Shape of the Sun

Severance

10 minutes after.

"Hoo." he sharply exhaled, "Is that all?"

"Yes, father. Please punish me."

"There is no need for any of that, Prithvi. I'm just processing my thoughts."

Bhairav meant his words. He didn't know what to even think or feel right now. Prithvi's reveal left him with a so-so feeling, a mix of complicated emotions in his heart. He looked at the face of his child that looked so much like his mother and no matter how he tried to ignore it, it was always there.

The guilt, the feeling that he owed Harita was always there just beneath the surface. He and Nirali had hurt her which had driven her to do things she wouldn't have otherwise. Perhaps this was fate bringing them full circle this way.

"Stand up, there is no need for this." his eyes were on Prithvi's knees on the carpeting, "You have done nothing wrong in housing Harita. She is your mother and you have that right, son."

To his surprise, Prithvi didn't move an inch. His face was mirroring confusion, an emotion that surprised his father.

"Prithvi, what are you still doing still kneeling? I will send people to go look for her, it's okay. I even need to discuss some things with her. I am not upset so get up." he pushed his chair backward, "Or do you want me to come over and drag you up myself?"

"No, no father. You don't understand."

"Understand what? Prithvi, stop this nonsense." His patience was wearing thin.

"Stop what, father? I don't think you heard what I said. Did you miss all that?" Did he miss all that? Prithvi's panic increased at what he believed was a mixup. His emotions filtered into his voice and it disturbed Bhairav who had now risen and was making his way to the center of the study where Prithvi was kneeling.

What did this all mean? In the end, Prithvi was still his son. Could he see his child kneel for something so insignificant? What kind of a father would that make him then?

"Prithvi, stop your drama and get up this instant."

"No, father." he evaded his father's hand, "Did you miss when I said that she ran away when she saw Rajkumar on the TV? She ran away. How did you miss that?" 

Oh. Bhairav thought he had grasped the bone of contention now. Prithvi's confusion was understandable. But the same went for Harita's actions. It wasn't that he missed that. It was that he didn't and wished that he had because of the awkwardness that pervaded him.

Rajkumar had some of his features and that might have triggered her, pining or whatnot. Bhairav took one look at his son and thought that voicing his thoughts was the way to go despite the slight resistance that he felt. Whatever this was had to end now.

"Prithvi." he sighed, a hand reaching to rub the bridge of his nose, "Your mother might have seen...my face in your brother's and reacted. That's all there is to this. Now, will you stand so we can go ahead to find her?"

"No."

The firm answer shocked Bhairav so much that he refocused all his attention on his son and his hand fell to his sides. The building irritation had finally given way to anger.

"What is the meaning of this, Prithvi? You don't want to stand and neither do you want to listen? Fine, you can keep kneeling until you are ready to leave."

"Father!" Prithvi grabbed his hand, stopping his exit, "Father, listen to me. There is more that you need to hear. It's...important." The pause at the end revealed his hesitation. 

No way. Prithvi had kept this, not sure of the consequences, but every danger cell in his body was warning him to speak. This wasn't something he should further involve himself in. He'd rather swim to safety and leave that old hag to her own devices and fate. He couldn't allow her to harm him and for what? For their faux pas mother-son relationship? That bond was practically non-existent even.