Chapter 18 A Good Job

Arjun's PoV

That audacity of this girl to talk to me like that. She even shoved my card back to me. She sure is going to pay for all that she did. But something tells me that she tries her best to avoid me. Why? She knows that what she did was wrong but she did it anyway. All she wants is to not see me again? Why? Even though I felt like teaching her a lesson for her behavior with me, I left it to rest when her mom gave her a tight slap. I cannot stop that joyous smile that erupted out of my mouth when she got that slap. Come on, she deserves that!

"Ajju, What were you smiling at?" Praveen asked me. Yeah, we are at our lab and she was constantly pestering my mind.

"Nothing. Just thought of something funny." I diverted him by talking about our research related things.

When we were done in the lab, we got in my car and we drove off to his home. It's been a month since we came back from Tiruppur and Praveen said Preethi is doing better now. Even though I talk to her on the phone, I feel like visiting her once to make sure of myself.

"Why is Preethi so stubborn to not come to my office?" I asked Praveen while driving.

"She doesn't want to burden you more. Besides, she is talking to her friends to find an appropriate job for her qualification." he said.

"Burden me? Are you kidding me?"

"Please, Ajju. She is really far better than she was a month ago. Lets see what she comes up with." he said which felt right to me too.

We reached his home and I dropped him there. I drove to his parents home now. I gathered all the information on Harish and he seems to be a very nice gentleman. His family is forcing him to remarry and he just postpones it like me. His family is too nice too to give him an option that they are ok to marry a widower to him, unlike mine.

"Arjun, come in, son." uncle greeted me when I went in.

"Hello uncle. How are you?" I asked him.

"We are too good because of you. Preethi is talking to us just like before and I could even see her laugh with Avni. She talks to her friends on the phone and we never see her go in trance. All thanks to you, Ajju." aunty came in from the kitchen and gave me a hug.

"Come on aunty. She is my family too! Don't say thanks to me. I am happy that she is fine. Where is she?" I asked her.

"She is in her room. Go ahead, I will bring you dinner." she said.

"Oh, no aunty. Don't take the pain to make something for me. I promised to have dinner with mom." I told her and went in to see Preethi. I heard her laugh when I neared her room. That's a good sign. I heard Anvi giggle along with her. I knocked on the door and went in pushing it open.

"Hey, Ajju. Come come." She sat up right on the bed.

"Ajju mama." Avni came jumping on me.

"Hey, laddu, How are you?" I asked her, seating her in my lap.

"I am too good mama." She said like a big girl.

"Good, What were you playing?"

"We were playing rock paper scissors. The one who wins will tickle the other!" she said.

"That sounds fun. Who won?"

"We both won and we both lost." she said with a beautiful smile.

"Avni, go help grandma to make dinner." Preethi sent her out.

"How are you, Preeth?" I asked her.

"You tell me. How am I?" she asked me with a twinkle in her eyes.

"You look like my Preeth." I said with heartfelt content.

"Good, I want a detail from you, Ajju."

"What is it?"

"I want your lawyer’s contact. I want to file a divorce."

"Even I wanted to talk to you about it but didn't know how to start it. I was unsure of your state, is it too soon?" I said. Actually I wanted to talk to her about this when we went to Thiruvizha but couldn't talk and I also thought it was too soon as it was just a week or so that she broke up with her husband.

"I am completely alright, Ajju. Actually I would feel much better if I pushed him completely out of my life. Would your lawyer take up my case? I think he will agree for mutual consent."

"He will, even if it is not mutual consent. Don't worry. I will talk to him myself. But I hate that it happened to us." I couldn't stop but say that.

"Ajju, Look at me." she said and I looked up at her eyes.

"You are a good man. Though you didn't say anything to me about your marriage life, I knew that you were not happy. I don't know the reason, I don't find fault with Anamika but I knew something was not right. I know Anamika was a beautiful woman inside out. She was so good with all of us, even your mom would say she was a perfect daughter in law. But I knew in my heart that she was not the one for you. I am sure you will find your soulmate and you will be happy for eternity. Don't ask me how or don't say you never want to get married again because I feel it in my heart that this will happen." she spoke with conviction in her eyes.

She was right! Anamika was a beautiful woman. She was too good to be true. She behaved with utmost respect with all my family. She loved Tarun, Anvi and Avni. She gelled with Preethi and Praveen's family like they were friends since childhood. Even though we have had maids all around the home for everything, she helped mom in cooking food for the whole family. She took care of my floor with true concern. She took care of all my needs like ironing my clothes and picking up the right ones to wear to packing and sending me lunch to wherever I was. She played with Tarun like her own kid, she literally grew up Tarun for that one year she was with us. She fed him, bathed him, took care of him and even cooked special baby foods for him back then. She was a perfect woman that no one could point at her for faults. Everyone was happy except for me and I have never said that out loud so far. Preethi is an amazing friend that read my mind even when I tried to shield it from everyone.

"Ajju!" she waved her hands in front of me.

"Yeah" I came back to my senses.

"Don't overthink anything. But trust me, your bundle of joy is on its way to you." she said.

"Ok, I guess! I have something to tell you too."

"What is it?"

"What do you think about Harish?" I asked her. This is the right time to talk to her. She blesses me to find a right partner and I am going to return the favor.

"I know what you are thinking, Ajju. But it is not nice to barge into someone's personal space. He is happy with his life and I have no idea to get married again." she said. I know she is smart.

"Just like you feel it in your heart that I will be happily married again, I feel it in my heart that he will be a perfect man for you." I said.

"Hahaha, You will never change. I know this talking is the secret of your success. You make your opponent go weak against you. But Ajju, seriously, I like Harish and he was not even a friend back then, he was one among many boys that I talked to. He was in my class. He is a good man but I don't think that should be the only reason for someone to get married. You need love for a marriage to hold stronger and longer. We have no love between us except for mutual pity in our current life."

"True, Right! So you are not against marrying again but you are against marrying without love?" I asked her to be sure.

"To be honest, I find no charm in marriage. But I am not against it. I can guarantee you one thing, I will be happy in my life." she said.

OK! So arranging a wedding between these two won't work. I thought talking to both of them about the positives of this marriage is enough but looks like I must make them fall in love with each other. How am I going to do that? I am not an expert in that. Let's just stick to the plan of making them meet often. If they are destined to be together, I think they will fall hard for each other.

"If you say so!" I took leave from her and uncle and aunty and drove towards my home. It's already 8.30 and time for dinner that I promised mom. I called up Mr. Mahesh, MD of the office where Harish works. Mahesh uncle has a shipping company where we have contracts for over a decade for our export. Mahesh uncle is dad's good friend. Harish works in his dispatch unit as a warehouse manager.

"What a surprise, Arjun. You calling me at this hour?" he attended the call.

"Hello uncle, I am so good, thank you. How are you?" I asked him.

"Hahaha, Sarcastic man! I am good. Do I have to ask you how you are now?" he asked me.

"Haha, no uncle. I was just kidding. I need a favor from you."

"Tell me, Arjun."

"I want to know if you are hiring for your dispatch unit? If so, I have a friend who needs that job." I told him.

"Hahaha you are so clever in making up the right words. So, you want me to make a position available for your friend?" he asked me. Yeah, he is a senior business man and I can't fool him.

"If you put it straight, Yes!" I said with a chuckle.

"I know you wont ask for anything unless it is so important. I grant you your wish." he said.

"Thank you uncle, you are a lifesaver." I hung up on him and went home happily. I have started a new happily ever after!