just that. He did not say anything.
What the heck? Does that look mean he wants me to get out of here? she shouted in her head, but maintained her outward calm. She met his eyes and stared right back at him, equally coolly.
Finally, he said, 'When can I get the complete set?'
'Does that mean you like these?' Shambhavi asked slowly, letting her hopes soar. Her heart did a backflip and she already started to feel excited about working with him, even though he still hadn't said any such thing. But the implication that he would like to see the rest of her idea was enough to put her back at ease. She was herself again.
'They are interesting,' he replied shortly.
'Interesting, eh?'
'Very.'
'Great. So what's the game plan from here on?' Shambhavi asked, failing to hide her excitement.
'Game plan? Interesting choice of words, Ms Sen, but this is not a game. Now, if we can get back to business-since we have reached the conclusion that I approve of your sample, I will need you to get back to me when you have completed your designs,' Mr Datta said curtly.
'I can complete them in about three weeks, but I think I have a better game pl-I mean-suggestion.'
'And what might that be?'
'Let's take a look at the Mansion together. We'll get an estimate of dimensions and a mental picture of what we want where. Then, we can browse through the prototypes of your previously created designs and find pieces that will fit the mental picture. Meanwhile, I can start working on the remaining pieces-the pieces we'll need you to build-and you can start working on the items I've already designed for you to build,' Shambhavi concluded with a flourish, pointing to the folder he still held in his hands. Even though the man's behaviour was barely social, she could not help but feel excited about working on that assignment. Everything was finally falling into place.
'Well, that sounds like a good plan,' Mr Datta nodded thoughtfully.
'And if we make you build every bit of furniture that'll go into the Mansion, we'll need a year to get it done, anyway. And I don't know about you, but I do not have that kind of time. No offence, of course.'
'None taken.'
'So let's meet tomorrow at the Mansion and take a look around,' Shambhavi said and jumped out of the super-soft sofa she had almost sunk in. If Mr Datta was shocked by her behaviour, he did not let it show. She did not care about it either. There was just so much extent to which she could stay composed and business-like, after which the instinct to turn back into herself overtook her. 'I'll text you the address, you can text me the time. Ciao!'
'Dad, I'm leaving,' Shambhavi shouted from her room, pinning up her curls on her head, so they wouldn't fall all over her face. And then, taking some strands out of the clips expertly so that they fell perfectly over her face. Carefully careless.
'Okay. I'll just stay here till you come back,' her father's voice said over the intercom. He sounded weak.
As soon as she was done with her hair, she took a brief look at herself in the mirror, picked up her handbag, stuffed her cell phone into her pant pocket and walked out of her room. She filled up a pitcher with water and took it over to her dad's room.
'How are you this morning?' she asked.
'Great. Couldn't be better,' he replied cheerfully. She saw right through it.
'Listen-no getting up from the bed and walking to the other room, okay? You have a TV here and I'm sure something is on. Call me whenever you need me. Don't try to be a hero and do everything by yourself. I'll just be gone a couple of hours. You have your phone with you.'
'Look who's acting all grown up and responsible.'
'Well, someone has to. And since you decided to get sick, it's my job,' she replied.
'I get it. Go work,' he said and bid her goodbye.
As she locked the front door behind her, she wondered why he never asked her to stop working so hard. She had never seen her father ask her not to push herself too hard when he had seen her
What the heck? Does that look mean he wants me to get out of here? she shouted in her head, but maintained her outward calm. She met his eyes and stared right back at him, equally coolly.
Finally, he said, 'When can I get the complete set?'
'Does that mean you like these?' Shambhavi asked slowly, letting her hopes soar. Her heart did a backflip and she already started to feel excited about working with him, even though he still hadn't said any such thing. But the implication that he would like to see the rest of her idea was enough to put her back at ease. She was herself again.
'They are interesting,' he replied shortly.
'Interesting, eh?'
'Very.'
'Great. So what's the game plan from here on?' Shambhavi asked, failing to hide her excitement.
'Game plan? Interesting choice of words, Ms Sen, but this is not a game. Now, if we can get back to business-since we have reached the conclusion that I approve of your sample, I will need you to get back to me when you have completed your designs,' Mr Datta said curtly.
'I can complete them in about three weeks, but I think I have a better game pl-I mean-suggestion.'
'And what might that be?'
'Let's take a look at the Mansion together. We'll get an estimate of dimensions and a mental picture of what we want where. Then, we can browse through the prototypes of your previously created designs and find pieces that will fit the mental picture. Meanwhile, I can start working on the remaining pieces-the pieces we'll need you to build-and you can start working on the items I've already designed for you to build,' Shambhavi concluded with a flourish, pointing to the folder he still held in his hands. Even though the man's behaviour was barely social, she could not help but feel excited about working on that assignment. Everything was finally falling into place.
'Well, that sounds like a good plan,' Mr Datta nodded thoughtfully.
'And if we make you build every bit of furniture that'll go into the Mansion, we'll need a year to get it done, anyway. And I don't know about you, but I do not have that kind of time. No offence, of course.'
'None taken.'
'So let's meet tomorrow at the Mansion and take a look around,' Shambhavi said and jumped out of the super-soft sofa she had almost sunk in. If Mr Datta was shocked by her behaviour, he did not let it show. She did not care about it either. There was just so much extent to which she could stay composed and business-like, after which the instinct to turn back into herself overtook her. 'I'll text you the address, you can text me the time. Ciao!'
'Dad, I'm leaving,' Shambhavi shouted from her room, pinning up her curls on her head, so they wouldn't fall all over her face. And then, taking some strands out of the clips expertly so that they fell perfectly over her face. Carefully careless.
'Okay. I'll just stay here till you come back,' her father's voice said over the intercom. He sounded weak.
As soon as she was done with her hair, she took a brief look at herself in the mirror, picked up her handbag, stuffed her cell phone into her pant pocket and walked out of her room. She filled up a pitcher with water and took it over to her dad's room.
'How are you this morning?' she asked.
'Great. Couldn't be better,' he replied cheerfully. She saw right through it.
'Listen-no getting up from the bed and walking to the other room, okay? You have a TV here and I'm sure something is on. Call me whenever you need me. Don't try to be a hero and do everything by yourself. I'll just be gone a couple of hours. You have your phone with you.'
'Look who's acting all grown up and responsible.'
'Well, someone has to. And since you decided to get sick, it's my job,' she replied.
'I get it. Go work,' he said and bid her goodbye.
As she locked the front door behind her, she wondered why he never asked her to stop working so hard. She had never seen her father ask her not to push herself too hard when he had seen her
Similar Books
My Life as a Fake
Peter Carey
Some Trees: Poems
John Ashbery
Wild & Hexy
Vicki Lewis Thompson
The Remarkable Rise of Eliza Jumel
Margaret A. Oppenheimer
Angelic Sight
Jana Downs
The Catch
Archer Mayor
Chance Lost
Jo Larue
Bound at the Ball (Siren Publishing Allure)
Lea Barrymire
Cold Case Squad
Edna Buchanan
Deception
Ken McClure