The Forbidden One

Chapter 13

As I walked into the kitchen to have my breakfast, I found Gauri at the dining table, dressed in the formal peach shirt and black trousers, her hair tied up in a ponytail.

"Good Morning, Omkara." She greeted as soon as she spotted me. I greeted back as I sat on the chair opposite to her.

"I was waiting for you," Gauri said passing the casserole. "so that we can have breakfast together and go to office."

"You are excited to join the office." I smiled stating the obvious.

"Very." She nodded in affirmation.

We had breakfast catching up on the latest gossips and news, it felt different in a good way to start a day on a good note, otherwise I used to have breakfast alone since my dad was always out on business trips.

"Okay, let's go." I said as I lead the way out towards my car with Gauri following me.

"What should I call you in the office?" Gauri asked suddenly.

"You can call me, Omkara, just like how you are calling me now."

"Won't it be awkward, if your new assistant calls you by your first name?" Gauri frowned.

"I couldn't care less about that Gauri." I smiled.

"Hmm... I will call you sir, around people." Gauri said after a few minutes.

"Whatever you feel comfortable with."

"Tell me about my job." Gauri asked and the rest of the way to my office, I explained Gauri about the office, work and people.

"You can always ask me if you have any doubts in your work, it might take time but I am sure you will excel in your field, once you get acquainted to it." I said as we entered into the lift.

"Thanks for your encouraging words, I was really in a need of them." Gauri smiled as the people began to fill in the elevator.

"Omkara, I don't think I am properly dressed for the office." Gauri whispered looking at well dressed woman in front of us.

"It's ok, Gauri. Every one has their own style based their comfort."

"I think I need to upgrade my wardrobe." Gauri mumbled feeling conscious about her looks.

"You look good the way you are." I assured Gauri, "but if you feel like you want to upgrade your wardrobe, we can go for shopping after office hours. Come let's go." I said as I walked out of the elevators.

"Omkara, I finished reading this report, everything seems good, you can go ahead and sign it." Gauri said as she walked inside my cabin after knocking the door.

"I see you are a hard-working employee." I appreciated genuinely.
It has been only eight hours since Gauri joined the office, yet she got acquainted to her work and workspace, and got most all the works done, which Ms. Jackson wasn't able to do in past two months.

"Thank you." Gauri smiled, "Anything else I can help you with."

"Nothing as for now, you can go home if you want, your work for the day had been done." I said looking at the watch. "I will ask Khanna to escort you to the mall."

"Did I hear that someone is on the way to their shopping trip?" Bhavya asked as she walked through the door.

"Hey Bhavya." Gauri and I greeted in unison.

"Yes, Gauri feels that she need a wardrobe upgrade." I quipped in.

"Great, let's make it a girl's night out then, we can go for shopping, have some food and catch some movies. What say Gauri?" Bhavya asked.

"I would love it." Gauri said smiling enthusiastically.

"Great, do you need anything Om?" Bhavya asked facing me.

"No, just be safe and enjoy your time, call me if you need anything." I said to Bhavya and Gauri.

"Get me a Pizza with olive toppings." Rudra ordered pulling the chair and sitting on it. "Neena had me exhausted me that I barely have energy to order food." He said and Bhavya's face clouded with sadness and hurt. "I really need to ask that girl, where she's getting all that energy from, seriously I am having a hard time keeping up with her." He continued.

"Rudra, shh... " I gestured wanting to make him stop.

"Do you know how many rounds we had today... "

"Omkara, it's getting late, we should get going." Gauri said nodding at me.

"Yes, have fun." I said walking them to door, "And keep this credit card with you." I said passing my credit card to Gauri, "It's Dad's and you have equal share in it, please keep it, it will make him happy." I said before she can say anything.

Gauri nodded and walked away with Bhavya.

"Have you gone mad, Rudra! What all things were you talking in front of ladies." I scolded Rudra for making Gauri and Bhavya uncomfortable.

"What did I do now?" Rudra asked in confusion. "Now it is a sin to talk about my work out training too!" He cried.

"You were talking about your workouts? Then who the hell was Neena?"

"Neena, my fitness coach, she is such a tyrant she made me go for 50 rounds around the park. Saying that her ten years son can do that, I wonder how her husband is bearing with her." Rudra muttered making me shake my head at his stupidness.

"Please, as a request from my side, ask Mrs. Neena to help you grow your brain along with that muscle." I said going back to work.

"So funny." Rudra said as he helped himself with a coke from the mini fridge in the corner, "So, are you attending the Carson's fundraiser?"

"Yes, I have to go there, Mr. Carson personally invited me, what about you?"

"I already have my suit stitched and I asked Shonali to go on a date with me, remember Shonali Mehra from our college the beauty queen?"

"Yeah.. Yeah.. The one, with whom you want to go for prom, but Vikram took away."

"I met her in the pub last week and she agreed to go with me, you have to see her Om, she is so hot now, she's sizzling with her b... "

"Enough." I said not wanting to know about the details. "I am going home." I said taking my coat and walking out.