1 KARTAVYA

My birth

The first ever time that William Jared Corels time travelled, it was to the bleak hospital room where Mrs. Patricia Corels was laboring to bring two boys into this world, for which Mr. Hank Corels and she had waited for nine blissful and difficult months. The feeling that fluttered in William's heart as he watched himself being pulled out of his mother's womb was inexplicable, incomparable, he was nothing but a mass of happy emotions, when he saw his younger brother, Ethan- his identical twin make his way to the world. They were so identical that even their own parents couldn't tell them apart, just like Fred and George Weasely in the Harry Potter series; oh! How he wished that the leukemia that took Ethan had made the same mistake. His eyes were glassy by the time he watched his old man stroll happily into the ward to embrace his new born boys and his beautiful wife...…

The doorbell rang breaking his concentration and as he got up to answer, Kartavya Raghuvir Nanda let out a wail in disgust. He had come this far, to Amsterdam, to Jordaan for peace to write and peace was the last thing he got, it was as if the people all around him had made it their mission to disturb him, but one way or another he was determined to have his solitude; he decided not to answer, so he continued writing, the doorbell rang again, this time there was an urgency in the movements of the disrupter, so he gave up his attempt at being bad. With a grunt, he kept his newly bought fountain pen aside, yes even in these days of technology; he preferred the good old ways to the mechanic rhythm of his MacBook.

He staggered to the door as if beyond the doors of his rented apartment stood a whole lot of suicide bombers. When he opened the door, the sight was indeed welcoming; on the other side of the door stood a young woman of 24, in her favorite denims and a blue tank top, he had missed her ceaselessly and was over the moon on her arrival, she on the other hand couldn't help but notice that her brother was still the same sight to behold as ever, no matter how much she hated to admit but he was , the city of Amsterdam was yet to do its magic on the elder of son of one of India's leading business tycoons.

He was deciding what to do with her when without warning she catapulted in his arms and he prepared himself to take the fall, funnily enough he didn't fall and they both laughed. Oh! How he had missed the sweet sound of the laughter of Miss Raela Shivanya Nanda. He knew there was only one reason that the ruthless CEO of the Nanda industries was here- family was calling, he had decided not to give in to the pressure this time no matter what. While he was lost in thought, Raela said, "Would you invite this vile creature inside? You're Eminence." Her style of mocking him and he hated it. He smacked her playfully. The brother and sister entered the room again.

He could see she was impressed with the way he had kept his apartment, it was artfully decorated with great taste, the pictures of family, various paintings and his hard earned scroll and medal of the Padma Shri conferred on him by the President of India, which was a civil honor in the country- making him the youngest Indian to receive the award in 2014. It was a day of great pride but he had intended to keep the mystery attached to his name so he had requested the president not to have any public appearances, he had requested him that instead of him his mother would receive the award and the then president Dr.Bikram Chattopadhyay had joyfully agreed.

Bringing him back to the present was Raela's voice asking, "So, Bhai how is the new novel coming along?" his last venture A Galaxy far away had topped the sales charts in India but he was yet to feature on top in the New York Times best seller list. Yet again his little sister brought him back, he had been thinking a lot lately, "Where are you lost? Mr. Dreamer." He sulkily answered, "Nowhere." But being featured in the New York Times best seller list was somehow impossible at that point. While he was busy thinking, his younger sister had moved to the balcony with his latest manuscript. "Ooh, this is really something. I'm eagerly waiting for the first draft." Hearing her voice he went to the balcony too.

He wasn't surprised by her eagerness; Raela had always been his first reader and critic. "I would've actually completed the chapter that I was working on if some forgotten female wouldn't have devastated my thought process." He said, sitting next to her, hearing those words, it was as if Raela had suddenly turned into a warrior queen as she without any second thoughts pushed him to the ground. She started laughing the moment he hit the ground. After he had picked himself up, he presumed his serious posture and said, "Forget about that , you tell me one thing- What brings the busy, Miss Nanda here?" she acted exasperated and lost and said, "My brother. If you must know, I've been searching the whole world for him. London, Ibiza, Paris and where not," he frowned, she continued, "Have you monsieur, seen him? He's six feet tall with hands like an orangutan, his face resembles that of a monkey and the most important detail he's always picking his nose and is lazy and filthy above all. Please help me find him." The moment the last of the words were out of her mouth, she strode inside and he followed her, they chased each other for a while and then Raela said, "I'm hungry lets order pizza." He nodded breathlessly.

He ordered their favorite pizzas quickly. While they waited for the pizzas, she filled him in on the happenings back home and why actually was she in Amsterdam. She mentioned that their darling mother had assumed the role of a matchmaker and had started arranging her dates with random heirs of big business empires. "Coming here was an excuse to escape just to escape yet another date with yet another VUTCM." She paused and Kartavya was lost for the full form of the so called short form, she must have sensed the confusion as she continued, "oh sorry, random Vile Useless Tuxedo Clad Men. You know at home it's like she has sworn to get me married before I turn 25, I mean I don't know what's with her and dad he is no help in this matter."

She sighed and he remembered his own random dates. Part of the reason that he stayed away from home were these random dates. He hated it that it was now happening to Raela that too at such an early age. She was a successful business woman; she had worked hard for almost 7 years to make Nanda Industries what it was. She was a woman who had opinions on everything and she wasn't shy to voice them, it was the best thing that he loved about her and no way on earth was she going to saddle along with some random guy. He loved his mother immensely but the nagging was something he couldn't take. His father on the other hand was a bit easy going; he was the kind of man who had taught his children to be free. You could read in his interviews now and then about how proud he was of his two children who were making a mark in this world without his help.

The doorbell rang and Raela beat him to it. He heard the creak of the door being opened but he dared not move, because he the great free Kartavya could not be intimidated by anyone barring his younger sister that was the bitter sweet truth of his life. Raela entered the balcony with the grin of the emperor who had won his toughest battle. He could tell that his sister had worked her magic even on the pizza boy, despite being a rich kid she was great at bargaining and she couldn't resist it. He asked, "How much did you dupe him of?" she didn't look like the emperor anymore instead she feigned hurt and her eyes catching fire with the question., "What makes you think I duped him? He answered the pure gentlemanly way that his mother had taught him, "Well, Miss Nanda what can one expect from the CEO of a masses robbing company?" she was all fired up. "So you think I rob the masses?" he immediately tried to douse the fire, "No, I was just kidding?" this just wasn't going to do it as she punched him square in the ribs. And maintaining a lady like demeanor, she said, "That'll be all, now let's eat the pizza that I worked so hard for." He had to laugh at her careless attitude and said, "I'll use the bathroom first." She nodded and he went to the urgent business that the gods could summon anyone anytime for.

In the mean time she scattered the toppings over the pizza and carefully spread the ketchup on hers; because Mr. Nanda hated ketch up. He came back from the washroom and sat beside her, admiring the beautiful skyline of Amsterdam. She had already started munching her pizza and he couldn't help but smile at her manner of devouring the hot favorite, he had seen her eat the pizza a thousand times but the way she ate it never ceased to amuse him. No one could tell that she was one of India's most successful women as she licked the mayo from her fingers. She finished her pizza real quick and then he had to fight a war of existence with her to finish his slices.

After they were done eating, if you could call fighting for the slices of pizza eating. Kartavya cleared the table and tossed the trash into the dustbin. Then she said the words he had been dreading, "Come with me no Bhai?" the strain that she gave to that request made him consider accepting it for half a heart beat. But he controlled himself and gave her a hug. The moment he wrapped his arms around her, he could feel her relax and her tears soaking his shirt. "I know Reals, it's hard for me too but I want this. Don't worry I'll come home in a couple of months." That didn't assure the intimidating CEO; her mouth formed an angry line as if saying I know you all too well. But this time Kartavya was putting his foot down, wriggling out of his arms, she gave him one of her death stares as he called them but this time he was not going to back down.

The staring match continued for a few moments, both of them wanting the other to back down, and then willing Raela backed down and said, "Fine!! Do what you want to do. But if I don't see you in Dehra Dun plopped down our favorite sofa in 3 months; your beloved Audi will be history." She had touched a nerve and he had learnt years ago never to underestimate her. So all he did was nod like an obedient child. She came towards him and enveloped him in one of her soothing hugs and he felt overwhelmed with brotherly love. Just when he was about to pull away, her phone rang, Raela swore before she picked it up. He had never heard her swear before so that was quite surprising for him. In all this he noticed that she still used the Samsung set that he had gifted her the day she had been appointed the CEO, which spread a wave of joy through him. "Bhai, my flight is in half an hour." She said and his whole body went rigid, this was the sad part of being a recluse- his sister couldn't stay. "I'll call for the taxi." He said reluctantly.

Raela understood the reason behind his reluctance but then those meetings were important. She smiled at him sadly. Then, he dialed the number of the taxi man- who had become a friend of his. While, they waited for the taxi to arrive, the room was covered in the light sheen of silence and they kept staring at each other. Then to break the silence came the loud honk of the taxi. They hastily gathered her belonging-the duffle bag that was her favorite when she travelled, and headed out the door.

When they were on their way to the airport, Raela tried in vain to convince him to head back home with her, all he had to do was pin her up with one of his finality stares and she would go quiet but then again she didn't become what she was without trying, so after a few moments of the stare; she would start again, the cycle went on till they reached the airport by which time he was wishing that he hadn't left the apartment.

On the airport security check he could see the familiar flicker of memories, he knew that no matter how strong or grown up his little sister pretended she was but deep inside she was just a young girl who missed her brother, after the check she hugged him so tightly that for a few moments he couldn't breathe that was something that he missed the most about her, as she pulled away he messed her hair up, she hated it and said, "Goodbye my firecracker, I promise I will come home soon.." that was kind of hard for him too as it nearly broke his heart as he saw her disappear in the line of boarders but that was what he had to deal with. By the time he left the airport his mind began circling on the idea of another chapter and his feet picked up the speed, in his haste to go back to his apartment he knocked a woman down, without looking at her he muttered his apology and headed to his ultimate destination- his notebook...

Often when he left his place he wasn't able to concentrate on his plot but today he felt as if he could complete the whole novel but then time wasn't on his side, so before he knew it was time for him to eat the dinner that he would prepare himself which wasn't such a bad thing now was it? Dinner was and always had been a tedious affair- he hated to eat alone, it kind of drained him and who wouldn't hate that. He was about to go to sleep but his phone rang and he didn't know whether to answer it or not and that in itself was a rough decision. But he told his mind to shut up and went to pick it up.

He wasn't surprised to hear the voice of his editor Susan Grace Edwards on the other end. Hearing her voice brought back the thoughts a zooming deadline. Her voice was laced with frustration as she enquired about his book and he told her that he was doing okay and that he would complete it with the deadline. Once she was assured, they chatted for the better part of the hour because not only she was his editor but over the course of time of four years she had become a close friend. Finally at half past 11 they said their goodbyes and he went to bed at exactly 12o clock.

The next morning, he woke feeling a little uneasy but then again, these days he had been feeling a little uneasy every single day which was now quite normal for him. Today he felt like doing some sight seeing and then as soon as he was about to make himself some breakfast, he heard the doorbell of his apartment chime again, he wanted to cut the bloody thing off. He headed to the door with the instinct of a serial killer, his eyes were fierce. When he opened the door, the poor postman got the shock of his life seeing the killer look on the face of the seemingly jilted owner. What shocked Kartavya was seeing the look of pure terror on the face of the teenager and he forgot everything else and muttered an apology which seemed to assure the young man that no terror would befall him.

He quickly handed the parcel to Kartavya and left. Kartavya was not sure who had gone so out of the way and sent him a parcel. All his doubts went out of the proverbial window when he turned the parcel around and saw the name and address of his childhood best friend- Aarav Maheshwari. He wasn't sure what it was so out of his sheer curiosity opened the parcel with superhuman quickness. Within seconds he found himself staring at a wedding card, that proudly proclaimed- Aarav weds Vrushika. He was shocked would be an understatement, he was shocked out of wits. How in world the guy, the only guy whom he knew being uninterested in any kind of relationship with women was getting married?

He was pondering over this question as he was the only guy Kartavya knew not to be interested in any kind of relationship with women, so much so that the group had decided on one thing it was that Mr. Maheshwari was gay. It had been one hell of a fight when Aarav came to know about their assumptions, that day he cleared it that at that time of his life he only wanted to focus on his studies, turned out he was right in doing do as he too had become one of the leading tycoons in the world of finance and was quite proud of his accomplishments. While Kartavya was reminiscing about the past he heard his phone ringing and he was brought back to his two bedroom apartment, he picked up the phone reluctantly half expecting Susan to come out of the receiver. He was partially relieved to hear a male voice that didn't belong to his employer on the other side. For a moment he was confused as to whom it could be but the slight fog of confusion was lifted when he heard the old address for him, "Hi Mr. Dreamer." It was none other than Aarav and Kartavya was glad that he had called, now he would get all his answers, "Hi Armed Aarav." They had always called him that because no matter the problem Mr. Aarav was always armed with solutions. "I take it that you've got the invitation card." He knew that and Kartavya knew that he had planned it. Sounding very pleased with himself Aarav continued when Kartavya didn't say anything, "I know this is the shock of lifetime for you but trust me I've planned everything." "Of course you have." snorted Kartavya. He didn't have any idea what was going on so he decided to keep mum. "Okay listen I'm in town. I know, I know you'd want me to come there." Now Kartavya had to speak up and he said, "You have misunderstood it. Who said I want you here I am perfectly fine without you." He heard Aarav laugh and he said, "How funny. I'm here with Vrushika so I'd like to meet you before she meets you." Kartavya was obviously very happy for his friend but a little disappointed that he didn't tell him earlier but for now he decided to shove that displeasure aside and said, "Fine, we will meet but you both have to come to dinner to my place tomorrow." Aarav readily agreed and the two friends decided to meet at the new ice parlor at 6 o' clock that evening. Little did Kartavya know that he not only was going to meet his friend but also the star crossed love of his life.