" Where are you both staying? " , Devendra asked Chhotu.

" At a guest house, Ganesh has arranged. " , he eagerly replied.

Shivaji was still staring at Kalpita, with a frown in between his brows. She returned the gaze with a smile. He looked away soon enough.

" Okay.  Go back. If I really wish to hire you, I'll give you a call in the evening.
If I don't, you return to where you came from. " , Devendra fell back on his chair.

Kalpita tilted her head and gawked at Devendra. She was having doubts again. Her equation with him was really peculiar, where neither of them could guess the moves of either.

According to Kalpita, her father was orthodox regarding his notions, a bit primitive, but extremely intelligent.

And, according to Devendra, his daughter was a complete mess, but her brains worked very right.

They hardly got into each other's affairs, but when they did, either usually listened to either, if not the ideas heavily contradicted.

Probably this time, Devendra would not take her advice. Kalpita sunk within.

Chhotu nodded, a bit pale, and soon enough they exited. However, before exiting, Shivaji threw another glance at Kalpita, so did she, no longer with the smile though.

" So?
What's your impression regarding him? " , Devendra asked his unmindful daughter.

Kalpita, prepared to be heavily rebuked, looked at him.
" Mmmm.....
Highly unconfident.
Non ambitious.
Living within boundaries that divide stratas of economy.

But..... "

" But, his face has that simplicity I have been looking for. The exact one. " , Devendra chuckled.

" What? " , Kalpi fell from the sky.

" Yes. Thank you so much! You did what I couldn't.

Like, I couldn't help someone who doesn't want to help himself. But you, with your typical twists in words and your effortless convincing ability, did that. He was determined not to pass this interview, but at the end his eyes emitted nothing but confusion. "

" My goodness! You double crossed me  " , Kalpita laughed.

" Not only you, but him too. Hiring him now would make him believe that I was forced to do that only because of my daughter. His graduation marks show he's a good student. So once he's hired, he'll work hard to impress me. At the same time, he's not cunning, and that's what I want. " , Devendra Chatterjee yawned.

Kalpita's jaw literally dropped. Not for the first time though. She extremely well knew how her Dad's brains worked, yet sometimes she was left astonished.

Suchandra entered stirring a cup of coffee for herself.

" So, I saw this boy in the lounge, tall with sunken shoulders, shabby yet innocent, and looked heavily disappointed while leaving with an elderly man. Does that mean he didn't make it? "
She settled beside Kalpita.

" Uhu. He left disappointed because he was chosen. " , Devendra winked.

" Interesting. " , Suchandra sipped the drink.
" Is he the one who lost his parent in a recent accident? "

" What? " , Kalpita literally fell from the sky.

" Yup.
So you see Kalpi, that's where he was coming from.

You don't expect anything better from someone who has spent his life in a fishermen colony, the only graduate amongst them all.
His father a fisherman, his mother a fish seller.
The boy who literally has never seen a city in life, and who has witnessed his mother and grandmother die in front of his eyes just three months back.

I would have anyway hired him. But Kalpita made my job easier. "

Kalpita literally stopped speaking for a long time after this.

Suchandra kept stirring her coffee, and nodding her head.

" But Suchi, one thing is for sure.
Your daughter is a living oxymoron.. " , Devendra got up from his chair.

" Why now? " , Kalpita immediately snapped.

" I have forever heard from your mother that you hate unconfident, unambitious, withdrawn, shy people in life. Neither do you know Shivaji's background. Also heard, how you hardly give people in your life, chances. This was something unexpected. " , Devendra chuckled.

Suchandra crossed her legs.
" Dearest Devu, if you believe your daughter is so easily derivable, you are wrong. I suggest you give up on your business and start over with a PhD on Dr Kalpita Chatterjee. Her brains work in manners even she doesn't know. "

" Will you guys stop?
I just gave him a chance as Dad's PA. And you people are behaving as if I have chosen a boyfriend.

Bullshit. "
Kalpi sprang up.

" Yeah!  Point.
I am not interested in unnecessarily elevating you. Your mother does it more than needed.
I'll go take a shower. "
Devendra exited the room before Kalpita could.

" And me getting late for my kitty party.
Have a nice day Kalpi! " , Suchandra Chatterjee too left the room as soon as possible.

Kalpita always wondered, how on earth she got such atypical creatures as her parents. And look at them, calling her weird.

Her thought process then shifted to Shivaji Majhi.

Was the man literally worth a tinge bit of her attention though?

Or, was he...? 
Did the mishap change him to something he wasn't actually?
Or was he completely the kind Kalpita highly detested?
Anyways, whatever he was, Dad would have anyway hired him. So, she did not really need to blame herself time and again, for making some contradictory choices in life.

However, would she actually have given him a chance, if not...for that face ... which.. reflected an unusual serenity?

Bleh!!! Stop overthinking Kalpita!! Not worth it!!!

Kalpita walked slowly towards her room. Time to dive in books.

_____

" I don't understand, what seals your lips when needed the most? "
Chhotu was pacing up and down the room, typically enraged.

Shivaji kept staring at the ground, praying within, that no phone call came his way from anywhere.

" You say, you could find a job in Digha itself. But I very well know, you would do nothing. Just sit beside the sea and cry for those who have left you forever. And one day jump into the sea in depression.

When someone elder to you does something for you, try and understand... it is for your good. "
Chhotu stopped and stared at the mum boy sitting before him.

" Even if they don't hire you, I'll not take you back to Digha. I swear. "

" Mama! " , Shivaji looked up, stunned. His eyes immediately welled up.

And just then, Chhotu's phone began ringing.
He hurriedly picked up the call.

Devendra Chatterjee spoke from the other side.

" I appoint Shivaji Majhi as my PA. Tomorrow is a national holiday. So, my office remains closed.
At the earliest hours, bring him to my place. He should come prepared enough to stay back. I've got his room ready.
Once we meet, I'll settle the rest of the formalities regarding the appointment. Good night. "

Chhotu dropped the call with a ear to ear smile.

Shivaji stared horrified, with the widest eyes possible.

" I.... I.... I can't....stay in that house.....
All of....a sudden....
I.... I... I will stay here, you stay with me for...somedays...
You had promised not to leave me....alone...  " , he almost choked.

" Re Shiva, my hair hasn't turned grey all of a sudden. I've had enough experiences in life. They're good humans. And, are you a kid?
You'll have my number. Call me anytime.
Also, I believe there's someone in the house who will take care of you.
Be your saviour. I'm sure. "
Chhotu kept smiling.

However, Shivaji wasn't listening anymore.
Like a ten year year old kid who was going to be left alone in a boarding soon by parents, streams began flowing down his eyes. And he couldn't control them. At all.

_____

On Sunday night, Kalpita had to attend emergency surgeries, as per schedule.
At seven in the morning, when the last exploratory laporotomy ended, she was yawning big time.

Changing herself into normal clothes, she almost ran out of the OT complex, down the corridor, out of the hospital in order to make sure, she was not caught hold by 'a headache'.

But, her luck hardly favoured.

" Kalpita!!!! " , 'the headache' never failed to catch her, twice every week when she appeared in the hospital.

Dr. Siddharth Dey, the second year PGT who had been eyeing on her since internships and still hadn't given up on her after severe insults, appeared grinning.
" Are you leaving? "

" What does it look like? " , Kalpita sounded blunt.

" Errm...
The night has been so tiring...
Thought, if we could go for a coffee. " , Siddharth was indeed shameless. Kalpita reflected within.

" I sometimes wonder, if you have a tinge bit of self respect in your body. " , Kalpita yawned.

" Kalpita...
I know you don't like me.... But... "

" Thank god. At least you're not delusional. " , she rolled her eyes.

" But.... I am still waiting for a yes from your side. Somwhere, I feel, you'll realise my love one day, and accept... "

" Wait, wait. Okay. Fine. Give me one reason I should say a yes to you. " , she crossed arms across her chest.

" Because, I love you, so much! "

" Many does. Next? "

" Err.... Because I know how to respect women... And.. "

" Is it?

You know what? I recently accidentally came across an fb comment of yours on some random meme page, where you were probably having a fight with someone, and you ended up calling her an 'aunty' , and next a 'slut'. I have screenshots too, so that I have proofs, the next time you come after me. "

Siddharth's jaw dropped ten feet down. He couldn't speak.

" So, Dr. Dey.

If you think you can put down a woman by calling her a slut, you're wrong..
Someone's physical cravings and how they use their body can't be judged or used as an excuse to accuse her, and if she's being demeaned that way, so should be the one who buys her.

Second, your mother is my aunty, and me too will grow into someone's someday.

Third, if, your objectifying women amounts to a 5/10, me objectifying men is a complete 10/10. I use them.

Hence, think about it. Can you handle a woman as such, Dr Siddharth Dey? "

Siddharth felt giddy, as he witnessed Kalpita's receding sillhoutte.

_____

At around 10 in the morning , when Kalpita's car dropped her below their flats, her eyes caught Chhotu leaving the building. Alone.

He too had seen her, and had stopped immediately.

Kalpita walked towards him.

" Aren't you the one who.... " , she still confirmed.

" Yes....madam.

I just came to drop.... Shivaji.

Thank you..... so much madam... "
Chhotu's voice suddenly.

" Hey please! I can't handle all these. " , Kalpita gestured with her palm.
" I don't really know if he deserved the chance, but yes, I heard he went through a shock lately....so... " , she tried to sound extremely formal.

" Yes.... " , Chhotu's eyes welled up.

" Madam ji....

He has got no one on earth that runs his blood in their veins. Me too, is leaving him, here amongst strangers. He's trying to cope, but it'll be very difficult for him.

He'll work his best. I can assure. Your father will have no complaints against him, you'll see.

But..... Madam ji...
If he breaks down completely...
Please, for once.....
Hold his hand. You can. I know.
Be his saviour, madam ji.... 

Please.... "

Before Kalpita could even react, Chhotu walked past her, and disappeared at a bend of the building next to theirs.

Kalpita Chatterjee stood speechless, mindless, motionless, probably for the first time in life.