Chapter 11

It was Tuesday and Joydeep and Maya had to meet the Publisher for lunch. Maya arranged the lunch at a Chinese Restaurant near their office. The publisher was a lady in her mid-forties with short and grey hair. Ms. Sheena Sharma had a powerful personality. She wore a black cotton sari hugging her petite figure along with a red beads necklace. She had a bag bigger than that of Joydeep’s. Joydeep and she hugged when she entered the restaurant. She looked at Maya and said, “You must be the Assistant, who is been managing most of his work?” Maya smiled and introduced herself, “Yes, I am the Assistant, Maya Ghoshal.” They both shook hands and settled on the chair. Joydeep asked Maya to take out three copies of the manuscript of the novel that he is been working for eight months. He had almost completed the entire novel before recruiting Maya. Joydeep narrated the story of 20,000 words in almost one hour. Maya was impressed so was Ms. Sharma. Ms. Sharma asked me to send a copy of it on the mail so that she can discuss it with the other people in the publication house.

After the lunch, Joydeep asked Maya to take the day off. It was already four in the evening. Maya decided to buy a few things for her kitchen. She wanted to eat home cooked food as she was tired of the takeaway food she had almost every day. She bought some chicken and decided to make Biryani. The only problem was she didn’t have a fridge yet in the apartment to keep the remaining. She knew if she makes Biryani, it could feed almost 5 super hungry people. She decided to invite Joydeep, Shubhro and the Godbole Family for dinner. On her way back to home she called and informed Joydeep and Shubhro about the dinner. She also invited Mrs. Godbole and her husband at nine in the night for the dinner.

Maya was all set to cook. It was half past eight when her door bell rang. Maya was ready with the Biryani. She was wearing a Bottle Green Color Kurta and a black salwar. She had her apartment ready with a few personal touch ups. She was scheduled for Saturday shopping and lunch with Mrs. Godbole. It was Shubhro and Joydeep who came in with a bottle of Wine. She looked at Shubhro, gave him a smile and hugged him. Maya was finally meeting Shubhro again at her place and not at work. They usually met at work when she is not cleaning Joydeep’s desk or making his coffee. Joydeep smiled at her and lay back on the mattress that was laid in the drawing room near the window. The bell rang again. She was expecting the Godbole couple but it was a parcel for her from Shiv. She had a smile on her face. Shubhro in the meanwhile asked, “Babes, Do you have any Wine glasses?” Maya had none. Maya kept the parcel on the floor and said, “Let me ask Mrs. Godbole.” Joydeep interrupted her, “They don’t drink. Wait let me get it from my house.”

Maya denied for the Wine. She wanted to accompany the Godboles, so that they don’t feel left out. Mr. Godbole happened to be a very jovial person and had a glass of Wine while Mrs. Godbole was praising the Biryani made by Maya. They all loved the dinner. There was enough Biryani left to feed one hungrier person. Shubhro said he will take it home for his midnight munch. Maya had homemade food after a long time since she left Kolkata.

She cleaned the dishes after they left and changed into shorts and a white T-Shirt. It was almost eleven in the night and she had to go to work the next day. She fell asleep in the bedroom mattress with her specks on. She woke up early in the morning. Maya had her morning tea with Mrs. Godbole in Maya’s balcony. Mrs. Godbole said she would help her with the morning tea till the time Maya didn’t get a fridge for the milk. Maya closed the door as Mrs. Godbole left and her eyes fell on the parcel. She had completely forgotten about it.

She looked at the tag on it. Shiv was inscribed on it. She opened the box and found a letter. Shiv was missing her a lot, but didn’t call her. She didn’t call him either. The letter said, ‘Pretty busy Haan? Well I guess this would be the end of the parcels that I have been sending you. There are a few things that your mom wanted you to keep. She misses you a lot. Have a word with her over the weekend. Your dad is going to Darjeeling for some work over the weekend. I hope you are missing me. Well anyway, hope you are enjoying work. Be in touch. Shiv’

She kept the letter aside and looked into the box. There was diary in which her mom had written all the recipes of Maya’s favorite dishes. The box also had many photos of Maya as a kid, teen, graduation pictures. Her mom sent a pen stand that Maya’s dad had gifted Maya when she passed her tenth grade. Maya had to buy photo frames to keep all the pictures. She had many. She didn’t want to close it in an album she decided to buy many of those fancy photo frames that would accommodate multiple pictures.

Maya kept the box on the mattress of her drawing room and got back to her daily chores of sweeping the house and getting ready to work. Maya reached early to work and started checking her mails. She found a mail from Ms. Sharma that confirmed that their publication house was ready to publish Joydeep’s current work. She kept on looking at her mails from different publishers and many resumes from young graduates. Maya felt lucky as she was working with Joydeep. Maya was arranging Joydeep’s desk and heard the door open. She turned and found Joydeep in his Dhoti pants, Kurta and bag on his shoulder. He smiled at Maya. Maya returned his smile with a Good Morning and gave him the message from Ms. Sharma’s office.

Joydeep knew he would nail it. Joydeep told Maya that he has a guest dropping by today for lunch. He wanted to book a table for two at the same Chinese Restaurant. It was almost time for lunch. Maya reminded Joydeep about the lunch meeting he had asked her to arrange. While Maya was about to leave Joydeep’s cabin, she saw a good looking man standing at the entrance. He didn’t have the writer or publisher looks. Maya wondered and realized this was the person with whom Joydeep has arranged his lunch. Maya had started fantasizing about this new man already. He was in his early thirties. Pretty old for Maya, but he was attractive and charming. He smiled at Maya and made way for her to leave. Maya knew her cheeks were red from blushing. Joydeep asked Maya to wait and introduced her to the new man, Vishal Singh who was the owner of the house where she lived. The thought of him in her apartment made her hot. They both shook hands. Joydeep and Vishal were leaving for their lunch meet when Vishal peeked into her cabin and said, “I am sure you will take care of my house.” He left her cabin and Maya was stunned. Maya kept looking at her sandwich that she managed to make for lunch.

This man made her crazy within and she knew this is a beautiful danger.