The wait for the end... Part 2

"What on earth were you thinking Neeti?"

"Boss, but these pics capture..."

"They capture NONSENSE! What! You want me to teach you to click pics now??? 2 more minutes in this office and I'll turn mad"

"Will turn? You have already!", Neeti said to herself softly.

"Neeti! I heard that!"

"Boss I should get back to work", Neeti couldn't hide her smirk.

"Yeah!" came the reply in a gruff tone.


Neeti's boss, Sushant, was a short tempered chap, exactly the opposite of his name. He cared for none and spoke his mind at times even when his opionion wasn't asked or didn't count. He was a hard-working fellow but not a good team player. Besides, he had had two divorces already and had now stopped believing in the institution of marriage. Although, deep down, he knew it was the otherwise.

Neeti was very jittery and fidgety today. She kept looking at her mobile. It did ring a couple of times, but not for the reasons she wanted.

It was lunch time. Her mobile rang suddenly breaking the lull in the office. A colleague, named Ramaswamy, who sits next to her cubicle woke up with a jerk from his sleep. Neeti saw his shocked face and declared "Subah ho gayi Ramu! Re Ramu!". Ramaswamy gave a sly smile.

"Hmmm Hey!"

"Where the hell are you? Do you realise you have called me after 48 hours?" Neeti couldn't control her decibles by now.

"Chill yaar! I am not jobless nor do I have time to go to parties and click snaps away to glory!"

"Gosh! What the hell is wrong with you? Are you..."

"Enough yaar! Listen! I got to go now... Important meeting yeah! Catch you later! See ya!"

"But you said we were supposed to ... Hello! Hello!" The line was already disconnected, even before Neeti realised. She jumped from her seat and ran into the ladies room. This was just another of those numerous times that she had wallowed in the office washroom. She took a complete 30 mins in there and came out, not until she washed her face and dried her eyes.

She reached her desk and sat looking at her computer screen like it was a television showing her the transcripts of the last mobile conversation. Just as she unlocked the screen, Ramaswamy said to her "Aiyo Neeti Amma, there was a call for you...Some Kafish I say"

Neeti burst out laughing and the whole cubicle was vibrating. "Aiyo Ramu Anna, its Kashif not Kafish I say" .

Ramaswamy laughed along. He always liked Neeti but realised long back that there could be nothing possible between them.

Neeti picked her mobile and redialled the number from the "Received list".

"Namaste Sirji" .

"Neeti ji! Kaise ho aap?"

"Badiyan... Waise aap ko mera number kahan se mila? Mere piche koi spy tho nahin lagaya na? Hahahaha" .

"Spy?"

"Detective?"

"Haan..." Kashif gave a quizzical reply.

"Oye Ramu, what is a spy called in Hindi?"

"Aiyo spy... wait Neeti, I'll search it on the internet" Ramaswamy swung into action.

"Jasoos!!!" Neeti almost screeched.

"Oh nahin nahin... jasoos nahin hain... maine thoda dundha and mil gaya aap ka number" .

"Acha... chalo chodo. Farmaiye... aap ne aise hi call kiya?"

"Woh main keh raha tha ki, main Worli mein hi tha tho kyun na lunch karen... Matlab hum dono... ek saath... alag alag nahin" Kashif sounded really nervous.

Neeti was caught off-guard. She didn't know what to say and she blurted out "OK"

"Main aap ko lene aata hun... White Honda city" Kashif was completely overwhelmed. He cut the line and told his driver that he would drive the car.

Neeti realised that she had said "Yes" for lunch. She wondered whether to call Kashif again and cancel the plan and apologize. After a lot of thought, she convinced herself to go for the luncheon.

As committed, Kashif was waiting in his white Honda City right in front of the entrance.

"Hi KAFISH"

"Neeti!" Kashif's throat went dry. He just kept looking a her as she walked near, sat next to him and again said "Hi". She had again worn a pair of simple straight fit demins with a well fitted V-neck black top. She looked very pretty. Kashif opened his mouth to say something and she cunningly said "Yes I know, main bohot achi lag rahi hun and kala rang meko suit karta hain."

Kashif blushed. He didn't protest. Quitely started driving the car. Neeti kept jabbering about work. Her boss. Her camera. On and off, she did ask him a few questions, but they seemed merely a formality. She didn't even spare him a second to answer any of them. Kashif couldn't help blushing and smiling, both at the same time. She spoke of the new fly-over from Bandra to Worli, about Linking road, her neighbour's dog, clothes. And out-of-the-blue, she said "Aap ka blazer acha hain! Waise aaj aap kaafi ache lag rahe ho KAFISH!"

Kashif suddenly seemed conscious and moved a bit in his seat. He smiled again. He didn't even realise that she had called him KAFISH.

"Abh main bilkul nahin bolungi KAFISH... Aap bolo KAFISHHHH" .

He laughed. "Mera naam Kashif hain".

"Nahin aaj se aap ka naam KAFISH... hahahahahaha". She laughed so loudly.

"Aree check tho kijiye Neeti ji ki peeche ka type kahin puncture tho nahin hua". His face was suddenly serious.

Neeti immediately looked from her window. The tyre was fine.

"Tik hain tyre".

"Hahahahaha meko laga shayad puncture hua ho"

"Kyun?"

"Aree aap aise hansi... ek tho tyre puncture hona jayaz hain" .

"Very mean". Neeti laughed again.

"Chaliye... hotel aa gaya."

... TO BE CONTINUED