Shape of the Sun

Lessons in saving your damsel in distress

Rajkumar watched Papaji literally kick Choti out in disbelief. The hysterical manner she kept yelling 'dadda' was inappropriately funny, and he had his phone out before he knew it, recording away.

Hell, his elder sister was a vibe.

How she wasn't still able to hear Papaji's footsteps was beyond Rajkumar. They were heavy and deliberate, he'd never hide them from anyone who cared to listen, and Rajkumar was able to know he was approaching the door as he'd always done since they were children. That always resulted in situations like today - he'd be able to make a dash for it, and his left-behind sister was too outspoken to sidle her way out of trouble.

In retrospect, he owed her a lot, Rajkumar thought as he entered his room and shut the door behind him. But she also owed him a lot, like his sleep and peace of mind. He couldn't stop thinking about her words now.

Manmeet Chatterjee had expressed disinterest in him. Huh.

There were a few times that Rajkumar Reddy found himself blindsided, and this was one of those rare moments. His ambivalence on marriage between him and Manmeet was so obvious to anyone who cared to see, yet he felt a certain resistance to hearing of the woman rejecting him. It was hard not to, really. Manmeet Chatterjee was charming, with an air around her that drove him wild. Whatever this thing was they had going on in between them was an unhealthy dose of fascination. It was more than skin deep, their worldview that was in perfect sync, and the natural way they claimed their attraction to each other. If there was anything Rajkumar didn't have the patience for, it was a woman who thought that life was an Indian drama series of two thousand episodes.

He liked it real and straight to the point. Coincidentally, Manmeet felt the same way as he did, their glassy view of life as clear as the day was. And that, he felt, was the problem. It was too dangerous to stay any further, or he'd get addicted. He'd succumb to this breathing, walking, fatal dose of whatchamacallit called Manmeet Chatterjee. He'd begin drinking poison to quench his thirst. She did him that way.

If this had been a different time, Rajkumar knew he'd have married her without much hesitation. It was rare for him to find someone who kept him up on his toes all day. But the timing now was wrong. There were still a lot of things that he had to do in the UK, important things that he couldn't risk losing for some bit of fevered passion. It was quite brusque of him to say this, but Manmeet Chatterjee didn't have enough weight in his mind to put a foot down.

And yet, he mused, picking out a red suit from his wardrobe for tomorrow's event, she was the one he wanted to call right now. Rajkumar was itching to hear her voice and what she had to say, he wanted to hear her speak, enough to wonder how she had rejected him in front of Choti. Was it firm, as solid as a rock to show her stance? Or was it hesitant, was it shaky, as if unsure when she said it? Did she take a pause between her words, did she huff as his name and the words 'no' rolled off her tongue? Was she anxious?

Now, he wanted to see her. Rajkumar reached into his pocket for his phone. He'd have to make do with what he had.

Manmeet Chatterjee picked up on the first ring. Her voice was thick with anxiety, thick enough for him to feel it at the other end.

"Rajkumar? Is that you?"

"Manmeet? What's the matter?" He frowned at the strangeness in her tone. "Are you okay?"

"No Rajkumar, I'm not. Can you imagine that my parents have been calling all night because my sister's flight came in and she took off to who knows where? How could she do such a thing? And now, I don't know what to do?"

Manmeet was truly helpless. How could Gunjan be so thoughtless? If she wanted to meet up with a friend after her arrival, the least she could have done was to call their parents. Now Mama was calling her in a panic, causing her to panic as well. It was when she was trying to book an immediate flight this night to Shimla that Rajkumar called.

He tried to calm her down.

"Calm down, Chatterjee. It's no use panicking now, okay? The most important thing right now is that we find your younger sister."

"That's the thing, Rajkumar. I and my parents have made calls to all her friends that we know but none of them seem to know where she is and the police are uncooperative, saying she has been missing for less than twenty-four hours. I'm thinking of heading home tonight. I'm sorry that I have to bail out on you tomorrow."

"Hey now, don't do something so careless. Don't you have to present something there for Arora tomorrow? Manmeet, I know a few people in the police force over there. Let me make a few calls, okay?"

"...Okay."

"Trust me, okay? Let me make a few calls, Manmeet."

"Alright. Thank you so much, Rajkumar."

"Don't sweat it."

As soon as he terminated the call, Rajkumar dialed another number. This pickup wasn't immediate, but he patiently waited. On the third ring, someone took the call on the other end and Rajkumar didn't hesitate to get a word in.

"Uncle Joshi, it's me, Rajkumar Reddy." His tone was a bit respectful.

The jovial voice of an elderly man came off the phone.

"Ah, Rajkumar my boy! How is your father? And your sister, Priyanka right?"

"Yes, uncle. They are all fine." he tried to mask his impatience, "Uncle, I wanted to ask for a favor. It's for a friend."

"Alright, go ahead."

"Thank you. Uncle, my father mentioned that your son was now the regional police head in Shimla. I was wondering if he could help me find a person?"

"No problem. What's this person's name? And send me a picture to send to him."

"Gunjan Chatterjee. That's her name. Let me send you the picture."

"That's alright. I will wait."

"Thank you so much, Uncle."

"No, no Rajkumar. Your father is an old friend and this is the least I can do."

"Thank you. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Rajkumar waited for him to end the call and quickly pulled up Instagram. He took a screenshot of Gunjan's selfie on Manmeet's feed and WhatsApped it to Mr. Joshi's cell. He called Manmeet immediately after doing that.

"Manmeet, you okay? I have called someone who will help find your sister."

"Thank you so much, Rajkumar. I really don't know what to say to you right now."

"I'd rather you save it till when she is found safe and sound."

"Okay well...Rajkumar!" her voice suddenly turned excited, "Rajkumar, my parents just texted me that the police have found her! They found her! Thank you so much, really. You don't know how grateful I really am."

Rajkumar felt immense pleasure at the genuine excitement and appreciation in her voice when speaking to him. He felt like this was how the world should be. What was all the nonsense Choti was spouting earlier? Tch, that irresponsible sister of his. Any trace of guilt towards her for his actions today quickly disappeared. Look, how can this Manmeet Chatterjee reject me?

He laughed, now comfortably in his element. Still, he didn't forget to send a concise thank you text to Mr. Joshi. Rajkumar knew when to be thankful.

"Haha, my girl. Look at you being so happy."

Manmeet was able to laugh now at his flippant tone since Gunjan had been found okay. And she did.

"Goodness Rajkumar, you are something else really."

"I know, love. I know."

Manmeet said nothing about his endearing term for her, which made him chuckle a bit.

"So..I'd see you tomorrow then?"

"Yes, Rajkumar."

"You sure? You'd better not bail on me or I'd go full caveman-style on you."

"Oh, Rajkumar." he could hear her smile through her voice, "I won't. I don't want a Rajkumar Reddy caveman after me."

"You don't. Goodnight, Manmeet Chatterjee."

"Goodnight...Raj."

...Oh. So, it was Raj now? That was the last thing he thought before the call fell through.