Serendipity

26

Paritosh, Samar and Pakhi, Anupama and Vanraj's children, were sitting at the dining table at the Shah residence. While Paritosh and Pakhi were busy texting on their phone, Samar was chilling with a cup of lemonade in his hand.

"Ma just had to," Paritosh muttered under his breath.

"Just had to what? Why don't you complete the sentence?" Samar was irked with the way his older brother and younger sister were behaving. Their mother had left the Shah household six months ago. Neither of these two children had bothered to check on her since. Pakhi went out of her way to consciously avoid their mother in school. And yet, they both seemed to believe they had a say in what their mother did with her life.

Paritosh rolled his eyes at Samar's question. "I don't think you really care but we do. All our friends are asking about Ma and Anuj Kapadia, and we're the ones who need to come up with excuses."

"And??"

"And it's embarrassing to tell them that our mother is engaged, again, at this age."

Samar rolled his eyes, unable to digest the double standards of this entire household. None of them seemed to have any problem when Vanraj was carrying on his clandestine affair with Kavya or when he divorced Anupama to marry her.

"So you're embarrassed that Ma is getting engaged to someone appropriate for her age after a divorce. But you had no issues with Papa having an extramarital affair and marrying a girl who could have easily been your older sister."

"Samar, Papa is a man and Ma is a..."

"Yes. I know. Save it. Tomorrow when Pakhi's husband cheats on her, remember this conversation."

While a flabbergasted Paritosh and Pakhi stared at Samar, he got up and left the table, whistling a happy tune. His mother had found her happily ever after. Today was a good day.

*****

As Anupama stepped away from the podium, photographers made a beeline to shake hands with her. She obliged each one of them, shaking hands with them, taking selfies and making small conversation. Many handed her their business cards, indicating that they would be interested in an exclusive. Some profusely apologized for writing about her and Anuj in the gossip columns, others wanted to know more about her life before meeting Anuj. Anupama answered them all with candour.

While Anupama was surrounded by the media, Anuj, GK, and his PR Manager had regrouped to discuss the next steps. What happened today was sudden, unexpected. While the media was showering its love and affection on Anupama right now, it wouldn't take them any time to turn against her.

Anuj looked at Anupama's enthusiasm and smiled, her innocence a burst of sunshine in his very power-hungry and cynical world. It was one of the things that had attracted him to her 26 years ago. And the only thing perhaps that had remained a part of her after everything she'd faced. He craved her innocence for himself, but he also knew that should he try to grab it, Anupama might get singed.

Turning his attention to the discussion at hand, he asked: "What do you suggest?"

"Sir, providing 24-hour security where Ma'am currently lives might be counterproductive. In this scenario, it's best if Ma'am moves in with you."

GK agreed. He looked with concern at Anupama. He didn't know if she had agreed to Anuj's foolhardy proposition or her decision was a forever one based on GK's advice.

"Ask her why she did what she did. We cannot do anything before we understand what's going on in her head," GK added.

Anuj sighed, taking his glasses off with one hand and rubbing his temples in concentric circles with the other. His head hurt. After a few moments of carefully massaging his forehead, he ran his hand through his hair and placed his glasses back. He wasn't looking forward to that conversation.

Having completed their discussion, the PR Manager took their leave, and Anuj and GK were left standing, watching Anupama.

"I hope she knows what she's doing GK. I certainly don't anymore."

"What you said about Anupama at the Press Conference was not part of the script. Is it true? Is that what you feel about her?"

Anuj stared at GK long and hard and then finally nodded. "I do think Ma would've been very proud of her."

GK smiled. "She does have the same quiet spirit and determination as Gayatri. But there is one thing that differentiates the two of them. Your mother oozed self-confidence. She stood up for others as well as herself. Anupama doesn't believe herself to be worth fighting for."

"What should I do GK, I don't know. I haven't felt this lost in a very long time."

GK patted Anuj's shoulder. "You haven't felt this lost in a very long time. Because you haven't been this afraid in a very long time."

When Anuj continued to stare at him, GK smiled. "Whether you accept it or not Anuj, you're afraid of losing Anupama, AGAIN. You don't have to tell me things for me to figure them out." GK patted him on his shoulder. "Today's press conference was a surprise. Neither of us anticipated this. You might not know what you're doing, but Kanhaji definitely does. Have faith."