Quick Call

Aanya Malhotra ke liye life ka har minute already booked hota tha. Uske phone ke calendar me meetings, follow-ups, review calls, reminders, even “drink water” tak scheduled tha. Gurugram ke us glass office tower me, jahan har floor par koi na koi deadline bhaag rahi hoti thi, Aanya bhi ek perfectly managed machine jaisi lagti thi—blazer crisp, lipstick intact, voice measured, aur smile bilkul on-time.

Par aaj uska dimaag thoda zyada hi packed tha. Subah se back-to-back calls, ek client ka mood swing, ek campaign deck ka last-minute change, aur boss ka woh classic sentence—“Bas ek chhota sa revision kar lo”—jo kabhi chhota nahi hota. Uske laptop ke corner me pending tasks ki list blink kar rahi thi, aur phone par Kabir Sethi ka missed call.

Aanya ne screen dekhi. “Kabir Sethi.”

Usne ek second ke liye call ko stare kiya, jaise us number se koi personal threat attach ho. Phir usne phone lock kar diya. Abhi nahi. Quick call baad me. Abhi uske paas time nahi tha kisi “quick clarification” ke liye, jo usually quick hota hi nahi tha. Usne apne aap se kaha, later, when things calm down—ek aisa phrase jo corporate life me almost myth jaisa hota hai.

Meeting khatam hui, toh next meeting aa gayi. Lift me usne apne reflection me khud ko dekha—thoda tired, thoda distant, bilkul theek. Usne apne face pe professional calm ka layer aur tight kar liya. Kisi ko nahi pata chalna chahiye ki andar se woh kitni thaki hui hai. Busy rehna uska best disguise tha.

Lunch break ke aas-paas, jab office lobby me AC ki thandi hawa aur coffee machine ki smell mix ho rahi thi, Aanya ne finally phone uthaya. Kabir ka number dubara dial kiya. “Bas do minute,” usne khud se kaha. “Jo bhi hai, clear kar deti hoon.”

Kabir ne third ring par pick kiya.

“Hi, Aanya?” uski voice me polite caution tha, jaise woh pehle se hi apologize karne ki taiyari me ho.

“Hi. Haan, boliye,” Aanya ne crisp tone me kaha. “Aapka quick call dekha tha. Kya issue hai?”

Thoda sa pause hua. “Actually… ek chhoti si clarification thi.”

Aanya ne chair ki back se shoulder adjust ki. Of course. Chhoti si clarification. Delhi-NCR me ye line usually naya headache announce karti hai. “Okay, boliye.”

Kabir ne project ka naam liya, phir ek specification, phir ek deadline. Sab technically normal tha. But uski voice me ek ajeeb si hesitation thi—jaise words ready the, par confidence missing tha. Aanya ne notice kiya, lekin interrupt nahi kiya. Kabir generally direct baat karne wala lag raha tha, par aaj uske sentences thode sambhal-sambhal ke nikal rahe the.

“Main bas ye confirm karna chahta tha ki jo façade revision hai, woh final round me consider hoga na?” usne poocha.

“Haan, agar revised file time pe mil gayi toh,” Aanya ne automatic professional tone me reply diya. “Client ne kal EOD tak bola hai.”

“Right,” Kabir ne bola, aur phir ek aur pause. “Actually, main file kal subah bhej dunga. Bas… network thoda weak hai yahan, toh main chahta tha clarity ho jaaye.”

Aanya ne “hmm” kiya. Call ka purpose itna hi tha? Usually log is tarah ka call do minute me khatam kar dete. Par Kabir ki awaaz me kuch aisa tha, jaise woh sirf information nahi, thoda sa reassurance bhi maang raha ho.

Office lobby me uske peeche log fast-walk kar rahe the. Kisi ke heels tap-tap kar rahe the. Ek security guard door khol raha tha. Bahar parking area me heat shimmer kar rahi thi. Aur uss beech, Aanya ko laga ki Kabir ki voice thodi aur soft ho gayi hai.

“Actually,” Kabir ne fir bola, “I know ye thoda awkward hai, but can I ask one more thing?”

Aanya ne apni watch dekhi. Lunch break ka 20 minute nikal chuka tha. Uske inbox me 14 unread emails the. Phir bhi usne kaha, “Haan, boliye.”

Kabir ne halki hansi ke saath saans li. “Aapko lagta hai main overthinking kar raha hoon?”

Aanya thodi der chup rahi. Ye question project ke baare me nahi tha. Ye question kisi aur jagah se aa raha tha—jahan numbers, deadlines, aur deliverables ka koi role nahi hota.

“Overthinking kis cheez ko leke?” usne cautiously poocha.

Kabir ne jawline ke paas se jaise apni hesitation ko hataya. “Project ko leke. Client ko leke. Sab kuch leke. Main bas… ek clarification ke naam pe call kar raha tha, but honestly, mujhe thoda darr lag raha tha ki main time pe deliver kar paunga ya nahi.”

Aanya ne apni chai ka cup side me rakha. “Aapne pehle bataya nahi.”

“Bataya hota toh shayad professional nahi lagta,” Kabir ne quietly kaha. “Aur waise bhi, aapke jaisa schedule ho toh kisiko kaise bolo ki main thoda confused hoon?”

Aanya ke lips pe ek almost-smile aaya. “Mera schedule kaise pata aapko?”

Kabir ne bina hesitation ke bola, “Aapke emails se. Har mail me ‘as discussed’, ‘urgent’, ‘please revert by EOD’—itna organized ho koi toh samajh aa jata hai ki saamne wala insaan calendar ke andar hi rehta hoga.”

Aanya ko hasna aa gaya. Chhota sa, real sa laugh. Office lobby me uski awaaz thodi out of place lagi, aur usne turant face neutral kar liya, par andar kuch halka ho gaya.

“Calendar ke andar nahi,” usne bola. “Bas calendar ke bahar ka chaos avoid karne ki koshish.”

Kabir ne kuch seconds baad reply diya, “That makes sense.”

Phir ek aur pause. Is baar awkward nahi, bas honest.

Call me thoda stretch ho gaya. Aanya ne notice kiya ki Kabir ab project ke specs se zyada weather ki baat kar raha tha. “Safdarjung side abhi bhi utni hi traffic hai,” usne kaha. “Aur aaj baarish ke chances lag rahe hain. Sky ka color ajeeb sa hai.”