Night Jasmine

Untitled Part 105

"When did you make breakfast? Did you get a magic wand?" Randhir asked Sanyukta. She had woken up minutes before him and ran straight into the shower. By the time he was up and bathed their coffee and vegetable frittata was already on the table. She responded with a grin on her face. "I am interning in a professional kitchen, am I not? I did the prep yesterday and just put it together now. Here, help to slice the fruit while I rustle up some sandwiches to carry to work!" She winked at him as she put him on the job. "Sure, always happy to help, but you have to pay the price for making me work in your kitchen!" He said as he pulled her in for a sloppy kiss before they sat down at the table to eat.

Old habits die hard, thought Randhir, Sanyukta would ensure they ate well even when he knew her as Yasmeen. On weekends when he rushed home to be with her in the barsaati she had piping hot dinner ready, complete with dessert. Being with her always felt like being at home. When he returned to the hostel she gave him packed meals and snacks. The boys loved her nimki, laddoos and gur papdi lustily, they would long for homemade fare.

 "These nimkis can stay fresh for a month!" She would say, and he would smile to himself. The boys waited eagerly for him to return, and all the goodies would be polished off in a single day. "Thank your aunt for us!" They would say, assuming it was his aunt who plied him with snacks, at least that is what he told them. Who would believe he had a young girlfriend who spent that much time in the kitchen? He made sure nobody other than Parth knew that he was in a relationship with a girl who went by different names for the two years they had been with each other. Things like that only happened in fiction!

Even after they arrived in New York Sanyukta insisted on cooking up a hot breakfast for as long as she was in the city with him, knowing fully well that Randhir could not be relied upon to cook for himself, being a typical man. Feeling good after a hearty meal they left the apartment, it was the first work day for both. The subway was crowded and Randhir played the role of a protective husband, trying to shield her from being jostled by the morning crowd.

Even when she tried to protest he got off at her stop and walked along with her to the restaurant she was supposed to start her work in. "Buzz me as soon as you get a break, and be careful, ok? I'll wait for you at the Circle in the evening, meet me there." He was a little concerned about her wellbeing, it was her first ever experience in New York being without him next to her. "I'll be fine Randhir, thank you for taking care of me!" They hugged for a full minute before she hurried indoors, she wanted to clock in early on her first day at work.

Randhir had to start work a half hour after her, he turned toward Broadway to walk the few brisk paces to his own work place, an iconic financial institution that had dominated the street for several decades. When he had laid out a career plan before his mother she gave him some valuable advice about prospective employers in New York, helping him narrow down his choice among the top investment banking firms. Thereafter he had sought out a summer internship with one of them, although his mother was uncertain how much leverage he would find in a technology based role in a firm that specialised in financial services. 

But he had a hunch that his contribution would be noticed and it turned out to be right, his uncanny ability to see through tech-based problems and facilitate the implementation of solutions to their algorithmic trading gave him the visibility he needed to be offered a berth after completing his engineering degree from IIT Bombay. His peers at IIT who got enviable jobs with the top global technology giants scoffed at him for joining as a mere associate on the trading floor, but he was sure about his decision. His aim was to learn the ropes of strategy and financial management which would pave his way to an MBA. He entered the hallowed building, making his way to the office he had been assigned and meeting his boss who gave him his brief before he could start the day.

Sanyukta entered the Chef's office dressed in her brand new kitchen uniform. She was assigned to work under her supervisor who explained to her the tasks set out during her shift, she would be under scrutiny for two days before she could be permitted to handle important responsibilities. She was put to work along with an employee and another intern who had been on the job for a couple of months already. "Hi, I am Omar!" He said. She smiled at the devilishly charming dark-haired and dark-eyed intern. "Hi, I'm Sanyukta. Guess I am working with your team during my internship here." She said congenially.

The restaurant kitchen had a multi-racial character. "I am going to call you Sanyo, like the Japanese electronics firm. It is easier and familiar, as long as you don't mind." He flashed his winning smile at her once more as they rolled fresh pasta dough, turning it into spinach mushroom ravioli. "Oh, in that case I will call you Omi, just like the Jamaican singer. It is shorter and slicker than Oh-mahr, as long as you don't mind too!"She whispered, not wanting the boss to overhear them. "Copycat!" He grinned back at her.

She continued working under the tutelage of the supervisor and the guidance of Omar. Soon the prep for the rush hour was over and it was time for service to begin in the dining room. She was amazed to see how efficiently the kitchen worked, the pace of service and the skills of the entire team. She knew she had invested wisely, there was a great deal to learn, a rich experience that she could carry away with her. When she finally got her meal break she buzzed Randhir just like he had asked her to and soon they were conversing over their respective lunches, telling each other about their first day on the job.