Page 48 of Made in Mumbai

“No doubt you are in this condition!” Sia spouted. “Trying on your bosses and getting like this. I heard your ex-husband was here and you threw yourself all over him? What, keeping Gautam close in Coorg and your old hubby close in Mumbai? You should be ashamed of yourself!”

Maya waved a palm in front of her. Sia’s eyes narrowed at it — “What?”

“Talk to the hand, Sia. Talk to the hand. Or didn’t you go to school?”

Maya didn’t wait for her to spew more of her crazy venom. She stalked by her and left the storeroom, starting again —10, 9, 8, 7…

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The next morning, Maya came bearing mini cupcakes. A hundred of those baby monsters in chocolate, vanilla and strawberry.

“Good morning!” She wished Leo. “Here, have a cupcake.”

“What’s the occasion?”

“Have, have! And follow me!”

She went around their co-working area, spreading morning cheer with cupcakes, refusing to reveal the occasion. That was the moment Sia walked in with Gautam, the two looking like such a pair as they began passing by the space to climb up to their respective lairs.

“Hey!” Maya sped to them, “here, have a cupcake…” she began to offer, then pulled the box away from Sia. “Oh I’m sorry, I forgot you don’t take sugar. My bad. Gautam, would you like one since its almost weekend?”

He eyed her suspiciously — “What’s the occasion?”

“That’s what we have been asking too,” Aarya chipped in, popping a second cupcake into his mouth. “What’s the good news, babe?”

“I’m pregnant.”

“Whaaaat?’ Riya bulldozed right into her with arms out, pushing her into Gautam’s body.

“Riya!” She laughed, returning her embrace.

“Oops, sorry sorry sorry… sorry, sir.”

“It’s alright,” Gautam nodded, then dipped his gaze to her — “Are you ok?”

Maya stared shocked at him, but nodded. The whole office erupted in congratulatory cheers. From her closest team to their coworkers, from some GK Textiles robots to the peons and maids, everybody was upon her, wishing her, hugging her, patting her head, picking more cupcakes, asking her how far along she was, giving her tips to take it easy. For a second between all that commotion, tears came to her eyes. She turned her head to cough, and drink them down, only to notice that Gautam still stood behind her.

“We aresothrowing a party!” Aarya embraced her from behind, as usual. This time, she noticed Gautam’s impassive expression transition. His nostrils flared. But she didn’t wait to see more, turning in Aarya’s embrace and returning it — “No booze,” she laughed.

“Fine, no booze,” he rolled his eyes. “For you. We will get shitfaced.”

She patted his back and pushed away, laughing as he swiped two more cupcakes from her box.

“Is there any left for me?” Gautam’s drawl sounded from over her shoulder. Shocker after shocker. Maya turned in time for him to grab the last cupcake from her box and shove it in his mouth as he marched towards the stairs.

9. Mujhse Dosti Karoge!

“Has nobody ever been pregnant in this office before or what?” Maya snickered, accepting the third dabba of pregnancy goodies. She had already had their head maid and her lunch partner drop off jaggery laddoos, followed by Leo who brought her his grandmother’s homemade Goanese pickle. And now, Riya presented to her a tupperware packed bowl of ‘ambali,’ their traditional Marathi porridge and ghee-gud-methi laddoos.

“Ever since I have worked here? No.” Riya settled beside her on their co-working table.

“I feel so spoiled right now!”

“As you should. We know…” Riya lowered her voice. “You told me your parents are in Dahanu and your ex-husband doesn’t come by anymore…”

Maya gave her a tight smile.

“Tell me honestly, do you have people looking after you? Any relatives?”

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