Her call was answered in the second ring itself.
"Hello...Mr Pandit?"
"Well, My name is Shyamlal Acharya. Are you looking out for me?"
Ananya was taken aback. She had dialled the number that Khalid had passed on to her. And he had addressed the man as PanditJi. Wasn't that his name then? Or had she dialled a wrong number?
No, the number was correct.
"Hello, Mr Acharya, My name is Ananya Kashyap. Mr Khalid asked me to contact you.."
The voice softened at the other end.
"Oh Hello Ananya. I had asked Khalid for an experienced field reporter for a short time assignment. I understand you have agreed to it. Why don't you come to my office right away? We can sort these details here itself..."
She glanced at Khalid who gave her a small nod.
She quietly gathered her bag and hailed the first cab in sight. As the prominent KKN building vanished behind a turn, a strange premonition struck root.
Did she just embark on a one way journey? probably never to return...
____
The building was quite dilapidated, in complete contrast to the swanky place where she worked till now. A single man in the lobby squinted at her press card and then spoke into a phone; within minutes a woman security officer was going through her shoulder bag.
She was then made to go through a metal detector arch and finally shown to a small but neat waiting area.
"Phew. What a place...looks like..." she muttered under her breath.
"Ms Kashyap, I presume?" She never got to complete her sentence.
A middle aged man with eyes that exuded kindness and confidence, Panditji could have passed on for a college professor any day. His thatch of thick grey hair desperately needed a grooming session; or did he have a habit of ruffling his hair every now and then? His shirt was rumpled, with the creases standing out like the veins in a calloused arm. He didnt wear a tie: a few buttons were open, showing just a hint of greying chest hair. Furthermore the grey trousers were supported by an indispensable pair of suspenders. Well, there was no possibility of the trousers staying with his portly body otherwise.
In short, Panditji was a complete contrast to Khalid. No wonder they gelled together so well: was it an attraction for the opposite? She herself took an instant liking for him. He was so different from the stiff starched formal people that she had encountered during her stay at KKN.
He coughed softly and she came back to the present.
"Yes Sir...My Name is Ananya!"
"Fine, Ananya...if I may?" She nodded and he continued, "Please call me PanditJi. Everyone here calls me that, even though my formal name is something different. By the way, how is Kabir?"
It felt like a splash of cold water. What was the connection? Would he also admonish her on her broken relationship?
PanditJi sought to clarify on her obvious discomfiture.
"Kabir is my protg. He sprouted journalism wings in my tutelage. When he left for KKN, I was both disappointed and happy...He has immense potential to grow further. The last contact I had with him was after the kidnapping by Baaghi Madhonath. We spoke for about half an hour..."
"And after that?"
"After that I had to go underground for some other reason and...just lost contact! This is quite normal in the world of journalism, a fast moving industry. Even one day late and the news is stale!" PanditJi laughed at his own joke and Ananya managed a feeble smile, her mind miles away.
So this man didn't know about her failed relationship. Good, in a way. It would help her forget! She never realized when they started walking together. Ananya was sure she could never figure her way out of this labyrinthine building.
PanditJi, on the other hand, knew this layout like the back of his hand. He paused in front of a room bearing his name.
"PanditJi, what is the assignment?"
"I will tell you in a while. Ah, here is my room..."
Ananya emerged out of the room after half an hour, totally satisfied with her decision of working with PanditJi.
Back to work...and forget the past!
------
Singapore, 6 months later.
Aye Ajnabi, Tu Bhi Kabhi, Awaaz De Kahin Se...Main Yahan Tukdo Main Jee Raha Houn...'
The man reclining in an easy chair gazed at the moon with vacant eyes.
He had tossed and turned in his bed and had given up the pursuit after a while. Softly padding to the kitchen for a cup of strong black coffee, he had recanted to the easy chair on the terrace with a sole companion for the night, the moon.
What was she doing now? How was she? Had she moved on?
Well, it was about 6 months since he had left KKN and taken charge of this new business venture in Singapore. Time had flown by as he struggled to understand its nuances and then finally settled down with his team. The company had arranged a posh flat for his residence and taken care of his other needs through a housekeeping arrangement.
Well, life was hectic: he rose early at the crack of dawn and started his day with his first mug of the black brew. Then a jog and a refreshing shower followed by a light breakfast, he was at his desk by sharp 9. His secretary would troop in shortly after with the day's schedule.
Life was almost robotic. But wasn't it like that always? Save for the brief deceptive interlude when he was in a relationship with Ananya?
Kabir felt drowsy with impending stupor. That phase of his life was over. When someone cared for him. Or when he looked forward to some sort of company. Or just looked forward...
----
The next day dawned as usual. Kabir was midway through the tasks outlined by his google calendar when he realized that an acute need for his morning sustenance.
He was about to take his mug and move to his desk when someone bumped into him. He turned around in shock.
"S..soo...sorry Sir, actually I...No...you were...turning...No, I was..."
He raised his hand to stop the incoherent babbling. It was more of an attempt to stop an old memory from flooding his senses.
"Who are you? And can't you speak something sensible, for a change?"
The girl cowered in fright. This was not what she had expected from the suave Site Head. Was it her fault that he had turned around abruptly? Tears welled in her eyes. A few people stopped by to investigate the fracas and Kabir bellowed further.
"Oh for God's sake speak up!"
"What's the matter, Kabir? A fresh calm voice interrupted the storm before it could pickup further.
Malvika, looking prim and proper as ever, propelled Kabir to her room, signalling for the onlooker crowd to leave.
"What was all that, Kabir?"
Kabir stared at her with vacant eyes.
"Are all interns bumbling, stumbling and incoherent like..."
"Like..?"
There was no reply. Malvika looked up to see Kabir walk out of the room.
She sighed inwardly. Kabir hadn't moved on at all!
Anupamaa
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