Chapter 32

Wow!!!!

Magnificent! Majestic!! Ethereal!!!

I can hardly find apt words to describe the grandeur of the luxurious lobby of DeWorld Hotel. It surpassed my imagination by a mile and then some.

The lobby is spread wide as far as my eyes could see, supported by intricately carved columns. Velvet sofas and armchairs in deep, rich burgundy were placed around brass trimmed glass tables which held enormous vases of fresh exotic flowers. The floor was covered in expensive Italian marble polished to a mirror finish.

Opulent chandeliers suspended from high ceilings gave a suffused glow to the entire area adding to the overall feel of luxury.

I am awestruck by the beauty of the place. Everything is just so .... classy.

But I shouldn't be surprised. Working in this company, I should know by now, one should not expect anything less from DeGlobal Corporation.

Our team is taken to the huge banquet hall which can easily accommodate over a thousand guests. The stage, lights and screens are already put up. Technicians are working on setting up the sound and projection systems. The graphics team joins them.

Rohit goes off in search of the delivery guys from the printing press who were supposed to deliver the brochures, banners and other promotional material.

I meet Carol, the representative from the event management company hired to organize this event. We meet the banquet manager to discuss the arrangements for seating and menu. Many V.V.I.P guests will be coming, and we have to ensure all the arrangements are top notch. The guest list I saw, had names of the topmost industrialists, media personalities, celebrities and a few politicians as well.

"Tarana!"

"Nivedita! you are here too?" I ask in surprise. Snarky voice raises its sleepy head "Since when has Nivedita started to show interest in looking at the arrangements?"

"Yes, I have come to oversee the work. Want to make sure everything is perfect," she says, as she casts a glance across the area.

"So, what are you doing?" Nivedita asks me, still looking around.

"We were just discussing the menu and the arrangements for the guests," I answer.

"Mm..hmm," Nivedita nods distractedly, craning her neck to look above the people, at something or someone outside.

"Umm Nivedita is everything alright? Are you looking for something?"

"What? No! no, nothing.. Just want to ensure everything is going on smoothly and there are no glitches." She gives a tight, obviously fake smile.

She moves towards the stage, motioning for me to follow her. "Give me my notes, I want to do a quick rehearsal," she says as she walks up to the podium.

"I sent it to you. You should have it in your email," I reply, looking at my watch.

It is almost three o'clock. I should leave now to collect the marriage certificate.

"I did not receive any email from you," she sounds annoyed.

I snap my head up.

"What?" I utter in disbelief. "Are you sure? Maybe you missed it. I shall send it to you again." I open the email app on my phone.

My eyes grow wider in shock as I scroll through my sent items. There is no email to Nivedita. I frantically search in other folders. Maybe in my hurry, I deleted it or filed it in some other folder. Not there either.

I recall all the tasks I did after I completed the speech, trying to recollect when I would have sent the email, when realization hits me. I didn't send the email to Nivedita.

I know I prepared it, but with everything else that was happening, I assumed I sent it, when in fact I never got around to emailing it.

Shit!

I hurry outside the banquet room, and call Khushboo, the only one from our department who has stayed back in office. She can email the text from my computer.

"Sorry Tarana, I have left the office early today. Have to take my mother-in-law to the hospital." Khushboo crashed my only hope of getting the notes quickly.

"What's the problem?" Nivedita asks sounding surprisingly calm.

"I, uh, thought I sent the text to you, but apparently I did not. I shall go to office after we finish here and email it to you."

"No, No! Go to office now and email it to me. Should not take you more than 30 minutes to reach office. Since I am here now, I want to practice my speech along with AV. I cannot wait till later; I have other appointments. I need good rest also. Can't be looking haggard on-stage tomorrow. Go on hurry up and come back immediately so we can go over the notes." Nivedita shoos me off.

I look at my watch. Crap! Its 3:20. Rajiv said I need to collect the certificate before 4 today. I cannot make it to office and then to the court.

What shall I do? Today is the deadline to submit the certificate. I will be screwed if I do not submit it today.

I wait outside the hotel for an auto but all passing autos are engaged.

3:35 still no auto. The nearest Uber is at least eight minutes away. At 3:40 I call Rajiv, "Hi, did you get the certificate?" he asks without preamble.

"No, I got stuck at work and I cannot make it to court by four o'clock," I tell him. "I can be there in 45 minutes."

"That won't do. The office will close sharp at four and knowing these government offices, they won't keep it open for a second longer."

"Let me do one thing," he adds after a thought "I am here in the vicinity. I can reach there in less than ten minutes. I will try and collect the certificate for you. I have a meeting at four, so take the certificate from me after you finish your work."

"That would be great. Thank you, Rajiv. I owe you for this favour," I reply, relieved at last.

It is six p.m. by the time I reach DeWorld. The traffic in Mumbai is absolutely maddening. Rajiv messaged that the certificate has been collected. I have to deposit it before society office closing time of nine p.m. Shouldn't take me long at the hotel with Nivedita, so I have time to take it from Rajiv and hand it over.

Then my problem will be over. Yesss!!

"Taru!" Purvi grabs me by my arm and pulls me aside as soon as I enter the banquet hall.

"What?"

"Do you know why Nivedita is here?" she asks, looking around for any eavesdroppers.

"Uh, she said - to see that the arrangements were taken care of?" I answer with uncertainty.

"No, no, no! That's not what she's here for," Purvi replies in a high-pitched voice.

"Then?" I ask, my curiosity piqued.

"Well.." she gives a dramatic pause before continuing, "apparently the board of directors had an extraordinary meeting in this hotel today, to officially appoint Vicky Grewal as CEO."

"Oh?" is all I can say, which is all the prodding Purvi needed to continue anyway.

"All the Directors of the Company were here, including Dev Grewal, his elder son Akash and Vicky also."

"What has that got to do with Nivedita?" I ask in confusion.

Purvi blinks slowly, "Nivedita is trying to get close to the Grewals. News is, that she aspires to marry one of the Grewal boys and we think it is Vicky she is interested in, since Akash has a reputation of being a philanderer."

Oh! now I get it. "So, she is here to meet Vicky Grewal, and coming to see the arrangements was just a pretext," I reply slowly nodding, my confusion clearing.

Come to think of it, it was obvious. Nivedita making excuses to fly to New York to meet Vicky, talking with an American accent, dropping occasional hints how she and Vicky would make a good team.

To think that Nivedita may someday be the boss' wife.

Wow!!