Shape of the Sun

On the washroom floor

"Hello?" he sleepily whispered into the phone, causing Manmeet to stir beside him. Rajkumar stretched a hand to steady her before getting up from the bed and heading for the washroom, feet shuffling across the carpeted floor.

He hadn't quite woken up yet. That was why his response was quite slow.

"Raju, it's me."

"I know, papaji. Give me a minute." He placed his phone atop the toilet cover.

Rajkumar turned on the faucet and placed his hands under the warm water that rushed out. Then, he cupped and splashed some on his face. It felt good for real. Rajkumar did it again. And again. And again.

Then, he stopped and stared at the mirror and at the water stains on the surface. Manmeet hated water stains, she liked things spick and span. He had never heard anyone use that phrase in real life before her, huh.

His lover taught him the most every day. There was a gentleness in his eyes just thinking of her. Rajkumar wanted to go back to her this instant.

It was not to be, however.

"Raju?" Bhairav couldn't help the silence that ensued after the sound of rushing water went off. What the hell was that boy doing over there?  

The referenced boy was wiping his face with a towel he had yanked off the rail. Rajkumar had completely forgotten that his father was still on the line. He hung the towel around his neck and picked up the phone. He sat down on the toilet seat and turned on hands-free.

Charcoal eyes swept past the cotton pajamas that he had found while rummaging through the closet after the podcast. Apparently, the hotel owner was Japanese. Such marvelous service.

"I'm here, papaji. Good morning."

"Good morning, Raju. Am I interrupting?"

"No, no. Manmeet is sleeping and I am in the washroom. Is anything the matter? How is Choti, by the way?" He had thought about her a bit at night.

His father's response was rather interesting.

"Well, I am actually calling about a matter connected to her."

"What is it? Is she okay?" Rajkumar rose to his feet as he spoke, ready to wake Manmeet up. But Bhairav's next words had him back down. He hurried to dispel his son's worries, sensing how tense he was.

"There is nothing wrong with your sister. She is fine. This is actually about Mahesh."

"Oh." What more could he say? He was not even remotely interested in that asshole. His fists were still itching for some more action even now as he sat. 

"Oh? Raju, Mahesh was found dead this morning, as well as the other men that...harmed your sister." It was such a difficult word for a father to say.

It was also difficult for Rajkumar to hear. He was shocked.

"How? When? What happened to them?"

"I don't know exactly what happened. But they were found foaming at the mouth."

"What? Has to be some kind of poison. Are the police carrying out an autopsy?"

"Yeah. I just got off the phone with the SP and he confirmed this."

Rajkumar ran a hand through his hair, asking the question that tugged at his mind.

"Am I a suspect?"

"What?"

"I hit Mahesh yesterday, so I'm not quite sure if..."

"No, no Raju. You have nothing to do with this okay? Don't think too much. They won't dare to harass you because of that bastard."