December 2
Atlanta, Georgia
Today was the day and Jasmin was anxious, on the verge of throwing up.
They’d arrived in Georgia early this morning and virtually had to go on a wild goose chase.
Her mother’s place of employment per her inactive Facebook account was Duncan’s Furniture Stores, but there were eight outlets across the city.
They’d driven from one store to another, asking every manager if they knew a Jayshree Maraj, but no one had heard of her.
It was only when they reached the sixth outlet that they found someone who knew her.
Her previous boss, Sally, told them that she resigned last year after she got married.
She didn’t have any further details, but Jasmin asked to see her employment records so she could get an address or anything that could aid her search.
At first Sally was reluctant because that information was confidential, but after some begging and pleading and puppy dog eyes, she relented and allowed them access to her mother’s file.
Having her address led to a twenty minute drive into the suburbs to an apartment building with a rather obnoxious landlord named Gavin.
Gavin explained that her mother had moved after she got married to some hot shot business mogul (those were his exact words).
From store clerk to marketing executive of a large textile company called Tradeworks.
Apparently she was living the life now. Guess it’s easy to get a high-paying job when you’re sleeping with the boss (those were Gavin’s words too).
Tradeworks also had multiple branches and distribution centers, but Jasmin decided to try her luck at the head office first. The marketing executive would be at head office, not at any of the stores.
It was almost four in the afternoon now, but she was hoping to get there before close of business.
“So we gotta go back the other way,” Jasmin said, strapping on her seatbelt. “And it took us forever to get here because of traffic.”
Kevin reached over and took her hand. “Just relax. At least you’ve got something solid now.” He let out a deep breath as if nervous to say what he was thinking. “So…uh…it’s getting late. Do you wanna drop me off at the bus station before you go there?”
Her hands were on the keys, but she didn’t start the car just yet. “I was…thinking about that. You don’t have to leave…today. I mean, it’s not like it was a concrete decision where we agreed that we’d end this trip in Georgia.”
He smiled. “That’s exactly what we agreed on…from the very beginning.”
She turned to look at him then, releasing an anxious sigh. “I want you to be there when I meet my mom.”
“Jasmin, that’s something very personal and—”
“I don’t want to do it alone,” she cut in. “I’m scared to do it alone.”
He didn’t need any more convincing than that and gave her hand another gentle squeeze. “Okay.”
She leaned over to kiss him on the cheek, then punched in the location of Tradeworks head office into the GPS and started the car.
It took them half an hour to drive across town and her hands were sweaty and shaking as the parked in front of the tall building.
She opened the car door and Kevin grabbed her wrist before she got out.
“Jasmin, you need to be prepared for anything.”
“I am. I’ve been preparing for this my whole life.”
He still looked uncertain as they jumped out of the car and headed up the stairs into the building.
At the reception desk, they were greeted by a man dressed in a neat black suit, flashing them his friendliest smile.
“Good afternoon and welcome to Tradeworks. I’m Leonard.
How may I assist?” He spoke in a tone that was professional and rehearsed.
“Hi,” Jasmin greeted. “We’re here to see Jayshree Maraj.”
“Do you mean Jayshree Kapoor?”
She nodded, realizing that her mother had married last year. “Yes, Jayshree Kapoor.”
His eyes were firmly pinned on her, scrutinizing her every feature. “Are you family?”
A wide grin split her face. “Yes.”
“Is she expecting you?”
“No. We were in town and we thought…we’d drop in and surprise her.”
He seemed a little skeptical, but jotted down her details in a book and handed them a visitor’s access card. “Elevators are down there,” he said, pointing to a narrow corridor. “Go up to the twentieth floor and ask for Gene. She’s her personal assistant and should be able to help you.”
“Thank you very much.” She grabbed Kevin’s hand, brimming with excitement now.
The wild goose chase had paid off. They’d found her and now she was seconds away from meeting her.
“Did you hear what he said?” she asked Kevin as she pushed the button for the elevator.
“He asked if I was family. I told you I look like her.”
They had traveled miles, been on the road for weeks, and the elevator ride to the twentieth floor was the longest wait she’d ever had to endure.
When the doors opened, there was another desk with a bronzed plated name tag that read Gene Mullins, and Jasmin walked directly to it.
“Hi. We’re here to see Jayshree Kapoor.”
Gene wasn’t as friendly as Leonard and didn’t even smile. “Is she expecting you?”
“No, we thought we’d—”
“Mrs. Kapoor doesn’t like unannounced guests. I don’t know why Leonard sent you up here. You can schedule an appointment. She’s available on Tuesday at noon and—”
“I’m not making an appointment. We won’t be long. I just want to speak to her for a few minutes.”
“Mrs. Kapoor is a very busy woman. She doesn’t have a few minutes and she certainly won’t make the time for someone who doesn’t have a previous appointment.”
Jasmin was getting irritable. She hadn’t come all this way just to be turned away by a bitchy PA. “Then we’ll wait until she’s done for the day.”
Gene rolled her eyes and pressed a button on her speaker phone. “Mrs. Kapoor, you have a visitor…” She looked up at Jasmin for a name.
“Oh…Jasmintha Daas.”
“Jasmintha Daas is here to see you.”
There was a long pause and hearing her mother’s voice made her heart do a little flip. “She doesn’t have an appointment.”
The comment was cold and completely unfeeling, though Gene had said she was busy and probably didn’t recognize the last name. But she wasn’t going to schedule an appointment to see her own mother. “I’m not leaving until I see her,” Jasmin stated adamantly.
There was another stilted pause, which showed that her mother had heard her and then her voice came over the speaker again. “Take her to the boardroom on the eighteenth floor and, Gene…don’t let Amit see her.”
Gene immediately stood up and instead of taking them back to the elevators, she led them down the stairwell of the emergency fire escape. She waited for them to enter the boardroom and closed the door behind them without saying another word.
Kevin looked wary as he sat down beside her in one of the high-back leather chairs. “Jasmin, maybe this isn’t a good idea.”
“Kevin, we traveled all this way to see her…I need to see her.”
He took her hand again and gently rubbed his thumb against hers while they waited.
It was barely ten minutes later when the door opened again and it was like looking at a future version of herself.
Her mother had the same long, black hair and light brown eyes, though her eyes weren’t as big and her lips were thinner which made her look more regal, more sophisticated.
“Hi,” Jasmin said, but her voice seemed to be stuck in her larynx. Her heart was racing at an incredible speed. “I’m Jasmint—”
“I know who you are.” Her tone was just as cold as before. “I want to know why you’re here.”
“I wanted to meet you…maybe talk a little…get to know each other.”
Jayshree didn’t sit down, which was a clear indication that she expected this conversation to be short. “Does Rajan know you’re here?”
“No, he told me never to contact you.”
“Then I suggest you leave. I don’t want a scandal. My husband can’t find out about you. I’m happily married now and I don’t want the mistakes from my past coming back to bite me.”
Jasmin took a second to process that. She’d played this meeting out in her head a million times.
Sometimes it was wonderful, hugs and kisses and imaginable joy.
But she’d also been realistic and envisioned that her mother would admit that she’d abandoned her because she hadn’t been ready to raise a child.
They would talk about it and part ways amicably.
But never in all her musings had she seen herself as a mistake.
“I-I wouldn’t be a scandal,” Jasmin began with a wobbly voice.
“I’m really not a problem child. I don’t do drugs or party excessively.
I’m respectful…If you just got to know me…
” She had always tried to hide her intelligence from others, but now she wanted to tell her mother all of it so she would see that she wasn’t an embarrassment.
“I’m smart. I’m really smart. I’m going to be heading up a research department next year and—”
“I know all about your science projects.”
With one sentence all her achievements were diminished to mere science projects. Kevin’s eyes were darting between the two of them and even though his thumb was pressing harder against hers, he remained quiet.
“And I’m sure you’re a great kid,” Jayshree continued. “But Rajan warned me to never contact you again.”
That got her attention. “What do you mean again? You tried before?”
“Yes, when you were younger, but he told me to stay out of your life. I tried again this year and he told me he’d expose me if I went anywhere near you.
I have a colorful past, Jasmintha, one I’d like to keep hidden from my husband.
I never thought Rajan would resort to blackmail, but that’s the game he’s chosen to play.
I was willing to tell Amit about you, but Rajan said he would tell him about your father and that would expose my entire past. I can’t have that. ”