Kalpita kept standing alone for a long time... in the balcony.

Men in her life have hardly ever answered her back. There were two reasons. First, after she spoke, there remained absolutely nothing to be spoken against. Second, most men were so in awe of her..that in her presence, they lost half of their speech.

Did Shivaji fall in either of the category?
Kalpita wished to believe, he did.
But her brain refused.

He rather, lost speech even before Govind or Surbhi.
And, he was either in awe of, or disgusted with half of the things in the new life he was getting used to.

Then... how come he spoke so coherent, and so in sense tonight?
Though.. slow, though.. still with fumbles, but the words were so on point!!

And that could only mean, he was truly very sensible, not a tinge bit dumb, just that, he was timid and shy.

Kalpita halted her thought process for a second.

While she would have been extremely unhappy with anyone who answered her back on face, in this case, surprising her completely, a smile crossed her lips.

She passed fingers through her unusually long hair.

Was her outlook towards the world....changing?

Why was she doing things these days, she had never done in life? 

_____

Shivaji couldn't sleep throughout the long, cold night.

He turned side to side, however, the tears didn't stop flowing. They drenched the entire pillow. 

He had promised his mother, he would one day build a castle for her.

Today, he slept in an empty room in someone else's castle, and his mother was nowehere on this earth.

Shivaji began sweating terribly.

The bus.....the river.....millions of dying voices, torches, search parties, stretchers....blood....Maa....
Didaa....

Shivaji shot up on the bed and began shivering. He ran to the washroom as fast as he could, and stood under the shower, completely drenching himself.

It took almost half an hour, to somewhat calm his body and mind.

He came out, but he still had chokes down his throat.

He ran towards the window.
He knew he couldn't control the ACs nor switch them off, still he threw open the window panes to invite some fresh air..

When one felt helpless, every cause of sheer helplessness crowded inside the brains to make them weak, weaker and.... the weakest.

That exactly... was happening to Shivaji right now.

The office was good, only until he was confined to Devendra's chamber.
Lest, at his desk, at the cafe, in the corridors, in the cubicled working area, he always felt... people stared at him weirdly. Or rather, they laughed at his inabilities, behind his back.

Inabilities - including..inability to always maintain an employee code of conduct despite being appointed to a leading industry.
Inability to communicate, most importantly in English.
Inability to look into the eyes most of the time, inability to reply back spontaneously..

He knew, Bhairo Singh had gone around demeaning him, probably because he thought Shivaji would not entertain him.

The truth was, Shivaji wasn't cool enough to satisfy a gossipmonger's needs..or avoid him tactfully without hurting. He rather avoided him on face, and that had done all the job.

Also, Shivaji had realised one thing. The previous PA had done something terrible, and hence he was appointed probably because Mr Chatterjee thought village people weren't cunning. Thus, his abilities wouldn't matter here, nor would his sincerity receive some extra reward. He would rather always be either demeaned or sympathised, simply because, his kinds would never have been chosen as a PA to a leading business as this..
Mr Chatterjee was only compelled to do that.

The only breath of fresh air amongst everything was... Kalpita ji.

Shivaji had noticed, since day one, she had only been his unpronounced saviour, even without any personal gains on her part. He didn't know why, but that was it.

And right now, he felt severely guilty for having rudely answered her back last night..

The sky turned red. Shivaji had no energy to run for a suryanamaskar.
However, his heart was much at peace now.

He needed to apologize to Kalpita ji. Even if she slammed him hard.
He couldn't be this thankless. She was intelligent enough to understand that his mind was jammed last night. Melancholy layden.

_____

Kalpita Chatterjee walked through the corridor of her Dad's huge office.

She was here, last, almost a month back. Following which, she had no interest to visit.

Today, she was back, not with a particular business though. Or was she? 

Shivaji's tear filled eyes had got themselves stamped onto her brains.
If her usually perfect gut instincts didn't go unusually wrong this time, things weren't very right with him in the office.

And, he didn't deserve that. This much, Kalpita knew by now.

She didn't want to confront Devendra, the reason being, their ideals, many a times, did not match. He might look into the matter, but would ask thousands of questions to her before that.

Kalpita walked into the cubicled area where the employees sat. Most of the heads turned and many greeted her.
She enjoyed this treatment, not only because she was the CEO's daughter, but also because she was a doctor, and strickeningly beautiful.

Her Dad's chamber was at a distance, and if it wasn't shifted, the PA's desk was outside the room. She walked past the cubicles, aiming at Devendra's cabin. Her eyes, meanwhile, searched for Bhairo Singh.

" I discovered something lately.. The fisherman PA answers calls in Bengali. " , someone spoke.
Someone else reciprocated with a laughter.

Kalpita stopped. And turned in the direction.
She knew both the men.
Managers. Mr Tripathi, and Mr Sen.

She walked towards them.

As soon as they noticed her, Mr Sen, who spoke, got up with an immense grin.
" Dr. Kalpita, what a surprise!! "

" Oh yeah. Me too am extremely surprised.

I always thought you were a literate, cultured human. I just now discovered, you're not only severely uncultured and ill mannered, but also illiterate. Who gave you the job in the first place? You should be fired immediately. "

Mr Sen was completely jumbled up. He stared as if he was hearing French.
" I don't...understand!
What did I do even? "

" What was your father? " , Kalpita crossed arms.

Mr Sen took a long time.
" Sorry? " , he asked.

" By profession. "

" A teacher. " , he took a long time to reply back, evidently confused.

" My utter respect for him. However he failed to teach you the basics of leading a proper respectful life. I'll come to that. Mr Tripathi, your father? "

The entire office... had their eyes now fixed onto them.
Bhairo Singh stood at a distance with brows squeezed.

" He....runs a confectionery.
It's our forefather's. " , Mr Tripathi too was utterly bowled over.

" Great.
So shall I address you as a 'halwaai' manager? "

The men now exchanged glances, realising what had gone wrong.

" Tell me, is that demeaning? "

" Miss, we were just having fun, there's absolutely nothing personal here. Also we didn't know that you would suddenly.... " , Mr Sen intervened.

" You know nothing, Mr Sen.

I was coming to that.
You know no basic manner.

You have no idea as to how much you're allowed to judge a person, even if for fun. " , Kalpita's voice was raising bars.
" Also, who gave you the right to make fun of someone you know nothing of?

Like really?

According to you, a teacher's son should be a teacher, and even if he's a doctor, he should be addressed as a teacher doctor.

A sweeper's son if turns a scientist, he can still be addressed as a sweeper scientist.

Also, going by your logic, a person's capabilities are judged, and made fun of, as to which language he communicates in.

Stop your bloody obsession with English, Mr Brit!

You'll get home, throw off your suit and.. lie on the bed in your desi lungi, at the end of the day watching Bengali serials.

So, stop demeaning your mother tongue. You aren't looking any smart doing that. "

Mr Sen had gone completely red.

The entire area had started buzzing amongst themselves.

" Yes, he's a fisherman's son.

But I can write and get it sealed right now.

He won't cheat on Skipper Furnishings as did Ms Sunetra Choudhury.
Never in life!!! 

Mr Sen, I know very well how your heart paced for Sunetra madam.

What if you too knew everything and hogged commissions for keeping mum? "

" Kalpita!!!! You are crossing your limits!!! " , Mr Sen screamed.

" Limits??? Are you now going to show me my limits??

Oh my god!!

Ae Mister!! Stay in your limits, that's the only warning I have for you.

Bloody.....  "

Kalpita knew, a moment more would get her talking, what she would never want to, standing amidst her Dad's office.

She turned, and walked out, her heels reverberating, and her head held high.

Shivaji, reached the spot hearing the commotion.

All he could gather was....

" Isn't that Kalpita ji?
Why was she here? And why did she leave without meeting sir?
Also, what was the commotion about? "

However, he was greeted by, a hundred pair of weird eyes boring through him.

____

" Even if he was facing issues, he wasn't dying right??
Do you even realise you made things worse for him?? "

Devendra shouted.

Kalpita stood before his desk at home, breathing fast. Her insides boiled.

Suchandra sat expressionless, crossing her legs.

The door to the room was bolted from insides.

" So, we should be waiting till he die. Is it? "

" Suchandra, I give up. Your daughter is a bundle of grey matter I have no idea about. "

" Calm down. Listen to each other. " , Suchandra softly spoke.

" No, tell me Dad!! If a person is constantly demeaned at workplace, the same person who has got several personality issues added to a terrifying past, how long can he survive?? I am a doctor and I bloody know things!!! "

" Aren't you overreacting like hell? This is funny!!! " , Devendra shrugged.

" I'm not!!!! "

" Yes you are. " , Suchandra spoke.
Also dumbfounding Kalpita.

" Mom, you know.... "

" I know, but you are taking things to a different level altogether.
You cannot be his saviour at every step. " , she neither raised his voice, nor sounded stressed.

" I can!!! Why can't I??? 

If you think, Dad, Mr Sen is one of your best employees and if he resigns, it'll be your loss, I too can challenge you... that Shivaji will not be worth losing!! 

He's innocent, but he's not dumb, in fact if he uses his brains he'll prove to be the best and the most trustworthy employee of Skipper!! Believe me!!! "

Kalpita suddenly felt extremely helpless.
But why? And....for whom??

" You're behaving as if you discovered Shivaji and brought him to me.
You might be very intelligent Kalpi, but do you think I'm a fool sitting here?
Or do you think shouting and proving your points to anyone is the last option left on earth?
I don't understand what's making you behave this mindless!! " , Devendra spoke distinctly.

" I give up. " , Kalpita breathed deep, threw a glance at Suchandra, and thumped out of the room.

As soon as she exited, she found Shivaji standing at a distance.

His eyes looked so dead, that she shivered.

Kalpita escaped him, to the balcony.

Shivaji kept staring at her.

Just, kept staring at the path she took.