Home > Work > Serena Singh Flips the Script
1 " Friendships ran their course all the time. "
― Sonya Lalli , Serena Singh Flips the Script
2 " I’d been so obsessed with proving myself to her and my team that I hadn’t even considered that she was going through a difficult time transitioning away from being the company’s creative face, taking a backseat to, well, me. "
3 " What a fucker.” She gripped the steering wheel. “Do you know, when I worked with him in the nineties, he used to call me the ‘office geisha.’” I gasped. “Notwithstanding the fact that I’m Korean, not Japanese, yes, the implication was that our director had brought me on to ‘please’ the clients. "
4 " Growing up, she always ate last, making sure everyone else had hot roti throughout their meal, hovering over us, insisting we eat more while I begged her to come sit down at the table. Finally, when the rest of us were nearly done, she’d shovel down her cold food before bolting off to start on the dishes, the laundry, some endless task or another. "
5 " She’d enjoy doting on a young man, which wasn’t to say she hadn’t relished having two little girls to raise. In fact, daughters were what she had preferred. She despised that in their village, the birth of boys had been celebrated and the arrival of girls mourned. "
6 " Family kept you grounded, but they’d all been uprooted, scattered, and were now like tumbleweeds blowing recklessly around the globe. Sandeep had done everything in her power to change that, to build anew. She cleaned houses, despite the upturned noses of some her friends, so they could save more quickly, "
7 " rubbed my eyes as it dawned on me. Natasha was selfish. Plain and simple, she was a spoiled brat. Maybe she always had been. And I was done making excuses for her. "
8 " If she told her every little thing—a harmless argument with Veer, a bill they hadn’t yet managed to pay, a blood pressure reading that was slightly higher than what her doctor felt comfortable with—it would only cause worry. "
9 " Because, what if Sandeep were to ask the wrong question? What if the question made Sandeep sound . . . stupid? It was easy to feel inferior around two bright girls fully versed in American, in the way of life this country demanded. Her daughters were constantly correcting Sandeep, pointing out when she made missteps or missed social cues, like "
10 " Of course I knew that. My old boss Iain had been equal parts jealous and pleased that my interview (and skin color) had painted his workplace to be capable, diverse. "
11 " The extent of her toxicity really hit home the day before when she was out sick. Without their ringleader, the other team members were actually super friendly with me, and it made me realize I needed to do something about the situation. I gulped. I needed to be a bawse. "
12 " Becoming true friends and transcending our work friendship built on convenience, common ground, and office space? "
13 " And to him,” Ainsley continued, “a real mother shouldn’t be the breadwinner. She should be home raising her son. Can you believe it?” She shook her head. “And he never says that stuff to my face, but I know that’s what he’s saying to Nikesh.” “They speak in Punjabi together?” “Yeah, but even if I don’t understand all the words, I just know what he’s saying. Is that crazy? "
14 " I’d taken pains to avoid. It didn’t matter how hard we tried to be the perfect woman or daughter or daughter-in-law; it would never be good enough. Our rotis would never be round enough, and I was very tempted to tell her she shouldn’t even bother to try. "
15 " As I gave him a brief recap on the past twelve years, all I could think about was the new knowledge that Natasha and Jesse were Facebook friends. She’d never told me, and I didn’t know whether to feel gratitude for the secrecy, or betrayal. "
16 " To her family’s dismay, one girl moved all the way to Los Angeles to pursue acting, of all things, and another just across the state line to her boyfriend’s. "
17 " know you girls grew up . . . differently.” My mouth gaped open as I watched her disappear inside. Differently? "
18 " Because it’s hard to create a friendship from scratch, without history. It’s a lot of effort, and especially when you’re a grown-up with responsibilities who still wants to sleep seven hours a night, it’s hard to make time for that effort. "
19 " Excluding her from her life and her pregnancy, acting like she was ashamed of where she came from. According to Mom, Natasha wouldn’t even let her bring a dish to the gender reveal party. (Just let the woman make you samosas, you brat! Everyone likes them.) "
20 " Already thirty-six, and to have a younger sister married first? What ever happened to that nice boy Jesse? Did she scare him off? She is not too old yet, nah? My cousin’s nephew has a job now. I will make the arrangements! "
