“I didn’t call about Banlay,” Aakash rumbled. “I called to talk to my baby girl. I’m worried about you being stuck in that mess, all alone.”
Vedika smiled. “I’m fine. Truly. And I’m not alone. Daksh is here, Ashish’s brother.”
“Oh right, I forgot. He’s the older one, right?”
“Yeah.” Vedika nodded though her father couldn’t see her. “He is.”
“He’s the good looking one.” Her mother’s voice came through suddenly. Her father must have had the phone on speaker. “I looked him up online.”
Vedika stiffened. “Are you trying to say Ashish isn’t good looking?”
“Well,” Kanak sounded abashed as she backpedalled. “Of course not, I’m just saying the brothers don’t really resemble each other. One is rugged and sexy and the other is…nice.”
“Stop talking sweetheart,” her father interjected. “Vedu, do you need anything?”
“No Pa,” she murmured, hiding a smile. “I’m good.”
There was a moment’s silence and then her mother said, sounding surprised, “You do sound good.”
“I am.”
“You sound…relaxed.”
“Didn’t I tell you to stop talking?” Aakash murmured.
“When have I ever done what you’ve asked me to do?” Vedika’s mother countered.
“It would have been nice if it had happened for once,” her father grumbled.
Vedika grinned, her heart settling at the sound of their familiar bickering.
“Vedu,” her mother said now, her voice lowering to a shady whisper.
“Yes?” Vedika whispered, automatically mimicking her mother.
“Is he there? Ashish’s brother?”
Vedika’s gaze flicked over to where Daksh was sprawled out, his eyes closed.
“Yes,” she whispered cautiously.
“Is he as good looking in person as he is online?”
Vedika muffled a laugh as her father groaned. Her mother, it would appear, had fallen down the rabbit hole of cyber stalking Daksh. Vedika didn’t blame her. She’d spent a little time surfing that same hole last night.
“Better,” she replied now.
Kanak squealed and laughed. “Oh my God. That man won the genetic lottery, didn’t he?”
“He did, Ma. He won every lottery ever invented in that department.”
“Alright ladies,” Aakash good naturedly cut them off. “I’m sitting right here.”
“You could just go away,” Kanak offered.
Vedika was laughing too hard to even pretend to be stealthy now. She glanced over at Daksh and saw him smiling back at her.
And for this little sliver of time, she forgot all about her million and one worries and laughed, allowing herself to just be.
