Mine, To Hold And Behold

Chapter 17

One Year later....

Sweat dripped from my forehead. I wiped it off with my thumb and concentrated on the design chart in front of me. A few sweat droplets dripped onto the white chart, making it a little damp. I groaned and pulled out my hand kerchief from my pant pockets and roughly wiped my forehead.

"Sir, I have checked everything. This plant is accurately built, according the plan. Everyone did a splendid job", Noel added. He has been my secretary for the past one year. Though, he worked in the technical department earlier, I got him transferred under my wing. At the beginning he refused to join my team, but when a raise in the pay check was offered, he immediately agreed. Whatever he is like, he made an excellent assistant in these past twelve months. He was really good at what he does. Apparently, my decision of bringing him along with me, turned out to be the best decision.

"Fine", I sighed and removed the safety helmet, which we were all supposed to wear when we walked through the construction area. "I will be in my cabin. Call me ...", I trailed off, "No, on second thoughts. Do not call me", I said. "I need some sleep", I muttered under my breathe and walked off.

Just a kilometre away, I have built a small cabin for myself. Though I have an apartment in the city, Cairo, most of my time is spending in the site, where the power plant is getting constructed. I refused to travel back and forth to the apartment from site area. It's already damn hot in the mornings, and I get tired at the end of the day so I came up with the idea of the cabin. It's economically built and can be removed when I leave. So, there is neither wastage of place or money.

I opened the lock of the cabin and stepped in. I turned the air conditioner on, and walked to the fridge. I opened it and pulled out a chilled beer. I tipped it upside down and swallowed the cool liquid. When I vowed to myself that I won't touch alcohol again, I made a self exception for the oath. I exempted beer from alcohol. I mean come on, it has 2% alcohol in it and it's damn hot in here.

I stripped to my boxers and walked into the bathroom. I turned the shower on and stood under it, letting the cool water, wash over the sweat. This bathroom was nothing luxurious. It was small four by five bathroom with a camod and shower head that wear separated by a shower curtain. Only god knows how longing I feel towards a nice hot bath. Its been a year since I had a bath. Its always these quick cold showers.

I sighed and turned the shower off. I removed the soaked boxer and towel dried myself. I soon changed into some comfortable clothes and jumped onto my single bed.

Pari. I thought closing my eyes.

It's been like this, all year. She is the first thought when I wake up and the last thought as I go to sleep. I have been in love with her, more and more with each passing day. She was the reason I decided to head this project. She was the reason, I took something seriously, for the first time in my life. She was the reason, I asked Noel to join my project. I was driven by jealousy. But now, there is nothing to be jealous of, Noel is now engaged to someone else and he is happily in love with her. He met her in a meeting held in Cairo, where he presented the work progress of first three months. Sara, was also present to the meeting. She works for a local company which supplies iron to us. She was supposed to take notes of the meeting but ended up getting his phone number. Both of them, hit off easily. And now are, happily engaged. He did admit that he was power hungry and he was engaged to Pari only because he thought she could be a stepping stone for his prosperous future. Sara was really hurt when she heard this. She almost broke up with him but he confessed everything and convinced her that he is now changed and she was the one who motivated him into the right path. However, despite all the hardships in their relationship, they came together and ended up getting engaged.

And Pari and I.... we were in a 'kind of' relationship. I don't know what we are something, but I couldn't put my finger on what exactly. Did, I tell you, Pari would be the death of me. She would be mad at me, saying that I abandoned her, again. The next minute she would be aying that she understood my decision and was proud of me.

One minute she talks how miserable she is without me and the next minute she tells me how her life is so 'happening', with new friends and new job and we both are better away from each other. I end a call from her everytime, either with a headache, or a smile. She is literally killing me.

Anyway, I am leaving for Hyderabad, tomorrow, and hopefully she will be back into the sane mind when she welcomes me. There is a huge party organized in Paris, after a week, for my success. Every big shot will be present at that party and I want Pari to be my date for that party. Hopefully she will accept my proposal, which I am planning for later on. She is so difficult sometimes.

I got up from the bed and stretched my tense muscles. Obviously I wasn't getting any sleep, so I could use this time for some work out. I walked out of the cabin with my work out kit and hit the gym that was five kilometres away from the site area. Its far, I know, but its the only option we got.

**

I couldn't be anymore nervous. My palms were sweating profusely and I kept, wiping them n my pants, repeatedly. I just got down from my private jet in Hyderabad and was sitting in my car. As soon as this SUV, completes the journey from the airstrip to the airport, I will be greeted with a swarm of people ready with cameras, flashes, mikes and lot of questions. And let me tell you, Media in India can get really dirty. Keeping in mind, that this is the first project I am handling, the Media will be all over the place to find any single mistake they could notice, and would make it an issue. I admit it, I am scared.

"Sir", the driver interrupted my nervous breakdown, "Your father is here", he said and I looked out of the window. And there they were, My dad, dressed in a royal be dress shirt, and grey suite, handsome as ever with that French beard. Mr. Sharma who was beside him, dressed casually in a grey sweater and black slacks, was grinning at me with a proud smile. And behind them, were my gang. Kumar, Jai, Sam and Randy. All dressed as if it was festival and were all ready with flower garlands and the music band that was standing a few feet away from them, dressed in bright yellow and red with drums and guitars, was any indication they were making it a festival. My arrival.

A throaty laugh escaped from me as soon as I got down from the car. "Bro", they all ran towards me and lifted me up in the air, carrying me on their shoulders. I missed them. Oh, how I missed them, so much! The band began playing some song in the background, as they greeted me with garlands and showered me with flowers. After a thorough satisfaction, they finally put me down and engulfed me into a group-bear-hug. Its the longest I have gone without seeing them. Sure, we would skype each other, now and again, but without meeting personally, this is the longest we have been.

"Okay guys, relax" My dad's voice boomed, I untangled myself from my gang and moved over to my dad. I bent down and touched his feet, an India way of taking blessings from your parents. I don't know why I did, but it was all instinctive. My dad pulled me from my shoulders and gave me a tight hug. This year of separation, has actually brought us together. We would discuss, endless business, Cricket, Share market, even gossip. He became my new best friend.

"how are you?" he asked.

"I'm good. How have you been?"

"Young and energetic, as always", he replied cockily and that's the father I know. I laughed along with him and turned to greet, Mr. Sharma.

"Hello Sir", I touched his feet as well. This was intentional. I had to take his blessings. Without him, I would have never taken this project this seriously. And he is the one who has to give away Pari to me. So I have to be in his good books.

"Raghu", he said with such pride, it filled my heart with emotion. He didn't say anything further but I know that I have lived up to his expectation. The other board of directors who came there to greet me, shook hands with me. I made a polite conversation with everyone.

"Time to go", my dad said. I frowned, but continued to walk. Where the hell is Pari?

*****

"So bro", kumar spoke up, cutting the silence that settled in the car. I was sitting in the passenger seat as Jai drove. Kumar and Randy sat behind me. "How was Dubai?" He asked and I rolled my eyes.

Randy smacked his head, "i***t! Not every other country is Dubai or America. Bro was in Cairo, Egypt" he said.

"Its all the same", kumar muttered glaring at Randy and rubbing his head.

" It was good. But this is home. I missed it here" I said sincerely.

Never have I thought that I would miss this place so much. I was never the emotional kind of guy. I was a rouge, who wandered from one place to another. One girl to another. One party to another. Never has been a thing that kept me interested for long, until, Pari. But, where the hell is she?

I pulled out my mobile and realized that it was in aeroplane mode and I haven't turned it on yet. As soon as I turned it to normal mode, the phone came alive with fourty two missed calls and thirteen voice messages. All of them were from Benjamin. I frowned. Why was he calling now, when he knew I would be back today?

I dialled his number and he took the call after the first ring, "Dude!" His breathless voice perked up my interest, "where were you. I have been trying to call you sice ao long" he whined.

"Calm down" I said. " what is the matter?"

"Are you back, yet?" He asked ignoring my question.

"Yes I am," I sighed.

"Good. Because we have a problem". He said and that was all that required to make me curse my day.

*****

One year. For one freaking year, I have kept an eye on Pari. Not because I didn't trust her or anything, just because I wanted her to be safe and out of trouble. I didn't want her to dissappear into the dust, again.

All along the year, she remained happy and safe. No complaints, no problems, no stupid people trying to lecture her on her relationship status ot her f*cked up life. Imagine how 'on top of the world' I must have felt. It all went down the drain, with that one sentence over the phone call with Benji, "Because we have a problem".

Problem. I don't understand why it has to be like a soap opera with Pari. A problem just leaves through the main door, another problem makes its way through the window. I swear I am going to tie that minx in my house and am never letting her go out of my line of sight. She is a walking problem magnet. Wherever she is, problems keep following het, either its threatening mobsters or simply an obsessed boyfriend, that's me.

I entered my head office through thr main entrance where a huge paparazzi was awaiting for us. They shot questions after questions which I already took the pain of answering a while ago at the airport. I was in no mood of entertaining them all over again. I avoided them and rushed into the building as the security people kept the paparazzi away.

The private elevator took me right to the Twentieth floor where the board room was. My personal assistant Mrs. Reddy, who was appointed over an online interview greeted me as soon as I stepped into the floor. "Good afternoon sir, welcome to India" she bowed het head slightly in respect as I reciprocated the pleasantries. "Congratulations on your success Sir" she beamed. Pity, I was not in the mood to reply joyously.

"Where are they?" I asked instead.

"They all are waiting in the conference room sir" she answered in a business tone.

I was supposed to come to this building when I was well rested and freshen up. But no, I had to hurry here with the same clothes I traveled in the jet for don't know how long and couldn't even afford a shower. All thanks to a certain someone who couldn't stay out of trouble. I sighed and pushed open the glass door of the conference room. And my breath caught in my throat as I saw her.

There she was, dressed in a yellow blouse and cream coloured pencil skirt. Her hair shorter and a lot curlier compared to the last time I saw her. Her face was flushed and her head bent low. She didn't look up as I approached her, but her stance visibly shifted. Her spine straightened and her breath hitched slightly, almost invisible if haven't paid close attention. She intwined her fingers and fiddled with them. A sign no nervousness. I sighed and took a seat beside her. So close, that our thighs brushed. She moved an inch away from me which I quickly covered by moving closer. She didn't dare move away anymore.

I opened up the two buttons of my coat and loosened my tie. I looked up to the other members of the room. My dad and Mr.Sharma sat at the conference table along with our lawyer and two women, whom I recognize as Pari's friends and partners in business. Alice and Anita. They both were mastered in the subject and specialists in child paycology. They were almost a decade older than Pari, but were her best friends. These three women ran the psychology clinic together. Though Pari was 65% partner since she invested 65% of the funds, the three were equally hard working and talented. Okay, may be Pari was a little less qualified. But she was good at what she did and she has also applied for a masters degree in Hyderabad university and passed her first academic year with flying colours. I am proud of her.

"So, anybody gonna tell me what the problem is?" I said looking at everyone. A gurgling noise caught the attention of the crowd and we all turned to Pari who was drinking Frooti drink from a straw and was making an annoyingly cute noise with it. As soon as she realised the stares she looked up sheepishly, "sorry" she murmured and placed the drink on the side table.

" Hello Mr. Raghu " the woman I recognised as Dr. Alice foreman, from Benji's regular reports, who was dressed in black slacks and light pink formal dress shirt spoke up. "I am Dr. Alice foreman and this is-" she pointed to the petite woman dressed in a green cotton sari, beside her, "- Dr.Anita Sahay. We both work with Pari at our clinic. Apparently there is a problem we're afraid," she trailed off and sighed.

" I know there is a problem but what the hell is it, will someone tell me?" I asked as my patience was wearing thin. Benji did inform that there was a problem but he didn't tell what it was. I hired him to keep an eye on Pari and make sure she stayed out of trouble, but it seems like he didn't do a good job. I am gonna deal with him later.

"Sir... uhh" she stammered. Pari sighed from beside me,

"I am being sued" Pari spoke up for the first time since I came in.

"You what?" I asked not understanding what she said.

She sighed again, "Someone filed a lawsuit against me. I might have to go to jail" she said muttering the last part and looked away.

Out of all the things, this was something I least expected.

THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO ROB THIER, ONE OF MY FAVORITE WATTPADERS.

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