Beyond the Beats

Chapter 15. Beautiful dream

Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping!

My mother scolded me when my phone kept blasting the notification ringtone as soon as I switched it on. I had forgotten that I had switched it off the day before to focus on my assignment.

I glanced at the WhatsApp notifications: 400+ unread messages stared back at me.

I was about to check them when Mom snatched the phone away from me and gave me her murderous glare.

I zoomed inside the bathroom and got changed into my work clothes. Mom and I carefully exited our house without disturbing our sleeping family. I yawned and shifted closer to Mom as a cool gust of wind passed through our chawl.

The sun was yet to rise, and Mom kept talking about how we needed to reach the venue on time.

"Who's the client this time?" I asked.

Mom thought for a moment, her eyes darting like ping-pong ball. "I think it is some madam named Viraje or something..."

"Oh... But wasn't the deal cancelled?"

"We also thought so, but you know how these big people are like. If it wasn't for money, I wouldn't have accepted this offer at such a short notice. I even dragged you into this."

I pursed my lips as Mom kept mumbling about how she was affecting my dance practice. I gave her a side hug and told her to chill.

"I am not climbing Mount Everest, Maa. If I am done with my work on time, then I will leave for my dance studio from there only. What say?" I suggested.

Mom scrunched her nose in disapproval as she gave me a once-over. "Will you go in these clothes?"

I checked my attire. Apart from some loose threads falling from the hem of my long -sleeved shirt, a small tear near the right shoulder, faded backside and logo, and a hole the size of a five rupee coin, there was nothing wrong with what I was wearing.

I shrugged when Mom didn't look convinced. "It is either this wardrobe or me coming back home and wasting three hours. If it was possible, I would have carried spare clothes, but we all know the rules, right?"

Mom agreed in the end, even though she was yelling curses at the weird customs and rules we had to follow to work in such events. The agency Mom worked for on freelance basis restricted the workers to carry their belongings except mobile phones to the venue.

Soon, rest of the ladies also arrived, and we left to board our transportation. Our employee briefed us about the event and our work on the way, and as soon as we landed at our destination, my eyes were the shape of saucers.

It wasn't my first time working at a big place, but the house in front of me was colossal. Unlike me, Mom wasn't surprised. She shifted into her professional mode in a second and dragged me along with her.

Since the sky was still painted in night's leftover shades, I took my time to understand my share of work. While Mom was busy with the food preparation, I was a part of the decoration team. Following the plan, I carried the flower baskets and delivered them to the workers preparing the flower arrangements.

Just like that, I kept shifting from one department to another. Since I was the youngest among the workers, everyone kept treating me as an assistant. I didn't mind though - different types of work helped to keep my mind from worrying about other stuff.

As I had completed the task of placing the chairs and various placards titled as V.I.P, V.V.I.P, reserved etc.on the tables, I took a break and was eating a Vada Pav when our employer, Eknath Uncle, arrived in a rush.