Chapter
5
Lunch time at the farm house…
The table is laden with choicest delicacies from the kitchens of the Kapoor family. After all it is not everyday that it got to welcome the person who captured the heart of the beautiful and famous designer Natasha Kapoor.
Ram sat looking amused at his little kid-sister looking and acting so grown-up. She was overseeing the lunch preparations- a fact that amused him to no end. He looked at Vikram. Both the buddies just winked and walked up to her..
Ram: Wow Natasha… you are looking wonderful…another one of your creations I am sure. Is this Kartik’s favourite colour?
Vikram: Kya yaar tum bhee…did you look at the table? Did you see the spread? Definitely aaj tere-mere choice ke tho nahin lagte na? Looks like Mr Sharma has taken precedence over you and me…Beta Ram ab no one cares for us…
Ram : Guffaws…haan yaar see yeh ek thee who was always saying bhai this and bhai that..ab see she hasn’t even looked at me since morning…
Natasha: Haaaaaaaw ! How can you say that? I got your chai remember- not Bansi kaka…
Ram: Chai leke zaroor aayi..you did not even wait to see me drink… you ran off to call your Mr Sharma.. looks like I have to get used to looking after myself..hmmmm
Natasha (tears welling up) Bhai…you are the one whom I always look up to..if you say something like this then main shaadi nahin karoongi…she pouts…
Vikram: Hein??? Arrey shaadi nahin karegi and here I thought one person less who would bully me!
Natasha: (looking sad).. I know u boys don’t have to look after the baby sister any more..khush raho donon…
Ram pulls her into a bear hug..Vikram pats her head affectionately..
Ram: Pagal, what would we do without you? I have raised you from the time you were a baby…turns away..anyway don’t cry now..all that make-up is going to run down your face..you don’t want to look like someone from the horror movies..go and get ready ..
Natasha walks inside..
Ram: Vikram how will I live without this kiddo? She is so much a part of my life..cannot think otherwise.
Vikram: Ram I know it is difficult..but hey she is going to be in Mumbai..arrey kabhi bhee mil lenge yaar..
Ram: Mmm you are right..btw I have pre-poned my trip. I will leave for Mumbai tonight and take a flight to Madurai..a then a drive to Kodaikanal. I will meet with the estate guys the next day. Let me see how this goes.
Vikram: Ram just heard a car outside..lagta hai damaad ji aa gaye..
Ram laughs .
Natasha stands beaming proudly in her turquoise blue chiffon dress..very stylishly cut. Her silky hair flowing loose. Karthik walks in with a bunch of red roses that he gives Natasha. His eyes doing a quick look at her.. he says quietly…You look lovely Natasha..
Natasha smiles at him: You look handsome Karthik..
Ram comes to Karthik, smiles and shakes hands with him. There is a look of genuine happiness to see this boy his Choti has chosen.
Ram: Welcome home Karthik. Meet Vikram…my buddy, my alter ego..
Karthik: Hello sir. Hello Vikram.
Karthik goes to touch the feet of Dadi and Krishna ji. Ram looks surprised.
Ram (thinking) This guy is the latest blue-eyed boy of the ad world. But he is so grounded in culture. Choti has chosen well.
Lunch is served and Karthik has endeared himself to the entire Kapoor clan. Ram enjoys the company of this smart young man- he is suave without being vain.
Ram: Karthik, tell me about your family.
Karthik: Sir, I come from a small but very close-knit family. My father is a retired company executive-mother is a home-maker. I have an elder sister too. At the moment they are in Kodaikanal. They spend around 6 months there in our estate house.
Ram: (surprised) Kodaikanal?? I am going there tomorrow. If you don’t mind I would love to meet with them. I must meet your family.
Karthik: Sure sir..I will inform them and please don’t mistake me..if you need any assistance papa would be more than happy to guide.
Ram( smiles fondly) That is very nice of you Karthik but all arrangements have been made. I shall reach Kodai by evening tomorrow.
The whole family approve of Natasha’s choice and there is a lot of good-humoured ribbing.
The family decides to stay back at the farm house for a week more. Ram leaves for Mumbai.
Ram walks into the Mumbai airport..heads turn to see this business tycoon walk casually across the terminal. His black Armani suit…a classic red silk tie and a pure white shirt…There is a buzz in the terminal to see ‘The Ram Kapoor’..He finishes the requisite formalities and waits at the VIP lounge. There are a lot of gorgeous women there-many of whom he recognises. But Ram Kapoor is simply not interested in any of them. He is more than happy to work on his laptop. The women dare not go and flirt with him. Just a look from him and they just freeze. There is only one person who matters to him…he did not know where she was..
At Kodaikanal….
Priya is busy working on her laptop. Karthik calls…
Priya: Hey Karthik..so how did the lunch go?
Karthik: Di, I never thought woh log itney simple honge..it just felt like home.
Priya: Really, the country’s most promising business tycoon- and the whole family is simple..unbelievable.
Karthik: Di, honestly..aur Ram Sir…how simple and humble he is…I knew he is such an intelligent person, absolutely successful at whatever he does, has a great reputation but what a fabulous human being he is! Di, Hats off to him…he made me feel so comfortable..
Priya: Kaaaaaaaaaaarthik…all you are talking about is Natasha’s brother…how is Natasha?
Karthik: She is fine Di..she was looking stunning..
Priya: Karthik…are you blushing?
Karthik: Diiiii please na… by the way Di Ram sir is coming to Kodaikanal tomorrow evening on some business..he said he would drop by to meet you all.
Priya: That’s nice Karthik, I will inform ma and papa. But I will be away for a couple of days though- have a meeting at Chennai with my publishers.
Karthik: Oh… theek hai.
At the airport…
Ram leaves the sleepy airport at Madurai, gets into the chauffeured Mercedes car and it slowly makes way to the place he always wanted to visit.
Ram relaxes in his car and takes out his ipod.. all his favourite music-right from R D Burman’s songs, to symphonies of Mozart and Beethoven..it had it all.
Musaafir hoon yaaron…na ghar hai na thikaana…mujhe chalte jaana hai..bas chalte jaana...
He smiles..he is a traveller alright..aren’t we all he thinks?
Ram drowns in the beauty of the lyrics..the magic of Kishore Kumar…the car slowly starts making its climb..the weather gets cooler..He smiles. There is a steady stream of cars coming in from Kodaikanal.
Ram: (thinking) Everyone is in a hurry to get somewhere…
There is some hold-up in traffic as a huge truck tries to squeeze itself around a hair-pin bend.
Ram looks outside…
A pristine white Corolla..stops near his car..headed in the opposite direction..Ram casually looks out..A woman sits by the window on the other side..she is looking away..beautiful silky black hair…her hand reaches out to touch the rain drops..
Ram smiles…someone like him???
The White Corolla….
Priya pushes the hair from her face..
Priya: (thinks) Why do I feel as if someone is watching me? God I am going crazy.. The guy in the black suit..who was he? Why did he say that? Why was I so drawn to him? He was handsome-very handsome..how dare he come and speak to me like that? And why did I keep quiet..I was dumbstruck..Who is he?
He tries to look at her face..a gust of wind blows silky black hair onto her face…her hand immediately reaches out to push it away..beautiful hand..long fingers..as she brushes the hair away.
Priya: You need a life..Just forget that guy-whoever he was.. I need to concentrate on other things..my book, Karthik, Ma and papa- who has the time to think of the handsome guy in a black suit?
Priya: Hell! Why can’t I think of anything else? She lets out a sigh and closes her eyes…
The road block is cleared and the Corolla drives off…
He hears...Kisi nazar ko tera...intezaar aaj bhee hai..kahan ho tum ke yeh dil bekaraar aaj bhee hai...
Ram smiles..trying to look at the Corolla that is now driving off down the road..she was gone..
Ram: (thinking) I wonder how she looks like? Why couldn’t I see her face? What beautiful hands!! Who is she? He shakes his head…Ram, you need a life..why does a strange woman in a car affect you? Whoever she was, she surely was lovely..there was something so elegant..her white car, her lovely hands, beautiful hair and what a lovely taste in music..wonder who she is?
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