Page 72 of One Indian Girl
‘What happened, beta?’
‘Nothing.’
‘Say what happened.’
‘Nothing. Just homesick.’
‘We miss you too.’
‘I love you, mom!’
‘Love you too, beta. It’s late, sleep now.’
‘Goodnight, mom.’
I lay down on the sofa and passed out.
‘Hey, what’s up, dealmaker? Come right on in,’ Jon said as I knocked at his office door.
I came in and sat down in front of him.
‘So, Jonathan told me,’ Jon said.
‘Yeah, I figured,’ I said.
‘Personal reasons?’ Jon said.
I nodded. I had sent in my resignation.
I had really tried to get back to normal. But New York wouldn’t let me. Every street, every nook, every inch of Manhattan made me think of him. Hell, I was such a wreck that every advertisement hoarding (because Debu worked in advertising, you see) made my heart sink. Every restaurant menu took me back to dinners with him. Even in my own house the kitchen, the couch, the bed, everything screamed his absence. I had no plan for the future. I only knew I couldn’t bear to be a minute more in this city, where I had loved and lost the only man who loved me. I looked out of Jon’s window. I saw the Hudson River, and the buildings of Brooklyn past it. Brooklyn—the word itself made my eyes well up.
I swallowed hard. I hate girls who cry in the office. Let alone in front of a Goldman Sachs partner.Don’t be a crybaby, I scolded myself.
‘Can I have some water?’ I said instead.
‘Sure,’ Jon said.
I poured myself a glass of water, took a slow sip but the tears slipped out anyway. I lifted the glass higher to cover more of my face. It didn’t help. My body shook as I started to cry. Some of the water spilled on his table.
‘I am sorry,’ I said.
‘It’s okay,’ Jon said. He passed me a box of tissues. If this were an Indian office, the boss would have asked five times what happened, and would require all the gory details. In strait-laced America, no matter what, they let you be, unless you want to share.
‘I hope you feel better,’ Jon said as I wiped my face.
I nodded.
‘Listen, I am not going to tell you what to do. However, you do know how much we value you,’ Jon said.
‘Yeah,’ I said, staring at the glass before me to avoid eye contact.
‘So if there is anything we can do to keep you... If you need a long break or time off, anything...’
I shook my head.
‘What next?’ Jon said.
‘I have no idea. Leave New York. Maybe go home.’
