Shape of the Sun

Where is Choti?

The next morning 

Reddy Mansion

Nirali's nervousness was infectious even when she was asleep, fitful and complete with stirrings.

Only Bhairav knew the little ways he was from getting up from his seat and heading for the police station. Despite a late-night call with Rajkumar who repeatedly mentioned that Choti was a full-grown adult, he had made the decision to call the police as soon as he had woken up and heard no news from his daughter.

Bhairav didn't delude himself by involving his son-in-law, that wasteful bastard. All he knew was that as soon as Choti turned up, she was divorcing him even if he had to force her hand to the papers. That was at the top of the list but in the future. The person in question was yet to be found as his contacts over at the police force were keeping him posted on the search, which couldn't be too conspicuous given his identity.

It was a double burden, a blessing and a curse.

He took a sip from the herbal tea in a bid to calm his nerves. But it felt tasteless on his tongue and scalded the roof off his mouth, another double tragedy, so that he wondered why he even bothered. Bhairav set down the teacup on the table and reached for his phone instead.

The doorbell double ring had him place it down almost immediately. Ritesh, diligent as ever, had beaten him to it and the anxious father could only pray that it was his AWOL child.

And yes, it was his child at the door. Just not the one on his mind at the moment.

While dealing with disappointment, Bhairav also had concern crop up. Prithvi looked so out of it, like he had been running and only just got some respite. Was this something targeted? Should he also keep Raju posted on this?

First things first though. All these thoughts crossed his mind as he moved to his first child to cross the distance between them. Bhairav signaled Ritesh to get a glass of water before shifting his attention to Prithvi who was trembling on the couch, overcome. Something about it disturbed the older man and he sat down in the space beside his son while his headspace figured out a gentle way to discuss the matter. Bhairav thought he couldn't let one child go wrong again. Look at the one he had stayed up all night for.

"What is it, Prithvi? Wait, wait have this."

Bhairav took the water that Ritesh had brought in and gave it to Prithvi. He watched him eagerly drink the whole thing, the action lifting off a bit of his foul mood. After, Prithvi returned the glass to Birjesh and tried speaking only to be interrupted a second time.

"Wait, Prithvi. Let's go to my study."

The younger man followed his father, no questions asked. They had both heard the noise from upstairs, prompting the move, as Bhairav didn't want to upset Nirali any more than she was. The compliance of his first child both pleased him and made him feel guilty all at once. He owed the child a lot, he thought.

The man totally missed the resentful look on Prithvi's face, coupled with clenched fists. And then, as if recalling something, his fists loosened and his expression turned subtle, almost content even, the speed at which his emotions changed terrifying. And as they got to the study door, Prithvi switched to a worried look, the same one that he had come in with.

They were always such suckers for it.

******************************************************************************

Elsewhere at the same time.

It was a Mumbai morning and it was cold like all Mumbai mornings often were.

The woman couldn't remember her name. It was Sonam or something close in the past, but the long years and the stress of work had made her forget. It wasn't a problem though, she barely had reason to use it.

Today was different, she didn't know yet.

The woman stuffed greying hair under a wig and picked up the two trash bags with the intent to haul them into the trashcan. They were heavy and stunk like shit, but she had no choice if she was to have enough money to eat this month.

One. Two. Go.

The bags entered the trash and she rolled them out back so that the pickup truck didn't miss it. A quick walk back to the now-empty spot where her cleaning supplies were, exposed her to a sight that would forever horrify her.

A far younger woman lay silent on the ground, her body bruised and bloodied. She had almost nothing on, so the other woman hoped it wasn't what she thought as her legs gained the power of their own and took off to the nearest security post.

She needed help from someone, anyone.

"Someone help! Help, there is a woman here! She might be dead!"