Living In Oblivion

31

Looking up from the computer screen, Divit took off his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes. The workload from the previous week had been overwhelming. Several big companies had shown interest in collaborating and providing funding to launch the new model and bring it to the market. His team was under pressure to submit the final deployment and an upgraded version as soon as possible.

With hope shimmering in his eyes, he checked his phone once again to see if there were any calls or messages from Avanti. It had been fifteen days since she had gone, and they had only spoken twelve days ago. After that, it was as if she had disappeared. No messages, no calls, and no replies to the countless calls and messages he had sent. Most of the time, her phone was switched off, and when it was on, nobody answered.

He didn't know what to do. His heart was breaking inside his chest as each day passed, and it was becoming unbearable. Was she alright? Was Namrata alright? He had no answers to any of these questions. Divit considered contacting her through Vibhuti, but to his dismay, Vibhuti had also gone to Pune the previous week and was returning tonight.

He couldn't even tell Avanti that her training would be canceled if she didn't show up by next week. After working so hard for five months to achieve something, how could she just let it slip away? Everything was slipping from his grasp, and she didn't seem to care. Meanwhile, he was losing her, and it felt like his whole life was slipping away like sand from his fist.

Slumping deeper into his swivel chair, he removed his working glasses and wiped away the tears that threatened to fall. Closing his eyes, he leaned back, pushing his head deeper into the chair.

"Sahib?" Kamlesh's hesitant voice broke the silence.

Divit looked up, momentarily startled. "Hmm?"

Kamlesh, balancing a cup of tea in his other hand, approached cautiously. "Chai," he offered.

"Oh." Divit took the cup gratefully, placing it on the table. He searched for a ten-rupee note in his shirt and pants, handing it to Kamlesh.

Kamlesh nodded and reached for his cup. "Sahib?" he called again, his voice uncertain and slightly nervous.

Divit looked at the man, his gaze filled with irritation and dismissal. He nodded, giving Kamlesh permission to continue.

"Um... when will Avanti Madam come back? People are saying she left abruptly – I mean, she was staying with you. Are you aware?"

Taken aback, Divit snapped back, "Why do you care?"

Kamlesh fumbled, "Um... she was nice to me. I was just asking."

Controlling his irritation, Divit shook his head. "No, she will be back soon."

Kamlesh left without another word. He knew there was no point in prying further. For the past two weeks, he had noticed a restlessness on Divit's face and he had known him for more than four years now. He was one of those whose face never gave away a thing but the amount of restlessness he noticed on his face over the last two weeks, he knew something was bad- something big. But he felt too insignificant to voice his concern. Preserving his self-respect was more important than exposing himself to bitter words about his worth, and class, and status in front of the whole office.

There is a small thing about small people. They have got too much to aspire and more than that to lose. Because whatever small they have if they lose even that, there would be nothing for them to stand head held high in front of the society.

The night grew darker, and Divit didn't realize when he fell asleep in the conference room while working on the final readings. He was jolted awake by voices from the corridor. Rubbing his eyes, he looked around the dimly lit room.