Chapter 8

Amaya

"Common guys! Give me 10 more full burpees. You will get a break." yelled Katie our instructor at the Gym.

I recently started doing Cross Fit, this is my first week. I am amazed by this 65-year old lady doing squats with 150 pounds and that was the moment I knew I should join. I have been regretting my decision ever since. This was super hard. I've been trying to keep up with others but how can a person run a quarter mile do 10 v-ups and then do 10-pull up's 3 times in a row. Every part of my body was crying for help. In my last gym all I did was 1 hour of cardio and kickboxing with my workout partner Lindsay. she is pregnant now and stopped coming as the doc told her to get some rest.

"Challenge yourself guys you are almost there." Katie started yelling let's do this 3 more. Think about all the Nutella you ate, all the food you wanna eat. Ooh Gulab Jamun, brownie with an ice cream and Blackberry cobbler.

"Great job!!" Katie said. Everyone started high fiving each other.

I'm sitting on the ground catching my breath from all the things we did. I try to work out every day not only to look skinny the reason was I want to be strong. My grandma always told us girls to be strong, she has the most unique perspective on things. All our bedtime stories were Ramayana and Mahabharata. She told me that there is no Krishna in real life to protect us from everyday threats like he did for Draupadi. And there is no Ram to fight for us we girls must learn to fight our wars.

After the workout I picked up Dhruv, went home took a shower and changed into my comfy pajamas. We were all eating at the dining table.

"It's been 6 weeks from that date. Do you like him or not?" my uncle asked me eating his food.

Oh! the date, May dolled me up and sent me to the date. I wore this cute Blue Lacey dress which reached my calves. His name was Sanjay. He was already there when I reached. He looked good, he was tall I know everyone is taller than me, but he might be a 6.3". He looks fit not like a 6-pack fit but nothing is flowing out from his body. When I reached, he told me I looked pretty. He told me that he has a girlfriend and his parents were not accepting her and forced him on this date. His words gave me a huge relief because I don't wanna get married too early. I'm still 23 and I wanna enjoy my own life where I can live alone and not depending on other people.

I told him to not worry and the situation is same with me except the boyfriend thing and we had a good time at dinner. He told me not to tell my family anytime soon, but I told Arjun and Niya as I couldn't hold it and they were helping me when I was asked questions about the date.

"Dad, there is this mathlete competition and a state football match on the same day. What do you want me to do?" Arjun asked covering up for me.

"You already asked me this Ajju. Ammu say no if you don't like him, we are not gonna force you." uncle told us.

"Let me talk to him one more time and I'll give my answer." I told everyone and myself.

Thank god that was it the stupid conversation ended. Me and Arjun talked for some time while he was doing his homework. I slept in my room yes you heard it right when my aunt built this house, she built a room for me and my sister. I hate waking up early in the morning. Ever since this project of Mr. Browne started we were coming in early as they wanted the application by May.

We had a meeting with Mr. Browne and Mr. Jones and with everyone on the team tomorrow. We are going to present the demo of what we had done till now and to get a confirmation that we are on the right direction.

Thank god it's not an in-person thing. Every time I'm with him I get all these weird feelings and tingling in my stomach and fingers. The last time I met Mr. Browne was at a restaurant. Me and my Aunt's family went out for dinner at this place called Green Valley Grill. We got the table and Dhruv went to wash his hands.

"Amy look who I found coming back from the restroom." Dhruv came in with a excited tone and opening the door to our private room revealing Mr. Browne and Mr. Jones.

Mr. Browne was looking handsome as ever. He was wearing casuals like a full sleeve shirt rolled his sleeves and jeans. Andrew was looking good too but not as hot as Mr. Browne. Are you for real Dhruv? Why did you get him with you? Arjun waved his hand at Mr. Browne, my aunt and uncle were looking with puzzled faces, so I spoke.

"Pinni (Aunt) babai (Uncle) this is Mr. Jameson Browne and Mr. Andrew Jones the Global Tech CEOs. These are my aunt Vasudha and uncle Harish. "I introduced them to each other.

"Yes, I heard about the company, great progress in such short-time. Arjun told me about your 'awesome' office. Do you guys wanna join us?" My uncle asked them, and I looked at my aunt nodding my head into a No as I didn't want them sitting here. To which my aunt texted me to shut up and be respectful of the guests.

"Yeah sure why not and my office is not fancy as they told you." Mr. Browne smiling like a real smile and Mr. Jones agreed with him and my uncle called the waiter to add 2 more chairs.

He does his business parties or lunches here, so he is kinda a regular customer and the reason we got a private room. The table was a round one and it was Me, Mr. Browne, Mr. Jones, Uncle, Aunt, Arjun and Dhruv.

"So, How is our Amaya at office?" asked my aunt to embarrass the hell out of me.

"She and her team are pretty good the CIO referred their team first." said Andrew looking at me and smiled and Mr. Browne was quiet. The waiter came in and took our orders.

"What do you do Mr. Harish?" asked Mr. Browne before my aunt could ask any more questions on my performance. Business is the only topic my uncle could talk about for hours without a pause.

"I own a company called Elite IT. You guys might have heard about it." he asked them eating his food.

They both had shock written all over their faces.

"You didn't tell us that your uncle owned the biggest IT firm in North Carolina. Why are you working at United Tech?" Andrew asked me to which my aunt answered

"She wanted to do it on her own, can you at least knock some sense into her and ask her to start working at Elite." she asked Andrew mocking me. Why are these people hell bent on embarrassing me?

"Ma let her do her own thing. If you want, I can work at dad's office you know." My savior Arjun asked my aunt wiggling his eyebrows to which my aunt twisted his ear, and everyone laughed at it.

"Please Don't tell me your parents own GigaTech." Andrew asked me trying to make a joke to which everyone got quite.

"My parents died in a car accident and don't worry they don't own Giga Tech" I told him smiling at him trying to swallow my tears.

Then I felt someone holding my hand under the table and the hand belonged to Mr. Browne. He was looking at me with so much concern like every other face at the table.

I don't even remember my parents, was I such a bad kid? I don't remember their voices too. I wish I had more time with them. My aunt tells me stories about them that's the only thing I know about them. Dhruv game me a hug from the side and told me the best thing ever.

"Don't feel sad Amy, I can be your dad I would love to boss over you." to which everyone laughed.

"I'm sorry for your loss" Andrew said feeling bad for what he said to which I replied no problem and the waiter came in with some more food.

I was in my own La La Land while everyone discussed about stuff which I never cared about.

Mr. Browne was holding my hand the whole time it felt so good. I was having these weird sensations It feels so warm but at the same time it feels cold. There I was the good daughter and granddaughter who never broke any rule holding hand of a man in the presence of my family. Breaking the very first rule to not like any other man outside family.

It's been like 4 weeks since the incident, but it still gives me the same feeling when I think about it. Before I knew it, I closed my eyes and slept like a baby.