Present Day (Chicago)
A sleepless night always meant a far worse morning. Indira got up with a mighty headache. She cursed Ricky for it. He spelled nothing but trouble. However, not for long! She was determined that no way would she let Ricky ruin her career. She, like a mature individual would keep her personal & professional lives apart. What a joke really when Ricky wasn't even a part of her personal life! She sat at the small table in her room sipping coffee. Later she went in for a quick shower & dressed up in smart cream trousers & topped it up with a plain white short sleeved shirt. She was brushing her long hair when she defiantly decided to pin them up. He had liked her hair so much & had preferred that she left it open. Thinking of the many times he had removed the clip from her hair & allowed it to tumble down her shoulders made her blush! She brought herself to the present firmly! She didn't give two hoots about his opinions. She would tie her hair because she felt comfortable that way! Lipstick & eye liner being the only makeup she usually did she was ready in 20 min. First the train & then a small bus ride after she was at the office right on time.
When she punched her ID card & entered she found the whole office abuzz with activity. There was a huge bouquet of orchids at the reception from behind which Alice gave her a beaming smile. Indira frowned on seeing her excitement
I: What's wrong? Why is everybody here so excited? And wassup with all these flowers?
A: UmmâŚ.Indira flowers usually mean something happyâŚLOL why do you think something is wrong. Well we have arranged a small welcome for our new boss, Mr. Ricky Diwan. Come on girl, rush to your cubicle, clean it up & get ready to welcome him. Did you see him at Kathys wedding? He is just so WOW! Tall, fair, and those eyesâŚ.they are to die for!
Indira gritted her teeth in frustration. So the Ricky Diwan magic had started already! But then what was new in that? It had always been this way. Wherever they went, he fascinated women & their male partners were bitten by the green eyed monster. And she had foolishly assumed that he had had eyes for no one else but her. She had learnt her mistake soon enough! She wasn't going to bother welcoming him. The rest of his new fans could continue with their foolishness. She was here to work & that's what she would do.
From her cubicle she could see Ricky moving along the passage & greeting each & every employee. Paula was introducing all her reportees to him. When they came to her cubicle Indira got up gruffly, pinned her most professional smile & held out her hand.
P: She is Indira Sharma. She is an Indian Ricky, just like you! She joined us a year back & works here as a Sr. Architect & is very efficient with her work & âŚ.
R: I do not believe in qualities listed on papers until I see them for myself. Oh & yes! She must be efficient & would complete all her work real quick I am sure so that she can sneak off early to shop with her friends, right Paula?
Indira felt her cheeks redden with embarrassment. Not only had he ignored her outstretched hand but he had doubted her efficiency as well as her work ethics!
I: That was just the one time I have ever left early since the day I joined! I can assure you I do not make a habit ofâŚhow did you put it? YesâŚ.sneak off early!
R: That remains to be seen. Do you often argue with your seniors Ms. Sharma?
I: I do stand up for what I believe in. The truth isn't partial. It can be on the employees side too.
She noticed uncomfortably that the whole office had fallen silent & was listening dumbstruck to her replies. Paula was gesturing her to shut up. But she couldn't. This was all so unfair!
R: I hope I get to see some work which matches your talks. Because that's the only thing with which you can impress me.
I: I have no wishâŚâŚâŚ.
However Indira noticed Ricky had already moved on to the next cubicle where her colleague Jonathan was greeting him & welcoming him to their organization. She was fuming on the inside. She would not tolerate this injustice. The first time she went home early since her joining this office, she was seen by her boss, and not just any boss but Ricky of all people, and badly insulted for it! She could tolerate anything but she just could tolerate injustice.
Because that's the only thing with which you can impress meâŚ..Ricky's words rang in her mind. Her fists curled in anger. She was not at all interested in impressing him. She felt depressed for the first time since coming to the US. Whatever she did from now on would never be good enough for Ricky. She could see her career ambitions crumpling before her eyes. What was the use of working for a man who had announced on the first day of his arrival itself that he found her inefficient? She could see it already. Because of his prejudices he would continue with these insults & biases till she left this office for good. Well, she won't allow him the satisfaction of driving her out. She would leave now, with her dignity intact. Injustice was one thing which she would not tolerate.
She typed out her resignation letter. After printing it she signed it &called up Rose, Ricky's PA. Ricky was busy in a telecon & would be available only after 2. She replaced the receiver & glanced around the office. She had such fond memories here. It was almost a year back when she had joined this place as a Sr. Architect. Her talent had been noticed by the previous owners of this company & they had offered her this job. She had been over the moon. The job had come at a perfect time. Her personal life had been in chaos then. She had just broken up with Ricky. She had been so sure that she would be easily able to forget him & move on with her life if she was an entire continent apart from him. Slowly but steadily she had started rebuilding her life here. And once more because of the same man she would have to uproot her life & move to a different place.
She glanced at the resignation letter in her hand. She knew many would call her coward but the thing was she needed her new found peace of mind. She couldn't go on working in this office with Ricky as her boss. She would never be able to work with his prejudices. Just a glimpse of him yesterday had brought back so much of pain for her!
She called up Rose, Ricky's PA for the tenth time since morning. Rose was in her early fifties with a kind, wrinkled grandmotherly face. She was also the senior most employee of this organization. She had been the PA to Mr. Frazier, the earlier owner of this firm and had been transferred to Ricky as he was now the one in Jack Fraziers chair. She glanced at her watch in irritation. It was 4 o'clock now & within an hour everyone would be leaving for home. She couldn't believe that she had not done even a single piece of work since her encounter with Ricky this morning. Rose picked up the call.
I: Is RiâŚMr. Diwan in his cabin, Rose? I wish to talk to him.
R: UmmâŚIndiraâŚ(she hesistated)
Rose had conveyed the many messages which Indira had left for Mr. Diwan. But he had chosen to ignore them all. Not knowing the reason & feeling unsure Rose decided to ask Ricky upfront about Indiras call. In the background Indira could hear Rickys voice. Rose seemed to have asked him if Indira could come to meet him. She suspected Ricky replied in tone which was louder & clearer than was necessary.
Ricky: Does she have an appointment Rose?
Rose: No, Ricky she doesn't.
Ricky: (with a smile in his voice): Well dear then you know the answer yourself, don't you?
Indira slammed the receiver in rage. She would meet him today! She would meet him at any cost today, throw the resignation letter in his face & be done with it! She knew Ricky was a workaholic & so he wouldn't be leaving on time. She had often joked that he was already married to his job & did not have space for anybody else in his life.
She would wait till Rose & the others on the 7th floor office where he worked left for the day. Then she would just ram in & be done with her work & leave this office forever. Decision made she waited for the clock to strike 6; an hour extra over the standard office time to leave before taking the lift to the 7th floor which had the offices of all the top notch executives.
She could see the lights on in many of the cabins. She went towards Ricky's cabin & was relieved to see that Rose had left for the day. Without bothering to knock she just walked into his cabin. He was sitting at the table engrossed in some excel sheet on his laptop. The cabin door closing behind her must have alerted him to her presence because he turned his head a bit. He gave her a rude once over & calmly returned his gaze to the computer screen. She liked the way he had refurnished his cabin. This cabin reminded her of another cabin, of another time, when they had met for the first time in Mumbai. Like its Mumbai counterpart this too had a warm air about it yet seemed professional. Shoving unnecessary memories out she walked resolutely to his desk. However before she could speak he held out his hand. She looked at his outstretched hand & raised an eyebrow.
I: What do you think you are doing?
R: Accepting your resignation letter. (He still hadn't bothered to look at her). That's what you are here for I presume. Just put the letter on the table & I will sign it & you can leave.
Indira was shocked. Sheer rage & a stubborn streak in her character made her crumple the letter in her hand. Ricky looked up at her then & gave a smirk
I: You think you know me very well, don't you? Well I hate to inform you that I have not come to resign. I haveâŚ
R: Oh, haven't you! I had thought the frantic phone calls since morning were for this purpose alone. But then maybe I was wrong. And you are so right you know. I have never been able to figure out what keeps on going in your head. So, enlighten me Indira. (he got up from his chair & came round the desk to stand right in front of her. He tipped her chin up) Why were you calling me since morning? Why did you wait for all the employees to leave before coming here & meeting me? What is that piece of paper in your handâŚgrocery list?
This close to him after almost a year, Indira just could not come up with a befitting reply. All of a sudden she was feeling all those emotions again, and with much greater intensity, which she had firmly locked up inside her when she had broken up with him.
R: No answer huh? But then we never needed words, did we Indira? This close words were soâŚ
I: Stop it! Just stop it! (she almost screamed) I just came in here to tell you that you mean nothing to me. You are just my boss & I am just your employee. If you ever try to cross this professional line between us I will sue you in court forâŚfor.. harassment!
Ricky raised a mocking eyebrow. He moved to stand at the window behind his desk. Turning back to face Indira he said,
R: Boss? Well then Ms. Sharma let me assure you I do not believe in repeating my mistakes. I am glad that I do not need to remind you that you are no longer my girlfriend. So next time you walk into my cabin, I would prefer you to come in the 9 â 5 time frame with a valid appointment. Also, office etiquettes dictate that you knock before you come in. Please don't forget to do that the next time. And last but not the least; I am not your direct boss. As far as I remember you report to Paula Justice. I do not think any occasion will ever arise when you will need to meet me directly. You are just not that high enough in the job hierarchy you know?
Indira felt as if somebody had slapped her. Ricky continued.
R: I have got work to do. The door Ms. Indira Sharma is right behind you. Get out of here! And please close the door as you leave!
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
CID
