Chapter 4:

Ek ladki

 

 

A contract was typed out and Geet signed. Then they left for KC. Dadi had packed the pasta into a tiffin and had taken it with her. When they reached KC Geet was shocked.

"Ma'am, yeh to…"

"Ha, yeh meri company hain. Aur aaj se tum jahin kaam karogi."

They went up to the 10^th floor. The place was huge. Geet had an entire floor to herself. She was allowed to redecorate as per her wishes and needs and all bills will be paid by the company. Geet remembered someone and said:

"Ma'am, kya aap kabhi is office ke MD se milli ho?"

"Kyun beta?" Dadi didn't want Geet to know she was Maan's Dadi, at least not before her contract was singed by him.

"Aap ko patta hai, woh kitne bade Dusht Daanav hai? Har bar kissi pe binna waje chillate hai aur unhe daate hain. Kal ek file nahin milli to pura office sar pe utha liya. Woh to jungle lagte hai, aap ne unhe jaha kyun job di?"

Dadi had hard times repressing her laughter. She knew Maan could get wild if things didn't go as per his wishes. No one had ever said that out loud in fear of Maan. Dadi liked Geet even more now.

"Theek hai, hum unki khabar lenge."

 

While Geet made a note of what she wanted to be done, Savitry Devi slipped to the floor below into her grandson's office. Maan was busy on the phone as usual and was mildly surprised when his Dadi entered. He quickly finished his call and said:

"Dadima aap?"

She had great fun teasing her grandson and didn't let one chance go. She knew that he knew that she would only come if she had any important thing to discuss. Mostly it was about a marriage proposal but today was different. (Well, slightly!)

"Haan Maan, hume aap se kuch saroori baat karni hain. Ek ladki ke bare main"

Maan sighed, when will she give up?

"Dekhye, I'm not interested."

"You should be, after all she is you responsibility" Dadi smiled inwardly. She knew Maan was thinking about a girl for marriage.

Maan looked perplex.

"My responsibility? Since when?"

"Since she started to work here"

Maan made a mental note to fire this person who ever she was as soon as Dadi is gone.

"Who are you talking about???"

"Pinky Manchanda of course" Dadi had real difficulties keeping a straight face.

Maan's facial expression changed from annoyed to confused to shocked.

"Pinky" he said. Pinky was the bubbly receptionist of KC who had only two aims in life: eating and Adi.

"Dadi what are you saying? How can I…I mean Pinky…" He shut up, this was too much. Adi had not only been his most loyal employee but also his only friend. He knew how much he loved Pinky and what she meant for him. The thought of him marrying Pinky was….

Dadi showed some mercy on her grandson and said:

"I am saying that Pinky is you employee and hence your responsibility. She is down with food poisoning the second time in one month. It must be the food in this canteen that made her sick. That is why I want to have some proper eating facility set up her. In fact I even found someone willing. "

Maan came out of the shook.

"Eating facility?"

"What were you thinking about?" Dadi asked in a slight teasing way.

"No, nothing. But you know how particular I am. Who ever this is I will take an interview first." He was his usual self again.

"No need Maan. Here taste this." She gave him the Tiffin which was still warm.

Maan took a bite and just as his Dadi, he was delighted. He had eaten loads of Italian dishes at different places but this bet all. He didn't want to give away too much hence said:

"This is superb. Ok, this person, who so ever can work here."

Dadi quickly got Maan to sign the contract and left before he could ask any other details. Geet had just finished when Savitry devi entered again.

"Aap ka hogaya Geet?"

"Ji dadi" Geet was so busy that she didn't notice she just called the old lady Dadi. When she did realise she quickly added:

"Sorry mera matlab hain ma'am."

"It's ok beta, hume sab Dadi hi bulatein hain jaha, aap bhi bula sakti hain."