A shark and a gold fish

• One •

"Priyu", Rajesh, the guardian of the Sharma family called out loud. She was in her room on the first floor. She was in her room when she heard Rajesh's voice. The doe-shaped eyes started lightening and rosy lips curved into a smile.

She immediately stood up, off the bed, and just was about to leave her room, when she snapped her head, biting her lower lip. She collected some papers before jumping towards the staircase. "So fast, arey! How many times do I have to tell you, be slow, be steady?"

But she didn't pay heed; her long red dupatta was making strange patterns whilst flying in the air.

"I am done," she handed over the papers to her father, who smiled back, looking at her sincere daughter, "Before the expected time?"

She fetched a glass of water for herself and another one for her father. "Baba! I have a confusion," she said, with a frown on her forehead.

"Related to accounts?" He asked when he offered her a glass full of water to quench the thirst. After all, gravity is not applicable in this part of the world.

She quenched her thirst and gasped heavily, "Yes, quiet related to your accounts."

"Quiet?" He frowned in fake wrath of anger, pretended like a father.

She pouted, "I know, you're the head accountant in the Basu Publications"

"Haanji wo to main hoon," he said with pride and she retorted back laughing at him, "Still, you give me all the accounts to re-check, why so?"

Her question was quite logical for other housemates too but Rajesh laughed, "When I selected at Basu Publications, you came into this world, exactly the same day," he held back his emotions, "You're my good luck, my Prerna, my inspiration."

"Oh! But am I not?!" Shivani made a pout and Prerna teased her cause she literally meant it.

The entire family enjoyed when Rajesh told Veena, his wife, "I am blessed to have a family like this, what will happen when Priyu will get married?"

Prerna looked at her father, "Nothing will happen," she said assuringly.

"I will go nowhere!" she said, like a commanding daughter.

"Every daughter has to go one day, you too have to, so I can die with happiness, my love", he embraced her in a hug, at which Prerna irked, "Humesha aisi baatein karte ho kaha chala jaunga and all, accha baba kar lungi shadi..", she kept her arms before the battle.

"Baba!" I screamed out loud, I could hear my voice echoing in the enormous mansion of Rishab Bajaj. I mustered up the courage and grabbed the strength to get up. I wiped tears with the back of my palm and left for the place where my father was, after rejoicing the memory of my father.

"Your good luck, he has hunted your gold fish baba, I am sorry," I cried loud.

"You will curse me ma, but I am sorry I had no option. I can't give my pain to all of you," tears rolled down from her eyes as she shut them tightly.

I ran as fast as I could. After all, I had to save my father from the disaster which Rishab Bajaj has sent.

How oblivious was she, unknown, unaware, with a pair of eyes witnessing her peacefully, who belonged to them, the angels of skies? No, me, Rishab Bajaj. I lit my cigar and puffed it again, "har insaan ka har sapna poora nahi hota, kyuki har insaan Bajaj nahi hota,"

In the hospital, Prerna went near Veena, her mother, "Ma, baba will be fine soon."

"Khabardaar, don't you dare even touch me!", she retorted, before slapping her tight.

"Ma!", She said with tear-filled eyes.

Veena screamed out loud, "Your mother died with your father the day you took your decision".

It stunned Prerna, and then looked at Shivani and Shekhar, who were weeping on the demise of their father.

Prerna broke down and collapsed, kneeling on the floor. The tears dried before they could fall off her eyes.