T'was just another day at the fashion house as I dreamed a daydream of styling my boss in my favourite picks. His usual dressing sense was not bad, only too brand laden. A Cavalli pin adorned the lapel of his coat. The suit was couture fresh from Paris Fashion week. The man was a walking luxury advertisement. Yet, the only accessory of his that resonated with me was a silk kerchief. He would hand me the square piece fabric at the end of every business day as though it was a coveted crown. My job was to iron and style it in place with the sunrise.
"Madhubala Malik, I heard you got promoted to head stylist. Great work", he pat me on the back to catch my attention.
"I cannot say I couldn't have done it without you cause clearly I did do it without". I quickly put on the popular persona of Madhu the sassy vighnharta.
"Still holding a grudge? Come on, it was help you or party".
"You know the party always wins hands down with RK the great".
"There you go. You know me better than you think".
"I am Madhubala. I know everything there is to know about anything".
"How many letters in the company name? Don't cheat", RK rushed over to cover up the board that spelled the answer.
"Twenty one. Ardnuk, Ived, Inabma, Hgnis is Singh, Ambani, Devi, Kundra spelled backwards. Anything else?"
"Marry me?"
"We are already married. I have practically been your wife for the past five years covering up your mistakes, brewing the morning coffee. You have exhaust me everyday".
"Look at you so beautiful and charming", I wish I had a vessel to capture the blush on my face.
I was pink like a pig on a skillet. His heels tapped across the floor and stopped in front of the lucky woman who received the compliment. It wasn't me. He was addressing Donna. I was not the pretty one. I was the usual, the sweet morning coffee that gets lost in a pile of documents. The chocolate chip muffin that magically appears on the table every day. The designer whose work is overshadowed by the showstopper.
Why did he never acknowledge me without a want?
"Going on a date?" My heart beat accelerated as his shoulder touched hers.
"You never know who is the one", Donna shifted her eyes from RK to me. The hint went by unnoticed until I caught it. She knew! She knew about us and our untold dynamic. If only he knew as well.
"I have got to catch the train. Goodnight", I took my leave.
"Listen, you...". A wait of expectation came over me. Somehow, I imagined this instance to be different. "You forgot the handkerchief", supplied RK.
"Of course", I took the cloth out of his hands as harshly as I could and head home hoping he got the point.
_____________________________________________________________
"Has anyone
seen Madhu?", I roamed around the building looking for my kerchief
bearer.
"She called in sick", a meek voice from the corner office struck my
ears.
"Madhu doesn't do sick. You must be mistaken".
"She does now", the voice suddenly displaced some attitude.
"Dude, you better not be playing. I have not had coffee, my kerchief is missing and all her note says is, 'The world can run without me for a day' ".
"She is not wrong. We have been operating smoothly since morning. I do not miss her".
"I didn't ask you. Now, get out". Can any one let a grown man panic in peace? People these days.
"I think you are in MY office". This idiot was getting on my nerves.
"Fine, I will just dramatically storm out. No bonus for you this Valentine".
"We do not have Valentine bonuses".
Had the man any awareness of the office life suicide he was committing? No one dares mess with Rishabh Kundra.
"We do now and you are not getting it. Next time, let you boss win the argument. Madhu would have known when to shut up".
I made a successful exit only to be brought back by a burning question.
"What happened to her?"
"She got the flu".
Thankfully, with vanished hopes of a bonus, the junior whatever-his-name-was toned down his sarcasm. I do not handle names okay. Madhu does that.
I knew very well I needed a personal assistant. But, where would be the human touch in a colour coding, pay-bot organizer? I was accustomed to the scent of vanilla that lingered on Madhu's desk. I could still taste the reminiscence in the air as I walked by. The manikins that were gracefully draped in lace at all times, never bare.
But, I could not digest the fact that she took a day off. In her five years working with me, not once had she missed work. True I forced her to skip out on her cousin's wedding & her friend's baby shower. But, that is besides the point. She never said no. Why now?
I decided to inquire.
No one knew where Madhu lived.
"The women who keeps up with all of your birthdays, wedding anniversaries and even your kids' graduations; you don't know where she lives. Seriously, it's as if you guys don't even care for her existence".
"Not like you know either". Another idiot butt in my perfect emotional speech.
"I have already cancelled the Valentine bonus for one person. Want to join the club? Good! Shut up".
Seeing the awfully disrespectful bunch of creatives I employed, I did not allow him the time to fire back.
When human brains refuse to divulge information, technology does the trick. I had to stalk half a dozen people on Facebook to get a clue about Madhu's whereabouts. You know, I should have learned about her a bit more. We stay together so much the girl could legally claim half my assets.
PART 2 (scroll down to post below)
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