You Are Missing In My Heart!

Part 9

Nethra was sitting in front of her workstation staring at the 3D floor plan of the Adithya Group’s hotel. As her eyes moved along the plan, her mind visualized the details and she could not help but appreciate the architect. It was a minimalistic design with a touch of classical architecture. The hotel was supposed to have 12 floors containing 480 rooms including 5 royal suites, 10 executive suites and 80 splendor rooms along with the superior and deluxe rooms. Each of the suites had a unique design and plan. The royal suites were duplex suites occupying the last two floors each one of them having a large private pool and landscaped garden. The executive suites were on the 10th floor with compact pools. Each of the splendor rooms were also designed subtly different from the other adding uniqueness to them. However all of them had a patio which led straight into a large Jacuzzi. There were two swimming pools one infinity pool on the roof top and other at the side of the hotel. There were 5 dining options which included one on the roof top near the swimming pool with a bar. The entrance was placed in the first floor and the driveway from the main gate was ramped up to led the way to the portico in front of the first floor. The reception was on the right side and a huge lobby at the center with sofas and ottomans. This center space had high ceiling open up to 9th floor and The corridors in each floor ran in an uneven semi-circle shape bordering the center open space. The ground floor had four banquet halls. Each one was isolated from the other having separate entrance. Each hall had a large space near-by, which can be used as the dining area and the walls of the dining were fully made of glass with a view to the outside garden. Along with allowing more natural light in, the complete glass walls would merge the indoor and outdoor area and would not make the area look cramped even if it’s fully crowded, thought Nethra appreciatively.

While she was immerged in the plan, her mind visualized Abhinay in front of a huge drawing table sketching the plan and she jerked out of her thought with a shock. Why should it be him? She thought. It might be anyone from the organization but yet some part of her believed it was Abhinay’s plan or wanted it to be Abhinay’s. She remembered her meeting with Madhavan the day before.



Karthik informed her about the re-scheduled meeting with Madhavan and asked whether she wanted him to accompany her. And she was still thankful that she said yes. There was no trace of Abhinay or anyone else from SP Architects. She felt a sudden disappointment that she did not recognize. To worsen things, Deeraj joined them as he had already informed Madhavan that he wanted to be in all the meetings with the Architects and designers. All the time throughout the meeting, he was giving subtle hints to Nethra and was staring at her. Nethra did not know whether the other two men, in their eager to please him, did not notice or chose to ignore his behavior, but neither did anything to help her. She remembered how Abhinay sensed his cheap behavior and protected her. He even went to the extent of cancelling the meeting. At that thought, suddenly, she missed Abhinay in that room and wished he was present there.

As the happenings of that day ran through her mind, she wondered why Abhinay did not come. ‘Was it because of the Friday evening incident? Was I rude to him? May be he thought that am arrogant and egoistic and decided to keep away from me’ she questioned herself and the thought upset her. “My stupid nerves! He was so helpful the other day. I should have declined more politely”

“Oh really!” she jumped in her seat on hearing Karthik.

‘Did I speak aloud? Oh my god’ she thought and covered her mouth with both her hands.

“Now Nethra, tell us. Number 1, who is the guy? Number 2, when did he propose? Number 3, why should you reject? After all he is helpful na?” Karthik bombarded her with a series of questions and laughed.

Nethra blushed faintly on this interpretation and pleaded, “Aiyo! Karthik! Nothing like that..please leave me..”

“Anyway, you can’t keep a balloon under water for very long, buddy” he shook a finger and threatened her playfully.


Abhinay stood near the French window of his office room looking at the road below. He recollected the day he saw Nethra there, the day his spirits soared. Till that day, his love for that girl whom he met just once, whom he named his Angel was surreal even to him. He held on to that fantasy in an effort to forget his bitterness towards life. After all these years, little did he expect that his fantasy would become his destiny? The moment he saw Nethra again in his office reception area, he knew that she was his destiny. He had never been so sure like this about anything in his life before. He did not want to lose her again, but he neither knew how to get close to her. He need to get a little closer to her, understand her and only then he can open his heart to her. But how?

With all these thoughts swirling in his mind, Abhinay clenched his fists inside his trouser pockets and pressed his forehead on the glass of the window in desperation. At the exact same moment, Mithun walked in and saw his friend standing close to the window with his head pressed against it.

“Dei macha.. what are you doing da? Trying to break open the window with your head?” he asked laughing.

Abhi blushed and said “Mabhi.. u should knock the door before coming da.. you have to improve your manners da..” he teased in an effort to hide his embarrassment.

Mithun started to look around the room like searching for something and Abhi asked, “what are you searching now?”

“Once upon a time, I had a friend named Abhinay, am searching whether he is still there” Mithun explained seriously continuing his search and Abhi punched him in his stomach.

“Ouch.. You pig!” he shouted and continued, “Now, come to the matter.. What are you looking at in the street below?” Mithun asked holding his stomach.

“Nothing da.. I was thinking something standing there and immediately something caught my attention da.. was trying to check what it was..” he lied coherently.

“Oh what is it?”

“Before I could figure that, an idiot came and disturbed me” he said in a sad tone.

Mithun pointed his forefinger towards his own face and said “Unaku idhu theva dhan da.. (u deserve this insult),” and continued, “So sad da mabhi.. I thought you saw some beauty down there and peeping to get a better look”. Abhi glared at him and he winked in return.


“Ok tell me mabhi.. what brought you here” Abhi asked as both of them sat on the sofa on one side of the room.

Mithun was quiet for some time lost in thoughts. Then he cleared his throat and said, “I wanted to talk to you about Anita da”

“You mean our senior Architect? What about her?” Abhi asked void of any emotion.

“Macha.. enough of this pretense! Both of us know who Anita is..”

“Even after knowing that you selected her for our company.. isn’t it?” Abhi countered.

“Yes! Only because of knowing that I selected..” he left a pause and continued “I know that you both broke up.. but I don’t know the reason behind it.. but looks like things changed on Anita’s side. The mere fact that she came all the way from Delhi to work in our company indicates her intentions.. What I feel is she is definitely trying to patch up, macha..”

Abhi interrupted with anger, “oh really! So should I welcome her with wide spread arms? Tell me mabhi.. Do I look like a damned teddy bear on her bed? She can dump me or hug me as she pleased?” His face turned red in anger.

“Macha please.. relax.. but dumped you? You said some difference of opinion right?” Mithun was equally shocked.
Mithun thought that Abhinay and Anita broke up due to some fight which may be due to some difference of opinion which might have turned to an argument ending the relationship. But, as Abhinay was stubborn and did not yield to the idea of marriage, Mithun doubted whether he was still holding on to his past. He and Arundati made a lot of efforts in vain to get him married. So, when he met Anita and understood her intentions, he thought they might patch up again and he recruited her in an effort to help his friend.

Abhi clenched his teeth and said, “Not difference of opinion.. Difference in values..!,” in a bitter tone.

On seeing Mithun’s confused expression, Abhi continued, “Mabhi.. There is no place for Anita in my life anymore! It was completely over on a fateful day, the day when she herself killed my love for her! That was all in the past… And moreover..” Abhi stopped hesitating and his face softened and small smile cracked on his lips.

Mithum whose eyes were pasted on his friend’s face encouraged, “Moreover?”

“I am in love with Nethra!” he confined.

“Whatttt?! Nethra?! Who is thatttttt? Dai wats happening da?” Mithun almost shouted hearing this.

“Dei.. dei.. stop shouting.. you remember the girl who came with Karthik? I mean the Interno designers..” he asked

“Ohh.. that girl.. but you have just met her once or twice na? Love at first sight ah da macha..” Mithun started teasing Abhinay. At that moment, he forgot about Anita or anything else. He was so happy for his best friend and nothing else mattered.

“Yes and No” Abhi said playfully.

“Now, will you stop confusing me any further and come out with all of it?” Mithun demanded.

“Mabhi.. Long back I told you about meeting a beautiful girl and how I couldn’t get her face off my mind, remember?” Abhi paused.

“You mean you sweet encounter?! The one you met during our UG second or third year? If am not wrong, in T Nagar right?” Mithun asked and then exclaimed, “Dai.. so, Nethra is that girl ah?!!”

Abhi nodded and Mithun punched him, “how dare you hide all these things from me so far?”

“Not like that da Macha.. Was about to tell you only”


“Really? When da? After deciding the wedding date or after the wedding itself? Everyone are like this in this world.. Figure ah patha udane friend ah cut panradhu (When a girl comes, avoiding friends)” he added in a sad tone!

“Enough of your scene da mabhi.. What did you do when you fell in love?”

“Ah.. that…” Its Mithun’s turn now to stammer!

“Yeah that! That too with my sister.. under my very nose..”

“Ok ok.. leave it da.. now tell me what my sister is saying,” Mithun changed the topic and laughed and Abhi joined him, “You culprit!” then let out a long sigh and said, “Your sister.. I dunno whether she at the least remembers my name da”

Then, he explained briefly the incidents where he offered lift a couple of times and her reaction to that.

Mithun laughed aloud and said, “So someone is giving the tough Abhi a tough time! Nice to know” and Abhi laughed too.

Immediately Mithun said, “Sorry da Macha.. without knowing all this.. I brought Anita in the picture..”

“Its not your mistake da.. You don’t know anything.. I should have told you everything about what happened between us..” Abhi consoled.

“At least tell me now!” Mithun asked.

At the very moment they heard a knock at the door!

(Contd.)