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"Bhai," I winced as Aakash Bhai dragged me into the living room. All the family members rushed downstairs after he broke the vase, which had only barely touched him.
"Now tell me what you were fucking doing, Kiaan, when I told you not to associate with him!" he roared, reaching for another vase.
"Watch your tone when you're talking to my daughter, Aakash," Papa interrupted, grabbing Aakash Bhai's hand to stop him. He glared at Papa, but didn't make another move.
"This is the last time. Next time, you'll be out of this house, off this property—maybe out of this planet—if you humiliate my daughter like this again," Papa's calm but deadly voice lowered the room's temperature by a good fifteen degrees.
"This is between me and my sister, Dad," Aakash Bhai snapped, ready to step towards me again when Papa yanked him back, muttering something under his breath.
Their argument dragged on when I suddenly felt a small hand on my wrist. Vinay, half-asleep, softly blew on it.
"Now all the pain will go awayyy," he said with a drowsy smile, and I felt guilty for disturbing everyone.
"It has to, since such a pretty little boy blew it away," I replied, kneeling down to his level as I noticed the room's atmosphere. Everyone looked tense, except for Sarah and Naisha, who seemed as uninterested as ever, while Agam Bhaiya and Shanaya were quietly explaining bits of the situation to the others.
"Aakash seriously needs some therapy. What's up with this over-possessiveness? Isha is not a kid anymore; she can make her own decisions," I could hear Vinay's mom, Diya Di's voice, getting clearer with each step as she came and picked him up.
"I'm not a pretty little boy, Ishaaa, I'm a pretty big boy," he grumbled, drawing a chuckle from me as Diya Di almost lost hold of him.
Thank God, he was within reach as I caught him.
"Mumma," he cried out, and I immediately steadied him. Diya Di looked at him for another second as her face paled, then walked away. Out of all the people I know, this woman and her best friend need the most therapy.
"Vinay, you just said you're a big boy, then why are you crying baby?" I asked, running my hand through his hair.
"I'm not crying, and it's big boy, not baby," he sniffed before recovering. Maa came and took him from my arms as she silenced the argument behind me.
"I'll kick you two out of the solar system if this continues in my house," she warned, her voice a couple of decibels higher than usual.
Then, turning to me, she added, "And you—I'll deal with you tomorrow. Don't think you've been spared."
Maa's words silenced everyone. Like always, we all obediently followed her lead. Some family members giggled but quickly stopped when she shot them a glare.
