If God Was A Banker (7 page)

Sundeep didn't like the thought of Swami and Kalpana being away together for three days, but he could do nothing now.

After the meeting, while they were leaving Aditya's room, Sundeep walked up to Kalpana, held her by the elbow, and said, 'When you are back, we need to sit and chat.'

'What's the matter, Sundeep? Anything I need to know?'

'I would rather talk to you when you have some time for me.'

Kalpana was a bit taken aback by Sundeep's abrupt manner. She and Sundeep went back a long way.

'Sundeep, you appear to be quite stressed out. Come, let's get ourselves a cup of coffee. The coffee at India Coffee House is good. Swami and I have been there a few times.'

The mention of Swami irritated Sundeep a bit, but he did not let it show. The India Coffee House was in Nariman Point, two blocks away from their office. On their way out, they met Natasha in the lift lobby.

'Hey guys, headed home?'

'No, we are just going to get ourselves some coffee,' said Sundeep.

'Would you guys mind if I join in?' Natasha blurted out. 'I have a splitting headache and a cup of coffee will do me good.' But later she saw their grim faces and realised that it was a mistake.

'Of course not.' Kalpana was forced to lie, as she couldn't afford to be rude to the boss's secretary. Sullen faced Sundeep headed with the two beauties to the India Coffee House. Sundeep was thoroughly pissed. He went out to buy a packet of cigarettes, while the other two stayed inside sipping their coffee. The next fifteen minutes were spent in silence, occasionally disturbed by two lines of pleasantries followed by monosyllabic answers.

Sundeep finally gave up and said that he had to go. He left in a huff. Kalpana was concerned. What did Sundeep want to talk to her about? Why was he so stressed out? She wanted to call him back and drive him to his hotel, but before she could do that, he was gone.

Sundeep spent the next three days on a bed of thorns. He was not at ease with himself. He had to talk to Kalpana. Was it too late? Would she be interested in him? He tried calling her once or twice in her room at the Delhi hotel, but couldn't speak to her, since she was never in her room. Once he even called well past midnight, but to no avail. Kalpana wasn't in her room. 'What the fuck is going on? Is the bitch sleeping around?' he wondered. 'With Swami?' He felt disgusted. 'Na. She wouldn't even look at the South Indian uncle. He is not her type.'

Despite the self-assurance, he picked up the phone to call the hotel.

'Good morning. The Imperial Hotel, Delhi. May I help you?' the telephone operator came on line.

'Can you put me through to room number twelve forty-eight, Mr Swaminathan.'

'Who should I say is calling?'

Sundeep thought for a moment and banged the phone down. He couldn't bring himself to call up Swami's room, to check on Kalpana. What if she was indeed in his room?

Something was not right, but he didn't know what. He couldn't even ask anyone.

S
wami and Kalpana's trip to Delhi was a great success. Hero Honda agreed to an exclusive two-year, all-India arrangement for the financing of Hero Honda two-wheelers with New York International Bank. This was fabulous. Hero Honda sold over two hundred thousand two-wheelers every month, and this deal gave NYB access to the entire Hero Honda customer base. This was a deal any bank would kill and die for.

There was more good news for NYB. Sundeep had managed a tie-up with Maruti Suzuki for car financing. To say that Aditya was thrilled would be an understatement. His hand-picked team had given him two of the best possible deals. What more could he ask for?

They decided to celebrate, just the five of them. The celebration was planned for Saturday at Aditya's penthouse.

On Friday, the day before the scheduled bash, Sundeep got a call from Swami about thirty minutes before the daily evening debrief.

'Aditya asked me to call off the meeting. He has something else that has come up.'

At around 7.30 p.m., Sundeep went up to Aditya's room to have a word with him. His room was closed and there was someone in his room. He looked at Natasha, eyebrows raised.

'The two have been inside for the last two hours.' Natasha had understood his unsaid query.

'Which two?' Sundeep was beginning to get curious.

'Aditya and Kalpana.'

'What? Why? What happened? Where is Swami?' Sundeep inundated Natasha with a barrage of questions.

'He was here about thirty minutes back. Just left.'

There was a blank look on Sundeep's face. Natasha hurriedly clarified: 'Swami. He was here. Aditya had called him in.'

'Anything serious?' Sundeep's eyebrows fell and wrinkles appeared on his forehead.

'Yes. Apparently Kalpana wants to quit.'

'For god's sake, Natasha. Get serious,' Sundeep was losing control. The last thing he wanted now was someone playing games with him.

'I am not kidding. Swami told me so.' It didn't take Sundeep too long to realise that she was not kidding. He could sense something was wrong. He felt helpless, and he didn't like it when he was not on top of things.

'Swami had to make a few calls, so he has gone back to his desk. Said he might be leaving for his hotel soon.' Natasha explained.

Sundeep had no clue what was going on. He started prancing up and down the lounge waiting for these guys to come out.

'Do you want me to get Swami on the line?' Natasha could see his anxiety and wanted to help. She pressed the speakerphone button and started dialling without waiting for Sundeep's answer.

'Hi, you have reached the voice-mail of Swami...' Swami's voice-mail came on after six rings. Swami had left and there was no way to contact him. He would be on his way to the hotel, and at this hour it would be a good fifty minutes before he reached. There were no mobile phones in those days.

Sundeep was very fidgety and nervous. He kept pacing up and down the lobby outside Aditya's room, like an anxious father-to-be outside the delivery room. Why did Kalpana want to quit? Was Aditya not happy with her? What about Swami? Did things go wrong professionally between the two of them? 'I am sure this fucking Swami would have tormented her and pushed her to the limit, because of which she now wants to quit.' Numerous possibilities flashed through his mind. Poor thing, she would be in tears. He just wanted to rush into the room and take charge of the situation.

At that very moment, the door to Aditya's room opened and he peeped out.

'Natasha, coffee,' demanded Aditya and then looked at Sundeep. Kalpana was sitting with her back to the door and hence Sundeep couldn't exactly tell what was going on. Was she crying?

'Hey, Sundeep. What are you doing here? Come on in.'

'Things don't look so bad. Else Aditya won't be smiling. Everything looks fine,' Sundeep heaved a sigh of relief as he walked into the room.

'Natasha, coffee for my friend too.' Aditya was addicted to coffee. His mind wouldn't work without a coffee every half an hour.

As he strode past Kalpana to occupy the sofa on the other side, he saw that she was smiling. A big grin on her face told Sundeep that everything was indeed fine. 'What's going on? What's the fuss about?' he wondered.

'Young man, this lady here wants to quit, and I don't know how to stop her,' these words from Aditya reinforced what Natasha had told him. 'Maybe you can try?' he added.

'But why? What's wrong with you, Kalpana? We have just about started getting somewhere in this business and you want to quit. You cannot just walk out on us like this.' Sundeep was extremely anxious. He couldn't hide his desperation. Or was it frustration?

'This has been going on for some time. I have been mulling over it and talking to Aditya and Swami for over a fortnight now.'

'Swami again !' wondered Sundeep.

'It has now reached a head and we have to take a decision one way or the other,' Aditya was quick to inform him and looked at Kalpana and smiled at her. Kalpana grinned back.

This was irritating Sundeep no end. Everyone but him seemed to know what was going on. Were they serious, or were they playing him on? 'Kalpana, enough of fun. It's close to eight in the evening. Can we get serious?' He was not amused one bit.

'I am getting married, Sundeep.' This blew the wind out of Sundeep's lungs. Sundeep felt like he was at the epicentre of a nuclear blast. He was now sure that they were having fun at his expense.

'Kalpana, for god's sake, get serious. If you guys wanna have fun, I am not interested. I'm leaving. See you tomorrow.'

'I am not joking, Sundeep. I am getting married. In forty-five days time.'

'And who is the lucky guy?' Natasha asked as she walked into the room with some coffee. One glare from Sundeep told her that he did not find it funny. Sundeep turned towards Aditya with a questioning look, hoping that he would respond.

'Don't look at me. Ask her who the guy is. I will not spoil her surprise.'

Sundeep looked at Kalpana. 'Out with it.'

Sundeep was waiting with bated breath for hearing the name. But he went momentarily deaf. He could see the movement of her lips and knew that some words were being formed, but he couldn't grasp them. Maybe he didn't want to hear the name.

'Swami!' shrieked Natasha. 'You are getting married to Swami. Wow!' Natasha's excited yell brought Sundeep back to ground zero. He blacked out for a moment, lost his balance and stumbled backwards. The sofa stopped him from falling flat on the floor. He was quick to regain his composure and looked at Kalpana. 'Kalpana, you never cease to surprise me. That's great news. WOW! How did this happen?'

Kalpana smiled. 'It just happened, Sundeep.' She was grinning from ear to ear. She didn't realise the pain in Sundeep's heart, and couldn't see through the lie in his words. Natasha did. Boy, wasn't she pleased that Kalpana was getting married to Swami. Yes, Swami was a good guy, a guy you would like to take home to mom, but that was not why Natasha was thrilled. Kalpana was out of reckoning now for Sundeep. At least now she had a chance. She moderated her ecstasy in the fear that Sundeep may not like it.

After that, Sundeep was lost in his own thoughts. Why did this have to happen to him? And why Swami? He did not have looks, charisma, aggression. Nothing at all. How did Kalpana fall for a Tam-Brahm? And where did he falter? He was utterly disappointed.

Natasha felt sorry for him, but at the same time she was glad that now she would have Sundeep all for herself.

When Kalpana and Swami decided to get married, Swami's conservative mother was surprisingly happy. She did not have any issues with a Rajasthani daughter-in-law. Kalpana's parents, however, were initially against this marriage. Swami was not from the same economic background that they came from. However, once they met Swami, they too fell in line. In him they saw someone who would be honest and dedicated to his family, and, most importantly, someone who would keep their daughter happy.

Kalpana was very clear that she would not work in the same organisation as her husband. She also wanted time to adjust with this change in her life before she caught on with her career. Despite Swami's advising her against it, she decided to take the next couple of years off, to focus on her married life. She was the one who took the call and Swami respected her decision. Aditya, of course, tried to talk her out of it, but when she didn't budge, he let her go.

Meanwhile, Swami returned to Aditya's room. He had, in fact, just stepped out to meet somebody, while Natasha thought that he had gone back to his hotel.

Inside Aditya's room was a private cabinet. Inside the cabinet was a well stocked bar. Aditya would throw it open on special occasions. Today was one such day, as he was extremely happy for Kalpana and Swami. Aditya took out a bottle of Don Perignon. He had bought it on his way back from New York. 'Special moments call for special champagnes,' he said as he uncorked the champagne.

Sundeep was quite distressed at this sudden turn of events. He couldn't even show his displeasure. 'Who am I to approve or disapprove of her decision?' he thought and picked up his first glass of champagne.

Before Natasha, who was next, could pick up her glass, Sundeep had gulped down his first one. As he reached for the next one, Natasha knew that this was going to be a difficult night for him.

After downing another glass, Sundeep held Swami by his elbow and said, 'Well done, my pal. This is the biggest deal you have struck ever since you joined New York International Bank. Cheers to the two of you.' He gulped another glass. Natasha nudged him, trying to stop him from picking up one more. Sundeep didn't bother and helped himself to another drink. Swami knew that Sundeep had a soft corner for Kalpana; so he did not respond to his taunt. He liked Sundeep and respected his intelligence. He thought of him as a good friend.

B
y the time Swami and Kalpana left, it was well past ten. Aditya too left after instructing Natasha not to let Sundeep drink too much. But Sundeep was already sloshed and on the brink of passing out.

Natasha got up and went towards Sundeep. The moment she held him, trying to help him stand up, he pulled her down. 'Now listen to me,' he screamed at the top of his voice. 'What is wrong with me?'

'Nothing, Sundeep. You are absolutely fine.'

'Then why did that bitch do this to me? Why? Tell me why?' He was screaming at the top of his voice, shivering in anger. He had controlled himself in the presence of Aditya and Kalpana. The moment they had left, the bubble burst.

'Women. All you women are like this. Bitches. Never to be trusted!'

'You never bothered to tell her about your feelings for her, Sundeep. How can you expect her to reciprocate?' Why was Natasha even trying to reason with a drunk Sundeep?

'Shut up, you bitch. You don't even know her. She is a fucking whore. She flirted with me for two years and now she wants to hump that son of a bitch. How could she? How could she? I know. You are also like her. All of you are the same. Fucking whores.'

Natasha was getting irritated by his language, but she was also feeling sorry for him. Sundeep was in a pitiful state. She hugged him tightly.