“Atharva, no,” Iram warned. And he instantly dropped it. The entire table burst out laughing. Including Samar. He hadn’t smiled this much in… he didn’t remember how long. Maybe during their initial founding years. After that, things had become solemn, gritty. Blood had been painted on their paths to protect the party and their future. Everything had become serious, at least, for him.
Samar eyed the table now, populated with all the people he had started the adulthood of his life with, now with partners and children. He had a partner, a potential partner here too. If this did not make a man want to climb out of the well, then nothing could.
His eyes stopped at Yathaarth. He was asleep on Iram.
“He slept?” Samar exclaimed, realising that he had said it out loud. Iram glanced down, patting at his head. She smiled back up at him — “He can fall asleep anywhere.” She got to her feet, Sarah following her to deposit the baby inside a cot that they had set up beside the table.
“You used to sleep in the back of transport vehicles on our way into missions sometimes,” Samar said softly to Atharva.
He smiled — “Good times.”
“I was worried for your mental health if you could fall asleep just before launching a strike.”
“You slept for four hours a day. Somebody had to sleep for both of us.”
Samar chuckled. “Lately I have been sleeping a lot more.”
“It’s the recovery. Take it easy. I still think you should not jump into Himachal… and before you throw it at me that I don’t trust you with HDP, listen.”
Samar held his words in tight. Atharva leaned towards him, their chairs close enough for them to talk without anybody overhearing. The table was anyway filled with commotion too happy to care about them.
“You both are not on the same page.” Atharva made a gesture with his eyes that didn’t even need to point to Amaal. “Something is wrong. I won’t ask what, that’s your personal matter, unless you want to talk. But this is the age to build this life up. Work will wait if it has to. We can loosen resources from KDP for you to dispatch them across Himachal. Take the funds, take the people if needed. But stay back here and make base in Jammu and Srinagar if you want to remain close to her.”
“Hello, Begumjaan.” Samar deadpanned. “It’s been a while.”
Die.Atharva mouthed. He chuckled, but shook his head. “My way to her goes through my work.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
He stared at Atharva, ready to talk but having so much to say that he didn’t know where to start. This clearly wasn’t the place either.
“Later.” He sighed, taking his arms off the table as it was cleared. Platters of desserts were laid down, including ice cream bowls, some kind of cake and Amaal’s barfi.
“Where’s mango ice cream?” Atharva called out to Iram.
“You believed it?” She asked. “Mango season is still a month away, Janab.”
“Why would you lie to me about mango?”
“To make you take the Sunday off. Look, your Ministers and Party President and especially your Press Secretary are so happy.”
Amaal was mid-yawn. Everybody stared. And she broke into a sheepish grin.
“Look, look.” Iram pointed at her. “She hasn’t been getting enough sleep.”
“That’s due to her romantic comedy marathon,” Samar smirked.
“Which romantic comedy marathon?” Iram grabbed Amaal’s shoulder. She did not answer.
“Fifty shades.” Samar filled in for her.
Adil spat the water he was drinking. At him.
“Watch it.” He grabbed the napkin from his lap, patting at his chest.
“Fifty shades?”
“Romantic comedy?” Iram laughed.
