Tag: love

Part 30: “Let me tell you a secret…”

“Let me tell you a secret, Trisha. Men don’t like curvy women. They like slim women, like, well, like me.” She tilted her head and looked at Trisha with a smile.


“You know, Sid is interested in me. I can tell.”


Trisha looked stunned at Jen. What was she talking about?

“Don’t be a naïve duck,” Jen continued with a big smile while she took a strawberry from the buffet and put it in her mouth.


“You know…men like Sid. They like the company of a somewhat more mature woman.” She looked at Trisha from head to toe. “They won’t tell, but I know how these men are. Young, slick, and handsome entrepreneurs… like Sid. They like having women beside them who are or look like models.” Jen said the last sentence softly as if she were sharing a secret with her. “I wonder if he has a six-pack.” She took a sip from her glass of champagne which she was holding in her hand. “Maybe I should get under his shirt or, even better, in his pants. I wonder what kind of boxers he is wearing.” Jen looked dreamy at her glass of champagne and sighed deeply.


Trisha didn’t know where this conversation was going. She decided not to say anything and scooped up some strawberries.


“Trisha, Trisha, look at you. I can tell that you are not his type. You are curvy, and on top of that, your skin colour. It doesn’t match his skin tone. Don’t you think so? He is light-skinned, and you are what, milky chocolate brown.” Jen laughed with pressed lips. “Let me tell you a secret. When I was growing up, we had Indian neighbours. One of those girls was a friend of mine. A beautiful light-skinned girl who fell in love with a boy who was a few shades darker than she was.” She looked dramatically at Trisha and took a sip from her champagne. “I think he was the same shade as you are if I remember it well. I don’t have to tell you what happened, right? Ooh, hmmm, just in case, let me tell you that it was not a they all lived happily after all. Jen took another sip from her champagne. “Well, I better leave you to it.” She looked at Trisha’s plate. “My mom used to say that only pigs pile up their plates.” She looked disgusted at Trisha, gave her a wicked smile, and slowly turned around and walked away confidently.


Trisha watched as Jen walked to the bar holding the plate with both hands. She looked perfect in her red spaghetti dress with a high side slit. The dress was most definitely a size 6. Her expensive shoes and handbag complemented her look. Trisha had to admit she looked gorgeous.

Part 26: She looked seductive at Sid…

“It is my best friend’s sister’s wedding.”

 “Ooh, I see. The groom is a college friend of mine. Unfortunately, we don’t see each other that much anymore.”

Trisha nodded, “I know what you mean. We don’t see each other that much anymore.” She pointed with her head towards her two friends who were talking with each other. Trisha knew who they were talking about, “Mr. Eye Candy,” of course.

She looked seductive at Sid.

“You two know each other,” said Jen as she rudely interrupted their conversation. “I am sorry, I overheard you talking to each other.”

“We do,” said Sid with a charming smile. “What is Jen your relationship with the wedding couple, Jen?”

“I am a gym friend of the bride. I am very honoured to be invited to their wedding.” She looked seductive at Sid.

“Aah, ok.” Sid turned his head and looked at Trisha. “It is wonderful to see you again, Trisha.”

Trisha smiled, not knowing what to say. “It is a small world.”

“Excuse me,” said a waiter. He had two big platters with appetizers in his hand, which he carefully put on the table. “Enjoy,” he said with a genuine smile as he walked away.

“Well, that looks scrumptious, doesn’t it?” Jen moved closer to Sid, “I believe we should tuck in,” as she popped an olive into her mouth. “They plated it with such care; eating it is almost a sin.”

Trisha agreed with Jen; the platter looked scrumptious, stacked with olives, almonds, cheeses, and several pieces of fruit, crackers, and salads. Like the ones, you saw in food magazines.

“You know, Sid,” Jen said in a soft voice but loud enough for Trisha to hear, “watermelon is an aphrodisiac food.”

She looked mischievous at Sid as she took a bite of the watermelon.

“Sweety,” she looked at her husband Peter, who had stacked his plate with several kinds of cheese and crackers. She rolled her eyes. “Peter, you shouldn’t eat that much cheese. It makes you fat.”

Peter looked at his wife. “I know, but these cheeses are too good!” He took a bite of his cracker with a thick slice of cheese. “Besides, I am already married.” He winked at his wife, who rolled her eyes.

Sid took a bite of a cracker with cheese. “You are right, Peter. The cheese is delicious.”

Peter smiled at him and nodded. “See, Jen, that young man agrees with me.”

Jen mumbled something to her herself and looked disgusted at her husband. She put a piece of fig in her mouth and whispered in Sid’s ear, “figs are also aphrodisiacs.”

Trisha watched Jen’s behaviour and wondered if Sid was falling for her charms. She was an attractive woman. There was no doubt about that.

“Trisha, aren’t you having something to eat?”

“I am,” she said as she scooped up some olives and a cracker. She smiled at her friends, who were watching her like a hawk. 

“Is that all you are going to have?” he said surprisedly. “I am starving, I haven’t had the time to have lunch today.”

“I am not that hungry,” Trisha lied.

“Can I get you something to drink then?” Sid nodded. He looked around to see if he could locate a waiter.

Part 8: Why did she still cry over that scumbag?

Trisha stood up and walked towards the window. Her modern two bedroom apartment was located on the first floor, overlooking a small park with a big pond in  the middle.  She strolled to the kitchen to get herself a glass of water and sat at the  breakfast bar which divided the kitchen and the living room. 

Why was she feeling restless. Had it something to do with Sid? Just thinking about him  made her heart beat faster. What was he doing now and with whom? Trisha shook her head and decided to watch some TV to take her mind off him.

She plopped down on the couch,  indecisive  whether to watch ‘Say Yes To The Dress’, Netflix or a Bollywood movie. Trisha decided on the latter to  lighten up her mood at which she succeeded.  She was enjoying the movie until  the marriage scene. Her heart stopped beating for a second. The red Indian wedding gown reminded  her of her own wedding gown.

Dreams shattered

Trisha remembered her wedding day clearly. That day like many brides, she had felt as the happiest woman in the world on the  most beautiful day of her life.  So she had thought two years ago. But her dream was shattered abruptly. At times she still felt the pain deep inside her. How she wished  for, that the sharp pain would go away forever and let her be. Just as she thought the pain disappeared it appeared, unannounced.

At one of her cousins’ wedding she had met her ex-husband. They had kept in touch via text and started dating soon after. Three years later he proposed to her on the Eifel Tower. A  magical moment which took her by surprise. She had hugged and kissed him. Of course she wanted to spend the rest of her life with her soulmate.

They had a big fat Indian wedding and a small wedding reception for close family and friends. For their honeymoon they went to Mauritius where they stayed at a five star resort with a beautiful private beach. The  perfect place for a newly-wed couple. She had a wonderful time, the sightseeing, the food,  watching the sun  go down with her soulmate on  her side accompanied by a tailor made cocktail. A honeymoon as it should be, just perfect.

Lonely and sad

Trisha took a sip from her wine and looked at the woman on the television screen.  She looked beautiful and immensely happy. Overwhelmed by her emotions, Trisha gulped her wine down and turned the TV off.

She stared at the book on the coffee table questioning herself whether she would pick it up. Trisha felt lonely and sad.

Come on Trisha, do not let actions of others control your feeling. You are your own boss.  You have to make yourself happy. You cannot depend on others to make you happy. It was Trisha’s inner voice, trying to  encourage her.

She had thought that Karan, her ex-husband had loved her deeply, just as she had loved him deeply. She refilled her glass while thinking about that dreadful day.  The day she found out that their marriage bond was not a sacred bond to him. Trisha felt her eyes welling up, why did she still cry over that scumbag?

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Part 7: She refused to be a charity case

“I am going to get another cup of coffee before I head back to the office.”

Trisha nodded, “Enjoy your coffee. I will keep in touch.”

“I will be looking forward to your call.” He scraped his throat. “You can call me anytime. Even on the weekends. But I guess you don’t work on weekends.”

“I try not to.” Trisha said with a smile.

Sid nodded. “That is something I should learn, try not to work on weekends. It messes up your private life.”

Trisha smiled “yes, it does. Well, have a nice weekend, Sid.”

Trisha walked out of the door trying to keep her face straight.  A huge smile appeared on her face, an overwhelming sense of happiness overcame her. She took a deep breath and hummed a song she heard on the radio this morning.

Confused

Confused about her feelings Trisha walked to the train station, absorbed in her thoughts. Her divorce had scarred her heart deeply and therefore she had decided that this would never happen again, ever. But now she just couldn’t control her feelings.

Trisha, just remember why you named him Mr. Eye Candy. He has this impact on woman hence the name ‘Mr. Eye Candy.’ Besides he is your client. Enjoy the feeling while it lasts. This too will pass.

Home

Trisha opened her front door and greeted a neighbour who happened to pass by. She closed the door and locked it. It felt good being home. She turned the lights on and took off her heels, carefully placing them in the shoe cabinet. Sid had been on her mind off and on the entire time while she was heading back home. Should she call him and tell him that she couldn’t get hold of the candidate? She decided against it. It was Friday evening after all.

What would he be doing now? Having a romantic date with a beautiful female? Trisha felt a knot in  her stomach. The thought alone made her feel jealous.

Trisha, get a hold of yourself, you act like a jealous teenager, she said in a loud voice.

Trisha walked into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of wine. She had changed into a pair of yoga pants. It was time to unwind after a long week.

She sat down on her couch and took a sip from her wine with closed eyes.  This was not how she had imagined her life a couple of years ago, far from this.

Trisha had no siblings. She did not miss having them.  Her friends and cousins were married or in a relationship. They had lives of their own and she didn’t want to intrude.  She texted with them and every so often they planned something together.

When she was not working, she was home on her couch, reading or watching television. Her life wasn’t as glamorous as all of her friends and family thought it was. But she let them believe it was, she didn’t want anyone to feel sorry for her. She refused to be a charity case.

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Part 6: Is there a ring on his finger?

 “I am so sorry” quickly she grabbed some napkins. Trisha felt embarrassed and felt her head getting warm. Why was this always happening to her.

“Don’t worry about it, it is just water”, Sid said in a reassuring voice. “Let me get some paper towels.”

Clumsy Trisha strikes again, Trisha sighed. She wanted the ground to swallow her up.

When he came back he wiped the table. “See, like nothing happened.” Sid gave Trisha a smile, for a brief moment their eyes locked.

“Thank you, erhm where were we.”  Come on Trisha, you can do this, Trisha encouraged herself. “I think I might have someone who will be excellent for this job. She is young and mouldable and has had two internships with Fortune500 companies on her resume.”

Sid raised his eyebrows “Sounds very promising.”

“I will give her a call today.” Trisha stopped and then continued “I must say, I admire what you have achieved in such a small time.”

Bumpy Road

“Thank you. I appreciate that. It has been a bumpy road. Unfortunately not many people realize that. They think that  ‘Sid Data’ just grew like that without any fall backs.” He laughed and shook his head.   “I have many more plans for ‘Sid Data’ but can’t do them if I don’t have employees. It seems that all Tech companies are fishing in the same pond.”

Trisha nodded her head. “We are all fishing in the same pond. I will give her a call right after this meeting.”

 “That would be great, fingers crossed. Please keep me updated.”

“I will, is there anything else I can help you with, Sid?”  I am volunteering to put my head on your shoulders, her inner voice said.

Sid smiled, his eyes were sparkling again. He shook his head. “No, one Junior Software Tester is all that I need, for now.”

 “Okay, let me get in touch with this lady. It was nice meeting you, Sid,” she said and stood up. Trisha wanted to leave as soon as possible since Sid was making her feel awkward.

Feeling

“The feeling is mutual” he said when he shook her hand, “to a fruitful cooperation, Trisha”

Was he holding her hand a second too long before he let go? It is your imagination Trisha, it is what you want to believe. Look at him he is ‘Mr. Eye Candy.  He is already engaged, married or has one or more beautiful girlfriends. It was her inner voice again.

Trisha opened her bag and pretended as if she was looking for something. Then she quickly peeked at his fingers, no wedding ring and no engagement ring.  Don’t get your hopes up to high, sometimes people don’t wear rings!

“You look awfully happy” said Sid. “You must be looking forward to your weekend.”

Are you making a fool of yourself again?  Can’t you act like a normal person? Trisha reprimanded herself.

“Yeah, well sort of. I better go and catch my train” trying her best to sound casual.

Part 5: Clumsy Trisha making a fool of herself

“So, as I was saying last week, I am looking for a Junior Software Tester, with or without experience. We really need one as quick as possible since we have taken on some interesting projects.”

Trisha nodded her head “That is wonderful news, could you please tell me more about your company, Sid?” You sound like a schoolteacher, Trisha, said her inner voice.

Sid took a small sip from his espresso. “I founded this company while I was still in college to earn some  extra money in order to pay for my college fees. My company was flourishing and I could just not combine college and work. It was hard keeping all the balls in the air, I hardly slept or ate, the only thing I was doing was working. I then realized that I had to make a decision. What was more important to me. A college degree or expanding my flourishing company. I choose for the latter.

College dropout

My parents were not happy with my decision of course and from their point of view I could understand them. They just couldn’t understand my decision since it was just one more year for my graduation. But I stood my ground and devoted all my energy  into my company. Things started to go really fast when I got a big client onboard. They are still one of our clients, not the biggest one though”.

Then Sid continued in a serious tone “you know at times my dad is still saying that I am a college drop out. When the going gets tough, a degree comes in handy, son.  You know how Indian parents are, degrees are everything for them.”

Trisha nodded. She knew pretty well how Indian parents were. She had seen and experienced a fair share of drama herself.

“Mr. Eye Candy” opens up

“How many people work for you, Sid?” Trisha tried her best to say it in a casual way while looking “Mr. Eye Candy” in his eyes. Her heart started to pound again. She had never felt like this before, never. Not even with Karan her ex-husband. Remember he is a client, Trisha, what are you thinking? She said to herself.

“Fifteen people” he said thoughtful. “Sometimes I sit behind my desk and look at my staff and think, this is so surreal. Fifteen people are working for me. But at the same time, I have fifteen mouths to feed. It sometimes scares me. “

Sid took another sip from his coffee. “I have no idea why I am telling you all this.” He frowned, “can you please keep it to yourself?”

Trisha smiled. “Of course, your secret is safe with me.” You sound like a school teacher Trisha, you are trying too hard, said her inner voice.

“So can you get me someone? I have spoken to several agencies and neither of them could help me out.”

Trisha took a sip from her drink and accidentally knocked over her glass. She looked embarrassed at “Mr. Eye Candy”. You are making a fool of yourself, don’t you think so Trisha?

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Part 4: Did “Mr. Eye Candy” unlock Trisha’s heart?

They both walked in silence to the coffee shop which was literally an one minute walk. The only thing going through Trisha’s mind was whether Sid could hear her heart pounding. Why was she having hot flashes?  What was happening to her? She had locked her heart and now this man just unlocked it, like that.

Sid opened the door and gestured Trisha to go ahead. She  appreciated the gesture and smiled at Sid. For a short moment she looked him into his eyes and felt some fluttering in her stomach.  Sid’s eyes were gentle and calm which made Trish feel uncomfortable.

“Shall we sit at the back near the window? I feel it’s the best place since no one wants to sit there.”

Coffee breath

Trisha, who was never short of words, did not know what to say and nodded. This had never happened to her before.  She sat down and hoped that her nerves would calm down.

“What would you like to have, Trisha?”

Trisha paused for a few seconds. “A sparkling water please.”

If she was going to speak to ‘Mr. Eye Candy’ the last thing she wanted was coffee breath.  Luckily her heart was beating normal again.

“You don’t like coffee? They have the best coffee in town.”

“I do like coffee but if I drink coffee now, I will not be able to sleep” she lied.

“Aah ok, you are one of those people, just like my, never mind” he said quickly. “It doesn’t matter.”

Just like your girlfriend or wife

Just like your girlfriend or wife,  Trisha said to herself. She looked up startled. She didn’t say this out loud, did she?

“Is something the matter” Sid looked curious at her.

Did she notice a vague smile on his face or was it just her imagination? Was he laughing at her?

“Ooh no, it’s nothing. I was just thinking if I took the iron’s plug out. But then I realized that I bought one which turns itself off.”

He must be thinking that you are crazy, Trisha, she said to herself.

“I see.” He scraped his throat and smiled. “Let me get our order.”

Trisha watched him  as a hawk as he walked towards the counter. His back looks as good as his front, she said to herself.

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