The Burnt – Prologue

In the twentieth floor of high rise corporate office building, Chetan has been pacing in the lobby for last half an hour

“Do I look like a business partner? No” he paced again

“I am pacing outside her cabin, she knows I am desperate to meet her but no, why will she end this meeting? Her creative teams are more important than her business partner”

He again paced from one end of lobby to other “Good Morning Sir”

“Good Morning. And get set on work as we are expecting to get a very big client”

“Sir with your marketing skills, we will win the project”

“We can only if your creative Ma’am finishes her ever important creative meeting.”

“Sir, you go to the cabin. The boy can let you know when she gets free”

“Do I look so patient to you now?” “Okay Sir,”  laughed Merul and left

He turned and his partner graced him by finishing her meeting. She crossed her hands across her chest

“Mr. Chetan Puri, learn to be patient. You distracted me during my creative meeting.”

“Very Good, thanks for ending it. I have exciting news to share. It is going to be big breakthrough for us Mishty”

“Take it but I cannot be directly involved in it. My hands are full. Come, let’s talk in my cabin”

They entered her cabin with name plate 

‘Managing Director and Creative head

     Misthy Khurana’

and Mishty took her chair while Chetan the guest chair

“We need the name Mishty Khurana to win this pitch”

“You marketing and sales people just can’t push projects on us. Creativity will go if we take more big projects”

“Mishty, the once that is already in progress, hands over to Merul’s team. You have to take this. Those are very small compared to this one.”

“No project is small for me. I put equal effort, imagination and creativity on all projects. We get attached to our project. You can pitch it with Merul. She is equally good”

“She is very talented but not you. All Ad companies are coming with their best pitch for this one. If they know we are not there with Mishty Khurana, the clear message will be, ‘We are not serious’. Hundred Million project it is and I can’t let anyone win this pitch”

“A Hundred Million for Ad Campaign?”

“They will be giving not only Ad creation, it will be campaign and responsibility to completely make the product hit.Who ever wins will get to thoroughly work with them. A long term project. It’s their first launch in London and they want it a hit in any case”

“Hundred Million – You are trying to change my mind. I am so booked Chetan I can’t leave the current ones”

“Mishty we can’t miss this. It will be a big breakthrough for us”

“What’s the product” 

“Geetanjali Dreams” “Geetanjali” she repeated and frowned

“Why, any problem with name” She picked her glass of water to take a sip

She hesitated “No, no problem. Looks like it’s an Indian Client”

“Yes, it’s an Indian client and a very big name. It’s a new Clothing venture for them, their first launch in London. They want to target the global market and also influence Indian touch in clothing.”

“Who’s this big client?” she asked and took a sip of water

“You will now give one brownie point to them. It’s the matching surname as yours ‘Khurana Enterprise’”

Mishty choked her water. “Are you Okay Mishty”

She soon composed herself and wiped her mouth “I am fine” but she was shaking from within.

How far could she go to never collide with him in this universe by any chance?

“Now I won’t go in this park with your commandos covering us. I want to go to the park with my Grandson Maan and not the Owner of Khurana Enterprise.

He laughed “Okay Dadima. Not sure why you even bring me to this park. It is not at all my type of place.”

“What is meant by my type of place? “

“Do you see all around? It’s filled with parents and kids. You think it will do any good to me”

“Son, you have moved here to leave all the old baggage and memories behind and start afresh. So just do something that you have never done. Maybe unexpected places like this can bring some happiness.”

“Why are you standing with me Dadima? I need to be left alone in this world, me and my heinous deeds”

“Son you have made mistakes but then I have also seen your penance. I myself would have never forgiven you had I not seen your regrets. Bohut ho gaya, now move ahead in life”

They entered the park

Other side of Park

“Mumma iee cleam”

“Adhvay, No” “Mumma” 

He made a face “That’s not fair, you can’t make puppy face every time” She sighed after a while

“Okay, but you stay seated here. No talking to stranger” she warned and left

Savitri Devi took her seat on the cemented square broad seating around the small man made water bodies.

Her eyes went on a 3-4 years old boy sitting impatiently some 2-3 feet away

“What is making you smile Dadima”

“Do you see that little boy? He reminds me so much of your childhood”

Maan looked at that boy “What Dadima?”

“No really, his features remind me so much of your childhood. If you ever have a son, he will look so much like this.”

“Which is never going to happen. Topic ends here”

He got up “Come, let’s go to the other side. A little less crowded” She smiled and shook her head

“Please” she got up and left with him.

He walked along with Dadima in the park and saw a few couples hand in hand. He looked up in the sky as the lump formed in his throat.