Page 53 of Made in Mumbai

“No food, water or any kind of substance in the room.”

“And?” She turned to Maya with disdain. “What do you do over here? Do you even know how precious these fabrics are…?”

“Oh,” Maya tried to smile. “Don’t worry. Please. These are samples, and I assure you I haven’t gone near them. I was supposed to guard this set up from Si… I mean, I was supposed to make sure nothing was disturbed. That’s all.”

“What’s going on?” Gautam strode into the room, followed by the rest of their team.

“I wasn’t aware you hire incompetent secretaries who don’t even know how to behave, GK.”

Gautam glanced at Amber, then at her.

“I apologise,” he immediately nodded, without even asking her if she was at fault. “Let’s begin now, the setup is ready.”

Amber gave a queenly nod, moving on small feet towards the table. Maya quickly discarded the cone into the dustbin and was about to rush into the ensuite to wash her hands when Amber chirped — “What are you doing?”

“Just give me a moment, I’ll be right back to run the presentation.”

“You?” More disdain, more once-over from head to toe. Maya wore a loose black tunic to cover her mild baby bump over a tight pair of black jeans. She didn’t think she looked shoddy or shabby.

“Maya is the Senior Textile Designer at Made in Mumbai…” Aarya helped.

“No way. I am not listening to her drone on when she has not respected the sanctity of my material. Gautam, you or Sahyadri lead it, or I am leaving right now.”

Gautam glanced between them, then nodded.

“Take a seat Maya,” he tipped his chin at one of the chairs.

“What part of not respecting the sanctity of my material did you not get? She is not coming close to these at any cost.”

“It’s alright,” Sia cut in with a big pacifying smile. “No problem. I’ll lead this,” she nodded at Gautam, some private conversation happening between them. “Maya, please leave your iPad here.” She smiled again, that nice sugary smile, effectively dismissing her.

Maya walked out of the conference room, a part of her seething, another part of her ready to cry, and the biggest part of her regretting throwing that half-finished Cornetto into the dustbin. If she was to sit out of the class, then at least she should have had a treat!

10. Hum Tum

Days passed, weeks, Mumbai’s big 10-day Ganeshotsav passed too, as did Navratri. And with the winds of monsoon receding, the dry sweet smell of autumn began to blow over the city. Maya was happy. For the first time, she was truly happy in life despite the impediments that were underway every second day. She had a job that she loved, it paid really well, her colleagues were some of the best out there in the world (except one), Gautam was a bearable, almost pleasant entity, and… she had her baby coming. Not immediately. No. She wasn’tthatprepared for it. But at five months pregnant, she was now closer to the finishing line than the starting line.

As Maya strutted into the Amber Raisingh Fashion Show’s backstage area, she ran a hand down her baby bump. It was very noticeable now, cute but noticeable. This was the fist time she had worn something to accentuate it. Usually, she dressed in looser, more sweeping clothes to hide it at the office, even though everyone already knew. Today though, as she had picked a dress, a silk aegean blue one that she had bought on sale from a maternity brand, she couldn’t help but feel happier. It was like she was carrying her baby out for the first time.

The dress was form-fitting but not uncomfortable, its spaghetti strings looking chic on her still (thank god) slim shoulders. She had heard horror stories about pregnancy shoulders.

“Hey, Maya! Here, babe,” Aarya waved from one corner. Loud music was thumping as models were getting their hair and makeup done. The evening was set. The event already pulsing. She didn’t have much to do here except cheer them all on and clap the loudest when Gautam would walk the ramp at the end. Not as a model, but as the newest textile partner of Amber Raisingh. If she could get away with it, she would let out one or two loud whistles too. She had hid a small one in her clutch.

“Hi! All set?” She walked up to him, her gait slow. She could live in these kitten heels but that was before this baby had grown inside her. Now, she was careful.

“You look…” his lips rounded, as he took both her hands and held them up, eyeing her from top to bottom. “Man! Mummies can’t look this sexy!”

She grinned, jerking her hair back. And froze. Her hair had hit somebody behind her, hadn’t it? Maya turned alarmed, ready to apologise.

“Oh, it’s you,” she relaxed.

Gautam’s intense eyes lowered, until they were on her baby bump. Well, that was the highlight so she couldn’t complain.

“Who did you expect?” He returned his gaze to hers.

“Meaning?”

“Come with me.”

---