(K)night in J Crew & Ceasefire
Part 84
Wednesday before Pongal
She set up meetings with all the big shots at KMPG that had any say in the project and made an earnest pitch to WHY they should move forrward, at the end of the day business trumps friendship
And she cranked that lever to the fullest with Bansal, to his credit he was not an idiot, Excelsior was ONE of the many 100s of activties he managed, Bhalla was ...his golf buddy, he played tennis and snooker and ping pong, he had friends across industries, she let Baldev do all the talking, just armed him with all the necessary data and statistics of..WHAT it would cost KMPG to delay it without over billing or penalties😃
They worked with legal to understand what was in the contract, and regrouped again to approach it differently
Bansal met Bhalla for drinks after work on Tuesday and Bhalla approved deploying it in one out of state showroom, he preferred Amritsar if it could be worked..into the plan... KMPG felt it was doable... and in the Gurgaon workshop
KMPG on their part were going to invest more into training, cut down the team of 7 in upload & testing by two and add 4 moure heads to training
They were working with the bi-lingual team to get training manuals re done in Hindi, and add more screen shots to every key stroke😃
II was willing to acknowledge her mis steps and take corrective action Bally liked her a lot for that, as much as she was over confident about her achievements
She was willing to collaborate and change course of action when things didnt move acc to plan👏
Bally and her and a couple of SW guys headed to Amritsar, they had the systems, the people and the requirements all understood by then..
Appa strictly refused to let her drive OR ride with Bally, the train was at 7:20 and reached at 1:40 and the ...return would be @ 4:50 PM reaching 11:05 PM on Friday night
Appa dropped her off at the station on Thursday morning, Bally was already there, the SW guys left the day before... Mr Bhalla would be there from 3 -7 in the showroom and he
said he would be happy to make introductions and get them started... they stayed at Country Inn... for the night... went off directly to work on
Thursday checking in almost around midnite, the next morning, up early at the showroom by 8 though it only opened at 10, looked at test reports from last couple days, while doing her day job at Delhi
Around 2 ish on Friday Suman called to say Bally's son, Ankur also in 4th grade broke his arm at school and was in the hospital
He rushed to get himself a ticket on Spice Jet at 4:10 and abandoned her👏
"Daregi to nahi Iyer?" he asked😆
"No, are u kidding, I have warriors protecting me" she smiled...😃
She wanted to go to Golden Temple, THERE WAS NEVER ANY TIME
Sreekanth was arriving tonight and Amma wanted her to return STRICTLY FOR SURE NO SECOND THOUGHTS return
"Teri baat hui hero se?' he asked😳
"Nahi..." she said blushing, not sharing the sordid details of the red stain match..😳
.. she had already told him about the Subbu thing...
"Subbu ki to aisi ki taisi main M Co VP North se baat karta hoon..😡
"Nah! Dont worry waise I couldnt replicate the problem, galti meri thi na"
"Dont give up too soon Iyer" he said giving her a pat on the back
"Waise raise ka kya kiya?"
"Shravu ne le liya almost, saara, he wanted tennis lessons... DLTA mein daala usko, 6 months... dont tell Amma & Appa" she giggled conspiratorily
"Haye shabaash" he did a high five👏
Shravu was her darling... she would do anything for him, Akka was trying to get pregnant again... not working thus far
When Akka came on Wed evening..."Amma Ishita will have her first by then" she gushed
"Not a chance" II declared😡
"Ishita have ONE first kanna, then u can focus on your career" Amma begged😳
"Amma I want a Manish Malhotra or a JJ Vallaya for Ishita's seemandam (godh bharai)😳
"AMMA I SAID I WILL CONSIDER SREE, U ARE TALKING ABOUT SEEMNADAM SAREE ONE "A" TOO MANY?" 😡
"Enn di apdi solrey, Why are u so negative? All good things will happen soon" Akka said
She did eye scolding of Akka "U remember our deal if I DONT like him I get to be left alone"
Akka just ignored her
"Ishita's kids will be TALL" Amma said happily😃
"Nandan is so tall ma" Akka injected...mischievoulsy😳
"Samyukta's son is very handsome, Mama madiri marumaan, like Uncle like nephew"😳
II turned a glorious red... under AKKA'S VERY OWN EYES...
A tall-ER girl and TALLEST GUY would make TALL babies... she knew...
"He has as much hair as his Mama" Vandu said softly😳
"I didnt notice" II said vaguely looking at the clock, turning around😳
"U HAVENT SEEN HOW MUCH HAIR R&B has?" Vandu asked SHOCKED😳
"Not really" II said shrugging carelessly, getting up to leave the living room..
She had questioned Shravu and he had told her, R&B had picked her up from Patti's, she asked him WHAT he said
Shravu said "He asked me WHAT CHITHI HATES, AND LOVES AND I TOLD HIM CHITHI WANTS TO MARRY SOORYA"
Vandu was beyond excited...
She sat down in the last row of her coach, it was mostly empty... the train left on time there were a few couples and the stations came and went fast Beas, Jalandhar, Phagwara
Ludhiana & Sirhind... 8:30 ish they would hit Amabala and then there would be no stops until Delhi
The wifi didnt work well she gave up after a couple hours, didnt eat much, set her tote bag over head in the rack... leaned back and tried to sleep
In jeans and her old grey Hollister full arm tee, she was careless and had lost many things on the train before,... her Hollister hoodie was draped on the arm rest on the side
she left her laptop on the tray table and dozed and woke and dozed, the elderly couple up front had left, another couple in their 60s
sat there and a woman in the opposite row, second from left
Two men stood talking at the far end, 20s? 30s she wasnt sure...he made eye contact, she shut her eyes pretending to be half asleep🤢
BUT WAS WIDE AWAKE😭😲
AYYO!! 😲
She looked at the phone the network was down, she knew Athimber had offered, she had told him Bally would give her a ride
But since Bally returned early she forgot to tell Athim...
AYYO... OMG...😲
I cant get off with these men following me... may be go to the ladies waiting room?
At 11:30 what are the odds there will be any one to help me😭
She opened her eyes gently
Both men were missing...
ACTUALLY... they were seated four rows upfront😡😲🤢
both turned to look, the train swerved and something fell off her tote bag side pocket
HER CHANGE PURSE
She got up and ran to the back to grab it the men got up and walked back , one sat down at the end of her row and
the other the other row basically she couldnt go back to her seat😲
Her phone was on the traytable on top of the laptop!!!!!!
She leaned on the window they both spoke and laughed loudly
She looked at her watch Ambala? AYYO AMABALA HAD PASSED?
It was 9:19 PM😭 the train wont stop until Delhi...
She prayed a Railways employee would walk through and she would complain, she cant even go past them and wake the
elderly couple huddled over each over to fight the cold, in shawls and blankets
She heard someone push the steel gates between the two coaches... she relaxed, and pulled her tears back... and turned...
It was R&B, ☺️
HE MEANT TO PASS BUT LOOKED SIDEWAYS... SUDDENLY CURIOUS...
She let her tears flow...
He wore a navy hoodie, the J Crew kind and tan cargo pants.. today.. with some heavy ultra sporty shoes
He walked over immediately
"Whats going on II?" he asked😲 characteristically😳
She held her seat back for support, as she stood behind it... as the train swayed around a loop
He held a the seat back next to it
"I came to get my purse, it fell off the over head rack"
The men still sat there... grinning... waiting
R&B was super grim "Is this the best seat in the house II?" he asked hurtfully😡
ALMOST EMPTY COACH, AND TWO CREEPS
She wiped her tears... and sulked
He walked up to the guys they asked him what he wanted he didnt talk... his non talking habit they guys didnt know😆
He shoved past the guy on her row, and got her stuff out and handed to her, her hoodie had gone under the seat, she didnt notice in fear..
He handed her stuff yanked her bag off the rack and handed her her purse...and stepped out,
"Kidhar lekar ja rahe ho" or something a guy asked
The man had a habit of NOT TALKING so he didnt, the other creep, got up and pulled his arm
He turned around and said "Waha meri company mein work shop mein kaam karne waale 7 log baithe hain wahan, unse milwaane" he said in an emotionless flat voice..😃
He came up to her and grabbed her laptop & its case, she held her purse and and tote bag.. he let her walk ahead... multiple coaches,
and then nudged her to stop somwhere in the middle of one
She turned to see if he left
"I am right behind you" he reassured😳
They walked back to his coach
"Are there people u know?" she asked😃
NO! he chuckled😆
"But this coach is full" he said harshly
He took her to his now empty row and let her slide in, she sat by the window... and leaned back and breathed deeply
Hugging her tote... cold and afraid...
"U couldnt wait to return to Delhi?" he asked flatly😡
"Baldev was going to return with me, Ankur had a fall, its not like I am an idiot" she yelled😭
"Ofcourse not, just RECKLESS" he said
"No I am not I was minding my own business" she cried
"U could have gotten your things and got out" he argued
"I did not ask u to help me" she yelled
People were asleep, some stirred
He sat down, and then got up again, yanked her tote and threw it on the rack and sat down..
He stripped his hoodie off and handed it to her
She let it lay on her lap.. sulking
She stared out huddling.. arms across her chest... her nose ring sparkling in the blue LED like light
He went on his phone...
She wore his jacket and dozed off... citrusy.. woody
It was almost 11 when she woke
"Are we there?" she mumbled.. eyes crinkling trying to focus
"No another hour... he stopped" he said..
"Why did u go to Amritsar?" she asked
"The French guys wanted to see the Temple and ride the train" he said softly..
They both turned slightly towards each other... he was so tall his head stuck above the seat back... and his legs cramped in front
knees knocking the seat in front...
He wore a navy stripe full sleeve tee... she had never seen him before ... FULLY COVERED... his watch strap was barely visible
"When did u get to Amritsar?" he asked
"Kal subah"
they both just looked at each other... she happy to be safe... he content he was able to save her?
"Do u have a ride?" he asked softly.. TWO QUESTIONS in 5 minutes.. a record😳👏
"Oh!" she jumped up, scrambled to find her phone, not in her purse, not in her pocket...not in her laptop bag, she checked each one and set it on his tray table
She reached for the overhead rack, he stood and brought it down, she found it.. and pressed the home key
"No signal?" "Kyon? "Abhi to Delhi ke paas hain hum?" "The whole time Ive not had network, what nonsense?"
EVEN HER THOUGHTS WERE LOONG.. AND LOUD🤣
"Where is yours? she asked... moving her stuff off his tray table
He turned his to show her the screen smiling...
"Reliance" I think" he said
"Mera Airtel hai" "ARGHHH" she fumed😡
He called home/help/whoever
"Gaadi bhej dogey aap, nayi Dilli? " He looked at his watch tipping her laptop bag on to her lap from he arm rest,
"Ek ghante mein?" "Achha... bahar gate se kisi ko saath mein?"
"Haan bus ek" thanks" he muttered
"S2" hai he said
"Oh ek minute" he said getting up, pulled his wallet out and offered it to her to hold... dropped it on her lap over the
J crew pocket, the hoodie was so long it went up to her thigh, fished a ticket out.. "S3 hai Sorry" he said very politely
"Thank you" he ended😳
EVEN ON THE PHONE HE ONLY SPOKE FOR A MINUTE
He left the wallet with her... black... and slim... no logos or monograms... kinda anonymous like him
She packed her things up, wound the power cord thrice around the battery... until she got it to fit right in the bag,
there was atleast a ream of paper emails, read and unread...
He didnt say anything...
"Is Manny home?" she asked when she was done packing..
He smiled a half smile at her attempt to make conversation
SHE CANNOT BE QUIET EVEN IF SHE WAS MURDEROUS SHE WOULD "TALK" FIRST🤣
"No she is @ Vikram's tonight
MARLIESE MUST BE, SHE CONCLUDED LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW
Until he shot that horrific thought down "The whole crew is in Amritsar tonight, they leave for Haridwar tomorrow"☺️
She didnt turn from the window...
"I was not talking to Manny I was talking to a help" he said
"OH!!"
"My Mom always wanted us to be kind and polite ALWAYS" he said firmly... but in a sombre tone😭😳
Their eyes met again... ☺️
AYYO THIS IS GETTING HARDER AND HARDER FOR ME... WHAT A CRUEL PUNISHMENT... I CANNOT STAND HIM AT WORK... I AM UNABLE TO LET GO OF HIM OUTSIDE
AYYO
RAKSHASAN...😳
she stared out the window letting slow color creep up her face... hugged her hoodie and shut her eyes... strangling the feelings... or trying to
"We tested in Amritsar things look good" she said changing course...
"Ceasefire II" he declared firmly in his always inaudible voice😳
"I dont want to talk about work"
She turned and looked at him...
WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO TALK ABOUT? U HAVE SOMEONE WAITING IN BED FOR YOU/ OR U WERE IN BED WITH
I? I AM GOING HOME SO I CAN MEET SOMEONE IN THE MORNING...
He tore his eyes off hers, and scanned the phone... not wanting to hold her gaze any longer
He showed her a screen an Indian Railways App/Tracker
"48 minutes from DEL;
12001 CDG-DEL SHTBD"
it said with a red marker
She peered leaning forward, his arm so long on the arm rest, the phone a few feet away..
She tapped it, it expanded, he let her have the phone..., he tapped her ruby nose ring once...watching her reading the names of the town
She turned and looked at him at the touch..
the white earbuds dangled off the phone, on her thigh..he picked them up... put them in his ears and lay back shutting his eyes...
She stared at the small towns and roadways on the map... knotted and messy..like their life...a tangled web of passion, lies and hate...
Edited by Nisha0604 - 9 years ago
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