Popcorn

23. Simple yet powerful

So there is a replacement for everything.

You surely know to look at the bright side of life.

I'm saying your first priority will always be your work, your company.

Bhai, you're still stuck up. Move on.

Its not me who created this distance, Bhai.

She chose her career over me.

Tossing and turning on the bed, Harshan's mind was rampaging a war, disrupting his peaceful sleep. He has always given first priority to the people he loved but when they treated him as an option, he was hurt.

"Bhai, can you stop playing rock and roll on the bed at two in the night?" Rakshan mumbled in his sleep, earning curses from his elder brother. Getting off the bed, Harshan moved to the lawn to get some fresh air.

Having her cup of coffee, Suchitra was surprised to see her grandson sleeping, crouched uncomfortably on a bench in the wee hours of morning. Shaking him slightly, she asked, "Harsh, why are you sleeping here?"

Yawning, Harshan stretched his arms and made a seat for his grandmother on the bench. Taking a seat beside him, she gazed at her eldest grandson. His face was pale, crestfallen. Making Harshan lie on her lap, she began caressing his hair and gently asked, "What is bothering you, Harsh?"

Harshan turned to face his grandmother and smiled at her. She knew him too well.

"Dadi, what would you do when you need a person most in your life and they leave you for something else?" His voice was silent which would have meekly slipped pass if it was not for the early morning silence.

Ruffling his hair, Suchitra replied, " Initially, I would be disappointed and angry with them."

"So I'm not wrong by being angry with them, Dadi?"

"No Harsh, if they were so important to me like I'm to them then I would give them a chance to put forth their point. They may have their reasons too. Harsh, did you give them a chance to explain their choice of decision?"

"No Dadi, neither some explained nor I didn't give someone a chance to explain." Harshan said to himself.

******

Sighing Rakshan cut the call. He had an unplanned meeting to attend next week in Mumbai. His team back in Bangalore were working good on the project but the pace with which they were doing would not meet the requirements of the investors within next week. This meeting with the clients was very important for his dream project. It was high time he took matters in his control.

Placing his phone in his pant pocket, his eyes roamed around the garden and settled on Aditi who was waiting at the car park for Harshan to go out with. Aditi sensing his gaze, looked at him and gave him a smile which made his reflexes to automatically smile at her. He didn't know what that smile did to him. He was ready for the day. And with a new found positivity, he moved to his room to begin his work. Harshan and Aditi soon left to make arrangements for the party.

"I knew girls take hours to buy a dress but I didn't knew they even take time to select an ice-cream." Harshan commented looking at Aditi who was having a difficult time in choosing between butterscotch and caramel ice-cream.

Smiling sheepishly at him, she replied, "Ice-cream selection is an art, Harsh. I will teach you one day."

"Harshan!!"