“Hi Sita! great to see you back at your desk. How are you doing?” Naveen exclaimed, with a
smile on his face.
Sita knew that Naveen’s excitement was not on account of her resuming the duties, but
because of the fact that he is going to be relieved off his responsibility of looking into the
Merchant banking operations, which forcibly falls on his lap in Sita’s absence.
“Yup, All good!! Now that I am back, you can heave a sigh of relief” Sita quipped.
“Hey, you ladies have all luck………………………” Naveen said with a sly smile.
Sita knew Naveen’s nature well as both of them have been working in the same bank, since
last five years. They were recruited as officers and after getting promoted in the year 2017
both were working in the capacity of senior officers. They always had this bitter sweet
relationship. Naveen was a workaholic who left no stone unturned in discharging his duties,
and Sita too harbored the same feeling towards her work, but as destiny had it, Sita had to
be on leave several times and that seemed to have not gone down well with her male
colleague. Once Sita had overheard Naveen and Alok speak, where Naveen seemed to justify
as to why he should be preferred over Sita for promotion.
“ Sita is going to be on leave for one month owing to her marriage. Last month too she went
to Delhi to meet her in-laws. I had to look after both the departments; I mean in promotion
all this should count.”
Sita wanted to give it back to Naveen there and then but owing to her soft temperament she
chose to keep mum. That statement itself was enough to create that bitterness in Sita’s mind
for her coworker.
“Now things are going to be tough” ……………. thought Sita.
Sita was in her second trimester and due to hyperemesis gravidarum, Doctor had advised
her bed rest, till fifteen weeks. Unwillingly she had to go on leave for a month and that
fumed Naveen’s anger. Once she felt better, she chose to resume work but again she is
unsure of her punctuality at this time. She knows about the upcoming promotion exercise
and she wants to give her best shot. She had toiled day and night for this, but now things are
not in her hands. There’s a life inside her which is to be nurtured and cared for and she can’t
be selfish.
“Let the world say, what it feels!” exclaimed Sita, while pulling her chair close to her desk
such that she could rest a bit.
September 9th, 2019
“Hi Sita! Did you hear any news regarding the promotion exercise results ?” Naveen was
curious and his face bore testimony to the same.
“ I have no clue Naveen!. Now, my priority is something else. With Vishal’s touring job its
becoming extremely difficult at times. I have given my best and rest it is up to the
management to decide.” Sita appeared stern and Naveen didn’t probe her any further.
November 5th ,2019
Sita was euphonious with the news!! When Mrs., Sharma congratulated her, she was elated.
She couldn’t have been happier. All her hard work had paid off and she was extremely
happy for the same. Without losing a second, she popped the question,
“Who else from our branch has been promoted, Mam? I mean, what about Naveen………….?”
“Naveen is an asset to our organization and yeah !! he too has been promoted.”
Sita felt good that both she and Naveen have been recognized for their unceasing effort at
work. She broke the news to Vishal and her Dad, two of her closest people who had
encouraged her through thick and thin. Her due date was after a week and that was making
her uncomfortable at times. Sometimes to ease herself she would carry her laptop and go to
the office cafeteria to work.
“Where is Naveen? I should congratulate him,” thought Sita and took baby steps to approach
the elevator which would take her to the cafeteria in the first floor,
As soon as she reached the lobby in the first floor she overheard Naveen talking to someone
over phone.
“I tell you, these ladies have all luck ! They go on leave whenever they want to. Management
can’t say “No” to them. When promotion exercise comes, they are the ones who are
promoted. These leaves don’t seem to catch Boss’s attention for sure. Take Sita’s
case…………she is promoted, despite going on leave for forty days this year. On top of it, she
is going to be on maternity leave from next week. Six months full pay and no work. What a
fortune, they have!”
Sita couldn’t take it anymore. All her happiness evaporated within a second and she planted
a tight slap on Naveen’s cheek.
Before Naveen could explain, Sita spoke in one go, “How could you even think like this
Naveen? I was so happy hearing about your promotion and was rushing to congratulate
you, but you seem to be indulged in a different story altogether. I have toiled day and night
for this. There’s not a single issue which I haven’t attended to. My appraisals for last three
years have been stupendous …………………….”
“Sita…….…………. ”
Sita didn’t allow Naveen to utter a word and continued ……………….
“We ladies don’t like going on leaves, but at times situation demands us to do so. Being on
leave doesn’t deter our productivity or morale. There also we think, if our pending work is
done or not? If certain customer complaints have been addressed by our colleagues or not?
so on and so forth. Since last nine months, there’s a life evolving inside me. I gave it all I had
and am eagerly waiting for the day when my little one will come into this world. You can’t
imagine, what a lady goes through during pregnancy where every single second is crucial
for two lives. I pity your thought Naveen! How can you have such sick notions……………?
Suddenly there was a pat at her back. Sita was taken aback seeing Mrs. Sharma and her
merchant banking department staff smiling and cheering for her.
Sita couldn’t take it anymore and tears started rolling down her
eyes……………………………………………………….
