Leo walked across toward the entrance with long steps to receive his guest, who followed him back to the lobby where his friends were seated. They saw a young man, you looked like he was no more than twenty three years old and had a charming yet very feminine face with grey eyes and faded bottle green hair. He was dressed in white with black slacks. Tall with a friendly face. He was truly unique looking!
'This is Kanji Dias, he is our newest member. He will be our artist for this season.'
' These are my friends and associates Adam and Selena.'
'Pleased to meet you,' he said smilingly as he shook his hands with Adam.
'Beautiful women call me Aaji,' he said while he leaned in to greet Selena. A kind gesturing towards a pregnant woman for not wanting her to get up.
'That's a lovely nick name,' said Selena little embarrassed by Aaji's easy manners.
'Well my parents gave it to me, my mother specifically,' he replied turning gently and watching everyone in the room.
In order to return back to the moment of meeting Adam finally spoke.
'I believe you had a pleasant travel to Zargeb.'
'Oh yes, i reached the day before and i was catching up on my sleep as i came directly from the states,' came the warm reply.
'Anyways.'
' When i heard from Leo, that he was already here, i was really excited to meet the people i would be working with for the next few months.'
'We have arranged a few meetings that we shall like you to sit on. My friend and business associate Ash whom you will meet in sometime will send you details via text early morning.'
'I know Ash' stated Aaji with a glimmer of animation on his face.
'Which hotel are you staying? 'asked Adam.
'Well, I got myself an Air Bnb booking near Maximir stadium. There is even a zoo close by and i read they have double hump camels there.'
His last statement further changed the atmosphere in the room and Selena eyed both Leo and Adam. One looked sitting on the edge of his seat where his patience could snap any moment and other looked like he was trying hard to stifle a laugh.
'Sorry I didn't follow you,' asked Selena hoping that the grown up young guy talking like a kid was actually serious and that was when Leo spoke even more seriously.
'Kanji is working on NFT's and his themes are in contrast to the environment of the place he holds his exhibitions at.'
'Call me Aaji' he said.
'I am thinking of getting my name changed,' to which Adam snickered thought he did try his very bests to keep a straight face.
'Okay, but i don't think i follow what you mean?' Selena interjected again as she eyed her husband.
'You will soon understand, once you see it,' replied Aaji as he looked back at Selena while he winked at her and she blushed even more.
'You know, the double hump camels they have are very rare and the first one I saw was when I was in Leh, it's in India.'
'That was ages ago.'
'I plan to go there later in june, that's the best time to visit.'
'Isn't India very hot in the summers?' asked Leo.
'Well, Leh at the very north of the country near Kashmir which is beautiful. It's actually a cold desert. It gets cold there in the evening time as well.' he replied.
'But we would need you here ? Wouldn't we,' asked Adam looking earnestly at Leo.
'Till the exhibit. Oh well I will complete my work till then and handover it to you. I already spoke to Ms. Sudar and her assistant over email .' stated Aaji looking at his drink which he gulped down quickly.
'i was looking forward to meeting you all, especially Zara.' he mused and that got everyones attention. Selena shared a look with Leo, but he remained expressionless.
He seemed friendly and easy going, but sure knew how to create tension in the room.
'Oh yes, I hear that she is working on the project as well,' replied Adam.
It seemed Aaji wanted some kind of reaction or maybe he was testing the waters. But Leo too was being careful, he had noticed the kids eyes turn to steel when he had mentioned Zara's name intentionally.
Leo got up going to the entrance to open the door as he got off from his phone, 'Ash is here.'
When he came back to their little gathering he found Aaji on his feet and heading towards Ash with animated eyes and open arms.
'Ash, its been a long time?'
'Hello, Aaji,' replied Ash keeping him away at an arms length as she extended her limbs, placing her hands on his face! Her palm on his chin , covering his mouth as he had leaned forward to give her a greeting kiss. Then she finally saw Selena, both of them gave each other a slight nod.
'Common Ash! its been so long.' he said again like a dejected school boy.
'You know each other ' enquired Adam.
'He was the rookie assistant of mine who wrecked the sculpture which i made for the finals by passing out drunk on top of it,' said Ash seeming a bit agitated at the memory.
'Oh you , mean the swing where we .... AAAOOOO' Adam was cut short when he felt Ash's six inches heels on his toe when she passed them all and settled on the sofa beside Leo.
' I have already sent you an itinerary regarding tomorrow. We shall discuss it over coffee the Croatian way,' she said coldly while she settled herself.
'The Croatian way, sounds exciting.'
' Oh happy days, now i know how happy you are to see me,' said Aaji happily.
'Also, i found you a working space,' she told him off while taking a glass of champagne form Leo.
'No need for that, i already found a place for myself and its near the zoo,' replied Aaji switching back to his foolishness.
The bursts of excitement which he exhibited over every little thing made Leo imagine him going off like a bloody fire cracker into the air.
'Aaji, what will you like to have?' asked Adam who was a diligent host as he noticed earlier how he chugged his drink earlier.
'I can offer you some gin or vodka if you like some.'
'Whiskey,' said Aaji as he looked from where he was seated at him.
Leo did not miss the steel in direct gaze which disappeared again as quickly as it had appeared. He put is glass down and got put and went over to the bar area. He took out two fresh glasses and poured whiskey in them. He took one in each hand and headed over to where Aaji was seated, handing him the glass in his left hand.
Aaji took the glass from him and held the glass in the air pointing towards Leo and they both drank in one go without breaking their eye contact, boaring their gazes into one another.
After a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere of the house had turned more relaxed and their party was joined by a few more friends of Adam and Selena. Leo was chatting up with a bloke who had graduated form LSE and was talking about the current economic inflation that was about to take place. It was interesting to understand the Croatian perspective knowing how the country was formerly part of Yugoslavia.
He looked around the room finding Aaji talking about some of his adventures in India engaging Adam and Selena who had not been out of the country together because of having toddlers. They has this gleam in their eyes, a hunger to get away.
Then he found Ash coming his way where he was leaning against the wall, listening to the bloke chattering something about Bandage. She seemed relieved to have been able to get herself away from a few men who were trying to woo her. Little did they know Ash, if she liked someone wouldn't require wooing.
' There you are!' she stood next to them.
'Oh Hello, i am Ash and you are?' she took out her hand for a handshake.
'I am Tomislove,' said the guy next to Leo who seemed to turn red as he shook his hands with her while watching her stand next to him and speak to him. He looked completely awestruck by her.
'That's quite a fancy name you have there,' she said looking over at Leo who gave her a side smile.
'Um.. yes. Havala... Thank you.'
And then suddenly he was pulled by his girlfriend who gave Ash a hard look as if she was saying, keep your hands off my man. Little did Tomislove know that his girlfriend had made a pass at Leo first when he had gone to get her a drink and was down right rejected in time he was back with her wine.
'There goes the only man who was decent enough to have a normal conversation with ,' she said looking over at the couples retreating backs.
'You seem dejected,' stated Leo.
'Well of course i am and to be honest a little surprised to see Aaji here,' she replied candidly.
'I spoke with Percy.'
'Some firms even offered him double, when they found out what we were offering.'
'Makes me anxious to think what made him decline other marvellous offers. Or maybe the question is what else are you willing to offer him,' she looked up expectantly at him.
' Despite all that hakuna mata, a fool he is not,' she said as she downed her drink. He gave her a small smile, he knew she would not stop at just simple explanation.
'What do you think is the personification of a good person?' asked Leo seeming curious at his own question.
' I won't believe it if he isn't aware that the very acceptance to work with us won favours with the board members.'
'So tell me, what is it that a controlled freak like you offered him?' she asked him with a hint of anger in her voice.
'Challenge to an artistic licence,' said Leo flatly and that was when he saw Zara at the entrance, behind the glass door. She was on Aly's back with her bag hanging around from his neck which were wrapped around by her arms. Both their faces were flushed and Aly staggered inside either due to carrying her which was unlikely as she wasn't very heavy and also for he had a good built. He narrowed his eyes to draw on the only conclusion that they were both flat out drunk.