Safe haven [Yourstoryindia]

#Chapter 1 : Unusual weekend

Hello... This is my first story, and also it is not edited. So there will be plenty of grammatical errors. Hope you enjoy the story despite of all that. Happy reading..

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'Out of all these days, it has to be today..' Anusha wiped the sweat beads formed on her nose bridge.
Usually she had pretty bad cramps on her periods, but today was worst. She clenched her teeth and looked at the clock. It was 11.45.. 45 minutes more for lunch break. She checked her desk drawers for medicine, and got a strip of Panadol. She checked the expiry date, thankfully it was good enough. She dialled to the office pantry.

On second bell,their office boy took the call.
'Hello Anu madam, do you need something?' his throaty voice enquired.
'Yes bhayya, send me one glass water please' she replied.
' Ok Madam, manager sir came or not?' He asked her in his broken English.
' No bhayya..he is in the head office now, if he comes here, I will give you a call, send me water now,thanks.' She told and cut the call.

Anusha has been working in the LRD department for the past two years. When she came to Qatar, she was not looking for a job.
She came here because everyone in her family and her close friends were worried about her. They thought she was dooming into depression slowly and she needs a change.
When Reshmi, her college friend and her husband Akash came to visit her, they also suggested that she should get out of her room and need a change from her situations.
Anusha hesitated first, leaving her home and all memories there, didn't appeal to her at first, but all of them kept insisting that she had left with no choice.
Leaving painful memories back and running away from it isn't a solution, she knew. But staying there wasn't helping either. Even after two years, the pain she felt was so raw and fresh she could feel in her heart.
Working in Labour Resource Department as a receptionist,is a foolish thing for a pharmacy graduate,she knew it. But it kept her busy all day, she liked working here.
She got this job by Akki's recommendation. She was working in a site office of Challenger contracting and trading company aka CCT.
One of the biggest construction companies in Qatar. Her Department dealt with labours related problems. CCT was a Syrian company, and most of the staff and higher-up was Arab people.
Dealing with Indian labours were quite difficult for them. So they started Labour Resource Department for the welfare of labours. They employed more Indians in the department and Anusha was appointed as soon as she finished her interview.
She liked it here.
Then another office boy brought her a glass of water. She smiled at him as she took the glass. He was a Filipino guy, and his English was limited.
' All good madam?' he asked in a soft voice.
' oh yes.. have a headache' she smiled at him to ensure him.
I must be looking terrible she told herself in mind, reading his expression.
She waved her hand and told him that nothing to worry, and with a nod he left. She took one tablet from the strip and gulped down with water and took some deep breath. It was past 12'o clock, 30 minutes more for the break. She sat back on her chair and looked outside through the glass door. It was the end of summer, temperature was gradually decreasing outside. This week it was in between 35 to 40 degree Celsius. Anusha's office was located in the middle of Qatar's biggest shopping mall construction site. It was so big with thousands of workers working throughout day and night,she could only see concrete pillers and metal bars from her seat.
Few workers came to the office in their shabby working safety coveralls. She quickly changed into her office mode. They were from various parts of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan working in this hot climate for their loved ones. Anusha asked them for their reason for visit. They were asking for confirmation about their leave application. LRD dealt with worker's leave and salary issues attendance and site transfer. In short her office held responsible for over 3000 labours of the company.

Dealing with them made her to realise and count her blessings. She was from Kerala, was well educated and never dealt with poverty. All these people were working in this hot climate just wanted to remove poverty from their life. It took away their health and a life with loved ones. They got to meet their families once in two years. Her train of thought broke, when one of them asked her to check his eligibility for annual leave. It was a company policy. They have to complete a specific number of working days to be eligible for annual leave with salary. She checked their ID number and put in the system, and workers list under different time keeper s pop up. She checked their name and called the related time keeper Azam. Then she told them to wait outside in the waiting area as their coordinator asked her to do.
Mr. Mohamed Abid was LRD coordinator, who thought the workers are too smelly, to stand in the office. She felt bit furious about his attitude but her co-workers told her that he was like that from the beginning. Even though he work for the labours welfare, he can't stand their dusty clothes and sweat smell.
She sighed at that thought and nodded at Azam as he crossed her desk to go to the workers. She was feeling better and arranged the documents from store, for manager's signature and checked the time again.

Finally it was lunch break. She muttered a thank god and grabbed her hand bag from the side table and went to the pantry area crossing the staff cubicle. Most of them started collecting their lunch box and walked towards the pantry. Anusha stopped at the pantry door, waved Arlene,her one and only close friend in the department, who was saving the data to leave her chair. Looking at Anusha, Arlene saved her work and grabbed her handbag and phone in other hand and walked towards Anusha.
Arlene was a Filipino girl, with petite figure and honey brown coloured hair.
' Hey Anu, are you okay? You are looking pale'.
Arlene took a close look at her friends face who was leaning to the wall. 'wait...you have that stupid cramp face dear..oh god..are you feeling okay?' she raised her eyebrows as she grabbed Anu's hand.
'I don't feel good Arlene, I just want to go home,get to my bed and sleep' she confessed.

She just wanted to go home and sleep. Instead of that she's stucked at work in the middle of the day.

Arlene took her hand firmly  and together they walked to the pantry. They went to their corner table,which was closer to the open kitchen. Arlene took her and Anusha's lunch and placed the boxes in the oven to warm the food. Later she came back and placed the warm food on the table.

'Why don't you call Yasmine and ask her for a half day leave? I don't think manager will come back here today '. Arlene said in a soft tone.

'Actually I called Yasmine, but she didn't take the call. I think they are still in the meeting. If that happens they won't come back considering this a weekend.' she replied fidgeting with her phone.

Yasmine was the manager's PA and today they had meeting with planning team in the head office. If they aren't coming back, she could take a half day leave and go home.

Arlene got busy in face timing her 5 year old daughter Maria. It was her lunch time custom, to call Philippines, to talk to Maria in which Anusha happily joined Arlene, she was a single mom and Maria was raised by Arlene's parents back in Philippines. She adored the cute little girl of Arlene. Anusha always felt her heart warm to the mother daughter duo. The time they shared with each other, made her miss her mom more.

Anusha greeted the little girl, and watched her friend talk to the little girl animatedly while eating. Anusha couldn't eat her chapati and curry, she dumped her food into the waste bin. After saying bye to Maria, she went to the wash room. She washed her pale face and hands then her phone started to ring. She took the call and it was Yasmine.
'Hey Anusha, how are you? Why did you call me?' she asked her in a hush hush tone.
' Hi Yasmin, I just wanted to know about the meeting.. is it over yet? And are you planning to come back here?'
She asked quickly.
It took a few seconds before Yasmine responded, she could hear Yasmine talking to someone in the background, and when she replied, it was again in a hushed tone.
Anusha assumed that they are still in the head office.
' No dear, we are stuck in the meeting. We just came out for lunch now. It will take another one or two hours to wrap up. Oh god, I am tired..' she groaned.

Anusha felt sorry for her but used the chance to get a half day leave. She explained her situation. Since they weren't coming back to office,she got the permission quickly. She thanked Yasmine, and hanged the call. She called Arlene, and asked her to sit on her front desk for the rest of the day and she happily agreed.
Arlene liked this front desk work, more than her own work with documents.
Anusha informed Mr. Abid, who was leaving his office. He just nodded in agreement, and left for the day. She thought about calling a cab since she won't get to travel on her office vehicle, and then she thought about calling Akash.
He didn't work on Thursday evenings, besides his office was nearby. She called him, and by third ring, he took the call.

'Hey Anu, What's up? Why are you calling me now?'. From his voice,s she could tell he was driving.

He must be heading home after work. 'Hi Akki..are you nearby? I got a half day leave, can you come and pick me now?'
' oh sure.. but are you ok? What happened? ' he asked in a concerned tone.
'Nothing Akki.. just a headache..and manager is not here, so I got a half day off.. are you coming?'
'Ok.. I am heading there, see you in 10 minutes?'
she arranged her table once again and called it a day.

After 10 minutes, Akki picked her from office. Finally, going home.. she felt happy.
By
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Hey... How was the first chapter? Did you enjoy? Please vote and comment. Thank you..😊