SS a Business transaction Updated (28 july 2015) ch 17,18,19pg 18 - Page 9

The meeting with his doctors was just what he thought, no assurances merely hope. He did not have any desire to live in false hopes. He had faced the ugliest of the things in life though he was blessed with some of the best too. He was satisfied with where he stood in life not only satisfied he was happy too. He did not need Madhubala at his side as his consort he was happy if she continued to be his friend and his assistant. Yes that is precisely what she was, once her internship finished she was employed by the Kundra chain of industries as a junior finance analyst. She was assisting four senior analysts simultaneously. Something not easily achievable by a fresher but RK wanted her career to flourish. He had never been lenient on her in fact most of the office felt that RK was extracting some kind of revenge from her such was the pressure and work stress that was mounted on Madhu. He personally took interest in every report that Madhu submitted and ripped it apart with as much vigor as he could. She never buckled under this undue stress in fact she flourished. She absorbed every bit of information and knowledge imparted to her like a dry sponge. Within a year she was more than capable of taking over any corporation. It was at this time that RK made her CFO of Allure edible oil, the tiniest of his ventures and one of the dying ones. He had named Madhu as the beneficiary of that corporation though Madhu had no information about it. Within next ten months Allure oil captured the market with well-planned novel marketing campaigns, superior product quality and increase in product lines. RK felt personally proud of Madhu. He felt as if she was his creation and in a way she was. She reported directly to him and he made it a point to get in touch with her every single day. It came as a surprise to many that he had taken such sudden interest in his dying venture but then that was RK abrupt and impulsive to the world. His perceptions were deceptive, or probably he had created that perception for himself to keep the queen bees and the drones away from himself. He was rude to people whom he did not need to be polite to. He was not workaholic but was a work monster as Roma called him. The feminine gender barring Roma were scared to even come close to him and he did all he could to keep them away. It was only Madhu who could withstand his temper tantrums. He had forgotten the count how many times he asked for all sorts weird reports from Madhu at the oddest possible hours. The poor thing never complained. She was always upfront with what she felt she never minced words he still recalled how she had once asked him when he was in his better moods

"Sir I understand that you are eccentric, not in a negative way. You see it is only eccentrics who either succeed brilliantly in their live or fail miserably but they relish both. The way you ask for these reports at 2:00 AM I wonder if you suffer from anxiety along with eccentricity. I think you should see a doctor."

RK still recalled her innocent and concerned face slightly upturned towards him as she was sitting cross legged on the floor with reports of past ten months stacked neatly in front of her in many rows. He found it really difficult to not laugh out loud because she was the first other than Aniket who had wanted his mental faculties tested. Mostly a woman whenever came near him personally always suggested on his physical inability examined by better doctors. It was their way of rejecting him or accepting his stature but rejecting his body. This was actually the first time Madhu had said something that was personal though she was now taking care of his every day supply of searing hot black coffee his Threptin biscuits, his low carb diets his physiotherapy. He had so been drawn in by her innocence that day that he had said something he should never have

"Beautiful" and she had looked around her to find his object of interest but had failed to see any thing worth the comment.

"What these stacks."

"No you." Her eyes dilated and she stared brazenly in his eyes sans fear sans any kind of artifice. She did not blush she was stunned and so was he.

"You may leave Madhubala. The driver will drop you to your place and Dhanu ma ( his house keeper) will come with you." She had nodded and had made herself scarce in such haste that RK knew he had tugged at those strings that will be perilous.

The next day he found fresh red roses in his office chamber instead of regular chrysanthemums. He knew what these meant because he had known long enough to understand that while she would impose herself on him she would refrain from letting him know what her heart held. She did not know how to mince words. Some how he could not stop himself from caressing those lovely soft roses. Had he allowed his mind that little perversity it would have compared their softness to Madhu's lips without even ever feeling them. RK in his last attempts to deter her became even fiercer, he made her run end to end of his huge 17 floored head office hundreds of times a day. He did all he could to prevent himself from seeking that little respite he got because of her presence but he failed miserably. Gradually he started to depend on her for generic things like his pens and PDAs. Then his office maintenance became her responsibility. If as much as a piece of scribbled paper went missing he would rip her apart for her callousness. Initially she felt like she was being tormented later she started enjoying it. Trishna had once told said him at an office party that he was turning her into a monster that he himself was. Her family started complaining of her lack of attention towards them but she was only one and she was literally grabbed by her neck and submerged deep in water by a monster called RK. The funny thing was she never protested. She enjoyed working with him being indispensable for him gave her a satisfaction. His protesting heart lost its battle slowly but surely. He no more evaded her presence in fact he basked his parched soul in her selfless concern and love. He became selfish and he justified his need for her by telling himself that he was doing everything he could to make her hate him.

It was only that day when she as straight forward as she was had confessed her feelings in as few words as possible. When she had questioned his attitude towards her and asked him to deny that he loved her only then would she believe him. He felt disgusted at the mere thought of the way he had sent her away. It was just short of throwing her out. He felt guilty of first alluring her into this whole mess and then trying to play saint. He was his own worst critic and he seldom showed himself any mercy. Today was just one such day, he finished his work by evening he had not even sipped a bit of water let alone eating. He craved for her presence and he was punishing himself for his cravings. There was no way that he could get her out of his thoughts today and the more she occupied them the more his guilt plagued him. There was no end to his misery. He came home and called for Allen he needed his daily massage desperately. His legs were sore and stiff and were hurting him like millions of needles were pricked in his legs. He used to get these sensations whenever he was dehydrated at least that is what his doctors told. They also said this pain was his hope for recovery. Since he felt pain with such intensity it meant the nerves were still alive. The tiny blood clot in his spine had suppressed or curbed his mobility but yet his sensitivity was more than alive. Initially he had severe injuries in his back and the doctors deferred the surgery because they did not want to take the risk. Later he never wanted the surgery because much in his life had changed. His bitterness towards Dipali had been replaced by his fondness for Madhu though she came in his life just three years back. He still recalled how she had told him that she had loved him forever, even before she knew him. She was well aware of his accident hence his disability but that was never an issue in her perception. For once RK felt why could he just not be with her. Was being disabled such a curse that he was destined to be without love all his life. He wanted to drink and submerge all his desires in bottles of expensive whisky tonight but he refrained as he wanted to punish himself for leading that innocent girl in this trap. He was living his own as well as her pain too at this moment. Allan did do an awesome job at easing out his pain. Mrs Wellesley came in to enquire about dinner but RK mess me not tone told her that tonight was not the time to play around. More over a day's lack of food wont kill him other than his handicap he was actually a healthy man. She left muttering an inaudible goodnight

"There is nothing good about this night. "He retorted back rudely and gulped a sleeping pill empty stomach and dozed off in a fitful sleep.

...

He turned towards the warmth next to him involutarily, it was getting cooler in this part of the world and he felt cold. He placed his calloused fingers tentatively on the source to seeif this was real and yes she was.

"Why are you wearing this bridal attire." He opened his eyes to see her draped in ivory gossamer silk gown that was snug at her bosom and displayed her heaving enticing valley in between.

"Why are you breathless?" He again asked not believing where he was, looking around to find something familiar. To his dismay nothing around was same. This was a different place. Had he died? He did not care for if he had at least she was still here in all her divine glory. There were purple carnation strewn all around on transparent curtains. It was not his bedroom instead it was a white marble canopy with huge windows. The curtains were all roped to the pillars and the fluffy white clouds were entering and exiting freely. The place was free of any artificial perfume the only scent that prevailed was her musky fragrance mixed with the fragrance of the carnations around. She held on to her bridal bouquet still. He caressed the red roses once again and they were softer. He brought it closer to his face to smell them, "you did not tell me why you were breath less." He again questioned

"I came all the way from Perth."

"Why did you come?"

"Don't you know?"

"Did we marry?"

"Should we have?"

"I don't know. Why do you have the bridal bouquet still? Don't the brides throw this towards the unmarried girl friends so that they may also have similar luck."

"I did not have girlfriends."

"Are you not irritated I ask so many questions?" RK asked again still fondling the roses. He heard her laugh softly like pitter patter of rain.

"I am glad I have all your answers."

"you do?"

"Yes I do." RK looked in her crystalline honey eyes. Eyes that were fixed on his face, she never did shiver and shudder at his proximity. She was always very comfortable with him. Her eyes brimmed with excitement as always. She looked like an angel his angel her skin perfectly smooth. The expanse of her peach complexion broken by red lips and hazel eyes. He traced the outline of her lips gently scared she may disappear if she does not likes it instead she bit his index finger."

"Ouch. Why did you do that."

"They looked yummy," She once again laughed. It once again cooled his parched soul. Only she could dare say that, like she did the last time. When she had dared to suck his finger that was bleeding from a stray cut. He had asked her "What the hell was that supposed to be?" He had tried to sound angry and she had replied "Your blood appeared to be tasty." And she had laughed wickedly. He knew what she was suggesting. He recalled how a fierce desire had coursed through his veins. He had wanted to pull her to his lap and suck on those proud orbs that she always hid behind her camouflage like anarkalis. She bent a little to place the bouquet in the vase on the side table. She was still wearing her veil. He tried to get up and surprisingly he did get up.

"Can I walk? Is my leg alright."

"Only you can answer that."

"Should I try?."

"Only you can decide that."

"I don't want to go away from you."

"You don't have too. I am right beside you."

"Even if I can never walk?"

"it does not matter to me. Your presence, that is all I need and want."

"you want me? Without all this?" He pointed towards the ornate ceiling and pillars of the canopy.

"These do not belong to any one. No one takes it with them." And she bent down to kiss his dry lips. She probed his mouth and quenched his thirst. His throat felt no more soar. She kissed on his eyes and he fell asleep yet again but peaceful. His pain vanished his questions all answered.

He woke up with a start Allan had removed the curtains and the sunrays entered his room in full glory. The light that reflected from the snowcapped Alps literally blinded him. His head was hurting. He opened his eyes with lot of effort and looked around to look for any trace of last night but there was nothing. He left the bed once Allan massaged his legs again and the discomfort was gone. He got ready at record pace as he was feeling starved. On the dining table there rested the same vase with the same bouquet. RK looked at it as if he had seen a ghost.

"Where did this bouquet come from?" He asked nervously.

"Oh I plucked the roses from our garden aren't they lovely," Mrs Wellesley said serving him breakfast. He just nodded and ate peacefully stealing glances at the bouquet.