Blood dripping down my thighs

Chapter 3

Poornima

What the hell did just happen! I haven’t even started working here and I have already created a mess! How did I forget to put the cap? So proud of myself. I was so embarrassed I couldn’t even bring myself to say sorry. And he called me a cunt in German! What an ass! I know it was my mistake. But calling a woman that word is so disrespectful. I feel both embarrassed and angry at the same time. But I need to meet my boss in person today. I can’t be late. The meeting is at 9. I have only 15 minutes to find his office. I gulp down the last few sips of vodka left in the bottle and quickly spray lots of mouth freshner. I smell my kurti,  and smell just the sweet fragrance of the perfume. Luckily the vodka didn’t spill on me. Good. I am all set to meet my boss.


“This is Emma. She is going to be your assistant. She’ll show you around the office.” Leonhard, my boss, says.
“Thankyou, Leonhard.”
“Just Leon.” He says with a smile. I nod as an answer. Leon is the CFO of the company. He has been working here for 15 years now. He has a tall lean body. His green eyes complement his genuine smile among the many wrinkles he has on his face.
Emma and I exchange smiles. Leon goes back into the board room.
“May I show you your office mam? Or do you want to see the rest of the workplace first.” Emma says pointing towards the first left.
“Lets see the office first. And yes, call me Poornima.” I tell her. My eyes move to the dustbin outside the board room. I had thrown my water bottle into it before my meeting. My wit never fails me.
We walk to my office. ‘POORNIMA GORDHANI – HMA, INDIAN UNIT’ A proud smile appears on my face after reading those words on the glass door. I open the door and enter my office. Emma stays outside. It is a spacious room with a small couch towards the left and a table and chair at the centre. There is a window on the wall with the door. The blinds are drawn so the room is dark. I take a long deep breath, run my hand along the wooden table and do a slow spin and leave the office closing the door behind me.
“Do you like it?” Emma asks with a big smile.
“I love it.” I nod.
Emma leads me to the office right next to mine.
“This is my former boss’s office. You will have to work closely with him.” She says and presses her lips.
I hold the handle of the door and read the words ‘HMA SHRIVANSH MEHTA’ at the top. I should go in and meet him. Afterall we have to work together. I push the door open.
“I don’t think you should go in there. He doesn’t like people coming to him without appointment” she says with an uncertain voice.
But the door was already open and there was noone inside. She lets out a sigh of relief as if he would have killed us. The setting of the  office is similar to mine. There is a neat stack of files on one corner of the table. A family picture is hanging a few inches above the couch. My eyes widen when I spot the same man in the picture whom I spilled wine over. I am so fucked. No doubt Emma didn’t want me to enter this room. I leave the office and walk back to my office. Emma follows me.
“You don’t want to see the rest of the workplace?” Emma asks.
“No thanks. Is there anything I need to get done today?” I ask her placing my bag on the table.
“No. Actually Leon said today is off for all the new employees that have joined the Indian Unit. You were only called to meet him and get familiar with the office and other people on the team. But you do have a meeting this Friday about the funding of the Indian Unit. I planned on telling you about it after showing you around. But if you feel that productivity kick, you can start preparing.” she shrugs her shoulders and tilts her head. “And yes, Leon is also throwing a welcome party for you all this Sunday. You must have received the invite in your mail.” She says, pulling back my chair, gesturing me to sit.
I take a step ahead, take a turn and sit in the chair. It is a bit bigger than my size but the fabric is soft. I rest my head on the backrest as I can’t really reach the headrest. “Thank you very much for the information Emma. I think your work is done here. You can go home now. It was nice to meet you.” I close my eyes. I can feel the migrane hitting the left side of my mind. The stress is too much for one day.
“Don’t you wanna meet the rest of the team.”
I simply shake my head. I hear her switch on the AC and set the temperature. She shuts the door and leaves. I like people who don’t argue. I like her. I stay in the same position for the next half an hour. My mind can only think about how badly I have messed up my first meeting with the colleague who I can’t even avoid dealing with. What do I do now? Why do such things have to always happen to me. I thought Germany was going to be the start of my golden era. How do I make up to him now.
I pick up my phone and type ‘How to make up to your colleague’ on the search engine and click on the first link that appears on the screen.

1. Talk to them and explain yourself to them
What do I explain? Why did I bring vodka in a water bottle on the first day of my job? And why did I spill it all over him? And why the hell did I stand there and wait for him to curse at me instead of apologising? Doesn’t make sense. Next option.

2. Do them some favour or take on some of their work.
Well, looks like I am the one desperately in need of a favour right now. Who the hell has written this article!

3. Give them a sorry gift like flowers, card, etc.
Are we trying to ask someone out on a date here? What the-. Wait. That actually makes sense. I can give him a bouquet and say sorry. That looks professional and valid. Final. But which flowers do I gift him? Emma must know. Shit. I should have taken her number. I don’t even know anybody around here.

I click on the back arrow and backspace my last search to start typing again. ‘What flowers do people mostly gift each other in Germany?’
Once again I click on the first link that appears.

1. Roses
I don’t think roses would be a good idea. Next.

2. Tulips
That sounds fine. I don’t have much time to think. That’s what I am getting him.

I leave my office and search for florists around me. The nearest one is 200 metres away from the office. I decide to walk. I reach there and buy a tulip bouquet. I hope this works. I can’t afford to screw up at this job.