Chapter 29

The setting sun was a perfect foil for this day. The crimson colours set against the dichotomous view of the city created a dullness within me. The vast expanse of high rises towering over the old decrepit yet charming buildings seemed like a tugging power play. The modernity of it seemed to have taken away the distinguishing quality of each. Each constantly seemed to be rising high to catch attention but the higher you looked, it reeked of plainness rather than anything spectacular.

Mihir looked at my dejected state. All of us were tired of standing in the heat the entire day. We journalists are a persistent group, but then everyone is at their place of work, so ruling them out as exceptions just wouldn't be fair to others.

Mihir had received the green signal from the office to leave and was kind enough to let me go home. He assured me of finishing off with all the formalities at work, so I could take a break. It was a much-needed respite. Mihir was nice. I thanked him profusely and took a cab home.

Jivi bua was surprised to see me home early. I narrated the day's events to her. She scolded me for not coming home for food when I was so close by. It was easy and perhaps one of the best evenings I had spent in Mumbai. I volunteered to cook and bua readily agreed. She did not leave the entire kitchen to me and I didn't mind her guidance. Cooking was therapeutic; I forgot everything and was totally immersed in creating the perfect taste. The three of us had a hearty meal and decided not to retire early tonight like always. Fufaji was in a good mood and decided to treat us to kulfi and we readily agreed. I had already changed into my pyjamas and it totally did not matter since we were heading to a nearby shop. Jivi bua was relaxed about my dressing.

It was a small shop near our house and was supposedly known for its kulfis. People from all around Mumbai visited to grab a bite. We settled down with the kulfis of our choice. I went for the famous sitaphal flavour while bua and fufaji chose the one with saffron. I wished I could mess up my face while eating as I did as a kid. It was so much fun.

"Abhi, it's your phone that is ringing." Bua nudged me to pick it up. I was so animatedly discussing the chase of Sanaya Daruwala at Byculla Jail that I failed to realize it was my phone and not one of the others.

"Hello," And the voice was familiar.

"Hello," I replied.

"Did I interrupt you?" Nandi enquired.

"Nah, just out with family. Tell me." I said.

She seemed excited and so much that half of her words were incomprehensible in her excitement.

"I heard Shash, play and the rest was lost in your giggles," I told her.

"I am so excited," she continued once again with no improvement. I did not ask her hoping she would repeat herself when she will calm down.

"How was your interview?" I asked her steering the conversation in another direction.

"Ahh boring as hell. It was manipulated and I did not bother to pay attention. Aly took care of it all."

"Aly?"

"The reporter I flew in with for this."

"Okay, who were you interviewing?"

"CEO of GRETA Bank." She answered. Her reply got my ears up. I wanted more information.

"What was this for?" I asked innocently.

"You must be knowing about the money scandal around the bank with respect to loans and her involvement in this. She wanted to come clean and project herself as the victim and not the accused before the court statement to gain public sympathy."

"Wow! That's interesting Nandi, got a nice catch."

"There was nothing nice about this one. There was a prepared questionnaire sent to her in advance and she was prepared well. So much for my travelling for this stupid publicity stunt."

"Hey, you got something to travel for, so don't complain. Beggars can't be choosers."

"Precisely so I am begging for good work, not trivial stuff like these."

"When is this supposed to be aired?" I asked casually betraying no hint of curiosity that could harm her.

"Not before tomorrow night, I suppose or could be longer. I am not sure."

"Okay too much about work." And I deferred our conversation.

"I need to go and you are coming tomorrow no matter what." She announced with finality.

"I won't make any promises I can't live up to. Bye." I hung up to avoid any arguments. The first thing I did on instinct was to call Agam but I stopped myself after his phone rang twice. What am I thinking? Will Agam buy my words? It is my responsibility...no why it should be. I was debating it when Agam's name on the caller screen started giving me cold feet. Bua saw the vibrating phone and asked me to pick it up. I asked her to ignore it since it was from the office.

"It could be something urgent." I picked up the phone.

"Hello, who's this? I missed your call a few minutes back." He explained. Agam's familiar voice ringed in my ears and made me feel at a loss of words.

"Hi, this is Abhi..." and he didn't even let me complete.

"Any specific reason for calling me at this hour?" His high handedness was offending. I wanted to shoot daggers with my sharp words but I refrained, courtesy bua and fufaji.

"Well, FYI Chetna Pandit, gave an exclusive to DBTV on the same lines as yours and they might air this interview tomorrow night."

He calmly took in my words and when he spoke it was back to the cool and calculating reporter at work. "How did you get this information?"

"Inside source from the channel."

"Can I believe you?" He asked.

"Your choice." And I disconnected. Bua seemed to have her eyes on me like a hawk while fufaji had his ear.

"Everything is good?" Fufaji asked. And before I could speak another word, the ringing of my phone greeted me. It was Agam of course.

"Can you come to work immediately? Yes or No?"

"I...I need to ask my aunt." I could see the colour of my bua's eyes changing with her inquisitiveness. "I will call back in 10." And before he could say anything more, I hung up. Bua looked at me fishing for answers.

"I need to go to the office. It's an urgent story we are working on and our rival channel might release the story before us. I wasn't asking for permission to party yet her reluctance definitely pronounced it so. Fufaji was the first one to speak.

"Who are you working with? Will the entire team be there?" A difficult question to answer but it is better to tell him the truth than dodging the inevitable with a lie.

"The same reporter with whom I went for the interview," I replied flatly. "I don't know how many people will be joining us but there would be a group of us working together.

"Okay."

"Can I go?" I asked with much trepidation.

"You said it's urgent?" He looked at me enquiringly.

"Yes."

"Then go."

I let out a deep breath, calming my nerves. The first hurdle was cleared successfully.

"Do you want me to drop you?"

I didn't know how my answer would be taken. If I said yes it would seem like a hassle and if I said no they might seem suspicious. I took a long pause and was contemplating when fufaji himself understood my ordeal and asked me to go on my own since I was used to travelling to work alone. It was still nine-thirty and Mumbai was very much alive and kicking with energy.

"I will take a cab," I told them.

"No need to waste money, the train is safe enough. Please change your clothes before leaving."

Bua said.

I looked at myself. I definitely had no intention of making it to the office in my pyjamas. Bua scoffed and I knew she thought I could have a runoff.

It was past ten minutes and I had not informed Agam about my decision. I quickly dialled his number and unlike the last time he picked it up on the first ring.

"What time will you reach the office?" It was weird nonetheless.

"In an hour."

"How are you travelling?"

"Local."

"I will pick you up from the station. East." And he dropped the call leaving no room for negotiations.

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After the five minute drive from the station to the office, when Agam and I reached the office, I was happy to be greeted by silence and some faces whom I did not recognize. Perhaps they were from a different shift, therefore no one knew I did not work at FBN.

Agam was in an all working mode as soon as we hit his desk. He asked me to gather all footage related to the incident and put it on the common cloud server while he sat and worked on the script. He was soon busy on calls and I got busy with my footage hunting. The librarian for the night was quick and unfriendly. He did not ask me questions and went about his work diligently.

When I returned to the desk, I found Agam arguing with someone. His tensed jaw and tightened muscles on his hand indicated he was having a difficult time controlling his anger. I did not have to poke my nose in his matters and decided against it that very moment. Instead, I concentrated on the footage. Thankfully, it wasn't much, nonetheless, it took me two hours to sift through it.

My eyes were drooping and I needed either sleep or caffeine badly. I wanted to inform Agam about my short break but he was still tied up on phone, so I just gave it to myself.

The hot coffee being poured in a cup that too from a machine had never seemed so tantalizing before. The aroma itself hit my sleep-deprived brain, giving it the much-needed refreshment. The first sip had no effect on my tired body but by the end of the cup, I was ready to work for another couple of hours. I carried another cup of coffee with me for Agam. He was multi-tasking while continuously being on the phone. I placed the coffee on his desk, which he completely ignored. I left him to his work when he suddenly stopped me.

"Have you finished the footage?"

"Almost done," I answered confidently.

"Cut some slack." That was rude. "How much more time will you take? I need to finish this by two."

I knew it was half-past midnight. "Another thirty minutes and I would finish."

"What the fuck is wrong with your speed? Who the fuck takes more than two hours to sift through the footage and store them?" He continued bellowing at me. "I can't fucking believe I thought she would be of help." He muttered under his breath much to my annoyance.

I kept my mouth shut not because of the lack of smart answers but because it would cause an unnecessary ruckus. I quickly got to my workstation and started. Half an hour later, I had finished. Agam seemed to be unhappy about something, and before I could approach him, his phone rang. He gestured me to stay. It didn't take him long and finally, he was back to being himself, the stoic.

"I finished with the footage."

"I know." He said. "The story that I was working on has not received approval. We need to break this story tomorrow by evening to get a heads up." He stared at my face but I knew it wasn't my face that interested him. He was just staring and thinking. When he spoke next I realized how desperate he was to break this story.

"I don't know if our efforts will bear fruit or go in vain." I had nothing to say to comfort him. I was merely a lowly intern at the office. How did the story breaking on time or not on time affect me or my career? Far be it my efforts would not even be recognized because I wasn't working for FMN but FBN.

"Let's..." and I was interrupted by the loud ring of his cell phone. He picked up immediately. I could just hear the one-sided conversation and whatever I heard seemed like not good news for the man who was working very hard.

"Uncle, I know it is too last minute but I have put everything together with concrete proof." There was a long pause as he was hearing out the person at the other hand.

"I know we were doing a blank wash and now it's just the opposite." He heard that person speak for another thirty seconds before interrupting him.

"But she doesn't trust us. She moved on and I am using this move of her against her." Agam banged his fist at the desk in frustration.

"No, I can't wait for DBTV to release the story and then air ours. It would mobilize public opinion and she might also win the sympathy. We need to put in hard facts with proof and then let the whitewash happen."

So far so forth what I could understand and interpret from the one-sided conversation was that Agam did not believe the Pandit lady and had incriminating evidence to prove she wasn't a victim but totally a partner in the crime. I was interested to know more and how Agam came to this conclusion. But I had to wait for him to finish and it seemed like ages. When he finally did and turned to his screen to begin working, I requested him to show me the script.

He didn't object and simply asked me to sit next to him. It took me half an hour to process everything. He had really dug up a grave for Ms Pandit and yet he wasn't allowed to share his story.

"Can I see the file with the proof? There's so much information to process, can you do justice to this material in 20 minutes, considering the other ten for commercials. I don't know what possessed him at that moment because he picked up his phone and dialled a number excitedly.

"Listen to me, let's not air this story tonight. How about we do a full-blown editorial in the newspaper." His eyes were glinting.

"I am going to put the script at your table at six in the morning. And the article in another half an hour." I glanced at my watch. It was way past time for stories to go for print. He must have tapped someone really big in the industry to fit in a last-minute article, that too an editorial.

He looked at me and asked me in a hurry, "Can you write well?"

"Umm... If getting straight As and contributing guest columns in a daily newspaper counts."

"I have nothing but to rely on that for now." He scoffed while uttering those despicable words that bruised my ego.

"You have twenty-five minutes to produce an editorial. I can't believe I am asking you to do that of all the people in the world."

"Do it yourself if it suits you." He pushed a chair in exasperation. I had started working out the article in my mind.

I took an hour to finish the story. I was happy with what I had written but I did not know if that grump would be happy.

"I have completed," I shouted across from my desk.

He did not turn but gestured with his hands to send it. After emailing it, I waited for his feedback or changes. I have no idea when I drifted off because my exhaustion ensured I had a peaceful sleep, lacking any dreams.

It must have been six past five when I felt a hand on my face caressing me. However, I was in no mood to get up. I needed more of my beauty sleep.

A few drops of water on my face made me believe it was raining and I was enjoying the light drizzle in my sleep. But the hard tap and the shaking on my shoulder nagged me otherwise. When I finally woke up I had Agam blowing fire with his eyes.

"Oh my God! Are you serious? I was on the verge of a heart attack. Who does that to someone? Have you lost your head?" I asked him angrily, fire emanating from each word I spoke.

"Let's go before people start pouring into the office and notice the drool on your face." I panicked at his words and there was no mirror for me to check myself. I was never a beautiful sight whenever I woke up. Oh, God! This was so embarrassing.

I spruced up my hair and walked out with him. We took the elevator to the parking. I aimlessly followed him to his car before I opened my mouth.

"Can you drop...me home?" I was hesitating because I had no clue how this grumpy man would react. "My shift starts at eight and I need to be here..." I looked at my watch and screamed in fear. "How will I reach here on time?"

"I will drop you home and it is okay if you come in late. The office doesn't start functioning before eleven."

"Words from the owner of this media house," I spoke sarcastically.

He started the car, looked at me and spoke the words which should have made my heart flutter but gave me fits.

"I am taking you for breakfast because I am very hungry and I won't be able to function without coffee."

"Drop me near the station."

"Fine." He said.

The prospect of going on the train though very unwelcoming was at least comforting that I would reach faster than stopping over for breakfast with him. After last night what I don't want is to spend any more time with him than necessary. Plus that lady was getting released from jail. I would be killed for not coming in on time. The tiny little voice within me said I should stay for breakfast. As soon as he started driving, I had dozed off.

The smell was pleasant but my skin felt hot. It was however the harsh voice in my ears that woke me up with a startle.

"Abhilashaaaaa, Abhilashaaaaa..."

It felt like my mother. "No, no I didn't mean to." And I woke up to see Agam looking at me with concern.

"Are we home?" I corrected myself. "I mean have I reached my home."

"No, I have stopped to get some breakfast."

I panicked. "I can't... I need to be in office."

"You don't have to worry I will take care of your timings and even talk to Rohit. Now if you will cooperate, let's get something to eat."

He ordered akuri and Irani chai, with mawa cakes and brun pav, while I looked at the menu and wondered what was I supposed to eat. We had stopped at Merwans on Grant Road, a famous joint known for its delicious mawa cakes that flew off-shelf almost in an hour of baking.

I opted for a mawa cake and a cheese puff with a normal chai. Irani chai is sprinkled with a special Irani masala that lends it a different earthy taste which I was truly not accustomed to. How hungry I was for food was determined by how quickly I finished it. Agam sipped his tea at leisure, basking in the taste of that special masala while I sulked at my own cup which was nothing but sweet water.

"You need to develop a taste for this tea." He said smirking at me.

"I have developed enough taste to tolerate you and this tea." I took a sip after my incising words.

"I am glad." He chuckled.

What was funny? Nothing. Period.

This is so near to your house and do you know how special this place is. Mumbaikars love their bun maska and chai and it has been running for more than a century now, serving that same old thing called love in their food.

"How romantic?" I exclaimed. "I would prefer Flurys in my city over this any day any time."

"Both are different leagues." He chimed. "Plus papa's princess this is more affordable and accessible to all than Flurys. And the English breakfast is a far cry from the desiness served here."

"Oh my God! You are so prejudiced against me. I merely said I like breakfast at Flurys because of the food. Not because this isn't a high-end place or something like that..."

He had to interrupt me. "You Ms Bhayani need to experience a lot of things before you make A choice."

"I am inexperienced merely because I said I like Flurys and not Merwan. How ridiculous?" I got up from my chair and was ready to leave. Agam paid the bill to a smiling waiter, a Mr Yadav whom Agam knew from before. He was courteous to him and gave him a hefty tip.

I moved out carefully avoiding the crowd at the cafe. There was no parking available near the cafe and we had to walk towards the car in a lane nearby. I tried being ahead of him but he did catch me with his long legs.

"Running away?" There was mirth on his face.

"No, running late for office," I replied haughtily.

My bua's home was a two-minute ride and when I reached home I quickly got out of the car avoiding him, his arrogance, his experience and anything that reminded me of my inexperience. I was on the verge of tears. He had mocked me not once but many times. I was hurt and too embarrassed to show him my face.

"Bye. I will see you in office." He cried to which I had turned a deaf ear.