Saumya was standing in the living room with her mouth hung open. There stood in front of her, Akshit. After many sonic moments, she gave him a questioning look.

"Actually, Pia had to take her books from her room so we came here to take her books. She is in her room still trying to find her books," Akshit explained.

Saumya had given the spare key of the house to Pia.

"You should remember what you have done Saumya," she bashed herself mentally.

The urge to have her evening nourishment which was, as was her custom, a cup of cold coffee surfaced. Remembering the courtesies of the season she asked him if he would like to drink a cup of coffee. "Sure," came his reply.

She walked briskly towards the kitchen counter after dropping her bag on the sofa.

Placing the two mugs and a few snacks neatly piled in two plates on the tray, she carried the tray to the living room.

The silence was eating her so she spoke up.

"So how are you spending your days away from work?"

"I have worked on my latest piece of research and also my lesson plans for the lectures. Mostly in my free time, I read books, watch football, play guitar, eat or sleep. What about you? How do you spend your free time."

Smiling lightly she said, "You mean when I am not in the hospital or I am not playing with Pia? That rarely happens but usually when I am free I read books, read latest research works in surgery and astrophysics - weird combination I know - and eat and definitely sleep."

She had purposely left a few hobbies. She couldn't tell him everything after all he was a stranger - a handsome one - her heart added. Stop it Saumya.

"Wow! It's great that you read books. Which genre? Personally I love sci-fi and non-fiction books."

"I usually read detective or mystery fiction but one thing which I hate is when the detectives fall in love. I am not against love but the book is detective fiction not romance. I read books on time travel too," she said in one go without the gloss of manner.

"Saumya you weren't supposed to speak so much," she reprimanded herself with mental kicks.

"I totally agree. Please tell me you have a holiday on Sunday at least to do what you like."

"Yeah, only interns are on duty on Sundays. Usually if there is an urgent critical case, however, I have to go."

"Princess," Pia came shouting. She was carrying two books and a mobile in her hand. "I have so much to tell you. Aren't you early?"

"Yeah I was relieved earlier today. So..."Saumya was stopped mid-sentence by Akshit who had now stood up. "I believe I should leave now."

"No, please don't leave yet. I have to show you something," Pia spoke.

"Pia you should not stop him like this. He has work too, right. Let him go. You can show it some other time," Saumya said with a surreptitious glare directed towards Pia.

"It's alright. I will wait for a while. What is it that you wanted to show me?"

"This," said Pia while forwarding the mobile to him. "It's a new kind of Pictionary. Will you play it with me?"

"Sure but I'm sorry, right now, I will have to go. But we can definitely play it later, okay?"

"Okay."

"Bye," Pia said, waving her hand as he approached the door.

The two sisters had dinner while talking about their days. Saumya stared lovingly at her dear sister as she went on and on about her friends, her teachers and everything she had learnt in school.

Currently, they were watching a cartoon show. To rephrase it, Pia was watching the show while Saumya was scrolling through her phone's contents, utterly bored. Suddenly, her phone started ringing.

"Who is it?" Pia asked turning towards her.

"It's Bua."

Saumya's only close relative who was alive was her Bua. She was General Mathur's younger sister who lived in UK with her 24 year old daughter, Esha.

"Hello Bua."

"Hello babies."

"Bua I am not a baby," both the girls said in unison with a frown plastered on their faces.

"How are you two? When will you come here?"

"We are doing great, Bua. How are you and Esha?" Saumya replied.

"We are fine too."

"Bua, I have to show you something. Wait I will bring it okay," Pia said and ran towards her room.

"Saumya are you planning to get married?"

"Please, Bua you know everything right. I can't."

"Okay, think what you want to. I will be coming to India next month to get you married."

"Oh holy shit! Why is everyone hell bent on getting me married?" Saumya mused.

Just then Pia came to show Bua the sketch of an Indian girl. The sketch, however, looked more like that of a hag.

After 10 long minutes, Pia stopped talking and disconnected the call. All throughout, Saumya's mind replayed her Bua's words. It would be difficult to dodge the ball this time.

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