Opposite Poles..Part 28

Part 28

“Aree Sham babua? Aaj Dopeher ko hi? How come you came in the afternoon?” asked Buwaji surprised.

“Umm.. Buwaji.. I am not feeling well today!” he said pressing his head. 

“Aree, NandKishore… ! What happened? Wait I will give you head massage!” she hurriedly went inside.  Sham smirked.

His phone rang when she was giving him head massage.  He was little irritated while talking on the phone.  “Aree Humne Kahaan Na.. ki Abhi Nahi Socha Hain! I haven’t given a thought to it!”   he disconnected muttering.

“Dekhiye na Buwaji.. these people… they won’t spare anyone! They are after me with a proposal…!” he said looking up at Buwaji.

“Proposal..?” Buwaji looked confused.  He clarified. “Haan! Marriage Proposal!”

Buwaji lost in thoughts.   After a while she asked.  “Babua, are you really thinking about…!”

“Yeah Buwaji.. I will have to think about it now!” he looked at her since she had stopped giving him massage.

“Babua, I mean… what are your expectations?” she asked and waited.

“Umm Buwaji, I mean.. I believe in destiny.  I mean …what expectations, a person like me will have? I want to settle in life, with a simple  lovable girl ..!” he said gauging Buwaji.  She looked lost.

“I want a girl who is,  may be orphan like me who understands the value of family…!” he stopped looking at Buwaji’s brightened face. 

“Hmm…!” she said going out of the room.  Sham had a broad smile on the face.  “Teer Nishaane pe laga ! Bulls eye!” he muttered smirking.

“I will wait for your response, Buwaji!” he smiled wickedly. 

“Hmm…. Got to do a lot of work!” he got up and came out. 

“Buwaji, you are amazing… I feel much better!” he had all the praises for her.

“Umm.. I need to go now.  I will be out of station for a couple of days!” he said picking up his bag.

“Aree, have some food!” she requested.

“No! I will have to go now! Thank you Buwaji, for the wonderful massage!” he said taking her hand in both his hands and went away.

Buwaji sat there day dreaming …!

********   ********   ******

Khushi was at peace for next couple hours.  She finished all her work.  Now she had the time to look around more keenly. 

The office was huge.  Countless people were moving around silently.  People looked more serious and aloof here.  They kept to their work.  They hardly talk to each other.  Everyone seemed to be busy with something or the other.  

Almost all of them were in business attire difficult to differentiate one from the other.  The girls were ultra modern.  Khushi wondered.  She really looked yokel!  The way they carried themselves in their tiny dress and  their high heels, Khushi was amazed.  Their flawless English with an accent made it more difficult for Khushi to understand.  When the girls passed her cubical they  threw a disgusted look at her and when the men passed by they had a curious look.  Some of them tried to smile at her.  She refrained from showing any expression.  She felt like she was on display in a museum. 

“That monster had done this.  I was better in the warehouse… “ she missed her warehouse colleagues.  She took out her mobile and dialed Mishra Sir’s number.

“Hello Sir!” she called in a lower tone.  “Aree, beti! Are you ok?” he was genuinely concerned about her.

“I am alright, Sir, Thank you!” she was overwhelmed. 

“Beti.. I am sorry for what happened in the morning.  But you know.. I am just an employee…!” he felt a bulk in his throat.

“Its ok sir.  I know I will have to grin and bear it! “ she said bitterly.  Mishra felt sorry for her.

“Poor innocent girl..! she is trapped…!” he thought.

“Beti, your devi mayya will protect you!”  he missed the idol of her devi mayya on her table.  

“Forget it sir.. how is everyone?” she asked and before he could answer, her phone was snatched away.  She turned and struggled to get up, tripped over and lost her balance.

A strong hand gripped her shoulder and steadied her.  She looked aghast in fright.

“No personal calls during office hours!” he snarled at her.  She nodded “S…Sorry Sir!” and stretched her hand to get her phone back.  He raised his hand. 

“You will get it after office hours!” he snapped, confiscated her mobile and went to his cabin. She frowned making faces at his back.  “Ring Master!” he muttered furiously. 

It was six thirty in the evening and people started filing out of the office.  She didn’t know what to do.  Her madam was in His cabin and she didn’t want to go there. 

“I don’t know, in which condition I will see them.. shameless people!” she thought frowning.  She had a cultural shock when she saw them in a hug in the morning. 

She saw Lavanya descending, after a while and took a sigh of relief.  She looked up to see the brown eyes gazing.  She muttered. “He doesn’t have any other work…!” 

“Madam, its quarter to seven.  Can I go now?” she asked politely.

“Yeah!” said Lavanya and turned. 

“No! wait!” she said and Khushi stopped.  “Security..!” Lavanya yelled.  A guard came in.

“Search her before she leaves!” Lavanya ordered.  Khushi froze, so did ASR!

Khushi looked up with a shocked expression. 

“Lavanya, let her go!” he said in a deadly voice from above.  Lavanya looked up.

“But ASR! How can we trust such a girl who is facing…!” Lavanya protested and defended her decision.  Khushi looked up at him groaning inwardly.  For a fleeting second, his eyes reflected her anguish and next moment they were expressionless.

Security guard was back with another lady security officer.  “Khushi took out her bag and handed it over to her!”

“Stop it!” Yelled ASR.  Everyone looked up.  “Let her go!” he said.  Aman came with a docket.

“Ms Gupta, here are your papers, copies of your appointment and joining letter and employment letter.  This is your identity and access control card.  You can come at nine from tomorrow!” he had managed to defuse the situation.  Khushi had not looked up.  She took the docket with trembling hands, stuffed it in her bag and dashed to the ladies rest room.  ASR’s eyes followed her.  

She couldn’t control her tears once she was alone in the rest room in front of the mirror. 

“Mirror bhai.. you are the only one to witness my anguish in this office…!” she said running her fingers on the mirror that was hung on the wall. 

“No one! No one will see me in tears in this office! I promise you mirror bhai… you will be the only one, to see me like this… defeated and miserable.  I am strong enough to endure… but when it goes out of bound, I will come to you..! I know, only you will understand my anguish!  Mirror bhai…! You are the only one in this heartless world…! You understand..! “  She resolutely sent her tears back.  Splashed water on her face, patted it dry and went out with her head held high.

She came to her cubical.  Everyone else had vanished.  She picked up her bag and looked up.  There was no one in the cabin above.

“Phone…?” she looked around, Aman was ready to leave.

“Aman Sir..!” He turned back.

“My phone..?” she looked up. 

“Go! Get it!” he encouraged her.  She fidgeted.  “Ok! I will get it!” he said considerately and went up. 

He came back.  “Ms Gupta, I couldn’t find it!” He said apologetically.  She looked aghast.

“I knew it..!” she muttered furiously.  They both left the office together.

She was on the road, muttering and frowning.  A white SUV stopped an inch away from her.  She jumped in fright.

“Khushi…!” ASR called her in a milder tone.  He took her phone kept on the dashboard...

“Auto… Auto…!” Khushi hailed an auto turning her back on him.

“KHUSHI..!” he screamed…! She got an auto in time and hopped into it.

“Laxmi Nagar..!Jaldi Chaliye!” she said and without looking at him, was on her way home.

“How dare you, Khushi…!” ASR’s rage went over the edge…!