SERENDIPITY

4. THE TURNOVER

ABIR’S POINT OF VIEW

Should be sad that my dad is no more or revealed that he might not be here to use abusive terms on my mom. Before I could decide on that. My Dad’s lawyer throws the final touch of a bomb over my head.

“Come again. Who’s the other person in his will?” I question Ram Nayak. A reputed lawyer and knows all the moves of my Dad.

“I have a letter from your father that he wanted you to read.”

The short, bald man I know to be my father’s attorney hands me an envelope. I have no desire to take it, but I do anyway. I won’t read it now. Nor will I probably ever read it. Nevertheless, I put it in the inside pocket of my suit jacket.
     
“Can we get this over with?” I scoff.

I wanna get over with all this ceremony right away because the crowd is making my niece freak out. She hasn’t gone to anyone and didn’t even move her fingers from the hands that are tightly wrapped around my neck.

“We need to wait for her,” he says, and the urge to pace out my aggravation kicks at my legs.

“Is she some illegitimate daughter of his?” I know I am being rude but then.

I see her. The girl… who honestly raised my hope towards a marriage.

“I-I’m,” she stutters.

“My sister?” I lead, fixated on her reflection with an intensity that should worry me.

“No. Yes. Well-”

“It’s not a tough question. Either you are, or you’re not.” Her eyes stare into mine. She closes it and I see tears spill.  “It’s not hard.” When she still doesn’t speak, I poke a little harder. “Open your Goddamn mouth and answer me.”

God! Aroh is still here in my arms and I am cursing.
“No, Abir. He was my Guardian. Not even that but your Dad paid my university fees and helped me graduate. When I had to go through a voluntary liquidation of my fashion designing shop. He helped me.”

I am surprised by her words. I thought my Dad was selfish, cruel and greedy. I strongly believed he did show fake charity records to push himself against paying those taxes.

“Wonderful story.”

I spot my younger sister Ketki, “Abir, mom’s calling you to perform Dad’s last rights.” She takes a pause and then says, “Come to me Aroo. Kitkat aunty will take care of you.”

But my niece doesn’t go to her and holds on to me like her last hope.

“I will keep her safe here. You carry on.”

“Abir, let’s not allow other people to talk bad about our family. It’s your duty as his Son.” She tries to pull Arohi from me and she uses her loudest voice to scream and cry. “I’ll give you a Kitkat if you come to me.” But only Arohi holds onto me even harder. “Kitkat aunty will give you Kitkat.” Not even that and the way she’s giggling at her work.

“Just leave Ketki. I wasn’t his favorite child as well.”

“Abir…”

I look at Mishti. “Maybe you should go.” Her eyes are still moist. She’s trying hard not to cry. I am honestly stunned to see someone cry at my Dad’s death.

They leave me alone with my niece and Dad’s lawyer.

“Maybe you should go through his inheritance list.” The lawyer hands a big green envelope to me.

“I didn’t think my dad owned anything other than this house in his name.” I chuckle. “The telecom services he started with his cousin was a tie up between Kunal and me. The music academy goes to Ketki as she is the music manager. The penthouse goes to Aru. And this house will righteous belong to my mom.”