The Madras Affair

by Sundari Venkatraman

  “You didn't make a great success of your marriage, I don't know why. And then, your husband died. That was no fault of ours, Sangita.”

  Sangita's mind screamed, 'It was no fault of mine either.'“Today, it's my turn to get married. By a wonderful stroke of luck, Lata has consented to be my wife. You know how rich her family is. Her father is the CEO of PadmaClair Associates. They are highly respected in the society. I'm damned lucky to have landed her as my bride amidst the fierce competition. I have worked long and hard for this prize.” He paused to catch his breath. Sangita looked at him as if to ask why he was telling her all this.

  “Now let me come to the point. Lata's father is planning to come home next week to speak to Amma and Appa about my wedding and fix a date. But this news of your second marriage is bound to break my chances. It's not fair, Sangita. You've had your shot at marriage. It's not my fault that it failed. Now it's my turn. Please, I beg you, don't spoil it for me.”

  Sangita looked at him askance. How could her marriage to Gautam affect his to Lata's?

  “They will most definitely not tolerate their son-in-law's widowed sister's second marriage. Please don't kill my chances, Sangita,” he pleaded once again.

  “But Rakesh, please do understand my point of view. I'm just a year elder to you. Can you see any light in my future?” she tried to reason with him.

  “I don't care,” he snarled, getting to his feet. “Amma's right. You're absolutely selfish and don't care about anyone but yourself. Raghu's mad to support you. You deserve to be stuck at home without a job.” He left the room, carrying the telephone, slamming the door behind him.

  Raghavan came home that evening in a jubilant mood. His parents' long faces didn't deter him one bit. He went up the staircase to his sister's room after beckoning Rekha to join them.

  Sangita looked up from her bed where she had been lying down reading Sons of Fortune by Jeffrey Archer. Raghavan gestured to Rekha to close the door behind them before placing a small paper packet in his sister's hands.

  “That's from your Gautam,” he said.

  She blushed. “What's it?” she asked as she pulled out a mobile phone, letting out a small shriek of delight.

  “Your fiancé's attempt to be in touch with you,” smiled Raghavan.

  He quickly taught her how to use the instrument and left her alone, taking his wife with him.

  A smile lit Sangita's face, looking at the cell phone in her hands. She should have guessed that Gautam would definitely find a way out of the present predicament.

  The cell vibrated in her hands and she quickly answered.

  “Hi, sweetheart!” came the loving voice in her ear.

  “Hi, Gautam. You'd never believe how glad I'm to hear your voice,” she whispered.

  “I can very well guess. Just thirteen more days to go, love. Keep calm.”

  “I will, Gautam; just for you.”

  “I know you must've had a terrible day. I hope it was no worse than what Raghu told me.”

  “Well,” Sangita hesitated before telling him briefly about Rakesh's visit to her room. She thought it best that he knew who all he had to fight.

  “Which company did you say he works for?”

  “PadmaClair Associates. His father-in-law to be, Mr. Padmanabhan, is the CEO. Their company functions with American collaboration. They're big shots, Gautam. Rakesh is bothered that his marriage might not work because of ours,” her voice cracked slightly while saying that. She couldn't believe that it was her own brother who had uttered these words. And he had called her selfish over and above.

  “Don't you worry your pretty head about this, sweetheart. Let me take care of you.”

  “Hmm.”

  “Is that the amount of enthusiasm you can kick up?”

  “Oh, Gautam! I miss you too much,” she cried out.

  “Sangita! Patience, sweetheart. Shall I come over to meet you, maybe?”

  That got exactly the reaction he sought.

  “No, no, Gautam. Please don't.”

  “Then will you cheer up?”

  “Okay.”

  “Where's that little son of ours?”

  “He's downstairs playing with Ramya. Do you think it will be safe mentioning the phone to him?”

  “Sandeep can keep a secret well, Sangita. Please call me when he's back. I'd like to speak to him.”

  “Sure.”

  “And Sangita, I met my lawyer. The adoption papers should be ready in a couple of days.”

  “That's wonderful Gautam. You must have been busy, while I've been lazing around the whole day,” her voice was bitter.

  “Sangita!” he cooed in her ear, “call me later?”

  “Yeah, I will.”

  Sandeep was thrilled with the latest gadget his mother had acquired. He insisted that she called 'his daddy' immediately.

  “Daddy!” squealed Sandeep enthusiastically.

  “Hi, sonny! How are you?”

  “I'm fine, Daddy. When can Mummy and I come to live with you?” Sandeep came directly to the point.

  “Very soon, Sandeep. In two weeks, to be exact. Would you like to go to a new school? You'll be having a new name, Sandeep Sinclair.”

  “Wow! I like that name, Sandeep Sinclair. And my friends will know that you're my daddy?”

  “Most definitely, my son. How's your mom?”

  “She's fine, Dad. Only...” Sandeep hesitated, looking at his mother from the corner of his eyes.

  “Tell daddy,” encouraged Gautam, worried.

  “I don't like the clothes she wears,” burst out Sandeep, much to Sangita's shock. “She wears only white or something dull. I don't like it. Will you buy some nice clothes for her?” he asked his new daddy, his voice wobbly with tears.

  Gautam felt sorry that he was so far away. “I don't like them either, Sandeep. Why don't we go shopping and buy some lovely clothes for Mummy?” Sandeep was nodding his head vigorously, making Sangita wonder what Gautam was telling him. “You tell me what your favourite colours are?”

  Sandeep didn't wait for a second. “Blue, yellow,” he counted on his fingers.

  “Hmm.”

  “Red, pink and green. Five colours. Can we buy five dresses for Mummy?”

  “Sandeep!” protested Sangita, shocked.

  Gautam laughed at the other end. It thrilled him to note that although Sandeep wasn't his by blood, their thoughts ran on the same lines. Their love for Sangita created a strong bond between them. “Sure, darling. We'll buy five and more. Now will you give the phone to your mom?”

  “Yes, Daddy,” Sandeep passed the cell to his mother, his eyes shining.

  “Gautam, what are you guys planning now? I don't need new clothes.”

  “No? You will, very soon, once Sandeep and I have burned every one of your white saris.”

  “Gautam!” Sangita was taken aback. “What a waste! I hope you wouldn't do that.”

  “Okay then. Let's hand them over to an NGO. No wife of mine will wear them.”

  “What if I refuse to part with them?” asked Sangita, feeling a warm glow stealing through her at the possessive note.

  “Then I'll just have to go on my knees and beg you, I suppose,” he said, mischief rippling in his voice.

  Sangita gurgled with laughter as she imagined him on his knees, at her feet. “What a tempting thought! I think I'll keep my clothes,” she declared.

  “We'll see,” he grinned. “And Sangita, my parents, brothers and sister are coming down next week. My elder brother Vikram has an American wife, Dona. They have three adorable kids. Siddarth is my twin and Sara is elder to me by a couple of years. They're thrilled to hear about our wedding and are flying down on Monday.”

  Sangita was dazed. She realised that she knew nothing about him or his family except for his grandparents. She told him so.

  “Yeah, I guess. No hassles, love. All in time! You can get to know everyone after the wedding and all about my life too.”

  “How are your Thatha and Patti?” />
  “Just fantastic; enjoying themselves thoroughly organising the wedding. Sangita, we have planned a quiet wedding at the Vadapalani Temple on Friday next. I think it's for the best under the circumstances. I, for one, am not keen on a big wedding. I hope you don't mind.”

  “Of course not, Gautam. Even a registered wedding would have been fine. But it's your first.”

  “How do you know?” he teased.

  “Gautam, have you been married before?” she asked seriously.

  “Never, my darling. Never before have I felt the urge to tie myself to one woman for the rest of my life.”

  “Are you sure now, Gautam?” asked Sangita, her voice a trifle anxious.

  “Absolutely, love.”

  16

  Asha watched the tall stranger walk into the office with an air of confidence. The navy-blue suit with the light-blue shirt and matching tie that he wore seemed to make his blue eyes glow. The attire looked classier because of the dashing man who donned it.

  He walked up to her with a smile on his face that almost knocked her sideways.

  “Hi!” he greeted her charmingly, reading the name from the I-card she was wearing. “Ms. Asha,” he drawled, putting out his hand in a friendly gesture. “I'm Gautam Sinclair. I've an appointment with your CEO, Mr. Padmanabhan, at 9.30.”

  Asha checked the appointment calendar in front of her and nodded. “Yes, Mr. Sinclair. You are early. Mr. Padmanabhan is busy. Let me check.”

  “That's perfectly awright, Ms. Asha,” he grinned. He had deliberately walked in twenty minutes early. “Is Rakesh in? I'm an old buddy of his. I'd like to see him if it's possible.”

  “He's in, Mr. Sinclair and free right now. Let me buzz him.” She put her hand on the intercom when a tanned hand pressed hers down, stopping her from lifting the receiver.

  “There'll be no need for that, Asha. I'd like to surprise him.”

  The receptionist was so captivated by the tall stranger by now that she didn't bother to question him. She waved him towards Rakesh's cabin.

  Rakesh looked up from the file in front of him, his gaze startled as it alighted on the tall stranger. He got up from his chair automatically, anger burning in him at the other man's unannounced entry.

  “Who the hell are you? How did you get in here?” asked Rakesh furiously, reaching for the telephone on his desk to blast the receptionist.

  Gautam calmly reached over and pulled the cord out of the machine.

  “You bloody son of a...”

  “Mind your language, will you?” Gautam's chilled voice ordered him. “You might regret it once you know who I am,” he said angrily.

  “Who the hell are you?” Rakesh repeated.

  “Gautam Sinclair.”

  Rakesh jumped forward from behind his desk and grabbed Gautam's suit jacket.

  Gautam pulled Rakesh's hands off his jacket and dusted himself with a disdainful look at his brother-in-law to be.

  “Just get out from here, will you? You can't intimidate me. I'll never allow Sangita to marry you. She's a widow, do you hear me? A widow. She'll never marry again. Get out or I'll call security,” he shouted, glaring at Gautam.

  If anything, Gautam's eyes turned menacingly colder. He put out both his hands and pulled Rakesh off the floor. The younger man was shaken to find himself a couple of inches above the ground.

  Gautam stared at Rakesh and bit out, “I didn't come here seeking your permission. The wedding will definitely take place. Don't even try to make Sangita unhappy.” Saying this, he shoved Rakesh away from him with more force than he had intended. Rakesh fell against his desk. Gautam removed a paper napkin from the holder on the desk and wiped his hands meticulously as if he had touched something filthy. He threw the crushed napkin directly into the dustbin behind Rakesh's chair and without giving him another glance, left the cabin, closing the door behind him.

  Asha greeted him with a wide smile, charmed to set eyes on the handsome stranger once again.

  “Mr. Padmanabhan is waiting for you, Mr. Sinclair. You may go in.”

  “Thank you, Asha,” smiled Gautam before walking into Rakesh's future father-in-law's cabin.

  Rakesh had taken only two minutes to adjust his coat and tie before rushing out into the reception area.

  “Asha,” he shouted, “where's that Sinclair?”

  Asha turned to look at the youngest director of the company, her nose wrinkling in disgust. She didn't much care for him though she tried her best not to show it. Rakesh tended to throw his weight around with all the employees. It was obvious that he thought he was too good for them as he was to become the big boss's son-in-law soon. Most of the people in the company disliked him.

  “Mr. Gautam Sinclair?” she asked in confirmation, wondering what had set him in such a tizzy.

  “Yeah,” barked Rakesh. “Where's he? And tell me, how did he come into my cabin without any warning? Why did you let him?” He looked at her angrily.

  His anger bounced off the receptionist ineffectively. She had great confidence about her efficiency while Padmanabhan always appreciated and honoured his employees. This young upstart who was planning to marry the boss's daughter was no threat to her.

  “Mr. Sinclair is with Mr. Padmanabhan. And he told me that he's an old friend of yours. That's why I...”

  “Friend of mine?” thundered Rakesh. “Are you crazy? He says that and you just let him in?”

  “Well, Mr. Rakesh, sir! I'm sorry if that was inconvenient. He had an appointment with the big boss. I thought...”

  Rakesh interrupted her once again. “What? He has an appointment with Pappa?” His eyes turned cunning, wondering what Gautam Sinclair was doing with his future father-in-law. His mind worked fast, finding ways and means to thwart Gautam's plans, as he presumed that the other man should have some, considering that he had come all the way here.

  He went back into his cabin, thinking hard.

  “I'm also getting married. Next week,” he announced.

  Padmanabhan's eyes rounded in surprise. “That soon? Who's the girl? When are Alistair and Swetha coming? What...” He paused when there was a knock on the door. “Come in,” he ordered.

  An office boy brought in two mugs of coffee and placed them, one each in front of the two men.

  They waited for the boy to leave before saying anything. Gautam gave a cheerful smile to his father's closest friend, before saying, “Sangita. Her name's Sangita. She's a widow with a small son. In fact, her brother Rakesh works...”

  Padmanabhan snapped his fingers as it suddenly struck him. “Don't tell me you're talking about my son-in-law's sister Sangita?”

  Gautam pretended to be surprised. “Your son-in-law?”

  “Well, Rakesh has a widowed sister. Her name is Sangita.”

  “And Sangita's brother Rakesh works here, I heard. Are you saying...”

  “Exactly!” Padmanabhan interrupted him once again, visibly excited. “This is great! Alistair and I marrying our children into the same family. Congratulations, Gautam! Now Lata and you will be brother and sister by law. I can't ask for anything better.”

  Gautam smiled. “Thank you, Uncle,” he said before taking a sip of coffee.

  Padmanabhan picked up the intercom once again. “Let me call Rakesh over. He'll be thrilled.”

  Gautam's smile widened into a grin on hearing that.

  “Rakesh,” Padmanabhan spoke into the phone, “are you free for a few minutes, son? Please come to my cabin. There's someone waiting eagerly to meet you.”

  Gautam rolled his eyes towards the ceiling before focusing them on his coffee.

  Rakesh knocked on the door before walking in. He turned around to glare at Gautam who was sitting back in his chair, his posture totally relaxed.

  He turned around to his future father-in-law and burst out, “Pappa, this...”

  “I know, I know, Rakesh. He's engaged to your sister Sangita. You never told me, son. But this is the best bit of news, indeed.” Padmanabhan rubbed his hands in pleasur
e.

  Rakesh looked at him, wondering if senility had caught up with him already. Padmanabhan spoke again before he could respond.

  “I too have some terrific news for you, Rakesh. Your future brother-in-law also happens to be your boss.” Rakesh stared at him, his eyes almost popping out of his head. “Yeah, Gautam is fifty percent partner in this business,” Padmanabhan continued with a smile, totally unaware of the effect of his words on Rakesh's blood pressure.

  “A silent partner, Uncle,” stressed Gautam.

  At this point, a more sensitive person would have probably wished that the floor would open up and swallow him or maybe a bolt of lightning would strike him. But not Rakesh; he had the skin of a pachyderm.

  He gave Gautam a surreptitious look, trying to gauge his mood. It was a wasted exercise as the latter was an excellent poker player.

  Rakesh turned towards his fiancée's father, who had the look of a merry Santa Claus. Padmanabhan beamed at his future son-in-law.

  “Well, Pappa...er...you don't mind?” asked Rakesh in a hesitant voice.

  Padmanabhan's eyebrows came together in bewilderment. “Mind? Mind what?” he asked.

  “Sangita getting married again,” answered Rakesh, an expression of extreme distaste on his face.

  Gautam had a tough time exercising every ounce of his self-control from not socking his fiancée's brother full on his face. He was more pompous than Gautam had envisaged.

  Padmanabhan continued to look confused. “Why should I mind Sangita getting married?” he asked. “On the other hand, I'm very happy to know that Lata and Gautam are marrying into the same family,” he declared.

  “But, Pappa, Sangita is a...is a widow,” said Rakesh. He said the word 'widow' with extreme disgust as if he was uttering a profanity.

  “I'm aware of that,” said Padmanabhan, still not sure what the other man was trying to establish.

  Rakesh repeated, “But don't you mind? Don't you mind that your son-in-law's sister, who is a widow, is considering a second marriage?”

  Comprehension dawned on the older man's face. He finally realised what Rakesh was trying to say. “Are you saying that it's wrong for Sangita to have another try at marriage?” he asked mildly.