‘Please didi, do not put so much of foundation on my face. I want to keep my make-up very light tonight’. I made a wish to Anu didi since I Knew what I was upto tonight. ‘Why? Hope you are going straight to your wedding venue from here? No other plans, like before?’ Anu didi, who ran this beauty parlour, the only one in our colony, bit her glossed lip immediately. It was not her fault. ‘And what If I have?’ I raised my eyebrows at her, followed by a mischievous but understanding smile. Usual support from her. ‘Well, I will get one more chance and money to turn the star of the colony into a bride.’ She let out a faint laugh. I took the too bright eye shadow palette from her hand and quickly replaced it by a natural tone, while she stared at, with a hanging jaw. ‘Achha, so you are trying to copy those nude makeup high class types.’ ‘Why not? The way your Panauti Pu...… so sorry, that high class bakery of yours is doing. The day is not far, when you will jump to that high society building across’. ‘No didi, I am neither going anywhere nor trying to be anyone. You are the best. I just feel like keeping it light tonight.’
Sania, my younger sister, who was busy thumbing through a magazine, rolled her eyes as we shared an invisible laugh. ‘Like this.’ I showed Anu didi a picture. There are two reasons why Anu didi and all the others in this society called my bakery as Panauti Puja or PP, instead of what was displayed on the signboard, which read, ‘Puddings and Pies’. First, as they could not pronounce it well, the sign being in English, an anomaly that Priya didi, realized much later.
The second was me.
I vividly remember the first day I was whistled to by this name. I was crossing the road dividing our colony and the high-rise building across, along with my mother, for my first day at the job and exactly a week after my wedding day. Exactly a week after I lost my father to a stuck-up chicken leg piece in his food pipe. Exactly a week after I turned from a bright student at school to a padhi-likhi maid. If only I knew that calling off of my wedding would bring me down to scrubbing the floors. Instead of drowning myself in grief at that moment I would have surely pushed around to get the ceremony completed, or at least resumed, a few days later. I am sure Raja would also have agreed to that if I had persisted. But I was rendered just a maid. I crossed Raja’s father’s mithai shop every day and he look to the other side.
But in this high-rise building, I found Priya didi. I was meant to do scrubbing, cleaning and dusting at her four- bedroom apartment. She really liked my company and me. She would often help me with my chores, would make chai for me. We would sit and chat about anything and everything. It was Priya didi who had introduced me to a microwave oven. I could not stop talking about it all the time. My folks could not believe it. Imagine, no gas, no chulha, no smoke, no intermittent stirring… like a magic. Just put the batter inside. The gooey dough rises like a king, within the pre-set time, smelling awesomely and tasting pure and delicious. I began overstaying after my work to assist her in baking cakes and muffins for her children who would gorge on them after coming back from the school. The wafting aroma lingering in the air would be a treat that I looked forward to, after spending the hours inhaling the suffocating embrace of phenyl and furniture polish.
That lazy fun turned into a love for baking. It happened so fast. I did not realize.
Two years later, Priya didi and her family left for Dubai. Her husband started a new business there. She left her complete baking range for me. The list of recipes and her contact number in Dubai. I tried initially a few other houses for random cleaning jobs in the same building but could not survive them. I was not meant to be a maid. It was then that Priya didi came up with the idea of setting up ‘Puddings and Pies’. She still guides me. In every little thing. She is the one who had asked me few days back to keep the makeup light for today. It was her picture that I showed to Anu didi for reference.
My eyes were at the door. I knew Bunty was coming. A corner of my heart was praying, he would not. I looked at the clock. The doorbell rang. Anu didi handed the eye shadow palette to Sania and walked to the door. ‘Oh my God! Dulhe Raja is here’. I saw her entering the parlour with Bunty. All in awe of him. ‘Hmmm…so much love?’ She moved behind my chair and hugged me from behind. ‘You are so lucky, PP’. She was happy for me.
‘Of course, she is. But I am luckier’, Bunty beamed. I loved that little dimple which rose up in grace, whenever he smiled. A smile that I always found genuine and willing to help. In a way, I would not have been here, but for him. He placed a yellow envelope in my hand. ‘I won’t disturb further. Enjoy this time.’
He turned back.
‘Remember to sign it, I will collect it on my way back.’ He came back and whispered into my ears. ‘O my my! Dulhe Raja, even on your wedding day you are working,’ Anu didi teased. She was unable to believe the happenings. Every bride in this colony had been decked up by her. For the first time she was witness to a bride and groom meeting just before the ceremony, discussing business. As partners, both in life and at work. None was shy or demure or blushing. Only her.
‘Arre didi there are some orders at PP and I need to clear them. I do not want Puja to do anything today; it’s her day. I will manage everything.’ He left with a smile. ‘He is so understanding PP. I am so happy that finally you are with the best boy.’ I returned her smile while handing the envelope to Sania. ‘This looks to be a love letter or a secret gift. Won’t you open it?’ Anu didi asked, her voice tinged with a giggle. ‘Of course. But after a while. Right now, my focus is only on you, your hands actually,’ I chuckled. That is why you are such a successful business woman. If I would be in your place, it would be torn open by now. I have no patience’. Anu Didi chuckled back while smearing my cheeks with the bronzer. ‘Oh Didi! with a lighter hand.’ I had to remind her again.
‘Yes madam ‘Puddings…err…and Pies’- correct no?’ she laughed.
I remember the day when Bunty had met me for the first time. It seemed he had landed from the heavens to scoop me out of some trouble. I had to deliver muffins which were return gifts for a birthday party at the high-rise building across the road. My brother was unconscious with fever. Ma was at his bedside. Because of the transport union strike I could not hire an auto or a taxi. That is when Sania and I decided to deliver the heavy cartons ourselves by foot. It required at least five, to-and-fro rounds each, for both of us. Party was about to be over in an hour. Finding no way out, we left with the first round of cartons. Exactly in front of his father’s shop Sania slipped and all the muffins came tumbling down. He rushed forward to help us.
The next day he was on the rolls of Puddings and Pies. It was not his help which I saw but the awe and respect in his eyes for me and my work. He began handling the delivery and accounts. I introduced him to Priya didi. With an additional brain and pair of hands in the game, the sales of the bakery zoomed. Besides, unlike the two men in my life before him, who faked love to take control of my business, Bunty never questioned my decisions without a fair reason. He never went beyond a faint but mostly valid suggestions. Till a day before.
I am nominated by the local magazine for best young entrepreneur award. The programme is scheduled today in the nearby hotel. The award would be given by our MLA Zubeida di, who is really keen on me attending the function. Bunty was hopeful that despite me not being able to go for it, she would drop in for the wedding after the function.
I still do not understand that when we had an option of a wedding date two days later, why his family insisted on today’s date. Then I could have received the award in person. I deserved to. My name would have come in the newspapers the next day. I would have been ‘established’, as they say. On the big screen put up at the banquet. We could have spent those two lakhs of award money on the pizza machine. But then everyone wanted it, and now my photograph would appear two days later.
‘Sania, try her number once more. And keep trying, please.’ I requested to Sania. Priya didi had gone on a trek for a week. Her phone has been out of reach since the last three days. I had been desperately calling her since. How could she not be there on the most important day of my life? The day, if all goes well, as per my plan, Pudding and Pies would never be called PP again.
‘What is all this? We had discussed and decided yesterday. In front of our families. No?’ Bunty barged in howling after a while, as expected. Anu didi was the only person in the room with an expression of shock on her face. Sania and I exchanged glances. ‘Anu didi please can you give us a minute’. He snubbed her. She left the room carrying the bronzer in her hand.
‘Yes, we did’. I replied firmly with a sharp gaze.
‘So why have you given this shit to me?’ Bunty waved the envelope I had handed over to him half an hour back.
‘I did what I thought was right, and best for all of us, including you’. I continued my gaze.
‘Oh really? So, this is what you believe I deserve after leaving my family business for you, for going against my father and for putting all my life in PP. I gave everything to it. For you, for my love, so that you can stand on your feet. So that you can get rid of the tag of Panauti….’. Bunty was trying to convince me. In his own style.
‘Let us be clear Bunty, I love you. A lot. But you did not join PP for me. But for the great opportunity it sounded to you to get away from a life of scooter repairs. Secondly, I do recognize that you have put in enormous hard work, but it was Sania, Ma and Bhai who helped me raise it from scratch and continue to do so. And all of you get a decent salary for that.’ I was reasoning with him. ‘So, you do not think that I did at least some level of better work than your family? Hmm. But how can you let your husband be just an employee? No Indian girl can dare do that. I have not even asked for anything out of this marriage.’
‘Half a share in my business is a way above the sum total of the dowry which could be dreamt of, by all the eligible boys in this colony together. No?’ I continued.
‘No. It is not. What I am asking is mine; it is my right for all the years I have put in. For all the love I gave you. And for the husband I am going to be. At least I am not asking for full control, unlike the two of your suitors before’.
‘Fair enough’. I looked at Sania.
‘All of you are important to me. All of you have given your sweat and blood and all of you, rather each one of you, is also my responsibility. So, I have decided to give 10 percent to each. And the rest stays with me. That is what is in my envelope as you may have read. Why don’t you sign and finish it off?’ I clearly spelled it out. ‘Why them? What have they done, apart from lolling around and just following basic instructions? We could get much better workmen at one-tenth the price. They cannot even read and write properly. It is you and I who do all the hard work. Let it be fifty-fifty, as I proposed and they can continue to be the permanent employees. I will give them regular and high bonuses every year’.
‘You would give us?’ Sania snapped back. She shifted her gaze towards me. I could hear the air fuming through her nostrils. She was saying, ‘they all come here for money’ through her rage.
‘I told you’. Sania quipped at me and walked off in fury. ‘I am sorry, I just forgot that she is here,’ he continued. ‘See, I only want what you want; what is good for both of us. We will take PP to the main city center and next year collect the award together.’ Bunty was not relenting. ‘Call it by its correct name at least. Huh!’ I slammed my hands on the table. I needed to gather myself.
‘Okay. Why don’t we go to the award night right now? We can be back in a jiffy and join the wedding,’ I proposed, while repressing whatever was going on inside me. ‘But you are all decked up for the wedding. You cannot go like this.’ Said Bunty.
‘Not so much,’ I animatedly flipped over the embellished dupatta and got up from the makeup chair. In the mirror stood the ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year’. All graceful and deserving. Ready to go!
‘Ohh... smart girl. That is why you were insisting so much on light make up’. Anu didi who was witnessing this drama through the hole in the curtain could not help blurting. ‘Oh sorry, sorry’, she sheepishly stepped back.
‘Phew. All these women are hell bent on declaring me a monster today when all I am asking for is my right’ Bunty was now fidgety. ‘But coming to the point, we cannot go today.’
‘Why not?’ I stayed firm.
‘Then how will this loser get to be on the stage didi? Right now, the business is only in your name.’ It was Sania’s turn to blurt now. ‘Oops’, followed two faint giggles.
‘Sania please. Let me handle this’. I shouted to the curtain.
‘Don’t worry. With both of us together, we will take Puddings and Pies to such levels that one day you would laugh at this ten percent-fifty percent debate. I promise. And right now, for that we need to go to the award ceremony. I promise.’ I picked up my bag and put on my watch as he stared on. Blankly.
I held his hand. Trembling was evident.
‘Just tell me, you love me. No?’
So good. Loved the pace, the voices, and how warm it felt throughout.