Note: Gauri can read and speak English but at a very basic level with her accent. Om only knows about Kali and nothing about her past.
The next day…
Gauri gets up from her bed. She looks at her clock and see it blinking with the time at 4:00. I
G: It is so bright outside. It cannot believe it is 4:00 a.m. right now.
She looks at her phone. She just woke up but her senses were still not awake. She blinks several times and looks at the time again.
G: OMG, I cannot believe it is 9:30 right now. I am supposed to be at work right now.
She runs to the washroom and starts taking a shower. All of sudden, the water stops and she covered in soap suds.
G: Shankerji, what are you doing today up there? How am I suppose to go to work like this? (She peaks out of the shower curtain). Nina, Nina NINA! Are you there?
No response.
G: Looks like she went to work. Why did not she wake me up? I’ll talk to her tonight.
Still with soap on her, she covers herself with a bathrobe and goes outside. She opens the sink and still no water. She open the kitchen sink and still no water.
G: I need water and I cannot go outside like this.
And then, she sees a case of water bottles. With a mischievous grin, she empties all the water bottles into a pot and takes it to the washroom to clean herself up.
Due to the heavy traffic, she came to work at 11:00 and she looked like a mess. Covered in sweat, hair messy. She just ran into her room and sees her entire crew there.
J: What happened? You are so late.
G(Thinking): I cannot tell them my bathroom story. I need to make up something.
S: She probably got stuck in traffic.
G: Oh, yes. I did. Very bad traffic (Thinking) Sahil, my Bareilly friend, he is always there for me.
Then, all five of them look at her table. Gauri, at first, was curious but then she sees a yellow envelope on her table. Gauri picks it up.
G: What is it?
K: I think it is your termination letter.
G: What? I just joined the office two days ago.
K: You came late today, so I think sir decided to fire you.
Gauri takes the envelope and runs to Tina.
G: Tina, I am so sorry. Please do not kick me out.
T: Sorry for what…
G: For coming late. Please do not fire me.
Tina starts to laugh and Gauri is very confused.
G(Thinking): Usually, when you fire someone, you deal with in a serious tone. Why is she laughing?
T: First, calm down. (Gauri takes a deep breathe.) Did you open the envelope?
G: Uh, no.
T: Open it and then let’s talk after that.
Gauri goes to her table, sits down and carefully opens the envelope. Inside, there was an admission letter to an elite English course. The other page says that she has been admitted to a designing course that will teach her the latest designing software. The last page was a letter from Shanker.
Dear Gauri,
I have enrolled you into an English and designing course. The designing course will give you an advantage here where you will be able to develop your skills. As for the English course, even though you can speak at a very basic level, in the future, you will be dealing with professionals so it is important to develop the way you speak and try to eliminate that. Everything will be funded by DF but you do realize that there can be very stressful as you are taking two courses at the same time and working. Please let me know what your decision is.
Gauri was in tears and looks at the camera. Om looks at the screen to see what her reaction is.
O(Thinking): Why is she crying? Did I offend her? I try to write that letter in the nicest way but I do not think it came out that way.
Om reopens the documents and skims it.
O: It sounds right.
Tina walks in.
O: Gauri is crying and I cannot go out and console her.
T: Om, do not worry. I will go console her. I know how much you love her and as your friend, it is my job to help you out.
Om looks at the camera and Gauri was on her computer, typing something.
O: Tina, wait. I think Gauri is sending an email to me. Let’s see what her response is.
Ding! Ding!
And Om looks at his inbox and Gauri did send an email to him.
O(Thinking): She probably said no