Being Loved

Chapter Six

"...some secrets beg to be betrayed. The secret of undeclared love is like that."

- Robin Hobb, Golden Fool

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Shravan walked hurriedly towards his father who had just walked in.

"How was your party?" Shravan asked him with a smile as put the book in his hand on the side table nearby and took his father's coat from him.

Suman's eyes followed him and somehow his one action was enough to solidify the fear she felt as soon as Ramnaath Malhotra had walked in. He would choose his father, she knew that, no matter what, he would always choose his father...

Closing her eyes, she let out a painful sigh and when she opened them once again, there was a new determination in her eyes, enough to challenge the man standing in front of her.

"Huh? It was good," Ramnaath said in response to his son's question while his eyes were on the girl standing in front of him.

With a sweet smile on his lips, Shravan nodded but his eyes narrowed as soon as he took in the silent interaction happening between his father and Suman, he tilted his head, trying to understand what was that he was not aware of? What were they trying to hide from him?

"Suman, you were here to give him company?" Ramnaath asked with a forced smile. "Good. I was worried that he would get bored," he tried to joke when he noticed how Shravan's narrowed eyes were following their interaction.

"I had told you, Bhaisaab, Shravan can take care of himself," Lala ji said as he came to stand between them.

'Something is very wrong,' Shravan thought to himself, his father's voice was sharp and his smile forced as he glared at the girl standing in front of them while she stood there frozen under the spotlight. Having studied both of them for years, Shravan could tell by the coldness of their interaction, something has happened, something that they didn't want him to know...

"We will let you young people be, I and Lala are going to have a cup of coffee," Ramnaath said and both men made their way to the study room. Reminded of something, Ramnaath suddenly turned around "Oh, Shravan, I wanted to remind you of Singh's birthday party, when I met him today, he was insisting that you must come."

"Papa, wait!" Shravan called out, stopping his father in mid-step.

"Please, papa, I don't want to go to these parties of yours, they are so boring. And anyway, I and Sumo already have plans," He whined as he used her as his shield to run away from the parties where aunties analyzed him from head to toe as their potential son-in-law...

"Oh, really, Bhaiya? Sumo, you know the Magistrate Singh, right?" Pushkar jumped in, becoming a part of the ongoing conversation with the intention to not let go of this opportunity.

"Yes, of course, he is one of Nanu's students," she answered, nodding, ignoring Shravan who was shaking his head to stop her.

"Suman Putter, you free the next Saturday evening of this month?" Lala ji asked, catching up to the point his son was trying to make.

"In the evening, Lalaji? Why? Did you need something?" Suman asked, confused as she looked between the father and son duo, before turning to Shravan who had smacked the palm of his hand on his forehead.

Hearing the conversation, Ramnaath turned to glare at his son and asked himself how much his son was changing nowadays and why? For whom?

"Shravan?" Ramnaath called him out disapprovingly.

"Yes, papa?" He asked guiltily as he glared at Suman who still was looking confusedly between the men. Taking pity on her, Pushkar told her the party was on next Saturday evening.