Father Ritz and brother Ritz were the only ones left in the living room. Son welcome home once again, I love the watch you got me but most importantly am proud of you, I have a capable son, father Ritz said.
Thanks father, the apple doesn't fall far away from the tree, am your son father, you thought me well, am glad I have a dad who supports me, brother Ritz replied.
You welcome son, but tell me, how did you seal the contract with the foreigners? Father Ritz asked. Father, as brother Ritz replied, he reached for the bag containing the firm's documents.
He took the bag, opened it and brought out the complete documents, containing the contract, signed and sealed. He handed the documents to father Ritz and continued.
Father, here are the complete documents, of the contract, signed and sealed. He handed it to father Ritz. Father Ritz took them, opened it and looked at it in full details.
As he studied the contract, brother Ritz said, father, to get the contract was not an easy task, the file underneath has a detailed explanation of how my assistant and I got the contract signed and sealed from the foreign company.
Father Ritz went straight for the detailed file that brother Ritz spoke of. As he looked at it, brother Ritz explained further. Father the foreign company needed pure brands of Indian fabric and Saris in large numbers.
The other Indian companies who were bidding for the contract, either were not equipped enough to deal with such large numbers of pure Indian fabric or didn't indulge in pure Indian fabric, their Saris had foreign prints.
Ritz firm deals with large numbers of fabrics and Saris, we are the leading firm in India that deals with pure Saris, our fabric is unique. Smaller fabric companies in India survive because of us.
The competition was very fierce but the strategy that won Ritz firm the foreign contract was that of flexibility and diversification. The other firms had only one pattern to offer.
Father we portrayed Ritz firm to be one that is capable of not only providing the number of pure Indian fabric and Saris but is also capable to provide fabrics and Saris that made of both Indian and foreign print.
If the foreign company decided to deal with non pure Indian fabric and Saris, Ritz firm can make provision for that. They would not need to divert their energy and resources to get another company to do that.
Ritz Firm will save them the cost and man power. It turned out that they had future plans to diversify into fabric made of both Indian and foreign prints.
So father, we have won the contract, but you very well know that Ritz firm is not actually grounded in non pure Indian fabrics and Saris. Although our factory produces that, we still have to improve on the quality of our production.
Yes son, you are very correct, I would organise a meeting, we need to discuss this with the board members, we need to improve our quality top notch as soon as possible. I have an idea, I would speak to the CEO of Mehra Conglomerates. Mehra Conglomerates is capable of sponsoring Ritz firm.
Our entire staff needs both local and international training if our product quality must improve and we need to purchase more of the foreign fabrics. But before I speak to Purhab Mehra concerning this, let's get to hear from the board of directors, and their ideas aswell, Father Ritz responded.
Yes father, your ideas are great, but the last time before I went overseas, Ritz firm and Mehra Conglomerates were not doing business together, and you were not so close to the CEO of Mehra Conglomerates, Purhab Mehra, brother Ritz replied.
You right son, but thanks to your sister, Nisha, the Ritzs and the Mehras are going to be in-laws soon. You came at the right time to attend your sisters wedding ceremony which is in 2 months time.
According to their horoscope that is the earliest time, the auspicious time for them to get married, the next is in 6 months time. Nisha and her fiancee and both families agreed on the earliest time. So son, Ritz firm has nothing to worry about, Father Ritz said.
Ok father, am glad that Nisha choose a good and influential family but am surprised she wants to get married this early. But father if a marriage is conducted on an inauspicious day, what would it mean for the couple? brother Ritz asked.
Well son, according to the Priest, if the horoscopes of both the bride and the groom matches and they get married on a day that is considered not to be auspicious, the couple would not get their full blessings. Things will work out for them but not as it is expected.
But a couple whose horoscopes do not match or matches partially, already have troubles lurking in their future, they would make it worse for themselves if they decide to get married on a day that is considered not to be auspicious, father Ritz replied.
The father and son duo didn't spend much time discussing business and home affairs any longer. Brother Ritz had a long journey back home. Father Ritz had asked him to retire to bed, so he can have a proper rest.
Meanwhile at the Mehra Mansion....
Purhab, Lakshmi, Yuvrag and Desha Mehra sat down in the Living room. Purhab and Lakshmi Mehra's faces were not looking bright and cheerful as it used to be.
After seeing the look on their parent's faces, Yuvrag and Desha began to worry. Dad, mum, Desha and I are here, is everything alright? you dont look bright, Yuvrag spoke.
Yes dad, mum, you making us Yuvi and I worry, we have never seen you two like this before. Dad, mum please let us know, we don't like seeing our parents like this, Desha spoke next.
Purhab cleared his throat and replied both his children. Yuvrag, Desha? Remember your mum and I told you that your uncle and aunty traveled to the United States of America to go see their son who is studying there?
Yes dad we remember, Yuvi and Desha replied. Well we didn't tell you the entire truth, we didn't want you to worry and worry grandpa and grandma aswell, Purhab said.
He paused and continued, the truth was that they traveled because their son, my nephew, your cousin was terribly sick, he had kidney disease. Your uncle volunteered to donate a kidney, but unfortunately he did not make it alive out of the surgery room.
Immediately he said that, tears flowed freely from his eyes to his cheeks. He was not sobbing, he only had tears in his eyes. Lakshmi moved closer to her husband, with tears in hers eyes aswell and comforted him.
Yuvrag's eyes were red, he was holding his tears back but Desha began to cry, she cried uncontrollablly. The maids who were eavesdropping couldn't help but cry too. They informed the rest of the maids and the butlers who cried along with them aswell.
The living room at the Mehra Mansion was cold and silent. After a while, Purhab Mehra put himself together and continued speaking. Your mum and I would be going to Udi Village the day after tomorrow.
We figured that it is best to inform your grandparents in person about your uncle's demise than over the phone. Purhab, am putting you in charge of the firm. I won't be going to there from now on.
Set up a board meeting tomorrow, I will be having a conference call with the board of directors from home, to inform them that they should report directly to you from now on.
If you are in need of help, ask my personal assistant, he would be able to help and guide you. When your cousin has fully recovered, I would go over to the stated to bring him home, along with aunty and uncle.
He would perform his father's last rites, when all is done and dusted, I would check back on you to see how things are progressing in the Conglomerate.
If you do well, I would retire permanently and pass the company to you but otherwise, I would have to resume work. I would be a lot stronger by then.
Dad, this is a big responsibility you have given me, I promise to do my best, to make sure that things work smoothly and progress at the Conglomerate. I won't let you and mum down, Yuvrag replied.
Purhab turned to look at the sober Desha and said. Desha, your exams are not close bye. Your mum and I will want you to come with us to Udi village, but we are not forcing you to come with us. We would have taken Yuvi along too but am leaving the Conglomerate in his hands to take care of.
We are also planning to try and convince your grandparents to come home with us. Grandma and grandpa are very fond of you, am sure they would be glad if you came with us to see them at Udi Village.
Ok dad, I will go with you and mum to see grandma and grandpa in Udi Village and maybe help to try and convince them to come home with us, Desha replied.
Lakshmi spoke up afterwards, about your brother, Prakash, we would inform him of uncles demise when he comes home. Your dad and I think it is best we don't inform him now.
You know how your brother can be, if he gets to know now, he would abandon his career as a military personnel just to come and be with us in this trying times.
Lakshmi tried her best to lively up the living room as she continued. Remember when he was a freshman at Delhi university, when he heard Yuvi got into an accident?
It was not too serious, Yuvi didn't break any bones, just a scratch, Prakash came back home from the hostel immediately, he refused to go back to the university. He almost dropped out just to look after Yuvi.
It was dad and grandpa that convinced him to go back that Yuvi would be properly looked after by the best doctors. When Lakshmi Mehra has finished speaking, the rest of the Mehra house hold gabe a faint smile.
They all went into silence again before Purhab Mehra finally broke the silence and said, it is already getting late, we should all retire to bed. It is good that we are dinner first before the meeting, if we didn't, we all might be going to bed without eating now.
Everyone acknowledged his statement and went upstairs to their respective rooms to take a shower and sob and mourn for uncle Mehra's demise.
In the United States of America...
Cousin Mehra was recovering, he was still in the ICU room and currently under the doctor's observation. When he saw that his mum came alone to see him without his dad, he asked his mum why she came alone.
He asked his mum fraily, mum please why did you come alone? Where is dad mum? Is he not coming to see me? When will he come? Did you tell him that am being a good boy and that am taking my medications?
Aunty Mehra looked at her son with a sad face and replied, son don't you worry, your father will come, I told him you are a good boy, taking your medications. Your main priority is to recover fully. Don't stress yourself anymore.