FF: Serendipity Concluded Epilogue/Pg 20 - Page 11

Btw..do you have a face for Maya ? Some actor you would envision in this role. Please share if you do ?

Hi Ranjani, Yep. Some focussed laser surgery was needed for NK to snap out of inertia. Yes I do have a visual of Maya. Look at the video link and description I posted on page 4 at the begining of Part 2 in my Note to Readers 😊 Thank you for always leaving your thoughts and comments🤗

My stories, my updates on this forum and reading your comments, are my stolen moments of respite from the daily grind.

Part 10

If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
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If you can dream---and not make dreams your master;
If you can think---and not make thoughts your aim,

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If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
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If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings---nor lose the common touch,
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If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And---which is more---you'll be a Man, my son!

~ Excerpts from the poem 'IF' by Rudyard Kipling

February - June

Shantivan, New Delhi

NK let himself into a quiet and subdued Shantivan late at night. He had changed his plans in the last minute and had flown to Goa from Kolkata to meet his friend Ryan who had abandoned Kerala in favor of Goa and was soaking up the sun.

After a week of poring over possibilities and plans, Ryan and NK struck gold with a theme and ideas. Andy had joined them in Goa as well. Ryan was in on the whole crazy plan as he called it; Andy was in as well. NK smiled. His first step towards his future and a small victory for him at the outset; he now had a trusted team.

He returned to Shantivan late in the night from the airport. He let himself in quietly, and was tip toeing past the corridor when the lights turned on and he felt his ear being twisted.

"NK Bhai, did you really think you could get away by tip-toeing in like a thief. This is not Sydney, where you can take off at the drop of a hat and return when your heart takes fancy to do so," chided Anjali di a fierce expression on her normally gentle face. "We were worried about you".

"Sorry Di", NK apologized and glossed over his trip ending with "when I found out Ryan was in Goa, I left on an impulse to tour Goa" he said, squirming inwardly at his little white lie.

Anjali smiled. It was not in her forgiving nature to be upset with her brothers for long. "Well! You must be fatigued and famished. Let me serve you dinner. Come," she said, leading him by his hand to the dining table.

NK was absorbed in his work the rest of the week. And on the promised day, he gave Arnav a preview of his proposal, including concept, theme, and graphics prototype. Arnav was pleasantly surprised and decided to have him present the proposal to his management staff.

"Ladies & Gentlemen, this is then the concept and theme'. 'More' Mitti ke Rang'(Colors of my land)" finished NK, switching off the lights and sounds show he had been playing as part of his overall presentation, replete with stunning photographs surrounding a model ramp. He walked over to the wall farthest from where he stood, in an attempt to ease his anxiety and turned on the lights overhead.

There were murmurs of appreciation and general nodding of heads. Akash looked like he was struck by lightning. Give us a moment Mr. Gohil, Mr. Roy and Mr. Raff, we will call you back in shortly, said Arnav standing up and held the door open for them to pass through.

A brief discussion followed. Everyone loved the presentation and the theme. The slight concern was that this was the production company's first ever project of this kind, and a couple of managers voiced their concern over the risk involved in dealing with fledgling companies with no proven execution track record.

"Akash?" questioned Arnav looking at the CFO of AR Group.

"Bhai (Brother), risks are core to any business decision. I think NK has struck gold here. We also will not be able to get another production house that understands our sensibilities to this extent and at such a short time. Besides, NK has a heavy stake in this venture given the connections. I think we should finalize the deal."

Arnav let the team soak in Akash's opinion. The gentler of the Raizadas had a reputation amongst AR's staff, of being a very pragmatic boss who thought things through calmly. Presently they reached a consensus.

"Akash, I could not have said it better. Gentlemen it's agreed then, I think a fresh, new and young company that is hungry to establish itself will be eager to serve our needs well. The fact that NK is my brother notwithstanding, I would have awarded this company our contract based on the prototype I just saw, not to mention the quality of the presentation or the expertise of the lead team. The fact that this would give me the ultimate pleasure of refuting Khanna & Khanna Media work's for their betrayal is just the icing on the cake." declared Arnav as he adjourned the meeting and buzzed his secretary to send the gentlemen back up to his cabin.

The reminder of the three months passed by in a blur for NK. He had lost track of the number of hours he had worked in a day. Establishing a company while delivering on a project was like building a plane and flying it at the same time. NK had never imagined that he would be this thrilled and satisfied with such intense work, but he constantly surprised himself with what he was able to achieve.

Nannav's connections made it a breeze to get through the legalities of incorporating a company and getting all the required approvals. Ryan was the production master mind and Andy supplied him with skilled manpower to chug out the computerized animation and graphics. NK's photographs added color and drama as he manned the enterprise and steered it the right way.

Maya was in constant touch with NK but could not get him to divulge much about what he was doing other than the fact that everything was proceeding per plan. She was desperate to see him, touch him and assure herself that everything was ok. Mr. Iyer very nearly gave in several times when he saw the lost look that crept on his daughter's face when she thought no one was looking.

Days and weeks flew by and it was soon end of May. Maya clicked open the email memo that arrived in her inbox one bright morning. It was the premier invitation to AR Designs Annual Fashion Reveal that went out to all of AR group's senior management. Her heart thumped in her chest as she read the date ' June 6^th. That was just a week away. Now she had a legitimate excuse to be in Delhi and see her Nandu for herself. She spun her chair around giddily; giving vent to her excitement and joy at the prospect. It had been more than four long months since their parting kiss in Kolkata, and all the video chats had not made up for not being with Nandu in flesh and blood.

NK had sworn Arnav and Akash to secrecy and they kept the details of NK's project under wraps agreeing to reveal it only after the fashion show. As a result, the entire family in India as well as his dad and mom in Australia were clueless as to what was keeping NK busy. They put it down to his 'Bharat ki Sair program'(Tour of India fever) as Khushi had labeled it.

NK had almost gotten away with it, that is until last night, when Khushi had guessed something was up when she had entered his room bringing him his dinner.

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June 01, 2013

Shantivan, New Delhi.

NK woke up to streaming sunlight. He took one look at the clock and nearly jumped out of bed as he realized with a start that it was well past ten in the morning. Looking around, he spotted the untouched plate of food that Khushiji had brought in last night. Remorse washed over him. It seemed like eons since he had slept in this late.

He quickly showered changed and rushed down. Handing his untouched dinner plate to HP, he apologized profusely to Khushi holding on to the tips of his earlobes. Khushi frowned but decided to stay mum on that issue. There were other things that she wanted to hound her Nanhe about that day.

"Nanhe ji I hope you remember your promise from last night! Tonight's the night. We will all be waiting to hear what you have to tell us by the poolside adjacent to the living room, after dinner" shouted Khushi after a departing NK.

" Yeah! Yeah! Khushi ji" yelled back NK as he rushed out the door.

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There was a long spell of utter silence following NK's narration. The sounds of the night by the pool rushed in to fill the sudden void. The entire family, Mamaji, Mamiji, Khushi, Arnav, Payal, Akash, Naani and Lakshmi, even the Prakash brothers (HP, OP and JP) who had gathered around at the poolside by the living room, sat in hushed silence.

NK had narrated his entire tale. How he had wooed Maya, and how they had affirmed their feelings for each other, Iyer uncle's expectation and his promise to his future father-in-law, that had prompted him to start his business venture. He left out the details of his project and its connection to AR group for the present.

Khushi was the first to recover. "Wow! Nanheji. This has all the makings of a Salman Khan blockbuster. I have no doubt in my mind that you will succeed in whatever it is that you are doing with your project. Devi Mayya will definitely bring you and Maya together before long. Mark my words." Exclaimed Khushi.

"Thank you Khushi ji. By the way, I owe it all to Nannav. But for Nannav, I would not have even met Maya, or have had a chance to woo her. Without his coaching and mentoring, I would not have made such progress with my project. I do owe you Bro! Big time. Thank you."

And you are welcome!" said Arnav smirking at his cousin, intent on underplaying his role in this matter.

"You, dear NK bhai, have turned out to be quite a dark horse; nay, pardon me. I should say quite a Romeo!" Teased Akash.

Anjali di joined in the banter, "At last you have found your soul mate, your dream lover, NK bhai. But you have not divulged any details about your project in your narration."

"My dear Di, for that, you just have to wait a little longer. Just a teeny little while longer" drawled NK in his signature sing song style, switching from intense entrepreneur to fun loving NK.

"Hello, Hai, Bye, Bye, NK bituwa, Bhaat eeej happens to our pfamily? It eej as if all the girls have taken an oath to makeover the boys of this pfamily. Anyway, I am sure Meerah bill be bery bery happy." Stated Maami as Mamaji nodded and raised his hand in blessing.

"All of this really great. But I wonder, who will break the news to Madhumati ji that her Nand Kisore is taken?" quipped Naani tongue-in-cheek, hearing which, Payal's and Khushi's mouths fell open in astonishment and the family broke out into peals of laughter.

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atlast nk got succeced😃

vaiting for nk-mayas dhamakedar reunioun

as it will be along with d family memebers wedding bells ringing😉😆

lovely update...

continue soon