SS: The Gift - Teaser Jan 9 pg 55 - Page 10

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Maan came into that office that day with not much scheduled to work on. There was a morning meeting with his financial and design team to discuss the current projects they were working on and a lunch meeting with a potential client. After that he basically had nothing new to work on, but he knew he'd find something to keep him busy.

Maan was working on his laptop reviewing a spreadsheet about the last quarter's profit and loss margins when his phone rang.

"Yes," he said.

"Good morning Sir, Pinky here," his receptionist announced.

"Yes Pinky…what is it?" he asked.

"Sir, I have someone here in the lobby that would like to see you," she informed him.

Maan frowned as he took out his calendar to check if he had a meeting that he could have over looked, but he didn't find anything.

"Do I have an appointment with them?" Maan asked.

"No Sir, they don't," she told him.

His anger instantly rose. He hated people who had no regards for other peoples time. He could have meeting and other appointments he needed to focus on, but that person didn't bother to check his availability. Maan hated people who thought the world revolved around them and that people are expected to do thing to accommodate them and their schedules.

"I don't have time to see people who don't value my time," Maan said.

With that he simply hung up. Before he could dwell on the matter anymore, his CFO Aditya Ganguli, came to tell him that it was time for the meeting. Gathering his files and his cup of black coffee he headed towards the large conference room where his staff had already gathered.

The meeting went on longer than expected and nearly cost Maan his lunch meeting. Lucky for him, his assistant was a dream. She had redirected Mr. Johnson to come to the office with the excuse that he could get to see some of the work that Khurana Constructions has done in the past few years. She ordered up lunch after finding out some of Mr. Johnson's favorites. She had even cleared out the small conference room on the third floor and set it up nicely.

The meeting went better than expected. Mr. Johnson was so impressed with the personal touch that Khurana Constructions provided to the client that he had set up a consultation appointment with his team before leaving.

When Maan finally returned to his office shortly after 2 PM, he saw a post-it note on his desk. Reading it, he crumpled it and threw it away. Apparently the people that had wanted to see him earlier that morning had decided to wait for him. If they wanted to way, they could wait, that didn't mean he had to see them. They could wait all bloody day and night if they wanted.

Taking a seat his chair, his eyes fell to a framed picture that sat on top of his desk. A sad smile spread across his face as he grabbed the frame and brought it close.

There she was, the love of his life. Tears stung his eyes at the fact that he hadn't seen her in years. He hadn't seen her warm chocolate eyes that always light up when he was around. He hadn't heard her musical laughter or felt her soft skin against his.

Before he'd met her, he had no idea that he could love someone so much that it hurt. He hadn't wanted to fall in love with her but it was inevitable. After seeing her for the first time, he became a believer in 'love at first sight'.

A chuckle escaped his lips as he remembered how she stormed into his life completely taking control without even trying. He remembered how she would run around the house ordering people around in her usual manner so that things were as she wanted it. He remembered how she not only controlled his life but that of his Dadi. There was no one Savitri Devi answered to – no one except her.

His life had turned upside down when she'd entered it. His life had turned upside down when she'd left it.

The ache in his heart grew not matter how much time had passed.

Putting the picture back in its place, he pulled up the reports he'd asked for from his accounting department and began to review them.

It was a quarter to six when Maan finally shut down his computer. The offices closed at six and already he could see everyone getting ready to go home. A wave of sadness hit him when he realized that unlike his employees who would be going home to loved ones, he would be going back to an empty house not worthy of being called a home.

Picking up his phone he called down to reception.

"Pinky, have them bring my car out back," Maan ordered.

He didn't wait for a response, he simply hung up.

After gathering the files he wanted to review at home and securing them in his briefcase, he headed out of his office. Five minutes later, after having said goodnight to his staff, he was in the elevator headed towards the lobby.

"Good night Pinky," he called over his shoulder.

"Sir…" she called back.

He stopped because the tone his Pinky's voice was uncertain. Turning he saw her point to the lobby sitting area. Looking to where she pointed Maan saw a small boy sitting in a chair playing on some sort of hand-held console.

"What?" Maan asked, not sure why his receptionist was pointing to a little child.

"He's been waiting to see you all day," Pinky informed him.

To say he was shocked was an understatement.

"Him? He wanted to see me in the morning?" Maan asked.

"Yes Sir," Pinky said.

"Is he here by himself?" Maan asked, surprised to see the child alone.

"No Sir…his mother his here, she just went to the ladies room a minute ago," Pinky said.

A scowl came over Maan's forehead.

"When did they come back?" Maan asked.

"They never left Sir," Pinky said softly.

Maan was surprised that they'd waited all day. Not wanting to be a complete jerk, Maan decided to go and see what they wanted. Seeing that the boy was only a child, he figured that it must be for some charity or Boy Scout thing.

He approached the boy head on.

"Hi, can I help you?" Maan asked.

The moment the boy looked up at Maan, emotions ran rampant on his face. At first the boy was shocked and surprised, but that was quickly replaced with a beaming smile.

"Mr. K…Khurana…" the boy said softly.

"Yes…how can I help you?" Maan asked, not at all happy that he had to repeat himself.

The boy got to his feet immediately. Maan saw that he was roughly about nine or ten years old, dressed in jeans and a green printed t-shirt.

"So nice to finally meet you," he said.

"I'm sorry…do I know you?" Maan asked, not recognizing the boy whatsoever.

"No you don't…not really anyway…" the boy blabbered.

Then, a gasp caught his attention.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

They had been waiting all day – all day. Geet had tried to coax Rohan into leaving but he refused to budge. She told him that they would miss seeing the sights if they wasted time just waiting to be seen. He had refused stating that the main purpose for them to come was to see him and the sights could wait. Geet wanted to argue with her son but she couldn't. She also wanted to give a piece of her mind that they had come to New York to see. Not because he made them wait, but because he made her son wait and got his hopes up. Geet knew it was only a matter of time before Rohan's hopes came crashing down.

Geet knew from talking to the receptionist earlier that the offices closed at 6 o' clock. There wasn't that much time left until then so Geet decided to go to the bathroom before heading back out.

"Rohan sweetie, I'm going to go to the bathroom…I'll be back in a minute," Geet said. "Remember don't go anywhere and don't talk to strangers."

"Mom, I'm not a baby," Rohan said.

"I don't care if you 50, you will always be my baby," she reminded as she kissed his cheek forcefully.

She headed to the bathroom after asking Pinky to keep an eye on Rohan. She returned a few minutes later to see a tall Mann talking to Rohan. She quickened her pace to go and intervene but as she got close enough to see who the man was, she stopped dead in her tracks.

There he stood, the man Rohan had been begging to see. He was dressed in a black suit with a white shirt holding a briefcase. Not unlike the first time she'd seen him. The only difference was that the first time she'd seen him his tie was loose around his neck and his suit blazer hung carelessly over a chair.

A gasp escaped her lips just as she was about to call out to him, remembering what he'd asked her to call him the first time they met.

----Flash Back----

After making herself somewhat presentable, Geet headed towards the man that stood by the window overlooking the parking lot.

"Mr. Khurana," she called softly.

He flinched slightly before turning. When he did, her breath caught. He was a handsome man, dressed in what looked like day old business attire. His hair was a mess, eyes bloodshot and a general disheveled state.

"Mr. Khurana was my father," the man said. "Please call me Maan."

"Ok…Maan…" Geet began.

----Present----

Maan's blood ran cold and color drained from his face as his heart remembered the sound. Turning, he saw her standing there dressed much like the day she had been when he'd last seen her. That day she'd been dressed in a black and white printed dress with a cardigan. Why he remembered that he didn't know. Today she was dressed in a grey and white dress with a cardigan.

As her face registered, Maan felt his knees going weak. She had the same thick, wavy hair and warm eyes.

"Maan…" she said softly.

Then, just like that, he felt as if he'd been punched in the gut by a 300lb boxer.

The sound of her voice made him remember the very last thing she'd ever said to him.

'I'm sorry that the best day of my life is the worst day of yours.'

Looking from her to the boy who she now stood by with her arm protectively around his shoulder, Maan knew exactly who that little boy was.