The Symphony of Saudade

Chapter 6

08.07.2019

I was sure that I woke up with a smile because the dream was oh-so-lovely. I was in my childhood home in Janathantrapuram along with my mom, dad, and Madhu. We were chattering about something I can't quite remember. Suddenly, I heard the doorbell ring. No one else could listen to it. I almost shouted, 'The bell is ringing! Can't you all listen?' But the others continued doing their work. 'Mch!' I did and stood up to open the door. To my surprise, it was Faneel at the door. I smiled at him as if I was expecting him. He smiled back and shoved past me to enter the living room. Many things happened after that most of which I don't remember, but Faneel was present in them all and I was looking only at him. Suddenly, the scene shifted to the sofa in our living room where Faneel was sitting. I talked to him illegibly while he opened a bar of mango candy and ate it bite by bite. The dream ended abruptly and I woke up with a smile.

Since I felt over the moon, I updated my WhatsApp status-

Sweet dreams do exist! <3

To my shock, Faneel saw the status within five minutes making me wonder whether he had any such dream too. It was only a month since his arrival but I seemed like I was obsessed with him. I knew I shouldn't be driving myself crazy over a harmless crush but it wasn't doing me any good. I was already knee-deep in crushing over him and no one or nothing could stop me from it. Though I knew it was silly of me to expect him to have the same kind of feelings for me, I couldn't shake away the fact that I wouldn't be his type and he wouldn't even look at me with a romantic interest.

*

10.07.2019

My office was eerily silent as I entered it. That meant only one thing. We have been expecting it for the past ten days.

'Ravi Anna, is the auditor here?' I asked him as I placed my handbag on the side desk in my cabin.

'Yes, ma. He is checking Malarkodi's cash box along with her and Faneel Sir.'

'What? Malarkodi is already here?'

'Hmmm,' he replied, as his fingers prodded through sheets of paper. He was looking for something, but I'd rather not ask him because he had a bad temper sometimes.

I couldn't settle on my seat because I was all jittery. Though we were expecting the auditor at any time, I didn't know that he'd pop up out of the blue on a Wednesday morning. As I lingered in the bay, Faneel came out of the safe room. Malarkodi and the auditor tagged along with him.

'Good morning, sir,' I greeted Faneel.

'Good morning, madam,' he replied rather blandly. 'This is our auditor, Mr Lakshmanan,' he introduced.

'Hello, sir, good morning,' I greeted Lakshmanan. He looked bulky in his striped sky-blue shirt and black pants.

'Good morning!' he bellowed in his supercilious voice. His hands were on his hips and he had unblinking, focused eye contact. His thick black spectacles elevated his strident appearance.

He then entered Faneel's room and settled on Faneel's seat, simultaneously powering up the system. Malarkodi too went back to her place. Faneel lingered along with me in the bay.

'Hey, I sent you a message. Why didn't you check it?' he asked me.

'What? Oh my God! I was doing some prepping work for my upcoming violin album. I didn't check WhatsApp.'

I fished out my mobile phone to check the message. He had pinged about the auditor's arrival and asked me to come a bit early.

Eff! I screwed up. Faneel's gonna chide me now. There's nothing worse than this.