by Ruchi Singh
Wiping the tears resulting from cutting the onion, she stood in front of the mini fridge contemplating the flavor of the yoghurt for dinner, when someone knocked at her door. She frowned. Was she getting the fabulous dinner again?
She opened the door and found the object of her fury standing in his suit, with a dinner tray in the hands, all traces of anger gone from his face, as if the episode in the afternoon had been a dream. The tray looked out of place in his hands. Her heart began its maddening beat and her nostrils twitched. But the amusement fled from his face when he laid eyes on her.
"Are you crying?" Vikram scowled.
"Of course not! I never cry." What a ludicrous thought!
"Never?" He smiled and glanced down at the tray.
"I've made my dinner," she said making no move to take the tray.
He took a deliberate in-your-face step forward with the tray against her stomach, forcing her to move back. Keeping the tray on the coffee table, he looked around leisurely. The room appeared smaller and somewhat cozy. The sliver of awareness ran through her again. She stopped fighting her body's reaction to him and sighed silently.
"Is the room to your liking?"
"Yes, thank you."
He picked up the novel she was reading the night before from the bed.
"Mr. Seth?" Esha didn't want him peeking in her life.
"I've come here to apologize."
Her eyes widened, for he didn't look the least bit contrite. In fact, after uttering those words, he kept the book down and moved towards the kitchenette.
"What's cooking?"
'My peace of mind,' she wanted to say, but stayed silent.
He lifted the cooker lid and sniffed. "Smells okay, looks... um... unappetizing." And to her chagrin, took a spoonful and ate her veg khichdi. "Not bad. But we are supposed to feed you. Have meals at home, it'll be easier for dada, he is getting old."
"Thank you. I can manage."
"I said I'm sorry." He moved towards the coffee table with lazy steps and picked up the transmitter-receiver set Nikhil had given her.
"Hey Major, have you eaten?" Nikhil spoke first and poked his head in later. "Oh... Vikram. You have already brought a tray... good, good." He glanced at Vikram then at her, a funny, almost indecipherable expression on his face.
"Yeah... and E... Major refuses my offer to eat at home."
"Why is it so, E-Major? I also eat there."
"That too, when I have apologized."
"You? Apologized?" Nikhil's eyebrows shot up, then recovered. "I too came to say sorry."
Esha glanced from one friend to the other, playing verbal hockey—and she was damn sure—they were amusing themselves at her expense. And what was the deal about 'E-Major'? Keeping her face blank, she went to the door and held it open. "Good night."
"Fine. See you tomorrow." Nikhil retreated as he had come.
She looked at Vikram still holding the transmitter and watching her with narrowed eyes.
"Is something going on between the two of you?" he said casually.
"Something going on?" She frowned.
"Yeah... I hope I'm not poaching on your time together." He jerked a thumb towards the door.
"I don't know about Nick, but you are definitely poaching on MY time, Mr. Seth." She clenched her teeth.
"Vikram."
"Huh?"
"Call me Vikram," he said looking at her in his patented way, focusing on each feature, lingering on her lips a moment too long.
Her already pounding heart jumped to her throat.
"Good night, Major. See you at breakfast." He kept the transmitter down and moved towards the door, then turned. "Oh yes... you can use the gym at home. It's in the basement. The entrance is from the back and it'll open with your card and thumb imprint." He saluted and left, leaving her all the more perplexed with his changing moods.
* * * *
Suburbs, Mumbai
8th October, 9:30 PM
She sat looking outside the window, thinking about him. Surely he was supposed to come today. She hoped she hadn't mixed up the dates again. But he'll remember, she was sure. He never forgot anything. He was a king—so smart, so handsome.
Look at the palace he had provided for her... all virginal white.
She had been a virgin that first night and had stained his pristine white sheets. He had been so patient with her, soothing her, telling her not to worry about the sheets. He had changed them and helped her get clean again. Then they had made love again and Anna came into existence. Their child... Born out of their love in—
Where was Anna born? She didn't remember. When did he see her and their child for the first time? Was he there in the hospital? The memory refused to surface. Where was her baby? Panic numbed her.
Confused she looked around and saw their daughter sleeping in her pink crib. The fear receded. Oh God! Why was she so dull headed all the time? She peeked inside the crib.
Anna was so much like him—beautiful, pretty, and always cheerful. Their little girl was so well-behaved, she never threw tantrums. She was sure her baby doll would follow her father's footsteps and graduate from Harvard.
Why wasn't he coming? The sun was going down. Wasn't it time for him to come? She was beginning to get the jitters again.
What had he promised her? Was he supposed to come today or tomorrow? She had forgotten again.
Anna began crying, probably sensing her distress. Poor baby. She picked her up from the crib and crooned a lullaby. Her voice soothed the baby as well as her own soul. Her voice was divine, he had said once.
"He should have come by now! Why the delay?" She wondered, but the next moment she admonished herself. He was a busy man, a king. She should be the one supporting him rather than expecting him to come running to her. But she wasn't a stupid woman. She understood him and his obligations. Yes, she did.
The baby was asleep.
She lay her down in the crib, failing to acknowledge the open blue plastic eyes.
* * * *
Part Two: Symphony
October 11th
Seth Towers, Mumbai
11th October, 8:00 AM
Esha finished sweeping the outer room, and took the scanner to Vikram's office. It had been three days and she had fallen into the planned routine. Nikhil had arranged for sophisticated scanners for bugs and bombs, which were handy, concealed in a TV remote, but she had to be discreet. She had another half an hour before anyone arrived.
The scent of Vikram's unmistakable brand of tobacco lingered in the room, not acute to bother her allergies but enough to remind her that this was his space, every article unmistakably masculine and expensive. Touching the objects and things that he had used and would be using brought an unexpected intimacy to the whole exercise every day.
She caressed the bright onyx paper-weight. He had been holding it the day he had told her not to stand in the military stance, suggesting she should fiddle with something to keep her hands occupied, worried that she might blow her cover. She smiled at her own stupidity and scanned the credenza.
On her second night on the job he had broken the formal distance between them for the first time, bringing the dinner. Was he attracted to her too? Or was she reading too much into it? No. She hadn't imagined his lingering gaze on her lips. Or maybe, he was making up for his outburst earlier in the office that evening.
After that night, they hadn't had any opportunity for a personal conversation. Partly because of his busy schedule and partly because she made sure that they were never alone.
Using the legitimate excuse of leaving for office early, she had avoided any direct conversation. She completed her gym session by five in the morning. Striking a deal with Kishore dada, she ate breakfast at the kitchen counter. And Vikram would always be busy on his phone during their commute back home, so much so that he often had his dinner while working in his den at home. Even Nikhil had been out of station for the past two days. So effectively, she had lived in peace for the past three days.
A muted click of someone entering the outer room brought her back from her reflections. Keeping the paper-weight back, she resumed scanning, not bothered with the intrusion since she had locked the door so that no one could come inside when she checked and sanitized the office rooms.
The person crossed the outer room and tried to unlock the office. The door handle twisted many a times. Esha smiled when she heard Koel's muffled curse. She was one nosy busybody.
"Why do you always come so early in the morning?" Koel blasted the question the moment Esha stepped out of his room. "And why did you the lock the room?"
"You are early."
"Why do YOU come early? To sweep and mop the office?" Koel smirked.
Esha chuckled. "Yeah... in fact you are right."
"So where is your broom?"
"I don't need a broom, I have... what do you call it... a wand."
"Bitch..." Koel muttered, pivoting towards her desk.
"More like a witch." Vikram's deep baritone cut into their conversation.
Koel whirled around and began blabbering. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry sir, we were just fooling around, weren't we, Esha?" All flustered, Koel stood there wringing her hands with her gaze bouncing from Vikram to Esha, but none of them paid any attention to her predicament.
"Good morning," Esha said unable to break the eye contact, "Board meeting today," she finally blurted.
He blinked and stepped forward. "Yeah, the board meeting. So have you waved your wand for it or not?" he asked crossing the room to enter his office.
"Maria will be waving hers," she said causing him to chuckle.
Leaning on his door, he looked back and threw a devastating smile at her before barricading himself in the room for the day.
* * * *
Esha thanked her lucky charms that Maria's maternity leave would start after the board meeting. She didn't have a clue about logistics and Koel had refused to help her in anything. Apparently, the seating in the board room was fixed and the stationery and refreshments were to be arranged according to each individual's preferences. Quirks of rich people.
Esha had sanitized the room in the morning and had done another check after Maria left to bring her laptop. On a spur of the moment, she crouched under the table for a last minute check as Vikram entered with his mother, and Maria close behind them.
"Ms. Sinha, are you waving your magic wand under the table?" Vikram said as he entered the plush room.
Scoundrel. He knew what she was doing and yet he had to bring everyone's attention to her. "I'm sorry, I dropped my pen." Esha stood up twirling the pen in her left hand, keeping the right behind her back. He grinned at her, throwing a fleeting glance at her right hand.
"Mom, meet Ms. Esha Sinha, she will be working with me temporarily, in place of Maria."
Thankfully, his mother didn't expect a handshake. Mrs. Seth tilted her head, smiled perfunctorily, and took her seat adjacent to Vikram, who sat at the head of the table.
For Esha, it was a tableau unfolding as the chairs of the conference room were taken one by one. She had read about the people in attendance, but in reality they brought their personality along, filling the gaps in their respective dossiers.
"Good morning, everyone." His sister, Vandana, addressed everyone in the room. She was a beautiful lady, though she wasn't as tall as her mom or Vikram. She had an aura of vulnerability around her that inspired one to protect her. Her husband and aspiring MP, Gautam Jindal, was tall and charismatic, complementing his wife. But it seemed there was trouble brewing in their marriage, for sitting opposite each other they didn't even acknowledge each other.
"Where's Viraj?" Mrs. Seth asked.
"Must be lying in some hell hole... the good for nothing..." Vandana muttered.
"It's okay, Vandana." Mrs. Seth cut her short.
"Yes, I know ma, we have to maintain the decorum. I'm sorry. But why always us? Shouldn't he show some sense of responsibility?"
"Anyway, let's begin. I have a busy day today," Mrs. Seth said.
There were a couple of directors from outside the family present as advisors without any voting rights. Esha braced herself for two hours of utter boredom, where everything discussed would be beyond her understanding. Numbers and math had never been her favorite subjects. Thankfully, Maria and her own seats were in one corner, behind the head of the table.
The door of the room slammed open after they had discussed the first item on the agenda.
"Hi guys, did you miss me?" A man stood at the threshold of the door, smiling and insolently scanning the room. His gaze settled on Vikram, who sat watching him passively. "Aah, everyone is angry except my little, intelligent brother Vikramaditya Seth. It seems I'm not sufficiently late." He was a tall and lanky man, stylishly dressed in the heights of fashion. His daring stance and veiled insults had no effect on Vikram. Rotating the laser pointer in his hand, Vikram studied the man in silence.
"Sit down, Viraj. I have another meeting after this," Mrs. Seth said.
"Oh... my dear respected chachiji!" He rushed towards her and made a play at touching her feet, but he didn't even bend down. "What would we have been but for you?"
"Cut the crap, Viraj," Jindal said, grinning at him.
"Did you like it?" Viraj grinned, displaying a perfect set of white teeth as he sat beside Jindal. Viraj was Vikram's cousin on his father's side. Viraj's father was a drug addict and had died of drug overdose ten years back. Viraj had worked under Vikram, as per the will of their grandfather, and handled Seth's chain of hotels.
"Shall we begin, ladies and gentlemen?" Vikram nodded at the people on the table.
Everyone gave their status and agreed on the next quarter's targets. Watching Vikram tackle everyone was a revelation. He would see the loop holes in the business strategy and discussion that no one otherwise could point out.
The meeting went smoothly till the time it was Viraj's turn. He was managing their chain of five-star hotels spread all over the country. Vikram vetoed investing another hundred crores in the hotels on something that Viraj had suggested. Esha had glazed over a major part of the discussion, so she peeped at Maria's screen for the missing notes.
"Why?" Viraj stamped the table and stood up.
Startled, Esha looked up from her screen. Viraj's pale complexion had gone red, his hands fisted by his side. She scanned the other faces around the table. Jindal looked positively delighted as if he was waiting for an interesting drama to unfold. Everybody else looked bored, already fed up of the theatrics maybe, with the exception of Vandana. She was eyeing Viraj with a loathing that bordered around a murderous rage. The pen in her hand was drilling a hole on the white notepad that was embossed with her name.
"The investment will bring down the share prices. Any improvement done for the hotels has to be earned from the business, not taken from the shareholders," Vikram said.
Although Esha heard Vikram's cold and correct response, she was totally besotted with Vandana's reaction. Vandana's face went soft, filled with pride as she transferred her glance to Vikram. It was apparent that she adored her younger brother.
"But you know that tourism has been bad this year."
"A risk that looms every year, and something that you have to manage, Viraj." Vikram switched off the wall projection screen. "Since everything has been covered for the next quarter, I think we can adjourn the meeting. Viraj, you and I will continue this discussion in private." Vikram stood up, signaling the end of the meeting.
"Whatever you want to say, say it in front of everyone. I don't give a damn!" Viraj clenched his jaw, clearly upset at the authoritative tone Vikram had used with him.
"I don't think I can spare anymore time," Mrs. Seth cut in with her crisp response even as she and her secretary shuffled and collected their files and belongings.
"No one goes till the time I say so!" Viraj yelled.
"Viraj, don't create a scene." Jindal held Viraj's arm.
"Thank you, everyone." Mrs. Seth left the room with her assista
nt.
The other members too followed her out except for Jindal and Vandana, who sat watching the drama unfold—Jindal, with a faint smile, and Vandana, with a wary contempt.
"You can't control us like this, as if we don't have any brains. Every time..." Viraj's hands fisted.
"Maria please go home, you look tired. Esha and I'll manage." Vikram closed his notebook. Maria nodded and left the room with her files.
"I'll—"
"Viraj, I said we'll discuss this in private." Vikram picked up his notebook.
Esha noticed Nikhil entering the room and taking position with his back to the closed door. No one paid any attention to him.
All of a sudden, Viraj stepped forward and rammed a fist into Vikram's jaw. Startled, Esha stood up, and the notebook on her lap smashed on the floor. Vandana gasped. Nikhil rushed forward and grabbed Viraj's arms from behind. Viraj struggled, unsuccessfully, against Nikhil's vice like grip. Vikram took out a handkerchief and wiped the blood off his lips.
Jindal stood up, shaking his head. "Come on Viraj, boy. Don't get all heated up. Nothing comes out of anger. Nick, leave him."
Nikhil left him but planted himself between Vikram and Viraj.
"I'll not forget this." Viraj spat on the floor and glared at Vikram and Nikhil.
"Nothing new. We'll discuss your plan after you have cooled down. Ask for an appointment."
Esha couldn't understand why Vikram was hell bent on goading him. Though nothing showed on his face, she gathered that he was livid with Viraj. She picked up her notebook. It was switched off and the screen had cracked.
"You know Vikram, you shouldn't pick a fight with any and everyone," Jindal drawled, dragging Viraj out of the room. "Someday one may cross the line."
Vandana scowled and snorted, glancing at her husband.
"He is bad news." Vandana took a step closer to Vikram and peered at his wound.