If God Was a Banker by Ravi Subramanian

If God Was a Banker by Ravi Subramanian

1

New York
It was 5.45 a.m. on a Monday morning. New York city was dark and cold.
The sun was yet to leave its heavenly abode. A few cars could be heard in
the distance. Early risers, who had to travel a long distance to work, were
making their way to office.
Rrrrrnnng... Rrrrrnnng... Sundeep was wide awake. Yet, he could not
hear the alarm bell go off. He hadn't slept the whole night. His eyes were
tired but open. By this time he knew the entire topography of the Greco-

Roman chandelier, which hung from the roof of his modern five-bedroom
apartment in Manhattan. He himself had no idea of how long he had been
staring at it... the whole night maybe! Numerous questions were flashing in
his head. What would Natasha think of him? Will she accept him? What
will the kids say?
'Sundeep, will you please turn it off.' It was Natasha, his wife of nineteen
years. She had just woken up, her sleep disturbed by the constant ringing of
the alarm. Sundeep stretched out his right hand and pressed the button on
top of the alarm clock to stop the irritating buzz. Natasha went back to sleep
almost instantly. She was normally the first to get up. But today was not a
normal day. Sundeep hadn't slept at all.
It was not the first time that Sundeep had been awake all night. Any
other day, he would be the last to leave the dance floor at any party. He
would breathe life into any gathering. His admirers said that Sundeep's
parties began only after midnight. But today was not 'any other' day. Today
was indeed very different. There was no party tonight. Life could change
dramatically for Sundeep in the next eight hours. He was a worried man.
It was only after six long hours that the Greco-Roman chandelier ceased
being the centre of Sandeep's attraction. He glanced to his left and looked at
Natasha. She looked like an angel in her sleep. The silky linen added a
heavenly touch. Even in sleep, her lips curled up in a delicate smile.
Sundeep knew that Natasha had not the slightest clue about what awaited
her before she would hit bed again on Monday night.
Natasha was a bomb. Once a beauty queen, she had been attracted to the
frail frame of Sundeep twenty years ago. Attracted to power, to fame, to
adulation. Since then she had become quite used to it all, and probably
enjoyed it too. Of late, signs of age had begun to show on her face. Her skin
had started withering. Slight wrinkles could be spotted on her forehead.
But, even today, only a madcap could have suggested that she was a day
older than thirty.
Sandeep had not told her anything till now. But he knew that this
wouldn't last. Sooner or later she would get to know. Should he tell her now
and prepare her, or should he tell her after everything was over, after the
verdict was out. After all, he was a very senior guy and there was just that
small chance that he might get past the entire problem unscathed. But he
knew it was extremely unlikely.
Staring at the chandelier all night hadn't helped him make up his mind.
He let out a deep sigh and stepped out of bed. His feet felt the exquisite
texture of a Persian rug, imported from Tehran and gifted to Natasha on her
thirty-fifth birthday by his NRI banking team. She was the wife of the
Business Head, wasn't she?
'I will take a chance,' he muttered under his breath. His mind was made.
Natasha was not to be told.
By 6.45 a.m. Sundeep had showered and got dressed in his impeccable
pinstripes. He was wearing the red tie that Natasha had picked up for him
from Harrods about six months ago when they had gone to London on a
holiday. Their last holiday together. Sundeep was lecturing at a leadership
course in London and had taken Natasha with him. That was around the
time his problems had deepened. Things hadn't improved since.
He looked back over his shoulder. Natasha was still asleep. Sundeep
walked up to her and kissed her on the cheek. Natasha smiled back. 'Come

If God Was a Banker by Ravi Subramanian