Hamesha, Yours!

-3-

A soft but firm knock came through the door. Manik groaned in sleepiness at the disturbance and cringed at the evening sun rays that pierced into his eyes. The knock called out to him again and a voice came along,

"Manik!"

"Dad!" he received his voice from the bed, "Come in! The door's open."

"I know but still!" Mr. Malhotra replied to him, standing at the agar door.

"You are up so early?" he questioned and rubbed his eyes.

"My dear hung-over son, it's 1.30 in the evening!" Mr. Malhotra stated and picked up a broken lamp.

Embarrassed, Manik slipped on his slippers and took the piece from him, "I'll do it later!"

"No!" Mr. Malhotra replied sharply. "You'll do it yet again! You're doing it since the last one month. Coming home late. A lap breaks every morning, Manik."

"You forgot. We party after every concert as per "Fab 5 tradition"!" Manik cut him with a mock.

Mr. Malhotra paid no heed to his interruption and continued,

"There's nothing new in it and neither in the fact that a brand-new lamp stands here today, yet again. Indeed, my knowledge about lamps has grown a million times. Do you think, son, I should change my business and adventure in lamps? I mean, they seem profitable knowing that everyone in the world goes through heart-break and tough times." Mr. Malhotra coolly said and picked up the rest of the pieces efficiently.

"Dad.." Manik dulked and sighed a bit trying to mellow Mr. Malhorta's sarcastic mockery of him.

"What? I didn't say anything. I am just sharing a business adventure with you. Come on, don't you see the promise in it? Till the time humans are here on this planet, heart-break adn change would be there, and well, so it seems, lamp-breaking too! It holds potential."

"No, it doesn't." Manik disregarded him and walked towards his drawer to pullout a fresh pair of clothes for the day.

"No?" Mr. Malhotra said astonished, "Aha! That means lamp-breaking is gonna change soon! I don't have to order more from Amazon everyday? Aw.. that's sad, I had selected so many, so many of them to be broken by you. They are all so beautiful."

"They are all black, dad!" Manik stated obviously.

"Oh come on! Black is beautiful! You know dark, mysterious. But, the others were different, you don't know, there were ones with musical notes and hearts on them too!"

"Dad!" Manik snapped back at him lightly.

"What? You don't want to break those relations too? Or just not yet? Tell me, I'll order accordingly. Oh, if you are unsure we can just keep them in the store room!" Mr. Malhotra said excitedly and sat on the bed crossed legged.

"Just don't. I'm going for a bath and please spend your money wisely!" Manik said and closed the bathroom door.

"Spend your money wisely!" Mr. Malhotra mimicked Manik in his voice, "Heartbroken, useless brat. Pull up your game, Manik! She didn't write about you wasting my money on lamps, you idiot. Pardh leta school mein, toh tera kya jata? Mere pese bachte lamps par se!" Mr. Malhotra called out to him and banged the bathroom door with a light fist.

Manik's reply never reached him but the immediate sound of running water conveyed him that he was being wisely ignored.

---------

"Nandini Murthy, get up right now!" Harshad's voice boomed in the hallway.

Nandini growned into her pillow and snuggled in further.