Unfazed

Et Tu, Pere? (EXTRA CHAPTER)

(IMAGE: The Way Dev Looks At Dee. All the Dee-Dev shippers, you're welcome!)

HEY GUYSSS!!! 

This was originally not supposed to be a chapter at all, but so many people have been messaging me for some Dee-Dev progress in the story that I was moved enough to get off my lazy backside and write a chapter that has DEFINITE Dee-Dev progress. 

Please know that I am NOT a romance-author and writing this genre is not natural to me as a writer. So please excuse any major shortcomings in this chapter? Thanks :* 

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When Harsh messaged me last evening to tell me to meet him at the poolside café, I hadn't thought about Deeksha's attendance too. Now, sitting across from her, while she tried to negotiate with the purchase team, the requirements for Smile Café, I couldn't help but wonder if he had told her at all.

Once the meeting was over and the others left, she lingered back – not uncommon for Deeksha these days, given that I would call us friends by now. "Dev?" she called to me, snapping her fingers in my line of sight.

"Uh.. Yeah.. Sorry..." I began but she was quick to finish my statement for me, with "Zoned out. I know", with a sigh.

My sheepish smile must have given something away, because instead of teasing me as usual, her expression softened and she asked me, "You okay?"

"Sort of", I admitted, not wanting to lie to her.

"Why don't you ask Caroline to cancel your meetings and head out early?" she asked, referring to our receptionist, who also helped me keep track of my schedule. I preferred this set-up over having a secretary. "Hmm.." I said, but her gaze studied me for a minute more before adding, "Listen, if you can't make it for the meeting at five with Iqbal Bhai, I'll tell Harsh; so don't worry about it, okay?"

"No no.. Thanks Dee. I'll be okay", I said, hoping I'd convinced her. By now, we were walking towards the area of my cabin and I had a few more emails to reply to before I left.

"I don't really believe you, but I am smarter than someone who picks a fight with her boss – so, I'll let it be.. for now" she said with a grin.

"Oh come on! You aren't just an employee here and everyone knows that! Hell, the team is also happy with you and you literally have the entire office wrapped around your little finger!" I said, in mock irritation that she was more popular than I am in a much shorter span of time.

"Is that jealousy I hear in THE DEV SANGHVI's voice?" she asked, stopping near my door.

"Oh pfftttt – of course not! I'm the boss, remember?" I asked, as I stepped aside to let one of the employees wheeling a cart full of material for the new project to a conference room.

"But... Do you really think I have the entire office wrapped around my little finger?" she asked, a glint of mischief playing at the tips of her eyes.

"Golden words are never repeated", I said to her, turning around to enter my cabin.

"Prove it", she said.

"Excuse me?" I asked, turning around.

"If I really have the entire office wrapped around my little finger, I'm sure if I ask you to take me to the meeting today, you can't refuse", she said, her victorious smile barely hidden.

At this, I had no choice but to let out a laugh I was long holding back. "What sort of trickery is that?" I asked. In response, she merely raised her eyebrows and folded her arms defensively.

"Okay.. fine! My words have come back to bite me.. Meet me in the lobby at a quarter to five", I said and walked towards my father's cabin.

Knocking on the door of Papa's cabin, I waited for his quiet "Yes" to enter.

"Papa, I need to go" I said, but stopped in my tracks when I saw that he was on the phone. I took a seat across from him and waited while he spoke to whichever dealer or big-shot he was on the line with. With Papa, he treated them both with the same amount of respect, so one could never say. I wished my mind wouldn't go back to my most recent conversation but of course, my mind had a mind of its own.

"Tell me", Papa said, when he had finished and finally put his phone down.

"Papa, Harsh and I are meeting Iqbal Bhai today – it seems he has found something. I need to be there at five, so Deeksha and I will be leaving a little before five", I informed him. With a very curious expression, Papa took off his glasses and bit one of the ends lightly – something he did unconsciously when he was thinking hard – and said "Okay" with a tone that bordered on disbelief.

"Papa? Something wrong?" I asked, a little uncomfortable under his silent scrutiny.

"No... It's nothing", he said with a sigh, finally looking at some of the papers on his desk.

"I don't believe that", I said, because I was sure it wasn't nothing. Rajkiran Sanghvi didn't do anything for "Nothing".

"I had heard a few whispers in the office, that my son was a changed man these days, but I didn't believe it until now... that's all", he said. I would have asked for an explanation, but his phone rang again and my emails awaited.

What could Papa have meant?

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SO... HERE YOU GO! 

I am so sorry if it didn't meet your expectations. Let me know if there is any way I could improve upon this piece.. or any of my chapters.. or my story.. or my writing. Okay - you get the idea! :D 

Also, a SUPER HUGE s/o to my best friends for being my personal hype men and women. You make me excited about writing and I can't thank you enough for it. You know who you are. :) 

I'll be back with a new (actual) chapter soon. 

Until then! 

- Smri :) 

PS - "Et Tu, Pere?" is French for "And You, Father?" (Of course, if you ask me, I will deny any influence of Shakespeare here :D )