Shape of the Sun

Patchup Fixup

"Don't be upset, Raju. Can't you understand why I gave that position to Prithvi?"

Rajkumar relaxed in the soap-filled tub a little bit more, phone pressed to his ears.

"I know, Papaji. It's just that I feel uncomfortable everywhere. Veer had told me that Prithvi talked up to him at Uncle Rahul's birthday celebrations."

He could feel his father frown across the phone, displeasure filling his voice. Wonderful.

"Prithvi, that bastard did that? And Rahul ji didn't even inform me! Thank you for telling me this, Raju. Your brother needs to know his place."

" I have only one sibling. And it's a sister." he said matter of factly.

"Yes, yes Raju." Bhairav Singh Reddy sighed, having grown older with the years, "Your mother almost tore the house down. She couldn't understand that Prithvi is just there to hone you. Why should I bother about him with my Raju and Choti still around? You need to come and stop her moping. It's wearing me down, Raju."

Rajkumar couldn't help a smile at hearing his mother yell in the background, "I am not moping!"

"Please pass the phone to Ammaji."

As soon as she got the phone, Nirali Reddy spouted words like she had grasped her lifeline.

"Raj, come fast before I and your sister lose our place in this home to some nobody's son." her tone had venom in it and Bhairav didn't even try to yell back as usual.

Everyone knew that this was Nirali's reverse scales and touching it could burn a house down.

Prithvi was the son of a former household staff, his existence bringing back memories that she didn't want to recall. And at the same time, it offended her, was an affront on her otherwise happy marriage with Bhairav. He was not to blame, truly, but there was no way that her husband's son from another woman and anything related to him would make her feel good.

Even though it was over two decades past, Nirali still remembered the night she had threatened to leave Bhairav with the twins still in her womb if he entered that bastard of his into the official family register, forcing his hand to have a distant relative adopt him and give him their last name - Malholtra in exchange for financial support.

Bhairav had felt a bit reluctant at that time because in the end, Prithvi was still his son. But he couldn't afford to lose Nirali and their children together. And so, they had Rajkumar and Choti, his sister and officially, his 'first' child. Choti was older by ten minutes but she had married out, forfeiting the position of heir to her younger brother.

But all this was no longer important. Too much time had passed for these events to bother Rajkumar.

He shook his head and laughed at his mother's tantrums. She could make a huge fuss for nothing.

"Are you now laughing at me, Rajkumar?"

"No", he chuckled, "No, Ammaji. It's just that you know Prithvi cannot do anything. He is a stepping stone. Stop fussing or you might get sick, Ammaji, and I and Choti don't want that."

Nirali humphed at her son's words, but anyone could tell she was in a better mood by now.

"By the way, your sister came home two days back with her stepkids. I ensured they were given everything that your niece, Kevina, got."

He nodded in approval.

"You did well, Ammaji. But they are all my nieces and nephew, aren't they?" he reminded, laughing at the end.

Nirali snorted at his words.

"It's too hypocritical! I will just watch you and your sister pretend."

He laughed even harder at her words. It was at that point that Bhairav snatched the phone away.

"It's too much nonsense, woman!"  "You!"

"Papaji, let Amma have some fun. Don't be too stuck-up. It's the twenty-first century."

"It's you that is encouraging her too much. Anyways," his voice turned serious, " when are you getting married? Since you decided to become a doctor, you need someone who can help you run things. And I have someone in mind."

There was a slight pause and Rajkumar rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming on at this topic. He felt he knew who Papaji was referring to.

"Manmeet Chatterjee?" he asked lazily, looking towards the figure lying still on the bed.

"Yes." Bhairav's tone was surprised, " You were schoolmates but I didn't think you would remember her after all these years."

"Me too, Papaji." he glanced at his phone which was ringing for an incoming call, "Papaji, can we finish this discussion tomorrow when I am back home? There is something that I need to do."

"Okay, Raju. Good night."

"Good night. Extend it to Ammaji for me."

The call cut and he picked up the incoming one. It was from the staff downstairs.

"Are the police here?"

Pause.

"Okay. I will be down in just a minute."

Rajkumar drained the tub and took a quick shower before donning a T-shirt that he had a staff retrieve from Veer's suite, not even bothering to towel-dry. Before he left, he took a deep look at the woman that was still sleeping on the bed, not aware that she was in a man's room, and shook his head. For someone whose tales of meticulousness were widely touted, she was careless.

But then again, Manmeet Chatterjee was an enigma that way. Back in high school, Rajkumar couldn't help being drawn to her. It was nothing emotional. It was just that the vibes that she gave him were that of a fighter, of someone like him. They were so alike and yet so different. And he had to admit, the woman had beaten his expectations. Funny enough, it was like watching his daughter grow. At this crazy thought, Rajkumar's eyes settled on Manmeet Chatterjee's face and body. It was like watching artwork that was so alluring it could kill. Beautiful, desirable, and crazy dangerous.

He chuckled. What shit daughter? That was his last thought before walking out the door.