Chapter 1 Aisha
My brain has officially stopped working half an hour ago with back to back meetings and numerous mail answering. I am staring at my half empty coffee cup after answering the last mail as on autopilot when my phone dings from a notification. I casually pick up my mobile thinking it is a promotional message, but then I see the message on the screen, “Aisha you need to increase your monthly installments, ₹43,56,967 are still pending. I need my money as soon as possible.” My eyes locked on the message for a few minutes. Then I put my mobile beside my laptop and lay my head on the wooden desk in front of me, both my hands on my head, fingers pulling my hair. I close my eyes for a minute when suddenly the door of my cabin snaps open. I look at the door startled. In front of me stands Shruti, my manager. I huff a breath looking at her knowing I will now get another half-finished project of hers which I would have to finish and whose deadline might be arriving soon. But before I can say something, she stands in front of me, her hands on my desk as she orders, “Aisha, we have a meeting at 9 am tomorrow. New client. Information was already mailed 5 minutes ago”. I look at her dumbfounded. A few seconds later, I find my voice as I say,
“For the love of God Shruti, it's 5 pm already. How do you expect me to prepare for a meeting in such short notice”?
“Top orders. Can't do anything.”, she turns around saying it, her red heels clacking on the floor as she moves, not bothering to listen to what I have to say in return or if I even want to take this project or not. She reaches the door, looks back at me and says again,
“And Aisha, this is a big deal. The boss wants it signed as soon as possible.”, and she then walks out of the room slamming the door shut.
Now the only sound in the room is the faint hum of the AC as I look at the slammed door totally shocked. It's worse than I anticipated. Releasing a huff, I pull my laptop again, opening the mails, damn again. Her mail is staring at me from the top of my inbox. As I open the mail, there are 2 files attached, one probably about the deal I have to get signed and other would mostly be about the client. I look at the information about the deal and make short notes in my notebook about the deal while reading the document. Then I opened the second file looking for information about the client. As I open the document, a pair of ocean blue eyes stare back at me. I am mesmerized by the eyes. After a few seconds, I come out of the haze and start reading the document. Kairos Bandoni is the name of the blue eyed man, my new client. He's Italian. I read a few more about him when the alarm on my desk rings indicating 7 pm on the clock, the official time this office ends. I slowly get up from my desk, close the laptop, collect my belongings and put them in the bag with my laptop and notebook to complete the rest of the work at home.
As I exit the office building, fresh air welcomes me, half-moon shining above. I slowly walk to the nearest bus stand to take a bus to my house. After a five-minute walk, I'm at the bus stand waiting for the bus. The bus arrives two minutes later and I sit on the single empty window seat in the bus after taking the ticket. I then pull out my earbuds and start listening music while looking out of the bus, as cool air slaps my face. I reach my house half an hour later.
I pull my keys out of the side pocket of my office bag hanging on my shoulders and unlock the house. I remove my heels behind the door and put my bag aside as soon as I enter the house. I land on the sofa in front of the door beside the kitchen with both hands on either side of the sofa. After laying like that for a few minutes, I look at the kitchen and decide against cooking and call a nearby dhabha for an order of a plate of khadi chawal. Then I go into my bathroom leaving the mobile on the sofa and take a warm shower washing away the tiredness of the whole day, changing into my regular pyjamas and t-shirt. The doorbell rings the same time I come out of the bathroom. I open the door and see the bhaiya from the dhabha holding my food. I paid him and then took the food from him, thanking him and closing the door after him. I walk to the kitchen to grab a plate and spoon with a bottle from the fridge and put everything on the bed. I pour food onto the plate, its tangy aroma filling the room with steam rising from the khadi. I think of eating while working so I bring the bag from the tiny living room and put out the laptop and notebook.
I start working while eating my comfort food, sitting on the bed. After a few hours, I stretch my arms when the work is finally finished. I look at the clock which shows 2:36 am. I look around the room and see the empty plate of khadi chawal with the packets beside the bed. I leave it there to deal with the mess tomorrow as I shut my laptop, put it on the side table and lay down on the bed switching the lights off. Against my better judgement, the last thoughts in my mind are of the man I worked the whole night for, before sleep engulfs me.
