Love as Tribute

Mahi is an enticing, enthusiastic buddy. She knows only happiness in her life. She is pretty and her smiling face attracts everybody. Her family is the most beautiful world for her. She has no restrictions. But, she has defined freedom to enjoy. She is allowed for hang outs but not for dating. She has respect for ‘Love’, but has a strong gut feeling that only arranged marriages are successful and not love marriages. She had seen her friends both suffering and enjoying their love lines. She wants only happiness and so she never games with love.

She is an accountant in one of the MNCs. She had earned a good name in her office. She does not believe in hard work, but on smart work. With minimum input, she can get tremendous output. She has good managerial skills too. She prefers finishing off the days work soon and relaxing rest of the day.

Things were moving in their routine style for Mahi. It was beginning of the year and recruitments were up. So many new buddies, both experienced and freshers joined the company. Her beloved Chief Accountant, Renu got married and settled in US. So she resigned her job. This annoyed Mahi a bit. But, she believes that ‘Life is to keep going’.

It was beginning of the week and freshers had come to the office. There was a little bit of restlessness in Mahi’s department. The post of Chief Accountant was filled. People were eager to know about their chief. There were few gossips, but they died soon. Mahi never worries for anything. So the talk about new Chief, does not bother her much.

A guy in jean and t-shirt came up to Mahi, who was standing near the water cooler in the entrance of her floor. “Where is the Chief Accountant’s room?”, asked that guy. Mahi looked at him as if he is an E.T. “Pl go and ask the receptionist”, said Mahi. “Hey she only told me this floor”. Mahi got bit irritated. She dislikes guys in informal outfits in office. She wants men to have good dressing sense as to wear which outfit where. “Better wait here, in this sofa” and she was about to leave the place. “Just hold on ma’m,” continued the guy,” For your kind information, I am the Chief”. Mahi was shocked. “Oh my god! How come this idiot got the job?”, thought Mahi. Then she replied, ”It is the first room on your right”, and she flew to her seat.

Ajay is a very cool guy, cool headed than Mahi. He never gets tensed up for anything. He remains cool headed and solves anything. He is the only child to his parents. His parents are living in his native village and this guy is in city. He loves music, so one can find him always with headphones plugged in his ears. He has the fastest brain. He takes decisions quickly, sorts out issues and plans perfectly.

People were thrilled about their new Chief. He had never portrayed an image that he is a Chief. Besides, he is too young for the post too. So he was able to mingle with people easily. Within a month, he came to know almost everybody under him. Everybody liked him for his nature. He is helpful and friendly. Mahi did not have any opinion for him. She just bothered her work.

One fine day, Ajay rushed to Mahi with a big file in his hand. Mahi did not notice him. “Mahalakshmi. Excuse me!”, said Ajay. Mahi still did not bother. Ajay was standing behind Mahi. He moved to the front of Mahi and said “Hello Mahalakshmi!”. She looked at him in surprise.

“Wassup?”, asked Ajay.

“Nothing. Nobody had called me as ‘Mahalakshmi’”

“That’s your name rite?”

“But…”

“I can’t call you by your pet name unless you give me permission.”

Mahi smiled and continued, “That is not an issue. You can very well call me as ‘Mahi’.”

“Ok. Thank you and one more thing. Finalise this ‘Salary Revision’ file and get it back to me”, said Ajay and placed the file on her desk and left.

Mahi got irritated. She had planned for an outing with her parents on that day. And now he had dumped her with job. “He spoke as if he is the gentlest man on this world and at last dumped me. Nonsense fellow!”, scolded him in her mind. Mahi has completed her day’s work and was about to leave. Suddenly she got this work. She went through the file. Her concentration was only about her parents. She was irritated and restless. She stood up and walked to Ajay.

“Ajay, I would like to leave for the day.”

“But, the file?”

“If you don’t mind I shall take it to home and finish it off.”

Mahi was sternly looking into Ajay’s eyes.

“Okie. No issues for me. Keep going”, said Ajay and turned towards his computer.

Mahi came to her place, rushed up with her bags and the file, down to the parking slot. She drove fastly to home. Her parents were dressed up and were desperately waiting for her. She quickly dressed herself and together they left for enjoying the evening.

Next day morning, Mahi seemed tensed and restless. She had not only completed the file, but had lost it too. She enquired the security people, searched in her desk and in parking slot. But, she was unable to find it. She started weeping. She came very early to office. No one else had come. She was sitting alone in her floor, weeping.

“No crying Mahi. Here is your file”, said Ajay with a smile, holding the file in his hands. He was dressed up in formals. Mahi was totally surprised. She could hardly find a word to speak out. Mahi said,”Thank you!”, as a token of gratitude. She flipped through the pages of the file. The quoted rates were finalized. She was amazed. She grew respect for him. She understood his humbleness. “He had not even said any word about my carelessness. He is too good. I am crazy to mistake him. Unknowingly I left the file in parking lot. But he is too good to preserve it and gentle having completed the work too. He is really a wonderful person”, felt Mahi.

She took the file and went directly to him. “Ajay, Thank you so much for finalizing the rates too. I am really sorry for all that had happened”, said Mahi. Ajay seemed bit tensed up. “Are you sure that you went through the entire file?”, asked Ajay. “No. I went through only initial pages and I thought… Ok let me check the entire file and get back to you”, said Mahi and went off not even waiting for Ajay’s reply. Ajay watched her leaving his room, with mounds of tension and restlessness.

Mahi went through every page of the file. “Everything is perfect. What a genius?”, astonished Mahi. Before the last page of the file, she found a paper in which she read

Mahi,

I am not good in writing such letters and I have not tried this before. I admire you for what you are. I like your self esteem nature, confidence and intelligence. Besides you are beautiful too. I have never seen such a mixture with any girl. And you are the one and only girl I have ever admired. All I want to say is I Love you and I would like to marry you. I won’t force you or trouble you. But I believe that you too like me.

With Love

Ajay

Mahi was shocked. She had never expected such things from a person whom she respects a lot. She sat still for sometime, resonating the letter in her mind. “How can he be so cheap?... He is not cheap…just expressed his love… how can he have such an opinion about me?...its good that at least he had expressed everything now…I like him…but I wont marry him… My family is more important”, Mahi kept racing her mind with so many questions and thoughts.

She finished scrutinizing the file and went back to Ajay. “Ajay, I finished reviewing the file”, said Mahi with a stern and steady face. Ajay just kept looking at her. “Also,” added Mahi, “There was one scrap paper in the file and I have dumped it in the dustbin” and she went away.

Ajay was depressed and restless. He was highly confident that Mahi will accept his love. But things worked out the other way. He desperately wanted to know the reason for rejecting him. But he did not possess the guts to face her. He kept himself composed for few days.

The soft love towards Mahi grew day by day and started pricking Ajay, for having dejected. One fine day, he went up to Mahi and called her for coffee in the office pantry. Mahi initially felt uninterested, but then she made up her mind to go with him. She decided to clarify her stand, if Ajay happens to discuss about his proposal.

“Heard Mythili gonna quit the Job”, said Ajay, breaking the silence between them. He sat opposite to Mahi, kept smiling and remained composed.

“Ya. I too came to know that”, answered Mahi.

“Why suddenly?”

“Heard she is going to get married”.

“What about you?”

“What?”, exclaimed Mahi.

“No. Just asked when you are going to get married”, said Ajay in a normal tone.

“I donno. My parents need to decide”, said Mahi. She avoided looking at Ajay.

“So, you are not gonna decide your marriage right? You gonna blindly believe and accept parents decision?”

“Stop it Ajay. My parents had been providing me with best things. I get all that I desire. Never had they said ‘No’”

“So why don’t you talk about our marriage? I mean…”

“Its enough Ajay. Look I strongly believe in arranged marriage and prefer opting my parent’s choice rather mine”

“So you mean to say that…”, interrupted Ajay

“I just mean to say that you please don’t disturb me here after. I don’t have any opinion or liking for you. All I knew is me family and my parents”, said Mahi sternly and left the place.

Ajay looked at her leaving the place with a smile and felt a sense of victory.

A month passed by. It was Thursday morning and Mahi was getting ready for the office. She noticed her dad talking over the phone with least botheration that he is getting late for his office. She knew her dad as the most punctual person. She noticed that he had finished talking and so she went to him and asked, “Dad is that your girlfriend?”.

“No, your boy friend”

“Dad…”

Her dad laughed loudly and said, “Dear it was groom’s father. They have decided to visit us on Sunday”.

Mahi did not expect this. “Dad never you had given me any clue. I don’t want to marry now”

“Dear, the guy is too good. You will like him”.

“Please dad…”

“Please dear. This is my only wish. Can’t you make it come true?”

Mahi loves her dad so much and never likes him to pacify her. She always agrees to his decisions.

She smiled at him and said, “C’mon dad. I am game for it. Go ahead”.

Her parents were too happy to hear this.

Mahi was highly puzzled about her marriage. She went to beautician and took beauty treatments. She purchased a new saree. She bought make kits too, which she had never done before. Her parents were happy to see her interest in the proposal, though she is unaware of anything about the groom.

The highly expected Sunday came. Mahi dressed up beautifully like an apsaras. Her mom prepared the delicious recipe numbers. Everybody was set to welcome the groom’s family.

Late in the evening, the groom’s family reached Mahi’s house. They took their seats in drawing hall. The groom appeared young and charming. They beckoned Mahi. She came out of her room and sat in front of the groom, next to groom’s mother. She dares not to look at the groom. But, the groom stuck his eyes only her. She was gorgeous. Groom’s parents were happy about this proposal and they started to discuss about engagement and marriage. Mahi’s eagerness to look at the groom provoked her. She had a quick glance of the groom. The groom smiled at her. She froze in astonishment and could not remove her eyes from him, because it was Ajay!

The discussion slowed down and a sudden silence bloomed. Mahi composed herself and looked at her dad.

“I know about you dear. You have suppressed your desire for your parents. But, your happiness is more important. So I was very much careful in making the decision and I believe that I have made the best decision”, said Mahi’s dad with overwhelming love and happiness.

Mahi was touched by her father’s decision. She stood up, ran to her father and hugged him. She was crying and only crying on his shoulders, out of happiness!