13

Radhika was walking into the institute with her case file in hand to meet Dr Lodwal when she received a call from Madhav’s mother.

‘Hello, Aunty! Is everything okay?’ she asked.

‘Beta, Madhav has been behaving very strangely since yesterday. He locked himself up and wouldn’t come out of his room. Then, without any warning, he left home early this morning. I have been calling him since seven but there’s been no answer. I am really scared,’ his mother said.

‘What was he wearing?’ Radhika asked, just to be certain.

‘He was wearing his usual outfit. A black hoodie and jeans,’ she replied. ‘He couldn’t have gone to office like that, so I don’t know where he might be.’

‘I will try to find him, Aunty. Please don’t worry. He will be all right,’ Radhika comforted Mrs Mehra and went in to meet Dr Lodwal. She was worried about what Madhav might do in his current state, but first she needed to review the morning’s events with Dr Lodwal.

On the other side of town, Madhav was nonchalantly walking towards his office, not bothered that his clothes were strictly against the office dress code. He felt he was beyond any sort of rules that day.

As Radhika entered Dr Lodwal’s clinic, Madhav entered his office.

‘It’s been quite a morning,’ Radhika said to her mentor. She showed her the letter and explained what had happened, starting with what Madhav’s mother had told her and ending with the CCTV tape.

Dr Lodwal, astonished by what she had just heard, put on her thick spectacles and began reading the letter.

In Madhav’s office, there was another kind of storm brewing. He walked into Mr Rao’s cabin, clearing his throat impertinently to get his manager’s attention.

Mr Rao looked up and scanned Madhav’s attire. Madhav took off his hood.

‘What is this? Don’t you know—’ But before his manager could start on his tirade, Madhav laughed humourlessly and said, ‘I know! I know everything. I know that I should be wearing a shirt and a pair of trousers with socks, polished shoes, a tie and your company’s bloody dog tag!’

‘Do you even know what you’re saying? Are you drunk? We hired you barely a month ago!’ Outraged, Vinesh Rao threw his hands in the air. Madhav mocked him and laughed.

‘You know, Mr Rao, employees don’t leave companies, they leave managers like you. Ninety per cent of your staff hates you. You make this place an absolute hell and you don’t give a damn about the people who are forced to work for you in this hellhole. And they don’t have a choice because they need the job and you exploit them. Did you know that the main topic of conversation at the after-hours drinking sessions is what a crappy boss you are!’ Madhav taunted.

‘I will blacklist you!’ Rao said as people walked by his cabin and whispers rippled across the floor.