Chapter 33 Twist in the plot

Ashmi was waiting at Mocha for the designer to come. Actually, she didn’t need to take so much of trouble and could have easily asked him to navigate the deadly twists and turns of the rickety road that led to Epicure Exports,  but the man with whom she had been talking over the phone, had a baritone on which Mr Bachchan has the copyright. The informal surrounding could spark off a decent conversation, she thought, as she agreed to meet him away from the office.

Mathias had scared her with his obsession. God willing, his manager had put in his papers and resigned with two days of notice. He had to fill in for him, until they could find a substitute. She had given herself the deadline of one month to bring out the first edition of Epicurean and it was by no way a mean task.

‘Just may be Jain knows about your state of marital affairs, hence he never hesitates you to give extra commitments that no one else is willing to take,’ Laily explained to Ashmi when she got the extra assignment of creating a bi-monthly 32 page Epicureans where there would be connect with the employees, because most of the people who worked in export house were people from the lower rung and they needed to be motivated enough. Jain believed that they would get a sense of recognition and would feel delighted when they would see their name appeared in a magazine which would be a platform for the family to share their achievements, a by-product from the retreat.  The tiff between her and Maqsood over his wrong designation in Epicurean was wisely ignored by him. But like all bosses he thought of giving her an extra responsibility trying to make the most of it, as she wouldn’t be in a position to deny it, as he had magnanimously chosen to ignore her mistake. Now was the payback time.

‘I guess you are right, but this keeps me busy too, so that I can’t mull over the mess that I have created in my life,’ said Ashmi with honesty writ large on her face.

‘You look so happy but,’ countered Laily. How could you create such façade, she was keen to know. Just like you, Ashmi told her with a face that had smile plastered on lips and eyes that were deep pools of sorrow.

What am I doing at Mocha today, her reasoning mind asked her again. Because Priya Maity gave reference of Marksman and Sid Halve, owns the agency. And I have to bring this damn thing out, she was frustrated.  She wanted her rational mind to go on mute now.

Just then the man worth not the effort of looking at twice entered Mocha, and Ashmi who was too busy nibbling over the chocolate muffin let her gaze wander by him.  Sid Halve gave her a call as he entered and while talking to him on the phone, she saw to her shock that he was the same man whom she had chosen to ignore. Her expectations took a nose dive and she had clearly lost interest in all his professional capabilities. He moved towards her and extended his hand to her. He had a firm shake and Ashmi liked that about him. Though he fitted strictly in the tall and dark bracket of TDH, ‘handsome’ didn’t go with him at all. ‘In fact, calling him handsome would require a redefinition of the word,’ she thought. Actually, he belonged to the tribe of people for whom you needed to train your eyes to like them, just like my mother-in-law, she thought quite meanly once again. ‘By-the-way, no way he is going to get the job,’ she decided.

Sid on the other hand was quite excited about working with Epicure Exports. He had been involved in bringing out employee-connect magazines with other companies too and he could offer complete support from designing to printing to distribution and it certainly mattered for Ashmi who had to bring this out, and she had no experience in doing this. This meant there was just one man with whom she had to deal with when it came to production. After all publishing 5,000 copies and distributing it pan-India, wherever there were factories of Epicure Exports was not a mean task. Sid was her saviour, Ashmi knew that.

 Sensing her lack of interest Sid had to think of ways to keep her engaged, because she meant an annual business of 20 lacs for him, which were crucial for him at the moment to keep his company afloat, when most of his clients had not renewed their contract with him. She marked the difference between packing his bags and running back to Muradabad and joining his dad’s brass business which meant sitting on the rounded cushion like a typical seth ji. She was his savior. Ashmi wasn’t aware about his predicament. He had to grab her interest and quite fast. The presentations can wait.

‘Do you care for a brownie?’ he suggested.

‘Yes, I do,’ she told him thinking that it was badly needed to get over the emotional trauma you have caused me. After all, your baritone had offered hopes.

‘I am really thankful to you to make an effort to come and meet me at Noida, considering your office is in Gurgaon,’ Sid was trying to use his charms that had been lying unused for quite some time now, since he had entered in a steady relationship with Bhavya. But, Bhavya had bigger dreams and Sid’s tacky brass business from Murababad or Marksman, his fledgling printing company could no way fulfil her dreams as of now. May be if she waited and pinned her hopes on him, it could in future, but for Bhavya impatience was the new religion and it was good.

His voice had an effect on women, and he knew it. ‘I am feeling so famished right now and would like to have a sandwich too with the brownie,’ he said as a matter of fact.

‘Why not? I too didn’t have my lunch as I was in and out of meetings,’ Ashmi lied right away. She had come all the way from Gurgaon only for this meeting and wanted to do some shopping later.

‘What’s your preference in sandwich?’ he asked.

‘I would like to have grilled chicken and cheese sandwich,’ she said.

‘What about you?’ she asked him. ‘Well, I can give you company, if you insist,’ he said with a genuine smile on his lips. Ashmi too smiled and began to loosen up. He seems to be an interesting person, she observed. May be God granted him the gift of gab to compensate for looks, she pondered.

She is an attractive woman, but her eyes don’t exude the happiness her face does. They don’t call eyes the windows to the soul for wrong reasons, he thought.

‘What are you thinking Sid?’ she asked. 

‘Nothing, I  was just wondering when they are going to get the sandwiches,’ he said. By the way, it’s quite late almost going to be three, and you didn’t have anything, she enquired. I had a late night yesterday and I didn’t feel like eating anything, he told her while looking in her eyes.

‘You party on weekdays,’ she asked eager to unravel layers of his personality. 

‘Not everyday, but yesterday, I was celebrating a month of my breakup with my girl friend,’ he knew that now he had her attention.

‘I get your point. But if I don’t sound intrusive I would like to know, what made you breakup with her,’ she probed knowing fully well that it was just not an appropriate question to ask on a business meeting, but she didn’t care. It’s he who needs the business and he better not forget that, she thought.

‘No there is nothing to hide. We broke off because I wasn’t rich enough for her. We did live-in for a year, but then, she found someone who could take her to exotic vacations and take care of all future worries. With me this wasn’t possible, and this was the reason we broke off. Now you know why this deal is so important for me,’ he gave in the details.

She appreciated it. ‘I can’t assure you that I will work with you only, but you have credentials working in your favour,’ she spoke. Sid was hopeful.

‘Have you gone through my presentation?’ he asked.

‘No, Sid, I haven’t but I don’t need to. I have done my homework and I know you are good at what you do,’ she said.

‘You are a smart lady, indeed, I must say,’ he admitted with a twinge of appreciation seeping in his voice.

‘Good sandwiches came, now let’s attack them,’ she suggested, trying to deviate the subject.

‘The brownies will follow,’ informed the waiter, though you have ordered it first.

‘Never mind,’ interjected Ashmi and her chirpy self was coming back.

Sid felt that he could get the deal, but he was keeping his fingers crossed. Women are not that simple to understand as compared to men. The experience had taught him well.

How was the meeting? Laily chirped.

‘It was tolerable. Is he getting the account?’ she enquired.

‘Yes, he is because he is good at what he does,’ Ashmi said.

‘What about the harmless flirting that keeps the soul alive?’ Laily asked

‘To hell with it,’ Ashmi said resignedly.

Her Microsoft Outlook beeped.  A message had landed from Sid

‘It was my pleasure meeting you. Thanks’

There was no indication on the update. This warmed Ashmi’s heart. She hated when people followed up relentlessly.

She wrote back,’ The pleasure was entirely mine, Sid. Why don’t you send a formal quotation.’

 Sid knew, she would do just the same, Deals were all about psychology, and he had cracked hers.

By evening Sid had the purchase order for the first issue of Epicureans.