Bombay Romance ♡ COMPLETED

[ 14 ] Chance Meetings ■

The prestigious Royal Willingdon Club is spread over fifty acres in the heart of South Bombay. It boasts a large golf course, tennis courts, squash courts, badminton courts, a cricket ground, and lavish swimming pools. Though a strictly 'Members Only' club, it provides the city's IAS and IPS officers free membership.

'And Sir, Pramod has threatened to kill that builder,' Amarnath says. 'I think we need to get an arrest warrant issued immedia-'

'Amarnath, relax.'

There are two officers along with Amarnath. His superior, the Joint Commissioner of the Crime Branch, and Parthiban, one of the zonal DCPs of Bombay. They are walking along the vast stretch of the club, with a lush green golf course on both sides.

'No need for all that. Just arrange for his protection,' the JC says. 'That fellow must already have his own bodyguards. Such loaded people are always scared of getting shot.'

'But Sir-'

'Mafia is huge,' the JC interrupts. 'How many people can we handle? Ham bhi insaan hain. As it is, these people are making films like Nayakan with handsome young boys ... who's that ...what's his name?'

'Kamal Hassan, Sir,' Parthiban says.

'Haan Kamal Hassan, Kamal Hassan,' The JC nods. 'They'll make handsome boys like him play don characters and we look like villians.'

But Amarnath does not care about Nayakan or Kamal Hassan.

'End of the day they are criminals, Sir. Karade saare illegal activities hii.'

'Amarnath. Which batch are you from?'

'Sir?' Zhe pauses. '... '79, Sir'

'I'm from '62. Over the years, I've learnt many things. One of them is about co-existing. All right? Friendship is always good for everyone. I heard that you sent back the gift that Rajashekaran had sent for you.'

Amarnath doesn't respond. Rajashekran had sent an imported wristwatch and a cigar holder to Amarnath's office as a welcome gift. He had sent it back with the man who had come bearing it, with a warning.

'You should befriend people. You never know when they will be of help. You are still new here. You'll learn, slowly,' the JC says.

But Amarnath is persistent about the impending issue. 'But Sir, if we don't take care of Pramod now, then he'll become very dang-'

'Amarnath. I didn't call you here for reporting.'

Amarnath subsides.

'And I heard about the suspension order you issued to that SI. Why did you go to Shivaji Park station?'

'To show off,' Parthiban says under his breath before Amarnath can answer. They were batchmates at the IPS training academy and were never really cordial with each other.

Amarnath doesn't miss it. 'Will you say that loudly?'

'Shivaji Park area is under my zone, Sir' Parthiban turns to the JC. 'I can take care of it. People from the crime branch need not interfere in such matters.'

'Boys, that's enough,' The JC pats their shoulders. 'You should come here often. Spend time, relax. Make some friends.'

Amarnath is not very keen to make any friends here, in this club that boasts luxury in every aspect. And he is not here in Bombay to enjoy life and waste time in such clubs.

They walk past the golf courts, into the horse riding arena. A few horses, saddled and ready, their brown coats shining in the morning sunlight, stroll inside the fenced area. They take a meandering path to their right and reach the tennis courts. There are six large courts neatly lined next to each other.

It is quite silent and Amarnath looks at the people playing in one of the tennis courts. There is a man, probably around his fifties. His opponent is a girl (Amarnath can't see her, she's facing her back to him) with a green tee, a short white skirt and white shoes.

'Dad, you have to watch Naayakan,' The girl says.

Amarnath involuntarily slows down upon this statement hitting his ears. The JC and Parthiban stroll ahead, drowned in conversation.

'There's one scene where Kamal Hassan beats up a police guy. Oh my god, you have to see it! He wraps a cloth around him, so that he doesn't know who's hitting him, and plunges his head into a water tank. It's amazing. And he looks so good.' The girl says brightly.

Amarnath inhales stiffly. Maybe the bloody JC was right. Everyone is jobless, making movies about criminals and making us look like villains! So what if they distribute money to poor people and give them a little food? That is illegal money, gained from illegal activities. Selling drugs, murdering people and extorting! There is at least one murder every day in Dharavi. And these people celebrate police getting beaten up on screen. We work for them and they enjoy in these clubs, commenting on our work. Sometimes Murali is right; this is a thankless job.

Just then, the tennis ball flies past the girl and hurtles towards the tall nets. The net is torn at the corner and the ball passes through it, onto the pathway. It lands right next to Amarnath's foot. He bends down to pick it up. As he straightens again, he goes still.

●●●

'Are you sure you wrote the number properly?'

'I did,' Gauri swings her tennis bat rather roughly. 'Dad, stop obsessing over it!'

Gauri has told her parents that she did give her number to a guy she met at the wedding and is waiting for him to call, even though she's sure he would not. But her parents are not ready to let go just yet.

Now, they play in silence for a minute. The sound of the green-yellow tennis ball hitting the racket is loud and clear.

'Dad, you have to watch Naayakan!' she says suddenly.

Dr. Kailash pauses. 'When did you watch it?'

'Mom and I watched it last week; at Imperial Cinema. You had some surgery scheduled, remember?'

Her father tries to remember.

'There's one scene where Kamal Hassan beats up a police guy. Oh my god, you have to see it, Dad! He wraps a cloth around that guy, so that he doesn't know who's hitting him, and plunges his head into a water tank. It's amazing! And he looks so good.' Gauri says brightly, so engrossed in the topic that she misses the shot.

The ball flies past her. She turns around and walks up to the tall nets to retrieve it. The net is torn at the corner and the ball passes through it, onto the pathway. It lands right next to someone's foot.

Gauri stops in her tracks as the person picks up the ball and straightens.

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Hello readers!

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