Chapter 2

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⚠ Warning : This part may contain obscene talks. Readers are requested to overlook if beyond digestion.

Grand Hyatt, Bambolim, Goa

Zaid's Narration:

Maa.

Mmaa...?

Maa'aaa...?

Maaaa!

Papa!

Papa!

"Papa, come fast! See, Ma is not responding. Where're you Papa?" screamed my heart so tremendously in the midst of my slumber that I couldn't stop myself from getting up and springing out from my bed.

Hah...hah, I gasped and sat on the bed wiping my temple that was flooded with tiny pearls of sweat experiencing one of the most often nightmares of mine.

It was exactly 8 am in the morning and, as usual, I never wanted to recall how tiresome was our journey from Abu Dhabi to Goa. It was wholly a contradiction to my congeniality that after departing from the airport in Panaji (in Goa) I had to pass through P O Goa University Road where those swines... uff isn't it that I'm recalling it right now? Damned, still, how they dared!

Anyways, I've to be punctual enough not to miss the interview session in the afternoon. But what about my promise to Father Joseph? Should I pay him a visit then join the meeting or would it be just if I meet him tomorrow?

Father, I shall come to meet you in the Bom Jesus Basilica as soon as I step my foot in Goa, my words to the Father were hovering over my mind, pushing me to the edge of sighing for assuring him with such a concrete promise.

Duty comes first Zaid, said my heart. Your father is not as clement as Father Joseph. I got my answer.

I rushed into the bathroom and unbarred the shower shutter before taking off my clothes.

I should've taken them out first as to take out damp clothes was as difficult as stripping a sheep off wool. I had my ways as I didn't close the shower tap and allowed the smoothness of water to ease my job.

It boggled my mind when I found a collection of Britney Spears' bodywash and shampoos in the cosmetic shelf of the restroom rather than those of Brickell's or Wildstone's.

Is this even a hotel that a room alloted to man is completely women oriented, I thought ruthlessly. I could've called and scolded the staff for this but I was partially naked and therefore could not help myself. I scratched my nose before pouring out one of those shampoos on my palms and rubbed it quickly on my head.

These are just full of sweet fragrances and nothing else, I thought while massaging my head gently.

It was not more than two minutes that I stayed in the bathroom and I came out in the bedroom after finishing my business anyhow there.

AC is moderate and moderate is the climate of Goa, a destined destination to sea breezes, I recalled while opening my suitcase.

I buttoned my shirt neatly and without taking my gaze off the mirror I picked up the thing I wanted to make a perfect nod of to form a perfect tie. As soon as my sight fell on it I threw it astonishingly.

Now what the hell is a frilled lingerie doing in my room, I roared in my mind. And collected my mind before picking up the tie that time.

Breakfast? Nope. Brunch would do.

Soon, I found myself walking past the reception adjacent to which was the lobby only to reach to Varishth uncle's guestroom. There, after having learnt of his absence,

I ringed him but his phone was received by his assistant, so, I bothered myself to search for him.

It was not less than a taboo to walk by the pool area. I would cry inside while maintaining audacity on my face to show my presence there. And like always, Varishth uncle and his son Bhushan, in colourful casuals, were delightfully engrossed in interacting with women bodies of whom, given the amusement of other men and dismay of mine, were 90% exposed to the sun and the air.

I'd sound rude that I didn't want to but it'd be a correct measure if say it was a 95% of nudity before my poor eyes. I didn't surmise it as a man as it was the result of my devotion that gave to Mathematics for unlike Bhushan who was an IIM Bangalore alumnus, I was a Chartered Accountant before my father needed a crutch to lean on as the CEO of the company.

It was an insult to an already humbled Sun that I chose to wear my sunglasses. But who cared?



Author's narration:

Zaid was a tall man who knew what strides were but they were the little steps that he took like the one with stiff leg to reach to the Sarkar duo.

"Good morning! What a pleasant surprise! You and here?" a sarcastic remark passed by Bhushan one of whose hands was snaked around a woman's waist.

Zaid asked himself in his mind to nod at Bhushan and then turned to Varishth and asked him, "Uncle, can't we shift our meeting to our premises, I think it'd be a better thing to do if the candidates are invited for selection at the place they want to work"

Varishth chuckled for a moment in amazement by hearing something unexpected from Zaid. And Bhushan was set aback furrowing his eyebrows.

"Why so sudden and on the tail of the ceasing sand?" questioned the uncle.

"Strategy, uncle. Do you think we will survive in the corporate blindly?" questioned back Zaid.

"Hmm. Your question sounds good Zaid but don't you think we've sent the call letter almost a month ago and according to the candidates, their interviews are supposed to be held here, at Grand Hyatt," responded Varishth putting his hand around the wide shoulder of Zaid.

"Yeah uncle but I think given the preferences of the candidates not familiar to Goa, the outsiders mainly, it'd become a factor to impact their behaviour due to way too reckless standards of even the superior portfolio baggers in this place?" spoke Zaid backing his argument with a valid reason that was artful enough to strike Bhushan for a while.

*"Oh toh ye Faulaad Ki Aulaad 70 candidates ko apni baazuon mein utha ke Bambolim se Banguinim le jaayega?" hissed Bhushan sweetly as a vengeance to Zaid for subtly targeting him.

*"So, this Man Of Steel is going to carry 70 candidates in his arms from Bambolim to Banguinim?"

*Note- Hotel Grand Hyatt is in Bambolim where Sarkars and Khans had stayed in the night after they had arrived Goa in Panaji. And Banguinim is a place in Goa where church Bom Jesus Basilica as well as Main branch of Khan's & Sarkar's Estate is situated. I hope you've got the hint how many birds was Zaid going to kill with just an arrow ; )

"If vehicles of Grand Hyatt could not carry anything other than heroines and heroin then it'd be an honour for me to assign the buses of KSE to do this task." finished Zaid and mentally flashed a slap on Bhushan's face. And turning towards Varishth, Zaid said, "I hope uncle you won't entertain any other accusations from the public's side that flew with the rumours spread by Oberois about our incapacity to execute our tasks. I wish we should check each and every step of ours before we implement it. Hence, instead of conducting the interview in Grand Hyatt we should change our plan to do it in KSE itself, as how come a company could outsource its competitor by executing its plans in their premises?" Zaid put forward an everstrong argument.

"So, were you sleeping, Mr. Honcho, when we sent the candidates the call letters requesting them to reach Grand Hyatt to get the *uck done?" asked Bhushan dropping his eyebrows.

"Nope, I was as awaken as you were but also as oblivious as you were of the Oberoi's drama. The case, Mr. Moron, was then different and is now different. I hope I don't have to please you people more in this. We're leaving within 20 minutes," Zaid sealed the conversation.

There was a smirk on Varishth's face as he found an opportunity in this suggestion of Zaid. So, he silently nodded to the favour of Zaid while Zaid turned back in a flash and left the spot dauntlessly in strides.

"Hey! How come you decided everything alone in a little span of time? No discussion or meeting with other directors?" shouted Bhushan but his voice was too fragile to reach to the ears of the nonchalant figure who was ambling swiftly like a royal horse.

Bhushan turned to his father who, before his son could vomit anything, said,"Let's change our wearing fast, and move on punctually as I said. No further discussion on this"

"But dad! This is not fair," he complained.

"What not fair? Your leaving these girls and merrymaking here? At least think once about our today's motive and please act like a sane person this time." he said and hurried from there, throwing the half-smoked cigarette into the pool.

Bhushan stood there for a minute with a frown not worth looking at. He turned to the group of women and called out at them, " Gonna meet you all in the next Sunday's nightparty at Baga beach," he winked at them and they winked back in consonance.

He sipped the last draught of Vodka from the glass he carried in his hands only to throw the empty glass into the swimming pool and belched like a beast. While retarding from there he shouted at one of the women, "Hey You! Yes, you blue halter bikini!"

A young woman, blonde, turned around and gazed at him.

"What?" she questioned.

"Follow me," he invited.

"Umm.. okay," she said to his good.

"What can I call you other than blue bikini 'cause it's not your permanent dress I think," he said in a sardonic tone.

"Venus," said the woman.

"Ah! Lovely name, goddess of beauty, right?"

She nodded.

"By the way I like your name for another reason. The thing is I just love the alphabet V," he whispered into her ear.

"Oh is it? Why so?"

"Ah leave it now. I'll tell you later," he finished saying and they were gone from the pool area.

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In the streets on Bambolim

A bus, that contained not more than 30 passengers, with an ideal speed was moving calmly on the road when it came across with a red traffic signal.

A girl with beautiful bulging eyes and having worn a yellow and red shaded salwar-kameez was sitting on the last seat and was looking outside the window. Her beautiful, gazelle-like eyes would never get tired of admiring the aesthetics of the new land she had recently stepped in.

She turned around to an old lady who was sitting beside her only to hold her palms and she spoke in assurance,"Auntie, don't worry I won't leave your side until and unless you've reached your place, what was that name?"

"Bom Jesus Basilica," replied the old lady and added, "Thank you sweet child, nowadays who helps a stranger," said the old lady smiling at the 24-year old girl.

"It's not like that auntie. We're not strangers, do we look like that the way we are comfortable in talking?"

"Absolutely no. And I don't know why the way you sound so familiar to me, I could feel a connection with you, child. Verily, holy father does join people by hearts even though they meet for the first time and their eyes do not recognize the person but hearts do. By the way, see my bad, I didn't even ask your name"

"My name is Nuska Nisthar and I've come here from Mumbai"

"From Mumbai, okay, what business brought you here sweetie?"

"Actually I came here to give my interview"

"Interesting, which college?"

"Not a college, auntie, a company"

"Again interesting, which company?"

"Khan's & Sarkar's Estate," finished Nuska.

"Oh, I see, that luxury hotel one?"

"Yes auntie"

"Then why don't you join it's Mumbai branch child, I didn't mean to discourage you but environment in Mumbai as a job hub would be suitable for the sweet girl like you, I hope you understand," hesitated the old lady.

"Oh actually auntie, I've applied for the Mumbai branch only, but since they've conducted their interviews here in Goa so I came here. I only want to join Mumbai's one, that's my dream"

"Excellent! Very ambitious girl you're. God bless you child," said the lady and Nuska couldn't help herself smiling and she blinked at her.

In the same traffic jam.

"Is it the people or you who are supposed to give interviews that you're taking the whole body of interviewers to the church, Mr. Honcho?" shouted Bhushan irritatingly in a classic Jaguar land rover with Zaid in the driver's seat and Bhushan beside him. Varishth Sarkar, Aadam Khan and an auditor of the company, Ravi Bhattacharya were sitting behind them.

Aadam and Varishth were discussing their criteria over the selection/rejection ratio of the candidates whereas Ravi was grinning seeing the uneasiness of Bhushan.

"Bhushan boss, whatever Zaid boss is doing is quite credible if you notice it from a businessman's point of view," suggested Ravi.

And as expected, Bhushan turned back with a glare and said, "No one is a Christian here in this car, so what made him visit the church when we've to reach KSE by 12 when it's already 11 here"

Varishth's ears was burnt hearing this.

"Son, We've never discriminated the flow of our activities based on religious spot. All religions and their people are same for us as representatives of KSE. What you individually think, be it whatever, should not come on this role of yours. Always remember," said Varishth in a bossy tone looking straight at Bhushan.

"Yes son, your father is right," added Aadam Khan.

"Great, dad, great. You people find shutting one's mouth rather than answering their queries and satisfying them. That's why the Oberois..." Bhushan could've completed his sentence but each and every one in the car hissed with their eyes at Bhushan when he took Oberoi's name.

"Hey! Don't eat me with your eyes, all I want to know is why Bom Jesus Basilica before KSE?" said Bhushan almost exhausted.

"Boss, the timing is also postponed. Now the interview process will take place after 2 pm. And all the candidates who've reached Grand Hyatt by this time would already be there in the buses of KES or whoever reaches there will be asked to join that journey to KSE and it's very critical situation that made Zaid boss undertaking this"

"Oh really? Then let me also know that critical point that, I being a superior don't know and subordinates seem to have a lot of knowledge about integral stuff," said Bhushan looking out of the window.

Ravi was startled at first then he said, "Let us reach the church, boss, then I'll tell you everything"

By that time, in the traffic jam, Zaid didn't speak a single word even when he was capable enough of shutting Bhushan's mouth in one go. That's because his eyes were set on a beautiful thing that was seldom a part of Goa's culture - a yellow coloured dupatta (stole) hanging from the window of a bus was swinging and playing with the sea-smelled wind. Zaid unknowingly smiled at the sight before him that forbid him to pay attention to other stimulus sitting beside him.

As soon as it was 3 seconds left for the signal light to turn green, Zaid's Jaguar already aced the speed like a predating jagaur, leaving behind all the vehicles even the bus in which Nuska was sitting and chatting with the old woman.

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