This chapter is also dedicated to all my lovely readers. Thank you for your continuous support ❤️❤️😘😘
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April 2019
At Zaid's room in KSE
Author's narration
"I think I'm done introducing you to the final shortlisted candidates. You're sure you've understood it well, sir?", said Ravi Bhattacharya trying to bring back Zaid from his daydream.
"Hmm. Yeah. Gotcha.", Zaid murmured.
"Are you alright Sir? Like you'd a good sleep last night 'cause you seem a bit lost.", Ravi said ascending the ladders of informality.
"Ravi, I'm more than just alright, so, maybe lost that's why.", Zaid gave him an enigmatic answer and smiled.
"What happened sir, I guess you didn't have your permanent nightmare last night. Isn't it?"
"Actually Ravi, I had a completely different dream last night that pushed me to wonder I'm free from the curse of that nightmare.", said Zaid running one of his hands over his hair and led a charming smile flash.
"Sir, I'm really very happy to see you today. I can feel your positive vibes around me and that gives me energy to perform better than my capacity. I pray you never get depressed in your life.", said Ravi with all genuine pitch his voice could hire.
Unlike other employees, Ravi was an intimate assistant of Zaid who without defying the boundary of his position advised and listened to Zaid obediently.
It'd appear somehow informal but it was true that when Zaid was new in the company, though he was among the superior group, he would cry and sob in loneliness after office hours until he was seen by Ravi in that state. Although working under his boss, Ravi, 34, senior by age to Zaid, had his own experiences and tastes of life.
It so happened that once he almost cried by reading the personal diary of Zaid, that he accidentally carried with him along with some files, in which Zaid mourned the death of his mother.
Zaid's mother, unfortunately, passed away when he was eight. But his father never married and bothered about the maternal need of his son. He thought he could alone take care of Zaid for it was also true that when his son was 14 he planned to marry a Iranian woman but due to the way too huge obstinacy of Zaid, he dropped this idea.
Zaid was more than anything attached to his mother and after her death, to her memories.
He could not forget how she'd hide behind the palm trees in the coastal forest and he'd go around finding her.
It was her dupatta that was an accomplice to Zaid for it always waved with the touch of breezes and her mother was caught.
"Umm... sir, are you going to meet Father Joseph tomorrow 'cause I guess you are supposed to attend his program called Healing Assembly."
"Oh yeah. Thanks for reminding."
"I've to remember all those dates, sir, after all it has to do with your healing.", Ravi said and blinked at Zaid.
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Zaid's narration (back to 1997)
Maa
Maa
Maa?
Maaa!
Caught you!
I laughed in enthusiasm and ran to her only to hug her by her waist for that was how my height allowed me to do so.
"I'm so bad in hiding that this little angel always finds me.", she stood on her knees and hugged me closer to her chest.
"Yes because I'm an angel Maa."
"You're the loveliest angel darling."
"But Maa I want to become a superhero.", I said playing with the corner of my mother's dupatta.
"You'll become the one when you grow up sweetheart", she smiled at me kissing on my cheeks.
"But Maa I want to become now. I want to save this world from bad people Maa."
My mother started laughing gracefully. "I'm proud of you my child for your noble thoughts but sweetie you're too young to become a superhero."
"No Maa. There is nothing young or old in being a superhero. You've not seen all the superhero help people when they were child but nobody understand them but when they grow up and save them with their powers then only people understand. I can also become a superhero na Maa. See how I found you without anyone's help.", I tried explaining but couldn't help her stop laughing at me. She was lovely when she laughed and I talked so stupid to see her laughter.
"Hmm. That's a grave matter. So how may I help you, Zaid Khan, to become a superhero?"
"Nothing you've to do Maa, almost nothing! You just have to give me your dupatta."
"Dupatta? What will do with my dupatta child?", she was surprised a little or I think she knew why I asked and she liked acting being oblivious in front of me so that I'd explain her more and she'd know me more.
"I'll fix its corners on my shoulders and become like superman.", I said grabbing her hands.
I could never express what was her reaction later. She laughed at me and hugged me with love and care.
My redundant talks were always entertained by her and it'd never happened that she didn't have time for me, all her time was fixed to be with me. That's why I'd talk my heart with her.
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Author's narration
"Hmm. New job. What's your specialization, Madam?", asked the receptionist while making a call to Ravi to know whether Zaid was allowing employees to meet him in his cabin during that time.
"I'm a graduate in Mass Communication and I've done my PG diploma in Interior Designing.", said Nuska who was asked so by the staff at reception outside Zaid's office.
The receptionist smiled at her giving her an affirmative response, "Madam, sir has said you can meet him."
Nuska smiled back and with some confidence and along with some hesitation she pushed Zaid's cabin's door.
"May I come in sir?"
"Come in", said Zaid whilst engrossed in studying marketing statistics of the current year on his laptop along with Ravi.
Came in the young lady with a file containing some of her latest interior designs.
"Miss Nuska, you could've shown your designs to Bhushan boss but given his absence Zaid boss will take care of it until the CBO comes."
"Okay sir.", said Nuska watching Ravi moving out of the cabin after instructing her.
"Hmm. How're doing Nuska?", said Zaid shifting his glance at her face from his laptop screen.
"I'm good sir."
"We're sorry for the troubles you had to undergo through during your stay in Goa. We'll surely come up with the findings of how we're going to allot the employees with their suitable positions and then only it'll be possible to categorise you all into the premises' branches. I hope you understand and cooperate us."
"Yes sir. I've talked to my parents about it. They said if it's taking time then it's for good only.", answered Nuska to which Zaid looked at her surprisingly.
"Excuse me. What they said?"
"They said if it's taking time then it's for good only.", repeated Nuska wondering why he asked.
"Is it like that? I mean, if things take time it's for good.", he mystically repeated the statement as a question.
"Umm... Papa and Ammi have said this and I always believe in what they say.", she said honestly. "Do you have anything to tell me in this concern sir?", she added anticipating him to be clear.
"No. Actually I was impressed by this thought. I thought why doesn't this thought come to me before."
Nuska's lips widened into a smile and looking down she murmured something under her breath.
"Hey? Nuska, What did you say?", asked Zaid a bit amused to see her doing that.
"No no nothing sir", she widened her already big eyes that gave him another tinge of delight.
"Nothing means something. Tell me."
"Oh no it's nothing sir.", she started praying in her heart.
"See you're saying that it's nothing all the time and nothing is something according to me. So tell me what's your nothing which is something according to me?"
"Sir...", she exaggerated.
"Oh come on Nuska. Be frank."
"Sir my lips only moved at what I was thinking. I didn't utter it."
"Be F-R-A-N-K."
She took a deep breath and, before letting a beautiful smile develop into an elegant laughter, said, "I thought... umm... said that the thought didn't come to your mind earlier 'cause if it was taking time then it was for your good only."
Zaid started laughing gracefully and to the fascination of his fortune, he laughed his heart out.
Nuska watched him laughing as she could see a tear running out his eyes which he immediately wiped and laughed more.
"Seriously Nuska, that's why I kept on insisting you to be frank. Your thoughts made my day."
"I thought that it was informal to say so."
"Nope. It wasn't. In my zone, I'm the one who shapes formalities. My rules, you'll always find different from those of others. I don't suffocate the creatures who possess huge wings with the chain of norms."
Fresh breezes entered into the cabin through the opened windows and scattering Zaid's hair, they blew to reach Nuska and playing with her dupatta it turned its way back to the window of the adjacent wall.
Zaid was watching her light blue coloured dupatta dancing with the flow of the winds. He couldn't stop himself from admiring her simplicity that was even more beautiful in the world of glamour Zaid was living in.
"Sir?", she broke the chain of his thoughts.
"Yeah.", Zaid was back to her.
"Shall I leave?"
"Oh yeah. You may."
"Sir, I mean may I leave for Mumbai today?", she crossed her fingers.
Zaid was astonished internally. He wasn't ready to hear this from her as obviously Nuska would soon be working in the Mumbai's branch so her going back to the hometown and packing up for the new job was a sure thing.
"... Yeah Nuska, you may leave for Mumbai."
"Okay, thank you sir."
"You're welcome. By the way, Nuska?"
"Yes sir?"
"As I'll make sure your designs are examined by Bhushan, you do one thing, don't leave with getting these papers signed by Bhushan for I alone cannot grant you the leave."
"What are these papers for, sir?", Nuska wondered.
"These are declaration forms that you've to fill as a joining employee and get it signed by the CBO, who is your Bhushan boss and submit it to the HR department before leaving. Got me, Miss?"
"Yes sir! I'll take care of it. Thank you for guiding me sir.", she smiled and collected the papers.
"Anytime.", Zaid looked at her admiring silently.
Out of nowhere and nobody knew why, seeing Nuska carrying bulk of files, papers and her bag made Zaid revive the responsible man in him. He got up and came forward to help her to pull the door.
"It's okay sir, I'm fine.", Nuska said as she was surprised to see her boss escorting her.
"Let me do it for you, then only it'll be fine.", Zaid smiled at her.
Then suddenly the heavy bag that hanged from Nuska's shoulder couldn't resist it's own load. It's belt splitted in the middle and fell directly on her feet. Its banging on her feet was so hard that Nuska almost winced letting all the files and papers scattered on the floor. She, herself, was about to fall when Zaid extended his hand that wrapped her waist and saved her from tumbling down.
Then what, the same breezes re-entered into the same cabin, playing with the same dupatta and ruffling the same hair. The two pairs of eyes then met in a detailed manner persuading both of them to forget about everything and cherish the bliss of their current moment.
"Are you okay, Nuska?", said Zaid blankly lost into her eyes.
"I don't know sir.", she too replied blankly.
"Huh?"
Zaid, obviously, had to call it a day!
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-Nuska Nisthar ❤️