Chapter 9

My mind is playing tricks on me.

That's the only explanation I can think of.

As I turned away to look out for cab, I thought I saw Jeet leaving DeWorld Hotel. As it registered in my brain, I turned back to see if it was really him. But the person had his back already turned to me and was getting into a steel grey Mercedes convertible sports car.

Seriously! what is wrong with me? I am imagining Jeet everywhere. I mean, I am seeing him in any person who is vaguely similar in height & build.

In the split second that I saw the person, he was definitely NOT wearing spectacles like Jeet. Also, the guy was wearing a cap hiding half his face, so I hardly got a good look. I don't know what made me think that it was Jeet.

"Tarana, do you hear yourself?" inner voice asks me. "How many times have you mentioned Jeet's name in the last couple of minutes?"

I need to get a grip on myself. I can't get too involved thinking about him. For one I hardly know the guy to be having any sort of thoughts about him.

For another, I don't think he cares much about my existence other than the fact that we are forced to work together. I have rarely seen him smile or talk much to me or anyone else.

Well it's a matter of a few days and then he will be gone, and I can work get back to my daily office routine.

'And you are still thinking about him,' inner voice taunts.

I need to keep my thoughts away from Jeet and start planning on the launch as well as find a solution to my accommodation problem.

I finally manage to get a cab and head home.

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Monday morning Nivedita is in a bad mood as I expected, considering the launch has been moved forward and she has to shuffle and/or cancel her plans for the next two months. Nivedita's anger flares up when things don't go her way, which is ever so often.

I have the list of channels and media houses that will be invited for the launch, ready on her desk. Everyone is carefully avoiding crossing her path today lest she vent out her frustration on them.

"Tarana, in my office!" she yells. I wince at the anger in her voice and I send a silent prayer to every deity, fairy, wizard and all magical creatures that she has not found any fault in my work. My co-workers give me a sympathetic look, as I head towards Nivedita's office.

I knock meekly before entering her office. "Tarana, since the launch is in two months, we have to start with the advertising campaign immediately," Nivedita doesn't even bother to look at me while speaking.

"Arrange to start putting out teasers and sneak peeks of the new branding in newspapers and billboards." She is typing into her computer and continues without looking up. "You also need to go to all major newspaper offices in town and speak to the editors. Upper management has notified that the front page of all major newspapers should be booked for a full week before the launch as well as their best reporters to give their write up of the launch."

"OK Nivedita, I will call up the newspapers and speak to the editors," I start writing on my notepad updating my 'to-do' list.

Nivedita looks up sharply, one eyebrow raised, giving me a deathly glare. "Are you deaf as well as stupid?"

I look up at her, confusion writ on my face, not understanding the reason for her hurtful words.

"Tarana," she says, dragging each word very slowly as if talking to a small child. "I.. said.. you..have.. to.. GO.. there. Is that too hard to understand?"

"But it would save so much time if we spoke over the phone, besides the reporters will come here if required to discuss. It's their job," I reason with her.

"And it is YOUR JOB to listen to your boss!" Nivedita's face grows dark with anger. I can feel her reaching an eruption point. "I don't want to waste time waiting for some reporter and executive to come here and then go back and forth for minor issues."

"I want it to be finalized and done TODAY!!" She slaps her hand on her desk hard, making the papers and stationery on her desk, jump.

"Yes ma'am," I hesitate to say the next thing, knowing she won't like it, but I have to say it anyways.

"Um, Nivedita, I do not know where the newspaper offices are, Mumbai is still new to me."

Nivedita lets out a long, exasperated sigh, rubbing the bridge of her nose with her thumb and index finger, "You are a big girl Tarana, figure it out. Take someone with you, if they are free."

She starts typing into her phone, signalling our discussion is over.

I walk out wondering where to start.

I walk dejectedly up to Khushboo, who is busy typing from a pile of papers at her desk. She looks up with a tired smile. "Hey Tarana, how's it going? I heard the noise inside the tigress' office. Hope all is fine?"

"I don't know," I sigh. I look around to see if there is anyone who looks like they could accompany me to the newspaper offices. Everyone looks harried and hassled, the shifting of the launch has put everyone in our PR department under pressure to meet the deadline. Our department has to be the first to get out all the marketing and advertisements much in advance of the launch.

"I have to go to newspaper offices to work out our marketing strategy with them and I don't really know where they are located," I continue, "I have a pile of pending work and don't want to waste my day searching the places."

"Can't you call them over?" Khushboo asks helpfully. I shake my head, "Nivedita shot down that idea, she doesn't want to waste time waiting for them. She said I could take someone with me, but everyone is very busy. I doubt if anyone has any spare time to accompany me."

Just then Jeet enters, walking to the graphic designers, stopping to chat with them and peeking over Junaid's shoulder to see his work. He looks serious and focussed at the design, occasionally making a suggestion which Junaid, by the look of it, is happy to take.

Khushboo smiles at me with a knowing look, her eyes shining bright. I know what she is thinking. "No, No," I shake my head vehemently, "Not him!"

"Why not, he looks as if he doesn't have much work. Besides I heard he is a Mumbaikar, unlike you, so he would know how to reach places quickly." I waver in my decision, seeing the logic in Khushboo's argument. I need to be back as soon as I can, I have to get the articles for the monthly issue out as well as preparing for the launch.

Seeing my hesitation, Khushboo presses on, "It's up to you. You can go alone if you like but you may end up spending the whole day trying to locate the places and asking for directions." She's right I do not have the luxury to get lost in the city today.

Reluctantly I walk up to Jeet. "Hi," Jeet straightens himself. "Hi," he replies back giving a half smile. "Uh, I was wondering do you have anything important lined up today?"

Jeet furrows his brows. "Why do you ask?"

"Actually, I need to go to town to meet some editors of newspapers and I am not familiar with Mumbai. Everyone else is very busy and cannot come with me, so I was wondering if you could spare some time and help me get there." I declare in a great rush.

Jeet looks down, as if thinking something. After a minute or so, he nods his head. "Yeah, I can come."

"Great! Let me just grab my bag and we can go." I am relieved I don't have to travel alone, even if it's Jeet accompanying me.

We step out of our office building and Jeet sticks his hand out to flag a cab.

"Wait. What are you doing?" I ask.

"Calling for a cab?" Jeet is looking at me in confusion like I asked him if he has two heads.

"Why cab? We can take an auto-rickshaw, it's cheaper," I counter.

Jeet lets out an impatient breath. "Auto-rickshaws don't go to town. That's why I am calling the cab. Only cabs ply in South Mumbai."

Now it strikes me that Jeet wants to take a cab all the way to the newspaper offices in South Mumbai.

"Look, its peak traffic time now. You can see the massive traffic jam in front of you. If we take a cab, we will reach our destination at lunchtime. Let's just take a train, we will reach faster," I tell him.

"What? Are you serious?" Jeet looks aghast. What is wrong with the guy? Has he even lived in Mumbai? I have been here for 6 months and I think I know how to travel in this city better than him.

"For sure, I am serious. We can reach town in like, 30 minutes if we take a train. Besides, at this time, the trains are not that crowded. We can travel comfortably."

Jeet looks at me uncertainly. "I think we should be able to reach before lunch if we take a cab. We will take the sealink, that will cut down a lot of time."

"See the traffic jam?" I point to the endless line of cars in front of, "Do you really believe we can reach on time? As it looks right now, it would take at least an hour, if not more only to reach the sealink."

I can see on Jeet's face that he is not in favour of travelling by train. "Please! I really need to return to work as soon as possible." I look at him pleadingly.

"Fine! Let's go."

We take an autorickshaw to Bandra station. As we ride the autorickshaw in complete silence, I glance at Jeet from the corner of my eye. He seems to be like a child who is sitting in an auto for the first time. Sometimes he sticks his head out to catch the wind, and sometimes he grimaces at the fumes and stench that pervades the air.

Despite my protests, Jeet insists on paying the auto fare. He pulls out a two thousand Rupee note from his wallet. The cab driver looks at him angrily. "Saheb, the fare is fifty six Rupees. I don't have change for two thousand. Please give me exact change."

"But I don't have change," Jeet muuters as he looks at me awkwardly. I chuckle as I hand the driver his fare and we head to the station.

As I expected the station was crowded but not overflowing with people, as it would be during peak hours. I buy our round trip ticket and meet Jeet waiting at the entrance.

We decide to travel together in the general compartment instead of me travelling separately in the ladies' compartment. As the train approaches, some of the men start shuffling and pushing to be the first to enter the train. As a force of habit, I hold my bag to my chest shielding me from groping hands. Some men stand close and one guy to my left nudges me on the pretext of moving towards the train.

Jeet moves to my left, warding off the man. As the train arrives at the platform, the men rush in while we wait back for them to enter first. Jeet holds my hand as he enters the train and pulls me in. I notice he has a firm grip but soft hands.

Most of the seats are all taken. Some benches have space for 1 person, but neither Jeet nor I attempt to take the seat. Since it's a fast train and it's not a long journey, we stand near the entrance.

Jeet makes me stand with my back to the sideboard and stands facing me. A man enters the train and stands next to me and immediately Jeet's hand comes up on my side holding on to the sideboard, effectively creating a barrier between the stranger and me.

"At least he's chivalrous," inner voice notes approvingly.

The train stops at Dadar station which is a meeting point for two of the three city train lines and one of the most crowded stations. People usually change trains here, moving from Central Line to Western Line or vice versa. There is a mad scramble of people getting in and out of the train within the two minute halt that the train makes.

Jeet's protective nature comes to the fore again as his hands come up on both sides of me using his body as a buffer between me and the surge of humans entering and exiting. I hold my bag tightly to my chest with both hands as a means of protecting myself.

The train moves forward with a sudden lurch and since I am not holding on to the handle bar, I am flung forward into the solid chest of Jeet. I give out a small yelp as my hands drop the bag and grab on to the front of Jeet's shirt for support, my cheek plastered to his solid chest.

Spontaneously he wraps one around me, holding me tightly, while he grabs a handle with the other, steadying his feet to prevent us both from falling to the floor or worse, out of the train.

Wow! He smells so good.

I can hear his heart beating. Is it faster than normal?

Damn, his chest is like a wall.

This feels so good ..This feels safe.. This feels right.

What the hell??? My eyes fly open as I jerk back to reality. What am I thinking? I realize Jeet is still holding me tightly in his arms, his cheek resting on my head.

I wiggle a little trying to free myself from him.  For a fraction of a second his grip gets tighter before he becomes aware of our surrounding. He takes a step back, like he might get burned, and wants to get away as soon as he can.

Didn't he just hold me like he never wanted to let go?

Looking at his reaction, what I felt was just a figment of my stupid, overactive imagination.

My mind is playing tricks on me.