“And you need to make your choices smartly because each and every choice that you make is secretly conspiring to alter your future.”

“Yes Mr. Kumar, I’ve already prepared the prototype and the presentation is already done. I’m just looking forward to hit the deadline.” I rapped out, attaching the media with the conference call. We’re having a grand project launch on the ensuing Monday and the last past week had been a total pain in the ass for all the employees. Even though I’d worked my brains off in the office today, I was to attend this conference call that pertained to the project.

“That’s good and what about the lab tests? Any malfunctions?”

I rolled my eyes and debated, “Sir, I am in developing department. I just manage the coding and front end programs.”

“Oh, yes.” He nervously rubbed the throbbing nerves on his forehead and laughed, “I am forgetting things quickly these days. I think I am developing Alzheimer. Having each finger in every pie is not easy.”

“I can understand Sir, but do not worry. We’ve got this handled.” I assured him, putting a period on his worries. The conversation evolved over the course of two hours and I had an acute back pain by the time, it ended up. I arched my back, pressing my hand on lower reign and closed my eyes shut when the pain shoot up to my spine. I hoisted a few pillows and propped them under my back. I yawned and skidded down on my side on the mattress, exhausted to my limits. It was a fatigue day. Due to the project launch, we were busy and sitting straight six hours before the computers developed an acute headache.

“Butu!” Mom hailed from downstairs and I scratched the back of my neck, grudgingly. “What?”

“Come down, now.”

I ruffled the sheets aside and dragged my feet into the floor. My body was in knots as each and every nook ached. ESV was not ready to lend a hand as well. ‘How many times have I reminded you to impede your mom from calling you, Butu? It sounds like she is fondling a poodle.’

If truth to be told, I didn’t nurture a liking for the obnoxious pet name my family gave me. It was a bane. It was infamously circulated in my friends circle and I used to receive a lot of teasing regarding having a boyish pet name. What I failed to contemplate was the reason of their teasing, whether they disliked it because it was boyish or was it because Butu itself was a very dupe name.

However, I was over this about ten years ago and now it was just a part of my measly existence. Despite everything, I liked it when mom and dad called me by this name, it sounded like a melody to my own ears.

I hopped down the stairs and paddled straight to the kitchen as the bittersweet aroma of coffee beans - probably being crushed in the coffee machine - hit my nostrils. I noticed mom preparing for the dinner as it was half past seven and we were early diner.

“Yes?” I asked as I opened the refrigerator and extracted the bowl of vanilla ice cream from the freezer. It was a leftover of the last night when Siya bought ice creams for us, of course! From the money that I squeezed out for her. I put the bowl on the table and veered around to grab the scooper.

“Here! Your coffee! If you want cookies, they are in the second cabinet. Don’t shuffle the whole cupboard for it.” Mom handed me the coffee mug and I nodded. I scooped a huge globe of ice cream and dropped it in the hot coffee. It started to melt right away. “Why? Have you rearranged everything?”

“Actually, I was removing all the empty and half filled containers. So I placed half of the things in other places.” She spun to me and rebuffed. “Butu! How many times have I told you to not add ice cream in hot coffee? Its compositely effect will make you ill.”

“And how many times I’ve to tell you that…” I contradicted, having a large swig of it and closed my eyes relishing the taste, “that it tastes like heaven, mom!”

“Grow up; you are not a kid anymore.”

ESV jumped on the table before me and nodded vigorously, ‘Yes. Grow up and flaunt your sexy moves to make guys breathless. I’m waiting for the day, they’ll swoon upon me.’

You’re a bit uptight sissy. Tonight, we shall do something for good part.

“Kids always remain kids for their parents.” I mocked, defiantly ignoring her glares and proceeded to finish my coffee.

“Of course, kids will remain kids even if they graduate to become parents but that doesn’t mean kids start being childish for their own lose.” She quirked immediately and I chuckled. “Oh mom! Why do you think so?”

“There’s a Rishta has come for you.” She blurted and I spurted the coffee, falling in the fits of cough.

“Come again?”

“I believe you’ve heard me and even if you’ve not. Siya must’ve apprised you, so I surmise.” She inserted smoothly and I widened my eyes. “I think I will have to talk to your dad regarding your sister and her indecent habits.”

“She didn’t do it on purpose.” I made a protest.

“Of course! You will support her because she had informed you, right?”

“………”

“Anyway, now when you know, I think it’s good to have the talk one on one. Abhimanyu is a good guy. I have met him in Aditi’s wedding. He seemed decent. I believe he will be the best match for you.”

“Mom, hold on. How can you jump to this conclusion having him met for the first time only? I mean obviously no one will behave inappropriate with someone who is meeting for the first time and I think this is not sufficient to provide him the character certificate.” I wiped the coffee stains on the table with the kitchen towel and disposed it in the dustbin, “Plus, this is another fact that I am just twenty three.”

“So?”

“So, it means that I am not ready.” I shrugged.

Mom put the ladle on the side and turned to me, “I was twenty when I got married and I used to think that I am not ready too but then everything started to take place.”

“Okay, I will like to pull you out from the timeframe of twenty six years back.” I laughed sardonically, “And, dad was always in your support. You continued your studies after marriage and dad never objected. Wait, why are we discussing dad here?” I paused. “Mom, the bottom line is I am not ready.”

“80% girls of India quote the same even seconds before their marriage. You’re no exception.” She stood firm on her believe. “As far as age is concerned, your dad is not going to get you married tomorrow. We will do an immaculate background check of the boy and his family and then we will proceed with the alliance.”

“Does he belong to some criminal lineage? Why do you need to do a thorough background check?”

“Didn’t you just say that how I can be sure that he is good when I have met him for the first time only?” Mom said as a matter of fact and I blew air out of defeat. “Mom I said that as…. You know… okay fine, do whatever you want. Just make sure I have the last call.”

“Of course!” She said as if she couldn’t believe I asked that and turned to focus on her dinner preparation. “Do not worry, Butu! Everything will go smooth. We will have you to have the final call and trust me, when you will get married you will be happy. I was of your age when I had you and then it made to me that I was always willing for it…” She began to stretch her axiomatically old weaved story.

ESV yawned, ‘Let’s zone out!”

“...and I always believed that I’ve raised you on ethics, so you’ll be not having any problem in your home...”

“What is it then?” I made a meek attempt to protest and mom overheard it.

“...then when you’ll have your kids, you’ll thank me for getting you married soon and...”

I hardly captured my chuckle at this.

“...you’ll see and know the happiness of getting your kids marry...”

Wait what? Here it’s not sure if I’ll marry and she’s concocting her grandchildren’ wedding.

ESV snorted, ‘Typical Indian mom!’

“Mom, I think the curry is burning.” I diverted her mind and tramped out of the kitchen for innocence’s sake. The question was sustaining, Am I ready?

***

“Thank God!” I muttered as I noticed the lift was working. Escaping a hard bounce on the furnished floor and a crude dash with liftman, I stepped in and punched for the seventeenth floor button. Within five minutes, elevator deported me on the said floor where my department was. I stepped out, prancing to the corridor, which mostly remained crowded but it was rather quite now.

“Shree! You are late baby and to your bad luck, boss was asking for you.” Rhea apprised me barging inside my cabin when I was peeling off the jacket from my shoulder and was arranging my stuff, simultaneously. I nodded and started my system, logging in with my account. “I don’t recall any meeting today.”

“Yes, you are right but he was here in your cabin a while ago and has strictly asked to send you in his cabin.” She shrugged her shoulders and pressed her lips in a hard seam. “I have no idea, why?”

“I am late today and he elected this day to have a hearty conversation with me. Trust me; I am getting my termination letter today.” I rambled, pooh puffing my appearance and swept the creases off my dress. Rhea followed my each move and showed me thumbs up. “Chill, he wasn’t in bad mood.”

“I am going to chill only when I finish this off.” Rest two minutes, I spent in crossing the alley which ended in the entrance of his cabin, were the most crucial minutes of my life. I revised the terms and conditions of the contract and formed a few retorts to present if he tried to dominate me.

“May I come in, sir?” I knocked the door twice before asking. I still risked to crane my neck at the entrance first even after receiving his permission and noticed him looking at me through his file. As I entered and occupied my seat across the glass table, he closed the said file and swiped it towards me. “Have a look at it, Ms. Jaisingh.”

I cleared my throat, shooing the retorts that were filled in my mind. “Sorry sir, I was late because I had a flat tire and the elevator was slow.” ESV discarded her nose bloated tissue. ‘It is of no use. He is going to throw you out of the company. To hell with this paunchy monster, he is going to kick you out for being ten minutes late? Did he slip out of his mother’s vagina at the given time?’

Shut up, right now! I yelled with nuisance at her.

“Oh, that’s absolutely fine. Have a look at it.” He smiled at me and gestured towards the file, I casted a glance at the thick file contemplatively and tentatively touched the sheaf. ESV put on her Sherlock Home’s glasses, ‘What does this file has? Is it some sort of criminal records?’

“What is it, sir?” ESV patted me and smacked a kiss on my cheek as I voiced the query.

“Just read it once, you will know everything.”

“Okay.” I turned the first page of the hard cover. I was amazed to read the contents once I started; I was promoted to the New York branch of the Apex Holdings because the delegates from our collaborative company were impressed with my performance. I was surprised because many people pegged away to reach where I was stepping on. I believed I’d not done anything remarkably exceptional; it was more than I could expect.

“I am promoted to NY, sir?” My voice was the reflection of the surprise that my face failed to show.

“Well, this is the fruit of your toil and dedication, the work you’ve done from two years in our special provision.” He notified. “I had suggested you name for the promotion but they asked me to consider it again and proposed your assistance in NY branch in research department since you’d explained the stock variable programs beautifully.”

“So, I am expected to join there as research assistant? Is that what you are implying?” A tick formed on the end of my eyebrow. I didn’t expect him to shift me in research department based on my presentation which was a result of cramming the assumptions and stock problems for a whole week.

“Senior research assistant and in a few years, you will be the HoD.” He tried to influence me for the best. I blew a sigh and nodded, sliding the stack towards him, “I totally understand that, sir but I think I will need time.”

“You sure?”

“Yes, sir, definitely.” I replied with convenience, “I want to have the opinion of my family over this.”

“Okay,” It looked like he was disappointed, “In that case, have this file.” He extracted another file and presented before me, “It consists of all that is informative for you and read it thoroughly. I believe you will take the right decision.”

I gathered the file in the confines of my arms and nodded, standing apprehensively. “Sure, sir. I will definitely take the right decision.”

I whirled around and took a step to exit from his cabin. My hand halted on the metal knob as he called out, “Ms. Jaisingh, mark my words, it’s the best opportunity to groom up your career. Take a wise decision dear.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, sir.” I opened the door and shut it gently after emerging out. I blew the sigh that was stuck up in my throat for a long time. No wonder, it was a great opportunity to groom up the career but not a great opportunity to grow and learn. I wasn’t in software industry to be stuck up in computer lab, I was here because it provided me solace to code and finish front end programs, it was fun and I enjoyed my job. New York was a great deal of growth and promotions but fun and solace when you were expected to collect the data were never a part of it.

I opened the door of my cabin and threw the file gently on the desk beside my computer. I raked my fingers through my hair and stared at the file absently perching on the swiveling chair.