Aboli

Part 78

"Hetal, please understand! I cannot cut my patient's session short, that would be very unprofessional! I'll get there as soon as I can! Yes, I know K2 will be very disappointed if I am late, please just cover for me until I get there. And remember to click their pictures, I don't want to miss any of their moments!" The harrowed mother's plea aptly conveyed how torn she was between her profession and motherhood.

"Abby dear, it is about time you found a job that pays you what you really deserve! Or find yourself a rich guy instead!  Tumhara yeh struggle kab tak chalega? The children's art competition is about to begin." Hetal did not want her to send her friend on a guilt trip but sometimes she really wished Abby would work less and spend more time with her son. At least her own daughter Pebbles had doting grandparents who compensated for her incomplete family, unlike in K2's case.

"Aunty, what did Mom say?" K2 looked at Hetal with hope brimming in his eyes.

"Beta, she promised that she will get here soon, and she cannot wait to see your poster, so cheer up and give it your best!" Hetal convinced the little boy to get back to his work.

 The floor of the Academy hall was filled with eager children who could not wait to get started. Since it was a Sunday morning the other half of the hall was brimming with seated parents who had accompanied their kids to boost their morale.

"'Good Morning, potential Champions! Looks like you are set to go! Show us the fire in your bellies through your creativity! Remember the theme is innovation through fusion! The most creative idea shall be chosen as a logo for the latest venture of our corporate sponsors. I am sure it is going to be a tough fight! You can begin now!" As soon as the announcement signalled the start of the competition the children picked up their pencils, crayons or sketch pens and began sketching. 

"Hetal Aunty, what is the meaning of our theme?" K2 asked. The words were not easy to comprehend for four year olds.

"K2, innovation through fusion means you will have to think about something that is new, something that is not common. And fusion means joining or mixing something!" To Hetal's relief the children seemed to understabd and they went across to the spot assigned to them to start their work.

   "Oye Bamm-Bamm, do you want to come last in the competition? Hurry up! The others have already started." Pebbles alerted her four year old "boyfriend". K2 looked lost in thought, as if he was reconsidering what to create on his poster.   

 "Go Cavemen!" Hetal shouted enthusiastically and Pebbles waved back at her. K2 looked in her direction and gave a half-willing smile. Some of the women looked at Hetal disapprovingly but she ignored them. It was typical of possessive wives to resent the presence of an attractive single woman so close to their husbands. Hetal was acutely aware that her energetic vocalisation was drawing more attention from the men present in the gathering than that of the two children she was with. What she did not realise was that her voice also drew the attention of Randhir, who walked across to her.

"Hello Ms Desai, happy you could make it! The children were very keen to participate in the competition, it was all they could talk about this week!" Randhir smiled to see Pebbles waving at him.

"Hello, didn't expect to see you here!" Hetal was pleasantly surprised to see him. She only knew him as the children's replacement coach and had no clue about his involvement with the event beyond that. Nevertheless she enjoyed the thought of the number of glares she was getting from other women who were equally interested in getting close to Randhir. 

"I am here as a representative of the sponsors. What's the matter with Suketu? He looks less peaky than usual!" Randhir remarked. 

Because the two children were the youngest in his batch Randhir personally made sure that both could swim without assistance by the end of thirty lessons. He also noticed that while Pebbles' mother made a frequent appearance at the Academy either to drop the children or to pick them up, he had never spotted K2's parent.