They were about to reach the office and as per rules they were to enter their employee details and sign a cab register. Both Tanu and the new cab mate were speaking over the phone.

Sana: Suresh Bhaiyya register pass karna please.

Suresh passes the register and as per the habit she writes down her employee details, Tanu's details and then looks at the new cab mate who was engrossed in guiding his colleague in other shift to process a job. She finds his employee ID card hanging on the side of his seat which he had tucked to the pant pocket with the help of retractable card holder. She pulls it closer and enters his employee ID and name, Sidharth Chopra, in the register. She enters the cab boarding time and reaching time and signs with an fake signature infront of every entry. She passes the register to Suresh.

The cab comes to halt at basement car park near the lift area and Tanu gets down still talking on phone and quickly gets into the lift which was full. Sana gets down and stands near the lift, waiting for it to arrive again. Sidharth asks Suresh for the register to sign and Suresh informs him that it is already signed by Sana.

Sidharth: Kya? (Looks at Sana) Excuse me! Did you sign for me?

Sana: Haan. Thanks bolne ki zarurat nahi hai, mein apne friend Tanu ke liye bhi likhti hoon.

Sidharth: Thanks my foot! Tum meri liye sign kaise kar sakti ho? Mera sign kaise forge kiya tumne?

Sana: Oh hello! Aap phone pe busy the toh maine likh diya. Kaunsa apka exact sign dala? Mujhe toh pata bhi nahi aapki signature kaisi hai toh forge kaise hua? Aur kaunsa meine aapke cheque book ya property paper pe sign kiya jo itna bada bhawaal create kar rahe ho?

Sidharth: Arey wah, chori aur seena zori.

Sana: Huh!! Keep crying! Mujhe bahut kaam hai, velli nahi hoon jo aisi choti choti cheezon pe roungi.

Sidharth: Achcha mein ro raha hoon?

Sana royally ignores him and gets into the lift and presses 5 and the door close button. He frowns. As the door was about to close he puts his arm in between and the door reopens. He gets into it and they glare at each other. He presses 3 and the door closes.

Sidharth: I am not going to spare you.

Sana pushes both the forefinger into her ears showing disinterest in what he was saying. He frowns further.

Sidharth: How arrogant? You will pay for it.

Sana: Ole le le le leyo.. Olaa laa laa le yo.. (sings loudly)

Sidharth grits his teeth. The lift door opens at 3rd floor. He glares at her before getting out. He goes to the transport department.

Sidharth: Excuse me! I have a complain to make.

Manager: Oh okay! Rash driving? Cab number?

Sidharth: No!!

Manager: Rude driver, abusive language, late arrival.

Sidharth: No!! It isn't against driver. It's against a cabmate.

Manager: Huh? What did your cabmate do? Misbehaviour?

Sidharth: No, she signed the register for me. When I retaliated, she says I was busy on my phone hence she signed it.

Manager: Hmm.. is that all?

Sidharth: Yes.

Manager: That register is only to track for account so that we pay the transport vendor properly. Nobody looks at the signature. So please don't worry.

Sidharth: Huh? What the hell? She faked my signature, can you call her and bash her for it?

Manager looked at him with a expressionless face thinking "what kind of man is he?" at the back of his mind. He then checked the system to see who is his cabmate.

Manager: Kaunsi wali? Tanushree ya Shehnaaz?

Sidharth: Huh? Dono nahi. Driver ne Sana bola tha.

Manager: Aapke cab mein koi Sana naam ki ladki nahi hai. Ye dekhiye. (Turns the screen towards him)

Sidharth: (looks at it) Matlab woh meri cabmate na hote huye bhi galati se travel karti hai, phir mera sign karti hai aur phir mujhe lecture deti hai. Aap driver ko bulao, aise kaise woh kisiko bhi leke aa sakta hai cab mein?

Manager: Relax. Relax. Abhi driver next pickup k liye gaya hoga. Mein uske aane par puchta hoon. Aap jaayiye aur apna kaam start kariye.

Sidharth gives up and goes to 7th floor to start working. An hour passes and he couldn't forget the encounter with Sana, he calls up the transport desk and inquires if they have taken an action. The person again gives some reason and disconnects.

He Calls again after an hour upon which he learns that the manager has logged out as his shift was over. He gets busy in his work with disappointment.

The time was 3:30am, the log off time. He goes down to the basement and finds his cab. He occupies the backseat since the security escort would sit in the front as it was a night shift job requirement when a lady(ies) travels the should be an escort. There were 10 minutes buffer for the cab to move.

Tanu comes down next and occupies another seat. There were still 2 more minutes when Sana comes and goes near the door to open. She finds him sitting near the window so she frowns and goes to the other side. Tanu shifts in the middle and as she gets in, he looks at her.

Sidharth: Excuse me! Why the hell are you travelling in our cab when your name isn't in this cab's rooster?

Sana: (confused plus annoyed) What's your problem Mister? And who told you my name isn't there in the rooster? This is as much my cab as it is yours.

Sidharth: No you aren't. I checked the rooster myself with the transport department, there are only two girls named Tanushree and Shehnaaz. Where is your name?

Sana: Hello Mister, I am Shehnaaz. (In anger)

Tanushree: (smilingly) and I am Tanushree.

Sidharth: What? You said you are Sana.

Tanushree: Huh? When did I say I am Sana? (Confused)

Sidharth: Ek second mein unse baat kar raha hoon.

Sana: Sana is my pet name. Do you understand?

Tanu: Oh!! And my pet name is Tanu.

Sidharth & Sana: (in unison to Tanu angrily) Will you shut up?

Tanu makes a sad pout.

Suresh: Agar aapki confusion sort ho gayi ho toh kya main gaadi start kar sakta hoon? (Looking at them from rear view mirror)

They both glare at each other and then look outside their window. Suresh starts the cab and a security escort occupies the front seat. Sana looks at Tanu who was frowning as she sat in the middle with crossed hands.

Sana: (puts her hand around Tanu's shoulder) Oye! Sorry yaar.. Maaf kar de mujhe.. (low voice) Uss khadoos pe dimaag sadd raha tha, tu beech mein boli toh tere pe gussa nikal gaya.. Sorry sweetheart.. (pinches her ears)

Tanu smiles and they exchange a side hug.

Sidharth: Excuse me Ms. Shehnaaz. Did you just call me Khadoos?

Sana: Sun liya kya?

Sidharth: Ofcourse, it's a small congested place. (Sternly)

Sana: Haan, toh main kaunsa aa..aapke baare mein b.. bol rahi thi? (She fumbles)

Tanu: Huh? Arey maine socha tum inke baare mein bol rahi thi. Tu kiske baare mein bol rahi thi?

Sana: (glares at Tanu and whispers in her ears) Chupp kar meri maa.. kyu meri vaat laga rahi hai?

Sidharth was glaring at her.

Sana: Kya gurr rahe ho mujhe? Kabhi koi sundar ladki nahi dekhi kya?

Sidharth bursts out laughing. Tanu gawks at laughing Sidharth while Sana frowns further.

Sana: Oye!! Hass kyu rahe ho? Meine koi joke maara kya?

Sidharth: Bahut dino baad hassa hoon. Aaj ke liye kaafi hai please baaki ka joke kal ke liye rakhna. Ab mujhe sona hai.

He rests his head against the headrest and closes his eyes. Sana frowns and looks outside the window. Tanu's phone start ringing.

Tanu: Hello baby. Sorry main woh cab ke problems mein bhool gayi call karna. Mera baby soya nahi abhi tak?

Sidharth opens his eyes and glares at Tanu. Tanu being unaware continues her talk with her fiance.

Sidharth: Excuse me! It's 3:45am. Aap itne raat ko bhi kaise kisi se phone pe baat kar sakti ho? Mujhe sona hai aap disturb kar rahi ho mujhe.

Tanu looks at him in perplexed. Sana comes to her rescue.

Sana: Oye Mister! Uska phone, uska muh, uska fiance. Aapko kya mirchi lagi hai? Woh jab chahe baat karegi. Harr kisi ke fatte mein taang kyu addha rahe ho aap?

Sidharth: Main fatte mein taang addha raha hoon ya tum? Main unse baat kar raha tha, tum kyu beech mein aayi? Uski P.A. ho kya?

Sana: Nahi uski bestie hoon. Ab bolo. Kya problem hai?

Sidharth: Meri problem ye hai ki mujhe sona hai, aur ye aapki dost raat ke 3:45 baje apne fiance ke saath goottar-goo kar rahi hai.

Sana glares at him while Tanu looks at them both.

Tanu: Bhaiyya gaadi rokhna zara please.

Suresh, Security, Sana and Sidharth: (in unison in surprise) Kyu?

Tanu: Mujhe in dono ke beech mein nahi baitna. Kabse mera dono taraf ae ladd rahe hai. Aisa lag raha hai jaise mera kaan mic hai jismein ye dono baat kar rahe hai aur mera dusra kaan speaker jisse dusri taraf yeh sunn rahe hai. Sana please tere jiju apni neend choddke mere se baat karne ko wait kar rahe hai. Tu beech mein aaja, main unse baat karti hoon aur tu inse lad lena aaraam se.

Sana: Arghhh.. Tere liye nahi jaa rahi.. jiju ke liye baitungi beech mein.

They exchange places. Tanu continues to talk, while both Sana and Sidharth place their head to their respective headrest and go to sleep.

_____________________________

To be continued.. ❤️❤️