Atharva nodded.
He took another pause, then opened his mouth, this time assertive — “I am ok with two options right now — preferred one would be to not reveal anything until the election concludes. But I know that something might slip or give, and if it leaks internally, the party won’t like it. Especially those we have working at that office. So find me a middle ground.”
“You want to tell the members closest to us and ensure that word does not get out?”
“Utopian expectation,” he chuckled.
“And what does Iram want?”
He went silent.
“ATHARVA!”
“I haven’t spoken to her since the launch.”
“Oh my… ok, first, speak to her.Askher. Is she ok with what you are proposing?”
“I will. But I had to first see where your head is at from a media perspective. I want to make Iram’s life as easy as possible, only give her the options that are available to us.”
In spite of the fire that he had unleashed upon her, Amaal found her lips tipping. “It’s pretty serious, isn't it?”
“I told you it is.” Then he smiled, unconsciously. “It’s just come at a challenging time.”
“I am not one to hand out advice or anything but my Dad always said this about my Mom, when they met in medical college.The timing was against us but what a time that was.”
Atharva’s smile widened. She felt her own smile bloom. “Begumjaan looked giddy.”
“She is already rearing sheep in Budgam and knitting sweaters from the farmhouse we will build there one day.”
“Ok, so here’s what we should ideally do,” Amaal sat up. “All those members who work or live at the house are tightly bound by NDAs plus background secrets that can destroy them. More than that, they are all trustworthy. All parties have secrets like these and they remain intact. They don’t get leaked so easily.”
“I know.”
“We will announce quietly and honestly to the people at the house, and then keep it quiet outside. It should not be a problem, because the amount of work coming up for everybody in the week starting next is going to be crazy. Notwithstanding your Ladakh road trip.”
“Tour, Amaal, tour.”
“Yeah, tour,” she shook her head. “I want to control this narrative of you and Iram from the get-go. It’s a big deal, a young CM-aspirant but also a young CM-aspirant in love. It shouldn’t become sleazy or come to your reputation as a man. On the other hand, if handled well, this has all the makings of a dynastic love…”
“Slow down,” he asserted. “Iram will not be used for any propaganda, before or after the election. She will not be in the public eye.”
“She is going to be a published novelist. How do you think that happens?”
“That’s her profession. She will not be used in mine.”
“You can’t control that. Anyway, give me until tomorrow to shape the strategies that I have in mind.”
“Tomorrow is her birthday.”
“Really?”
He nodded.
“What are you doing for her?”
“I don’t know yet. I have a gift for her, two actually. But after that, I am not sure.”
“Let’s arrange a small gathering, like our old off-site parties. You can make it a manifesto-launch-success party and her birthday. If you are ready, that can be a soft launch.”
