Together Forever

Chapter 72: Disaster

Aditya's toes wiggled inside his formal shoes. Shekhar, of all times took pleasure in depth reading the file when he forwarded it to get the final approval with signatures.

"I heard you have a meeting. Aren't you running late?" Shekhar grabbed a pen from the desk not catching an eye with his son. Rather, he focused on the papers.

"Less than an hour and thirty." He really needed to hurry, Aditya glanced at his wrist watch and back to his father who now looked up to him,

"I can leave. Only if you are done with that file approval." That instant, the screech sound of the pen followed, "You could have got it last night."

Yesterday had been hectic. Aditya hardly batted an eye throughout the day, forget about lunch. Then after a long shift he returned only to know Pavithra got the flu.
Madam wouldn't tell him.

So the entire day turned chaotic that the file consent matter easily slipped off his mind. Only a while ago Aditya recollected the missed detail and he rushed here.

"Should I take it as your ignorance or your carelessness?" The silence spoke for Aditya and Shekhar knew what it meant. He extended the file to him.

"It won't happen again." Aditya stood up to leave once he got hands over the file. Mistake was his and he shall make sure to not repeat it again.

"When you strive to attain your own happiness, you forget what's in your hands. Small things will become big one day. What will you do then?" Shekhar asked.

Aditya shut off his lashes for a moment of annoyance. He had no time to entertain his father- not now. Definitely not where this topic will lead them to.

"It was one time father. And it will be once and the last. Now, with your permission." He turned his heel to leave.

"Focus on business. I wouldn't have a say for the rest of your matters." Shekhar clasped his empty fingers and leaned on the chair.

"Rest of my matters?" He turned. There was a distance, for Aditya almost reached the door. But stopped only on those words.

"Anything that does not include professionalism." Shekhar looked away, "I will not interfere in your personal life."

"You wouldn't care for my personal choices as long as I run the business well?" Aditya reframed the same dialogue for a proper understanding.

But when Shekhar said yes, words vanished away. Aditya should have been happy. His father would not be a hindrance to any of his private choices.

But he wasn't happy. He disliked or even many times, hated the methods Shekhar implied on him. Yet, there was not a single day he ever made him feel like an outsider.

Shekhar barged about Aditya being his son. Definitely not on his face but to others and they always reached him.

"So-- I am your person who manages business and nothing else?" A son for namesake?- Aditya pushed down the surge of emotions in his throat. Shekhar agreed in a trance.

"You refuse to give your opinions, give away that right of being my father and all that matters is my performance in my professional life?"

Pain laced over his words, enough to bring Shekhar back to see his ached features, "No, Adi--" but he held a hand out and refused to look his way, "Don't."

"Make sure you abide by your saying then." Aditya spoke instead. Voice distant and one glance- Shekhar could see his slightly reddened eyes.

Reins of his father's around his neck can no longer control him. Suffocate him. It was gone and the freedom he wanted was bestowed to him.