'Given the variety of issues that have cropped up, Sundeep, I would like to believe that giving you another chance would be very inappropriate. I do not think we would even like to discuss it.'
'Where will I go, Tedd? Who will give me a job at such a short notice?'
'I will.' It was not Tedd. Aditya had spoken for the first time. Sundeep looked at him in bewilderment. Had Aditya really spoken what he thought he heard?
'I have always admired your energy, passion and drive. I have always been amazed at your will to achieve things. Surely, I have not always subscribed to the means that you have used to get to those goals. Sundeep, I hired you. You and Swami will always remain my protégés. When Chetan and Mona called me about this three days back, I knew that something would go wrong. So I asked him if I could join in and I'm thankful to Tedd that he agreed. You will come back with me to India and help me build my company. I expect you to be honest to yourself and go back to your roots and your family. No one needs to know about what has transpired in this room today. It will be difficult for me, but I will ensure that you maintain your current standard of living. Your salary will adequately cover your expenses.'
Sundeep was left speechless. Aditya was the God who had come to fetch him out of the depths of ignominy that his career had plummeted to. And Sundeep had treated the same Aditya so arrogantly when he had called him about Swami's move to BOCA. The same Aditya had come all the way to battle for him. To help him find his footing in life, even at this juncture.
'What will I tell Natasha? She will never forgive me.' Sundeep seemed repentant.
'No one needs to know. Right, Tedd. Only the people in this room will know,' said Aditya.
'Aditya, Sundeep is a closed chapter for us. What he does outside the organisation is none of our concern, unless the bank's name gets dragged into it,' Tedd confirmed.
Sundeep got up and hugged Aditya. Tears flowed from his eyes. 'Thank you, Aditya. In my wildest dreams I would not have imagined that you would come to my rescue. I have never been a believer in God. Aditya, today I know, if God was a banker, he would look like you.'
'Sundeep, I think you should thank Swami for this. Swami was the one who flagged this off with me and his mail to Tedd about you was the key influence on Tedd's decision not to publicly condemn you.' Sundeep had learnt that he had committed a grave mistake in distancing himself from Swami.
'That's the end of the discussion, and, if you guys don't mind, I'm getting late for my supper,' Tedd said as he walked out of the room.
A second later he returned and looked at the group, 'Michelle, will you take this to a logical closure?' She nodded.
'Thanks,' said Tedd and disappeared for the day.
Aditya's phone beeped again. It had been beeping throughout the meeting, but he had not taken the call as Tedd was in the room. This time he picked it up. It was Swami. All the previous calls were from him too.
'Hi Aditya. How's it going? How is Sundeep?'
'What we expected has happened. Speak to him.'
'Hey Sundeep. How are you, my friend? Don't lose heart, Sundeep. Come back to India. Come on mate, we haven't spent an evening together in a long time. Natasha and Kalpana will also be happy to be together.'
Silence on Sundeep's end.
'Sundeep! Sundeep. Are you there?'
Sundeep couldn't hold back his tears. He couldn't utter a word. Tears were steadily streaming from his eyes. Aditya took the phone from him. 'Swami, I will call you later.'
The exit formalities were over in an hour. Aditya stayed with Sundeep throughout the process and also drove him home. Sundeep had to leave back his car as it belonged to NYB.
Aditya helped Sundeep regain his composure before he entered his house.
'Natasha, look who is here.' said Sundeep as soon as she opened the door. He was not at his best, but acting came naturally to Sundeep.
'Aditya, what are you doing here?' Natasha hugged him. She was thrilled to see him at her door. Any visitor from India was welcome, and if that visitor was Aditya, then it had to be special.
'He has come to take us back to India. I have decided to join Aditya's business. Are you with me in this decision, Natasha?'
Tears rolled down Natasha's eyes as her dream of returning to her homeland was about to come true. She knew the background to this all along, but didn't want to embarrass Sundeep. She was confident that, with Aditya around, they were all in safe hands now.
82
Epilogue
Sundeep now handles business development for Aditya's BPO in India. He travels all over the globe, but irrespective of where he is, he calls Natasha every night to say 'I Love You' before he hits the bed.
Swaminathan is still the Country Head of Retail Banking for NYB in India. He is in line to become the CEO of NYB when Kailash retires. Kailash is expected to retire in another three months.
Swami and Sundeep today admire each other. Sundeep really looks up to Swami and holds him in high esteem. He is now genuinely trying to emulate Swami in his personal life as well.
Natasha and Kalpana are today the best of friends. Kalpana couldn't conceive in the normal process. Swami and Kalpana went to the UK to undergo an IVF and are now proud parents of twins—Akruti and Jagruti.
After Karuna attempted suicide, Nitin understood the true meaning of love. The very thought of losing her shook him up. Both of them have quit NYB and are now in Florida with their son Ayush. Nitin teaches at a university there while Karuna works in a local bank. They are very happy to be together.
Naresh was the worst hit. All the business that he was doing with NYB has been withdrawn and passed on to another vendor. Given his background, Swami made sure that he did not get any business from any other bank in the country. He is struggling to make ends meet now.
Aditya, the God for both Sundeep and Swami, leads a contented life. Both Sundeep and Swami are his closest confidants, despite the fact that Sundeep works with him. He is the affectionate grandpa to their kids. He makes sure that the five of them and the kids spend at least one weekend in a month together. What he doesn't tell anyone, because everyone knows it, is that his company, which recently got listed, has become one of the largest and most admired software services and back office processing companies in India.
Life goes on, but everyone has become smarter from the learnings at NYB.
If God Was A Banker Page 23