Surface

Summery: Uttara is found and so is her secret. While everything seems fine on the surface a storm brews elsewhere.
◇◇◇

Swara wonders why it doesn’t feel wrong to leave Sunny sleeping in Sanskar’s penthouse. It is the first time she had left her boy at the care of strangers who weren’t authorities of a school, but still it does not hold her heart in a restless fear. Perhaps, bringing down her guard so soon was foolish - or perhaps it is the natural reaction to her circumstances. 

Trust, she finds, comes easily when Sanskar Maheshwari is concerned. There is no pretence in the frown over his brow, the urge with which he drives or the obvious relief with which his shoulders fall when he finally sets his eyes on Uttara. 

Uttara perches herself on the arm of a sofa inside the office of VB soft. Her eyes are already puffed, half from a sleepless night in the flight and half from crying. She still wears the three blue stripe sweater that belongs to her University. Vivek kneels beside her, mutely handing her tissue after tissue to blow her nose on. 
Uttara looks up as they arrived. 

“Bhai!” she says alarmed and then turns to Vivek. “I told you not to call him!”

Vivek shrugs and stands up, his eyes shifting to Swara. 

“Mrs. Maheshwari,” he says. “Muaaf kar dijiye woh -”   

“Muaaf kaise karna hai, kiss se karna hai, hum decide karenge,” Sanskar cut him off. “Explain,” he said then, watching Vivek swallow. 

Uttara spoke up before anybody else. 

“He didn’t know. I came on my own. Bhai - Humein woh Gautam - whatever his surname is - se shaadi nahi karni!” 

Sanskar turns to raise an eyebrow at Swara. He doesn’t ask, but she knows he is referring to when she said Uttara’s marriage is not yet planned. 

“Ma is like - we will stop your studies if you don’t agree! What the hell is that -” 

“Language Tara, Ma hai woh aapki,” Sanskar says automatically. But his face has darkened. “Who is this Gautam - he asks Vivek. That Oberoi Pharmaceuticals wala?”

Uttara seizes the opportunity. 

“Wohi! Wohi!” She says. “You know how he is - that sleazy jerk. My skin crawls when I set my eyes on him! Usse shaadi karengi meri jhooti!”  

Swara swallows the laughter that bubbled out of her mouth. Even Sanskar’s mouth twitched, though he maintained his stoic expression. Uttara shrinks under his glare. When he speaks Sanskar addresses Vivek instead of Uttara.
 
“Kab se chal raha tha yeh sab?” He asks. “I assume you met when Vivek was in Australia? Hmm?”
Vivek shifted uncomfortably and Uttara reddened. 

“Bhai…!” she whines. “Why are you taking my class? You like him yourself. Aap ki kabar rakh thi thi hum - waise bhi it’s not like we eloped or something - I just came back home before that Gautam guy starts chasing after me between classes.”

“Uttara,” Vivek says slowly. “Shut up.”

“Swara can you take Uttara and go back? Raaste mein Sunny ko pick up kar lijiye I need to talk with Vivek.” Sanskar says rather darkly. 

“

No!” Uttara stumps her foot rather dramatically. Swara inwardly rolls her eyes, she had forgotten how childish her sister in law could be when needed. “I’m not going to go back to that house to listen to Gautam’s Ram kahaani!”  

“Ghar jaayiye, Tara, I will talk to Bade papa. You won’t be marrying Gautam.” Sanskar sighed. Swara reaches out to take Uttara’s hand and tug. 

“Challo,” she mouths. 

Uttara beams up at Sanskar. 

“Love you Bhai,” she says before coming to stand beside Swara. Over her shoulder she throws one last smile at Vivek before walking out. Swara follows, but manages to linger around enough to listen to the opening of the conversation inside. 

“You were talking about forgetting targets to me - huh?” 

*

Sunny protests against waking up, but together with Uttara, Swara finally manages to get him in the car and back at home. Sanskar’s promise proves to be efficient, that Durga Prasad is already informed of them evening’s happenings. He greets them in good humour. 

“Vivek is a good boy. His family is good. He is the sole owner of VB soft -” Uttara swallows what she knows of VB soft. She’d rather not hurt her chances of getting her way by exposing her cousin’s secrets. It is Annapurna who looks rather annoyed. 

“Lekin, humare barabar ka nahi hai.” She points out flatly. 

“Uttara ki mann ka toh hai,” Durga Prasad smiles, caressing his daughter’s hair. “And Sanskar speaks highly of him.”

Annapurna huffs. As if that proves her point. Swara shakes her head at their on going battle of opinions and decides instead to bid them a hasty goodnight.

Sunny needs to be put to his bed and Swara too felt the exhaustion of the day catching up.  

“Swara Beta,” Durga Prasad calls after her. “Tomorrow we have the new recruits final interviews at Maheshwari Group, head office. I want you on the board too.”

“But papa ji…”

“You don’t have to make any decisions. Just watch and learn the process. Your Nanaji will be there. Ram will be there too.” 

Annapurna huffs again. 

“Adarsh, should have been there,” she says.

“But isn’t because of his own foolishness,” Durga Prasad sounds angry at her. “I don’t want to talk about this. Swara beta, please join them in the morning. Uttara you should join your mother when she goes to distribute gifts among our charity charges tomorrow. Before your return breaks out as a scandal it is better if we put out the news that you are back in a positive light.”

Uttara’s soft agreement was the last thing Swara heare of as she climbed up carrying a sleeping Sunny in her arms. When Swara settles him in bed, tucked into his favorite blanket with owls on it - Sunny stares up at her sleepily. 

“What are you thinking Mama?” he asks, stretching out an arm to brush his fingers against a frown Swara herself was unaware of. Swara catches and presses a kiss on his palm. 

“Nothing bachcha, sojaiye ab,” she brushes her fingers through his hair. 

“Bade papa is so nice na? Kya Papa bhi aise the?” Sunny wonders aloud. Swara’s hand pauses for a moment. She feels her eyes stinging as she watches the wonder lighting up his tender face. Sunny had no memories of his father and it the impression Sanskar had left was apparent on his face.

For a moment she wonders if she could ever fill the gap Lakshya had left in Sunny’s life. Or if her boy would grow up with a little space empty in his heart and questions unanswered. Overcome, she bends down to kiss Sunny on both his cheeks. The boy giggles pushing at her. 

“It tickles Mama!” He protests. “Your hair tickles! Ehhh - I’m a big boy now, don’t need kissies!”
Swara laughs, blowing air on his pouting face. 

“Sleep now…” she brushes a hand over his face closing his eyes.

Once Sunny complies and slowly his breathing evens out, Swara steps away to open her wardrobe drawer. Beneath the files that carried documentation for both her and Sunny lay a folded photograph of Lakshya. She allowed the tips of her fingers to brush over it and slowly, carefully unfolded the photograph. 

Beside Lakshya was a woman who laughed tipping her head off, a glass of wine in her hand and stars in her eyes. Swara traced that smile with longing in her eyes. 

“Mujhse yeh sab smbhala nahi jaaraha,” she confessed in the faintest of whispers. “Why did you trust me so much? I miss you! Kaash tum hoti. Kaash I could save you! Kaash I could bring you back! Kaash hum mile hi na hote.”

But nobody answers in the silence the the night. Swara sighs, closes the drawer and returns to the bed. Holding Sunny closer and closing her eyes to the scent of baby wash in his hair she thinks of that painting hanging in Sanskar’s bedroom. The words inked to its corner. 

Bin mohabbat…

*

Vivek watches Sanskar cautiously. He knows the signs of Sanskar’s anger very well so when he reminds what Vivek had said earlier about targets - Vivek has the good sense to keep his silence. Sanskar takes his seat behind the desk and glares him down. 

“Say something,” he bites out. 

“What do you want me to say Sanskar?” Vivek asks him. “Because I’m not going to apologize for falling in love. Pyaar kiya hai - khoon nahi. And if I have to expressly say that my intentions regarding Uttara is honest and not some underhanded scheme in getting even with her twisted family that means all these years we’ve known each other means nothing to you. Tujhe mujh par barosa nahi hai?”

Sanskar watches him catch his breath, his face reddened. He thinks back to what Swara had said about the book and the threat looming over them. He wants to believe Vivek, he always had. Vivek was like a brother. But something holds him back. 

“If you ever, that is to say ever - hurt my sister -” Sanskar speaks softly, making his emphasis on every word ever so clear. “I will forget all those years I’ve known you Vivek. Trust me - you don’t want to see consequences of that.”
Slowly, despite himself Vivek smiles. 

“Arre nahi karunga. Nahi karunga. Have you seen your sister? Mujh par zulm woh karti hai main nahi -Aj tere haato mar te mar te bacha hoon because I had the good sense to call you.She’ll be the death of me I tell you.” 

“Ab jaa,” Sanskar sighs, smiling wearily despite himself. It was difficult not to give into Vivek’s contagious happiness. “I will talk to Durga Prasad.”

Once he leaves, Sanskar takes a call. Kabir picks up on the second ring. 

“I need you here Kabir,” he tells him cutting Kabir’s cheerful greeting mid - way. “Yahaan kuch galat ho raha hai, and I’m unable to put my finger on it. I need you.”

At the same time Raghav barges in, looking frantic and pale. Sanskar looks up at him, still holding the mobile against his ear. Waving his hands frantically Raghav switches on the television mounted on the wall just in time to catch the tail end of a news telecast. 

“... son Gautam Oberoi was found dead in… while Mr. Oberoi is said to have been on a foreign business tour, authorities have found documents on his person linking him and another well reputed hotel brand to terrorist funding. Police suspects fouls play or feud among the involved parties to have resulted in his death. Investigations will …”

“Sir, Mr. Chairman,” Raghav says slowly. “Don’t you think the money that disappeared from accounts of Nirvana went into this? Like my Ma used to say Keede pade uss Addarsh Maheshwari pe - did he just set us up for an international investigation?”

“Take a meeting of Auditors,” Sanskar speaks calmly, though his mind is reeling. “I want the entire accounting department of Nirvana brought to work right this minute. We are going to trace that money. Tell them they won’t be leaving until they find it. Raghav - send a memo to Maheshwari Group calling for an emergency board meeting. Ask Mr. Shankar Bose to coordinate, I want Adarsh voted out of as an authorized signatory before tomorrow afternoon.”

**