It was 6:15 PM.
Arjun Mehta shut down his system, slipped his laptop into the bag, and glanced at his watch. “Perfect, just in time. Ananya must be waiting for dinner.”
Just then, his phone buzzed. It was his wife.
“Finally! Done with work?” Ananya asked, her tone cheerful. “Dinner’s ready, and I made your favorite dal tadka.”
“Yes, Anu. I’m just packing up. I’ll be home in 30 minutes,” Arjun replied with a smile.
“I’ll believe it when I see you walk through the door. Don’t let office trap you again,” she teased.
Arjun laughed. “Not tonight, promise. I’m on my way.” He hung up, slung the bag over his shoulder, and headed toward the lift.
“Arjun, wait a minute,” a voice called from behind. It was Mr. Kapoor, his manager.
Arjun froze. “Sir… actually, I was just leaving. Is it urgent?”
“Tomorrow, we have an emergency client visit,” Mr. Kapoor explained, leaning back in his chair. “Mr. Rahman from Gulf Petrochem is flying in. He wants a walkthrough of the project status. We need to prepare the presentation tonight.”
Arjun hesitated. “Sir, can this be done tomorrow morning? I’ll come in early.”
Mr. Kapoor shook his head. “Arjun, I understand. But this client is crucial — if we prepare tonight, we’ll avoid disaster tomorrow. I can’t do this alone. I need your support.”
Arjun sighed, thought of his promise to Ananya, and finally nodded. “Alright, sir. Let’s do it.”
It was already 6:30 PM when he stepped into the corridor and dialed Ananya again. She picked up almost instantly.
“Already outside? That was fast!” she said hopefully.
Arjun’s heart sank. “Anu… I’m so sorry. I’ll be late tonight. There’s an urgent client visit tomorrow, and my manager needs me to stay back.”
“Arjun! You just said you were coming. You promised,” her voice trembled with disappointment.
“I know. And I hate breaking my word. But this is truly urgent. If we don’t prepare, the whole project could be at risk. Please try to understand,” he said softly.
“You always say urgent. But what about us? I wait, the food gets cold, and you never show up. How long do you expect me to keep adjusting?” she asked, her frustration clear.
“Anu, you’re right. And I don’t want this to become routine. But today is exceptional. Trust me. I’ll come home as soon as I can — and this weekend, it’s only us.”
There was silence, then a sigh. “Fine… but if you break this weekend’s promise, you’re in real trouble.”
“Deal. Love you,” Arjun smiled faintly.
“Love you too. Don’t overdo it,” she replied before hanging up.
Back in the cabin, the clock ticked past 7:30 PM. The next two hours buzzed with typing, reviewing slides, and revising data. Arjun polished the presentation while Mr. Kapoor rehearsed. What began with frustration slowly turned into teamwork, and at one point, Mr. Kapoor smiled gratefully. “Good catch on that report, Arjun. You saved us from a major embarrassment tomorrow.”
By the time they wrapped up, it was 9:30 PM. The office was silent except for the hum of the air conditioner. Mr. Kapoor offered to drop Arjun home, and as the headlights cut through the late-night streets, he spoke softly. “Arjun, I know I stretched you today. But you stood by me. I’ll make sure your efforts don’t go unnoticed.”
He quickly typed something on his phone and handed it to Arjun. “Check your inbox. It’s an online dinner coupon for a restaurant near your place. Take Ananya out this weekend — my treat. A small thank-you, from me to both of you.”
Arjun looked at him, surprised, then smiled warmly. “Thank you, sir. That means a lot.”
When he finally reached home at 10:15 PM, Ananya was waiting in the living room, arms crossed, food still on the table.
“So, the office won again?” she asked, half-angry.
Arjun put down his bag, walked up to her, and gently held her hand. “Yes… but this time, something was different.” He pulled out his phone and showed her the email. “Look — Mr. Kapoor just sent us a dinner coupon. His way of saying thanks for me staying late. Weekend dinner, just the two of us, no excuses.”
Ananya’s eyes softened. “Really? He thought of that?”
“Yeah,” Arjun said, smiling. “And I thought of us. I told him about you waiting at home… and he understood.”
For a moment, silence filled the room. Then Ananya’s expression melted into a smile. “Well, if there’s free food involved, maybe I can forgive you.”
They both laughed. Arjun served the now-cold dal, and they sat together. The meal wasn’t hot anymore, but the warmth between them was.
Sometimes work stretches beyond hours, and sometimes relationships bend with patience. But when managers acknowledge the sacrifice, and partners see the effort, balance doesn’t feel impossible — it feels shared.
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