UDHAY

Thursday, 19/08/2010 ... in London

"Udhay!"

Oh no. Not again. Why was she calling me again now? I closed the file in my hand, shut my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before going over to check what was wrong.

Priya was scowling at the laptop before her. My employee, Stella, was standing nearby, looking upset.

"What happened, Priya? Any problem?" I inquired calmly.

"I tried to do what you said correctly. But it didn't seem right. So I asked Stella to help me. She's telling me it's wrong and she's telling me to do it in another way. I don't think it's correct."

I checked how she had done the easy task I had given her.

"Have I done it right, Udhay?"

"It's right only, but there are some slight changes you have to make. Stella is more experienced so you can let her do the rest, okay Priya?"

"Okay." Priya looked dejected for a moment. "So what should I do now?"

Difficult question. What task can I give you that won't lower your confidence in yourself? "Let me think, Priya."

"Why? Isn't there any fixed tasks you usually give your P.A.? I told you that I get bored quickly. Tell me what to do now, Udhay."

"One minute, Priya. Stella, come with me." I went out of my office room to the common office where all my employees were working. Heading straight to Stella's table, I checked the pile of files and found the file I was looking for.

"I'll give this to Priya; she'll type it up for you. You can take the tender details sheet Priya was doing earlier and please redo it. One more thing, if she asks you for any help, just listen to whatever she says and agree to it. No need to explain anything to her even if she does it wrong. Just check it once she's done and correct it if there's any correction required without telling her. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Once Priya is done with this typing, just check and correct it too."

"Okay, sir."

I turned to go back into my office.

"Sir, is your wife okay?" asked Stella.

I turned to face her grimly. "She's absolutely fine. She needs a temporary job to keep her busy that's why I've kept her as my P.A.; she has the right to do what she likes here."

"No, I mean, is she having any problem? She couldn't do-" Stella started to speak when I interrupted, "My wife is perfectly alright. Do you understand? Now let's get back to work. No more questions please."

I walked away from there without a word. The last thing Priya and I needed was sympathy.

It has been three weeks since I started bringing Priya to my office as my P.A.. I couldn't leave her on her own at home. She wouldn't do anything unless I told her. I couldn't stay home with her; I wanted her to be near me so I would be sure that she was okay. So, I brought her to my office. Seeing her struggle in simple jobs was something I had gotten used to over the last few weeks.

I gave her the easiest tasks she could handle like typing or crosschecking while I managed to do all the work my former P.A. had been taking care of by spending longer hours working till night. No one had to know that though.

I reached Priya's table and handed her the open file.

"What is this?" She began reading the file.

"I'll explain it to you." I seated myself next to her before explaining to her the data in the file slowly and opening the database file in the laptop. "Look, you need to type up these tables into a database file. So in this first table, this is row one and column one. In this database file, I'll fill in the first few details.

Here you go. So now, this is row one and column one. So you see the data in this table in row one and column one, you have to fill that into the row one and column one here in this file. Then next row one, column two. See this, you have to type it up here into row one, column two in this file. Same for all the columns and all the rows in all the pages of this file, okay Priya?"

I smiled as I was done explaining. I have explained it properly and slowly to her. Had it been anyone else, just one line would have been enough: type up all the data in this file into a database file. I had struggled to explain things word by word to Priya at first but I have got better at explaining over time. Despite being known by all as an impatient man, I have mastered the art of patience for the sake of my wife.

After reading a bit, Priya frowned and glanced at me. "What is this, Udhay? Why are you giving me such an easy job? This is too easy."

"It's okay, Priya. That's all you have to do. If you want, you can rest after that."

"Rest? You know I'm the kind of person who can work for 24 hours without rest, right?"

"Of course I know."

"So I'll finish this in half an hour. Keep another job ready for me then."

What job could I give her after she's done with this? Next headache. "Okay, Priya, I'll keep a job ready for you. Take your time and do this, no hurry."

As she started working, I walked back to my desk.

Sometimes, this felt like a punishment to me. I was the reason Ajay had left her. Was it my mistake that I loved Priya? Was it my mistake that I wanted to love her all my life? Like any common man, I wanted to be the man in my love's life. But there was another man in her life. Their friendship appeared more than any bond I've seen.

Were they really just friends? That question rang in my mind from the first time I saw them together when I went to India to surprise her. He had seemed more important to her than I was. If he was upset, she realized that but not when I was.

Could they be those kind of friends who hadn't realized their love for each other? No, I scolded myself that day for thinking like that. I love Priya and I know she loves me the same, I thought at that time.

But spending a few days with them and noticing how he was all that seemed to matter to her, that question started to blare in my mind whenever they were together.

Finally I couldn't control my emotions and the questions that were overwhelming me when I saw her hugging him. And I showed how upset I really was with her at that moment. Till that moment, I had only seen how much Priya cared for him more than she cared for me. That moment, he showed his anger for I had hurt her. So, I was sure the bond they shared must be that kind of love blinded by the friendship they share.

I explained that to Priya as calmly as I could though she refused to consider that it was love between her and her friend. When his father came to meet me, I explained it again.

There is a limit to a man's patience but I explained it to them patiently as Priya was all I cared for. I wanted her to be happy even if not with me. I didn't want her to marry me and blame me for ruining her life when and if she realized that he is the one she truly loves. That's why I refused to agree to anything no matter what they said that day.

I may have appeared stubborn and heartless to their eyes. But the one who appears like he doesn't have a heart is the one who loves the most that he's ready to forget his heart to see his love happy.

I had asked him to revalue their friendship and realize their love but instead, he left. That was not what I had expected or asked of him. I thought the distance would prove their love so I waited for a week. Even after a week, he didn't return. I tried searching for him until Priya came to speak to me.

Anyway, my friend has left me, right? Isn't that enough as proof that he is nothing more than a friend to me, Udhay? Our families had started preparing for our marriage happily. Now, everything is at a standstill because you haven't spoken a word. There is only a few days left for the 26th of July. I still love you and only you. If you can't love me, then it's alright. But if you really love me, then can't we get married on the 26th as we had planned?

Hearing her words that day, how could I say no to her love when I loved her so much too? I agreed. Seeing her happy as the day of the wedding approached, I was happy. I forgot to keep searching for her friend and he never came for our wedding. I returned to London with her and we had been so happy. I had never expected all this would happen. Is it the punishment for asking them to revalue their friendship that day? Do I deserve this punishment for loving her? A punishment which might last all my life, do I really deserve this?

***

Two hours later, I heard her voice again. "Udhay!"

Again. I smiled and approached her. "What is it, my dear wife?"

She smiled before frowning and saying. "I typed everything but then when I rechecked, it was wrong. So I deleted the whole thing."

"Why did you delete it?"

"It was wrong."

"I could have checked it."

"No, Udhay. It was not correct."

She was a perfectionist. Since before. What do I do now?

"Udhay, I can't do this work. I'm not good at anything."

You are good, Priya. Oh God, am I expecting too much from her? She studied business too. I'm giving her the easiest tasks possible but she can't do it. Isn't there anyone who can help me and tell me what to do now?

"Give me some other job, Udhay."

"Actually there's no more work for today, Priya."

"But you have work, right?"

"Yes."

"Why are you always so busy nowadays? Always some meeting or the other every day and then after that work after work. Do you know how boring it is for me? I have no one else to talk to." Priya folded her arms, averting her gaze.

I stared at her, lost for words. How could I have not realized that? She wasn't happy at my office. She needed to be doing something she would enjoy doing.

I can't give her all my time. Though I want to see that she is alright by keeping her with me, a caretaker will be able to give her more company and take care of her. I can easily afford a caretaker for her, why hadn't I thought of that earlier? Priya wouldn't like to have a caretaker though; I'll have to think of another reason for her to accept the caretaker.

She loved dancing. Dancing class? Nah, she would feel awkward meeting people, whether they are known or unknown people. She had an interest in reorganising things before. She used to reorganise the things in our house in different arrangements. She had even done some rearranging at our neighbours houses since they liked the way she always rearranged our house.

I smiled as I glanced at Priya. "Priya, I have an idea. A new job for you. Interior designing."

"Interior designing?"

"Yes, Priya, interior designing. I just realized that I have no work in my office that you might like. So, perhaps you can work together with someone and go to houses and rearrange the things there. What do you think?"

"I like that. But who will I work with?"

"I will arrange someone for you."

She can't recognize her own home. For now, she isn't ready to rearrange another person's home. She can stay in our own home and reorganise the place with the help of the caretaker who will be there to take care of her while I'm working. She will think that she's rearranging a different house everyday while she'll be rearranging only our house. I'll give her the payment she should receive for the work she does each day. I'll be happy; she'll be happy.

When I can see that she can do things on her own, perhaps then I might consider letting her go rearrange the things in other people's homes. Till then, this is the best for her and me.

To be continued...

A/N: Please vote and comment.. :)