The Phone

The next morning was a quiet one. She had no meeting today, so she decided to work on a proposal for GC. She helped Neha and Vivek in the kitchen, had breakfast with them and bid them goodbye for the day.

"We have to leave for the ball around 8. So be ready. As soon as I arrive from the office we will leave," ordered Neha before leaving.

"Can't you two talk about party and ball and everything else after I leave. No need to make me jealous," said Vivek pouting angrily but that too looked cute on his face.

"Oh, we are so sorry," said Meera while pulling his cheeks.

"Don't let me find you wrapped up in your work when I return," warned Neha.

"Yes ma'am." Meera saluted her and gave her a nod.

After saying goodbye, she locked the main door after them and went into her room. The entire day she shut herself in her room and worked on her laptop, meticulously. She was so immersed in the work that she even forgot to eat. Her concentration broke when Neha appeared in front of her.

"I knew it." The moment her voice fell on her ears, Meera looked up.

"Did you forget something? Aren't you getting late for your work?"

"Dear Senior, I went to work and came back. It's evening."

"No!" exclaimed Meera and looked at the time and date display on her laptop taskbar. She couldn't believe it and looked again at the wall clock.

"Yes," said Neha sarcastically.

Vivek approached with two glasses of water and handed one to Neha. "Oh no, you are not ready yet. You guys will be late," he said after gulping the water.

"Ohh I will get ready just like that," she said and snapped her fingers.

"I don't care about that. I care about why you haven't eaten anything," shouted Neha at Meera. Vivek was about to swallow the water but hearing her angry tone, he froze.

"I ate lunch."

"When? In your imagination?" She placed one hand on her hip and stared at Meera furiously.

"Sorry," she said with guilt and then grinned from ear to ear to look cute deliberately to make Neha happy. "I will grab a bite before we hit the road, I promise. You go, get ready and I will meet you at the door in 15 minutes… after eating something."

In the ensuing moment, the phone on the table near Meera's laptop lit up and the display was completely red. The phone kept pulsating for a few seconds and Meera looked at the name. It said 'restricted'. She immediately went into alert mode. She stood upright and without wasting a single second said, "ok, ok, get out, I have to glamour myself up."

"Pick up the phone, first," said Vivek.

"I will do that as soon as you leave."

"Ohh, a phone call you can't take in front of us, boyfriend?" teased Neha.

"Leave!" She shouted and closed the door in their face.

She hastily locked it, instantly grabbed the phone, and clicked the green call icon. There was complete silence for a minute, neither side spoke.

"Yes," she started the exchange.

"Alone?" A voice resonated from the phone.

"Yes," she replied in an authoritative tone.

"Why didn't you inform me of your arrival?" There was not a hint of emotion in the voice.

"I didn't know checking in with you was mandatory."

"How long will you be in New York?"

"No idea. You know these things take time."

"Have you found anything yet?"

"I haven't even started."

"Which hotel are you staying in? Tell me, I will send you more resources, it will expedite your timetable."

"I am staying with my college juniors, not in a hotel."

"What? Are you out of your mind? What if someone finds out?" The emotionless voice suddenly became concerned but still spoke calmly.

"Relax! Staying with them is part of the plan. Everything is under control, no one suspects a thing. Remember? I am Meera, the great entrepreneur, and the terrific social activist. And I don't need anything from you except time."

"I can give you all the resources you need but I don't think you have time. We are racing against it. It's important that you see it all the way through."

"I understand. What about Spriha and JV?"

"It's up to you."

"But that could distract me from the real cause."

"Or help you by getting access to everyone involved."

"You are right. I will keep it in mind. Thank you."

"When can I expect an update?"

"Soon."

The line went silent. She looked at her phone, the display was jet black. She knew what would happen after that call, the call would render the phone useless. She took out the sim and broke it into pieces. She then let the phone fall to the ground and crushed it with the leg of the chair and made sure every single part of the phone smashed into tiny bits.

She took out two toiletry bags from her suitcase and opened both. One was empty, she dumped the carcass of the dead phone in it. The second bag was filled with mobile phones. Every phone was an exact replica of the phone she murdered a few seconds ago. She took one out and pressed the start button. The phone chimed and the screen said 'welcome'.

She was busy hiding the evidence when Neha shouted from outside, "Di! Are you ready? We must leave."

Her alert mind instantly gave her the signal and she joked to avoid any suspicions, "just give me 2 or 3 hours and I will be done."

"Senior!"

"Ha-ha, I am almost ready, just give me 10 more minutes."

"Ok, I am waiting."

Meera came out of the room in an instant, looking gorgeous. Both Vivek and Neha stared at her in wonderment.

"Woah! Remind me, why I never confessed my feeling to you?" Asked Vivek in astonishment.

"Because you were afraid for your life," she replied coolly.

"Hey! So, I am your second choice," said Neha jealously.

"No dear, you are my life." He went ahead and hugged Neha.

"Idiot!" Neha slapped him on the back of his head, and he broke the embrace laughing cutely like a child.

"You make sure that no one falls for you today, especially Arthur," he teased Meera.

"Why do you guys keep talking about me and him?" She sounded annoyed.

"Because he is single, you are single, both are ready to mingle."

"She is right. You are an IDIOT." Meera also slapped Vivek on the back of his head.

Meera ate a few cookies with half a glass of milk while Neha stood near her like a strict parent and watched her finish her meal.

"Good! Let me get my keys and we will leave," said Neha.

"No need."

"Why?"

"It's a surprise."

"It's Liv, isn't it? He is going with you. I will be here all alone," Vivek jokingly started crying.

"Are you done with your drama?" asked Meera.

"What drama? I am genuinely upset."

They both rolled their eyes at him.

"Liv will be here, after 9. You know that now stop acting like a moron. Go prepare your dinner," commanded Neha.

After much drama, they were ready to walk out of the door. He smiled at them and waved them goodbye. Neha exited the lift and saw a diamond black Rolls Royce Ghost parked in front of her building.

"Wow! This is the surprise," asked Neha excitedly.

"No, sorry. That is." She took her face in her hand and turned it towards an old, rusty car that was ready to crumble down at any moment. Neha's jaw dropped to the ground and her eyes widened. She froze with shock, completely stupefied, unable to utter a single word.

"You didn't like the car," asked Meera. Neha could only look at the car and Meera in a back-and-forth motion, still outraged. In the subsequent minute, all was revealed. Neha was a victim of another one of Meera's pranks because her partner in crime came from behind the rusty car laughing his heart out.

"Why always me?" She stomped her foot.

"Your expressions are just adorable." Meera shook Neha's nose with adoration.

"Ha-ha, you should have seen your face. That was too good, Era." Oliver walked up to the girls and high-fived Meera.

"You both are so bad." She folded her arms in anger.

"Will you be happy if I tell you the black SUV is really your surprise?"

"We are going to party in that."

"You are going with me, the guest of honour. We must arrive in style."

"No one can stay mad at you for long."

"True." They hugged each other and Meera patted Neha's back with affection.

"Girls! Go kill men today. You, go kill Arthur," said Oliver to Meera.

"Ahhh… Shut up," she screamed in annoyance and walked away from Oliver.

"What? It was a joke," he said confusingly. He couldn't comprehend why Meera screamed at him.

"Yeah, the same one Vivek made a few minutes ago," explained Neha in a whispering tone.

"That idiot! Always stealing my comedy bits."

"Neha! Are you coming?" called Meera.

"Yes, yes." Neha ran towards the car and got in after Meera.

Meera stuck her tongue out at Oliver in anger and her car drove away.

*****

Her phone, she suddenly realised they gave her a phone. She moved away from the door and sat on the bed. Very cautiously took her phone in her hands and inspected it thoroughly. There were no bugs or listening devices nor there was any signal because they took her sim out. She screamed at the top of her lungs in anger and threw the phone with all her strength. The phone broke into two. Panting, she sat on the bed and let her mind run back to the memories.