Chapter 13

                                    

                                          
"What's this?"
                          
I ask Khushboo, pointing to the envelope left on my desk.
                          
I somehow managed to make it to office before 11:00 a.m., rushing through my morning routine. I grabbed the first set of ironed clothes that I found in my closet, which happened to be a sleeveless cotton silk, deep red kurta with thread and mirror work and navy blue churidar.
                          
I had immediately fallen in love with the outfit when I saw it on display in the shop. The saleslady said the color set off well against my light brown skin and that I looked like a bride.
                          
I haven't worn this outfit earlier, as I was waiting for a special occasion to wear it. Well, the special occasion turned out to be me getting late for work.
                          
I did not have time to fix my hair, so I just pinned it at the sides and left it open.
                          
Khushboo swivels her chair towards me. "That's why I was calling you this morning. It came from the GM's office. They said it was requested by you."
                          
I quickly opened the envelope, curious to see what was inside.
                          
Inside were four passes for the launch with a note, 'Additional passes for Mr. Vishwas Aumi, Editor of News of the Nation, as requested by you.'
                          
Strange. I didn't send any request for passes and that too, to the GM. I remember I told Nivedita about it yesterday. Perhaps she had sent the request on my behalf.
                          
Yes! that must be it. Maybe that was what she was talking to Mr. Kashazgi yesterday after the meeting.
                          
She told him personally what actually happened and requested for the passes and he had obliged.
                          
So Nivedita was not really the horrid person that she projected to be. She is like a secret Santa who likes to do good in hiding. Maybe I was wrong about her all this time.
                          
I spot Roshni, the GM's secretary chatting with Purvi. "Hi Roshni," I wave as I walk up to them. Roshni smiles in return.
                          
"Please thank your boss on my behalf for acting on Nivedita's request immediately and sending me these passes."
                          
Roshni's furrows her brows in confusion, "What has Nivedita got to do with this?"
                          
Now I am confused. "I don't get it. Didn't Nivedita ask for these passes to be sent?" I ask.
                          
Roshni shakes her head. "No.  That new trainee, Jeet spoke to my boss to send these passes to you."
                          
Oh! So now I get it. It was Jeet.
                          
I did hear that he joined the office through a recommendation from the GM. But I assumed it was some distant link.  I did not realize that they were close enough for Jeet to personally make a request and the GM to immediately fulfil it.
                          
And it wasn't Nivedita who arranged for the passes. She is no secret Santa or a closet benefactor, she really is a terrible person and I need to have my talk with her.
                          
I go to Nivedita's cabin, but she isn't in yet. Not surprising. She hardly ever comes on time and she's high ranking enough to get away with it.
                          
I look for Jeet, but he's not to be seen either.
                          
"Where is Jeet?" I ask Purvi.
                          
She looks around the room, but not spotting him, shrugs her shoulders. "I saw him a while ago, maybe he's gone to some other department."
                          
I'll thank him later when I meet him.
                          
I get busy with my work. I send the passes to News of the Nation office. The new logos have been finalised, the final draft of the invitations have been sent to the Chairman for approval. I have sent the reminders to all our business units to send their guest list.