Chapter 26

Tvfanatic85

@Tvfanatic85

Chapter 26

“Mr Mehra kya ho raha hain. I thought apne kaha tha that he will be released in sometime to phir kya hua. Press conference suru honewali hain and inauguration hain aaj. What is going on?” prerna

“Mr Bose unhone cheezein difficult bana di hain. Order aa chuke hain par papers aane main procedure follow hone main time lagega. I think we will have to cancel all today” Mr mehra

All this time Prerna wanted nothing but all this to be cancelled and now all she could wish for was everything to be ok so that functions can take their course. 

“Mr Mehra this is not about the interrogation. Agar Mr Bose Mr bajaj ki tarah hi sochte hain then he will make a silly move like this there is something else that he is after. Aaj kaun sa minister aane wale hain.” Prerna

“Mr Ravindra Sengupta” Mr Mehra and Prerna was shocked.

“Me Mehra what are you saying. He hates Mr Bajaj and his guts. For the last one year he is after him then how come he is suddenly” Prerna

“Because he needs him. Uske works ki wajah se he is in line for next CM but he doesn’t have finance which Mr bajaj can provide and Mr bajaj needs him for the licenses of the Pharma companies that we will start. We don’t need him completely but he can help. Yeh meeting bhi ek third part ne rakhi thi, a mediator. Mr Sengupta is not happy but we were hoping that we can come to a settlement today.” Mr mehra

“So that is why Mr bose did all this today. Agar Rishab ne aaj unhe attend nahin kiya to Mr Sengupta will take it to his ego. We cannot even tell him why he cannot attend today because the press will know. That is why I was thinking ki ab tak yeh news viral kyun nahin hui. He wants to spoil the day only. I don’t get it Mr bajaj yeh sab nahin jaante I cannot believe this.” Prerna

“Who jaante the Mam but is baar problem yeh hui hain ki unke saamne koi hain jo jaanta hain unke dimaag main kya chalta hain. Mr Bose knew that Rishab would never believe he could go to this extent and it worked.” Mr Mehra and that is when Prerna made her decision. 

“Mr Mehra Mr Bajaj kab tak chut jayenge? Sach bataye mujhe” Prerna

“Mam normal interrogation hain aaj ka din to lagega. Higher officials ko baki cheezein bhi maintain karni hoti hain. Jyada pressure denge to press can get involved which is not good.” Mr Mehra

“Theek hain chaliye office. Inauguration press conference sab aaj hoga politician ko lene main jaongi” Prerna

“What?” Mr Mehra

“Yes. Mr Bajaj here will handle everything. Agar yeh sab Mr Bose ki planning hain to he know all the moves Mr Bajaj will pull. The only thing he is underestimating is me. This could help us. Mr bajaj ko kuch nahin batayenge aap warna who nahin manege. Aap apne associate ko boliye yehi rahe aur ek min ke liye Mr bajaj ko akela nahin chode. Aap chaliye mere saath. Aap mujhe pura schedule dijiye and tell me all the details. Aur haan mujhe sir ke notes chahiye jo who har deal ke liye banate hain. Agar Mr Bajaj chahte hain ki yeh aaj hoon it is that important to aaj hoga.” Prerna

Mr Mehra and Prerna sat in the car and he started briefing her everything. At 5 o'clock was the inauguration and the minister would be arriving at the airport at 1 so that means they are going straight to the airport. Prerna knew Rishab must have written everything in her notes so she made sure to go through each word about it clearly. For a moment she caressed the paper with his handwriting trying to feel his presence closing his eyes. She was impressed as Rishab had taken care of every small detail. All she had to do was just receive him with a bright smile. But Just the next minute she was nauseous and suddenly said “Mr mehra stop the car. Please gadi rokiye'' She got out and vomited all over the roadside. Mr mehra offered her water and she felt dizzy. They went to a nearby café. Somehow, she felt dizzy from the smell of coffee in the café and they went to sit outside near a bench. Mr mehra got her a lime soda and they were sitting there.

“I am sorry woh thodi tabiyat theek nahin lag rahi thi. Just give me 5 mins” Prerna

“It’s Ok. We have time. Airport is just 5 mins away and the flight is delayed. I had checked.” Mehra and he found that Prerna kept looking at him now and then and not saying anything.

“If you want to ask something then ask Mam, I promise I will try to answer” Mehra

“Aap is investment ke bare main kya sochte hain?”

“Oh, bahut profitable deal hain. It was a good investment and it will help in the long run” Mehra and Prerna kept looking at him waiting for him to say something more. 

“Aur kya sunna chahti hain mam, ki maybe Mr bajaj ne robinhood banke kuch logo ki help ya phir darkness main chup kar un logo ko bachane ki koshish ki ya here was some hidden secret to aisa nahin hain. It was a profitable deal and he took it. That is all to it. Main jaanta hoon aap kya soch rahin hain and iska answer appko sirf Mr Bajaj de sakte hain kyunki this is for him to answer. Main apna point of view de sakta hoon but you need to talk to him.” 

As soon as she reached the airport, she quickly picked up something from a nearby store and changed in the washroom and made sure she was presentable. She had a fit of nervousness remembering Nitya and Mr Bose words. But the next moment she stood up straight looking at herself in the mirror. Maybe she didn’t know how they worked but she knew how the world worked and she will try and fix everything being herself, she had tried to be someone else it didn’t work. She will be herself and tackle what was to come; he will not let Rishab continue to wear this mask for his entire life even if she had to wear it for some days. The politician was an elderly man and as soon as he arrived Prerna touched his feet. The politician was surprised.

“Namaste sir. I am Mrs Prerna Bajaj and you are like my father. I Hope you didn’t mind.” Prerna and Mr Sengupta smiled and touched her head. She gave him the flowers and they moved towards the car.

“Mr bajaj?”

“Actually, Mr bajaj was not feeling a little well. So, I thought I will come and receive you today. I am sure you don’t mind, plus I really really wanted to meet you as I have heard so much about your work for Women education and since I run an NGO myself I thought I will meet you and congratulate you and if possible even know about some of your new schemes and how can I help you with those” Prerna. The way the minister smiled Prerna knew she had scored.

They all went towards Mahindra pharmaceuticals and Mr Mehra with Perna showed him around everything. Prerna smiled when it was needed, gave the most graceful of smiles when it was needed and answered the Press as required. The lunch and the whole feast that was organised was a nice affair and Prerna was surprised that all the investors were quite happy and even the workers seemed to be happy to get back to work. The inauguration went out without a glitch. The minister left after the inauguration citing a meeting but he was all the more happy with everything and Prerna had to rush to the Bajaj industries office when she would meet Mr bajaj as she was sure he would be released by now. She was just changing and getting herself ready when Mr mehra called and told her that Mr Bajaj will be released in night only and she might have to handle the press conference as well and prerna panicked. 

“Mr Mehra Handling the politician was one thing but this what will I answer when I myself don't know anything.” Prerna but the next moment she realised She will have to make do. She will have to. She reached the Press conference where the press grilled her for almost an hour regarding the takeover destroying the company which she very graciously answered with a short and precise answer. For all the info related to shared profits and costs she had added a small earphone is her ears and Mr Mehra guided as needed as there was no way she could have understood all in some hours. When the conversation came to the accident and Malhotra's family, she answered nothing more than no comments and moved on and finished the press conference. 

“Very very nice Mam, you were incredible” Mr Mehra

“All thanks to you Mr Mehra. Mr Bajaj kaise hain aur kya hua?” Prerna

“He has been released and all charges are cleared don’t worry. He is signing the papers just now. You should go home and rest” Mr Mehra

“Nahin mujhe office jana hain” Prerna

“Lekin kyun it’s all done. Small issues I will take care of” Mr mehra

“bas mujhe jana hain” Prerna and Mr Mehra realised how well she had started knowing Mr bajaj as she knew that Mr Bajaj will come directly to office first.

Prerna went straight to Mr Bajaj's office and almost all the staff had already left. The office was closed with no one there. She had already talked to Kukki and Sneha and told them that they are okay and might be late at night. Saba and her mother were staying with them so she was relieved. She went near the couch, took off her sandals and lied down on the sofa. She was tired and exhausted with everything. She went to the washroom, washed her face, took down her makeup and jewellery and started looking around the cabin. She felt different here not scared like there was a part of him that she didn’t know. She moved around it touching the things that he might have touched. Suddenly she came across a cabinet and it was open. She was surprised. She opened to find his finest collection of his favorite whisky and cigar and she smiled to herself. She took one and smelled it as if it would make him feel less distant then he was for the last few days. 

“Aap Ko acha nahi lagega uska taste.”Mr Bajaj and Prerna startled dropped the packet. He was standing at the door. She couldn’t see his face properly as all lights of the office were off and even his cabin had only one dim light. He went near her “Opening someone’s stuff without asking them is not right” Mr bajaj and kept the packet back and as soon as he closed the cabinet, she hugged him and was pleasantly surprised when he hugged her back.

“Aap theek hai na? Everything at the department was all ok” Prerna almost tearful and Mr bajaj just nodded. 

“Aap yahan kya kar rahi hain?” Mr Bajaj

“Jaanti thi aap aaj yahan aayenge aur shayad ghar na aaye isliye” Prerna

“Aapne aaj koi zaroorat nahi thi main postpone kar deta.” Mr bajaj

“Aap chahte thi ki yeh aaj hoon to, agar maine kuch galat kiya I am sorry but I tried to make everything right” Prerna

“Prerna you were brilliant. I have never seen Mr Sengupta so happy with Bajaj industries. Th…” Rishab but Prerna stopped him by kissing him and Rishab was surprised but gave into it.

“Bas Kijiye bahut ho gaya. Bas Kijiye. I am tired, I am tired.” Prerna touching his forehead to hers. “Aapko lagta hain na aap Rishab ban kar sab kuch khote hain nahin khoyenge. Main nahin jaaongi Kahin nahin. Jab koi Rishab se kuch lene ki koshish karega to Mrs bajaj hogi uske samne aur jab Prerna ko zaroorat ho to aap Mr bajaj ban jayega.” Prerna and Rishab gave an impressed look on his face.

“Pata hain ki ab tak sab kuch nahin aaya hain seekh jaungi“ Prerna

“Lekin kyun banna chahti hain aisa” Mr bajaj

“Aap kyun bane the aise mere liye Sneha ke liye Kukki ke liye?” Prerna and Rishab again touched his forehead to hers and kissed her.

“3 years we have been married for 3 years and I know nothing about all this about your past except for about the Basus. Yeh office yeh company yeh naam yeh sab kuch aap ki Mehnat hain aapka hissa hain mat chupaye mujhse. Main aapko janti hoon I know you mat chaupaye.” And rishab held her hands and took her towards a small cabinet. He took out his wallet from where he took out a key and opened the cabinet from which he took out some things. There was a photo album and some small boxes with some stuff. He took those things and they sat on the floor near the couch. Prerna opened the photo album first. 

“Yeh nahin dekhana tha mujhe” Rishab

“Are aise kaise, mujhe dekhna hain” and Prerna opened the photo album.

“Meri mumma” and he pointed out to a woman on the front page holding a one-year old Rishab in her hands. The woman was so happy and was smiling so genuinely that it made Prerna smile. They just sat there and kept flipping the pages and if ever there was a time when Rishab wished that there was black hole and he could be engulfed by it, it was now. 

“Yeh aap hain Rishab” and laughing hysterically at a 7-year-old kid holding a gun and pointing towards the camera.

“Mumma ko pehli salary mili thi to paas wale mele main lekar gayi thi. Mujhe bahut pasand aayi but main bolna nahi chahta tha ki she might not be able to afford but she knew and bought and I was so happy that I agreed for the pic.” Rishab

“You are so cute.” Prerna and Rishab irritated tried to take the photo album but she didn’t like him and kept looking at pictures of him receiving a prize at school, he and her mother celebrating Diwali and one of his birthdays cutting a small cake with candles on it. All those pictures had them both only no friends no one but still they looked happiest.

“Mumma ko pictures click karna aur aise save karna bahut pasand tha so when I was left on my own this was the one of the few things, I kept with myself “Rishab but after that all pages were empty.

“uske baad kya hua aap jaanti hai. You know jab aapne mujhse kaha tha for the wedding album I was surprised it was almost as it was my mom’s way to tell you that she loved you and she agreed with what I was doing and was happy for me” Rishab and caresses her face and Prerna leaned into his warm touch after so many days.

“Pehle kyun nahi dikhaya” Prerna

“I was happily surprised but I was also scared thinking that history might be repeating.” Rishab and he looked at the ceiling without realising that Prerna had moved on to the second box that had all the memories of him and Nitya.

Chapter 27 - https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/153632084