Free Bird part 2

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'Rupa you are looking very beautiful today,' Sneha said sporting her toothy smile.

'Sneha, I have known you since you joined this electricity board office and that has been two years to be precise, and whenever you want any favour from me you offer me a compliment.' Rupa said.

'It is nothing like that Rupa.'

'Chup be, drama queen. Just tell what you want.'

'Today is papa's birthday and I wanted to leave early. Will you pleaseeee... fill in for me.'

'I don't mind doing that, provided the big boss says a yes.'

'I have already told him. He says he is fine with it, provided...'

'I fill in for you.' Rupa completed Sneha's sentence.

Sneha hugged Rupa and said, 'Rupa you are such a sweetie.'

Releasing herself from the clasp of Sneha, Rupa said, 'Enough of buttering for the day. Don't forget to bring me some cake tomorrow.'

'Of course I will Rupa.' Sneha said and scurried out of the office. It was not that she particularly liked her job as the cashier in the electricity board, but she was left with no other option. She was of the opinion that every girl should be economically independent. It is financial freedom that gives a person confidence to live the life of her choice. When Sneha was in her final year of arts, the first thing that she did every morning was to sit in the front yard and wait for the newspaper.

No sooner the newspaper arrived that Sneha would pounce upon it like a famished soul would on a piece of bread. She would turn the pages and go directly to the recruitment page. Khandwa was a small town and even in the age of internet people relied upon newspaper ads for recruitment. It was through one such advertisements that Sneha landed upon the contractual post of cashier with the electricity board. The pay wasn't much, but Sneha couldn't find any better option. She had applied for the post of probationary officer in couple of nationalized banks. Their employment process spread over a year and she didn't wish to be at the mercy of her father for an entire year. She studied day and night for the bank exam. When she saw the question paper she was elated. She knew all the right answers or that is what she felt. Confidently, she painted all the circles on the OMR answer sheet in black ball pen ink and came out of the examination hall.

'How was your examination?' Her father asked. Her face beamed with happiness when she said 'superb' and gave him a high five. 'I wish your mother was alive to see you become a probationary officer.' Her father said. From that day onwards he started calling her probationary officer.

'Don't call me that Papa.' Sneha said.

'Why? I know my girl has done very well in her examination.'

'Still...' Sneha knew her father's feelings were pure like blessings from God, but still she didn't wish to take any chance. The way one doesn't stitch clothes for a baby until it is born, she felt she shouldn't be called an officer until she had become one. Finally, after two months when results of the examination were out, Sneha's deepest fears came true. She had not even qualified for the interview.

'Such things happen in life. You will qualify the next time.' Her father said as he consoled her. Sneha felt bad but she didn't cry. The next morning all the sadness had withered away and her life came back to normal. That is what death of a near person does to you. It makes you accept the inevitable and move on.

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