𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑬𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒍

||01||

As I stepped into my cabin, a wave of relief washed over me. The weight of the long-awaited meeting with the foreign client had finally been lifted off my shoulders. I let out a deep sigh, feeling the tension melt away from my 22-year-old frame. As a junior executive at a prestigious firm, I had been preparing for this meeting for weeks. 

"It's finally over," I thought to myself, a sense of accomplishment and liberation flooding my mind.

I slipped off my tailored blazer and draped it over the back of my plush leather chair; the soft leather creaked in protest. Then, I sank into the chair's comforting embrace, feeling the softness envelop me. I closed my eyes for a moment, savoring the peaceful atmosphere that now filled my spacious, elegantly decorated cabin. 

With the meeting behind me, my focus could now shift to the looming college exams, just around the corner in less than two weeks. I opened my eyes, my gaze drifting to the stack of textbooks and notes waiting patiently on my desk. A renewed sense of determination stirred within me, and I steeled myself to dive into exam prep, ready to tackle the challenges ahead. 

I picked up the phone and dialed Trisha's extension, my voice clear and crisp. 

"Trisha, could you please bring me a cup of coffee?" I requested, craving the much-needed caffeine boost. 

Exactly 10 minutes later, Trisha's gentle knock on the door broke the silence. 

"Come in," I called out, granting her permission to enter. She walked in with a warm smile, carrying a steaming cup of coffee that filled my cabin with its inviting aroma. 

It was my favorite brew, crafted just the way I liked it. 

"Trisha, what's my schedule looking like for the next two weeks?" I inquired, taking the cup from her. She consulted her tablet, her eyes scanning the screen before responding. 

"There's nothing major lined up, Ma'am," she replied, her voice confident and reassuring. 

I let out a deep sigh of relief, feeling the tension in my shoulders ease. With no pressing meetings on the horizon, I could finally focus on my neglected college commitments. 

But as Trisha departed, my relief was short-lived. My mind shifted to the looming deadline for my college assignment, and my stomach twisted into knots. I had missed five precious days of classes, and tomorrow's submission deadline was now staring me down. To make matters worse, I hadn't even begun working on the assignment. 

I slumped back in my chair, shaking my head in dismay. 

"Wow, amazing timing!" I muttered to myself, incredulous. 

"Just as one task ends, another one arrives!" The thought escaped my lips in a wry smile, as I paraphrased the Hindi idiom, 

"Hey Bhagwan, abhi abhi ek kaam khatam hui aur apne dusra kaam bhi bhej diya!"