I'll talk to you later"
"Later!"
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Author's Notes:
Link for song they danced to (with lyrics): The Way You Look Tonight
Radz's dress I mention in the flashback is something like this DRESS
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