Sorry for late update, as i was late, so made it long ! 😉
Something Called Love
Four
How to get luggage was her
first question when she left from there. She stood near the exit for total
fifteen minutes, as if she was choosing something. It seemed like a bridge to
her, leaving one hell and joining another, connecting her with one more identical
world. She was well set with corporate wars and culture, but what a moment ago
happened in there, was a bit new-fangled for her. Till the date, she was the
witness of all major corporate wars and scandals, and now she was joining it,
the very much part of it. But, she had no other alternative. She looked at the
exit door, and again, thought the same. It was persuasive for a moment, she did
not even know, who the chairperson of Khurana Constructions and empire was. It
was not that, she never heard the name but never saw him, she for the first
time, admitted the fact that she was fool and ignorant enough not to read
boring corporate magazines, business section of the newspapers and stock
trading 24X7 boring channels, if that would be the case, at least she would
have known the name and could recognize the 'enemy'. Another, problem was how
to know him and whom to ask. But, leaving all these matter behind, what she
decided first to go to the airport and find that stupid cabby.
Fate had written something
else for her and moreover it was favoring her, she was leaving and a car came
to her, which seemed the similar cab, and the driver. She was surprised and
pleasantly surprised. And, came to know about her one and only intelligent work
for the day and that was, she somehow told the cabby the address and he found
her. She found herself extremely fortunate, god was planning something for her
and she had no idea what was that, all she was doing is, to keep up where it
takes, surrendering herself to her weakness and destiny. But, soon she realized
that she was not that much lucky as she was taking proud of. The 'Intelligent
and Smart' cabby left her luggage by mistake, with that jerk, at his place.
'Oh! This is the last thing I want now!' She literally shouted at him, and then
unfortunately, she had to go with him only to someone named Jerk's place, she
thought.
***
She entered the huge, ostentatious,
high rise building, in the posh area of the city, like a business centre among
the country. It was, no way new for her, but she was witnessing for the first
time, the very huge and impressive place, what was appalling for her that, the
name embossed at the entrance gate and top on the building entrance, it was The
Khurana Empire. She gasped for more fresh air, she could not believe her luck
more, and it was a day for her, like a perfect roller coaster ride, she would
for surely, remember this day, lot of things happened in one single day. 'Is it
some movie going on?' she asked herself, took a deep breath and entered.
She saw the security
guards and reception, as soon as she reached there, she saw one lady with black
shoulder length hair, talking on phone in sweet voice, like a perfect
communication expert, it seemed familiar to her, but she did not care much. She
waited another five minutes, for lady to finish the talk, but it seemed she was
busy. She looked at the whole place, employees working in civilized and sober
way, and the huge 'K' embossed in what it looked like, gold, on another wall.
She was impressed, 'Who is he, now?' she asked in her mind, and then try to
remember his name, somehow. She know, her 'Ex-Monster' sometimes mentioning,
something like 'MSK' or 'SMK' or just something. Soon, the multiple personality
disorder she fondly called about her evil part of the soul and good part of the
soul. As about hundred things of her life, she had some constructive theory for
her gray shaded character, which she divided in two parts, 'evil-girl' geet and
'good-girl' geet. From the moment she came back India, she observed that she
was feeding food to the 'evil-girl' of which she had no regret. And, she
started thinking about his name,
'Manoj Singh Khurana?'
'Mahendra Singh Dhoni? No,
but I know, it's Khurana!'
'Mahendra Singh Khurana?'
'Naah…'
'Manoj Kumar?' 'Stick to
the Khurana, the only confirmed part of his name'
'Manish?'
'Samir?'
'Mark?'
'Steve?'
'Monster? Wow, Maya the
Monster and now, M the Monster S. K.? Khurana? Surana? S for? Singh? Shiv? Singhania?
Oh…God! Screw the 'M'!' she thought and smiled.
'Hell, who the hell are
you, Khurana? MSK or SMK or whatever.' She mentally shouted and it was
surprising for her that she was amused, too. She was enjoying the permutations
and combinations of this 'M' or whatever thing, a big smile appeared on her
natural pink, glossed lips.
It was hell of a task for
her, to remember one name, and then she realized that, she was over panicking,
there was little piece of 'god' with her, her laptop and her cell. 'But, cell
would do.' She thought and smiled a little. And there it was, she saw her cell,
and it was switched off. 'Damn! Low Battery!
Geet, sudhar ja. At least, sometimes,
charge your cell before it switches off.' She muttered under her breath.
There is no other way
except for asking the lady, shamelessly. She mentally decided to ask the lady,
who was on call from the ages, and there, she heard her saying bye and she felt
relief and as soon as she turned around, before she could react anything, she
found herself surrounded by yet, sweet voice and question.
'Geet? Geet Handa?'
'O.M.G. Pinkey? Pinkey
D'souza?'
'Am I dreaming? You are
geet, and standing in front of me? WOW!' she jumped with over joy and little
bit loud voice. And, she realized that, they were the center of the attraction
and she quickly handled herself and asked her again, this time in low voice.
'What the hell are you
doing here?'
'Don't even ask pinks!
It's a long story, I just want my luggage back, do me a favor and ask some
guards or anyone and get my luggage.'
'What are you telling? I'm
not getting anything. And, geet explained her, the whole thing what happened
back then.
In no amount of time, she understood
everything and went to check for the status, until she came back, geet was on
trip to memory down lane. Her earlier college days with pinkey, her best buddy
pinks, she used to call. They studied to together and lived together in hostel,
later on she decided to study further more in finance and pinks went for jobs.
'So, here you got the job? Nice, I got someone to get me that 'M the Monster,
Mr. Khurana's full name' she thought and sighed.
She stood nearby for
sometime and phone rang, it took few seconds for her to decide whether to pick
it up or not and which phone was ringing, and which one to pick up and then,
she saw the red light and picked the black one. She remembered, 'It's my roller
coaster ride day, come what may, I really don't care!'
'Pinkey, come to me,
baby!'
Geet was shocked, it was
male voice, and 'pinks is her baby?' she thought and forbid a laugh.
'So sorry, but she is not
here. Mr. whatever you are'
And that was it, the voice
was angry by then.
'Then, who the hell are
you? Who gave you authority to pick up the call of official receptionist of
Khurana Constructions? Where is pinkey?'
Before she could say
anything, pinkey reached there, and she saw the color of phone she was
handling, it was black means it was him.
'Geet, what are you doing?
Give me the phone' she took it and only said, 'Coming'
She stood there and rolled
her eyes, and gave her the same expression, 'Who-is-he'?'
'Geet, he is just friend.'
'Yeah, now spit it out,
you 'emofreak' and liar.'
'Aditya! As in adi, he is
my fianc!'
Geet was amazed, she
gasped for air, 'I just can't believe you found someone, I always knew, you
will be the first one to tie the knot. You never believed me, pinks!' She
smiled and congratulated her.
Pinkey broke off the talk
and left for adi's cabin. Geet simply followed her, she thought, what will it
cost her; in any way she was to find her new boss. They enter the cabin, after
formal introduction and clarification of phone mess, they settled. And she
learned that adi was left hand of the 'M' person, and still she did not get the
correct name, as soon as pinkey left to ask for her lost luggage; they were
alone in cabin, with adi working on some financial data seemed like project and
she sat there, observing him and his work. It was the point, when the phone
rang and she heard adi speaking in fear and panic, 'Yes! I'm doing that only. I
will send you within 10 minutes. Okay? So sorry sir'
'Oh! Deadline workings!'
she thought and smiled, because she was very well aware of these deadlines,
having worked with 'Maya - The Monster Gujaral' she was used to this.
She saw him, adjusting
some figures, again and again, and deep frown on his face along with hurry and
panic.
'Try it at 15%, it will
work.'
'What?' adi surprised.
'The IRR, try it at 15%.If
math is correct, which is always accurate, says that this project will do well
at only 15% and yes, don't forget to consider your foreign lenders and terms.
But, overall I think it's good one, high cash outflows, only for initial years,
but if you look carefully, payback time is much less and I can clearly see
profits, and substituting taxes and gains, you will reach break even very easily
and in future, depending upon your relation with them and your work, I think
you guys will hit it easily. Go for it.' She said it one quick breath. Finance
was her field, she worked for six long years in that field, she was confident
that she was not wrong at all.
Adi was flabbergasted at
her calculative mind and quick analysis, he did not believe her initially but
when he tried it by her approach; it was simply outstanding and worked like
magic. He smiled at her and thanked her. But, before investigating further more
on her qualifications, he was to send it and he did it in next 5 minutes, with
a deep sigh of relief, as if he was saved from major natural calamity.
'What do you do?' he
asked, bit relaxed then. He knew that he found their new manager, finance
manager, and the girl was perfectly fitting in it, in fact, she deserved much
more than that. He immediately noted her name.
'I just showed you what do
I do, but still if you want proof then may I use your laptop for two minutes,
you check yourself what do I do?' And, she took his laptop and her saved CVs
and qualifications saved with her job finder portal worked. She, with the help
of that, presented adi her full portfolio, and from his face expression it
looked like he was far more impressed which exactly she wanted.
'Why did you leave your
previous job? And that too from Gujarals?' he frowned, what she did not saw was
his worried expression from one name 'Gujrals'. There was something deep
concern in his mind, he thought for a minute.
'Ahh…I was working, but I
was not satisfied with the pay scale.' She purposefully said it, as she knew
somehow she had to get job here. But, it was at that time her ego and proud,
she would never ask for it, because she knew from adi's body language that he
was interested in her and he may ask more. She knew that her work was done, no
matter how, but she had that instinct that, she would get it. She sat back quietly,
watching adi trailed off to somewhere.
***
'No!'
'But, you just check her
once, she is brilliant, she is one we want. After, Mr. Khanna retired, we have
no one in finance, and I really need one person to help me and assist you,
too.'
'Oh? And, how would she
assist me, adi? Can you explain in brief?' Maan asked sarcastically.
'She is just not simple,
finance person. I know, she has construction field knowledge and I think she
can help you with our major projects, which is in process just because of some
non-material matters. She is the one, maan!'
'I don't have time for
personal interview, but I'm giving you last chance, I have to go to lunch with
clients, they liked project and they are ready, anything else? ' he asked.
Adi deliberately did not
mention about her previous workings, he thought to disclose it later, as he
knew the effect on him.
'No. That is it. ' Adi
said smilingly.
'Whatever! I'm going, will
meet your girl tomorrow. Explain her terms and contract' he said and left his
cabin in hurry.
***
'I knew it!' she jumped
with joy.
'Relax geet and
congratulations on your new job. Here is the contract, read it and sign it, on
every page initials will do.' Adi informed geet, who was on lunch break with
pinkey.
She saw it, it was hell
long contract, it seemed like it was some constitution for country, she laughed
and with a deep sigh, she started signing it; she read some points and skipped
most of them.
'You may join from
tomorrow morning at 9 sharp. Our boss hate late comers, please keep that in
mind.' adi explained it like typical assistant of his boss named Mr. Maan Singh
Khurana, which she later found in her contract, his jerk 'M' was Maan. She
smiled a bit, thinking about this never heard before name and her expectations
of his name. 'Just like him, his name is also weird and awkward', she thought.
She left from her new
office with her luggage that she got it from guards, the plane jerk handed it
to guards. She found him foolish, arrogant and thief, too. She left for the
last free day before jumping into the mess. She went for shopping as it was her
favorite hobby; rather it was her full time and sometimes part time job. She
was happy that, she got the job. As it was not enough she had to bear with Nik,
as soon as she reached her home, a small rented apartment perfectly designed by
her, she had a basic talent in decorating and designing home but due to lack of
money and ever green money increasing jobs, she had to choose finance as her
field, she received a call from him. She smiled and picked it up.
'…Okay. I'll meet you
there in fifteen minutes.' And she dropped it on the bed, rolled her eyes and
left.
She informed her ex-boss
for the world about her new appointment. On the other hand, Maya Gujaral was
far happier than geet, as she passed level one.
She was at the small
pastry shop in the mall, waiting for him. And without even much waiting she saw
a guy, in pink causal, holding pastries in the hand with light brown hair
covering his forehead a little and fair complexion, average height and not so
bad physique. He came, sat opposite to her and casually asked her, 'Hey…How are
you?'
'Hi…' geet said smilingly.
She knew this was going to
be odd, she was just waiting for it to finish. As she always wanted to.
After a while, Nik left
the mall with disappointed eyes but with the same rage and sense of revenge in
his eyes which was part of his nature.