A big client

One day, Mrs. Sharma informed me that I would need to accompany her to meet a big client - Mrs. Arora, wife of a prominent politician. She wanted to personally choose the best saree for her daughter's wedding, and Mrs. Sharma had been asked to provide multiple options for her.

The meeting was scheduled for the following weekend. I was excited and nervous at the same time. This was my first opportunity to work on such a high profile project, and I wanted to make sure everything went smoothly.

On Saturday afternoon, we arrived at Mrs. Arora's lavish residence. The house was grand and opulent, with marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and expensive paintings adorning the walls.

During our journey, Mrs. Sharma had warned me about people belonging to the upper echelons of society like Mrs. Arora. They were often demanding and could be difficult to please. It was important to remain polite, professional, and accommodating at all times.

We were ushered into a large drawing room where Mrs. Arora was waiting for us. She was dressed in a designer saree and exuded an air of elegance and sophistication.

Mrs. Sharma introduced herself and me as her assistant. I had to stand while Mrs. Sharma sat next to Mrs. Arora on the couch. After some initial small talk, Mrs. Arora got straight to the point. She wanted to see the latest designs and styles of sarees for her daughter's wedding.

Mrs. Sharma brought out a large collection of sarees and began showing them to Mrs. Arora. I assisted her, holding up each saree for display and explaining the details.

Mrs. Arora examined each one closely, feeling the fabric, studying the design, and asking questions about the color palette.

After going through several sarees, Mrs. Arora paused and looked at me. "You know what, Shilpa? I want to see these sarees on her."

She pointed at me.

Mrs. Sharma raised her eyebrows, surprised by the request. "Are you sure, madam? I mean...she's just an assistant."

Mrs. Arora gave her a stern look. "I don't care who she is. I want to see how these sarees will look on a real person. So let her try them on."

Mrs. Sharma hesitated for a moment before nodding her agreement. "Okay, if that's what you want."

I felt a bit awkward and hesitant, but Mrs. Sharma insisted. "Don't worry, Anjali. Just do as she says." She handed me the first saree, a red Banarasi silk. I quickly changed into it in the adjacent room while Mrs. Sharma and Mrs. Arora waited patiently.

When I emerged from the room, both women appraised me critically. Mrs. Sharma then put some heavy jewelry to complete the look. Mrs. Arora nodded approvingly. "Yes, this looks good."

She picked up another saree, a blue Kanjeevaram with silver motifs. Again, I changed into it, feeling increasingly self-conscious under their scrutiny.

This went on for nearly an hour as I modeled various types of sarees for them. Mrs. Arora was particular about every detail - the drape, the fall, the color combination, and even the way the pallu fell on my shoulder.