OFFICE
Tucking
a stray strand of hair into her otherwise pristine French bun, the
elegant lady strutted through the sparkling corridors that led to her
private office. The rhythmic echoes of her Jimmy Choo heels against
the porcelain floors were as much a style statement as they were an
intimation to the remaining staff of their 'Madam's' arrival.
Swinging
open the door to her cabin, the petite lady dropped her expensive
Dior purse on the table before taking her seat on the inviting
leather chair. Out of habit, she instantly opened a drawer under her
table and grabbed a lighter along with a pack of Silk-Cut.
Having
lit the cigarette, she gracefully crossed her legs and then leaned
back on the swivel chair - drawing in a puff as she did so.
'Heavenly'
she thought to herself as she scanned the white ceilings of her
cabin. Actually, large room more like - luxuriously large - for a
HR manager, at least! However, that's how she'd wanted it and she
ALWAYS got what she wanted - be it her cabin, her position or even
her husband.
Being
the wife of the CEO, she could have easily laid claims to a much
higher position. However, she knew where her talents lay - in
managing the people around her!
Her
lazy glances then trailed around the room till they stopped at the
row of files arranged on her table. She smiled at the embossed logo
that marked most of them -
JA
JA Group!
It
was the LARGEST Steel corporation in India and SHE was the wife of
the dashing young entrepreneur who singularly owned it. All of it!
Mrs Ruqaiyya Jalal-ud-din Mohammed loved telling herself that fact -
at least twelve times a day!
Shortly
thereafter, her glimpses fell upon an older file right at the bottom
of the pile. Snapping out of her thoughts in a spell, she leaned
forward and pulled it out.
It
was the proposal she'd prepared ages ago - a proposition to open a
new textile design branch under the umbrella group of JA JA
corporation. It'd been a long-standing wish of her's - pashminas,
shawls, scarves and silks! She'd have the silks exquisitely designed
before exporting them! Why, her gay friend - Hoshiyaar Khan -a
Nationally renowned fashion designer had even promised to help her
start up!
'I
know my stuff...the plan would be foolproof!' she'd thought to
herself as she'd prepared the proposal four months ago.
Then,
why was this significant project of hers now lying abandoned at the
bottom of a pile?
She
remembered his sly frowns when she'd told her husband about her plans
that lazy Sunday morning. Placing her arms lovingly around his neck
and putting on her sweetest smile, she'd waited for his reply -
hoping he'd approve her offer instantly. However, he'd come back with
a pretty-much-expected answer!
'Whatever
your proposal Ruqaiyya darling...prepare it...have Badi Ammi
proof-read it...and when SHE shows it to me, I shall have a look at
it...'
Drawing
away from her thoughts, Ruqaiyya pressed the buzzer on her intercom
impatiently. No sooner than the secretary at the other end attended
the call, she meted a stern instruction 'Send for Mrs. Maham...
IMMEDIATELY!'
********************
A
short while later - a few gentle knocks were heard on the door
'Come
in'
A
middle-aged lady walked in. Spectacles sitting on the brink of her
nose, the woman was dressed in a plain white cotton saree and a
matching white blouse - as always!
Briefly
studying the lady's garb from top to bottom, Ruqaiyya couldn't help
but stifle a sneer. She had NO IDEA why the lady'd chosen to stick to
this facade of purity - seeing how she'd never heard the lady recall
her expired husband's memories even once!
'Whatever!'
she sighed to herself eventually - Maham's wardrobe was the least of
HER worries anyway.
Indicating
to the file in her hand, she went on to cease the silence in the room
with a questioning glare 'Why is this file lying here Mrs. Maham?'
Maham
stared at the file in her mistress' hand and then looked back at
Ruqaiyya. Her cunning mind had already formulated a hundred
justifications to cover up for her actions.
'Madam
Ruqaiyya' she began with apparent disdain 'Isn't this the file that
you'd prepared some months ago? A project for some fashion business
you were looking to come up with?'
'Yes...so...didn't
you show it to Jalal as I'd asked you to?'
'Hmmm...I
did...' the older lady replied with mock concern 'However, he didn't
think that the information in it was sufficient to render it
presentable at a board meeting...'
Ruqaiyya
couldn't believe her ears 'Then, why didn't you tell me so earlier?'
'Well...you
didn't ask me' Maham replied with a seemingly sympathetic smile
Unfortunately
for Ruqaiyya; though she was 'boss' at home, it was Maham who ruled
the roost at office - a set-up that she hated from the very
beginning. However, she could do little to change it. It was how
things worked long before she'd come into the picture!
The
middle aged vixen who stood in front was no ordinary lady! She was
the one who'd raised Jalal ever since his parents had died in a car
accident a long time ago. Starting off as an ordinary nanny in the
family, her importance had grown by leaps and bounds when she'd
decided to take the orphaned little one under her wing - him AND
all of the fortune that he was going to inherit! Whether fortunately
or otherwise - it was Maham who'd brought up the young heir and got
him educated in one of the top universities in the country. It was
Maham who'd made Jalal the astute entrepreneur he was today - capable
of inheriting AND expanding his father's legacy!
Jalal
was no ungrateful ward either. He respected the lady more than he did
anyone else in his life - and not primarily because she raised him
or had had him educated, but because she earnestly fulfilled a wish
of his that was dearer to his heart than any other!
'Damn
that Amul Gold homogenized toned milk' the disgruntled Ruqaiyya
thought to herself, yet again. It was a brand of milk that Jalal
loved as a child - the only brand he'd drink. Therefore, Maham had
taken it upon herself to loyally traipse down to the Kirana store
every morning for seven years to bring him a fresh packet. [Actually,
she had opted for a home delivery option after a month or so, but
none at home really knew about it!]
It
was due to that very Amul Gold homogenized toned milk that Jalal
found himself indebted to Maham for life!
Standing
up, the enraged businesswoman kicked back her chair as she paraded up
to the comparatively composed nanny. So what if Maham was ingenious
with accounts and business, Ruqaiyya was no less either. She wouldn't
take this insult lightly.
'Don't
mock my efforts Mrs. Maham...' Ruqaiyya said, puffing her cigarette
'A lot of effort has gone into it...I hope you understand who you're
talking to...'
'I
very well do' the lady replied 'I'd never intended
disrespect...however, you must realize that this is a steel group of
industries...'
'Steel!
Steel! Steel!' she'd nearly thrown a fit there 'That's all you can
think about...and thanks to you, that's all Jalal is obsessed about
too! Nothing else!'
'Obviously'
the crafty nanny reminded her 'After all, that's what his father's
company was to begin with...which has now become this big empire
thanks to Jalal's hard work!'
Her
patience was wearing thin 'It doesn't mean we can't experiment in
other areas too...'
'Madam...madam...madam...'
Maham interrupted her mistress abruptly, unaware that her annoying
habit of addressing people 'three-times-over' only riled Ruqaiyya
more! 'I will talk to Jalal once again, when the time is suitable'
'And
when would that be?'
'Which
would be never again' Maham thought to herself slyly.
The
gifted woman that Maham was, she'd learnt the workings of JA JA group
like none else through the course of Jalal's upbringing. So much so
that she'd grown to become his advisor in many-a-business-affair!
However,
there was one area she was NOT an undisputed leader in and that was
FASHION. Her sense of fashion was for want of better word - abysmal
- in comparison to Ruqaiyya's. If Mrs. Jalal-ud-din Muhammed
managed to get her way and open a fashion branch, she'd have no say
or power in it. Now, THAT was something Maham would never let happen!
Surveying
her sceptical mistress, Maham reiterated herself - this time with a
wide smile 'Madam, I WILL speak to Jalal when the time is
suitable...trust me...'
'And
WHEN exactly would that be?' Ruqaiyya came back again - her tone
sharper. She could see precisely how the lady was trying to sabotage
her dreams!
'Another
day Madam...not today...' the nanny explained 'As it is, Jalal wasn't
very pleased with you for misplacing his treasured shoes last
night...'
'What?'
Ruqaiyya exclaimed under her breath. How could she have known their
private conversation? Unless of course, the old woman was peeking
through their bedroom door yet again last night!
Disgusted,
Ruqaiyya interrupted the old lady 'Enough of this! I know its never
going to happen Mrs. Maham...so I shall take matters into my own
hands now!'
Seizing
her mobile phone, Ruqaiyya quickly texted her husband
'Jalal,
I need you here now, xo xo xo!'
She
was aware of how far her husband disliked any such distractions -
especially when he was in meetings with clients, but she did it
anyway. After all, she knew she 'ruled his mind' and whatever the
matter - he'd be at her cabin in no time!
Glaring
at the disapproving Maham, Ruqaiyya quickly finished up her
cigarette, as she waited for his arrival.
Soon
after, there was a knock
'Why
is he knocking?' Ruqaiyya thought 'Come in...'
The
door swung open and in staggered a gruffly-dressed man in khakhis.
The smell of alcohol instantly permeated the room as the boor
clumsily brought a paper towards them.
Edited by lashy - 10 years ago
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