Anchored Tempest - Page 112

The odds

He was summoned first day of return to work at the Bank's India Head’s office to talk about why he did not accept a follow up appointment with the Savarkars

His new boss, the India Head now Sharan Mhatre was furious he was not consulted in such a sensitive political matter

“I am not about to bring every politician’s stooge over to you so you can tell me how I need to deal with them”

“I don’t like where this is going”

“Do you want me to quit?” Aatreya was mad

“No I DON’T want you to quit. This is not about you”

“This IS about me” “I declined a second F2F and now I am standing in your office”

“Do you know who the guys is?”

“What do we do Sharan? Just look the other way, staple a bunch of blank printer paper together and put it through the approval process and grant the funding, we can always write it off as bad debt 10 years from now?”

“trust me I am more pissed than you are” Sharan paced his grand office

“I am not even sure why we are both wasting time”

“Well I am supposed to meet with the CM, it’s a Vittiya Sansthan Sammaan Samaroh (Banker Appreciation Day) or something, the luncheon is from 11 to 4, basically to make sure we doe everything powerful people want us to do”

“Umm?”

“I don’t want to meet the guy that sent this couple over and have to say sorry POLICY”

“What else do you want to say”

“Let me look at it?” “Perhaps”

“Then please do meet with them, the India Head’s time is obviously not that valuable it seems like” Aatreya mocked

“You are loving this aren’t you?”

“Nah… just mocking for the sake of it”

“WHO are these people? Is he related to a politician?”

“Nope, his wife used to be married to a man who was well connected in interior Maharashtra among orange grove owners, and sugarcane farmers”

“Oh? Who?”

“sagar Ghatge”

“Nope doesn’t ring a bell” sharan looked confused

“Who can knock some sense into them?”

“I don’t think that’s going to work”

“Why? No family? Friends? Kids”

“Political clout trumps everything”

“I just don’t want to go to the board and tell them I am writing off Rs100 crores next year because I am willfully stupid”

“then do not meet them” “I wont”

“I want you to” Sharan squirmed

“And say what?”

“Just re-look at his finances, I am going to promise the CM we are planning to do that”

“U are kidding”

“No I am not”

“there is nothingt o look at except a badly made website”

“Umm.. what did he do the last 30 years of his life the guys 58?”

“I DON’T know” Aatreya was irritated

“Does she come from money? I am told she is expecting a big windfall”

“Ha”

“Help me out here” Sharan begged

“One last meeting, but if you insist on more U will have my resignation”

Aatreya let himself out

Of all the banks in Mumbai of all the people in the world, Mrunalini’s mother and her crook husband had walked into his office

Mrunalini has never actually got back at her mother. Will she do so if she knows her mother is causing problem even for Atty now?

I hope so. 

Atty, share with Mrunalini before anyone else does. She would like to hear from you than anyone else.

Savarkars are using every connection to get a bad loan written for them. Why should the bank do it?

Atty will not sign his name on the loan. Will he be forced into resigning? It could come to that.

Falguni seems to be presenting the picture that she will get money out of Sagar. She will go after Mru's share even.

The trouble will not go away so easily. Atty will have to tell Mru whats going on. It will blow up later.

Nisha, do we get an update today?

Master manipulators

Falguni Savarkar ambushed, Mrunalini yet again one Sunday morning as she was trying to tie a brass lamp on a hook outside her front door

She almost dropped the lamp on her foot upon spotting her mother

“You don’t have maid?” was her first question in Marathi

Mrunalini did not answer nor greet her not open the door to invite her in

She had been spending too much on therapy the last couple months, her panic attack after Falguni’s previous visit was severe

Every  upsetting thing from her childhood reappeared in her mind and spun around for days. This visit was not going to be good either

“umm.. what do you want”

“I want to talk about the man who fathered you”

“the man you married you mean?” she chuckled

It was exhausting and mean but Mrunalini was not prepared to take on her mother at any time

“You want me to stand here?” Falguni looked around with disdain

“This flat is mine, I bought it so why not, every inch outside and inside is pretty and mine” Mrunalini chuckled

“Oh please” she cackled in Marathi

“why are you here?”

“U are my daughter” she smiled

“No I cannot talk to Baba and have him write a check for Rs 10 or 20 lakhs”

“Hardly that”

“You want Rs 1,000 only?” Mrunalini applauded herself for mocking her

Kirti Sahasre opened her wood door and peeked her boys jostled with her in watching the drama as well

One of them asked her where Jaidrith was

“At his Dad’s will be back soon” she smiled at the boys

Kirti and her had a love hate relationship, Kirti was shocked by her sweetness

Mrunalini was seeking distraction

“Lets go inside and talk this neighborhood offers no privacy” Falguni shoved her sun glasses up her head

In a summer dress she looked gorgeous

Mrunalini sighed and opened the door with a groan

The flat was muggy and humid, she hit the AC and shut the front door, the younger one waved at her and asked if he could visit

“In an hour? When Dhru is back?” she told him

“Your boy has friends?” 

Mrunalini bristled there was no way Falguni knew about Dhru’s social anxiety and allergies

Then calmed herself down by taking a few deep breaths and scolded herself for paranoia

“what did you want?”

“Your father owed me money two years ago, I didn’t get”

“I am not in touch with him”

“You are not but he is… I asked for my money he said he doesn’t have any”

“So?”

“I asked him to give me the Bandra flat, its easily 42 crores” Falguni speculated greedily

With a faraway look in her eyes, she looked out the window 42 crores was not enough according to Vipul Savarkar but will have to do for now, if he is going to start being a world famous builder like the Oberois or Ansals

“I don’t have the keys” Mrunalini was bitter, “I left it untouched, I haven’t taken one thing he had put in that place”

“He said its in YOUR name” Falguni was furious

“WHATTT? Why? HOW?” Mrunalini was ballistic

“He says I cannot have it because it is in your name, I want you to sign it over and I need what he has owed me for 3 f----g years now”

“Umm….” Mrunalini paced the living room

Even after running as far away as possible from them her parents stalked her

The stunning observation shook her

She had to sit down, they were still using her their only child to settle scores with each other

She didn’t want their money, she didn’t even want their love anymore

“Its horrible u two would use me this way and manipulate each other through me” “I am so disgusted”

Mrunalini realized these were her PARENTS

She wondered how BOTH parents could be so selfish

There was a knock on the door, it was Atreya & Dhru

Aatreya’s face paled where as Falguni’s lit up in recognition

I do hope we get the next one soon.

This one has left me anxious for now. 

Don't let Mrunalini think worst of Atty, please Nisha.

The guy only means well for her. 

Let this work in favour of Mrunalini.