02 | The One With The New Job

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-S H R E E    P R A S A D-

"Hello!" he greets ceremoniously as he extends a hand towards me. I smile nervously as we shake hands. "Madhav Ramakrishna. Your new boss!"

"Shree Prasad," I manage to say, trying not to look like a stammering seagull with a sore throat; and avoiding that murderous pair of black eyes. I feel my knees start to wobble. I want to run back home and shut myself inside my bedroom. God! Why does this have to be so awkward? "Your new secretary!"

I notice we are holding each other's hands, I pull mine away and clutch onto the report I just made. He straightens and looks at Mr. RK. "I'd like to speak with Ms. Prasad for a moment," He declares and turns back to me. "In private."

"I'll meet you later then!" RK replies and walks away with Leila.

I notice Madhav Sir still hasn't taken his eyes off me. I try not to meet his gaze so I look away. I can feel his gaze on me.

"Shall we?" he offers after a moment ushering me inside his office room. I walk in, clutching the report to my chest. He follows. I can hear the sound of his shoes on the marbled floor. He closes the door. I freeze on the spot. I gulp, and tighten my hold on the report as I wipe the sweat on my forehead and temples with my palm. He walks towards me. I can hear it. I can feel it.

"Why are you standing?" he asks as he keeps his hand on my arm, and I feel my spine crack into a million pieces. "Take a seat!" he says as he keeps a hand on the blue sofa as taking the AC remote to his hand.

"It's alright sir!" I say.

He switches on the AC. "Sit down, Ms. Prasad!" He sounds very annoyed. I sit immediately.

The cold air from the AC manages to bite its way through my skin. He turns to me and looks at me. "You look petrified as if you've seen a ghost," he addresses as he walks towards me. "Where was the audacious young woman who squared me left, right and center, this morning?"

"I-I-I didn't mean to do that sir." I say looking at my fingernails. I'm stammering. "I-I-I am so sorry. I shouldn't have- I didn't know-"

"It's alright Ms. Prasad!" he says as he sits down beside me, stretching his long legs and keeping them on the coffee table.

"Do you know something? Thanks to you, my latest Audi that you damaged, this morning got towed away for illegal parking infront of the Church. I had to go to the Magistrate to clear the charges held against me. I even had to wait until my turn in a room that didn't have a fucking table fan! I would have almost lost my driving license hadn't I offered the officers a handsome amount of money to let me walk away. Despite all this, instead of getting you sacked I decided to keep you because I admire you for your audacity. I'll retain you if you promise to never change this attitude."

I look at him surprised. "Really?"

"Yes, Ms. Prasad, but I'll have to fire you if you do something stupid and impulsive like hurling a stone at me or my belongings," he says as he looks at me. I sit up straight, straightening the folds of my shirt. "You truly are a gutsy woman! I admire women who foster such great amounts of fortitude and audacity."

A slow blush creeps through my cheeks, I can feel it. My lips crack into a smile. I don't think anyone has said this to me before.

Amma should have been here to hear this. She would have been stunned had she heard this. She always says there will come a day where I'll get into trouble for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.

"But I am not pleased with one particular thing you mentioned." he said, standing up with ease. "What do you rich people know about our sentiment and emotions when money is everything?"

I look at him. It's hard to read the emotion on his face. It's blank as a chalkboard. Cold and motionless.

"I wasn't pleased to hear that nor to know that you had the typical and judgmental thought that all rich people do not value sentiments and emotions." he declares. "Let me prove you wrong!"

He rolls his shirt's left sleeve above his elbow. Next to his expensive Rolex watch is a beaded thread tied around his wrist. "This is the last rakhi my sister Devakshi tied before she died. It's been more than twenty years! I have never removed it ever since!"

"And this!" he exclaims as he shows me the ring on his right hand. "It's my mother's ring. Imitation jewelry. Me and Deva got this for Ma's birthday. She received so many expensive gifts that year but she treasured this the most. She used to say that it was more valuable than the diamond necklace Mr. RK gave her. She was wearing this ever since."

His eyes glisten and he turns his face away. "I have been faced with the worst and most traumatic incidents anyone could have faced as a child. You don't have the courage to hear them all. It's too haunting and disturbing."

His voice has become soft like a harp and a flute's tune combined.

I grow curious.

What has happened to him in his childhood? Why isn't he willing to share it with anyone else? Even with his parents? What unexplainable torture has he undergone? What kind of a traumatic childhood incident can haunt a person until his adulthood?

God! This is worse than the suspense and cliffhangers in some TV soaps!

"Ms. Prasad!" he addresses. The softness in his voice has dissolved. "I believe you got that report done."

I nod and give him the report. He takes a pen from his pocket and reads the report. His forehead creases as he turns the pages, shaking his head disapprovingly.

"This is not up to standard Ms. Prasad! This doesn't appear to be a report prepared by anow employee with a management degree! Even an intern with a basic business diploma can make a better report than this! I feel like getting a fucking headache every time I look at this!" He says curtly, purely displeased.

"But Sir! Mr. RK said this report was-"

"Do you work for me or for that man?" Madhav sir yells at the top of his voice. His rough voice reverberates throughout the room. I take a step behind. I shouldn't have intervened.

Amma was right. There will soon come a day where I'll get into trouble for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Madhav Sir is fuming with anger. The same anger I saw this morning when I threw a stone at his car. Perhaps a tad bit more! I feel like I saw a combination of an angry Shivaay Singh Oberoi and Christian Grey in one form.

Madhav Sir shakes his head and wipes his face with his hands and looks at me, as he calms himself down.

"I want these changes done soon, Ms. Prasad!" his voice returns to a soft decrescendo. "I want the figures in bold and all the headings underlined. Omit all the costs and related expenditure of two outlets: Demure and Blue Flame. And include last year's Balance Sheet as well for both those outlets! And leave some space in the last page for additional notes! I need all the amendments done and the new report in my table within ten minutes! And increase the font size for God's sake! What are you trying to achieve by reducing the freaking font size?"

I blink. How can Madhav Sir find so many error in the same report while Mr. RK couldn't find even one! Either Madhav Sir is a pure perfectionist or Mr. RK didn't go through the report properly! But I saw him read that report more than once! Madhav sir snaps his fingers at me.

"A new report won't appear by itself, Ms. Prasad!" he says sharply as he sits on the leather bound chair. "Someone has to devote some time and effort and make it! Go prepare it without wasting precious time!"

"Yes sir!" I nod, taking the report I walk out.

"And order a cup of coffee for me! Double Espresso with medium sugar. Tell them to bring it to my office room within five minutes!"

To be continued

Glossary
Amma- Mother
Rakhi- A thread tied onto a boy's wrist by his sister

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Let when know

-What you liked the most?

-What might be the traumatic incidents that would have happened to Madhav when he was a child?

-Which character appeals to you the most? Madhav or Shree?

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