Who is Avantika?

• "My colleagues and juniors admired, or at any rate envied, what they saw.

• They viewed me as a hard-working girl who grew up in Mumbai, and went on to an Ivy League college followed by a lucrative Investment Banking career.

• Professional, committed, gifted, shrewd, business-like, authoritative, forward thinking—all words that had been used to describe me.

• But was that person really me?"

Who is Rohan?

"At thirty-two, I was still struggling to gain a foothold in my profession; quite unlike my other friends who knew where both their personal and professional lives were headed. I had been hopping from job to job and had yet to create that long lasting impact in a single job that would help build a solid base for my career..."

Avantika on Rohan

"I felt a decidedly positive energy in the office with Rohan’s presence. I was not sure if it was real enough for others to experience it too, but I felt it keenly. Gawd, my stupid feelings..."

Rohan on Avantika

"I would like to make it clear here that Avantika was neither a very friendly person nor a friendly boss—she was just a bossy boss.But then, she was full of life. Smart, savvy, sexy, yup, I said it, and sensitive. She was always on the move and getting things done. When I first met her, I was overwhelmed by her. Undoubtedly so..."

Avantika's commitment

"I guess love has a tendency to go out of the window when promises go awry, reality sets in, and responsibilities take over."

Avantika says...

'But then I gradually opened up to Rohan. I didn’t remember how and when it started, but it had.Little by little professional discussions start leading to personal ones.Nothing too profound or earth-shattering at first. Just this, that, and the other. Small nuggets of information and shared laughter. His love for his parents. My narration of Aarav’s little habits. He smiled at the unabashed, maternal pride in my little boy.'

Rohan says...

'Why did I enjoy hugging her so much? Why did I feel so like a winner when she smiled at me? Why did I enjoy arguing with her? Was this that much-glamourized emotion called love? Or was it mere infatuation? A thwarted urge to possess her sexually? Yes, that was all.'

'Well No it wasn’t just that. I respected and liked Avantika. But what good it would do me or her?'

Rohan thinks...

'I was scared of getting hurt again. As far as my ex had been concerned, ours was not a relationship, merely a pleasant way of passing the time. In Avantika’s case, the relationship had no goal, no direction, no meaning, and no value. But it had feelings, deep emotions, and strange sensations that I couldn’t measure.'

Avantika thinks...

'Avi, girl, you have handled much worse, you will get over this as well, I told myself grimly. Just to make sure that Rohan did not feel crowded in any way I thought it would be a good idea to write him a nice long email, clarifying my stand...'

Avantika

"I never imagined the bond I thought was severed and buried in the deepest unknown chamber of the ocean with a small letter would now continue till the last breath of my life. Even when we think of controlling our lives, god always has different plan. It was first time, life taught me lesson that few things can’t be controlled..."

Avantika's new journey...

'Fall in St. Louis was breath-taking. And it was no different that day when Aarav and I walked out of the airport. A profusion of colors of trees, which resembled a canvas painted by a skilled artist with melody of colors - bright red, electric orange and effervescent yellow with hue of gold; it would be offsetting young romance, the sight to gladden most hearts. Except mine...'

Rohan's journey...

'The proud owner of a one track mind, Shreya, my wife was a goal oriented person. And it would be me who would be left dreading its consequences. If it were a realistic one, it was fine; as it would keep her busy till the matter was over. If it was unrealistic or difficult, then it would be sure to give me nightmares.

I had left a precious gem for a fake one. Avantika was incomparable, she was invaluable...'

Mystery...

• On separate ways...on separate lives but untied by love...

• will they meet???• will they be united???• What lies in their fate???• What surprises they face???• Can love give second chances?

•So many questions. Very few answers.

Join Avantika and Rohan...in the twists and turns of their story, through the mysteries and vagaries of the word love, the complexities of human relationships, and the reassessment of all the values they held dear.

Second Spring is available on Amazon, Barnes & Nobles and many major book stores