Part 3
A Thursday Afternoon
Bengaluru
"Who the hell do you think you are?" Roshan roared as he slammed the door shut to Nikhil's cabin. The intensity shook the glass wall, forcing Nikhil to look up. Roshan looked mad and angry as hell, and rightfully so.
He had skipped the meeting with Madhukar Nayak, and had informed Roshan at the last moment.
"You are not a good friend ..." Roshan slammed a folder on his friend's desk and walked away. To the floor above. Where his cabin was. Loosening his tie on the way.
At that very moment, he felt like strangling Nikhil.
Due to Nikhil's callousness, he had to spend an hour or so with Nayak Uncle, discussing about mundane stuff. He did brief Madhukar Nayak about the spot, the old bungalow, the new ideas ... but it had not been his to share, to begin with.
Roshan felt doubly guilty of wasting the gentleman's time, although Mr Nayak had kept on insisting otherwise. Nayak Uncle had been plain happy to meet somebody from his old neighbourhood. He had brushed away all apologies from Roshan, oozing geniality, happiness and jolly camaraderie.
...
Three hrs later
Nikhil barged into Roshan's cabin, a file in his hand. The same one that Roshan had left behind in his cabin, sometime earlier.
"You know Roshan, there is no need to be so dramatic" Nikhil said, as he thumped the file on the table. He then settled down on one of the chairs and stared at his friend.
Roshan was the Head Legal for their organisation. And one of the rising stars.
Nikhil reached inside his trouser pocket for cigarettes. Roshan growled
"I care for my life. My first born is on the way. You keep your smoke to yourself, you fool."
He was understandably still very angry.
Nikhil's face slowly broke into a grin as he leaned across the table and patted Nikhil's hand.
"I am sorry Roshan. I truly am. The truth is that I am still undecided about the bungalow ... this office ... this life ... everything. Nothing means anything to me right now. I couldn't bring myself to come along with you."
Roshan placed his palm on top of Nikhil's hand - "Then why did you send me there?"
Nikhil pulled away and stood up. He looked out of the window to Roshan's left, his mind now lost somewhere else.
"You were so excited to meet Uncle after all these years. A new person, a new journey, a beginning. How could I take it away from you? I stayed away because I didn't want to burden you with the darkness that has engulfed me. I try, I struggle ... but my mind refuses to wrap around the deception ..."
Roshan stared at his best friend for a while. The reason why Nikhil had pushed him away was the very same reason why he had wanted Nikhil to accompany him.
To find a way forward, a way to the light, and to try and not give up.
To tempt Fate once again. And to learn to love.
"So am I forgiven?" Nikhil asked casually, stuffing his hands inside his pockets.
Roshan smiled
"Only on two conditions. First, Purvi has invited you for dinner tonight. Second, two people from Uncle's Office will be visiting the Bungalow mid next week. I want you there"
Nikhil nodded his head
"Dinner is fine, cos your wife is a great cook. Visit, not again. That's a damn 8 hrs drive one way"
Roshan smile had by now curved into a full blown grin
"And yes, we will take the Jeep ..."
...
Next Morning
In Office
Nikhil reached for his second cup of coffee as he went through the file. While he had returned the main file to Roshan, he had kept a photocopy for himself. It contained a few sheets of paper, a rough sketch of a two-storey bungalow by the sea - almost like a child's drawing, but with clean lines and sharp tuck ins. There were some rough measurement figures mentioned on the pages. And notes in elegant, neat handwriting ... he went through the notes and realised that they were actually words and thoughts that had flown out of Roshan's mind.
He smiled, Roshan had really been trying to cover up for him. He had shared part of what they had discussed when they had visited the bungalow.
The neat handwriting caught his eyes and he went through the pages once again.
There was something in those words, Nikhil sighed, in the curve of the 'a', the twirl in the 'f' and the dot on the 'i'.
Nikhil felt strange. For the first time in months, he felt a wee bit interested. He wondered whether it was natural to feel a grain of excitement course through his veins.
What's happening? He thought, as he rubbed his face gingerly.
...
Half an hour later
The elevator chose that moment to remain jam-packed. Nikhil rushed up the flight of stairs leading to the Boardroom on the floor above. He had all forgotten about the meeting at 11 a.m. that his Grandfather had scheduled. Lucky for him Roshan had texted him as he left for the Meeting.
Nikhil had missed the previous meeting. And his Grandfather had not been elated at all.
Nikhil didn't want to be the last one to step inside the Room. Though Nikhil's elder brother, Abheek was part and parcel of the core management team, Nikhil's Grandfather had been keen that Nikhil join the business and work his way up. And put that MBA degree to good use.
Nikhil, when younger, had always been the rebel. Had always thought of charting out a different path for himself, and not gotten entrenched in their family businesses. Though he had completed his education; education was not something that one messed around with. His father, Prakash had supported his youngest son and his sporting yet carefree attitude.
Until an accident 2 years ago changed everything. For worse.
But as fate would have it, here he was now, a quintessential businessman. And Nikhil hated himself some more for it.
He was lost in his thoughts as he turned around the bend of the corridor, cursing under his breath. The Boardroom obviously was at the end of the rectangular hallway, to the left.
He had to take a right and then a detour to the left to meander through. He checked his watch. Five minutes to the Meeting.
Nikhil decided to make a dash for it when he tripped and fell. His fall was only cut short by his colliding against somebody, coming from the opposite direction. He bumped his head against the wall, while his hand went around the waist of the other person.
A pair of brown eyes stared back at him, now alarmed, and then angry a few seconds later.
Papers flew all around them and settled, as he let go.
"Oh, my bad!" he muttered, now fully irritated. "I didn't see you coming ... Sorry, I have to run"
He was gone in a jiffy.
"Idiot!" the word followed him to the Meeting Room. Nikhil smiled.
Those eyes ...
End of Part 3
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