“….” Silent muttering of prayers in inaudible sounds.

The rustling of the leaves where the noise among the grazing of the tree barks and the howling of the night crawlers.

A hefty, hairy and half-clothed man was chanting some unholy chants with his glared visions towards the hawan kund.

(Hawan Kund – sacred fire pit)

The dark and blue clouds where glistening with the thunder and lightning, forcing the grizzlies to avoid the earth.

Small sweats were forming on the ash clad forehead of the man, creasing his brows more.

The fire was glazing with more intensity.

Whoosh….

“No!!!!”

Sonia got up with a jolt.

Mrs. Menon barged in her daughter’s room, quickly approaching Sonia. Who was shocked and holding her duvet, shivering.

“Sonia, what happened, dear?!! Why did you shout?” Mrs. Menon inquired looking at the shivering Sonia, who was equally puzzled.

Sonia looked at her mom only at the second call of her mom with quivering lips.

“What happened? Are you alright?” Her mom enquired whilst caressing her head.

“……” Sonia gave a frightened look to her mom.

“I-I a-am o-ok, M-mom” Sonia was shivering with the thought of her nightmare.

“Here, drink this.” Her mom handed her a glass of water.

Quenching her thirst, Sonia relaxed a bit.

Gathering her thought, she told “I am okay, Mom. Just had a bad dream. Don’t worry. I am just a little stressed. That’s all.” She managed a smiled for her worried Mom.

“Ok. Just for assurance. I will lie down with you. Hm?” her mom said to her.

“It’s ok. Mom. I said I am fine. Don’t worry. Moreover, you won’t be able to sleep peacefully here.”

“I promise mom. I am fine. Hm?” She gave her mom assurance and dragged her towards her parent’s room.

“B-But…” Her mom kept saying whilst being dragged to her room.

“Mom!!” she smiled at her mom, weakly. Sonia knew how much her mom had to care for each of her family member and their needs. Mom used to work from sunrise to sundown, nonstop. So, she didn’t want her mother to unnecessarily worry for her.

After She successfully sent her mom to her room, she gave a thought of her frequent nightmare. She was puzzled as in this particular nightmare was quite frequent from the past so many days.

The problem was that she couldn’t think of anyone, with whom she can share this with.

In Nair’s Office.

“So, you are saying we need to reduce our present quote value by 20% to get their order?” Vinay enquired with his assistant.

“Sir, they have been our very trusted and old client. And we are also getting bulk orders...” His assistant said trying to convince his boss.

Vinay glared at him and chewed it inner cheeks. “Exactly. They are our OLD clients. If we stick to the past, do you think we can progress. Mr. Patil, we are not reducing our quote value for them, even if get bulk order from them. That’s final. Okay?”

“B-but, Sir… Don’t you think we should ask Mr. Nair about this?” Mr. Patil asked his young boss.

“Mr. Patil, my father has given me the responsibility of handling our current projects. That is exactly what I am doing. So, you do your job and get me the fresh prints of their quotation. Got it?” Vinay gave him a straight order.

Mr. Patil understood that young boss was so much unlike his senior boss. So, without any further arguments, he just nodded and exited his young boss’s cabin.

Vinay was adamant on changing his father’s way of dealing with clients. Which according to him, was the reason behind the slow progress of their business.

He wanted the best for his family and their business. He wanted to take their business to the global market.

He knew that he needs to be ruthless and arrogant, if he wants the best comfort for his family.

“Hm… Mr. Mittal, I have full confidence in my son. His decisions will always be beneficial for us. So don’t worry about our deal.” Mr. Nair proudly said to his old friend.

“Hm... I hope you are coming for the XXX conference at Grand Hyatt. I want our family to meet each other. I really want to meet your boy. He seems quite a charming personality!” Mr. Mittal laughed and expressed his will.

“Of course, Mr. Mittal. We will be there. I was wanting to meet your children too.” Like these two old friends ended their conversation with pleasantries.

In Menon’s office

“Dad, it seems all the big potential clients are going to be there at the XXX conference at Grand Hyatt. We should go.” Sameer was telling his father about his plan.

“Hm. You are right. It’s this Thursday, right? Yes, we should go. I am pretty sure Nair will be present there too. We should not miss this opportunity.” Mr. Menon expressed.

Sameer just shrugged this thought of his dad’s friendship with the Nair’s’.

“Dad, we have to go for the meeting with the Sharma’s’. We have to fix this land deal with them.”

Saying so, both of them moved to the conference room for their meeting.

In the evening, at Menon’s residence.

“Mom, do you think we should keep the reception in our hometown too, coz we have all our friends here?” Sameer said while concentrating on his laptop.

“And why not? We have all our relatives and old friends over there. I prefer it is better to keep it in more grand manner in our hometown. With the constant fun and frolicky, it will be like a good festivity!” His mom explained while imagining the grandeur of her celebrations.

“Mom, you really think this frog requires so much grandeur?! I mean if we are keeping it for Latha Chech, then it is worth it! But him?!! Naahhh….” Sonia gave a weird expression at the end of her sentence.

(Latha Pillai was Sameer’s bride to be.)

“Aye, you lizard, watch your mouth!! Don’t forget, I am going to pay for your expensive lehenga (Indian Girls Attire)!!” Sameer gave a warning signal to Sonia, earning a smirk from her.

“Humph! To be clear, Dad is going to sponsor our dresses! So, you keep your dirty mouth and brains…Shut!!” Sonia glared at him with her hands on her hips to prove her point.

“You, crocodile!!” Sameer kept his laptop on the side and marched at her.

“You, frog!” Sonia made a run to her room screaming.

“Wait! You little Dad’s spoiled brat! I am going to teach you some manners!” Sameer ran behind her.

Sonia was fast enough to reach her room and lock it.

“Open up, crocodile!!” Sameer started banging her room door.

Sonia couldn’t stop giggling. She latched onto her door for dear life!!

“Open up!!” Sameer shouted still banging the door.

“Just wait till you come out. I am going lock you in your room on the day of the wedding.” Sameer declared from outside of her room.

Sonia was giggling nonstop catching hold of her hips, which were starting to pain because of her muffled laughter.

Ring! Ring!

Sonia rushed to grab her phone. She was pleased to see the name displayed on the screen.

“Hey” Sonia chimed.

“Hey babe. What were you doing?” Ronny enquired from the other side.

“Nothing. Just discussing bro’s wedding preparations with the family.” Sonia said happily cuddling her teddy bear.

“Hmm. Seems like your teddy bear is far luckier than me!” Ronny said with a sigh.

“Yeah…Wait! How do you…where are you?!!” Sonia was startled with his answer.

“Relax babe. I am at Vivek’s party. I am missing you badly and I know your habit of cuddling to your teddy bear at night. If you had not cancelled on me, we would have been dancing here right now. We could even use some of your dance moves” Ronny gave a gloomy reply with a pout.

“I am sorry. You know how my family is. They don’t like me partying at night. Especially my brother. He cares for me.” Sonia slumped on her bed.

“Doesn’t he go for parties? Then what’s wrong if you go. Hmph! I don’t understand the difference!!” Ronny scuffed.

“It’s not like that. And moreover, he goes with his fiancé. Not alone.” Sonia objected.

“We can also! If we get engaged!” Ronny questioned.

“Ronny. Please, I am trying. J-just give me some time…” Sonia was fed up of his constant questioning.

“That’s all we are doing!! Trying!! Why don’t you understand my plight?!!” Ronny whined.

“You know what. I am tired and sleepy. I will call you tomorrow, when you are sober?!” with that Sonia cut the call.

She rubbed her temple with frustration.

“He just doesn’t have patience!” Sonia was on the verge of losing it.

She was stressed with office work, the wedding and the constant bickering of Ronny for getting engaged was killing her inside out.

The only one who could give her solace was her soulmate, her bestie.

Her friend in need, Rekha.

“I hope you are not drowning. Coz, I am not going to come there just to pick your drenched butt!!”

Rekha claimed half-asleep.

“Dude, code blue!!” Sonia whined.

“Spill!!” Rekha said jolting up on her bed, grabbing her pillow.

Sonia explained her bestie everything to the last details.

“Look Sonia. I having been telling you this for a long time. Coz, frankly speaking, I don’t like that Ronny fellow a bit! He is creepy, nasty and worst snorty!!” Rekha said to her trying to talk her bestie in coming out of her sick relationship with her boyfriend.

“Reh. please, help me in this. I have no idea how to convince him to give me some time. I am just fed up of his demands!” Sonia rubbed her forehead.

“Listen Nia. We should meet and talk. This has to end with a strong note.” Rekha finalised with this.

“Hmm. How about the usual place tomorrow at lunch... Hmm… say 1.” Sonia asked.

“Works for me. 1 it is!” Rekha confirmed.

“Great, good night Reh!” Sonia wished her bestie.

“Sweet dreams, Matey!” Rekha chimed.

Sonia just smiled at her bestie’s remark.

She knew Rekha from her kindergarten. She became her soulmate in an instant.

They knew everything about each other from childhood.

They were even very close to each other’s families.

In short, they were each other’s saviour,

Indeed, a friend in need.