(Sorry you guys, no internet for two days)
Known vs Unknown
On Saturday morning Tapan called to ask if she can fly down to Mumbai for two days for what was going to be day long interviews
She had called Bally after seeing the text from him, she had taken the elevator down to the 5th floor to the Daily Perk and bought hersef a coffee and brownie
The symbolic Bally things, to begin chatting with him
"Aapko kaise maloom?" she asked unemotionally
He had sighed audibly
"Do u know people from Escorts?" she asked
"MAIN nahi yaar" Bally had whispered, conspiratorially
"RITU?" she had asked a tad louder
"Hmmm" he had nodded
"HOW can they SAY that?" II was FURIOUS
"Kaha kisi ne nahi explicitly, but some grunt that scans resumes apparently knows someone that knows her" Bally was cynical
"To main kya karoon? Aap batao?" she asked politely
"U are not obligated to work at KMPG until u retire" he said firmly
"Thats its all settled then" she said softly
"Why didnt u do a 1:1 with me before u started applying?"
"Aap phir se mana karte... Ritu has pretty much undermined whatever I have done for KMPG in two years,
if I hadnt accidentally fallen for the man whose Dad owns Excelsior, she wud have ensured I get an F from teh client"
"SHE gave me an F from KMPG" II found herself to be bolder than usual
Bally exhaled
"Main bilqul aisi unprofessional baat enjoy nahi karti Bally" she found a lump in her throat
"Iyer... yaar"
"No I am not applying for this job to spite her, or throw pie in her face" II said calmly
"JAANTA HOON boss" Bally shouted
"I cannot forever be in a limbo... for her its a new job" II whispered, as she noticed someone from KMPG Advisory Services
"Ek min" II whispered
Bally got teh hint and asked her about Nivi, II sent like a dozen pictures
"OH TERI" "U MAKE LOVELY KIDS"
"KIDSSS Nahi KID" II corrected him
"Hero khush?" he asked
"He obsesses over her, he is currently punishing himself by going away on a solo trek" she said somberly
"Yaar kya zaroorat hai to live there?" Bally asked
"He loves his job... he started the company in his early 20s"
"Haan SATHAR ka jo ho gaya" Bally scoffed
II giggled
"Can u imagine him at 70?" she whispered
"He will still be ummm... chal chhod beta... kismat hai" Bally sighed
"U ARE SO SICK!!" II warned
"Suman ko bol na" "I am sick I need TLC...' Bally cooed
"Ankur Anay kidhar hai?"
"Saala aaya hai uske saath baahar cricket khel rahe hain, I came in to help Suman" he said loudly
"HELP WELP KUCH NAHI Mujhe TANG zaroor kar rahe hain Dev"
"She sounds sooo cute when she calls u Dev" II sighed
"Toone uska" Bally began
"SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP" II stopped
When the gal with her coffee left she continued
"
I want to see if I am "Employable" even or just not" II said firmly
"Oh ho!! MODESTY?" Bally teased
"U know... I have very lil self confidence" II said firmly
"Dont Iyer... ja de interview, tujhe maaf kiya" he said
II smiled
"If u want to be my boss again I wont go" she offered sadly
He didnt respond
And she cried
She was super vulnerable since she had Nivi, she cried a lot
"U have multiple degrees, MBA, CPA, M.S. WHY do u need me? Iyer?" he praised her
"Maybe I went and got all those degrees because I lack self worth? Kabhi aise socha aapne?"
They both went quiet
"Pati kya kehta hai?" he asked
"He doesnt know" "Since he is in Grenoble" "He doesnt "get" it. He has never been employed, hes never had a boss, hes never been middle class" she said
"He knows u" Bally said firmly, as if...