Posted:
16 years ago
Chapter 8
As Milind drove over to the Shah mansion, he thought over what had transpired over the last month that lead him to agreeing to marrying to Prachi. As soon as Milind returned back from Delhi, he hired more staff and started looking for new premises to move his business into. The new staff worked out really well and soon he felt as if he got a handle on all of his current business and was ready to take a few risks. Ritesh, an old college buddy, now working for a leading property developer had tipped Milind about a limited investment opportunity in a resort being developed. Milind was ready for his slice of the pie. Milind got his financial records in order, met with the developers and was rejected. He later met up with Ritesh. "They decided to go with people they already had an established relationships with.", said Ritesh sarcastically. "Croynism, well and truly alive in shining India.", said Milind cynically, taking a drag of his cigarette. He really needed to quit. "So, who got in ?" asked Milind. "Arvind Kapoor, Inder Shah, Hussein Malik, as far as I know." replied Ritesh. Milind laughed, "I have contracts with both Shah and Malik." "Yeah, it probably would have helped more if you had been one of their sons.", said Ritesh. Noticing Milind scrowl, Ritesh said, "Come on Milind, it's always going to be twice as hard for guys like us. The right connections still count in this town."
A week later found Milind pitching business to one Mr Takur who owned two 3 star hotels. Mr Takur was decidedly old school and was eyeing Milind's long hair and stubble a bit suspiciously. "So, Mr Takur, I really think we could be of great service to your hotels." said Milind winding up his presentation. "How old are you?", asked Takur. Milind was a bit taken aback but answered, "Twenty eight but I don't see ..." "Married, children??", interrupted Takur. "No, but what does this have do with anything?', asked Milind trying hard to hold onto his patience. "Mr Mishra, you have no responsibilities in life. What's stopping you from closing your business half way through the contract and leaving me in the lurch?", asked Takur. "Mr Takur, I am responsible for the 7 people I employ, I am responsible for a sister about to start law school in Australia. I am not about to abandon my business.", said Milind evenly. Mr Takur could not be convinced.
Milind was furious. Niether losing the resort investment opportunity nor the contract with Takur were going to hurt in the short term. But what about the long term? Just how many opportunites were going to be shut to him because he did not have the right connections? Just how much business was he going to lose because he didn't project the right image of an upstanding businessman? Milind didn't plan on being a hotel errand boy (which is pretty much what his business amounted to at times) forever, he wanted to run those hotels eventually. But it seemed as if peserverance, intelligence and hard work was just not enough.
A solution came in the unlikely form of Inder Shah. "I heard you met Prachi in Delhi.", said Inder, the next time they met up. "It was just coincidence that we ran into each other.", said Milind. As grateful as Milind was for Prachi's help on that day, he really wasn't in the mood for her protective father to be reading more than he should into the matter. "No, it's good you met up. I'm sure Prachi was happy to see a friend from home.", said Inder. Milind was a bit surprised. Inder actually sounded as if he approved of Milind's friendship (if you could even call it that) with Prachi. "What do you think of Prachi?", asked Inder. Milind was perplexed as to where this conversation was going but answered truthfully, "She will never do anything to let her family down. That's rare today." Inder decided to get straight to the point and said, "Prachi is my eldest child. When I say nothing means more to me than her happiness, I mean it. I trust you when it comes to business, I want to know if I can also trust you when it comes to my daughter's happiness." Milind's mind went into overdrive. He first thought was that this was some sort of joke. Mighty Inder Shah was actually proposing that Milind Mishra from the chawl should marry his daughter. But it didn't take long before Milind was analysing it like any other business proposition that Inder would have made. Marrying Prachi would certainly give him the right connections and image that he needed. But this wasn't a business proposition, this was marriage. Something he had only ever associated with Ayesha. When Milind said nothing, Inder said "If you are already involved with someone or have any objection to Prachi, just say so and I'll never mention this again." "No, it's not that. I wasn't expecting this. I need some time to think." replied Milind.
Milind took a hard, rational look at the situation. Even though he accepted the end of whatever hopes and dreams he had for a life with Ayesha, it didn't mean that he could love someone else. In fact Milind was certain he would never feel for any woman what he had felt for Ayesha. But wasn't Prachi is the same situation? Didn't she feel the same about Neev. This meant that they could have a marriage without the typical expectations of what was required of husband and what was required of a wife. When it came to his business and his long term goals, marriage to the eldest daughter of a wealthy, respectable family would certainly remove a few of the stumbling blocks he had already encountered. Milind found more reason to agree to the marriage than to refuse to it.
But how to convince Prachi who was now standing across from him. "Why do you want marry me?", asked Prachi him directly. Milind knew Prachi was no fool and decided honesty was the best policy. "Because marrying Inder Shah's daughter makes my path a little easier when it comes to business and this high class society, I need to operate in." Prachi knew Milind was driven and ambitous. He wouldn't have gotten to where he was without being so but this was just being ruthless. Milind noticed that Prachi looked far from impressed. "This doesn't just benefit me. Your parents are determined to get you married. I understand about Neev but the next guy they find for you is not going to." Seeing that Prachi was starting to consider what he was saying, he continued, "We both understand each other's past. I am not going to expect you to really be my wife, you are not going to expect me to really be your husband." Milind could see Prachi was wavering, "Your parents get to see you settled down, I get the wife I need and you get to make your parents happy without having to worry about any expectations from me." Prachi resigned herself to her fate. "Okay, I'll marry you."
PS. I really have to thank Magno. I have been struggling to properly characterise Milind & Prachi but her views are really helping me to define them.
Edited by blackcurrant - 16 years ago
