Everything For Him - Part 22

'I think Jayanth is slowly getting interested in you,' Sandhya said, sipping her coffee. 'In the beginning of the year I told you that you will meet someone who will change your life forever? I feel Jayanth is that someone.'

'Don't be silly Sandhya! I already told you before and I am completely tired of repeating again. He is ten years younger to me.'

'Ananya, if Jayanth says that he loves you, what are you going to do?'

I laughed at her question. 'Don't speak if you don't know what you are talking about. Jayanth proposing to me? To a woman who is older to him?'

'Ananya, love doesn't know the age difference-'

'For God's sake please stop talking about love. I am just getting better and don't try to trigger any feelings for Jayanth. I am not strong enough to go through the trauma for one more time. I have had enough in this birth. If Jayanth really says I LOVE YOU, I am going to reject him. But even before that I will quit this company. I think it's better to go away from Hyderabad.'

'Don't let your emotions make your decisions. You will repent later.'

'Sandhya, instead of worrying about me, why don't you concentrate on starting a family? It's already been a year.'

'My husband doesn't want to start a family for another year as he wants to focus on his promotion that he has been waiting for three years.'

'Sandhya, our desires are endless and will never get satisfied. Don't take time for granted.'

'In fact I also want to start a family but as a wife I need to support him in his goals.'

'I agree that as a wife you are supposed to help him but the joy or raising a kid will make you much happier than getting promoted. There's no greater feeling in this world than that of becoming parents and I feel that is the biggest promotion, because I know the pain of not having a child. '

'That's hundred percent correct! I will discuss it with my husband today,' she rose up, 'better I will go and discuss now itself.'

'Good decision Sandhya! Very soon I wish to hear good news from you.'

'Let's see!' she slung her handbag on her shoulder, 'and all the best for your meeting with Jayanth.'

'Stupid!' I slapped her shoulder. 

Sandhya embraced me with a warm hug and made an exit from my home.

Jayanth and I reached 'The BBQ Nation' restaurant. Jayanth has made a reservation a day in advance. This particular restaurant pioneered the concept of 'over the table barbeque' live grills embedded in dining tables – allowing guests to grill their own barbecue's right at their tables. They offer customers at least five vegetarian and five non-vegetarian largely pre-cooked appetisers they can season and barbecue on a grill embedded in their table, an all-you-can-eat main course buffet and a selection of desserts.

We sat at a table and the waiter placed a barbeque grill exactly in the center of our table and smoke was coming out of it.

'What is that inside?' I asked Jayanth.

'They have put the coals inside. I hope you love this place Ananya,' Jayanth said. 'First of all thank you so much for completing the designs. Since it won't be good to discuss personal things in the office, I asked you to come out so that we don't waste our productivity hours inside the office. I hope you don't mind?' 

'Not at all Jayanth. And by the way,' I opened my mobile to show him the designs that I made. 'These are the designs that I made.'

'Ananya, let's have a look once after we complete finishing the appetizers.'

'Hmm… Ok!'

Jayanth called the waiter and ordered the appetizers. One waiter brought four skewers with fruits and meat on them and placed it on the grill in between. Later one of the waiters brought a crispy corn and later a veg manchuria followed by chicken manchurian and paneer 65. After that we went to the buffet stand and I placed Chicken Biryani on my plate.

'So Ananya, can you show me the designs?' Jayanth asked, as he sat down.

I took out my mobile and sat straight in front of him. I was looking at his expressions all throughout the time while he was scrolling through the designs. He seems to be happy.

'Amazing!' he said, pushing the mobile to my side. 'I didn't know that you are such a wonderful interior designer. So tell me how much do I need to pay you?'

'Jayanth, please don't embarrass me. I didn't do this for money. I did just because I love doing it, nothing else,' I said to him.

'Cool! I really loved the designs. And coming to the top floor, I didn't have a plan for a meditation room, did you include it?'

'Yes, I felt that there's a lot of space unutilized. So, I just came up with that plan. In case you don't like it, we can erase it.'

'No-No! It's fantastic,' he smiled. 'Ananya, if you don't mind can I ask you one question. It is a bit personal.'

'Sure.'

'I remember you once saying that you are a single woman. I just wanted to know the reasons for your divorce?'

For the first time, he asked me about my personal life. I don't understand whether to tell him or not. But so far he has been good to me, maybe I can tell him everything.

'Well Jayanth, My husband and I once met with an accident in which my uterus got ruptured. The doctors declared that I won't be able to carry a child in my life. Two years after the accident, my husband and I applied for the divorce and from then on, I have been staying alone.'

'I am really so much sorry for your loss. But you are truly one of the bravest women I had ever seen in my life. It's not easy living alone. And are you the only child of your parents?'

'Yes I was the only child. And do you have any siblings?'

'Well, I have an elder brother and an elder sister. I am the youngest one.'

'Do they stay here?'

'No! They stay abroad. They are also from IIT's. Even my parents are also from IIT.'

'Amazing!'

'In what way it sounds amazing? You might be thinking like I am living a happy life. See Ananya, just because a person graduated from an IIT or IIM doesn't make him a happy person.'

'Come on IIT and IIM is a dream of millions and not everyone is fortunate enough to make it. You should be lucky enough for fulfilling your destiny.'

'Ananya, can you tell me how many times had you gone out with your parents for a tour or something?'

'Many times. I don't remember the exact count.'

'But I have gone only ten times in my entire life,' he said with a disgusting expression.

To be continued...