chapter 40

SerendipityEpisode-40"Dad, you’re wearing white again! Or maybe that blue shirt you always wear… Try some other colors for a change!"Rajeev chuckled as he adjusted his tie in the mirror."Sweetheart, those are formals. And for your information, it's not just plain blue—sometimes it's got stripes or little checks, too.""But the color itself never changes, Dad! Here, try this one on."Rajeev glanced at the shirt his daughter held up, groaning dramatically."Red? Really, sweetheart? You couldn’t find anything else?""Dad!" she exclaimed, rolling her eyes, "It's maroon, not red! You just don’t get colors.""Alright, alright. Maybe I’ll understand colors one day, but today I can’t wear this. I’m all set for work," he said, reaching for his blazer."Why not? Grandma and I picked it out so carefully for you!" She crossed her arms, giving him a pouty look."This is definitely your dadi ma’s influence, isn’t it?" he teased."So what if it is? You always wear the same boring white and blue. Maroon would look great with your complexion."Rajeev grinned, shaking his head. "Complexion? What’s next, you’re planning my outfits for the month?"She planted her hands on her waist. "Dad, trust me, this color would add some life to your wardrobe."He leaned down, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. "Alright, Sweetie, but I can’t wear such a dark color to the office.""Yes, you can!" she insisted, flipping through photos on his phone to show examples of famous people wearing maroon."See? Look, even Shahrukh Khan wears it!"Rajeev laughed, shaking his head. "Shahrukh’s a movie star, sweetheart, but I’m a CFO! I can’t just wear anything. Sorry!"She pouted, muttering under her breath, "Well, now what am I supposed to do with it? I bought it with so much love.""Alright, let’s make a deal," he said, coming up with a solution. "Next time we go out together, I’ll wear it just for you. How’s that?"Her face brightened instantly. "Deal! Let’s go this Saturday, then—it’s a promise, right?""Yes, yes, a promise," he agreed, giving her a playful tug on her nose.*@*@*@*@*Lakshmi Devi Singhania School, sprawling across a twelve-acre campus, stood tall with its impressive five-story structure.Known for excellence in both academics and sports, it was a reputable school in Mumbai, producing top-notch students year after year.As Megha and Arya walked through the entrance, Megha was reminded of her own school days back at Saraswati Vidyamandir.Unlike this grand institution, her old school was a modest, three-story Marathi medium school with a simple playground and little more.She remembered the uniforms: light blue pinafores over white shirts, her hair braided tight with oiled precision.The memories unfolded vividly: racing across the school grounds playing lagori and kabaddi, trying to avoid the principal’s stern gaze, and giggling with friends over harmless classroom crushes.They would chant, India is my country... during morning prayer, and eagerly await the mid-term holiday with its distribution of notebooks and supplies."Mamma, look! There’s a football field!" Arya’s excited voice pulled her out of her reverie."Did your school have a football field, too?" Arya asked."Yes, we had a field, but we used it for every game. There weren’t separate spaces for each sport back then," Megha explained with a smile."Look, Mom! They have courts for basketball, tennis, badminton, and even a 50-meter indoor swimming pool. Isn’t it cool?"Megha smiled at Arya’s excitement. "Yes, it’s impressive. That’s why we chose this school for you. Let’s hope the admission goes through."As they walked toward the principal’s office, Megha sent a quick prayer, God, please let everything go smoothly today.The principal’s office was airy and spacious, with an array of trophies glistening in glass cabinets—a testament to the school's many achievements.A framed certificate from Business Today proclaiming the school as Mumbai’s top institution caught Megha’s eye."Arya Sameer Iyer and Mrs. Megha Iyer," the principal’s assistant called, leading them into the office.Principal Suhasini Chauhan rose to greet them, welcoming them with a warm smile."Welcome, Megha, and hello, Arya! How are you?""I’m fine, Ma’am," Arya replied, smiling shyly."So, did you like our school, Arya?" Suhasini Ma'am asked, glancing over Arya’s application."Yes, Ma'am, it’s amazing! The football field is really big and very nice.""Right! You’re the captain of your school’s football team, I see.""Yes, Ma’am, I love football."“Then whom do you play with at home—Mom or Dad?” she asked, clearly interested in Arya’s passion for the sport.Megha’s heart skipped a beat, wondering how Arya would respond.After a slight pause, Arya replied in a steady voice, "My dad isn’t here anymore… but my mom is my dad."*@*@*@*@*Meanwhile, Rajeev sat in his car, scrolling through his meeting schedule for the day.Sanyal Sir had scheduled a meeting at ten. Their phone conversation from the previous evening replayed in his mind, as did his resistance to the SWC project and the new face at the center of it all—Megha Joshi.Why was I so hesitant about working with her? he wondered, a hint of conflict clouding his thoughts.He hadn’t meant to focus on the negatives during the call, yet that’s all he could offer.Late the previous night, as he scrolled through Supreme Petrochemical’s business proposals, he’d found his focus drifting repeatedly to the same place. Miss Joshi,  you somehow stayed on my mind all night…To be continued....© ®️ Meghna_Yadav 2021Special Thanks to friend Gayatri and my loving daughter, my buddy.Hello Readers,Illuminate the five stars of ratings with your gentle touch. Do let me know your thoughts via comments..Thanks and Regards,Meghana Yadav... Â