PART 17 A
Thursday evening
She had called him twice on Tuesday evening and once on Wednesday to talk about work of course. He hadn't bothered to return her calls. She had been at her office both days. Part of her had wanted to find out where he was so she had made an appearance late Thursday afternoon at his. Still no sign of him.
She wore a pink chikan suit with an orange dupatta with pink embroidery around the mirrorwork
The core team had been surprised to see her there. She had somehow managed to come up with an explanation for why she had shown up unannounced. Ram was already in the meeting. She had later told him that she had to meet with people on Shantanu's team.
He hadn't asked anything further. He realized she knew what she was doing. Paula and her had a lunch date on Sunday so that good did come out of her sudden Ajmera Corp Office appearance
Her phone rings, she recognizes the number though its not been stored with a name in the phone book
She disconnects it.
She meets with Nivs for an hour and towards the end of it the phone rings again
Nivs: Do you want to get that?
Khanak: Nope! (answers and disconnects quickly)
Goes back to their calculations on paper
Most people start leaving for the day, its past 7 PM. She starts packing her stuff from the conference room and then Niv's cube.
Her phone rings when she is in the empty conference room.
Busy gathering her files'''''''''' she answers it
Shaan: What is going on Khanak? (ferocious)
Khanak shocked to hear that voice
Khanak: Mujhe aapse koi baat nahi karni
Shaan: What? Kyon?
Khanak: I am heading home right now. Meri train miss ho jaayegi, I will call you later
Shaan: Don't disconnect! Khanak''.. please
Khanak: Did u have something to say?
Shaan: Nahi galti se dial kar diya tha
Khanak: Great! Then I can just
Shaan: Khanak! Will you stop it?
Khanak: I really have to go''
Shaan:Tumne mera phone kyon kata?
Khanak: Ive been trying to reach you since Tuesday, I even sent Outlook meeting invites. Not one response!
Shaan: Did you call me too?
Khanak: What is that supposed to mean?
Shaan: Ha! Finally''' mujhe bolne ka mauka dogi?
Khanak: hmm
Shaan: Thank you! I ve been busy
Khanak: I thought so! (sarcastic) It couldn't have been anything else
Shaan: Khanak
Khanak: Nevermind''.
Shaan: Ive been shuttling between the site and regional office and the lawyer's. Haven't had a chance to return too many calls or sleep much. Its been brutal'''.. I am sorry Khanak (softly)
Khanak: Ummm
Shaan: I was in meetings 12-14 hours a day, the rest I was too busy sorting things out for those Tarang design plans
Khanak: I only wanted to talk abt work
Shaan smiles
Shaan: Fair enough, go ahead (clears his throat to hide his amusement)
Khanak: BMC has approved two designs and I wanted to review some changes we talked abt..
Shaan: Kab? I can be at Prabha Devi tomm I believe (checking his PC, as she hears keys being tapped)
Khanak: I am here TODAY (you aren't) I cant be tomm (sulking)
Shaan: Arent you supposed to be at Prabhadevi every day?
Khanak: No this week I wasn't planning to I was at my office Tuesday and Wed''. I came here today to''(see you)
Shaan: Thanks
Khanak: I am already working on Sat this week. That leaves Sunday and I don't want to talk with you about ceiling height and iron trusses on a Sunday morning. I would rather do laundry. (defiant)
Shaan: Khanak If we were together on a Sunday morning the last thing we would be doing is talking about ceiling height or wall thickness and you will definitely not be doing laundry! (softly)😳😳😳
Khanak: Shantanu!
Pause!
Shaan: OK rule number one for our fights. If you want to show me how upset you are with me never say my name like that. It comes out as a caress and not as a reprimand (mocks)
Khanak: I have a better idea
Shaan: What
Khanak: I don't plan to say your name ever.
Both know its not the truth
Khanak: Its due Monday and I refuse to work on Sunday.
Shaan: Hmm''' what time on Monday is it due?
Khanak: 5 I think
Shaan: Do you want to send it to me I can take care of it
Khanak (offended) Oh! So the employee of the architectural firm you hired is incapable of delivering on time so the design engineer doubles up as an architect?
Shaan: Is that what you think I am trying to do? (furious)
Khanak: Yes!
Shaan: I have nothing to say then. We will just have to complete it later in the week. (cold)
Khanak: Fine
Shaan: Fine!
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PART 17 B
Saturday evening
Ziya at Oberoi Towers
Khanak waited and ..............waited.............. Drawing a water slide design with her fork on the white linen table cloth. Sitar played softly in the background. She wore a saree as her Bai had said "it was the right thing to wear". It was a emerald green crepe chiffon with wavy designs in pink. She really didn't want to meet a "prospective husband" after working all day on Saturday
But her Aada had called in the morning informing about Nirav Saraf. He was the guy who owned a franchise of some sort in Ahmedabad. She didn't want to return to Ahmedabad. Sooraj's memories were the only inviting thing about that place besides her parents.
Sooraj......................why did you have to go?
"I would have never left Ahmedabad, no relocating to Mumbai, no living in Kalyan the first couple months''. Ritu............... her work, Casa and Shantanu.
He was polite and kind to her on Monday. He seemed articulate, thoughtful and intelligent. He had given up his evening with Mahi (?) to have give her a ride home. He steered the car with his right hand, the left tapped the gear rhythmically. There was a complicated camera lying in the back seat, out of its case. She had spilled all that Coke on him and on the seat. He had laughed it off Sooraj would have been a little upset? At least at first? He was so meticulous, he really took care of his things. All his shirts were as good as new even after he wore them for years.
Shantanu seemed a bit careless, unmindful? Easy? NOW she knew what his jaw must feel like. The next couple days when ever she stepped out on the hallway, she heard that rasp. He was chivalrous, protective, he made sure she was inside her house before he took off.
He didn't seem curious about her at all though. Maybe he is unconcerned? I am just a coworker?
He only ate meat though''.. how would I introduce him to Aada and Bai? They didn't even speak much English. He wouldn't be able to say much at all to them. He was not of the same caste either. Was he a Punjabi? She wondered'''..
Well''. There wasn't much possibility that he would every visit her again, leave alone visit her when her parents were in Mumbai so the introductions were unnecessary. She noticed when he accepted change in return he never counted the money, he just trusted it to be correct? Or he had so much of it that it did not matter if it was inaccurate?
He had said he would call her after that first conversation but hadn't called. Busy at work or outside of it. She now knew how the "South Mumbai" types lived their life. She could tell Ritu that sometime. Or reminisce when she returned to Ahmedabad''''.. Ritu had been so busy the past month
She wanted to tell her about Casa and about Shantanu her brush with the "wealthy brats" but couldn't
She was home tonite but Khanak had to be gone. Ritu was shocked at first to hear her Aada was "setting her up" like this. Ritu had wanted her to find her own special someone. She had even offered to speak with Uncle. But Khanak had discouraged her. "there was no one else so what would Ritu tell Aada?"
"this was easier. She could meet refuse and go on with life or may be meet accept and move out of Mumbai"
Nirav: Hi!
Shaken out of her "water slide building" project looks up to see a man standing by the table
He is skinny and of medium height, wears glasses is dressed in formal clothes
Khanak: "Hi!" "Nirav?"
He smiles'''.. "there is no cleft on his cheek, not one not two on the same cheek" like someone she knows'............
Nirav: Haan. (switches to Hindi while checking her out covertly)
She tries not to squirm, he seats himself
Nirav: I am sorry I am late. Kitna traffic hai Mumbai mein!
Khanak: Yes, plus it rained'.. aaj subah
Nirav: Main yahan ek din aur nahi ruk sakta (shakes his head in frustration)
The conversation is labored'''' but slowly finds a groove
He owns a DHL franchise, was born and raised in Ahmedabad. Has no clue about architecture
Hates Mumbai. Would never want to live here he says. He talks a lot, waits and waits to hear her speak.
He has two sisters, one younger.
The waiter appears, he fusses over what he likes to eat, she orders a serving of snacks. He is concerned about what she will eat at dinner. She is not sure............about dinner..............😳😳
He is a vegetarian, but doesn't eat out much, loves "Mom's cooking" he admits. Asks her if likes to cook. She admits she loves to.
She excuses herself to go to the ladies room. Walks the gleaming granite hallway. Hears someone call out her name
Shaan: Khanak? (surprised)
To be continued......................
Edited by aditee - 14 years ago
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