#11 Curtains!

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--At Krish's

The expectations of Arjun's arrival faded slowly, but surely, like the night. The next morning was the day before the engagement. So, as Krish naturally remained busy meeting the guests and relatives, the pandit informed Krish's mother about the auspicious time when the mangni should take place.

Krish, whatever little time got in between was generally on phone with Isha, the girl he was going to get engaged to. Rishi and Jeet were busy in catering to the arrangements. They were a part of the family since childhood.

While the world was busy lazing like a log on a Saturday morning, the scene was not so tranquil at PanchSheel, Krish's residence.

3:45pm: Jeet and Rishi smiled as they on-looked Krish talking on the phone again.

"3rd time in the day! What do you say?", chuckled Jeet.

"5!", said Rishi as both of them involved themselves in a modulated laughter .

"Bastard! Smiling and talking on the phone while we work our ass off for his engagement.", Jeet spoke as he continued to look at a relaxed and unperturbed Krish still fooling away on his phone.

"Never go to a house before the day of the engagement. Lesson learnt!", Rishi joined Jeet as someone called for them.

Some more work. Both of them looked at each other in what we could be called a mutually-annoyed-gaze lock before they bid goodbye to their 15 minute break. Kriti, who was watching them from a distance, nodded her head and smiled as she continued to speak to Krish's cousins.

--Arjun

5:00pm:  He shut down the lid of his laptop. His neck pained and eyes hurt. He was working hard since early hours of the morning. It'd been a stretch of 10 hours. He seemed like a man on a mission.

As he lay down on the cozy bed of the lavish gigantic suite, he could see the clock ticking past every moment. A plan was on. A plan to take a break from the imposed exile. When?

Meanwhile, Arjun was up again. Much like the silent calling of his brothers, his work too needed attention.

--At Krish's

8:00pm: At PanchSheel, the commotion had slowed down as dusk took over. Thankfully enough for Rishi and Jeet, who took their own moments of solitude to send their gratitude to the Good Gracious God. Krish's phone was discharged (Handset also had it's moments of solitude finally!).

Dinner was going to be served soon. Jeet checked his office mails while Rishi and Kriti were in a riveted conversation about spirituality and karma. Krish, high on life, just smiled at his childhood buddies as he again tuned up the volume of his I-pod's music.

11:00pm: Dining was done with and the comrades gathered at their favourite hangout spot. The terrace was surely calling them. Krish was thrilled about the engagement. There's this moment in your lives when your brother-like friend is endlessly telling you about their lover and love life and you (being still single!) have to sport a smile to all the unbearable mushy stuff.

Once in a while Rishi and Jeet would look at each other only to look at heavens and to Krish again. Arjun's arrival hopes were diminished. Rishi and Jeet mailed him a day back. There was no reply.

--Arjun

 11:40pm: His laptop was back in the laptop case. The day's job was over.

Arjun put on his black leather jacket, muffled himself and prepared himself for the set out. Krish's residence was 20 minutes away as Arjun decided to walk, and sprint. With that, Arjun left the suite.

The roads were narrow as compared to the huge and broad street ways Arjun had grown increasingly familiar to. There were a few people walking and a couple of drunken men fighting over some issue but Arjun in his head was leading a very hush-hush operation.

PanchSheel was now in his sight. Arjun slowed down naturally. His eyes were welling up as he moved closer, yard by yard. To bother anyone in the house at midnight was insane. He'll climb up to the terrace, he had already made up his mind.

In a matter of few minutes, Arjun was standing in front of PanchSheel.

The security guard recognized the fourth comrade and a smile from Arjun meant first of the many reunions to occur had taken place. Arjun inquired about his mates and before the guard could give a heads up, the boisterous laughter from the terrace had Arjun have his answer.

Arjun raked up quickly through the paraphernalia available for his climbing assignment.

Ladder. No. Too low an adrenaline rush. Rejected.

Rope. No. Too high an adrenaline rush. Rejected.

 Climbing the pipeline. Check. He was underway in a manner too swift for his age.

A moment of silence on the terrace meant Rishi, Krish and Jeet suspected something fishy. 

Krish rushed to the side of the terrace. And as he bent down over the side of the terrace, his head collided with a head inside a hood climbing up and he retracted.

Rishi and Jeet beamed as Krish recollected himself.

The hood was unveiled with eyes glistening underneath.

They say matches are made in heaven, well, moments too are, and it was one!

                                                                                       *  *  *  THE END  *  *  *

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Note from the Author:

And concludes a chapter from the loves of Rishi, Krish, Arjun and Jeet that took me with them. Yes, I would have loved to know it more, know it after this. That story is waiting to be told too, in a more voluminous form. Well, Yes, may be.

I often wake up in between a beautiful dream and try sleeping again in the hope that the dream would continue from where it left me the last time. It never happens. Never does!

A dream with closed eyes is not a vision and as Rosabeth Moss Kanter says, "A vision is not just a picture of what could be; it is an appeal to our better selves, a call to becoming more."

Hope and wish to have you all again when we embark on the further journey with Krish, Arjun, Jeet and Rishi. Till then, value your dreams and don't stop dreaming if you haven't found one!