The Lion and the Rose

Chapter 3: Ashwika

The V&D automobiles company was started by friends turned relatives Venkat and Dharma. The Chennai based company is one of the leading manufacturers in producing low cost two wheelers with exciting features. Employment wise, the company provides job opportunities for freshers and helps them learn under various fields. And that's why Sanjay and I are here even though we are from economics and commerce backgrounds respectively. Sanjay will be doing his internship under the accounts team and me under the secretarial team.

I turn and look toward Sanjay and notice that he is uncharacteristically silent. "Dei, Sanjay, what are you being quiet?"

"Nothing, just feeling sleepy," He replies.

Pina night elam Insta Live panna. (Whatelse will happen, if your keep doing Insta live in night time)

"Enathu? Etho mumumutha maathiri keetuchu," he asks me, What I just murmur.

"I just said we have reached the office," I manage.

We enter the building, we find everyone is bustling around us and we reach the reception and sign the guest register showing our internship notice. The receptionist provides us a guest RFID to get our entry into the main office floor. We enter the lift with others and press the button for the seventh floor to the main office.

"En da, Sanjay, office ye ore paraparapa iruku? Namma office ippadi ellam irukathe." I ask Sanjay why the office is so busy today as in the one month we did our summer internship, it was fun filled and smart working at the same time.

"Naanum ungala maathiri thaane, thalaivi, enaku eppadi theriyum," He replies that how would he know as he is entering the office today after a long time.

Then I hear two female employees whispering to each other behind me.

"Why are you looking so dreamy?" the first one asks.

"He is returning from Coimbatore, today and will be continuing here. The hot and handsome hunk is back" the second one replies.

"I guess you are talking with the one or two times you have seen him. But the reality is that he is going to order us around and we are going to run like his slaves."

I wonder about whom these two employees are speaking. The lift reaches the seventh floor and everyone hurry out pushing us. Sanjay and I look at each other wondering why this office has turned upside down.

We entered the office and even before I could search for him, I heard his voice, "Thangachi..." I turn to find Puvi Anna running in slow motion addressing me as sister.

I spread my hands and called out to my brother from another mother, "Annee." He holds my hand and I lean my head against his shoulder as he caresses my head.

Eppadi na irukeenga

Nalla iruken ma, nee eppadi iruka? Thambi nee eppadi da iruka?

Nalla iruken ne

Nalla iruken bro

Seri seeikram poi Rakesh ah paathu va. Inaiku Venkat sir ooda paiyan thirumba varuru ellarum meeting ku poganum.

Seri ne.

All three of us exchange our pleasantries and he ask us to meet Rakesh Anna, the Vice President of HR department soon, as Venkat sir, the Co-Chairman's son is returning, today.

Sanjay and I reach Rakesh Anna's cabin and knock on the door. He looks up at us and stands to receive us.

Vaa di thangam, va va. Epadi na iruka? Epadi Sanjay iruka?