Everyone is a bit taken aback to see Chaman at the door with a cake in his hand. Then Armaan grins.
Armu: Aao Chaman……what a pleasant surprise!
Chaman: (blushing) Ji mujhe pata chala ki……(going red) Angel ji ka happy birthday hai….toh maine socha, aake vadhaiyan de dun…..yeh cake….Mamiji ne banaya hai……(holds it out to Jassi who, hiding a smile, solemnly takes it and places it on the table).
Angel looks kerflummoxed. Ila nudges her. Angel gives a wide, forced smile. "Thank you!" Chaman looks like he is in heaven. But he hardly dares look at anyone and sticks to playing with Vedika.
They all gather around the table. Ila puts a candle on top of Chaman's cake and lights it. "Angel beta, let's cut the cake."
Angel: Par Mom, main toh apna cake subah kaat chuki hoon!
Puru: (quickly) Arre beta, isse double treat samajh ke kaat lo na! Aur waise bhi…..do baar cake kaatne se tumhari umar ek aur saal nahin badh jayegi!😛
Everyone chuckles and Angel can no longer refuse. She blows out the candle and cuts the cake. Chaman looks on hopefully but she gives the first piece to Ila. After that, everyone lets their hair down. Ila and Puru dance gracefully to some old music.😊 Then Puru dances with Angel while Armaan dances with Ila. Jassi sits comfortably in a corner, watching. (Apparently her growing tummy no longer allows her to dance.😉) Chaman sits with Vedika on his knee, staring at Angel. He drifts off into a daydream in which he's dancing with her, dressed all in white (ahemmmmm! Reminds you of "someone"? 😈) while Angel is in a red salwar-kameez and parrot-green dupatta. 😆
Next day in GM:
Raj calls Neha and gives her a surprising order:
"Neha, tumhe pata hoga ki hamara naya collection ready ho raha hai. Yeh hamara sabse unique collection hai: Fashion for expecting mothers. Main chahta hun ke iske liye thodi si pre-launch publicity ki jaye, taaki zyada se zyada curiousity bane aur hamare fashion show mein national aur international buyers ki koi kami na ho…"
Neha is listening attentively.
Raj: Issliye main chahta hun ki….tum ek presentation ready karo!
Neha gasps.
"Sir, main……? Lekin mujhe toh….isske baar emein kio idea nahin hai…!"
Raj: (firmly) Tumhe collection ke baare mein toh idea hai na…? Aur jo information chahiye wo tum mujhse, Armaan aur Maddy se le sakti ho. Rahi baat presentation technique ki, toh uske liye tum purani presentations ke format dekh sakti ho.
Neha: Lekin sir….main usme….usme kya content dalungi?
Raj: (walking slowly over to her) Yeh main tum par chodta hun. Tum isse jaise chaho, waise present kar sakti ho. Forget about how to market the collection. Wo meri responsibility hai. Tumhara kaam hai, iss collection ke peeche ke idea ko baahar lana…..wo feelings, jo ek expecting mother ki dil mein uthti hai……uske sapne, uske armaan……..aur yeh feelings, sirf ek maa hi jaan sakti hai! 😳Tum se better iss kaam ke liye kaun ho sakta hai?
Neha is staring poignantly at him. Then she nods decisively. "Theek hai sir….main yeh presentation zaroor prepare karungi!"
As she leaves the room, Raj thinks, "Ab dekhte hain ki Neha ki creativity, uske career ke liye Midas touch saabit hoti hai ki nahin!"👏
Tomorrow: Meghna tells Puru she is coming back.
Financial markets and global economy
Book Talk
Aami Daakini
