Anu-Raj [Estd. 1993]

9 - Guilt of The Past

Three Days Later.
Krishna Kunj.

"Uff Baa! I am getting late!", Vanraj said irritably sitting in the courtyard, wearing only a white dhoti. Bare bodied.
He was lowkey glad he had been exercising. He did not have the abs yet, but the outlines were quite prominent.
He was sitting on a small stool, finally ready for the haldi ceremony.

"Mister Vannu Bapuji Shah, today is your haldi, so stop making faces!", This was Vanraj's younger sister, Dolly. She had been in Jamnagar, her grandma's home all this while with her uncle due to navratri holidays.

"Dolly chup kar!", Vanraj snapped at her with narrowed eyes.
"Uff my body builder bhanje, she is your sister, a little leg pulling is not harmful. I remember, in Didi's haldi celebration, Didi had actually pulled my leg from behind because I teased her.", Mamaji, that is Leela's younger brother and Vanraj's only maternal uncle said.

He had apparently had an accident years ago, which had given him the disease of short time memory loss.

"Oh ho meri Yaadon ki Baarat, it's okay. Your didi is anyways throwing me off my feet with her attitude regularly.", Hasmukh said grinning at his brother in law.
Clearly his favourite person from Leela's side.

"Huh! Whatever.", Leela said as she stepped ahead to apply mehendi on Vanraj.
"Baa, do this fast na. I have to reach office. The holidays were only till the Feast. If I don't reach on time today Dholakia will fire me.", He said hastily.

Leela sighed.

"Fine, fine. I'm doing it quickly.", She said.

•

W

hen Vanraj jogged in through the gates of Imperium Private Limited. He wore this roughly ironed light blue shirt and brown trousers. The ID card loosely around his neck.

The other interns were standing in line for the attendance.
He immediately ran and joined them.

"Morning Vanraj. Long time, no see?", His collegue asked, looking at the yellowish tinge to his skin, half amused.
"College taking a toll, I had my haldi ceremony this morning.", He said panting.

"Ah ha.. Look! Forest King is back!", Vanraj's Boss, Tarun Dholakia finally showed up.
Vanraj was easily the youngest amongst the new lot of interns. He had been taken into the job over pure merit, he hadn't passed his B.Com course yet but the General Manager had been quite kind to notice his talent when he came for the interview. He wasn't eligible for the interview but was forced to find a job when their own factory drowned in almost bankruptcy a few months ago.

Dholakia had been extremely skeptical, and he remained so. But Vanraj had grown to be everyone's favourite in office. Young blood that does his job passionately, what more does the company need?

"Good to see you.", Dholakia said with a fake smile.
Vanraj simply nodded.
"Get to work everyone. Today's going to be overtime.", Dholakia announced.

Vanraj drew in a deep breath and walked down to his desk.

The pressure was overwhelming. The burden, was overwhelming.
It was difficult to be the one handling everything, yet that was exactly his whole purpose.

His family.
And to fulfil all of their wishes.

•

Anupamaa found herself in a completely opposite situation in life.
Her mother refused to let her contribute in any way, in her own wedding. She was just supposed to sit back and look pretty.