Shrishti Reborn

Chapter 15. What about the Future?

'Pappa! You called for me?', Shrishti came into her father's study few days after her summer vacation began. Her days were filled with lazing in the bed and watching all kinds of movies on TV the whole day. Basically, she was having fun.

'Yes. Get me my phone number diary. You know the one where I note down everyone's phone numbers from work? Get me that. You know where I generally keep it in my bedroom. I left it there and I need it for Arpit.', her Pappa explained. In front of him sat Arpit who smiled and waved at her.

She waved back before looking at her Pappa, 'Just a minute, Pappa.'

After few minutes, Shrishti was back with the diary in her hands, 'Pappa. You need to become digital. It is about time.', she handed over the diary to her father and turned to walk away.

'Shrishti.', he called her back, 'Find Mr. Raut's number in this. I am getting headache looking at this small words.'

Shrishti rolled her eyes before looking at Arpit, 'He is the one who wrote in this diary since my childhood.'

Arpit chuckled. Shrishti opened the diary and looked through the numbers in the R section.

'You need to get specs, Uncle.', Arpit suggested to her Pappa.

Shrishti scoffed before her Pappa replied, 'I have told him hundred times but he never listens. Tell him. Better yet, get Raghav and Megha to tell him. Maybe between us four, there will be someone he listens to!'

Arpit laughed at that while her Pappa grimaced. Shrishti glared at her father before finding the number and handing it over.

'Good, good. Raut is the HR head in our company. I will talk to him and arrange internship for you.', Pappa told Arpit as Shrishti walked out of the room. Shrishti smiled at the words she just heard. Arpit would work in her Pappa's company! Good. This would look really good in Arpit's resume in future.

Arpit left few minutes later after talking to her Pappa and then Shrishti was called in by Pappa again.

'Sit.', he nodded towards the chairs in front of him. Shrishti sat down and looked at him curiously.

'Pari beta. What are your plans for your vacation?', Pappa leaned back and looked at her keenly.

Shrishti shrugged, 'Whatever you decide. London, Switzerland, Paris, whatever you want, Pappa.'

Pappa shook his head, 'No. I mean the whole of summer vacation? What is your plan for the whole three months?'

Shrishti shrugged again, 'Nothing. What I do every year. Laze around, watch shows and when you are free, we go on a vacation somewhere.'

Pappa took in a deep breath. Shrishti frowned. He looked stressed. Why?

'I spoke to Arpit just now. About his career. And it got me thinking. What about you?'

Shrishti tilted her head, 'What about me?'

'Have you thought about your future? Your career? Your dreams?', Pappa prodded.

Shrishti blinked. She had no idea how to respond to that. The truth was she had never thought about it. Her past life was so focused on Sharad that her future never mattered to her. And now that Pappa was asking, Shrishti was stumped.

Pappa took in a deep breath, 'Pari beta. I am not expecting you to have a whole file filled with a fully charted career plan like Raghav did. Neither do I expect you to be like Arpit, fully sure about what he wants from life. But there must be some direction you want to go in. There must be something you are interested in. Your likes? Dislikes? Hobbies? Interest?'