Chapter 6
The next morning Ishani woke up with a new air around her, a new life that was missing for months, or maybe years. She descended from the bed, stretched out her arms and came to the window. The sun was still not up but it would be in a couple of minutes since there was an orange glow in the sky adorned by the white clouds. Her heart felt easier as if an ointment was applied on it after long years of hurt, still she could not realize the reason of this sudden change of atmosphere; and the events of the last night existed in her dreams only.
Her face had a pleasant smile today, and suddenly she remembered the last night's party, her journey home with Ranveer, his eyes that had so much in them and, his advice on how she should not just live in her sadness rather live for those who love her soared before her like an open world. She smiled, for somewhere this emotion was missing from her life and it was empty and meaningless. But he had snatched it from her by falling in love with her. Was it betrayal? Was it wrong? Was he still in love with her? Her heart and mind juggled over this issue every day, every night but no answer could come out of them. Her encounter with Ranveer had been totally opposite of what she had thought. She was never sure if he would meet her again, and if he did he would show her downright hatred. But their encounter was thoroughly different from her imagination for he was neither friendly nor cold towards her; and his concern was visible on his face when he could have just ignored her sorrow last night and let her fight the demons of loneliness on her own. He knew very well what it takes to make her happy, smile and get out of the troubles.
What did this all mean? Was he the same man who everyone used to say was cynical, selfish and self-centered businessman, RV? Or was he the same Ranveer whose life revolved around a family who could never do justice to his loyalty? There were countless questions running in her mind and neither of them found any answer. She wanted to talk to him regarding this but as she remembered the look in those eyes that possessed extreme sadness in them Ishani felt ashamed, for she found herself unworthy of even looking into them.
Ishani got ready for the office. There was an important appointment with a businessman who wanted to have her financial contribution in his deal. Ishani had agreed to the offer since it was going to establish the prowess of hers in estate business.
As usual, after getting ready she came to the cafe where the people had begun to arrive already and her employees too had arrived. Looking at her they beamed a smile.
"Hello, ma'am. Good morning," said, Jenny, one of her employees.
"Hey!" called Ishani, coming to them.
"We couldn't see you after you had the meeting with RV," she ended taking the name RV' with a weird pomposity. "How was it?"
"Good," Ishani replied, feeling little uncomfortable with the conversation.
"You saw him, didn't you, ma'am?" asked the young girl in dreamy voice.
"That is obvious. How could a business deal be confirmed without us meeting and have a talk?"
"Oh, well. That's true. How's he?" Jenny enquired.
"What do you mean? He's just normal...like he should be. I mean he's good," Ishani said, getting confused.
"I've heard he's so handsome, but some say that arrogant, you know, that typical kind of men," Jenny said.
"No, he's nothing like that," Ishani defended. "He's not arrogant. You've never met him so you don't know how he is. And now better you focus on your work," Ishani said feeling little angry.
Jenny and the rest went to work, for none of them wanted Ishani to get mad and fire them for not working properly. Meanwhile Ishani left for the office.
The meeting with the appointed partner, as expected, went well, and she was now one more step ahead in her life.
********
A gentle caress of his mother's hand woke Ranveer up in the morning. Waking up he saw his mother's kind face smiling at him, as he got himself up from his sleepy mode. The memories of the last night were still alive in his mind, rolling in back to back they made him want to fall in sleep again. The shaft of the sun shimmered on the dew droplets on the trees, and bits by bits the rays started penetrating his room too.
"Maa, did you need something?" Ranveer asked, sitting up.
"Can't I come to you for your sake only?" his mother replied, her tone as kind as ever.
"No, no. I didn't mean that," he said embarrassingly.
"You don't spend your time with us anymore, Ranveer, and you are too busy to stay in your own home. After how many days have I seen you? That concerns me," his mother said sadly.
Ever since they had moved to London, and Ranveer had achieved the biggest goal of his life, he had engaged himself in his work completely, not giving much time to himself or his family. He often blamed himself for his parents' miseries, because he had refused to leave the Parekh Mansion due to his love. But in the end his parents had suffered what he could never have imagined: they were humiliated to the worst and the memories of the darkest night of their lives were still as fresh as if the incident had occurred few moments ago. His mother hated everyone who had done this to them, but she held no grudge against them, for she knew her son had reached on the heights of success after all the rejections and insults of theirs. She was at ease now that no one would ever call her son a mere servant. Having been through the phase of poverty, rejection, humiliation and hatred Amba very well understood the importance of life, money and status that her son had given them. She had tried her best to make him not feel guilty over the past but the wounds had its roots deeper and even time refused to heal them. Nevertheless she was a proud mother of Ranveer Vaghela who the world knew as RV.
Both mother and son were lost in their thoughts, Amba looking at Ranveer curiously, when he replied, "There're many deals to finalize, and lots of other work to do. I try to spend as much time with you, Maa, as possible, but few business things cannot be ignored. I promise once these deals are done I will be back, and for a longer time."
"You are busy with the Parekh deal, right?"
Ranveer looked surprised, "How do you know?"
"Why shouldn't I? I'm your mother. And the way you are changing for a couple of days it's evident something is happening to you, and I fear again..."
"Maa, don't worry. The partnership is only a professional one. I don't want Mota Babuji's work to be forgotten that is why I'm helping Ishani. And she needs a support at this moment when she is going through the worst. Mota Babuji would never have imagined his family, his daughter to suffer like this. I owe him a lot, and this is the only way I can do that."
With the name Ishani' reaching her ears, Amba's eyes got filled with tears. She still could sense Ranveer had those buried feelings in him that had left him shattered 2 years ago. She knew this even though he had not let her know this in these years thinking she might get upset. Ranveer had been very careful about his actions since then, but a mother's heart could see through the layers disguising his real self.
"I don't want anything happen to you."
"Mom, don't worry about me; the lesson is learned," Ranveer said smiling.
Amba still was not convinced but at Ranveer's insistence she promised him not to think too much as due to her growing age over thinking could be harmful.
After Amba left Ranveer got up from the bed, and took a deep breath as the cold breeze was making its way into his room. As the time passed he felt his heart fluttering with a new hope; a sacred emotion springing up from the depths of his heart in a strange anticipation of everything to go well. With the new morning dashing up a new beginning had approached of which neither Ranveer nor Ishani were aware; and perhaps neither of them still could understand the intention of the nature.
comment:
p_commentcount