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“And that’s wonderful,” she replied with poisoned politeness. “How do you measure true success? With public service brownie points? By that barometer, Harsh has been providing people with joy, entertainment and dollops of happiness with his movies. With money? We’ve already established he out earns all of you at this table.” She held up a finger and wagged it at his father. “We are not counting generational wealth and property here. Just pure earning potential. Which brings us to education…which seems to be important to you.” She cocked her head, her voice going soft. “I have a PhD Mamagaru and I’m sitting here at your table, unemployed and directionless, married to a man so I don’t get stoned for opening my mouth and saying tactless, thoughtless things.”
“Clearly you haven’t learned your lesson,” his father rumbled at her, his hackles seeming to subside a little.
“Clearly I haven’t,” she acknowledged. “But have you? If Harsh’s education was such a failure, what did you all, the adults at this table do about it? How did you help him? Did you bother to find out why he struggled?”
Harsh stiffened. She wouldn’t, would she? He’d told her about his learning disorder in confidence.
She didn’t. Even in the midst of her tirade, she kept his secret.
Nobody answered her. Harsh saw Agastya’s hand clench around his table napkin, his self-flagellation flying full steam ahead.
“I’ve known Harsh for less time than anyone at this table and I already know something about him that none of you do.”
“And what is that?” His father looked strangely intrigued now.
“You don’t deserve him.” She looked directly at Harsh as she added, “None of us do.”
Forty-Eight
RAASHI
She held Harsh’s father’s ferocious stare for far longer than she would have thought she was capable of. Anant had taken the best of her will and spine and moulded it to suit him and his needs. Raashi had spent the last few years clawing her way back to a semblance of her own self. But it had been Harsh…Harsh and his annoying yet gentle friendship that had given her a safe space to land.
And land, she had. She would use that landing patch to fire herself into space if she needed to, to defend this man. He was the best of them and if everyone here couldn’t see it, she was going to physically peel their eyelids back until they could.
“Is this the upbringing you’ve given your daughter, Gadde Garu,” her father-in-law finally said. She wasn’t sure but she thought she saw grudging if irritated respect in his eyes.
“It would seem it is,” her father replied. He paused a beat before adding, “Looks like I did a damn good job.”
Her eyes shot to her father who smiled at her. Raashi rolled her eyes. Trust him to take credit for something he had no part of. Ram laughed, a muffled snort that broke the tension around the table.
Until, Harsh pushed back from it with a screech of his chair. He was about to leave the room when Ram stopped him.
“Harsh? Stay. My father and I need to discuss something with the entire family.”
Raashi’s blood chilled at the words. She looked over at Harsh who was still standing, his entire body locked down, face closed off, a statue with a beating heart. She searched his face for a clue to what he was thinking or feeling but there was nothing. The Harsh she knew wasn’t available in that moment.
And yet, he stayed. He didn’t storm off.
“We’ll go to the study,” her father-in-law said. “For privacy.”
With unspoken agreement, the entire bunch finished breakfast in silence. Everyone but Harsh who only stared blankly at his repulsively green smoothie. She followed the horde down to the massive study on the ground floor of the house. If Agastya Anna’s workspace was impressive but functional, this one was a shrine to the Chief Minister’s seat.
Holy shit! She’d been mouthing off to the Chief Minister of her state! Raashi was still sweating lightly and marvelling at everything that had played out when her father said, “Kodela Garu, about this Madhavan boy…”
“I know.” Mamagaru waved a hand in the air. “Agastya told me. How big of a problem is he?”
Her father’s jaw clenched, a muscle ticking in it. “Clearly a bigger one than I had earlier judged him to be.”
“Don’t worry,” Harsh’s father smirked. “You’re only a news man after all. This isn’t your forte. Leave it to us. We will sort that little rat out in a minute.”
Raashi’s father looked torn between offense and laughter. “I have years of dirt that a ‘simple news man’ put together. We could use that.”
“I have more,” Agastya said from his spot in the corner. “I have exactly what we need to bury him and keep him there.”
Harsh still hadn’t spoken. Not one word. His face stayed blank and impassive. A cold kernel of fear unfurled in the pit of Raashi’s belly. What was happening? What was going on in his head?
“Is it a secret?” Ram asked sarcastically, when Agastya didn’t say anything more. Agastya held one finger up in the air as he checked something on his phone.
