Koi Fariyaad

Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2: START FROM THE START

Yaadein gehri hai itni,
dil doob jaye.

PRESENT DAY

Watching the trees pass by in a blur down familiar roads, Bhumika Shekhar Mistry leaned her head back against the seat. She'd barely gotten any sleep since Asha's text last night. Though a good night's rest in general, had been hard to come by in these past few years. Returning her attention to the phone call with her junior associate, Bhumi sighed inaudibly.

"Mohil, please explain to me what purpose you're serving the firm if you can't handle one week of meetings without me?" She asked calmly, scrolling through the presentation he sent her.

It'd have probably been less frightful if she had just yelled at him.

"I understand that however..." Mohil tried keeping the fear from his voice. "I just don't think I... I'm just not sure I'm ready to handle a week with all your clients...all on my own," he bravely continued, "And especially since I didn't even really get to, you know, prepare for it ahead of time. But still if you need..."

That caught her attention. Not the unintentional jab, she liked watching her junior associates grow a spine around her, as daunting as the task probably was. But it was the self doubt that caught her ear immediately. Just the way he was referring to himself...everything. It was alarming. And worst of all, he was pretending like it didn't exist. She was well-versed with this approach. 

It's not real. Just pretend like it doesn't exist. It'll go away.

Try harder.

"I see," she said simply, voice devoid of emotion as she gave it a thought.

"How about we do one thing," she said, still keeping her tone professional. "Akash owes me a favor anyways, would you feel more comfortable if I asked him to accompany you? I still expect you to lead the meetings and draft all the contracts, however. But would that be better?"

"Yes, that would be...perfect," he was grateful and it was evident in abundance. "I...really appreciate it ma'am."

She smiled, nostalgic. Continuing not because she had to, but rather because she knew the impact words had, especially the right ones when one needed to hear them the most.

"And Mohil, one more thing. I know...," she said treading carefully, " "...how hard it can be to remind yourself of your worth sometimes. Especially when stress levels are as high as they are now, with my sudden departure." She closed the laptop, "But you're a brilliant lawyer. I wouldn't have hired you if you weren't. Remember that."

He was at a loss of words, she could tell. Sparing her junior the nerves, she ended the conversation for them. "Well if that was everything, I'll check in with you again on Saturday?"

"Absolutely, have a safe trip ma'am." He ended, tangibly calmer than at the beginning of the phone call.

Exasperated, not sure from what, Bhumika quelled the butterflies in her stomach. There was no point in denying their existence anymore. At least not to herself.

32 minutes to destination, she read on the GPS.
32 minutes to Princeton.

It was her last thought before succumbing to sleep, rocked back and forth ever so slightly by the gentle sway of the car.

***

SEPTEMBER 2010

Preparing for her first presentation in ECO302 tomorrow, Bhumi crumpled the flashcard in her hand, angrily tossing it out of her sight. Exasperated and her heart pounding from the uncertainty of tomorrow, she lay down letting her long, dark black hair hang free from the edge of the bed. Rapunzel kahin ki, she thought.