07-02-2023, 09:45 AM
On Wednesday, Mansi was standing in a small line in front of the reception. In front of her was a white couple, very stylishly dressed. Behind her were two young men dressed in suits. Mansi felt glad that she decided to dress nicely.
The last time she was here, Mansi had felt very out of place in her simple almost wrinkled sari that she wore at home. Everyone around her had been so fashionably dressed. And then the hotel itself was so posh with its big chandeliers, scent of perfume wafting through the air conditioning, expensive elegant sculptures everywhere, etc. So Wednesday late morning, as she started getting ready, she decided to dress well. She wore her most expensive green-gold sari that was normally reserved only for weddings and other such functions. She didn't really own much make-up but put on some lipstick. And instead of just tying her long hair into a bun, she combed it throughly and left it open. She also took with her the relatively fanciest purse she owned, and put on a couple of gold bangles.
This small makeover did make her look even more alluring than usual. Because this time, even she noticed the glances she was getting from men around her. Nothing blatant or impolite, but still, it was clear that she was making heads turn.
"I love your sari!" the white woman in front of her suddenly turned and said.
"Thank you." Mansi blushed.
"Where can I get something like that?"
"I..I don't know. I bought it...in my hometown. Meerut." Mansi was feeling uncomfortable talking to her in English. It's not like Mansi's English was bad. She just wasn't very used to speaking it beyond helping with Pinky's homework. Besides, the white woman's tall frame and foreign accent intimidated her a little.
"Well, it's beautiful. Excuse me." the lady said as it was their turn at reception and walked away.
Mansi stood at the front of the line, waiting to be called.
"You are from Meerut?" a voice behind her said in Hindi. She turned around.
It was one of the two suit-clad young men standing behind her. They seemed like hotshot executives or MBA types.
"Yes." she answered.
"I am also from Meerut! Well, Ghaziabad technically, but that makes us neighbors." he smiled.
Mansi just nodded and looked straight ahead. She wasn't used to strangers, especially men, just casually striking up a conversation with her,
"Are you also staying in this hotel?" he continued. His friend, to whom it was obvious he was trying to chat her up, suppressed a smile.
"No." Mansi simply said.
"We are. About to check in. We are both investment bankers. Visiting from London." he said, hoping, like many investment bankers do, that it would impress her.
"I see." she wasn't sure why this man was continuing to talk to her.
"We are here to close a multi-milion dollar deal. What brings you here?"
"Just visiting someone." she said curtly, wishing he would take a hint.
"Someone in this hotel?"
"Yes."
"Oh. Ohhhhh! I understand." he said and giggled a little, as did his friend.
Mansi was too sheltered and innocent to realize the conclusion they had drawn. A good looking young woman dressed so nicely, not very comfortable in English, without any luggage, visiting someone in the hotel. They drew the only conclusion they could.
"Do you have a card or something?" he giggled and asked.
"Card? What card?" Mansi was confused. The two men giggled some more.
"Yes, ma'am?" a clerk at the reception called out. And Mansi rushed towards the desk. She was getting a bad vibe from those guys.
"I am here to meet Reena Bajaj."
"Oh, Reena ma'am? Yes, you must be Mansi ma'am." he said.
"Yes."
"Just one second." he reached out under the desk. "Here's a key card."
"Key card? I am just visiting her."
"Yes, she is expecting you in her residence."
"She lives here?" Mansi's eyes went wide.
"Yes, she has a suite on the VIP floor. The 35th floor. And that floor is only accessible by card. So here it is. Suite 3502."
All this was very new and impressive to Mansi. She knew Reena aunty worked in the hotel at a senior post but she had no idea she even lived there. And that too an exclusive VIP floor? 35th floor? Mansi had never gone that high in any building. Very impressive. She stepped into a shiny lift and entered the card in a slot meant for the 35th floor.
The last time she was here, Mansi had felt very out of place in her simple almost wrinkled sari that she wore at home. Everyone around her had been so fashionably dressed. And then the hotel itself was so posh with its big chandeliers, scent of perfume wafting through the air conditioning, expensive elegant sculptures everywhere, etc. So Wednesday late morning, as she started getting ready, she decided to dress well. She wore her most expensive green-gold sari that was normally reserved only for weddings and other such functions. She didn't really own much make-up but put on some lipstick. And instead of just tying her long hair into a bun, she combed it throughly and left it open. She also took with her the relatively fanciest purse she owned, and put on a couple of gold bangles.
This small makeover did make her look even more alluring than usual. Because this time, even she noticed the glances she was getting from men around her. Nothing blatant or impolite, but still, it was clear that she was making heads turn.
"I love your sari!" the white woman in front of her suddenly turned and said.
"Thank you." Mansi blushed.
"Where can I get something like that?"
"I..I don't know. I bought it...in my hometown. Meerut." Mansi was feeling uncomfortable talking to her in English. It's not like Mansi's English was bad. She just wasn't very used to speaking it beyond helping with Pinky's homework. Besides, the white woman's tall frame and foreign accent intimidated her a little.
"Well, it's beautiful. Excuse me." the lady said as it was their turn at reception and walked away.
Mansi stood at the front of the line, waiting to be called.
"You are from Meerut?" a voice behind her said in Hindi. She turned around.
It was one of the two suit-clad young men standing behind her. They seemed like hotshot executives or MBA types.
"Yes." she answered.
"I am also from Meerut! Well, Ghaziabad technically, but that makes us neighbors." he smiled.
Mansi just nodded and looked straight ahead. She wasn't used to strangers, especially men, just casually striking up a conversation with her,
"Are you also staying in this hotel?" he continued. His friend, to whom it was obvious he was trying to chat her up, suppressed a smile.
"No." Mansi simply said.
"We are. About to check in. We are both investment bankers. Visiting from London." he said, hoping, like many investment bankers do, that it would impress her.
"I see." she wasn't sure why this man was continuing to talk to her.
"We are here to close a multi-milion dollar deal. What brings you here?"
"Just visiting someone." she said curtly, wishing he would take a hint.
"Someone in this hotel?"
"Yes."
"Oh. Ohhhhh! I understand." he said and giggled a little, as did his friend.
Mansi was too sheltered and innocent to realize the conclusion they had drawn. A good looking young woman dressed so nicely, not very comfortable in English, without any luggage, visiting someone in the hotel. They drew the only conclusion they could.
"Do you have a card or something?" he giggled and asked.
"Card? What card?" Mansi was confused. The two men giggled some more.
"Yes, ma'am?" a clerk at the reception called out. And Mansi rushed towards the desk. She was getting a bad vibe from those guys.
"I am here to meet Reena Bajaj."
"Oh, Reena ma'am? Yes, you must be Mansi ma'am." he said.
"Yes."
"Just one second." he reached out under the desk. "Here's a key card."
"Key card? I am just visiting her."
"Yes, she is expecting you in her residence."
"She lives here?" Mansi's eyes went wide.
"Yes, she has a suite on the VIP floor. The 35th floor. And that floor is only accessible by card. So here it is. Suite 3502."
All this was very new and impressive to Mansi. She knew Reena aunty worked in the hotel at a senior post but she had no idea she even lived there. And that too an exclusive VIP floor? 35th floor? Mansi had never gone that high in any building. Very impressive. She stepped into a shiny lift and entered the card in a slot meant for the 35th floor.
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