“Hello,” my brother says as his face appears on the screen, too.
“Oh, there you are,” my mom grins, a little too enthusiastically. I exhale a sigh of relief as my brother distracts my parents’. I quickly take another sip of my coffee and try to regulate my heartbeat.
“How’s the assignment going?” Papa asks, turning to my brother.
“Fine,” he says. “I am heading home right now.”
“Is it okay for you to talk while walking?” my mom asks, brows furrowed with concern.
“It’s just a short walk,” he says, waving off their concern.
“Papa,” I chime in. “You look tired. Are you okay?”
Papa rubs his brow and lets out a heavy sigh. He chuckles. “You noticed, huh?” His eyes soften. “It’s nothing,beta,” he says.
“What happened, Papa?” Arnav asks.
“Just a long day at work—business issues,” Papa says, his voice weary.
“You can share with us, Papa,” I exclaim. “We are not kids. Maybe we can help.” I smile softly. I have never known someone as hardworking as Papa. He always tells us the story of how he has seen so many failures. Now that he has everything—a family, and a stable income—he still cannot relax. He simply cannot take anything for granted.
He is my role model. I have always sought my father’s appreciation; even his small praises matter a lot to me. Sometimes, I want to take away all his stress. I wish he would believe in me. I wish he would let me help him in his business.
“Nah,beta.” Papa smiles warmly. “I am fine, really.”
I furrow my brow, not convinced. I can see the tiredness in his eyes. “Papa.” Arnav sighs. “Don’t tire yourself out. Your health is more important. What is it? Pleasetell us.”
Papa’s eyes grow distant as he starts to speak. “Well, there’s this issue with one of our suppliers for the resort. They’ve been inconsistent with their deliveries and it’s causing delays in our operations. It’s a real mess trying to get it sorted out.”
Arnav frowns. “Have you considered negotiating with them for better terms or even looking into other suppliers?”
Papa nods. “Already tried. Bringing in a new supplier right now is a risky move.”
“Papa, what if you try ordering from different suppliers on a trial basis? It could help you manage the risk better. You could start with a smaller order to test their reliability and quality,” I suggest, looking at him intently.
“Hmm, that’s a good idea, Anya. But I’m worried about the initial investment and how it will affect our cash flow,” he says, rubbing his forehead.
“Maybe you could explore alternative payment terms with the new suppliers,” Arnav suggests. “Instead of requiring upfront payments, you might be able to work out payment plans that are more manageable for your cash flow.”
Papa nods, contemplating his idea. “That’s a good point, Arnav. It could help alleviate the immediate pressure on our finances,” he says.
“It can put you in an uncertain position in the long run if you don’t crunch the numbers,” I point out.
Arnav hums. “She’s right. I think Anya’s idea is better in that case.”
Papa shakes his head. “No, I will go ahead with your idea and see how that works.”
A pang of disappointment hits me, I do not think it’s a wise thing to do. Obviously, he is more experienced than me, but I hate it. I almost scoff. Every time I put out a suggestion, it’s turned down by Papa. So, it's nothing new.
I try to mask my feelings with a smile. “Well, it’s goodthat we have options now,” I say, though my voice feels thin and unconvincing.
Papa looks visibly relieved. “Thanks for your help, both of you. I’ll look into the payment plan idea.”
I can’t shake the feeling of dismay and feeling ignored. Deep down, I know I can’t control how Papa feels about my ideas, but the sting of rejection still hurts.
“Okay, enough business talk now,”Maasays. “You guys should have your dinner now, okay?” She narrows her eyes, and both Arnav and I nod. “Okay, we will hang up then.” She ends the call.
I take another sip of my coffee, a frown etched on my face. Arnav glances at me with a knowing look, sensing my disappointment. “As a matter of fact, Anya…” He brings his phone closer to his face. “Your idea was better,” he says.
