Part I - Page 1 (5 Dec)
Part II - Page 4 (6 Dec)
Part III - Page 6 (7 Dec)
Part IV - Page 11 (8 Dec)
Part V - Page 17 (26 Sep ' 07)
Part VI - Page 20 (27 Sep '07)
Part VII - Page 24 (01 Oct '07)
Note - Page 29 (09 Oct '07)
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Lolz...I had promised myself to not venture into this territory anymore, Ajnabi took its toll on me😉 but I had written something a while back and wanted to wrap it off, plus I had some unfinished FF also lying around, so I combined all that and tried to make a story...Dunno how it will turn up!
Before going ahead with the story, I would like to sincerely thank my favourite Author 'Jeffrey Archer', from whom I have borrowed one part of my FF😳 (Its a small part, but neverthelss, I have copied some of his work and modified it, to suit my story, so thought it would be better to mention it beforehand)
Its a slightly different storyline, since the current track of KS bugs the life out of me🤢 and frankly, my idea of Jai and Bani are very different from the ones they show in the Soap...So read on!😃
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December 2004, New Delhi
Jai was running late, and would have grabbed the Limousine provided by his Hotel (Taj Mansingh) if it hadn't been the rush hour. He entered the crowded Metro (A recent addition to Delhi) and dodged in and out of the hordes of commuters as they headed down the escalator on their way to Home.
Jai was in Delhi after quite a while, and it was his favorite season of the Year, which he never got to enjoy in Mumbai…Winter! It was late December and there was a palpable chill in the Air, the kinds that seep into your Bone and chills you from within. Not many people would enjoy going out in such Weather, but Jai loved it! The feeling of fierce cold wind hitting the face, having a good book while you are wrapped up in the quilt or just soaking the winter sun out there in the open. Delhi is just beautiful at the time of winters. To enjoy the cold, one just needs to detach ourselves from our apprehensions/ fear/ anxiety, whatever you want to term it. But of course, Jai did not have the privilege of enjoying all this, because his each minute was precious and counted. Jai Walia or JW as he was referred to in Business Circles was not named 'Young Entrepreneur of the Year' 3 times in a row by Ernst & Young for nothing!
Jai wasn't on his way home, mainly because his home was near the Seafront in Mumbai. After only four stops he would re-emerge from the bowels of the Earth to keep an appointment with Xavier Rosenberg, the Chief Executive Officer of Schassberger's – Germany's biggest Chain of Hotels. Although Jai had only met Rosenberg once at a Hotelier's Conference in Cologne (Germany) a few years back, he was well aware of his reputation. Rosenberg didn't take a meeting with anyone unless there was a good reason.
Jai had spent the last forty eight hours since Rosenberg's secretary had called to make the appointment trying to work out what that good reason could possibly be. A possible take-over of the tremendously successful Boutique Hotels that Jai had opened a year back in Shimla, Bangalore, Kathmandu and Coloumbo, as Schassberger's were trying to gain an entry in the Indian Market for the last few months and were looking for a suitable Business Partner. Or maybe Rosenberg wanted to offer a Merger Deal with the Walia Group in Europe in exchange for an equal partnership with Jai's Group in India. So many questions floated through his mind. He knew he should stop speculating, as they would all be answered at six o'clock. He would have run down the escalator, but it was too crowded.
Jai Walia was a workaholic. A man completely obsessed and committed to his work! It helped that he was a Bachelor, as he always jibed to his Married Friends! Jai was in his early thirties, tall and broad shouldered, with a darkish tone to his complexion, deep – black eyes, which seemed to change colors with his mood and which added tremendously to his overall sex appeal. Jai never gave importance to his physicality, which kind of charmed him more to his list of endless admirers!
Having lost his Parents early in life, Jai was brought up by his Maternal Aunt and being an only child, he could sense what he missed in Life! He had vowed that when he marries, it would be for life, not like some of his friend's who were already on their way down the Aisle second or third time! But somehow his work commitments coupled with his reserved nature, somehow awed and inhibited most eligible women and hence he had spent some 33 years in Bachelorhood and had now stopped thinking about ever 'Settling Down' as his Massi oft kept repeating.
Excitement, Stimulation, Thrill….He knew of several of his Sunday Golf Buddies, his Business Rivals and his Work Colleagues who had an equally successful and happy Family life, but nevertheless, which didn't stop them from having their share of 'Fun'…or whatever name they chose to give to their flings. Jai's best friend Tarun had been married for the last seven years but it never did stop him from having 'Casual Acquaintances' while on his trip abroad, never messing his 'Apple Cart' (As Tarun referred to his marriage) though! Jai could never visualize himself ever indulging in anything like this, if he ever got married! Even when he was younger and freer of his present responsibilities, Jai's relationships with women had been very limited and restricted; Given his Good looks and Background, its not as if there was any dearth of women in his Life, but Jai was just not the types to be prone to casual pitches, not especially in his relationships! The only serious relationship he ever had was with his College Sweetheart, Roshni, which had carried on for quite some time, before they had decided to call it quits one day and just remain good friends.
Jai knew he had a few chips stacked on his side of the table – he had headed up the M&A for his Group, only a few months after he had taken over the Mantle of his Company from his late Father and was in the Hotel Line for almost 10 years now. Some of Jai's rivals had simply shrugged their shoulders when they were told about Jai's success, while some other rivals just tried to persuade him to join them. Whatever Rosenberg might offer him, Jai was confident that some other rival would match the offer. Whenever Jai had received other approaches during the past few years, for a tie-up with Walia Group, he had dismissed them with the same polite, boyish grin – that so belied his age. But Jai knew that this time would be different. Rosenberg wasn't a man who could be brought off with a polite, boyish grin.
Jai had toiled for years, to earn the reputation that his Group had and also for the personal stake his name held! He was widely regarded in Corporate Circles as one of the most astute and perspicacious Business Man, who followed a strict code of Work Ethics, quite unlike some of his contemporaries.
When Jai stepped onto the platform of the Metro, it was so crowded that he wondered if he would be able to get on the first train that pulled into the station. He checked his watch: 5:37 Pm. He should still be well in time for the meeting, but as he had no intention of being late for Mr. Rosenberg, he began to slip through any tiny opening or gap that appeared until he found himself at the front of the melee, well placed to climb on board the next train. Even if he didn't reach an agreement with Mr. Rosenberg, the man was going to be an important figure in the Hotel Industry for years to come, so there was no point in turning up late and making a bad impression.
Jai waited impatiently for the next train to emerge from the tunnel. He stared across the track at the opposite platform, and tried to concentrate on the questions Rosenberg might ask.
"What is the final figure Jai had in mind to offer to Rosenberg?"
"Would Jai be committed enough to spend half his time in Germany till the Contract Terms are fulfilled or not?"
"Would Language and Culture pose to be a problem for Jai's team which would be working in Germany?"
The southbound platform was just as crowded as the one he was standing on, and Jai's concentration was broken when his eyes settled on a young woman who was glancing at her watch. Perhaps she also had an appointment she couldn't afford to be late for.
When she raised her head, he immediately forgot Xavier Rosenberg.😳
He just stared into those deep-seated brown eyes. She remained unaware of her admirer. She must have been about five foot two (very short, but it suited her), with the most perfect oval face, olive skin that would never require make-up, and a curtain of silky smooth black hair, which reached unto that slender waist of hers, that no hairdresser could possibly have set. I'm on the wrong side of the track, he told himself, and its too late to do anything about it.
She wore a Deep Rust Overcoat, which reached unto her knees (The type Preeti Zinta wore in Kal Ho Na Ho!) and was tied tightly around her waist, leaving no question as to how slim and graceful her figure was, and her legs – or as much as he could see of them, since they were ensconced behind a pair of simple Beige colored Trousers – completed a perfect package. Better than any Mr. Rosenberg could offer.😉
She checked her watch again and then looked up, suddenly aware that he was staring at her.
Jai smiled. She blushed and lowered her head just as two trains glided into the station from opposite ends of the platform. Everyone standing behind Jai pushed forward to claim a place on the waiting train.
When it pulled out of the station, Jai was the only person left on the platform. He stared across at the train on the other side, and watched it slowly accelerate out of the station. When it had disappeared into the tunnel, Jai smiled again. Only one person remained on the opposite platform, and this time she returned his smile.😳❤️
2 Years Later, Mumbai
"And for the last time, NO." Jai didn't even bother to look up from his Dell Notebook as he punched the keys, completely engrossed in the Project he was reviewing. Pushkar came scurrying by and in a dramatic fashion, sat by his knees on the floor near Jai's Chair and pleadingly said, "Sir, I don't want to get married this early, but no one is ready to listen to me at Home….But Sir, no one at my place would refute your judgment. If you reject that girl, then I can be safe for another year or so…Please Jai Sir, I beg of you." Jai had to suppress his smile, as he saw his favorite protge, Pushkar Shukla dramatizing as usual, but this time, Jai knew, that Pushkar's concern was genuine!
As Jai indolently punched a few more keys on his Laptop and stretched himself full length on his Leather Chair, he kept quiet for a moment and then giving one expressionless look at Pushkar, said quietly, "One last time and no more after this. Got it?" Pushkar almost jumped on Jai's lap and said elatedly, "Sir, I swear, agle saal, is din, is waqt, main shaadi shuda hoonga…Aap jis ladki ko mere liye chunege, I will marry her, with my eyes closed…But Sir, yeh Mathura waali nahin." Jai broke into a grin as he replied back, "I am off to Delhi next week for a Hotelier's Conference, I will drive down to Mathura and meet up with this Girl of yours for exactly 5 minutes and come back and tell your Mom, that she is a No Case. Happy?" Pushkar, with all his reverence and respect for Jai, could not but help hugging Jai in excitement as he fervently made promises and thanked Jai and scooted off.
Jai was left grinning at Pushkar's antics and wondered if he would have felt the same pre-marriage jitters a few years back. But now that was never to be. Pushkar was 24 and Jai had recently celebrated his 35th Birthday….. The absence of Parents in his life coupled with his extremely Introvert Nature ensured that, no women came nearer to him than sharing his Bed….His Heart was now safely tucked behind his Rib Cage…and was at no risk of losing itself.
As Jai walked past the empty corridor of his Office, he glanced at his watch, 11:30…"Oh God, I had promised Roshni for a Dinner….How could that slip out of my mind? Now she will bug the life out of me!" Jai muttered as his thoughts went to his ex-flame, the only woman who had stayed in his Life for more than the mandatory period he allowed women to stay, but Roshni and he were of completely different wave-lengths and after a lot of debated and heated discussions, Jai had made it clear that the only way he would associate with her was through his work and nothing else and hence, they had, despite strong rumors of an impending marriage, always remained, business associates and occasional drinking partners, but nothing else, despite Roshni's best efforts, one must add!
As Jai drove back home, his face broke into an impromptu smile as he thought about Pushkar! Jai had come back from his usual round of early morning jog and had been astonished to see a frantic looking Pushkar pacing the length and breadth of his Study, biting his nails, much to Jai's irritation. Jai had never known Pushkar to have woken up before 8 in the morning and here he was, all dressed and looking as alert as a hunted rabbit, at 6 Am in Jai's study. As Jai had gulped down his Protinex, he listened to Pushkar's woes, which was basically concerning a "Rishta" that his Seema Bhabhi (Who for some reason irritated the life out of Jai) had brainwashed his Mother into accepting.
The 'Girl' belonged to a very middle-class family, settled in 'Mathura' ('I can't even locate it on the Map, Jai Sir', Pushkar had winced in overstated agony) and was the eldest of three sisters. Pushkar didn't seem to have much information on the 'Girl' except that she was around 24 years or so, had recently finished her Masters in English ('From some sidey University in Uttar Pradesh, I can only imagine what a superb English she would have', Pushkar had added sardonically) and was working as a Teacher ('Imagine having a Teacher as my Wife', Pushkar had added as an aside, much to Jai's amusement) with a Primary School ('That's all they have in Mathura, I think'…Another of Pushkar's jibes) Pushkar who had always shared a very close relationship with Jai, had uninhibitedly told him that his idea of a wife was very different from what his Family wanted for him and he certainly did not wish to be bonded with a simpleton from a small town who would be tethered to him for the rest of his Life like a Domestic Cow.
As Jai had listened with exaggerated patience, a constant smile hovering his lips, Pushkar had placed his request at Jai's feet (Literally, Jai couldn't move from his place, because Pushkar had held his feet with his hands!). And that was to go and meet the 'Girl' in Mathura (Which was barely a 2 hr drive from Delhi, where Jai was scheduled to go next week) and come and tell his Family that the 'Girl' was in no way suited for Pushkar.
Jai had initially outright refused to indulge in such larking about, but Pushkar had been extremely persistent and sincere in his request and had told Jai, that the 'Girl' had been seen and liked very much by his Family and they were hell bent on getting her as the 'Bahu' of the Shukla Family. The one and only person who had the authority to overrule their decision was Jai Walia…and Pushkar knew that one 'No' from Jai would mean the end to this business of the 'Mathura Waali Girl'. Jai was immensely respected by everyone in Pushkar's family and his word held absolute authority, Pushkar knew which door to knock to solve his current problem!
Jai had finally empathized with Pushkar's dilemma, he was young, outgoing and an avant-garde sort of youngster, born and brought up in the Cosmopolitan Lifestyle of Mumbai, and even though his family was seeped in Middle-class ethos, Pushkar had more or less lived his life under Jai's patronage and hence had become a part of Jai's way of life, which was anything but Middle-class. Jai understood Pushkar's distress and concern at the thought of marrying someone who was far-removed from his World and more importantly his way of thinking. How could Pushkar's family expect him to lead his life with a girl who had barely stepped out of the four boundaries of her House and who would probably be tongue tied in the remotest of Social gathering? Jai had not given his word to Pushkar but had just said that he would go and visit the girl, if time permitted, but Pushkar would have to do whatever Jai then decides. Since Pushkar had been more than convinced that his Jai Sir would reject the 'Townie', he swore upon his Life that Jai's word would be his command.
1 Week Later, New Delhi - Mathura (Uttar Pradesh)
As Jai sipped his Cappuccino (Minus Sugar) and looked out of the 14th Floor of the Taj Mansingh Hotel, his eyes captured the wintry aura of Delhi…..The sprawling greens, the majestic colonial buildings, the clean-wide roads of the Diplomatic Enclave, everything was so refreshingly different from the hustle bustle of Mumbai (The City which Jai loved and had vowed never to move out from) Jai glanced at his Watch, it was 10 minutes past 7 in the morning and Jai decided to move on, if he was hoping to beat the rush on the Agra Highway! The conference that Jai had attended had gone superbly well and his speech had been very well received.
As Jai checked his clothes in the Mirror, with a casual shrug, his eyes caught the streak of sliver which lined his otherwise jet black hair. Jai kept staring at the reflection in the mirror and wondered how it would have felt to be married, to have kids, to have a family to go back to…..But it was too late for that. 35 is not a time to plan your family, it is a time to plan your retirement, Jai thought with amusement.
As Jai strode across the Lobby, he missed all the pair of admiring glances that were thrown in his direction, right from the sparse morning guests who were lounging about to the staff of the Hotel, who could not help but be in awe of the tall, broad-built and good-looking man, who seemed to radiate an aura of quiet authority and intensity which would have made him stood apart in a crowd of a thousand too! Jai hopped inside his Land Cruiser that the Hotel had provided and drove down at a breath neck speed towards the Agra Highway! Jai had an obsession with Cars and Driving since he was a youngster and being the only son and scion of the illustrious Walia Family had ensured that none of his Heart's desires ever went unfulfilled…at least not in the materialistic sense of the word. Jai had lost his Mother when he was barely in his teens, and though the World thought that she had died due to a prolonged illness, only Jai knew what had really brought about her untimely death…..Jai's trust in relationships, especially in the one called Marriage had been badly shaken and till date, nothing had been able to build his confidence in this institution back.
As Jai drove, the early morning mist of November, gave way to the warmth of the Sun, as his eyes fell on the bright yellow of 'Sarson' fields which lines the entire path of the highway from Delhi onwards. Men and Women were out in the fields for their share of labour and children were running hither thither, in gay abandon. "What a Life!" thought Jai as he smiled, with a slight desolation at the happy faces, oblivious to the pressures of business, to the coldness of coming back to an empty house, to the artificiality of people who came and went in his life……"Mathura – 5 Km" was marked in black on the Milestone and Jai swerved the monstrous SUV right onto the bypass which led to small-town Mathura, a sleepy district in Northern UP. "Hmmm, what else to I know of this place, except that Shri Krishna was born here….No, I think he was raised here…or something of that sort" muttered Jai, as he cursed the extremely narrow and uneven roads which led to the dusty and clustered town. "Of all the places on Earth, Pushkar's family finds a bride for him, in this Godforsaken place." As Jai slowed the SUV, which was anyway not able to cross the speed of 20 Km, Jai took out the piece of paper which had the address and contact detail and suddenly realized that the paper was missing. "Oh Shit. How could this happen?" Jai brought the Car to a stop in the middle of a narrow gali which was now all but covered from both sides, thanks to the giant Truck of a Car that Jai was driving. Jai was not carrying anything apart from his Wallet, which definitely did not have any piece of paper and as Jai checked and double checked the pockets of his trousers, shirt and jacket, he realized that he had really misplaced the contact detail of the girl and her house.
Jai hit the steering with irritation, then taking a deep breath, took out his Cell phone and begin punching Pushkar's number, only to realize that the Cell was not catching the network. "But, how the hell? Oh god, now the damn cell phone also won't work. Kiska chehra dekha tha subah subah?" Jai muttered as he realized that he had indeed seen his own face first thing in the morning. As he realized that better than wasting his time, it would be better to find a PCO and make a call to Pushkar and get the address again or better still, just hit the road and go back to Delhi and tell Pushkar that he didn't have the time to go to Mathura. As Jai gingerly backed his Car out of the narrow lane, he knew that, he had to meet this girl by any chance; Jai Walia was not the sorts to go back on word, not even on unofficial ones. "Let me find a PCO here and call up Pushkar."
As Jai tried to make way out of the narrow "Galli", he heard a shout from the back of his Car and immediately stopped it as he realized that someone had been hit. Jai immediately tensed up and jumped out of the Car and saw that a small crowd had gathered around….a girl who was lying crouched on the ground, wincing in pain. "Kyon Bhaisahab, aankhon mein kaala chashma pehna hai, toh iska matlab dikhayi nahin deta….Humari bitiya ko maar hi diya tha aapne." As Jai tried to make sense of the strong, UP accented Hindi that the old man had just spoken, he saw that the girl who's face he could not make out, was trying to speak, despite the fact that she looked in extreme pain. "Kaka, inka kasoor nahin hai…Yeh toh dekh kar ki gaadi piche laa rahe the, mera dhyan kahin aur tha…inhe kuch mat kahiye." The crowd which had looked very angry and upset at Jai then begin muttering something, nothing of which Jai could comprehend, as his eyes were only on the youngster, who was still on the ground, holding her leg. "Please, let me help you…Yahan koi Doctor hai?" As Jai held the girl by her upper arms and then holding her gingerly by her slim waist, helped her get up, she turned to face him for the first time……Jai could not tell what exactly happened at that moment.
Except that he kept staring at her…as if in a trance. She looked back at him, still in obvious pain, then in astonishment and then suddenly in nervous embarrassment, as she realized that Jai had held her rather firmly by her waist and was staring at her without blinking his eye-lids. Jai mumbled, still astounded, "You….You are the Metro Girl…We have met before – At the CP Metro Station, Delhi, 2 years back, remember?" 😳
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Author's Note :
Since I wrote parts of this FF at different times, there would be some repetition and probably a lot of inconsistencies in the story, my apologies for that. I would be grateful if you could point out any such goof-ups😳so that I can correct them later!
Would love to read your comments and views on this part and also your suggesstions on how you would like the story to progress further!
Cheers,
MT😃
Anupamaa
