Unfazed

57. Exceptions (Deven)

(IMAGE: DEV throughout this chapter. I swear if I was in his place, I'd be reacting the same way too.)

As Dee left from my cabin, Tanay sat down in his chair again and wiggled his eyebrows at me. Only the fact that we were still in office and the one wall of my room was glass prevented me from landing the punch he deserved.

"So that's the devil that's gotten you wrapped around her little finger", he stated. I give him no response. "Oh.. You're angry", he continues, dragging out the last work in mockery of my misery.

Taking a deep breath, I ask him, "You want to explain what all that was?"

"What are you talking about?" Tanay asks, with an innocent expression that any third party would be fooled by.

"I do look forward to meeting you soon, Dee!" I say to him in a high pitched voice, repeating his exact words to her.

He looks at me in disbelief when he says, "Okay – couple of things: One. I do not sound like that. That sounds like a mouse that is being strangled and being forced to speak. Two. Should I have added the rest of what I wanted to say to her, in that sentence?"

"What?" I ask, growing impatient.

"That when I do, it'll be as my Bhabhi", he says and bursts out laughing. Again.

Oh... the nerve of this boy!! 

"That's it", I said, getting out of my chair, "I am NOT discussing this with you in office. You and I are grabbing an early lunch today. Pick a place." He has a mischievous glint in his eyes when I step out of the cabin to tell my receptionist that I will be gone for a few hours, making sure to check if there were any major meetings afterwards. When I come back, however, he isn't in my cabin.

I step back outside to see him walking towards me from the opposite direction; as if he had just won the lottery. "How many times have you hung out with Dee yet?" he asks.

"Don't call her that", I snarl.

"Oh – I see. From your response, I'd say – never," he concludes and has the audacity to sound rejoiced. With a heartbeat for a pause, he looks around to whisper to me, "It's so great that I invited her to lunch with us, right? You're soooo welcome!"

OH GOODNESS THIS BOY!!

I storm back into my cabin and he knows to follow me. "WHAT. HAVE. YOU. DONE?!?!" I scream at him as quietly as I can in the office situation.

"Dev – I literally just told you I invited Dee to lunch with us. You want me to explain in sign language to you?" he asks.

For a usually non-violent man, my hands itch to physically knock some sense into this idiot but I have to refrain myself for the sake of my employees. "I KNOW. But WHY?" I ask, annoyance dripping through every cell of my body.

"Trust me. It isn't as bad as it looks", Tanay says, "You guys are working together – plus, we're all family friends. I mean – you and she are future family and we are all friends."

"I swear. The day you stop being childish, the sun will rise in the West" I remark, understanding that I'm fighting a losing battle. "Tanny... I wanted to talk to YOU about this. And then you do this? Also.. you know me. I don't do informal 'lunches' during the working day..."

"See – bro. I get it. We will talk. I promise. But I want to know the equation between the two of you. Sass and sarcasm aside, I want to get to know Dee as a person too. And no. This isn't an 'informal lunch'. There really is something I want to talk to both of you about."

"Okay. Fine. But... You have to promise me that if something goes wrong, it's all YOUR fault", I give in.

"Fair enough.. I hear ya!" Tanay says. "Oh but if it does turn out well, I want to be the godfather to your first child."

Thank goodness no one saw the whack Tanay got on his head in response. The last thing my employees needed to see, was me being yet another "young blood heir" who didn't take work seriously. But then, Dee was not just my employee. I didn't mind that she saw it as she walked past my glass wall and knocked at my door.

(BONUS IMAGE: WHAT DEE LOOKS LIKE ON THIS DAY. PS - I'd like to imagine, knowing Tanay, that he's the one that offered to take this pic and made her pose. Agree? ;) ) 

 Also - for all my non Indian readers: 

When Tanay uses the word "Bhabhi" up there - it's a Hindi word that means a sister-in-law (through marriage to your brother). Now figure out what he means and let me know and I'll reconfirm :D Kidding. That is exactly what he means. #kbye!