Hidden Hues Of Henna

Bematlab baatein

Pallavi stood up and began straight for the closed cabin doors at the end of the hallway. Enough was enough.

"Ma'am you cannot go in there! Excuse me,Miss Deshmukh! Hello!"

The receptionist's voice reached her but she ignored her royally. She heard the heels clicking behind her fast and quickened her pace. Reaching the glass door she pulled it open and stepped into the dimly-lit passage.

"I am calling security! Hello!Madam,stop!" The woman dressed in a black skirt and white blouse tried to catch hold of Pallavi's arm but the latter flinched away and stepped back.

"You need to-" Pallavi cut her off holding a hand up.

"Listen Miss-"She glanced at the golden name tag hanging on the woman's fitting blouse,"-Dipika,I am at the edge of my tolerance!So if you don't want me to create a scene in your showroom downstairs,let me go in there without any fuss.You know it's high time I did!"She pointed to the large wooden door at the end of the aisle.

Dipika tried to match her stare for a moment before sighing and stepping back,"Go!But let me tell you sir is not in today."

"Let me see that for myself?" Pallavi hiked her bag higher on her shoulder as she raised an eyebrow at the bespectacled receptionist.

Dipika nodded grudgingly before turning back to move towards her work station praying that the saree girl doesn't drag her down with herself.

Pallavi huffed watching her go.She had been visiting here regularly since the last five days and everyday the Miss receptionist-of-the-year's attitude had only worsened. But what else could she expect? Raghav Rao would have employees who were exactly like him-arrogant and rude with no sense of reason.

Ghamandi Rao's Ghamandi receptionist!

Shaking her head,she turned back to her focused destination and began towards it with quick steps. Passing along two conference rooms,a restroom and a lounge,she finally reached the passage end where stood the large wooden double doors which shielded the devil's cabin. While the entire hallway was encased in glass doors and walls except for the restroom,Raghav Rao's cabin doors and walls were a regal work of wood. It should have looked odd and out of place but it looked well planned and tasteful,Pallavi noted.

Mentally scolding herself for her nonsensical wondering,she pushed open the doors and strode in with stiff steps,ready to fight anyone and everyone.

Only that there was no one in the giant hall like office room.

Pallavi frowned glancing around the cabin.It was empty,her shoulders relaxed as she took in the grand interiors of the office.

Ghamandi Rao sure had big money.

A light shuffling of feet and low humming caused her to freeze. Her eyes darted to the wooden wall on the left only that it was a sliding door which opened into another room. She inched closer to it and heard closely as the humming got louder and so did the shuffling.Somebody was in there. Pallavi slowly slid the door aside as being as gentle and sneaky as possible and what she witnessed stunned her into silence.

A tall, muscular man clad in a an all black suit was present inside the room which was apparently a file room filled with racks and cabinets loaded with paper work and a couple of computers located in the room corner. The man had his back to Pallavi as he placed some files neatly into one of the tall racks.

But that was not what caused Pallavi to be quiet. Rather the very obvious hip shaking,head bobbing and loud humming along the tune of what Pallavi was sure was the title track of Kaho na Pyaar Hai, was what stopped her. He was lost in his own world with ears plugged in.She was struggling between the choice to run away and let the bulky stranger enjoy his self-serenade or stand and watch him as he hopped around.