Vodka on the rocks

Part - 1

A month and a half back 

Rao Mansion, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad

The middle aged man sighed in exasperation as the dour faced security personnel stared at him from his six feet three height like he was but some insignificant insect beneath the sole of his mirror polished shoe. 

If Milind Deshmukh hadn't been so utterly desperate to meet his daughter, he would have been very, very scared of the giant of man with arms like the size of tree trunks completely covered in questionable tattoos, who had stopped him at the entrance. He looked like he could snap someone's spine in two with just a hand. 

Considering who he worked for, he very well might have done just that quite a few times. 

But desperation makes people do impossible things. 

"I am telling you for the last time Sir. Please leave or else I will have to make you. And none of us would want that. You cannot enter without an appointment."

The guy retorted gruffly and Milind glared back at him undeterred. 

"And I am telling you, I have explicit permission from your boss to enter whenever I like."

The man clearly having had enough was just about to grab Milind by the arm and evidently throw him out on the street in front when a voice from the side barked at him waspishly. 

"Rehman! Atanni pravēśin̄canivvaṇḍi."

Another man came and stood by Milind and the security named Rehman, his suited self and coiffed hair and the gold watch at his wrist indicating a post of higher authority.

"But Sir..."

"No buts. The Boss said Mr. Deshmukh can enter the premises whenever he desires. Weren't you there in the last meeting?"

Rehman shook his head confused and the other man sighed. 

"Sorry Sir. You can go in. But please go through the frisking. It's standard procedure."

Milind rolled his eyes and let the now sheepish looking man frisk him thoroughly all the while muttering in his native tongue incomprehensible to them. 

"Hē mast āhē. Not like he is a gangster but the Prime Minister of India."

"Did you say something Sir?"

"Nothing Sir. Now can I go? Or else do you want me to get a radio testing done too?"

The suited man gestured him inside with a perfectly artificial practised grace feigning a sweeping bow as he almost stormed his way in. 

Milind entered the sparkling hall of the Rao Mansion and found himself being greeted by a large framed picture at the opposite wall. Raghav Rao seemed to smirk down lightly at his guest, half amused, half bored yet the aura surrounding even a lifeless photo seemed to weigh down over Milind. 

The man was insufferable yet he couldn't deny the constant awe he inspired from everyone around him. 

As if on cue he heard the sound of soft payals chinking and the rustle of Angora silk which brought the heart warming fragrance of wild strawberries and jasmine which he was innately familiar with. 

"Pallu.."

"Kaka..."

There is something immensely beautiful seeing a daughter fly into her father's arms, however big she might get. Milind breathed in his child's comforting scent and Pallavi buried her face in his neck, struggling mightily to hold back the tears in her eyes.