April 17, 2021
EPISODE 14 **MAHA EPISODE**
Pallavi asked Krishna, âWhat time did you tell Kirti to come for the interview?â
Krishna said, âI didnât provide her with a specific time, Didi. When I called her yesterday, she didnât pick up. But she called me in the evening and said she would come mid-morning. She accompanies her mom to the hospital for dialysis so she said she would come after that.â
Pallavi responded, âHow awful! Asha Auntyâthat is Rahulâs mom, our Mansiâs future mother-in-law, you knowâshe was on dialysis until she received a new kidney. She said dialysis was awful. Not just for her, but she felt so guilty because it made her entire family beholden to those appointments. You canât make plans. You canât go on holidays.â
Krishna lifted a saree and said, âHow about this one?â
Pallavi and Krishna were pulling stock to show Kirti some of their most popular designs as a guideline.
âNo,â Pallavi replied, âI prefer the green one.â
Krishna laughed, âIf we had it your way, Didi, we would sell only green sareesââ she interrupted herself, and went to the front of the shop, ââThatâs her! Thatâs Kirti. I recognize her from her Instagram profile. Isnât she pretty?â
âVery pretty,â Pallavi agreed, coming to her feet, to watch the young lady approach.
Kirti climbed up the three steps into the shop.
Krishna welcomed her, and ushered her to the back.
âDidi, this is Kirti Ajit,â Krishna introduced her to Pallavi.
âHi! Iâm Pallavi Deshmukh. Krishna showed me your artwork online. You do beautiful work.â
Pallavi saw from Kirtiâs response that though young, she was confident. She spoke with poise. âThank you, Didi. I love art. Drawing. Design. Painting. Itâs the only thing Iâve ever wanted to do with my life.â
Pallavi smiled, âYou make me quite envious. Of all the talents I most admire are drawing and singing. I can do neither. Krishna show Kirti the sarees we pulled. Iâll just get my order book.â
When Pallavi went to the desk, she noticed a well-built young man leaning against the pillar directly opposite the shop. He had his eyes on Kirti.
A boyfriend? A brother?
She returned to join Kirti and Krishna who were chatting in animated tones.
âIâm not sure whether Krishna indicated to you what our circumstances areâ?â Pallavi began.
Krishna was more succinct. âWe need help but we have no money.â
Kirti looked shocked.
Pallavi expanded, âWe are in no position to hire a designerâyet, unless we begin to produce original sarees for the younger market, weâll never improve our sales.â
âI agree,â Kirti said. âI did check your shopâs social media and your designs are very old-fashioned.â She spokeâand then seemed to regret it. She immediately apologized. âForgive me. That was rude. Amma always reprimands me because my brother is blunt to a fault and she fears Iâm turning out that way.â
Pallavi laughed. âNo need to apologize. You spoke truthfully. Which is what we need. This is my Babaâs shop. He started it thirty-five years ago, and his original designs are so precious to him that he has never expanded.â
Krishna added, âBut Didi has been running the shop for a year and she understands that the business has to change with the times.â
âHow can I help?â Kirti asked.
Pallavi opened her notebook. âWould you be amenable to a joint venture? You would design sarees that would appeal to younger women; we would pay for the production, and you would receive a cut of each saree sold.â
Krishna added, âThe labels would reflect that they are your designs exclusively for DSE. We could cross-market them on social media.â
Kirti didnât respond immediately. And her thoughtful expression was unreadable.
Pallavi and Krishna exchanged worried looks.
Krishna offered, âWhy donât you think about it overnight?â
âI dont have to,â Kirti said. âI accept. It sounds like such a fun project.â
Pallavi jumped up with joy. Krishna impulsively hugged Kirti.
In truth, when Krishna had first suggested the concept of a joint venture to Pallavi after admiring Kirtiâs work on Instagram, Pallavi had not been too enthusiastic.
No, let me restate that, Sisters.
Pallavi had thought the idea worth pursuing but she had hesitated because Baba was adamant that his shop carry only his original designsâand she was not sure how to convince him.
But as the circumstances of the shop grew more dire, she realized that something had to be done. Again and again, she noticed that mothers bought sarees for themselves at DSE but never for their betis and bahus. For that they went to other shops.
Finally Pallavi decidedâafter a disappointing day in which they had not sold a single saree!âto proceed without Babaâs permission. He always told her it was her shopâso why not make the decision herself?
If the plan succeeded she would tell him she had brought in a new line. And would mollify him by showing him how well the new sarees were selling.
Kirti was saying, âI know there will be no objection, but I must just check at home before I commit fully.â
âOf course, you must check with your family members.â Pallavi approved of the young womanâs manners.
âItâs just Amma,â Kirti said.
Pallavi couldnât help asking, âThat young man waiting for youâis that your blunt-speaking brother?â
Kirti looked to where Pallavi indicated.
Immediately, the glowing excitement drained from Kirtiâs face, her lips curled with disgust. âNo, that is not my brother. He follows me everywhere I go.â
Krishna frowned. âBut why?â
Kirti began to answerâbut then shrugged, and said, âIt doesnât bother me. Iâm used to it.â
Pallavi said, âThatâs unacceptable!â
***
In appearance, the police inspector, Swamy, would not have commanded much authority. He resembled more a comical uncle than a man who headed a constabulary. But appearance aside, he was of immeasureable value to a man like Raghav Rao because he was venal. And he had access to men and resources.
He was leaving the Palace just as Farhad and Harish were entering.
Farhad noted that Raghavâs expression was not jubilantâbut nor did he appear dejected.
âGood news on the Anjali woman?â Farhad asked.
âA disloyal woman such as Anjali can never be good news,â Raghav pronounced.
He moved from the lounge to the bar and poured himself a scotch.
The two men exchanged looks. They knew their employer to be a committed drinker but this was a bit early in the day.
Raghav took a sip and said, âAnjaliâs not in Hyderabad.â Adding after another sip, âWith the shame of her wedding being called off, she left for Mumbai. According to Swamy, sheâs been there for the past month. Enrolled in acting school.â
Farhad sighed, âSo she cannot be responsible for the video. Sagar Lake security is still checking who accessed the camera footage. It might be someone acting alone for some other motive unrelated to Anjali.â
âNot so quick,â Raghav cautioned. âThe casino-burqa girl could still have been engaged by Anjali. She might even be from Mumbai. Maybe theyâre in acting school together. She successfully convinced me she was an escort. And then by donning a burqa convinced me she was your cousin.â
Farhad thought out loud. âThat would explain why we had difficulty finding her. Nobody recognised her because she is not from here.â
Raghav said, âSwamyâs contact in Mumbai will meet us tomorrow morning and take us to the acting school. Hopefully theyâll both be there together. Two birds; one stone.â
Farhad gave a nod and suggested, âIâll book the jet for eight? Eight-thirty?â
âAlso book a meeting with Mrs Tarabai Raje in the afternoon. As weâll be in Mumbai, I want to meet her in person,â Raghav added.
Farhad was turned awayâin the process of making flight arrangements on the phoneâbut at Raghavâs words, he ended the call and turned back to face Raghav.
âShe has already declined our offer, Annah.â
Raghav drained his glass, and asked, âShe shut the door so I should walk away?â
Farhad said, âShe was quite clear. How did she put it? âJayati Jewellers does not appear to be a good fit for Raje Hotels.â â
Raghav laughed. âSuch an elegant diplomatic lady. What she meant wasââYou are a gangster. I am royalty. Goodbye.â â
âSo why press the matter?â Farhad asked. âThere are other hoteliers who would be happy to have us in their properties. We donât need to partner with those who believe they are superior to us because they were born into wealth and position.â
âNo,â Raghav said, âthat is where you are wrong, Farhad. I came to open doors. Not disdain doors shut in our faces. I am more determined than ever to have JJ boutiques in all Raje hotels. I wonât be kept out of where I want to be. Book an appointment with her for tomorrow afternoon.â
Farhad nodded, but it was clear that he did not agree. With each communication with Raje Hotels, his dislike for the matriarch founderâMrs Tarabai Rajeâhad grown. She spoke to Raghav as if he was unworthyâbut did it in that veiled manner which the rich often use to hide their prejudice.
Raghav was speaking with Harish. âWhy the doleful face, Gorilla?â
Harishâs face dropped lower and he looked even more dejected than when he had entered the Palace.
Farhad gave a laugh. âIâve reassigned him. Johnny will now be Kirtiâs bodyguard.â
Raghav slammed his glass down on the bartop and demanded, âJust like that? Without asking me?â
âI had to, Annah. Harish was compromised.â
âCompromised? How so?â Raghav asked, looking between the two men. âWe are not RAW agents. Chelli already knows that Harish keeps an eye on her. Itâs for her own safety from our enemies.â
Farhad threw up his hands and said to Harish. âExplain to Annah what happened.â
Harish came forward. âAfter Ammaâs dialysis appointment this morning, Kirti dropped Amma at home and went shopping. She went into a saree shop. I was opposite the road. As usual. Keeping my eye on her. Making sure there was no danger. The shop had an open front so I could observe from a distanceââ
Raghav interrupted him, ââGive me the breaking news headlines not the entire tv-serial.â
âThe saree shop lady ran across the road and started taping me with her phone!â Harish declared in wounded tones.
âWhat?!â Raghav asked, and looked at Farhad for explanation.
Farhad said, smothering a laugh. âIt gets better. Hear the rest.â
Harish continued. âWhile recording, she warned me that if I didnât stop following Kirti around, she would make the video public on her brotherâs YouTube channel. He has one lakh followers, she said. Everyone in Hyderabad would know what a despicable man I am for stalking a young woman. My friends would abandon me. My family would be mortified. And forget about any shaadi ka rishtas.â
âThe saree shop lady said this to you?â Raghav asked.
âYes!â Harish stated.
âHow did you respond?â
âI legged it, Annah.â
Raghav then turned to Farhadâand asked, âFarhad, did you lie to me when you told me that Harish the Gorilla won the state wrestling championship?â
Farhad burst into laughter.
Raghav was laughing equally hard, leaning on the bar for support.
Harish was clearly disgusted with the two men who were supposed to be his allies. âYou didnât see this woman. Sheâs a dragon.â
Raghav grabbed his jacket and told Harish and Farhad, âLetâs go pay this terrifying creature a visit. Nobody threatens my Gorilla.â
Edited by JalebiJane - 3 years ago
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