The Lion and the Rose

Chapter 4: Siva

Taking a deep breath, I enter the office building. No more talks about family or marriage. Even my father is not my Dad in office but my superior. Samarth walks in front of us, checking the security and we all enter the private lift which directly takes us to the corporate office at the seventh floor.

The staff greet us and I reply to them with a nod. People in the office thinks, I'm rude and arrogant, but I'm just dedicated and determined. According to me work life and personal life are two different things. Those two things will never mingle in this office.

Even though Dad and Dharma mama are the Founders and Chairman, Rakesh and I had to work hard from the basic level to reach our current position. Those who learn that we four are related and Rakesh and I are sons of the Chairman, they think it's nepotism but only those who are working here from the beginning will know it's our hard work of seven years.

The lift reaches the seventh floor and I find everyone hurrying towards the meeting hall. There are meetings with corporate employees now and manufacturing unit employees later, as I'm back to the Headquarters after two years of setting up a manufacturing unit in Coimbatore.

Dad and Dharma mama and friends for 45 years. They became a family when Dad married Dharma mama's sister, my Mom and they became partners when they started the V&D Motors which is now developed into one of the leading low cost two wheeler manufacturing industry V&D automobiles.

We have manufacturing units in Chennai, Coimbatore, Hyderabad and Pune. Now we are entering into a new phase in our production line and that's why I'm back at the HQ. As I returned home late from Coimbatore, I couldn't meet my other family yesterday but I can meet them now, at least as the Co-Chairman and VP - HR.

Reaching the Chairman's cabin, I'm about to knock on the door but Dad opens the door and enters the cabin. Both Dad and Dharma mama share the same cabin. I roll my eyes and enter behind him.

Dharma mama is sitting behind a huge office table on the right side and Dad goes to sit beside him on the right side of the table. Noticing me, Dharma mama asks me to come near him for a bear hug.

"How are you, Siva? Did you get settled?" he asks me.

"Yes, sir"

"Sir ah, padava, ethavaati soldrathu appadi kopudatha nu" Dharma mama gets instigated as I called him Sir.

"Ivan thiruntha maatan, ivaana maatha yaaruna vanthathu undu," Dad replies to him, that I won't change and only someone must come into my life, to change me. "Dei, within the four walls of the cabin, you can use relationship names to address us."

"Seri pa, but verum work ah paathi maatum pesalama?" I agree with their wishes but request Dad to only talk about work and nothing else, from the morning everyone is standing in a queue to push me into marriage.

"Enna mama yosichitu irukeenga?" I ask Dharma mama what he is thinking as he is in his own thoughts for a long time.

"Just thinking how are you going to handle.." before he finishes, Rakesh knocks on the door and announces that everyone is assembled and we can join them.

Rakesh, interns ellam vanthutanga?

Haan pa, ellarum vanthutanga

Seri, Siva va stage ku koptu pesurathuku munnadi public ah interns aha ellarukum introduce panidu

En pa?

Soldren la seiyu, avalothaan.

Dharma mama, enquiries regarding the joining of new interns to Rakesh and asks him to introduce them to all employees. When Rakesh questions him, as we have never done this before, he just asks him to do what he is asked to do.

Rakesh and I share a confused glance, I nod at him to follow the Chairman's order and we all leave their cabin to join the meeting.

Siva, nee inga ye wait pannu, kopudum poothu ulla va

When we are about to enter the meeting hall, Dharma Mama stops me and asks me to stay outside the hall until I'm invited to join. I'm totally confused, I have always been like this calling Dad and Mama as Sir when we are in office. But they are behaving differently, there is some change in the office environment which I couldn't figure it out.

Inga ena nadakuthu, Partner.

Theriyalaye Partner, naan un kooda thaane suthitu iruken enaku eppadi theriyum?

I ask Samarth about the sudden changes in the office, but he replies, he doesn't know as he was with me in the Coimbatore unit. And then he suddenly says an information, which shocks me.

Ana onnu partner, ippo yaarum sir, madam nu ellam kopudurathu illa appa, amma, anna, akka, thangachi, thambi, machan nu koptukitu irukanga.

Yethu?

Samarth said that the employees in the office are no more calling each other with their titles but with family relationships.

Who the hell has changed this dedicated workplace into a circus. Two year just two years, I was not here and everything has changed completely.

I pace the corridor with anger but something stops me. I glance at the partially opened door of the meeting hall and get a glimpse of the interns standing on the stage. And I stand frozen at my place, the girl whose face flashed in my memory when I was under shower in the morning is standing among one of the interns.

Who is she? Where have I seen her before?

A sudden shake brings me out of my stance, "Partner, they are calling you in," Samarth informs me. I collect myself and walk in the hall. I find her talking with Cheif Automotive Administration Manager, Puvi and he hands over the bouquet to tie his shoelace. She turns and finds me walking up to the stage and her eyes wide, like a child seeing its favourite chocolate but all I notice is her mesmerizing eyes.

I'm drowning in the black orbs of her pupil which is dilated seeing me and I have never seen such sparkling eyes. One moment she was there standing next to Puvi and the next moment she was near me forwarding the bouquet. I get the bouquet still struggling to take my eyes away from hers. The moment our fingers touch, pink rises to her cheeks and I feel like hit by a bolt of lightning.

She turns and runs to stand next to Puvi and I come out of the beautiful disaster. I can hear the gasps and notice the shock on everyone's face. Puvi and Rakesh become my saving grace as Puvi says, "Sorry, sir, new trainee, yet to be keyed in properly."

And everyone laughs, Rakesh takes the chance, "Welcome back, CEO Siva, the stage is your."

I start my speech thanking everyone who has taken care of the office, when I'm not here as the CEO. I share about my time in Coimbatore Unit and the reason why I'm back at HQ. "Well, our V&D Automobiles is going to a new segment of two wheelers, and yes, the rumours are right, we are going to venture into electric vehicles. The launch will be in the next six months, so I have decided on the team and everyone will soon receive your roles in this journey. Thank you."

I finished my speech and throughout my entire speech, I struggled hard not to look at her but I was able to feel her eyes on me. No other girl had this effect in the 29 years of my life and the toughest part of my speech is to control my blush. Rakesh asks everyone to disperse through the main entrance and we remain in the meeting hall for the next meeting with the manufacturing unit.

While talking with Dad and Dharma Mama, I take a glance at her. She is being dragged by Puvi and another guy. She turns to look at me before exiting the meeting hall and our eyes lock for a second. That moment I felt as if her eyes were canon that just shot me with a rose bomb.