Part 93

January 27^th 2012

Friday

Worli Sea Face

Modi Dastur

8:08 PM

K:That is really good news Ram!

R:I know… we are in the big league for sure, first Ajmera, now Esteem…

K: Is it all official

R:Umm… not quite… I don’t think it becomes official for another month…

K:This is like the movies… I mean how low will these people go?

R:They have a good role model in Ajmera

K lowers her gaze…the builder politician nexus in Mumbai is everything that people assume and then some….

Esteem it looked like was no different… they broke every rule in the book to get the Lower Parel site…. That is not to say Ajmera will give up just as yet… there will be stay orders initiated… horse trading… digging up dirt… defaming… it was all fair in a real estate project

According to Ram Esteem was planning a “FRONT FULL PAGE” ad in the Sunday  Mumbai edition of every popular newspaper…asking “How will it be if you could live in the most luxurious home in Mumbai?”

Cryptic… but leading…

Her heart skipped a beat… her husband read everything on his ride to work and home… with Casa del Buena Suerta mired in labor dispute the timing of this could have been better……

K:Does Ajmera know?

R:You bet they do!

K: Ram…

Ram paused… checked his messages

R: I know Khanak… I am sorry… I know Gujral thinks of that company as his own…

K:Hmmm (faint)

R:But this is not somethimg M&D orchestrated…

K: Hmmm

R:Don’t look so  devastated…

K:He is very aggressive…

R:Everybody is… this is a dirty biz… dog eat dog world out there…

Khanak and Ram were quiet… typing away…

R:Do you know if Gujral owns a stake in Ajmera?

It startled her… she had NO idea…

K:Oh? Umm.. why?

R:I should ask him… never mind… sorry Khanak… I shouldn’t have put you in a spot like that…

K:Ummm… mmm its fine… I.. have never asked…

R: Do you do finances together?

K:Nahi… I… u know… I am in debt… I don’t want… mujhe I should not be taking his money

Ram looked at her deeply “ You are so resolute”

K: I didn’t marry him for his wealth… (no stuttering here)

R:WHY did you? (mischievous)

She blushed a deep crimson… “The cleft on the chin and those twin creases”

Ram laughed out loud…

R:Usko yeh baat maloom hai

K:I have to go now…

R:Unbelievable Mrs Gujral…

Ram laughed heartily

K:Well you are mean… and a trouble maker

R: Do you need an escort to fight him tonite?

She was somber again…

K:Shaayad nahi… umm… nahi

R: he is a tornado when he is furious…

K: Really? Mujhe to laga unko gussa aata hi nahi…

There is a knock on the door

Its Ram’s admin…

Admin:Its Renuka… u are not calling her back…

Ram: I am not (smiling)

K: You guys are adorable… just so perfect…

R:And you are not?

K:Pata nahi Ram… the meeting of the minds thing… (is not happening)

R:Settle for the other thing then (meeting of bodies)

Ram winks…

K:You are a trouble maker… I am going to tell Renuka…

R:I am going home to tell her myself… or even better show her…

Khanak watches as her boss walks away…

She scrolls through her texts… there was none from him…

Rishi’s parents were invited finally last weekend… since the Casa crisis their invite was postponed two weeks ago… she wondered what the family was planning… she wanted to go see Bai… or Ritu…

He had waited exactly five days… during her cycle… not a night longer, the word abstinence was not in his dictionary…….

But getting pregnant was the last thing on his mind… but all over hers……….

She had told Ritu about the two day delay and how hopeful she had gotten…

“Stop holding your breath mystery!”

“Just hit him over the head and get your job done”

She had laughed energetically

“Ermm… a lil difficult when he is knocked out don’t you think?” Khanak had countered…

“Tu idhar aa ja… Suraj Kund Crafts mela mein challenge… we will stalk cute guys and get drunk”

“Sounds like a plan”

“You are not even 26? Itni jaldi kyon hai Mystery?”

“Mujhe chahiye”

Ritu was quiet……….. her friend had never DEMANDED anything… almost embarrassed to be selfish……. She couldn’t recall the last time she had been so fervent………… when she described her husband’s love making maybe…………

“Where are you?” her phone beeped  a text

“Kaam par”

“Is Pradeep with you?”

“Hmmm.. shaayad”

“We are watching the Man U game get here ASAP”

“Ughhh… not football Shantanu” she typed followed by a sad face

“Soccer” he corrected her

“Whatever” she typed back

“I am willing to watch whatever game you want to play” :-P