For the first part of this story, click here
The world became black, and then suddenly too bright. Someone was jostling him. And then all went quiet.
"Please behave yourself when you are with uncle, Bharat," Shyama said, the attractive smile that had so bewitched him turned into a thin line of disapproval.
Amit felt Bharat reasserting himself as he turned all his attention on his wife. "You are there to keep me in line," he said with an edge to his voice. She placed her hand on his arm and Amit felt a rush of tenderness. "Please don't make it difficult for me," she pleaded.
Amit felt the heaviness that Bharat experienced and his own blue mood returned. But before he could sink in to despondence, he was fascinated by the images that flashed in front of his eyes - Bharat at work, the dreary monotony. His heart craving for creative freedom. His resigning - a euphoric moment. His starting his own venture... The hard work. The scepticism of his family. Shyama standing by him. His uncle looking down on him. His doubling, tripling, quadrupling efforts, and finally... The day when he had to shut down.
Bharat parked the car as they had reached their destination. "I told you, you are not meant to do business," his uncle's voice rang in his ears. He shut his eyes to blot out that memory. But couldn't. "What do you plan to do next?"
"I have other ideas... Artificial intelligence..."
His uncle raised a hand. "First get real intelligence. Business intelligence. Take care of my restaurant."
"I..." Bharat started to protest.
"Do you have the money for the next venture or are you going to sell your soul too for it?"
Bharat hung his head.
"Shyama, give me all your jewels for safekeeping. Let him earn his way to the business."
"Uncle, I can raise capital," Bharat said defiantly.
"On what? Your house is already mortgaged. No loans possible. As for private equity... Okay, here is the deal. You try pitching your idea to your friends and raise some money. If you can, I will personally give you a loan. Otherwise..."
And here he was, running a restaurant he didn't care a bit for. A slave to his uncle because the first time, he had made the mistake of taking some money from him... Never again, Bharat resolved. Shyama leaned on his arm, "Honey... Just a couple of hours. Please..."
"Shyama..." he leaned towards her. And then, sensing he was not alone, he moved back. "Thanks..." He squeezed her hand and the two stepped into the big house.
Amit's world darkened again. When the lights came on, he was getting ready for the reception.
"Maya!" he called out when he was ready.
She stepped out, looking resplendent in a green and gold Banarasi sari with matching accessories. He paused, unfamiliar compliment trying to make its way out. He quickly suppressed it. "Yes, we are late."
She nodded, got her handbag and followed him out. As she locked up the house, he whispered in an embarrassed tone, "You are looking beautiful."
She looked at him puzzled, as if she had not heard him right. He set his features back to the usual grumpiness and said, "Are you going to take the entire day?"
They drove silently. For Maya, that was normal, but Amit was bursting with unfamiliar emotions. Bharat had seemed to lead such a happy life, doing what he liked... But no! No? And yet he smiled, showed gratitude, was determined to succeed...
As the evening merged with the night, Amit felt his restlessness increase. Finally Maya could ignore his signals no longer and left the festive atmosphere reluctantly. On her face, Amit could read the resignation to facing loneliness and unhappiness as she took leave of Amit's aunt.
In the car, he couldn't stop drumming on the steering wheel.
"Are you alright?" she asked hesitantly, waiting for him to snap a reply. Instead, he reached out and held her hand. "No, Maya... I am not... Thanks for putting up with me..."
She silently stared at him and then slowly withdrew her hand, not sure if he had drunk one too many.
"Should I drive?" she asked, knowing it was futile.
He chuckled. "No, I am not drunk... But I am... On a thought."
He suddenly pulled up by the side of the road and looked at her, "Maya, I know where I am going wrong! You know, I thought everybody was conspiring to make me fail. But you know who is responsible for it?"
Maya drew herself up and said grimly, "What do you want me to do? Am I bad luck now?"
"No, no, no! Maya, you don't get me! I realise I am responsible for all my problems!!!"
She looked away, tears spilling over, rolling down her cheeks.
"I will make it up to you, I promise, Maya," he said with a sincerity that forced her eyes back on him. "Yes... I have been consumed by my problems... But now, I won't, not anymore..." he said with conviction. The confectionary loomed large and daunting in his mind. But no, that was his passion, not a burden.
As he parked the car, he told her sagely, "I have always wondered, why me, you know. But today I realised that that question itself is wrong. In fact, there is no question, only an answer... It is me!"
Concluded
The world became black, and then suddenly too bright. Someone was jostling him. And then all went quiet.
"Please behave yourself when you are with uncle, Bharat," Shyama said, the attractive smile that had so bewitched him turned into a thin line of disapproval.
Amit felt Bharat reasserting himself as he turned all his attention on his wife. "You are there to keep me in line," he said with an edge to his voice. She placed her hand on his arm and Amit felt a rush of tenderness. "Please don't make it difficult for me," she pleaded.
Amit felt the heaviness that Bharat experienced and his own blue mood returned. But before he could sink in to despondence, he was fascinated by the images that flashed in front of his eyes - Bharat at work, the dreary monotony. His heart craving for creative freedom. His resigning - a euphoric moment. His starting his own venture... The hard work. The scepticism of his family. Shyama standing by him. His uncle looking down on him. His doubling, tripling, quadrupling efforts, and finally... The day when he had to shut down.
Bharat parked the car as they had reached their destination. "I told you, you are not meant to do business," his uncle's voice rang in his ears. He shut his eyes to blot out that memory. But couldn't. "What do you plan to do next?"
"I have other ideas... Artificial intelligence..."
His uncle raised a hand. "First get real intelligence. Business intelligence. Take care of my restaurant."
"I..." Bharat started to protest.
"Do you have the money for the next venture or are you going to sell your soul too for it?"
Bharat hung his head.
"Shyama, give me all your jewels for safekeeping. Let him earn his way to the business."
"Uncle, I can raise capital," Bharat said defiantly.
"On what? Your house is already mortgaged. No loans possible. As for private equity... Okay, here is the deal. You try pitching your idea to your friends and raise some money. If you can, I will personally give you a loan. Otherwise..."
And here he was, running a restaurant he didn't care a bit for. A slave to his uncle because the first time, he had made the mistake of taking some money from him... Never again, Bharat resolved. Shyama leaned on his arm, "Honey... Just a couple of hours. Please..."
"Shyama..." he leaned towards her. And then, sensing he was not alone, he moved back. "Thanks..." He squeezed her hand and the two stepped into the big house.
Amit's world darkened again. When the lights came on, he was getting ready for the reception.
"Maya!" he called out when he was ready.
She stepped out, looking resplendent in a green and gold Banarasi sari with matching accessories. He paused, unfamiliar compliment trying to make its way out. He quickly suppressed it. "Yes, we are late."
She nodded, got her handbag and followed him out. As she locked up the house, he whispered in an embarrassed tone, "You are looking beautiful."
She looked at him puzzled, as if she had not heard him right. He set his features back to the usual grumpiness and said, "Are you going to take the entire day?"
They drove silently. For Maya, that was normal, but Amit was bursting with unfamiliar emotions. Bharat had seemed to lead such a happy life, doing what he liked... But no! No? And yet he smiled, showed gratitude, was determined to succeed...
As the evening merged with the night, Amit felt his restlessness increase. Finally Maya could ignore his signals no longer and left the festive atmosphere reluctantly. On her face, Amit could read the resignation to facing loneliness and unhappiness as she took leave of Amit's aunt.
In the car, he couldn't stop drumming on the steering wheel.
"Are you alright?" she asked hesitantly, waiting for him to snap a reply. Instead, he reached out and held her hand. "No, Maya... I am not... Thanks for putting up with me..."
She silently stared at him and then slowly withdrew her hand, not sure if he had drunk one too many.
"Should I drive?" she asked, knowing it was futile.
He chuckled. "No, I am not drunk... But I am... On a thought."
He suddenly pulled up by the side of the road and looked at her, "Maya, I know where I am going wrong! You know, I thought everybody was conspiring to make me fail. But you know who is responsible for it?"
Maya drew herself up and said grimly, "What do you want me to do? Am I bad luck now?"
"No, no, no! Maya, you don't get me! I realise I am responsible for all my problems!!!"
She looked away, tears spilling over, rolling down her cheeks.
"I will make it up to you, I promise, Maya," he said with a sincerity that forced her eyes back on him. "Yes... I have been consumed by my problems... But now, I won't, not anymore..." he said with conviction. The confectionary loomed large and daunting in his mind. But no, that was his passion, not a burden.
As he parked the car, he told her sagely, "I have always wondered, why me, you know. But today I realised that that question itself is wrong. In fact, there is no question, only an answer... It is me!"
Concluded
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