An Evening in Paradise - CEO Story continues

"They are organising a celebration in the Sunset Lounge at Hotel Paradise.
Vishnu, David and Mark are all coming with family. Suman and Chitra will also be there."
"Ok." She barely looked up from her task. She was arranging the dried mangoes like the world depended on it.
"You coming?" And he knew the answer before it was out. He hadn't phrased it correctly.
"No!".
He was like a fly drawn to the fire. "Why?". He knew the answer to that one too- but was looking for her version. Perverse Pleasure.
"I've got to make Aaam-ka-achar".
"And that can't wait till tomorrow?"

"You go na!.Have I ever stopped you? Anyways all you do is have parties. Tum log kaam bhi karte ho kya?!"

The bile rose within him.The nasty, selfish, egotistic thoughts crossed his mind once again. He felt anger and despair compete for supremacy in his head. He just nodded his head and left.

As he drove to the venue he struggled to balance his frame of mind.He almost forgot to pick up Rajesh on the way. Rajesh and he had formed a steady bond since their first assignment together.

What was worse -Rajesh could read his mind in a Jiffy.

"Kya hua Vinish?!" He asked as soon as he got into the car.

"Nothing! Just tired" Rajesh didn't buy that and Vinish knew it, but Rajesh was busy reanalysing his relationship with Vinish, after the new announcements, to probe any furthur.
They chit-chatted on the changes in Manufacturing. By the time they reached Paradise hotel Vinish had almost regained his mental composure.

They made a big deal of his entrance. But he was expecting it.

He joined in the wisecracks and general foolishness associated with the family parties!

Oft he had detested being the sole provider of entertainment and the milling coterie.

But today was his Day! He did not care a toothpick for the gossip mongers and he knew each and every one of them. Hadn't he upped them at their own game!
After the chat with David and downing a couple of beers he had fully regained his positive frame of mind.

When they called on him for the prize giving ceremony and a "few words" he felt like 'King of the World'!

And then the ground gave way beneath his feet.

He saw Manisha enter with Vaibhav.And Boy! had she taken care to dress up!

Each and every head at the bar counter had turned to wards the entrance.

Something about the way she was standing-her fingers resting lightly on Vaibhav's shirt sleeve - sent a scorching pain through Vinish's entire frame! It was so sudden he almost stumbled on the stage and his mind numbed out for a second. He had once in college -had to chew Avil-(the motion sickness medicine) for lack of water and immediate effect. He tasted the Avil in his mouth now...

As he spoke to Vishnu and got endlessly ribbed by his wife on the his non-existent cullinary skills, he could barely keep himself from just walking up to where Manisha and Vaibhav had settled in a cozy corner. Manisha had never looked more beautiful and apart from a few careless

glances at him- she had focussed all her attention on Vaibhav.

An hour and half later after the hired rock band had all but abandoned the stage to the over-drunk

'Michaels and Maddonas', Manisha sauntered towards where he was standing.

"Congratulations Vinish!" He felt the hairs on his neck stand upright.

"Hey! Thank You Manisha" he said. "So how is the new car doing?"

"Oh! I wouldn't know. I haven't started driving it around yet. I am so lazy you know.

Whenever I need a drive I just give Vaibhav a call. He has promised to teach me as an

engagement gift.

I guess Congratulations are due to me too! " She said smiling sweetly.

"Vaibhav has asked me to marry him and I have accepted . Engagement is next month."

The rest of the evening was a numb haze to him.

That night Vinish was so silent and yet so restless that even Deepti looked at him with concern. He pressed the earphones to his ears and listened to the soothing music, instead of the usual inane chatter by twenty-somethings, that by some mercy of God was being dished out on the radio station that night.He must have drifted off at around 4 am.
Can the best day in a person's life also be the worst?