Falling In Love

Chapter 2

As soon as I enter I come to a sudden halt because there is another person in the room sitting on the opposite side of the desk. He looks at me dispassionately and here I am stock still as if I have lost my cognitive abilities. He has the most commanding presence and attractive in an old fashioned way with a bulky physique and the way he continues to gaze me without a flicker of emotion in his eyes, seems to relate as if he has seen life very closely and nothing can faze him.  

I am so engrossed with this man infront of me that it takes me few seconds late to register the words coming from Dhanraj Sir's mouth, "So, I think it's up your alley", "Um...I think so" I stutter my answer, no idea what I have agreed about. My boss then faces the man and shakes his hand, "It will be a pleasure if we can do business with your firm, Sumi is a very efficient employee of ours" he states this with a meaningful glance towards me and I can't stop my eyes bugging out listening him praise me for the first time of working in his firm since the past one year. The man gives me a glance and walks out of the room with words "I will be waiting in the parking lot". 

I was still confused exactly what happened and failed to decipher the stranger's parting comment so I looked at my boss with questioning eyes. "Ah! Don't worry, I have cleared your schedule for the few days", he states to me as if that's enough for my understanding. When I still do not move he continues, " Mr. Raj Kapoor is the man you just met now who is here from America to look out real estate site options for one of his clients there and you shall escort him today for the site visits". I look at him incredulously, "Don't you think it was customary to introduce us formally and maybe help me with few details of the client and its requirements so I am better prepared". He gives me an irritated look, "You will get the file from Tia and ensure that the deal is sealed. We are a small property brokerage firm and this deal is worth more than the sum of all deals we have done till date". He dismisses me with a wave of his hand and I leave the room in utter befuddlment.

Since the past year working in this firm I have been assigned jobs not relevant to my job profile at all. I am more like a peon or the office mail handler or an assistant to all the executives who needed extra support for their work. I reach my work station and find the file placed on my desk. I take the file with my bag and start moving towards the parking lot. My mind is still confused as why me, a novice has been given to handle such a big client. Or rather its given that Dhanraj Sir knew it's too ambitious to think his firm can make this deal, and who else to bear the responsibility of the same but his so called recently efficient and very dispensable employee. 

I find him leaning against a luxurious car in a casual manner and speaking to someone over the phone. I smile politely when he sees me but in response he gestures me to get inside the car while still continuing his conversation. I wipe the smile off my face and get inside the car while he takes the seat beside me a moment later. While we are on our way he is still engrossed with his phone and I take the opportunity to open the file and study about this new client of ours.

 I gather that Mr. Kapoor works for a Real Estate company similar to our firm in America and is here to find a suitable plot for a plush hotel for a high profile multi billion company, RK Holdings. It also has interests in the aviation, industrial sectors. It seems there are quite a few properties that has been selected for visits and no guesses there that I have to spend few days in the company of this attractive, but oh so stoic, Mr.Kapoor. What is nagging me is why our firm has been chosen considering our clients are mainly mid income group or small businesses. I am so engrossed with my musing that when I look up I find his body turned towards me and his gaze assessing me like a laboratory specimen. On a normal day I would have found this flattering but the way he is staring me, is, as if he is musing how come someone like him got accompanied by someone like me which further aggravates me and makes this shitty day shittier. I arch one of my eyebrows leaving any pretence of politeness, when he suddenly surprises me with his smile as if he is amused. I am instantly taken aback because with the smile, he has changed from stoic to boyish making him look affable. As if on cue the car stops and he gets out from the car with me following him from the other side.