This is the continuation from where I left off last week- you can find the second part here: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/kuch-rang-pyar-ke-aise-bhi/4619996/os-raw-nerves-contd-part-2
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Sona quickened her pace. Today she wanted to be in early, but since Deepak insisted that she saw his mother as soon as possible, she could not deny him. After all, her professional ethics did not allow her to make a patient wait, while she did know that the requirement was not urgent at all. Deepak who was walking with her said, "Sona, why are you in a hurry suddenly. Take it easy. We reached office."
"No, Deepak. We took permission until 11 AM, but it is 15 minutes past that. Honoring time is something I value in my life. I don't like putting myself in a questionable position." She said as a matter of fact and kept walking swiftly.
As they entered, they bumped into Tina, who stopped mid-way and smiled at them.
"I hope all's well with your mother, Deepak," she said softly. Then swiftly added without giving time for them respond, "Mr. Dixit is waiting for you in his cabin, Deepak." She uttered that and excused herself and moved on. Sona looked at her retreating back and wondered how on earth did Mr. Rude find a confidante who tunes exactly like he wishes. Both baffle others unalarmed. She shrugged her shoulders and walked towards her office.
So he has come back. She felt the excitement rush through her body and she blushed a little. Sona, what crap. Stop behaving like a teenager. You look forward to meeting him, but he hardly cares. You are just one among the many employees for him. He has business with everyone, including this Deepak, whom he is waiting to meet. But where is the nutritionist fitting in his daily business chores. Chuck it. She flipped her handbag on the table sulking. She sat on the chair with a disappointment.
Not liking the way she was feeling, she shook her head and was about to reach her phone and it rang.
Intuition. With anticipation, she picked it up but did not answer, waiting to hear the voice on the other end. Is she perspiring in this AC room?
"Hey, Sona, boss is quite grim today. Had a session for not submitting the tender analysis report today," said Deepak's voice complainingly.
Sona did not bother to suppress her frown on her face hearing his voice. After all he can't see her. She indeed thought it to be the special voice that she was dying to hear for the past few days.
"It's fine, Deepak. It was our mistake to overlook our work. I did not know that you had some important pending work. If I did, I would have definitely postponed our visit to your mother to evening after office," she added trying to be empathetic. After some uninteresting exchanges she disconnected the call. So, Mr. Rude is in a foul mood. But whenever is he in a gala mood?
After reconciling to the idea that she was not going to be called or asked for anything by Mr. Dixit, she resigned herself to work. While she was looking at some of the employees' health reports that came in recently, her mind was still revolving around him. If Mr. Dixit was waiting for Deepak for quite some time, could that mean he came straight to office and didn't go home. Oh, God, this man, can he feel or do anything else other than work? Incorrigible, she thought.
Her phone beeped. She picked up the receiver and uttered a shallow "Hello" just so that she does not make herself a fool again. But she was wrong yet again.
"In my cabin, Ms. Bose." Call was clipped. Sona could not understand for a while. The voice that she wanted to hear from morning, she did hear that. The thrill that ran through her body, and her entire being sprung back to full life. But the feeling lived as short as his call. What was that? Is he ok? This is not how you talk to people, even if they are your employees. Mr. Dixit, will you ever learn your lessons? She sighed and got up. Although she felt a bit angered for his behavior, there was no denying that she was bursting with anxiety to see him. While going towards his cabin, she didn't miss to check her hair and face.
Well composed, she rapped mildly on his office door and walked in. She could feel her heart fluttering and stomach knotting.
His fixed eyes on the door, captured her figure the moment the door opened. All the tension that was building within him for the past few hours, suddenly seemed to evaporate. He saw her tall slender figure sway towards him gracefully. She had her eyes on him and her eyes were roaming on his face as if she was taking in his disheveled face. But there was a kind of fleeting light that he did not miss and then that was replaced with some kind of concern. He could now get the faint yet feminine perfume that he is so accustomed to these days. Oh, did I miss her ... He nipped the trail of his thought and looked up sharply at her.
She came near and expectantly stood near the table and confusedly uttered, "Mr. Dixit, welcome back." She mildly added, confused by the sudden feeling of withdrawal from his side, "I hope your trip was successful. "
"Would you mind explaining, Ms. Bose" he said point blank.
With the elation abated, "what... do I explain? I mean I don't know what you are talking about, Mr. Dixit." She said perplexed.
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"In case if you are not aware, we do have a policy that covers the dependants of the employees as they are our extended families. In my office, everyone has a well-scheduled and well-defined role to play. I expect everyone to perform their responsibilities without any compromise, whatsoever. I don't want my nutritionist freelancing the time that she is bound to dedicate to only Ishwari Comms.," he measured the words and dropped with deliberate and unsettling calmness.
She went blank momentarily, and then was flabbergasted. She just could not believe that he is actually accusing her of breaching contract.
Looking at her dumbfounded, he continued emphatically, "I understand how important it is to take care of one's family, especially mother. I also know the nature of your profession, where you are supposed to take the call at anytime for anyone. But that does not mean that an employee in my office can take the in-house Nutritionist to his home at office hours to attend to his personal work, while he could very well call the best Healthcare center that we have tie up with. The same way, I don't expect my Nutritionist to go their homes to attend to them... during office hours. That is not ethical."
That was the last straw.
"Really, Mr. Dixit? How ethical is that to oust someone off their employment just so that they could use the person's service for personal benefits? And could you please tell me how do we measure the love and concern, rather let me call it "devotion" that Deepak has for his mother against any of ours? Just asking. I am just wondering if they are worthy enough to breach norms," she said with curbed anger.
Dev gave her a cold look.
"Ms. Bose, I understand where you are coming from," he paused with slight discomfort and continued, "and I am not trying to belittle anyone's requirements, priorities, or emotions here. All am trying to say is you don't have to try to -be all and do all-. You must know that in big corporations there are ways of handling things. There are rules and guidelines, which is laid for everyone's benefit. We cannot breach them. I cannot see you... um ... any of my employee facing any trouble, by doing anything out of the way," he completed persuasively.
Realizing that she drove her point home, she too relented, "I can take care of myself and will not put myself in any kind trouble, Mr. Dixit. And for using my office time for which you are "paying" me, I apologize and going forward will ensure that I don't use the office time for my personal work." She said plainly.
"Yeah... take care... as good as letting yourself runover by a vehicle just while simply walking on the sides of the road," he agreed with a jibe. "Do you even know what you put people through then? You don't expect us to go through that all over again, do you?"
"I never asked anyone to go through anything. Accidents do happen. I am thankful for what you did for me but that doesn't mean that you will try to throw that at me at every chance you get," feeling bad that he is making her feel indebted and sounding dutiful about the whole fiasco. He time and again conforms that he did that because it was the thing to do, in fact for anyone in that situation. That sort of pinches her heart every time he sounds so.
She averted eye contacts to hide the slight moisture in her eyes. "if you are done with your class, shall I get back to work? Or is there anything pending?" she asked.
Dev didn't miss the hurt in her eyes. He coaxingly added, "Sona.. er, Ms. Bose, my intention was not to pinpoint the incident or to make you feel obligated. All I am saying is to take care and avoid two-wheeler ride. I know that Deepak travels using his two-wheeler," he added goofily.
Quickly to denounce his revelation, he added, "I mean I know that you use two-wheeler too.. but you know it is awkward to pillion ride, ... and you know how our roads are and there are bumps and potholes.. you need support to hold onto.. err.. no.. um, what am saying is that you might fall down from the two-wheeler and get hurt again.." Good God. Dev went red for his ludicrous reasoning.
Sona watched him as he fumbled and bobbled, slowly smile adorned her face and eyes. "What is your point, Mr. Dixit?" she asked in a prodding tone.
"Sona, let me put it straight." He took a deep breath and "I don't like you going by a two-wheeler and not to anyone's house unless you know them really well. Although you are my employee, in the past few months, I have grown to take responsibility of you. Um, I mean you know how your family trusts that you are safe with me.. er working with me. Hence, please ensure that you do inform me before doing anything like this in the future," he finished by watching her face.
"Yes, Boss," Sona said candidly with a huge smile on her face.
"Why are you smiling?"
"I am just wondering what stressed you out; my using your office time, pillion riding, the fact that I went without informing you, or something other than all these." She said with a mischievous smile.
"What other reasons could there be, Ms. Bose? Anyways, I don't want to keep you from your work." He finished hurriedly.
"Thank you, Mr. Dixit." Saying that she turned on her heels with a smile and walked back.
Nearing the door, she stopped and looked back at him and said, "By the way, I am not sure if this piece of information is any significant to anyone, but I went with Deepak in a cab. Have a good day, Mr. Dixit," she said buoyantly and stepped out of his cabin and closed the door behind her.
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