Prithvi... [Vol 1] (Ongoing) (Winner of Wattpad India Awards 2019)

Chapter 21

"Grandpa, wake up. It is time to open the temple for the evening pooja," Nandini gently tapped her grandfather awake. 

Bhoothnath slowly sat up in the bed and looked around groggily. "Have I been asleep for long, Nandini?"

"For two hours now," she smiled and tugged at a wrinkled cheek. "I've kept your tea here, grandpa. Drink it before it gets cold." 

When she returned to the living room, Prithvi was still engrossed in the book he had been reading for more than an hour now. What secrets of the universe were hidden in that book, she thought with mild resentment. When she had returned from the yard after keeping the flowers outside, she had found him immersed in it, and he hadn't spoken to her at all since then. 

He had finally told her who Indrajit was. But she still didn't know why he was trying to kill Prithvi. Why was he bent on killing his own brother? Try as she might, she couldn't erase the chilling memory of that fight....and even more.....of the anger and hatred in Indrajit's face when he had been trying to strike down Prithvi with the sword. 

But at least he had finally told her something about himself.....almost like a friend. But now she wondered sadly if he was already regretting having told her anything about his private life….

"I'm very late today. People might be waiting outside the temple."

Nandini turned to see her grandfather hurrying out of his room, dressed faultlessly but with his white hair sticking up all over his head.

"Grandpa, you haven't combed your hair," she laughed. 

Prithvi looked up from his book. "Let it remain that way, Nandini. Then someone may actually believe that he has seen a ghost," he muttered.

"What did you say, boy?" grandfather frowned. 

"He didn't say anything, grandpa," Nandini said quickly, looking despairingly at Prithvi.  "Just wait here for a minute, I'll get the comb." She sprinted into his room and came out with the comb before they had time to get into another argument.

She combed his hair into place, and then looked at his crinkly face from all angles. "Now here is the most handsome man on earth," she said affectionately and grandfather smiled broadly. Prithvi snorted, but luckily the sound was drowned by sound of the door opening. 

"Is there a crowd outside the temple, Sarojini," Grandfather anxiously asked her mother who had just stepped into the house.

"No, father. But I think I saw a couple of ladies walking towards it just now."  

"I'll come and help you, grandpa," Nandini offered. "Just give me two minutes to freshen up."

Grandfather agreed and left the house in a flurry.

"Why have you kept those flowers in the yard, Nandini?"  Sarojini asked quizzically while removing her slippers. "I thought you wanted to keep them in your room."

"You kept those flowers outside? But why would you do that?" Prithvi asked in artificial surprise, evidently disappointed. 

Nandini glowered at him.  She knew he had seen her take the flowers outside. But he had pretended to be absorbed in his book when she had returned to the living room, and hadn't said a word about it. And he had waited till her mother had returned to ask her why she had done it. Of course, why would he let go of an opportunity to hassle her….

"I – I found a caterpillar in it. So I thought I'll keep it outside," she said uncomfortably and Sarojini laughed.

"It must have come from some second-rate shop," Prithvi smirked.