Reality & Fantasy
"He was always planning to sell the farm, kiddo, you were hoping a few good harvests would make him change his mind, or a few years of good weather would" Bally said looking deeply at her
they both drank their iced tea quietly
He let her eat his slice of brownie
"Pati ne meethe ki aadat band nahi karwayi?" he chuckled
"No, he encourages it, there is some thing or the other in the kitchen counter when I go home,
they are so well connected somebody or the other brings candy, otherwise he instructs the help to go beg for candy from the Zambian embassy" she laughed
"Arey wah!!" he smiled indulgently
"It was too good to be true, nahi?" she asked softly
"Uh" Bally stuttered
"He wants me to quit and go with him"
Bally looked shocked
"Bus yoon hi?" he asked
"Haan bus yoon hi" she said
"I am not there doing that shit, Bhavna's gone, req abhi approve nahi hua, my replacment may be finalized by this week, difficult yaar" Bally said bluntly
"I know that, thats why I didnt say "I want to quit" I said "He wants me to quit" II said somberly
"So he will change his mind?" he asked
"Highly unlikely" she muttered
"To?'
"He will go" she nodded as if she was testing saying that thing out aloud, as if that conclusion had been reached internally for a while now but Bally was the first to hear it
Bally leaned back..
"U are foolish enough to marry him and not foolish enough to follow him?" Bally asked
"Aisa hi lag raha hai nahi?" she asked
"Kyon kar rahi hai yaar?' almost as if he wanted her quit and go with the dude
"Tab aqal nahi thi, ab aa chuki hai" she said giggling
"Is aqal ka koi fayda nahi hai boss" Bally reminded her
"What if I give up everything and go and he decides he really didnt want me to join him, this was his polite way of showing me the door" II asked
"In that case why would he expect u to quit and go with him?" Bally argued
She didnt have an answer
"OK I back up a bit, this job is 50% of what I am the other 50% being him.. umm.. I mean us... ermm.. u know my lo.. life" she stumbled
He nodded cautiously
"I leave this go with him and then we realize this wont work, tab?" she asked
"That can happen even here, when he works out of the home office na?" Bally asked
"Woh baat sahi hai, but when he works out of his home office I will still have my KMPG life"
"U think this show of separation or actual separation from his family is the recurring trait of a vagabond in him?" Bally asked
She did not respond
"Hes never been here in India more than 2 or 4 weeks at a time he says, even when he had an office in Gurgaon he never did" she shook her head
"Offo!!" Bally was troubled
"He loves Paris now he says, he takes public transport to work, cooks his own meals, does his laundry,
walks and walks everywhere, lives like a non celebrity, non entity
anonymously
I bet the Bhallas know of 100s of wealthy Punjabis across Paris but he is not in touch with any, doesnt seek out any one"
"Can u live like that?' Bally asked taking notes as fast as he could as he looked at her piercingly.
She shook her head
Bally's heart sank
"Atleast abhi to main woh karoon na jo sahi hai?" she asked for approval
"Let him go by himself?" Bally asked
She nodded as her eyes filled up with tears
"Tum dono ne shaadi ko ek khel samajh rakha hai, hamare zamaane mein pati patni ek doozre ka saath kabhi nahi chhodte the, saat pheron mein ek yeh vachan bhi hota hai" Bally spoke theatrically trying to lighten her mood
"It does seem like it doesnt it?" she asked inaudibly between tears
"U BOTH were in a hurry, yaar, he should have quit before the shaadi, but the AGM didnt happen, or the wedding could have happened after the AGM" bally speculated
"Mujhe jaldi thi" she nodded ashamed
"Will he come see u every few weeks?" Bally asked
"Maine poochha nahi" she said humbly
"Tu jaayegi?" he asked
OH YES I WILL
I WILL GO EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT
AND MAKE EVERY EXCUSE NOT TO GET ON THE PLANE SUNDAY NIGHT
I WILL BE "SICK" FREQUENTLY SO I CAN TAKE EXTRA DAYS OFF RIGHT "AROUND" MONDAY OR FRIDAY
SO I CAN BE WITH HIM
I WILL FIGHT THE WHOLE TIME I AM THERE
OR BE IN BED THE WHOLE TIME
I WILL MAKE HIM COOK FOR ME, GIVE ME MASSAGES DO MY LAUNDRY
HE WILL BE MY SLAVE
I WILL NOT LET HIM READ ONE PAGE OF A BOOK
I WILL HIDE IT ALL
I WILL LOCK THE DOOR AND THROW THE KEYS AWAY
"Shaayad nahi" she lied
So she lowered her gaze unable to meet Bally's gaze directly
"Bache kaise hain, Ankur Anay" she asked
"Aish kar rahe hain nalayak" Bally smiled.
"We should get all the boys together one day at Samyukta's pool" she smiled
He nodded
"U and Suman are not invited" II smiled
"Thanks yaar ek second main dar gaya tha, kabhi tu mujhe bula legi, saale na raat ko sotey hain na din ko,
I dont even remember what the act feels like any more" Bally laughed hysterically.
"Mere ghar chhod do kisi weekend" "The WHOLE ENTIRE WEEKEND" II offered kindly
"Phir Suman kahegi, "Devvv ekdum JAANWAR ho aap grrr" "As if she didnt know I am an animal" Bally growled smugly
fantasizing a weekend of frenzied love making
He indulgently watched his direct report laugh uncontrollably seated across from him, at his self proclaimed stud like flights of fancy
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