Foreboding

Akash and Varsha reached the meeting place by 10:45 AM. Although the distance is hardly about 15 kilometres, It took them about 01 hour due to traffic in the city. When they entered the hotel, Varsha is anxious and conscious a bit and due to that even if the hotel looked beautiful she could not admire it.

Varsha walked beside Akash and sometimes looked at his hands. Akash is holding his laptop bag in one hand and a file in another one. Varsha thought "Maybe I would be able to hold his hand if he has one hand free." She consoled herself by giving this reason. When they reached the reception, Vipul Shah welcomed them as Akash has already called him to inform 10 minutes before that he was reaching.

Vipul Shah welcomed them with a friendly gesture "Hello Akash! Nice to meet you. I am Vipul Shah. Call me Vipul." and extended his hand for a handshake.

Akash shook his hand with Vipul and said: "Nice to meet you too, Vipul."

Then Vipul Shah looked toward Varsha and joined his hands in front and did Namaste and said: "Namaste Mrs Patel! I know you prefer the proprietary between men and women. I respect that. Nice to meet you."

Although Vipul did the respectful gesture his expression betrayed him and Varsha could see a hint of scorn and also read a double meaning in his words. "Did he have some deal with Mahat Pawar? Did Mahat Pawar tell him about doing Namaste as he was insulted by her due to this in the party? Of course, she needs to keep a certain distance from other men, but this thing is not known by many people. Unless Mahat Pawar has told him about that incident of the party." She thought and decided to be extra careful around this person.

Vipul Shahs guided them to the meeting room where his father is also present for meeting and discussion. When Akash and Varsha entered into the meeting room, they met Mr Shah there who praised Varsha for her cultural dressing making Varsha shy.

Some snacks are brought and they ate it while discussing some introductory detail. Varsha also ate a few fruit pieces. It was good that fruit was already there so Varsha didn't have to make an excuse. Mr Shah has brought a beautiful necklace as a gift for Varsha. Akash and Varsha both thanked him. Discussion is going well for both sides and it seems they are in awe of each other. Of course, the current discussion is limited to the personal and social level.

After some time Mr Shah proposed Akash to show him his plan and presentation. In the meeting hall itself at one side, there are sofas set for people to sit and talk and another part of the hall has a long table with a sitting capacity of about 20 people and a projector is there as well.

Mr Shah looked toward his son and said: "You stay here and give company to Mrs Patel and let me talk to Mr Akash about the plans." And then he mentioned Akash toward the meeting table and projector side.

Akash turned toward Varsha and said "Just wait here while I finish the meeting. If you need to go somewhere, for lunch or somewhere else, I will take you there after I finish the discussion."

Varsha understood the intention of Akash and nodded while smiling. He is voicing his concern for her. He is also advising her to keep seated and wait for him and not go anywhere by herself.

Mr Shah and Akash went and positioned themselves on the meeting table. Akash opened his laptop and connected with the projector and within a few minutes, he and Mr Shah are immersed in the slides of PPT he is presenting. Varsha looked at Akash and how well he is explaining to Mr Shah till now and smiled. She can barely hear him from this almost 15-20 meters distance but she can see his confident expression and posture. Then she remembered Vipul Shah sitting on Sofa across her and turned toward him and found him looking toward her thoughtfully.

She looked toward him and found his expression strange. When he saw her looking toward him, he smiled and said "Ms Varsha is quite a unique person. I have heard a lot about you from some people."

"Mr Vipul Saah is quite a direct person. I hope all you have heard is the good talk about me." Varsha felt annoyed in her heart. Vipul Shah is too direct, He did not even make some small talk and is directly prying on her. And what annoyed her is that he called her 'Ms Varsha'.

Vipul Shah smiled and said "Please call me Vipul. Mr Vipul Shah seems so distant."

"Oh. Please call me Mrs Patel then. I don't like being called Ms Varsha." Varsha smiled and said making Vipul Shah stumped. Seeing his expression Varsha could not help feeling happy inside.

Vipul Shah reverted his expression and then laughed and said "Why is that so? Girls like to be called as a Ms."

Varsha smiled and said "You see, I admire and love my husband so much. So, when someone calls me Mrs Varsha or Mrs Patel, It's kind of an acknowledgement of being his wife. It makes me happy and on another side, I would say being called Ms is quite offensive to me." She has almost confirmed that this Vipul Shah is the friend of that pervert and she has to discourage him at all cost.

Varsha has told how much she loves her husband. She has also told that if he called her Ms again, she will be offended. From her light yet aloof tone, Vipul Shah has no options but accept. There was silence for a few minutes between them.

After some time Vipul Shah asked "So Mrs Varsha, It seems your husband is going to be busy for at least 1 hour. How about we go to the Hotel cafe and eat something?"

Varsha smiled. She has expected this type of thing. She was afraid that Mahat Pawar might come to meeting hall directly but to her relief, this is his plan to bring her outside in the cafe. She smiled and said "How can we leave your father and my husband here and have lunch before them? It will be quite uncaring of me if I did that. And by the way, haven't we already had some fruits and snacks?"

"This business deal is quite important to Patels. Are you not worried that you might offend me with this type of remarks? To me, it seems you are quite dismissive toward me." Vipul Sah said in a calm yet serious tone.

He is failing at every word he says to this girl. Mahat Pawar wanted him to bring her outside of meeting hall. His father also has confirmed him to go ahead and be friends with Mahat Pawar as his family has good business and political connections. It will be very shameful if he failed in the first task he is supposed to do for his newly made friend. He felt irritated with the tactful answers of Varsha.

Varsha smiled and said "Aren't you interpreting my words in a wrong way? Including Mr Shah and my husband, we are four people. Wouldn't it be rude if we have our lunch without them? I don't know about you but I would like to wait for my husband and like to treasure every moment with him, How can I have my lunch while he still has not had his? If possible I would like to have every meal with him."

"I am feeling a bit stuffy and also bored sitting here. How about we go out a bit and see the gallery and garden in the hotel?" Vipul Shah made his last attempt.

Varsha looked at him and said apologetically "I am sorry. My husband already asked me to wait here while he finishes his meeting." And then she smiled and said, "You are putting me in a dilemma here. I really can't leave the sight of my husband now when he is in the meeting or he might be worried about me."

Vipul Shah smiled and he felt like he found something and then asked "Worried for you? Why would he be worried? You are going with me, what could go wrong in such a well-known hotel?"

Now Varsha is feeling annoyed and it took her a lot of effort to maintain her calm. She could not smile but still maintained her calm expression and said "I am sorry. I also do not wish to leave the sight of my husband."

Vipul Shah looked toward the calm expression of Varsha and asked in a serious tone "Are you sure?"

Varsha felt a type of bad premonition in his gaze and the question. She thought of what can she do to correct her talk. She thought about everything they talked but she could not find anything she can change.

She told him to call her Mrs instead of Ms and there is nothing wrong with that.

She talked about how much she loves her husband. Nothing wrong with that.

She did not leave the room for eating or going out to walk around with Vipul Shah. Nothing wrong, She gave all the right reasons.

She shook her head and then looked toward the serious expression on the face of Vipul Shah. She smiled and said, "Of course I am sure." She remembers everything that Swati told her. She hailed her friend for being so intelligent. It is not that she wouldn't know to do this way but hearing affirmation from others it feels not wrong and also can be done with confidence and determination. In any case, she would never leave the sight of Akash.

After this Vipul Shah pulled his phone and started doing something on that. Varsha looked at him who is busy at his phone and then turned and looked toward his husband. She felt like this is the ideal situation. How good it would be if she can always see and admire her husband this way while he is working.

In almost 40 minutes the discussion of Akash and Mr Shah ended. Varsha felt relief when she saw Akash switching off the projector and then packing his laptop. She saw when Akash handed the file he was carrying to Mr Shah and Mr Shah put it in his briefcase.

Akash carried his laptop bag and then came to Varsha who smiled at him. Akash smiled at her and then sat beside her. Then Akash turned toward Vipul Shah and said "Mr Shah asked you on the meeting table to talk. We will wait for you here."

Vipul Shah heard Akash and then nodded. He stood up and then went to the meeting table where his father is still sitting and waiting for him. Father and son talked with each other for some time. Varsha felt like they talked quite seriously. She did not know that Vipul Shah could be that serious.

After about 15 minutes Mr Shah and Vipul Shah ended their discussion and walked toward where Akash and Varsha are sitting. And they sat at the sofa across them.

Mr Shah smiled and said "Mr Akash, your plan is great. It is better than I expected. I feel like you have made at least 4 to 5 new and creative additions in the process which we would not be able to think. I admire this point."

Even Varsha could feel Mr Shah is going in a roundabout way. She did not feel anything good with that. How can Akash not know this? So, he asked directly "So, what does Mr Shah think about the contract signing? We are ready for that and as you said in your email you must have come prepared too. Am I right?"

Varsha looked toward Vipul Shah who is smiling mockingly. She felt a foreboding and it made her heart hurt. She suddenly wished time to stop at this moment so next moment will never come. She did not wish to hear what is going to come next. She then turned toward her husband and looked at his calm expression who is waiting for the answer of Mr Shah.