Chapter 48

January’ 2004,
GCP, Nassau County, NY.

“That’s a whacking blow”, Malcolm enfolded Aryan in his arms, “you did it, and you made the guys do it. I am proud of you and the kids. I now see the worth of leaving my professional job for teaching. I have twenty odd years of industry experience but never was I entangled in mixed emotions. Being a teacher standing behind my students who achieved a milestone, the feeling is inexplicable”, tears kept rolling down his eyes and he continued talking his feelings out, “I must say, I am greatly honored to have you guys being supervised by me. You have given me something that I would cherish for the rest of my life although it may be just short. This success belongs to you all.”

“Sir, please”, Aryan did his best to placate him, “You are the real captain, without your instincts and courage this wouldn’t have been possible. You believed in us, you took management risks on behalf of the team, you were available at every hour during the course of the execution, you do share a lot of credits from the success and we will never alone take the success if not for you”

The beautiful beast, as they named it. They did finish the fabrication process in time. It took two months fifteen days to completely materialize the theory and concepts.

They ran through the contest and the beast topped the list in the competition. The college had won a huge cash prize and all the students were offered full time positions as the automotive research and development engineer at the JAPMI. The dream of each of them to have them placed in an industry, to live with the work they enjoy doing, has finally come into the picture. They stood as an inspiration to the young minds out there, revealing what a naive individual, if believed in oneself, can change the way how things would work out for them.

The university board had arranged for a colossal party, it was so stupendous that the college had never organized a fete of such a scale in its history. All the faculty and few other delegates from several other automotive companies were invited to the soiree. The beautiful beast was resting on a small decent dais, constructed for her to showcase her beauty and strength, of what she can do, to the world.

The reception was to start in an hour, after the delegates from various places arrived at their own pace. Justin Amell, sponsor for the project from head to toe, was patently expected on his arrival. While everybody engaged themselves with the ambience and partook in the celebration, Aryan had a question wandering in his mind and it only kept his heart rickety. What’s next? His mind repeated the question oftentimes. He walked out from the surroundings for some fresh air, you have been here to support the project on a daily basis compensated with the stipend, now that this comes to halt, what’s next? But this time his heart sounded out. You were not given an offer by the company because you are not a legally enrolled student at the university, He said to himself, what’s next? He was bogged down as the same question played in his mind for several hundreds of times.

“Dude, I was looking around for you and you are here”, Steve said, “come on, cheer up. You really do have a great father-in-law and Professor, Malcolm, has a great son-in-law indeed. Fortunate to have known you both.”

The appreciation from Steve sounded tantalizing to Aryan. The certain information of a fact which the inner world of the University had about him was out of his sight. Steve invoked his sensibility which made him realize that he was introduced to all of the faculty and staff, and to the students as the son-in-law of Malcolm. That’s how he squared things out for Aryan in order to keep him at the work in the project. For the outside world he was the unchanged hackney driver of Malcolm and for the professor he was the hackney driver working for him on a stipend.

The successful reification of the beast had drawn attention of the media extensively. Aryan decided to leave the soiree at the earliest before the reporters caught a sight of him. I had to go, I have to move out, and right now He said to himself as he walked alongside with Steve towards the main center.

“Steve, a minute”, he excused and wend his way towards Malcolm.

“Professor Malcolm, I would like to leave now. Family’s at home, is waiting for my arrival”, Aryan informed him, “and I would like to leave before it is any late”.

“Young man,” Malcolm called and motioned Aryan closer towards him, “this is your day, and you deserve to live in this very moment. You may not want to miss this, I will take the onus of telling your family if that is a concern,”

“You have given me enough of more than what I deserve. The time has come and I had to leave, as my stay and deal with the project comes to halt by today as per our understanding before you on boarded me.” Aryan uttered in a low tone as he waned in sounding out words with lots of emotions running through in his heart, “I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart and with due respect I tend to ask, If you may excuse and accept, I will take leave”

Looking away from him with his left hand on Aryan’s right shoulder and his right hand slid inside his right pocket of the tuxedo, “I would like to see you at your ease”, he said, “I leave the choice to you, my young man but remember you will still keep me driving to the college from tomorrow,”

“That was also part of the deal”, Aryan said with a smile, “Will talk tomorrow in the morning”. Aryan started to walk away from the center, “Young man”, he heard Malcolm calling him, “Young man, just a sec”, he approached him, “Please reach my home by ten in the morning”. “Sure”, Aryan nodded.

“Have a good night, convey my regards to your family”, he said and walked back towards the center.

I leave now before Justin or media catch hold me He said to himself and increasing his pace, careful, watch your step, keep an eye on the ambience

It took fifteen minutes for him to come out of the place. On his course way, he’s got a glance of the emblem, ‘JAPMI’ on a car that drove past him from the other end of the way. Instantly Aryan got into his car, what is your next step, Aryan His mind reeled the question. Before his mind was to take much control over the heart, he decided to drive back and disappeared in blink of an eye.