Serendipity

53

Anupama loved visiting Anuj at work. As the receptionist greeted her and Anuj's secretary came down to help her ride up to the 30th floor, she felt as if she were ascending into the heavens. The AK Group Head Office wasn't even the tallest building in all of Ahmedabad. But to Anupama, the place held a special significance. She enjoyed the recognition this small act gave her. Despite having been married to Vanraj for 26 years, he'd forbidden her from visiting his place of work.

"Baa, I think I've forgotten a file at home," another day, another conversation between the mother-son duo.

"I'm sure that Anupama must have called out to you while you were leaving the house. That good for nothing girl. She always ruins things for you," Leela muttered under her breath.

Vanraj and Anupama had been married five years. Her older son Toshu was four then. Anupama was sitting in the living room playing with the toddler.

"Baa can you look for it near the coffee table. I was working on it this morning before I left. It's a red file with blue lines on it. The cover reads Marketing."

Owing to Leela Shah's peculiar habit of holding the landline receiver at a distance from her ear, Anu could hear everything Vanraj said. She quickly picked up the file and handed it to Leela, who scrunched her face.

"I found it," she informed Vanraj. "Should I send it with Anupama?"

Anu smiled. She had never visited her husband at work, although many women in the neighborhood spoke about their husband's workplaces. She too wanted to visit him and be able to tell them things about how her husband's office looked like. Eager, she strained her ears to hear Vanraj's response.

A long pause ensued.

"Vanraj, are you still there?"

"Yes..yes Baa, I'm still there."

Another pause, and then a question.

"Is Bapuji around?"

Leela humphed. "No, he isn't. He's gone to meet an old friend of his."

Another pause from Vanraj.

"It's okay Baa. That file is not that urgent. Just keep it safe. I'll take it from you when I come home."

As Leela placed the receiver back, she taunted Anupama. "My son is so ashamed of you, he would rather get told off by his Boss for not having done his work than have you visit his workplace."

The elevator dinged, indicating Anupama's arrival on the exclusive floor. As she stepped into Anuj's office, she looked at the sun setting against the Ahmedabad skyline. She could watch this all day. She would never grow tired of it. She walked up to the glass wall and gently placed her hand on it. The cold glass stung her warm palm. She wasn't dreaming. All of this, however hard to believe, was real.

*****

"Anu, I'm glad you came."

She looked up to see Anuj walking towards the couch, a bluish-grey file in his hand, his loose tie haphazardly slung across his shoulder. Any other man would've looked like a clown. But Anuj, it wouldn't matter if he was dressed in rags, he would still look like a king.

Shaking her head, she made her way up to him.

"What made you think I wouldn't?"

"You never responded to my text."

Anu had the decency to look ashamed. "I'm sorry, I..."

"It doesn't matter. You're here now." He patted on the sofa asking her to sit down. "I want you to see this."