Taste of chocolates

Its on an incidence that happened around me. Tried to trap the true emotions involved. Hope you enjoy it.

                       It is way too late in the night and Lalit is yet to start to home. Its an unavoidable meeting he is into, where he is discussing marketing strategies that will best suit his company. The company is planning to launch a new chocolate product. To him it seems as though the clock is ticking faster and the meeting is proceeding slower with every passing second. All this has caused to divide his attention and the major part has gone to Swati.

Swati, a cute little 5 yr old girl, is Lalit's daughter. He knows that Swati would have gone to sleep by now. He is totally upset that yet another day passes by  where he could not listen to her sweet soothing voice calling him papa. He will have to wait for a few more hrs before he could get to cuddle her. Above all, he would have to wait for yrs before he finds her awake, show her some chocolates and see if she gives the same lovely smile, jumps with excitement and come running to him. Whether she will clap her tiny tender palms with joy and then sweetly collect those chocolates from him. Whether she will lovingly say "Thankyou papa" or not. Whether she will diligently unwrap the cover and then get lost in them the same old way or not.When Will he be able to get this bliss which he has been yearning for days and weeks now.

Lalit was getting consumed in these thoughts and could start feeling his heart getting numb when someone called his name. "Mr. Lalit. Are you alright?". He gasped and shrieked to continue. He saw his watch which was showing 10 past midnight and went back to swati which is now 4 yrs old. 

Lalit had never bothered himself with chocolates and Swati's reactions and expressions but that day was different. It was her birthday celebration and hence she was all happy and smiley . Hopping from ppl to ppl and gracefully collecting presents. Soon she spotted her father with a large packet of chocolates. She saw that and rushed to him. He raised her up and cuddled her. Very sweetly she said "Papa, is this packet for me?". what a heart melting sweetness she had in her words, Lalit couldnt resist and kissed her little palm and replied "Yes Swati, Its all yours." She clapped with joy and than got occupied with unwrapping and having them right there in his arms. He felt like a triumphant King after seeing how happy Swati was due to his gift. The incidence got engraved in his memory immediately as he realized what a special moment he just had. He felt that no chocolate on earth could ever taste better than what Swati was having right now. It was this day that he got an idea of commencing a chocolate producing firm and the reason being his daughter's priceless smile.

    

Mr Lalit, This is the Do's & Dont's. Anything you want to add or remove from the to-do list? He feigned of being attentive on the list but actually he is not. How can he. He just heard a word REMOVE. He felt the presence of daggers of guilt lynching his heart which he has been trying to remove ever since that day. 

He flips 8 months ahead of swati's 4th birthday. It was a bleak time Lalit was experiencing. There was some misunderstanding between his investors and hence the company was in a precarious situation after those investors threatened to step out. It was happening right at the time of the first product launch. Lalit felt he was trapped in a quagmire and was restless, annoyed and irritated. He reached home and found Swati gladly requesting him to raise her up to his arms. Lalit wanted to stay secluded for a while but she kept requesting. Lalit raised and hugged her. Actually she wanted to check his father's shirt pocket for chocolates. It was a usual thing for her to do when Lalit would return home. Even today she found none. Hiding her disappointment with a layer of hope that his papa wont forget today, she asked him to put her down so that she could check the trouser's pockets. Once on floor, the moment Swati tried checking his pockets, he lost control out of irk and yelled at her. Loudly, clearly and with immense anger in his voice, he said her "Go and sleep. There is no chocolate." Swati couldn understand what just happened. She stood there shocked. She was so frightened with that dangerous look on her father's face that she couldn move an inch. Lalit went angry even further when he saw Swati not obeying him. He shouted once again. This time he gave a completely hostile look at which Swati just closed her eyes out of fear and tears started rolling down her cheeks.

Now it was time for Lalit to get shocked. He realized what a mistake he just did and out of guilt, tears started to ooze out of his eyes. He wanted to hug her but she just ran away to her mom. Lalit kept calling Swati but now she wont listen. She was hurt badly and Lalit knew that he had actually made her frightened to the core of her heart.

"Please remove the 10th point from the list, Sabiha." Lalit said. She was surprised. She looked at Lalit and politely told him that the list is only of 8 points. Lalit was perplexed and apologised for not paying proper attention in the meeting. Sabiha said "our last product could not capture tha market share as we had expected it to. It also failed to get the likings of the kids group we had actually targetted"......... Before Sahiba could finish, there went Lalit back to Swati.

Sahiba was true. The last product failed to make a mark amongst kids that is Swati. The reason and inspiration due to which the company was launched was not fulfilled yet. Lalit was craving to see the old Swati. The same heart melting expressions and hapiness in Swati's face was being missed for months now. Lalit would bring myriad chocolates without fail for her every night ever since that vile incidence, but Swati would never get excited at it. She would just collect them from him and plonk it here and there. All the chocolates worthless for Swati and hence tasteless for him. This would hurt Lalit so badly but he cannot do anything about it. It was all his fault. He used to tremble the moment he would think that his sweetheart would never be the same, but he will have to take this extruciating pain until he finds that old Swati again.

The clock struck 1 and he felt a hammer whacking his head, he got back to the meeting. He heard Sahiba saying "We should add Schools and tuition centers as well for our new products free distribution campaign to attract and win more and more from kids group." She looked at Lalit and said "Anything more to be added Sir.?" "No" said Lalit. "We need to act" and Lalit stood up thinking that tomorrow he should go and pick up Swati straight from her school. Tommorrow he should give another try with more chocolates. Tomorrow he might win her heart again. At last Sabiha asked "Sir, will this product make a mark? Will customers like it.? " Lalit sighed and replied with pain "Hope this product gets some liking and tastes better than all the rest".

Author's Note

This is my first short story. Honest reviews most welcome. Let me know if it went boring or techniques to improve on a short story.

Reviews

[Prashant Pandey]

got something new to read. nicely written.

[Deepika]

This was a good read! It had a notable moral, damage caused by the words that are out of one's tongue in frustration is not always easy to mend. It requires hard efforts to get the same loving heart back to us once it's broken. Our peace of mind remains shattered. Better to think twice before we act.

[CA Anurag Sharma]

lovely piece my friend... i enjoyed this story.... very well written......