Nupur-Nihar
They had a turbulent flight last night from Mumbai. The company had screwed up and had booked him "company housing" in GURGAON
He had specifically picked, Nizamuddin or Maharani Bagh, knowing getting to his son's school interview and set up would be closer
But being the head of Visual Media at the Mumbai office didnt guarantee anything
His mother was too sick to travel, so for now his son was home alone in a strange city playing video games.
It was April, so it wasnt too bad, the company was pushing him to go start at Delhi sooner than April, but his kid was a good kid
Focussed and hard working...
He made his way to his new office, it was a good location, Delhi was crowded and smoggy he noticed walking along a glass lined corridor
He saw her again, distraught, and preoccupied, not really interested in making eye contact
He noticed full lower lips
A mole on her left chin, like a black dot
Gomez caught up with him
"Tujhe bahut jaldi hai kya rey, apna office dekhne ko?" he chuckled
"U wanted me to get started didnt u?" he asked firmly
"Woh theek hai... Suvi... Prayag usko lekar neeche gaya hai" he informed Suveccha LOUDLY
She smiled
Her face lit up, her eyes like they were charged all night from a dedicated power source
"100%" it said
"Woh Ujala waala baitha hai tere office mein" he said breaking her joy
His office was HUGE... as the Corporations headed South towards Gurgaon, abandoning Lutyens' Delhi, turning its back on the once "business hub" of the North
Freeing up bigger real estate for whoever cared to rent it
It smelled like paint and polish, the furniture was cheap and functional, the couch was good, the wall was adorned with campaigns from the last 20 years in Delhi
McKinsey & Morrison did a bunch of political spots in the recent years
Cacophonious but brought good money
And got it noticed
They had done a full page ad for Sonia even
He wandered staring at the giant posters
A Delhi Police ad "Aapke Liye Aapke Saath"
A bunch of flat screen ipad like monitors on the walls played TV commercials..
He chuckled
He wandered to the window afraid to touch, fearing the paint would leech
"Paint ka smell hai?" he muttered
Raat ko khulla chhod, ek hafta... apne aap gaayab" Gomez advised
His bag was on the desk
He sat down on the nice leather chair
"Apne secretary se mil liya too?" Gomez drawled in that Goan Hindi
"Nahi... kaun hai? Lady?" he asked
Gomez smiled wickedly
And hit a button on the intercom
A 20 something in a tight skirt, and a ipad showed up
"SO GOOD TO MEET YOU" she gushed
"Very nice" Neel smiled
He asked about her, she knew all about him
"Modeling is SO BORING... I mean... THIS IS IT" she fluttered her eye lashes
"Jami tujhe?" Gomez asked crudely, leaving his office
Neel nodded.. acknowledging she was almost a 10
Noticing Suvi walk across hearing the conversation between him and his admin
She was clutching her 5 year old's hand now
"Kya policy hai about bringing kids to work?" he asked a departing Gomez
"Policy kuch nahi man... she brings... she lives with her Tai... that woman hates her" Gomez dished dirt on Suvi
"So any one can bring?" Neel asked bluntly
"No one can" Gomez spoke over him
Neel nodded
His admin... Payal walked out with a pompous look on her face
He opened his bag and brought two pictures out...
One of his 10 year old son..Nihar
And another picture, of them as a happy family at Maldives 5 years ago...
Him, Nihar... and his now deceased wife... Nupur
Clear blue skies, frothy white waves, emerald seas
His fingers shook as he placed the frame on his right, he felt a big lump form in his throat, as his thumb caressed her heart through the picture
He leaned back and stared at it for the longest time...
Book Talk
Current Affairs
