Chapter Text
Colonel uncle’s garden
Siya’s POV
I cannot believe this was happening. I knew it was inevitable since I am the one who prepares the company’s financial statements, but it made me wonder if all these things were happening because of the actual financial crunch in the company or because the CFO realized he has a crush on me.
28th February 2020, Friday, 8.45 AM
Some will call starting the day before shift hours as crazy. It was crazy that I was starting my day only 15 minutes early today and Manu was already in the office.
Until 2 weeks back (you guessed it right, before Valentine’s days) I used to start my workday at 8. I took it as a personal challenge to reply to all emails within 6 hours of receiving them. I was a proud workaholic.
And then my aunt decided to take care of our neighbor’s garden.
1st February 2020
My super sweet aunt, Meenu, was 70 years old and my only living relative. I moved in with her after she was hospitalized for 5days. There was not a part of her body that worked well. She needed help, and the only way to do that was by asking if she could help me out for a couple of months because of my “accommodation issues”.
For someone who was in pain the way she was in – she helped around a lot. She, unlike me, had a lot of friends. One such friend is Colonel uncle. Yes, she called him uncle. I am not trying to guess how ancient he is. Aunty is very nurturing. But when it comes to plants, she can kill them by staring at them for 5minutes.
Meenu aunty lived in a posh gated community. All the properties there were 10,000 square feet and all houses, other than aunt’s of course, had a very beautiful garden. Colonel uncle’s garden was just perfection. It had everything – garden swing, mango trees, pathway fenced by croton plants, an assortment of rose, hibiscus, crossandra, marigold, and many other flower plants.
I secretly enjoyed the task of taking care of it. At the end of a long workday, I looked forward to unwinding my mind amongst unjudging plants. Especially this month – it made me crumbled where I stood. I lost my parents on February 14th, 2017. They died in a highway accident and I hadn’t spoken about this with anyone other than Aunty and my grief counselor. Aunty tried to make me acknowledge grief two years back and I hadn’t spoken to her for good 6months after that.
For the next 14days, this was my small piece of heaven.
Raghav’s POV
1st January 2018, Monday 8 AM
The only day of the year when I am left alone in the office – no meetings, no sorting of issues. I could peacefully finish 3days of work in 1day when alone at the office.
Apparently, that day was not today. Manu’s new team member. I keep wondering why she doesn’t take a day off. She had worked on Christmas too. In the last 3months, she had picked more things than even Manu himself. She was supposed to start debriefing me weekly sales status from this month – I wondered if that was why she was working today.
8.45 AM – right on time. She is definitely perfect, I laughed as I read through the emails.
Time to test how she fared without her Team Lead. Let me ping her.
Raghav: Siya, I see that you are in office today. Ready to debrief Weekly sales.
Siya: Sure Raghav, I will be there in 5mins.
“Good morning sir”, she said.
“Call me Raghav please Siya. Good morning. Please take a seat”. “How do you like working here?”, I asked before I could help myself. Just like that, I spent an hour chitchatting just because I wanted.
10th June 2018, Sunday
Sunday lunch with Surya uncle had turned quite sour this day. Meenal aunty (not aunt by relation, but by habit), uncle’s neighbor, who was the best happy-go-lucky person I had ever met – was crying hysterically.
“It's 5months since Sriju spoke to me” she cried, “my only niece and all because I asked her to see her parents’ photos. She doesn’t even take my calls. I am worried. What if something ill happened to her”.
“Did you text her,” I asked?
“I don’t know how to. Can you help me”, she said.
As I took Meenal aunty’s phone to text Sriju, I thought back to all the conversations we had about her. I hadn’t met her till now. But I felt a connection – university topper, dancer, someone whose life had come to standstill in one moment but still survived, fiercely independent. I felt she might not appreciate me texting her without an introduction.
“Dear Sriju, I am Meenal aunty’s neighbor and sending this message on her behalf. I don’t understand the circumstances based on which disagreement arose with aunty. But I am requesting considering her health and age to find it in yourself to please forgive her for intruding, she can’t help herself. I haven’t ever seen her this distraught. So, please”. Tad too formal, I know, but I felt I understood Sriju and knew she would appreciate this tone.
An hour later, Sriju did call Meenal aunty and that really made my day.
12th November 2018, 9.45 AM
Raghav: Manu, where are the weekly numbers?
Manu: Running it now, Siya went on surprise leave today.
Raghav: What’s a surprise leave?
Manu: She apparently met with an accident over the weekend.
How to phase a question when your secret favorite “employee” is injured and you are way too concerned for her wellbeing, but you don’t want her douche TL to know about it. The same TL who also happens to be one of your oldest friends.
Raghav: Nothing too serious, I hope.
Manu: You will get your next week’s report exactly at 8.45 😉
Yup, asshole. But what can I say, I was too used to seeing her mail at 8.45 AM.
And I really hoped this “accident” was not because of me shouting at her on Friday, her birthday.
25th December 2018, Tuesday
“Good morning Siya, I see you are the only one working today”. Her name on my tongue sounded so perfect.
That smile on her face before she replied could light the whole room, “Good morning Raghav. Year end’s in 6days, I like to be prepared”.
It was always professional. I had no idea how to make her talk.
She had returned to the office with 10stiches on her hand last month. It had taken every bit of willpower and ethical policies drilled into my head to not pull her into my arms and tell her how sorry I felt. I really hated being CFO at that point.
But the fool in me just wanted to try one more time.
“Do me a favor, will you? Can you order me lunch while you are ordering for yourself?”
“Sure!”, she said. I didn’t know if it was a surprise or question, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to wait to find it.
10th February 2019, Sunday
“Why don’t you ask Sriju on a date?”, Meenal aunty started.
“Leave him be, Meenal”, uncle said.
“She is a very pretty girl, I have no idea how you haven’t met her till now”, Meenal aunty continued.
“I like someone else aunty”, I said, and I know I can do nothing about it.
10th November 2019
“Hi, uncle. Where is Meenal aunty?”, I asked.
“Yesterday was Sriju’s birthday and she has finally agreed to stay for a week with her, so Meenal is making sure she has company”, he said.
“Meenal aunty never learns, does she?”, I laughed. “That girl needs her space. Meenal aunty scared her off the last 2times she stayed over by hovering for too long”.
“You are right, I will call Meenal right away”, he said.
14th February 2020
Siya had to look this stunning on Valentine’s day and I had to endure her presence for full 2hours in the Budget meeting. Which genius would set this meeting on a day when it's obvious that half the staff are on leave? Yup, I am that fool.
“Europe market is not exactly stable at the moment; Brexit and covid have hampered business significantly. I propose the keep the targets for Europe at the same value as was there last year” she said.
“Do you also propose to shut down the company”, I snapped. Why did I do that? The shock was obvious on everyone’s face. I was a really good boss, who treated everyone fairly. But I would never know as to why when it came to Siya my good manners flew out of the window.
“Siya, you will discuss with me henceforth before making proposals”, Manu snapped. He would never miss a chance to put her down, will he?
I had no idea what happened for the rest of the meeting. What she said made sense. That is what I would have done too.
She left early that day, she clearly had a date. Why did I hate it so much?
With lead in my shoes, I made my way towards uncle’s home. I had promised to take care of his garden when he was away and had blissfully forgotten about that promise for 14days.
As I entered the garden, I noticed that no plants had died. Surely rains had helped. It looked prettier than I had ever seen it. It was much cleaner too. Uncle definitely didn’t expect me to take care of the garden, if he had hired a professional to do it. That was when I heard someone cry. I went slowly towards the sound.
My eyes flew open when I saw who was had collapsed on the swing. Siya!
What was she doing here? How did she know uncle? More importantly, was she crying as if someone died because of me?
Her tears tore a part of my heart. This was not the same Siya who presented a loss MIS like it was the best thing in the world.
I could bear it no more.
“Siya!”, I called out.
“Shit! I mean, sorry. Um, shit, Raghav!!”, she was startled.
“Are you okay?”, I asked stupidly, who in the right mind cries like this if they were okay.
“I am fine. I am sorry. But what are you doing here?”, she asked.
“This is my uncle’s house and he asked me to take care of his garden”, I said.
“You know Colonel uncle!”, she exclaimed. “Oh my god! Sorry. I will leave.”
“Siya, can you please tell me what happened?”, I asked patiently.
She just shook her head.
“Siya, come on. Let’s get you inside. It's freezing here”, I said.
“It’s okay, I will go now”, she replied coolly.
“Hey, don’t go. Please. I am sorry. Please tell me you weren’t crying like this because I was an asshole today”, I told sheepishly.
Wiping her tears. She smiled a very bitter smile and said, “If words could hurt, I would have left work in the second week”, “it’s not that. Ah, today is my parents’ death anniversary. Sorry you had to see it. I was only trying to hide from Meenu aunty”.
“Are you Sriju, Meenal aunty’s Sriju?”, I asked.
“Ha! Yes. My aunt still calls me that”, she said with a small smile.
So many things added up – and I blurted out the first thing that came to my mind – “I sent you that message to you all those years back from Meenal aunty’s phone”.
Before she could process enough to answer, “I am so sorry. I have known you for so many years and when I add 1+1, I cannot believe I was so horrible to you all these years. I have liked Sriju from all the stories I have heard. And now Sriju and Siya are the same people!”.
She started crying again. “I really didn’t want anyone from work to know me and my sob story”, she cried.
“I have known you for so long! I can’t believe I hadn’t met you earlier Sriju!”, I said.
“It’s Siya, not Sriju Raghav!”, she exclaimed.
“Meenal aunty wanted to set a date with Sriju, and I didn’t agree because I liked you”, Woah! Why did I just blurt that?
Shock was written on her every feature. Why did I just tell that?
“I am going to leave now sir before you say anything else you would regret”, she said with a sigh, professionally as always.
17th February 2020, 10AM
No weekly report. No Siya in office.
Raghav: Manu?
Manu: Another surprise leave. She is getting too undisciplined of late. Running the report.
It looked like Manu found his next target. The number of good employees he had run off was too many to count and if I acted in any way to protect Siya it would raise a lot of brows. I really hated myself right now.
21st February 2020
“This is a really uncomfortable topic to discuss. If the company is to survive long term, we will have to reduce employee costs immediately. Let’s all gather next week with a list. This is not something I want to drag beyond March end”, saying this, I closed the meeting with a very heavy heart. Covid-19 was getting to us too.
28th February 2020, 12 PM
Siya: Let me know when you have a minute sir.
Raghav: Yes of course Siya. And Raghav please.
“So, today is my last day here. It was very nice working with you. I learnt a lot. Thanks again”, she said.
My heart was clearly in my mouth, “What?”.
“I understand. I just wanted to say goodbye”, she asked.
“I had no idea Siya, I am sorry”, I said. Why is Manu such an idiot! How could he take this decision without discussion? “Will I see you at uncle’s place?”, I asked hopefully.
“It’s ok and let’s see. Bye sir”, she said.
“Raghav please Siya”, I will miss you; I didn’t say.
Siya’s POV
28th February 2020, Friday, 10.45 AM
“Siya, as you know this is Sharan from HR. Looks like we will be going into lockdown soon. It's with the deepest regret we inform you that you are terminated”, Sharan.