Kalpita threw her belongings on the sofa in the living room and almost dashed towards her Dad's chamber.

Devendra was busy scribbling something on a piece of paper, sitting at his desk.

Kalpita walked in, but neither of the two beings present in the room stirred.

She supported her body against a shelf at one corner, and observed her Dad's brand new PA.

He stood still like a mannequin, before Devendra's desk, staring at the ground. He wore a blue half shirt and a pair of worn out black trousers. His hair, ruffled.
His unkempt stubble and moustache, very well signalled, he was typically uninterested in life as a whole. Because, if maintained properly, he could be easily classified as a very good looking person, his height playing a major part. His tanned skin, mostly because of sea salt, added a ruggedness to his looks. But over and above everything, he had a typically depressed pair of eyes, that marred everything else.

Kalpita loved analysing people, however, never until they meant something to her. This man too would have amounted to nothing, if not, for the old man's words, sometimes back down there.

There was an unusual plead in his voice, that had suddenly touched Kalpita's heart. Something that hardly happened....

Running fingers through her beautiful, straight, brown hair with golden highlights, she next threw a glance at a single big-shopper that lay next to him, probably carrying his belongings.

Devendra finally looked up from the desk.

" So, Shivaji, this is your appointment letter.

Mmm.... Now, you'll be shown your room by our staffs.

Make yourself comfortable. I have an invitation for lunch at a friend's place. I'll return latest by the evening, and then.. we'll discuss every detail of your working procedure.

For me, my PA is a family. And hence I always provide accommodation for him/her. So you understand, I expect the same cordiality from you. "

Shivaji took the letter. Though he spoke nothing.

" Kalpi, I didn't notice you're here. " , Devendra looked at Kalpita. She returned a soft smile.

" Shivaji, you have seen her yesterday. And, she's almost the sole reason you're hired.
Anyways, let me introduce her to you formally. She's Kalpita.
She's a doctor, did her MBBS from MCK. Now appointed as a house-surgeon there. "

Shivaji stared at Kalpita, and forcefully drew a smile across his lips. Kalpita put forward a hand for a shake.
However, Shivaji didn't. He blinked his eyes several times. Kalpita immediately took back the hand. She frowned within but didn't show it.
" Welcome aboard. Hope you satisfy Dad. "

" I... Will... Try to... " , Shivaji spoke, quite unexpectedly.

Devendra was doing something on his laptop. While his eyes still glued to it, he spoke,
" Shivaji, do you have some choice of food? Like, something you don't eat? "

He took a long time to answer, gulping saliva several times in between.

" No.... I....
Errr..... I...
Eggs....  " , Shivaji scratched his head.

Kalpita, suddenly was struck by a feat of tremendous irritation. Most probably.... because of the hand he did not shake. Something she wasn't used to.

" Dude, can't you form sentences? At least try to speak when you're asked a very normal question. " , she crossed arms across her chest.

Immediately, Shivaji turned completely pale. While he was already trying hard to cope, being slammed this way, broke even the last bubble of confidence he had in his veins.

" Kalpita, you're supposed to sleep in your room after a night shift. What are you doing here still? "

Devendra Chatterjee promptly took control. He knew exactly where to speak, and how much.

Kalpita too realised, she wasn't supposed to speak that way, at least on the very first occasion. However, apologizing, or bowing down before someone, was not her way, specially... someone as timid and awkward as the person in front.
Without spending a moment more, she left the room.

Shivaji was perspirating. He gathered all his strength, and stared at Devendra, who stared back reassuringly.

While walking away, Kalpita heard Shivaji, speak huskily.

" I...can eat everything except..for... eggs. "

A smile crossed her lips.

Good. At least her rude words could help him work on his syntax.

" Fine.
I'll inform the chef.

Govind!! " , Devendra called out to someone.

Shivaji tried to calm his anxious soul, chanting Hare Krishna within.

" Shivaji, he'll show you your room.
Also, one thing.
My daughter is a bit straightforward. But she's good at heart.
I think... you have already realised a bit of that.
Don't lose your confidence upon her words. Or upon anything, for that matter. I don't need a street smart, uber cool PA. I need an efficient and loyal one. Try being that. It'll be enough for me. "

Shivaji slowly nodded.

Soon after, he was silently following Govind, a staff that took his luggage.. and walked ahead of him.

He gasped for breath.

_____

Shivaji dialed Chhotu's number and anxiously waited for it to be answered.

" Hello.... Hello Mama...
Mama.....did you board the...train already?

Oh..... Ok.... Reach safely.... Call me once you reach...

I... Yes I will take care... And I will try to...

Take care... Mama...
Please let everyone in the colony know that I miss them... Bittu, Pulki.. Sona kaki, Bilu kaka... I will miss them.... "

Shivaji's voice choked, and tears tricked down his eyes.

After receiving some unwanted pacification from Chhotu, Shivaji dropped the call.

The room he was allotted, in the first place, blew his mind. Not just because it was an epitome of classic taste in decoration, not also because Shivaji had never imagined in his distant dreams to witness something like this in life leave alone reside in one, but because, it was so huge, that he wondered how he would overcome this void alone.

Empty spaces, like his little hut in Digha, itself engulfed him like an anaconda for the last three months. How would he deal with this enormous emptyness alone?

A tremendous fear gripped him, unnerving him from top to bottom.

He knew he was perspirating, even with the room utterly cold. Shivaji had, soon after entering, looked around for a fan, or air conditioners,  but had found none. He had then judged it to be centrally air conditioned. As a properly educated human, he had heard of all such stuffs. But witnessing anything, was his first time.

Shivaji tried calming his self by chanting again, within.

Somwhere, a clock struck five times.

A few hours back, a staff served him food in the room itself, half of which he could not even gulp down his throat. He felt so melancholic, so lost, so suffocated, so messed up, it seemed as if he could never eat again in life.

But now, he felt his throat was hurting. Not only out of sadness, but also out of thirst.

He looked around, and found no jug or bottle.

Never, he was in no position to get out of the room, or face anyone anytime soon, until he was called upon by his boss.

What if he had to bump against the lady.....who....was too straightforward for him to handle at the moment?

No no.... No....

He kept sitting after this for a long time. Silently.

Until, he had to give up. His bodily needs overpowered his mental pullbacks.

Shivaji ducked his head out of the room, and looked around. He was supposed to find a staff and ask for water, but found no one.

The flat of the Chatterjees was a duplex. The upper floor mostly had rooms of the owners. And the lower floor had the living, the kitchen, the office and probably some other rooms apart from his, he wasn't aware of, nor interested in.

Shivaji slowly walked out, and began moving forward, in the hope of finding at least one of the servants.

He almost reached the middle of the living room, near the stairs. However not a single soul came to his sight anywhere.

Shivaji had almost given up, when, suddenly, before he could realise anything, he lost his balance completely.

He slipped enormously, and just when he knew he was falling, he looked at the floor for the first time, to realise, it was covered with gallons of soap water.

Shivaji shut his eyes, letting out a shriek. He knew he would land straight on the ground now, hurting himself.

However, nothing like that really happened.

Instead, a strong hand gripped his, pulling him forward, so that he could regain his balance.

Shivaji threw open his eyes, only to find, Kalpita standing a step above him on the stairs. Her head tilted, and her eyes reflected nothing at all. She had let go of his hand by then, because he was standing straight now.

Shivaji, however, instead of being thankful to her, grew extremely nervous.

Was she going to slam him again for stupidly walking without even looking at the ground? He grew pale again. Completely.

However, nothing like that happened as well.

Instead, Kalpita screamed, but not at him.

" Govind!! Survi!!! Himesh!! Where the hell did everyone out here die?  "

Immediately, a few people came running.

She shouted,

" I understand the floor is being cleaned, as is done everyday.
But, how many times has mom told you to finish one work before going for another? Just because she's not home, just because I was sleeping, you people began throwing tantrums!

He would have fallen and hurt himself if I had not reached in time!

I don't understand.. how all the foolish and lazy people on this planet came together as servants at our place.

Couldn't you have just finished cleaning, than leave the floor in floods? "

The servants stood like punished students.

And Shivaji found this, an ideal moment to leave the place. He tiptoed backward.

In vain.

" Wait, where are you going? You needed something right?

Water? "

Shivaji fell from the sky.

How did she know even??? 

He slowly nodded, robotically and foolishly.

" I'll send jugs soon. You may go to your room. " , Kalpita smiled.

Shivaji almost ran back to his room, and slammed the door behind.

Staring in the direction for sometime,
Kalpita turned to Govind.
" Did he have lunch? "

He nodded.

" Fine.
Get the floor cleaned immediately. "

Kalpita walked past them, towards the kitchen.