Write India Contest Story - 3 (rather 4)

Thank you for a positive response to my second story. Your comments really helped me and I will try my best to use your feedback, both good and bad, constructively. I missed writing for the third contest from Times of India, for author Ashwin Sanghi. I had given up hopes that I would continue further in this contest but somehow things fell in place and I was able to write for the fourth contest for author Ravi Subramanian. I wrote this entire story in one sitting and did not make any changes to it when I read it the second time. This story is very simple and I kept it that way although I had a lot of time on hand this month but I did not improvise. I don't know why but I hope you like it.


Rules:
The conversation between Maya and Sanjay was given by the author and had to be used compulsorily.
An additional character could be introduced in the story.
No murder, no gore.


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Maya was very impatient today. Shirley, the receptionist, had given her an “inside” news that she was soon to be promoted to a senior manager.

“Really, how do you know it”, asked Maya.

“Well Shirley knows everything in this company. Who is getting promoted, fired, affairs in the company et al. My position in the company is strategic. I meet every person coming to office. The office cafeteria is in my full view. The small terrace aka smokers zone is right behind me. The sales head , marketing head, HR head as well as CEO have their cabins on my floor. Also this is a new age American company which means that we don’t have office boys to run around. I therefore act as a courier too.”

“Today your business unit head came looking for the HR manager but she was not at her desk. So he kept a bunch of promotion letters to be given to her. I obviously went through it. One letter, with your name, my dear, was in that pile. So where are we partying?” Shirley said with a wink and smile.

“Wherever you say. First let me get hold of the letter. I was supposed to get this letter in my last appraisal but missed it. So I will wait till I hear it from the horses mouth”

Maya was with “AmazingWorks Inc.” for the last 10 years. She was a career oriented woman, very

aggressive and a perfectionist and gave all her peers, coincidentally all men, a run for their money. Her colleagues had nicknamed her 'Monica' of 'Friends' fame. It was here that she met Ashok. He was senior to her and the only person she had been impressed with. He was outright smart, talented and aced his craft. He was a senior sales manager when they met and quickly moved up to become a Vice president. He was a smooth talker and Maya always joked that he could even sell air to any home buyer at a premium rate per cubic feet and give a flat free! His strongest point was humour. He always had the audience in splits. His presentations would always have punch lines. In short, Maya was blown away with his personality and sincerity.

Only Shirley had caught a breeze of their romance and that too accidentally, else they had smartly

managed to keep it under wraps. When they had declared about their impending engagement  ceremony, the world was surprised. Some people had also secretly put a bet that the alliance might not work.

“WHAT??? You and Monica getting engaged? Whoa, whoa....I mean when did all this happen and what was I doing. I am your best friend. We smoke together, have lunch together, car pool twice a week and you never let me know. I never got a whiff of it. I hope this is not one of your pranks.”, said Sanjay.

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Ashok and Sanjay were best friends since college. Sanjay knew whenever Ashok had a crush on someone but this time he was caught off guard. They had played so many pranks together. Ashok was very popular in his college. He had an all rounder personality with a big female fan following. With him around, the atmosphere always used to be jovial. He used to flirt often. Yet, Ashok never had any affair with anyone, something which Sanjay found baffling. He was quite focused and knew his career meant the most to him.

“No Sanjay, it is not a prank. I am seriously in love with her and I 'am' inviting you to our engagement ceremony. The wedding will be after 6 months. She is a genius and a warm person as well. Remember, once there was a major problem in one of our projects. It was majorly escalated by our client. She was the new manager on it. There was a high level meeting in Paris at the client site. I was the sales counterpart. I saw her handle even the toughest situation so boldly. She made the client understand how the fault was indeed at their end carefully detailing out the work done by our company versus the work done by their earlier vendor. Wow, she is too good.

That evening, we spent time together since she knew no one else in Paris. That is when I realized that she is such a chilled out girl, a deep contrast to her office image. She is witty. Whenever I had a  wisecrack, she topped it with one of her own. I know I can make people laugh but she can make me laugh with her intelligent humour. Her knowledge of history is amazing. She had never travelled out of India before but her knowledge of the situation in the world wars, how Switzerland maintained its neutrality etc. blew me away. From being enemies in the war to forming a European union today, she could tell me how the equations in the countries changed. It was like a small documentary. We hit it off from day one. She loves to travel and so do I. She always has small tidbits to share about the place and its local culture. She is well read. She is a very warm person but if anyone mentions that men are superior than women then God forbid. I would not be surprised to see him dead .

She has earned everything she wants, so it is very easy for me to make her happy. A roadside pani puri, pav bhaji at her favourite joint or making her favourite soup at home are enough to bring her out of any bad mood.”

Maya was thrilled to show her promotion letter to Ashok. Her only concern was that now she will have to move to the other office building, which means no more of the evening tea together. Ashok cheered her up saying that this achievement was much more than the cup of tea. Maya although was feeling the pinch.

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“Oh does that mean you love me so much that now you can sacrifice your dear career for me.”

“No way. No one comes in between me and my career ”

“Not even me?”

“Yes, not even you.” She said with a flirting smile.

Days passed. It was Maya's birthday and Ashok was late from work. He had promised to come early and take her out for dinner. Maya was waiting. She was standing in the balcony looking at the road. Suddenly a car pulled up and Ashok got down. A good looking, dressed for page 3, girl was at the wheel. Ashok was having an animated talk with her and the girl was endlessly giggling. The girl looked fresh out of college. It was already late but Ashok seemed to be in no hurry.

The minute he entered, Maya asked, “Who was that? Why did you get so late? Where is our car?”

“You mean that hot babe”, Ashok said teasing.

“No, I mean that bitch”

“Jealous hmm but still, please mind your words. She is a fresher in our company, yeah refreshingly fresh.

She offered me a lift since our car had a flat tyre”

“And where was Sanjay. He did not offer you a lift.”

“Sanjay, who? Who cares for a Sanjay, when you get such nice company.”

Ashok continued to tease her in his usual manner. Maya was getting angry since he did not even wish her for her birthday. However, Ashok soon came out dressed in casuals and brought out a nice set of earrings as a gift. The rest of the evening was fun.

Few days later.... Maya saw Shirley's name flash on her phone.

“Hi there, miss senior manager. You have forgotten me ever since you shifted to the new building. Whats up.”

“Hey, so nice to hear from you. I so needed this call. I was feeling out of place. I am good but I miss the old crowd and I miss seeing Ashok twice a day. Hey by the way, who is that new babe.”

“Oh ho, so the news has already flown across. She is the new talk of the town. Miss glamorous is a part of

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the new autumn collection. She also happens to be Ashok's new tea time mate. She has a very loud,

attention seeking giggle.”

At home...

“I miss you so much especially during lunch and tea time. I am sure you miss me too”, said Maya.

“Well not really. Just yesterday Sanjay treated us to a sumptuous biryani from the new nearby hotel and tea time is now even more colourful.”

Ashok winked but Maya felt hurt. He could judge it from her face but he kept pulling her leg for a while before she stormed into the kitchen. Ashok had a hearty laugh. Maya did not talk to him for the rest of the evening.

Next day, Ashok dropped in to Maya's office for tea time. Maya almost ran happily to the cafeteria to meet Ashok but stopped on seeing the new tea-mate. Ashok introduced the new girl to Maya and a polite conversation followed. Ashok gave Maya a slight hug before leaving but that did not enliven her.

Next day, Maya mentioned to Shirley about her encounter with Miss giggles. Shirley started teasing Maya.

Shirley: “Maya, beware. Hope this girl does not have an eye on your husband . Yesterday

evening, she was inquiring if the flat tyre is repaired. She was ready to offer him a lift again. She talks with a dreamy look in the eyes, batting eyelids showing off her perfect mascara and eyeliner (laughs again). The same look which we left long ago on the college doorstep. She behaves as if she is still in college and is hunting for a partner for her prom night. Ashok is so sweet. I would have also loved to flirt with him but what luck, you got him before me.” She laughed at her own jokes.

Maya did not like it. Maya was becoming increasingly restless.

“I wish I can pull off her false eyelashes. Down will come mascara and everything. No, may be if I pull her eyelashes with a perfect grip, the entire mask on her face will drop down......bitch”

Shirley continued to mimic Miss mascara and laugh.

Maya was unable to concentrate on her work anymore. Talking with Ashok made no sense. “He will again

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start cracking jokes”, she thought. “Let me check with Sanjay. May be I should invite him home”

Sanjay arrived at Maya's house. Ashok was off for a 3 day sales trip to London. He was expected to come later that evening. Maya was visibly upset but still continued with her pleasantries. She could not hold on to the false conversation much longer and directly came to the point.

What the hell is going on between my husband and that bitch?' Maya's patience was at its lowest ebb and she was ready to burst.

Sanjay knew that she was serious. 'Look, Maya. There is nothing going on between the two of them. Just a little bit of healthy flirting, I'd say.'

'Flirting? Healthy flirting? Really Sanjay . . .' she rolled her eyes in disgust. 'That's what you men call it?

There is nothing healthy about flirting, Sanjay, not for a married man.

Healthy flirting is a term introduced by perverted men who want to lend legitimacy to their extramarital dalliances. Flirting invariably has a sexual connotation to it.' She got up from her seat and walked around the room gesticulating and muttering something to herself. Suddenly she stopped, turned back, looked at Sanjay and asked, 'Did my husband sleep with her? You are his friend. Did he ever tell you anything about it?'

“Maya calm down. It is not at all serious. The two hardly meet in office. In fact Ashok has been dealing with an upset client, the reason why he is in London.”

Just then the door opened and Ashok stepped in. Maya had moist eyes.

“Thank God, Ashok, you are home. Please take care of your wife. She seriously thinks something is going on between you and that new girl.”

Maya could not hold her tears anymore and started sobbing. Ashok hugged his wife and said, “You really think I was flirting with her. . No, silly. It was you, with whom I was flirting. I saw how upset you were on the day of the promotion. The entire happiness of your promotion was taken away just

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because you wont get to spend time with me. However you were not ready to accept that. Over a period of time, your priority has changed and now it is me who is more important to you. So I did this little drama. However I never ever flirted with that babe.”

“So all this was just a joke.”

“Yes. I even visited you for tea once so that you do not miss me and I brought her along so that I could introduce you to her and you get to know her. I wanted to give you the confidence that I was honest in my actions and not hiding anything”

“I would have killed that girl, had you not spoken to me today.”

“So admit that you love me more than your career.”

“Yes I do but I have loved you more than my career right from the beginning. If that was not the case, I would have never married you.”

Sanjay: “Ashok, you were right. You have indeed found yourself a soul mate. I would have never imagined Maya in this avatar. This fierce lady can make 10 guys cry in office and here she is unable to control her tears. She really loves you.”

Everybody had a good laugh.