“I want to buy it. End of argument.”
“It’s not an argument.”
“Then end of topic.”
“Why don’t you want me to add the money? It will still be in your name.”
She shook her head.
“Look here.”
She raised her eyes at his command.
“What is it?”
She frowned. “It was what I came here to do. If I can’t do that also, after almost a decade, then what did I even do?”
He stared at her, as if he wanted to say something more. But did not. He was maturing, Amaal grinned.
“So, it’s decided. By October 2019, you will be ready to be my husband and the Dad to my children and I will get a house for us.”
He kept staring at her, then quietly promised — “Decided.”
V: The Endgame
54. It was raining, snowing and hailing hard…
It was raining, snowing and hailing hard. Samar ran inside the door of his house and tore off his windcheater. The day just wasn’t rising today. He winced, feeling the chill in the creaks of his bones. This would be an annual thing now, winter and monsoon seasons making life hell for his body.
This one was both — February snow that had turned into a deluge down south.
He hung up his windcheater and ran his fingers through his hair, dripping hail that was melting in rivulets from the heat of the hall.
“Sir, nashta?[159]”
He nodded, pulling his mobile out of his pocket and the soaking plastic pouch. He should have just stayed put this morning. Meetings could wait. He frowned at the missed calls. His mobile, left unattended, was never without missed calls, but these were followed by messages from one single number. He clicked it and read.
His screen blacked out and lit up.
Atharva Calling…
He swiped it.
“Samar?”
“There’s been a cloudburst in Sirmaur!” He relayed, not having any other information as he hadn’t been able to read the rest of the messages.
“Yes, I just got a call from there. Who do we have there?
“Vikram Rana.”
“Aside from him?”
“About thirty odd HDP workers, most are middle-aged.”
“Hmm… This is your time to step up.”
“We should go. Not just me. I want you too. Can you come? I know you have Iram and Arth at home but I thought you would…”
