Page 260 of The Circle of Exile
Majority needed: 44
“Qureshi will announce it soon…”
Atharva ended the call and dialled Adil.
“Breaking News! As per our sources, KDP is about to announce its post-poll alliance with its sworn enemy — Awaami Party…!”
“Atharva, I didn’t know this… hang on, I am trying to find out…”
“As per sources, with 31 seats of his own, Meer Hasan Qureshi will continue to lead the government and Momina Aslam will bring 27 seats of Awaami Party to take the total across 44. It has not been clarified yet if she will become the Deputy Chief Minister or what the ministry-sharing will be like. This comes as a shock and a setback to Janta Party, who has long been KDP’s partner, not only in J&K, but also in Himachal Pradesh…”
Sweat broke out on Atharva’s forehead as Adil went on talking to somebody else on another line. The television kept blaring, a woozy buzz in his ears.
“Atharva,” Iram’s hand came to his shoulder. “It’s ok. It’s fine. We are here, under a safe roof, all together. It’s ok…”
“Atharva?” Adil came back on.
“Tell me it’s a rumour, or at least… can be retracted.”
“He went to Momina’s house to make the announcement.”
Atharva pulled his phone down and pressed the end call button. He stared at the space between his feet, the carpeted floor. What he thought was a clear road after this bend turned out to be a wall.
“What did Adil say?” Iram’s soft voice held him back from spiralling. Atharva steeled himself. This was him — the man who took victory and loss on the same stubborn chest. He had bet a lot on this one. So what if it failed? He would find another way of returning home… he hoped he would.
“Atharva?”
“Hmm?”
“What happened?”
“In all my calculations, I missed the one where Qureshi would stoop so low that he would get together with Awaami. I fell short.”
49. We are not going home…
“We are not going home, Noora,” Atharva held out an envelope to him. “You go now.”
He gasped — “This is the price you pay for my selfless service?!”
Atharva rolled his eyes. “These are signed MOUs for Adil.”
“Oh,” his face split into a grin. “Then it’s ok. I’ll deliver these and be right back.”
“Noora…” Atharva paused. Then looked away at the window. The garden was empty. The house was empty. This was the only time of a weekday that the house was quiet. Iram was off to pick up Yathaarth from school, Shiva was relaxing in some corner after finishing cooking lunch.
“What, what? Say.”
“Listen,” Atharva found himself smiling. “You came with us three years ago without a single expectation. I thought you would get bored and leave.”
“I never get bored.”
“I know. But now, this is long-lasting. For me, there is no returning for the foreseeable future. You don’t need to stay back. Go home.”
“What will I do there?”
“I don’t know… resume your work, meet your friends, maybe get married.”
“Now you are embarrassing me…”
