Lightening the Sky (Sloth Updates)

Chapter 12

Uttara dragged him to another store in the mall, about a dozen bags quite insufficient for her to stop and rest. It wasn't everyday one of her brothers accompanied her for shopping, she didn't understand what riled them about spending some time with her. Sanskar Bhai was beginning to frown as well.

He thanked the heavens above and hell beneath, when his phone rang giving him the excuse to leave the crowded dingy store. Sanskar failed to understand what caught his sister's sight there, even more how she didn't change her path when she registered the crowd. It was his PA who called to remind him, the final draft of the Mehta proposal would be prepared by the evening. They needed his signatures to move forward with the venture.

Then there were monthly progress reports of their recent and old projects, he reminded Sanskar of. He almost winced at the realisation, he did forget about those. Yet, he couldn't miss out on it, keeping his eyes on the irregulation in these reports helped him catch various frauds during the initial days of Karma.

Sanskar was ambling towards the frowning Uttara outside the shop when his phone rang again, "Yes Animesh, Anything else?"

"Is he your friend?" Swara queried from the other side. Was he expecting a call from someone else?

"Swara?" He sounded surprised, but not as irked anymore.

She hummed, staring at the busy street from the window, "Yes, it's me. I asked for your number from Ragini. Guess, we were only acquaintances as you said."

"So, you called me to admit that you agree with it now?" Swara could fathom the teasing grin on his face at those words.

"No!" Her exaggerated exasperation, getting a chuckle out of him, "I called so that you have my number like I have yours, though you called me according to call logs so you should have it."

"It's funny, there are so many contacts on here yet I don't recognise any of the names. Of course, except our families." She continued talking, because he was listening wherever he was, "Ragini was upset yesterday, I don't know what happened. Also, your brother came to talk with Ragini today... Sanskar, I didn't know they were filing for divorce. Why didn't you inform me?"

"I wasn't aware, they would move this soon," Sanskar realised his mistake at her questions, "Why didn't you tell me then? Do you have any idea how gobsmacked I was? He insisted upon talking with me after conversing with Ragini, thankfully Dadi interfered. I guess, she also found his request odd regarding our roles in each other's life. What do you think?"

Sanskar gestured at the top Uttara held in her right hand, "I think he loves you Swara."

Swara didn't know what to do with it, because that wasn't how she saw their situation, "He is married to my sister."

Frustrated, she huffed, "Leave it, why did you visit me when I was sleeping?"

He entertained her, "Please forgive me, I failed you. I didn't-I didn't mean to evade you. How could I, when you always find a way to bleed my ears?"

Swara agreed, "Yes. I wonder who talked about each of their joint family's member last day. I can't seem to remember it."

"I can't either, but I am sure you must have asked that poor person to brief you in the name of polite conversation." Taking the bags from his sister's hand, her amused expressions weren't lost on him.

"Maybe I did...," she feigned an apologetic tone, turning around to walk over to the study table hidden beneath her folders with a mischievous smile, "I wanted to grill the person more today but they seem to be missing."

Sanskar murmured a response, smiling at Uttara, "Your missing person is busy with a VIP." His words raised Swara's worries fast, "Are you busy? You should have told me. Why are you indulging me, if you have work?"