Foresight

Chapter LIII

With the marriage over, Rajesh and Pallavi were officially together and could start a family without worrying about the social stigma. And Rajesh was leaving no stone left unturned in the aspect of family. He had already whisked Pallavi away for a week long honeymoon at a romantic hill station and was practically living off the grid the whole week. Anybody who tried to contact with Rajesh or Pallavi was unable to and had to wait till the weeks end.

Although Rajesh had got a little ahead with his share of workload, work had started to pile up at 'The Matrix' two dyas before Rajesh was about to be back. Tarun and Neeraj could not take up his share even if they wanted as they themselves were piled up. Their previous clients had given them a new project, which was out of scope even for the most experienced of the interns and required a coding wizard like Tarun's expertise. With Tarun handling the new project, his workload shifted to Neeraj and Neearj's to the interns. As cherry on the cake, SIDCO's market value had taken a dip and it affected the returns 'The Matrix' had facing. Based on the explanation from Mr. Subramaniam, the dip was not going to change for this quarter, which would mean, the trio will be end to end at the end of the quarter. And with Rajesh putting his savings for the marraige, the previous savings which the trio had kept away for investing purposes, would get used up to keep them afloat.

"I still can't get through to Rajesh. Wasn't he supposed to be back today?" Tarun hangs up with a grimace in his face.

"He should be back home today. He will come to work only tommorow. We will rain on him tommorow." Neeraj replies, lighting his cigarette.

"We are looking at a real bad quarter this time. It will take a miracle to keep us three afloat, let alone keep our interns." Tarun comments on looking their white board a glance.

"What about the payments from our previous clients? Aren't they enough to keep us alive?" Neeraj asks, getting up from his chair.

"No. Not since we came to this new bigger place. The payments from our previous clients are just enough for the bills. The pay for the interns comes from the returns of SIDCO. Now that has taken a hit, we are falling short. And I cannot ask money from my mother, since she has already invested in the expansion and we are yet to repay her. So we are in a real fix" Tarun explains.

"We will get by man. We will find a way. Maybe if we hold back on the payments for the interns near the end of the quarter, and pay them up once we stabilize." Neeraj poses the idea.

"I don't think that is a good idea. They will stay up as long as we hold back, but once we release the backlog amount, they might take off. And given our current workload, we need more, not less interns" Tarun replies, as he heads off to his desk. Neeraj just pats Tarun's shoulder and heads back to his desk. The day rolls by with pretty much no better news.

"Hey guys." Rajesh pops his head in, just as Tarun and Neeraj are about to call it a day and leave.

"Thank god you are here. I couldnt get in touch with you. Where the hell had you been this week?" Neeraj chimes up, heading towards Rajesh, while Tarun heads to the white board.

"Guys, if we are done with the meet and greet, lets get down to business." Tarun howls, causing Neeraj and Rajesh turn towards him. Rajesh lights up a cigarette and heads closer to tarun, before he loses his cool.

"First things first. Happy wedding dude." Tariun gives a hi-fi to Rajesh before turning towards the white board. He writes up some figure on the board and turns back towards his friends.

"The value on the left is our wokring capital and the one on the right is our expenses. This month we are having surplus, so its not and issue. But SIDCO's market value has dropped, which means the returns which we will get the next month is going to be half of what were getting all this time. It might improve next quarter, which means, this quarter is going to be end to end. Our income from all our previous clients is just enough for the bills. Payments were going through the income from SIDCO's returns. As that has taken a hit, payments to the interns is going to be an issue this quarter. We will have to use our investing money." Tarun says, finishing off his explanation

"That is a big issue man. So you are projecting that we might have to take out investing capital and use it for the intern's salary?" Rajesh asks, getting up and heading to the board.

"Not might. We will have to. If you are asking the question where does the word 'might' comes, it comes in the survival of 'The Matrix'." Tarun finishes of calmly. Hearing that, Rajesh turns around in a jerk, about to ask that whether Tarun was speaking the truth was just horsing around.

"He is right man. I asked my cousin sister to check our accounts. She is a commerce major, quite experienced too. She checked our capital, value everything. She herself came to the conclusion that if we don't tread carefully,'The Matrix' may not see the next quarter" Neeraj explains, keeping his hand over Rajesh's shoulder

"All right then. We will tread carefully this quarter." Rajesh replies, sulking down on the chair.

"If we had paid my mom her invested amount, I could go and ask her. I man, even now if I ask saying our issue, she will hand us a cheque. But I feel bad" Tarun comments.

"No dude. What your mother gave was an investment. we have to return that. Even after returning asking your mother everytime is not right. We will come out of this." Rajesh replies, rising from the chair.

"Guys." a familiar voice breaks the tension, as the trio turn towards the door. They find Jenny, with her kid in one hand and a suitcase on the other.

"Jenny, come in." Tarun escorts her in, leading the small kid and making him sit on the chair.

"I.....I...." Jenny is not able to mutter the courage ask the favour and she breaks into unconsolable. Tarun holds her shoulder and pulls her into a hug, while Neeraj and Rajesh watch in a fix, not being able to comprehend.

"Its ok Jenny. We will sort out the things." Taurn consoles her.

"I just got kicked out of my home. I lost my job two months ago. I am on the street Tarun. Can you please let me stay here. I can work for you. Pleaseee Tarun...." Jenny breaks up.

"Shhhh Jenny. You can work here." Tarun consoles her, while holding her. Rajesh and Neeraj distract the small kid.

"Thankss....Tarun." Jenny says sobbingly.

"Yeah Jenny. Whatever happened, its in the past now. Water under the bridge. Tarun has told us about your marketing experience. We can use that." Neeraj adds on.

"Yeah. You are welcome here. As for letting you stay here, I can't allow that. It would be extremely inhumane of me, if I let you stay here. you are coming to my home. i will talk with my parents." Tarun consoles her.

"Tarun that would be too much. I will stay here itself. Its ok." Jenny tries to argue, inspite of knowing Tarun will have none of it.

"I am not taking no for an answer Jenny. You are coming with me." Tarun puts his foot down, extending for her suitcase.

'Wait guys." Jenny calls up, taking off her gold locket.

"Take this. I overheard that you guys are having a crunch now. This is worth quite a lot." Jenny says, holding up her golden locket with a platinum dollar.

"No Jenny, we can't take that." Neeraj chimes up before anybody can say anything.

"No guys. If you want me to work here, You have to take it. Consider it as my investment and give it back later. Please." she tells, with a lone tear threatening to escape. Before anybody could say anything, Tarun grabs it and stuff it down his pocket.

"Your investement letter will be ready tommorow. Don't be late on your first day. Now come." Tarun puts down his line of commands witha poker face, and heading to the door with her suitcase in one hand.

"Thanks for the oppurtunity guys. I will not let you guys down this time" Jenny tells Neeraj and Rajesh...heading to the door with them.