Ranjan came looking for them, Mr B was here and Gurti, it was close to 10 PM, her parents had ate and left already, They had to be at work and Amma had to pick up her book writing, it had around 27 chapters and they were barely on 9... they hoped to get it published jumping the bureaucratic hoops during summer
Vandu and Bala were ready to leave as well she was told.
Chachu's family was here making the most of the occasion keeping all business acquaintances lawyers, partners in good mood
Chachu made it a point that his sons were "in constant touch" with all
She didn't know where her husband was..the French dudes were here and Thai, Mihir was missing... Naina and him "checked out" early
Ranjan was on a "high" of sorts, cheerful chatty, lively, with no press anywhere around he had nothing to fear. Nothing unsavory will be written about him or his family
The top people from Excelsior were here and the people from KMPG and accomplished people from business and industry. II had invited her team to the wedding, and her best friends, she didn't have any names to give to Sam when she was drawing up the Reception list. The family attorneys, Auditors, family physicians, Embassy delegates from the neighborhood...the bankers, wealth managers..some Delhi Govt politicians
It was basically a whos who of Delhi power brokers, II introduced as many as possible to Amma and Appa, mostly Appa received respect and humility from the guests, a few not so pleasant responses... Appa was not swayed by either. Very impassive. Appa epitomized everything ethical and principled about work life, many that were here tonight were the exact opposite in principles and ambition and hunger for power
Appa would never be comfy in such a setting, if she were not married to the heir of such a family she wouldn't be either. By choosing to marry a man like R&B she had consciously overlooked not only her Appa's principles but many of her own
She chose to ignore it for now, because the joy he brought her in this moment surpassed any/all lofty principles she ever held. This was her parallel universe and it had become her "main universe", she existed within now... the feisty arguments she had with Appa about corruption and unaccounted for wealth seemed like a joke
She was "part of them"
She could bet she saw it in Appa's eyes when she introduced the people to him.
She was the complete unadulterated essence of Appa's values and ideology, she was interested in it deeply. Akka married before she turned 25, and Akka was Amma's favorite, she loved to teach and shared their love for education
II by being the youngest, had received not only Appa's unconditional love but also his deep admiration for how she had approached her life and career, and the common love for ethics and values
Akka worked because she had to raise a family... to an extent... she loved meeting people and did not want to stay home in a joint family... but did not have the passion, zeal and beliefs II had
By marrying R&B II had let Appa down in MANY ways...
the choice of man
His culture
His nature
His attitude
His family
The scandal
the wealth
MOST IMPORTANTLY
She had destroyed Appa's faith in her by choosing a person/family that embodied /symbolized
EVERYTHING that was wrong with Delhi today, Delhi and its way of life.
She could tell Appa wouldn't sleep tonight...
The food was FANTASTIC. Asian, European, American, you name it, they were serving it... except Desi of course
Mr Bansal : KMPG is pleasantly surprised Ms Iyer sorry Mrs Bhalla at the turn of events (satisfied smile)
II:I actually kept my maiden name (squirming)
Gurtej: I see more and more people doing that, so I am not surprised
WELL I DID IT BECAUSE THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE I MAY HAVE TO KEEP IT
EVERY HOUR IT ONLY GETS HARDER AND MORE PAINFUL I CANNOT IMAGINE HOW I WOULD BE IN 2 YEARS FROM NOW OR 5 YEARS FROM NOW... LETTING GO MIGHT ACTUALLY STOP MY HEART
THE VERY THOUGHT KILLS ME TODAY...
Bally: We hear about client provider relationships, but not "this kind"
II smacked Bally
Mr Bansal chuckled "Yes the most difficult ones usually come with pleasant rewards Ms Iyer
Ranjan: She is a great singer... I wish the forum was different I could have asked her to sing for you all
II: No... No... No Dad (afraid)
Ranjan: why not?
II:I WORK with them
Mr B: If u are as good as he says u are u should be excited... Ranjan is very critical of art usually
Ranjan looked on proudly
.
"Maybe some other time when you visit?"
Mr B: If that's an invitation for South Indian food I will accept it right now
II nodded shyly
Gurtej :Bally says you talk a lot but u seem very quiet
Bally: Gurti give here a month or two, she is still scoping out the opposition when she settles down she might not let u get a word in
II giggled " That's not true"
BallY: talk to the husband, he has stood there for 7 minutes with not a word out of his mouth
Mr Bansal: Well I wish you well, the natural progression is starting a family, I am sure Bally cannot imagine your absence for months
II:He doesn't have to worry I have no plans as of now.
Mr Bansal: Really? WHY is that?
II: well.. it seems crazy for women to have a career and kids...chasing both usually means being half good in both so... I picked the easy way
Mr Bansal: But KMPG and corporate India is very welcoming of life events like family expansion u know
II: But a man wanting to raise a family is more welcomed than a woman who
harbors such desires, in fact studies show, a new father is seen as stable grounded and permanent settle down, have kids... u know
, a pregnant female employee is a flight risk
R&B: I DONT think its a gender issue
II: Why would you say that?
Mr Bansal and Gurtej excused themselves when Ranjan wanted them to meet a politician
R&B: the fact that since 1970 women have made huge gains in income relatively speaking while men's income has been stagnant.
Forget that women are on track to keep increasing their salary relative to men.
II: Men are rewarded for talking about having family values. They are not rewarded for actually wanting to be around their families.
R&B: I think its an equal responsibility meant to be shared exactly like that
II Mommy effectively becomes a single parent,
while Daddy relentlessly pursues his career and the amassing wealth and professional success
R&b:Again this is not a gender issue
II: As a female manager I was expected to be sexist against women who were in the childbearing zone.
That's not to say I didn't hire them...but in general if it came down to an equal choice,
man or woman who looked ready to start her family, I was expected to choose the man.
My department was understaffed and overworked, and I was told the company couldn't afford the luxury of new mothers who,
after being trained for the job, would then take six months off, leaving me and the department scrambling to backfill the hole her absence created.
R&B: Well I cant speak for the company you worked for before, children's cognitive, emotional, and social development,
as well as their levels of happiness and self-esteem, are TOTALLY unaffected when two parents work outside the home,
or if the sole earner/breadwinner is the mother so I think your sample may be tainted there.
II: What do u say for fertility harassment from bosses and coworkers alike "Doesnt your husband make enough WHY do you have to work?"
R&B: There are plenty of men who are more qualified than women that cant seem to land or hold a job, companies
let go of men first during layoffs the proprtion of men let go during 2008 recession is hugely disroportionate, its not a gender issue.
There is little interest in news stories of why job cuts hit twice as many men, in a company that has almost equal proprtion of both
II:Ironic that this begins by perpetrating one of the most damaging assumptions -
that it's the woman's choices that bring about unwanted comments, treatment, and discrimination.
Just like what we choose to wear, what we choose to do with our fertility is not the problem here and we must not carry the blame.
II reached for a glass of something to drink
Bally: GUYSS! GUYS!!! GUYS!!
R&B quietly reached for a refill of whatever he was drinking
They were married five days? And their passion for a good fight was INTACT...
Bally went looking for Suman... and the couple ignited each other on fire with their glares
Its any one's guess if they were going to have sex tonight...
This fight... was not over
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