Page 218 of The Circle of Exile
Qureshi was ex-SFF too. He did not give away emotions. But Atharva had worked with him long enough to know when he was working doubly hard to hide something. This time, he was working triply hard to hide something.
“Maybe in a few months,” Atharva offered an inch. “I can look at reports and share comments. Nothing at the fore.”
He saw Qureshi meet Adil’s eyes. He felt Samar’s knee nudge his leg. He did not add anything else.
“Ok. Think about it. We can revisit this conversation in a few months. By that time, Yogesh Patel might also have good news for us.”
“Even if he does, one year wouldn’t be enough to again become the face of an election. I will not be putting my name on anything in 2020.”
Silence.
“In truth, Atharva,” Qureshi broke it. “KDP needs you. None of us set it up to rule one day. It was to change the way things were done, bring security back to the valley. Even if you don’t want to become the face for the next election, you should get behind it.”
“I agree. And this is not a no.”
“Hmm. Then I will see you when I come for the HDP Annual conference? All five of us.”
Atharva nodded.
“Bye, boys.” Adil ended the call. And Samar’s knee that had nudged him now knocked hard into his thigh.
“Fuck you! Why would you let that chance go?”
“For the reasons I mentioned,” Atharva got to his feet, walking away from his knocking knee.
“Bull-fucking-shit.”
“I take Iram and Arth for picnics thrice a week. We are planning to start going on day trips once the winter thaws. Samar, I want to spend time with my family.”
“You can do both.”
“But I don’t want to.”
“You are not a man who can live without purpose, Atharva.”
“My family is my purpose now.”
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“Baba, car!” Yathaarth started to jump the moment he walked into the house.
Atharva set his iPad down and glanced at the clock — “Let’s go!”
“No,” Iram came striding out of the kitchen, hands stained in dough. “It’s lunch time.”
“We’ll go for a quick round.”
Her eyes widened in warning.
“What?”
“We have been indulging every demand for O. U. T. He also needs to hear a ‘no’ and start valuing every time we go.”
Atharva glanced from her to his son. Big grey expectant eyes blinked up at him. He hadn’t seen eyes this cute after Bambi. Dark grey orbs in Iram’s almond shape, widened in hope and faith that Baba will take him out. Atharva opened his mouth to say yes but his wife beat him to it, thank god.
“It’s lunchtime, Arth. Come on.”
“Baba out! Car, Baba, car out,” he began to walk out of the house on his own accord. Atharva sputtered.
