Kanchi's Morning

The light in the house was dim, the curtains on all the windows pulled down. It was a dull morning. Kanchi thought as she packed her lunch box for the office. Though she loved rains still hoped it to subside as it was difficult to find an auto. The emptiness of her home was now echoing with the sound of rains. Kanchi reluctantly took an umbrella, her heart thumping quickly ran to the auto stand. Thankfully a passing auto stopped and she got into it the sound of her breaths fading.

The auto stopped at the gate of her office building. She paid the fare, opened her umbrella, and rushed in. There she saw an unfamiliar face standing. Kanchi hesitatingly went over to him and probed if he needed any help. The man smiled and said he was there to visit his father's office on the fourth floor and waiting for the office boy to open it. Kanchi was surprised, the entire fourth floor was owned by her boss, but he never mentioned anything about his son. Still confused she told the man she worked there and to accompany her. Kanchi took the flight of stairs on purpose. The shutters were down and locked. Kanchi called the office boy and got to know he had to rush home due to a medical emergency and the keys were with the security. Kanchi procured the keys as well as opened the shutters together with the man. She was nevertheless skeptical about the man being the boss's son and at the same time couldn't ignore if he actually turned out to be genuine. There was a stillness on the entire floor. The man sensed Kanchi's awkwardness and gently offered to wait in the lobby. Kanchi nodded slowly and thoughtfully as she picked up the newspaper from the corridors put it on the reception desk and made way to her desk. Kanchi heard some footsteps and gave a sigh of relief on seeing a few of her colleagues. Kanchi's stomach was growling in hunger as she had skipped breakfast in her quest to catch an early auto. She introspected a bit and went to the man waiting at the lobby, surfing his phone, and offered if he wanted something to eat or drink since she was ordering something for herself. The man politely declined and went back to make a call. At that time her boss made an entry talking on his phone and nodding to the greetings. Kanchi was aghast how father and son didn't acknowledge each other. Was the man a fraud, what if ...? Just then the man stood up dismayed, holding his phone staring at Kanchi? Grappling for words he asked for forgiveness. Kanchi's eyes were filled with tears. Prior to she could say something few people rushed in and addressed the man as sir. The man too left with them.