"Good Morning..Ms.Ridhima", the receptionist greeted me as I inquired about my appointment.."Please..Make it Mrs.Ridhima..I like it better..", I blushed..
It was tough to keep hiding the sindoor and even more tougher to wear the sindoor at the cafe next to the bus stand..I of course could not wear it from the orphanage itself..As much as I knew it was etiquette to call a Mrs Ms on formal matters..I quite preferred Mrs.
"Oh, thats fine..So Ridhima..I guess we need not have this formal stuff in the first place because we both seem to have the same age..Myself Naina..", she smiled warmly at me and I felt home for the first time at this huge mansion like office..
"Nice to meet you Naina..", I replied back with an equally warm smile..
I was called in to Mr.Mallik's room just about 5 minutes later..He wished me luck and smiled in a way to make sure I was okay..I smiled back to tell him all was well if not perfect..Its weird how relations work in this planet..
My first job..The funniest of all..To meet everyone in the office and get familiar with all my works..And I had time till lunch..Mr.Mallik sure loved some fun..I loved this place already..Everyone seemed so happy working here..
I met practically everyone..I tried remembering all their names and matching it up with their faces..Its a tough task I tell you..And so my entire morning passed by with shaking hands and exchanging information..I dont think I have ever put in so much of information into my poor head..Tee Hee..Naina took me to the cafeteria, a small beautiful place within the building itself specially made for the empolyees of this enterprise..
"So what do you want..Pav Bhaji ya burger ya sandwich", Naina ranted about the menu..My head spinned..I decided to stick to pav bhaji..I just loved it to no extent..I could eat all day and all night without feeling anything wrong in the stomach..Naina raced off to order while I waited for her..
"Heyyy..Are you Ridhima???Myself Sidhant Malhotra..Waise I knew someone new would arrive..But I am sorry I was with Mallik sir..And you know you are lucky to be his secretary..He will take care of you..And he does seem to like you..Told me to make sure you are doing good..Hey not eating anything???", he said..I rolled my eyes..
"Do you happen to be ANYONE of Muskaan??", I asked simply looking at him with questions..
"What??Whos that..Well maybe you know..Dada has 14 siblings..He says they all have atleast 5 kids..Must be their grandfathers..I always happen to have family everywhere..So maybe yeah Muskaan must be my cousin in some ways..", he told me and I stared at him wondering why I had only replicas of Muskaan around me..
"OK..I am sure if not biologically unbiologically you definitely are related to her..", I murmered lightly to myself..
"Excuse me..Aapne kuch bola???Woh kya hai na I was concentrating on the line..What a long queue..I don't think I will get anything to fill myself before midnight..", he told me..
"Do you know how to breathe??", I asked simply..
"Huh..I am sorry..I dont get what you mean..", he looked at me with confused eyes..
"Inhale exhale..Inhale exhale..Remember?", I explained with demonstration..
He eyed me so innocently and suspiciously to make sure if I was making fun of him..I burst out laughing..And he too started laughing as he figured out what I was implying..He seemed good company..And I instantly liked him..Naina joined us..and all three of us sat, ate and laughed like young teenagers..
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"Hello, Naina..What happened..", I asked Naina..She had called me up while I was arranging some files..
"Ridz..Some Vivek Gupta wants to meet you and it seems he has special permission to do so..Sir told you have to meet him at the lobby..He is waiting for you.."..Naina informed me..
I wondered who this Vivek Gupta would be, who wants to see me..I hung up after thanking her..
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"Yes..Mr.Vivek?", I asked the stranger man who sat very formally in a blue shirt and denims..I hadnt seen him before..
"Ms.Ridhima?", he enquired..And I confirmed I was Ridhima..
"Well..Ms.Ridhima..I am sorry..I am from the Police..We are working on a secret case..And we believe there is something we need your help for..You have been involved in a smuggling case..Atleast indirectly..We believe that you have been trapped because your actions can easily prove you are innocent..But I have got to arrest you..Its my duty..Your arrest wont be publicized..I promise that..Its just to keep the certain people at bay..I have taken permission from Mr.Mallik..and he thinks you can get back when you are done with us..", he paused..Probably for me to take in what I just heard..
My insides burned..What the hell was happening..How on this earth could I be involved in anything as big as smuggling..Forget all that..I had no clue who is the current President of Spain..How did he expect me to give him information on this..I started sweating and panting..
"Its ok Ridhima..I promise you that nothing will happen..We just need your cooperation..We think you are a link to the criminals..Some way or the other..Shall we move.."
Whatever was happening..I was blank..He was actually going to ARREST me..If not literally but still I was taken but police..A collection of people I never really admired..Always felt them to be corrupted people who ruin the lives of innocent..
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I collected my handbag in utter silence..Thankfully no one noticed my mood change..I quietly went to Mr.Mallik and told him I was leaving..
"Its ok dear...I understand..You wont lose your job..Take Care..",he said giving me courage..I forced a smile..He placed a hand on my shoulder..
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"Vivek, Can you tell how you guys came to me..I mean how did you guys get to know I am the link..", I asked Vivek..We were sitting in his car..And he was driving us to god knows where..I knew I could trust him..It was written on his face..He seemed less like those police I assumed.
"You read newspapers right?", he asked plainly..
"Yes, I do". Was that even a question..It was absolutely necessary for anyone to survive in this world of competition..
He applied the brakes and parked the car by the side..He took a newspaper and handed it over to me pointing a particular report..
"Read that", he told me.
"I did already read it..", I informed him..It was the report I read yesterday..
Mumbai, a tremendously growing spot for international smuggling
Recent raids has indicated that Mumbai has now become a spot for international smuggling..All sorts of smuggling including diamonds, non licensed guns and many other valuable products..The police suspects one major gang behind all the happenings..Chief Investigative Officer, Mr.Vivek Gupta has assured that the Police are on the chase and that people must be alert for any information that is valuable..He says that the gangs leader has been found to be a certain 'Amihdir'..Since the name sounds foreign, all tourists are thoroughly checked..
"What about this", I asked him back..I could make out nothing from this..
"You see that name there..Of the leader", he asked me..
"Yeah..Whats wrong??", I questioned him..
"Well..Read it backwards..", he sighed..
World stopped..I could hear my own heart beats..I shivered..I was too stunned by what I read..Ridhima..Amihdir was my name spelt backwards..The newspaper itself shook with the effect of my shivering..
"Ridhima..", I told, barely audible..
"Yes..Thats our link..Our only major link",Vivek told..and it was obvious that he was forced to do this..
Why???I asked God..Time, hopefully will reveal..I shut my eyes as the smallest drops sweept my face..
OK phew!! Thats it for the 4th installment of this FF..Finally a twist..I cant wait to see your expressions especially those who dint guess that name thingy..
And about the writing..Well..I dont think its as good as part 3..Just wrote it simply..I edited it thrice but its all i could muster..I am sorry if it turned crappy..Not even re reading it..So let me knoew your opinions..
And btw again the title to the part..Flakes..Mmm It actually means a small piece a bit..Since this part has a bit of everything, happiness, sadness, anger, friendship, change, surprise and shock..I titled it Flakes...again i dont think this ones as good as Dancing Souls.