Not Likely

Love is Complicated

SORRY for the LONGEST BREAK. 

LIFE HAS BEEN HECTIC. More on that in the PS> 

"-And let's not forget- our competitors are sniffing around our market share. Things are already heating up in Brazil, we don't want that to affect the North American market. That should rile up the sales team for sure. And if they're riled up, it's as good as a checkmate to Dave and his ego. What say?"

Miguel nodded, adding notes on his laptop. "Of course, they're going to hit us back with the holiday season dip but we can always say-"

"FMCG shouldn't suffer such a dip- what with Christmas and New Year", I nodded, feverishly typing as well.

"Yup. Man, I am famished", Miguel said, stretching fashionably on his reclined seat. "Want to call for dinner?"

"Huh? What? Oh, sure. I'm just working on this. You go ahead. I'll finish up and join you guys", I said distractedly, my eyes not leaving my PPT.

He cleared his throat awkwardly, making me look up at him. Miguel had a mildly discomfited expression on his handsome face. "Er...I know it's none of my business...but are you and the boss man okay?"

"What? Yeah we are. Why?"

"Well- just feels like you're both in a stand-off. You more than him", his voice dropped to a conspirational whisper as we heard Dhruv's dulcet tones come back to the main wing.

"Nah, no problem at all. Thing is, he's got CEO responsibilities right now so he wasn't able to join in on the brainstorming. But everything's fine. He's fine. I'm also fine. Now how about that dinner, huh?" I asked brightly.

Miguel wasn't one to pry, so he instantly nodded and got up. "I'll order you something as well?"

"Yeah, sure. Anything works", I said, going back to my laptop.

Dhruv's dad's swanky private jet was big enough to have three bedrooms, a plush meeting space and other amenities that were probably cool. I, however, had been stuck in the seat since we boarded,and had been working on various parts of the problem with Sara and Miguel. Dhruv had initially joined us before he got work to do once again, so he had left to handle all that in calls. We could hear him yelling at someone on and off, but he mostly left us alone.

That might be due to the pleasant conversation we had on the car ride here.

"Why does your company want to discipline me?" I demanded angrily.

He exhaled through his nose, before closing his eyes like he was centring himself. "For the last time...I...don't....know...about....this. I know HR policy has something around behaviour, but I have no clue on how this got out and how it reached their ears. I'm also trying to figure it out."

"Are they going to fire me?" I asked. "I'd like to see them try- also, how will it look when I tell them that the very reason I got into that hubbub was because of the traditional nonsense that their very company spews every day like a poisonous toad and-"

"They're not going to fire you. I'm going to talk to them and get this sorted."

"Why are they always after me man?" I asked, fighting the overpowering urge to stop the car, go back to the celebration and punch the smug board members to show them the sequel to my previous 'discipline issues'. "It's one thing after the other with them."

"It's got to do with me" Dhruv said in a frustrated tone, as he started typing away on his phone. "They're going to put everyone associated with me under scrutiny to make sure no surprises come up."