Page 70 of Born in Grief

“Ehh.” Ishaan made a sound like a buzzer malfunctioning. “Tech skills are all I’ve got.”

“You built an empire with it.”

“That I did.” The satisfaction in Ishaan’s voice had Amay smiling.

They sat in silence for a while before Amay said, “My father was here.”

Ishaan didn’t say anything, his mouth flattening into a tight line. “What did the asshole want?”

“His wife and he had come to get their annual health check ups done.”

“And there is nowhere else in the entire city of Mumbai where they could have gotten that done?”

Amay wondered if he should shave Ishaan’s eyebrows while he was asleep. Those were very judgmental eyebrows.

“He wants something. He claims its some signatures but there is probably more. I just don’t know what yet.”

Ishaan snorted. “He should be grateful he isn’t rotting in jail.”

A cold, venomous snake uncoiled in the pit of Amay’s stomach. “The day I find evidence that will put him there is the day he will.”

They sat in more silence, Ishaan’s judgy eyebrows staying calm for once.

“Do you have a smoke on you?”

“For fuck’s sake, Ish. This is a hospital and I’m a doctor. I’m not going to hand you a fucking cancer stick!” Amay glared at him. “I thought you’d given up.”

“I am in the process of doing so,” Ishaan said calmly. “I just-“

“Don’t just.”

“Fine. Fine. Mr. Fun Police,” Ishaan muttered. “A simple yes or no would have sufficed.”

“I have another surgery scheduled in an hour. I need to prep for it.”

“And that’s my cue to get out.” Ishaan stood, walking towards the door. He almost made it before he doubled back. “You’re not doing okay, Ams. Acknowledge it and then let’s talk? I’m here, okay? Virat and I are here.”

We’ll talk.

The words hung in his mind, silent and damning. Amay sighed.

“I told Dhrithi we’d talk.”

Ishaan chewed on his lower lip as he considered this statement. “Were you using sign language until now?”

Amay stared at him pointedly until awareness dawned on his face.

“Oh, you’re going to talk.” Ishaan made dramatic air quotes around the word talk. “Well, that’s…something.”

“I thought it was too. I,” Amay exhaled hard. “I think I’m falling for her again, Ish.”

“Again?” Ishaan quirked his stupid eyebrow. “There is no again with the two of you. There was only an ‘always.’”

He sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair. “It’s a crazy time for this shit right now. But what do I know?” Ishaanshrugged. “They say love doesn’t come with a handbook or a timeline, right? Maybe this is your time, yours and Goody’s.”

Maybe. Amay wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

“I’ve going to go now while you think deep, broody thoughts.” Ishaan backed towards the door, his mouth lifted in a teasing grin. He placed one hand on the doorknob before pausing, something obviously occurring to him. “Hey Ams?”

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