Façade

There was fervor at home.  His brother-in-law was returning from the US after having completed his Masters.   His in-laws too were arriving from their bastion into the city, to receive him.  His wife had loved the idea of the party he had proposed to hold welcoming her brother, where even his engagement into another prominent business family would be announced.  

Theirs was a love marriage - convincing her parents was not easy though.  They were landed and rich, while he came from a traditional, educated, but poor family.  However, the equations had only grown better with time; they appreciated his acumen, and how he had helped in recommending new ideas for their business, even though he had not formally joined in. He continued to build his career in the world away from the family. His brother-in-law - younger by several years - adored him. 

All the buzz had gone quiet with that one phone call.  The boy had been killed in a shooting incident at his University, just a day before he was to return to his motherland.  Squeals of laughter and mirth had turned into screams of pain and wails of sadness. Soon, the entire house became quiet as a grave, as relatives left, and grief hung like a cloud in the air. 

Days went by, and all the due rituals were complete.  He was sitting out in the lawns and contemplating over his drink.  His mobile rang.  It was manager of the hotel where the party was supposed to have taken place.  "Sir, I know you couldn't hold the party due to the loss in the family.  If you so desire, we will nominally deduct the reservation charges, and return the rest of the money to you.  Let us know soon". He said he would get back to them in a day or two. 

*********

"Wow, never did you host such a great do.  Love the spread, and the booze. Sheer class!"  His close friends admired the arrangements, and he beamed. 

"What is the occasion, M? Why this sudden party?" 
"I am just sharing my happiness..." he trailed off.
"And, that is?"
“You’ll know”. He winked and smiled. 

They were his best friends. But, he just chose to be careful.  Masks were important in the world.  After all, at home he was still the grieving brother-in-law. 

Outcomes!

 It was that time of the year when the performance awards were announced by the firm. She was waiting expectantly too. She knew she had done well, had better numbers than most, and should make it. 

The last time round, she had missed out on winning even though her performance was strong. The Management had called her and said, “We are extremely sorry; we somehow weren’t given these figures of yours, and we couldn’t consider you because of that. Please continue with your performance, and we are sure you’ll be the topper”. The awards came with bonuses and other benefits, and she was flummoxed as to how her numbers didn’t reach the Management. Glitches in systems! Technical or human, she wasn’t certain.  She was compensated by a minor promotion and some cash benefits, but they weren’t the same as recognition. 

This time though she had ensured her numbers had reached the Top Brass for consideration, and she didn’t want to miss out on what she felt was hers, deservedly. These awards weren’t sent as mails or messages, but announced at a glitzy dinner each year.  As the evening warmed up on a rainy day, the Boss was on stage to do the honours. 

She felt rage flowing through her as this time  too she hadn’t made it to the list. Someone from her own team - her underling - was chosen over her.  As though to drive home the message, she was asked to deliver the honour! She had to endure a further painful hour before she could head home and vent her frustration. 

The next day, the Boss had requested her to join in for tea. She thought to herself, “Is it to tell again they messed up, or is it to let me know that they are fixing it this time?” She practised mindfulness for an extra five minutes to soother her nerves, and to tell herself that she wouldn’t overreact during her meeting with the Boss. Her resignation letter was feeling all the pressure of her hands. 

As she entered his cabin, she found that there were two others - her immediate superior, and another person she didn’t recognise, a regal looking woman. She was introduced to her as the CEO of the firm that was planning to acquire the firm she was working at. “How in the hell do I matter in this?”, was her question in mind. She smiled instead. No drama in front of an as-yet-outsider. 

The Boss started, “As our merger happens soon, we needed someone who would be heading the change management team. We would like to offer you the new role”. Was this a joke, she seethed as she heard the words. No explanation or apology for leaving her out of awards! It took a while for her to gather her wits and ready a response. Just as she thought she would blurt out, the Boss said, “And a seat on the Board of Directors. With stock options. Your performance was not worth a mere recognition with the rest”. 

For once she felt good about having kept quiet.