Mudhan Mudhalagaa... PART V

Me and Deva caught another flight to Coimbatore to spend the vacation. My family is happy to see me after a long time. But I could see that my mum was so disturbed. My mum asked whether she can search a girl for me. But I refused and said ‘Not now ma. I am not ready for a marriage’.

I am afraid to goto the project or Chennai again. I cannot face the place or even the cubicle where Pooja sat. Over the past year, a branch had been started in Coimbatore itself. As the onsite project was over and I don’t have any immediate plans in the project, I called my PM and discussed about this. First he was reluctant to release me. But after I convinced him, he informed me that another PM of our ODC is now in Coimbatore and he needs a technical lead. But he said that he can release me only after the approval of account manager. He called me back the next day saying that I can goto Coimbatore after the knowledge transfer of the project details. I already gave the details to my friends. I explained this to my PM and that afternoon, he confirmed me saying that I can directly report in Coimbatore office. My family was pleased with the information. My friends who were most supportive during the last year also said that it will be better for me.

When I reached Coimbatore office after vacation, I started to check mails in my laptop. I was surprised to see a mail from Sandeep and he was now working in our company in Hyderabad. He wrote that he joined last month and he needs a help from me. He asked me to call him after seeing the mail. He has sent it during the day of my return from Frankfurt. When I was about to send him a reply, my PM came to me.

PM : Gautham, unnoda pudhu project innum 1 month la start aagidum. You have to do the role of both module lead and tech lead. He introduced me to the team. To my relief there were more boys in the team. My friends told that I have become worse than earlier in the past 1 year. Talking to a girl, reminded me the days with pooja. After introduction was over, I was left alone with PM.

PM : Gautham, Hyderabad la oru project, nee offshore la lead panna project kku similar a irukku. They asked if you can come there for a couple of weeks and give them some ideas. It will be easy to clarify, instead of taking it thru mail and over phone. Please be ready for that. You have to travel in the weekend.

Hyderabad!!! Pooja will be in Hyderabad. I didn’t send a mail to her or received none from her in the last year. She may have resigned or may be not. After much thinking, I decided to go. So I confirmed my PM.

I replied to sandeep saying that I will be coming to Hyderabad officially for two weeks. Sandeep replied quickly asking me to come to the apartment instead of staying in the official guest house and repeated that he needed an important help from me. I accepted and asked about the details, but he said that it will be better to discuss personally.

That evening when I informed this to my dad, he said that he and Rajesh are going to Secunderabad in two days and will be there for a week. We agreed to meet there if time permits. I reached Hyderabad that weekend. But Sandeep’s roommate picked me up instead of him as he went to his native which was distant from Hyderabad.

Monday I went to the project and I briefly explained the architecture of the project I did. The day went uneventfully. I was afraid and also anticipated to see Pooja. I couldn’t see her in the campus. May be she has resigned, I thought. Anyway she is married and I should not disturb her. But much to my distress I saw Pooja along with a set of girls on Tuesday. She had not changed much and she was happy from what I saw her. She noticed me and then her face changed immediately and she quickly turned away. I sighed and left the place immediately. I decided that I should go and say a ‘Hi’, the next time I meet her. But Wednesday I couldn’t see her.

Me and Sandeep couldn’t talk much in the week as I was busy and he was too busy in his project till Wednesday. Thursday night we were free and when I asked what the help he needed from me was, the door bell rang. A youngster roughly at our age, with what seemed to be wedding invitations, entered and greeted Sandeep and his room mates. But I noted that Sandeep was frowning a little bit, clearly showing he was angry on him about something.

Sandeep : (In telugu) Santhosh, this is my college mate Gautham. (Turning to me) This is Santhosh, my friend from school.

Me : Hi. Santhosh : Hello. Does he understand Telugu?

Sandeep : (reluctantly) Yes and he will speak very well. He gave them his wedding invitation and invited them all. Then all of them continued in Telugu.

Santhosh : Hey , still you have not forgiven me.

Sandeep : It will take more time than you think.

Santhosh : Sorry da , but you know about the situation I was and my family. I had no other go. Please don’t keep this in mind and please attend my marriage.

Sandeep : Don’t worry I will. And you don’t forget mine. (Smiled a little).

Me : Congrats Santhosh. All the best. Sandeep, you didn’t tell me about your marriage.

Sandeep : (Frowned) Later.

Santhosh left after 5 mins.

Me : Hey, why didn’t you tell me you are about to be married. Santhosh came to give his wedding invitation; you should have been kind to him.

Sandeep : I am engaged to Sandhya. She is a friend of my school mate. I got introduced to her two years before. We got engaged last month and our marriage is within a month.

Me : Ok, but why are you angry towards him.

Sandeep : If you have the courage to love, then you should have the courage to tell your parents.

Me : (Smiling) Hey, this is not a film to give punch dialogues But Sandeep’s expression didn’t change.

Sandeep : This guy was about to marry a year before. The girl whom he was supposed to marry is my fiancee’s best friend and their fathers are also close friends. It was an arranged marriage, but he was already in love with the girl he is going to marry now. From childhood he was afraid of his dad. So he didn’t tell his dad that he loved another girl. Nobody knew this, including me and our friends. Guess, when he told his dad?

Me : On the day of his marriage????

Sandeep : No, the day before his marriage. He should have done that earlier. He didn’t think of the girl and their family. His father was angry on him, but cancelled the marriage for good. He is now getting married to the girl he loved. Afterwards from Sandhya I came to know that her friend loved a guy already and she just accepted the marriage just because her parents threatened and compelled her. Even though it was good that marriage got cancelled and the girl now has a chance to marry the guy she loved, I am angry because, just think about the girl if she was really interested in that marriage.

Me : What happened next???

Sandeep : That girl’s brothers were not aware of her love. They were so angry on their father and mother when they heard about her love from Sandhya after the marriage was cancelled. Then their parents realized the mistake. Her family enquired the details of the guy she loved, but she refused to say.

I thought that the girl was too foolish. Her parents had accepted her love and why was she reluctant in giving the details to them.

Me : Why didn’t she give the details?

Sandeep : Even though the guy was so close to her , the girl haven’t told her love to the guy. She was also afraid of what the guy would say now, as she agreed to marry another just because her parents compelled. The girl’s father hasn’t talked to her after the marriage was cancelled. He is feeling guilty. For the past 1 year Sandhya, the girl’s brothers and family are trying to convince her. But she is reluctant yet to give the details. Sandhya’s family also didn’t accept my love first, but the girl and her father convinced them. Her father convinced saying that he didn’t want his friend to repeat the same mistake he did.

Me : Ok, is the help you asked me anyway related to this.

Sandeep : Yes, I am coming to that . The girl is in our company. She was in Chennai before her marriage. Sandhya knew that she loved her module lead, only before our engagement. We were able to get only that much info from her. Sandhya once got that guy’s photo from the girl before that marriage. But she lost it. The girl never told his name to Sandhya even before that marriage was arranged, because she was afraid that Sandhya may slip out the details of the guy accidentally to her parents. I joined our company only 2 weeks before my engagement. Then the first person that came on my mind was you as you are in Chennai. I mailed you immediately. We have to get the guy’s details first. As the information is sensitive, I want your help. Me and Sandhya are trying to find that guy and if we are lucky we could succeed in uniting them. Here is the client for whom which the girl worked. I saw that and I was shocked to see my project name in that.

Me : What is the girl’s name???

Sandeep : In the haste of giving you the background details , I forgot to tell her name. The girl’s name is Pooja.

(to be continued...)

All the characters, incidents and situations are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to actual events, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.