Page 47 of Made in Mumbai

“No.”

That was Gautam. Of course, he would be allergic to the smooth sailing in the room. “You can take your maternity leave, but work from home will not be possible. And you live two lanes away, you can come to work after the baby is born.”

“And put it where, in the empty planter outside?”

Silence.

“I mean,” Maya scampered. “I will need to work out an arrangement for the baby.”

“Let’s see how things go, this is too early to talk. Anything else?” He glanced between them all. Then stood to his feet and was off like an arrow. Maya shot out of her seat and followed.

He had already turned the steps and was out of sight. She raced after him — “What do you mean let’s see how things… Ow!” She stumbled, catching herself in time before his hand wrapped around her bicep.

“Are you crazy?” He hissed through his teeth, helping her up the steps until they were on the first floor. He pulled her through an alley she had never seen, the railing white and looking down at the backyard of the villa. He kept going, and she kept quietly following, still shocked after that near fall.

He opened a door at the far end and nudged her in, then closed it. Maya glanced around. It was a storage room with bundles and bundles of richly wrapped textiles. Cottons and hemps and silks, in so many colours and designs.

“What is wrong with you?” He let loose. She whirled, her hair just missing his face as he pulled back — “Are you even serious about this pregnancy thing? Because I don’t see you doing anything remotely looking like a mom. You are so irresponsible that it took you one whole week to even go to the doctor. And you are flitting around the office like you have nothing wrong with you? I don’t know what’s going on in your personal life but I do not want any mishap in my office or on my conscience!”

“How dare you?” She advanced on him. That temper that she had almost lost that day after her parents’ phone call? It erupted with a vengeance — “You do not get to tell me how I deal with this 'pregnancy thing.’ You do not get to stand on the sidelines and judge me for how I conduct myself. Agreed, I was running just now and shouldn’t have. But know this that…” she choked. “Even I forget sometimes that I am pregnant!”

Maya swallowed, fortified herself, and went on — “Pregnant women have a whole tribe to talk to, to hype them up, to make this real. I don’t have much going on in that direction. But what’s that got to do with you? You just…”

“You are scared of telling everybody!” He retorted. “Look, you scrunch your nose and hold your breath every time one of your friends offers you something that makes you nauseous. Instead of just telling them that you are sick because you are pregnant!”

“Again, not your subject to judge.”

He turned, his fingers clawing through his hair. Maya counted back from 10. Her rage began to cool. But the asshole turned at 4 and it was all back!

“You will not get work from home because that will set a precedent. Every pregnant woman in the company will demand that kind of favour…”

“It’s not a favour! I can work solo, I am great at what I do and I work honestly…”

“Doesn’t matter…”

“You know what? Fine. Keep your work from home to yourself. And do not show me your face downstairs.”

“Let me see who saves you the next time Leo offers you jalapeño poppers.”

She gagged.

“With extra garlic chutney,” the fucker added, storming out of the room. Maya stuck her head out behind him, breathing in clean, fresh, leafy air.Phew. 10, 9, 8…Her countdown to sanity was again disrupted.

“I’m sorry…” Sia stepped up from behind the door, kept coming, until she was inside the room and had shut the door again. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. But I couldn’t help but overhear. Is your baby Gautam’s?”

Maya’s eyes widened. She peered at Sia, checking if she was joking. No, her face was pinched, perfect makeup but bitch expression. Why did god teach the bitchiest of women the most perfect of makeup techniques?

“With all due respect,” Maya channeled her inner professional. “That is none of your business.”

“What did you say to me?”

“I said it with all due respect, Sia.”

“Listen, Maya, you are new here and not familiar with my ways. You may have run your loud mouth and woven some happy-go-lucky magic around Gautam, but these cheap tactics don’t work here…”

“Wait a sec, wait a sec, you think I work some happy-go-lucky magic?” Maya grinned, more to piss her off. “Wow, thanks.”

And piss her off it did. Her bitchy face reddened under that perfect makeup.Thank you god!

---