Vodka on the rocks

Ebullience [ An OS - Ft. OCs]

Raghav smiled fondly looking at his plate. It was almost unnoticeable but his sharp hawk like eyes had caught the difference. The idli was slightly towards the rounder side than the perfect elliptical which was the usual fare. The cook had been given a holiday today it seemed. He closed his eyes and heard the faint rustle of her saree coming from the kitchen. 

It was a particularly beatific morning. The chirping of the birds was embellished by the slight rustling of the autumn leaves. The temperature was mercifully temperate and he could almost smell the petrichor from last night's impromptu shower.  

He dipped a perfectly cut piece of the idli in the coconut chutney and put it in his mouth, savouring the delicate balance of the flavour gently. 

Time had softened the perpetual storm which raged inside him. 

Or maybe that was love. 

He heard the footsteps and the light bicker even before they came in sight and smiled again. His momentary morning peace will be soon broken mercilessly. And he was looking forward to that as usual. Another thing which had changed was that he was smiling quite a bit nowadays. The slight laughter lines and crows feet beside his eyes were becoming prominent as the days passed. 

But the paparazzi still loved his looks. The world remained bedazzled as they gushed how Raghav Rao seemed to age like fine wine. He had let the slight strands of silver in his still thick hair grow, frowning at the idea of a hair dye and his muscles though loosening just a bit with age still hardened like wiry architecture sculpted over his tall frame. 

He looked at the freshly changed bandage over the knuckles of his right hand and smirked this time. Some unfortunate souls yesterday had gotten it hammered in their thick skulls that Raghav Rao can still pack quite a punch when necessary. 

And the voices got louder with the two people reaching the breakfast table. 

".....wenty million for one percent of the company. What kind of a pitch was that. I repeatedly told Grover to not go for that before we see the opening bid but then men and their over large egos."

The woman completed and her company, the man who was at least a foot taller than her sighed dramatically. 

"I agree with your assessment whole heartedly. That was a pretty stupid move and Grover has an ego the size of Mt. Everest but come one Bhabs, don't put all of us in the same category."

The woman chuckled heartily and slapped the man on his bicep with genuine fondness. 

"Alright alright my dear Devarji, sorry for generalizing. I was just ranting."

The two laughed in unison and then spotted Raghav who was looking at them with a raised eyebrow quietly. 

"Good morning Nana! You are up quite early today."

The man went and gave Raghav a half hug warmly leaning his six feet two frame astride as Raghav remained seated yet accepted the hug gracefully and slipped in a chair at his right. The woman followed and took the left chair at his other side and gave him quite a worried look. 

"Good morning Appa but why are you up so early today? You had come home quite late yesterday na. Couldn't sleep properly? Everything alright na?"

Raghav chuckled at his daughter in law while his son stifled his own laughter from the front. 

"Calm down dear. I am perfectly alright and had a good night's sleep. Don't worry I won't faint in the middle of a board meeting again."

Chitrangada Rao frowned at that, her pretty features twisting in disapproval as her brother in law burst out laughing.