Tension stretched like a feline inside that flat, ready to eat up its occupants. Swayam was standing on the half terrace, overlooking Arabian Sea. His hands folded on his chest, blazer discarded long ago, and sleeves rolled up.

Kavya was stuck on the spot of the couch from where she had delivered her side of the story half an hour ago. While he was trying to reign in his anger, she was trying to gather courage to go and talk to him. It was getting late and she was getting fidgety. Keshav must be worried now as to why was she not back home yet.

She stepped onto the half terrace with the intention of talking to him.

But as if he sensed her presence, without turning around he hissed "Get back Inside. Leave me alone".

"Swayam I..." she started.

"GET BACK INSIDE before I throw you off this building!" he yelled. She scuttled inside in a snap, aware of his anger and what he was capable of doing when angry. She decided to call her land lady and inform her so that they would relay the message to Keshav. Where was his land-line? She started looking.

Swayam pinched the bridge of his nose. Truthfully speaking, he wanted to jump off the building himself right now. On this planet full of more than a billion people, he had to go and fall in love with this stupid fool. This lovely stupid fool. This innocent stupid fool. This self-sacrificing idiot. He was right! There is no God. Else with the number of prayers and fasts she did, HE would have given her at least some brains. ELEVEN YEARS! Eleven fucking years apart, for what? For her notion that he would want a child more than her and that too without asking him. Never once did this girl consider asking him what he wanted. He would love to strangle her pretty neck right now, only if he could just resurrect her later!

Just then voices coming from inside grabbed his attention. He turned a little to find Kavya speaking to someone on land-line. The conversation was short. Who was she talking to at this hour? What was so urgent that it could not wait? His brows furrowed. Oh, Keshav, was it? Didn't she say it's just the two of them now? She wasn't married he knew from her resume at the office and he had made sure she does not get time to socialize much in last four months inside office let alone outside it. But eleven years is a long time. His frown deepened. Just then Kavya looked up and found him glaring at her. Keshav, she mouthed as a way of explanation. Of course, the creases on his forehead smoothed out and he turned back to gathering his thoughts.

For his sake. Swayam could not help the bitter sigh that escaped his lungs at this thought. Does she know how many times had he pushed himself into life threatening investigative cases because he believed that there is no one who would shed a tear if he vanishes from the face of earth? That more than his safety, a successful life became important to him which he was hell bent on achieving anyhow? How shrewd he has become in his dealings because he thought that money was the reason she kicked him out of her life? How cold he has become as a person, denying anyone and everyone an entry in his life, preferring to stay alone in his personal hell? How would she know? She conveniently assumed that he would merrily move forward in life. Who makes such faulty plan full of loop-holes and then thrust it on an unsuspecting person altering his life? Of course, Kavya does. He shuddered to think that what if he had married in these eleven years and then would have come to know of all this. It would have ruined him beyond repair. What if she would have never turned up in his life and he would have gone living with the misunderstanding which she had so generously crafted between them? He could feel a headache coming.

But nothing like that happened, and he cannot be thankful enough for the small mercies in the larger schemes of universe.

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It started drizzling a while later. Ah, the monsoons. He liked them immensely right now. They were having a cooling effect on him, at least physically, else he was sure he would burst a vein or two tonight. But his respite was short-lived. The sweet voice that had haunted him for years floated to his ears, "Come inside. It has started raining. You'll catch cold". This time he did not argue. Once inside he noticed she was fidgeting with her hands intertwined into each other. He knew she was dying to say something. How much more does he have to know this girl to prove that he loved her more than anything? Foolish Foolish Kavya. His Kavya.

"What?" he gruffly inquired.

Kavya looked up. "Keshav is waiting for me. I need to go. Can I please leave?" she sought permission. Like a well-trained employee. Giving his presence in the room its due recognition. Looks like he has more say in her life as a boss than he had as a boyfriend, he wryly thought.

He moved forward, collected the car keys he had mercilessly thrown on the center-table and said, "Come I'll drop you".

"Ummm...it's okay...I can go by myself," she stood rooted to the spot.

He halted and turned back. His jaw clenched. "Fine. Go ahead and let yourself out. I want to see how you do that," he spat.

Confusion floated in her beautiful eyes. "Why? You have a digital key to open the door from inside too?" she raked her brains.

"No. It opens all right. But you step outside of here by yourself and then I am not responsible for what happens after that," he chewed out his words.

She gulped. "What will happen?"

He shrugged looking at her beadily. His eyes were threatening.

After a few moments of silence, she spoke "I live in Borivali. It's very far off from here. It will be a troub ....".

"Let's go," he cut her mid-sentence and started towards the door. Kavya meekly followed. He was pissed, and she knew better than to piss him anymore.

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No body spoke for first fifteen minutes of the drive. Kavya was feeling partly scared of his anger and partly guilty for being the cause of his anger. And Swayam was, well, angry. She was still trying to shut him out. After what all she did to him, STILL, he screamed in his mind. Like hell he will let that happen. If she thinks she can alienate him once again, she does not know what type of man she has gotten to fall in love with herself. And show her just that, he will.

"What happened to your father?" Kavya heard. She turned her face to look at him, but he was looking straight ahead on the road.

"He died in car accident four years back".

"And why are you working? What happened to your property?"

"Woh... papa left us suddenly. He did not have a will, so our uncle and his sons made claims on it. I did not know what to do. Our funds were cut off and then Keshav... ummm... he was too young, so we could not do anything. So, I took up a job".

What was Keshav's angle? His lawyer mind immediately honed onto the little hiccup in her speech. The man-in-love within him clutched the steering wheel a little more tightly at her obvious lack of trust in him. He proded a little while later.

"How's is Keshav doing?"

"That is my building. You can stop the car here," she replied instead. Thankful or the diversion. She did not want to lie to him, not anymore. And that meant she could not say that Keshav was fine. By God's grace she escaped answering altogether. Hope he did not notice that, she prayed.

He stopped the car and stepped out. Kavya to came out and walked to his side to thank him for the lift.

"Why Kavya? Won't you invite me in? I want to see where you live," insistence in his voice wasn't concealed.

"I... I live in that building...that faded yellow one" she pointed. "Apartment 302," she hastily informed hoping he takes the hint and leaves.

Swayam turned and started moving towards the building and Kavya rushed after him "It's just a one-bedroom apartment. There is really nothing to see in it," she pleaded.

"I want to meet Keshav too," Swayam kept on moving and Kavya kept on trying to keep up with his pace.

"He... he won't remember you. He was just a kid," she reasoned all the time praying that Swayam stops.

Swayam stepped on to the staircase, as there was no lift in the old building. He turned and smoothly replied "Well in that case, I would like to reacquaint myself with him," and kept on climbing up.

Kavya cursed her luck. If he saw Keshav then he would know. And in his current mood, he will think of it as another of her hiding the truth or stubbornness or childishness or whatever he was thinking of her right now. She was sure that right now he would see her not coming running to him for help the moment she saw him in his office as another feather in her cap of follies. And he would offer to help as well, if she knew anything about him. It was beyond her that how in the name of almighty does she always ends up being the pitiful case in front of him. The one lacking something. Functional reproductive organs at times or money like right now or trust in him as he had yelled an hour back!

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Swayam stood at the door which had number 302 written on, but he still looked in Kavya's direction to confirm who nodded nervously. He rang the bell. After what seemed like an eternity to him and not so much to Kavya, and what sounded like somebody beating the floor with a cane, the door creaked open. There stood a boy of 20-21 years of age, floppy black hair, fair complexion, average height, and handsome features. But what Swayam noticed, as everyone else generally did when they saw Keshav Nath Jaiswal for first time, was his missing left limb down below his knee and two crutches under his armpits with whom he balanced himself. Swayam gulped. A blurry thirteen-year-old memory of two tiny feet peeking out from under the curtain paid him an unexpected visit. He turned to look at Kavya shocked, who lowered her eyes but then looked back up with a genial smile.

"Keshav, this is my boss. Mr. Swayam Raisinghania," she said to her brother who seemed to be looking at her as well.

The boy immediately gave Swayam polite smile and said "Hello Sir. Please come in," and moved to the side.

Swayam gave him a nervous smile and looked at Kavya again, who took the charge, stepped ahead and like a good host invited him inside again. Now she had nothing to hide. Nor that her brother was missing a limb since last four years, neither that they now lived in an apartment which was smaller and shoddier than their servant's quarters in Lucknow. With chipping paint from the walls and sparsely furnished with rickety old wooden chairs and tables. And while they were at it, she planned to let Swayam know that they did not want any kind of help from him. The reason for which she left him still stood and she had no intention of changing her decision.

But what she did not account for, yet again in her plans, was that Swayam was a man with his own agenda. And letting go of her again did not feature in it anywhere.

After inspecting the apartment with his hawk like eyes and boring a few holes into Kavya's rigid self, he sat down and did what he said he would, re-acquaint himself with Keshav. The boy though had negligible memory of his tutor, took an instant liking towards Swayam. Swayam told him how much fun they had while solving math sums and narrated funny anecdotes of their times together, making him comfortable with himself.

"Jiji, you never told me you work for Swayam bhaiya" Keshav asked his sister, who was standing leaning on the kitchen counter, noticing this enigmatic man weave his magic on her brother.

"It's okay Keshav," Swayam replied instead "Your jiji has a bad habit of hiding things from people".

If Keshav was confused with this statement, he chose to hide it, and hid it well. And Swayam conveniently chose to overlook that she did not mention his insulting behavior of last four months to her brother as well.

Swayam was a lawyer. He knew how to extract information from unsuspecting people. Thus, after an hour in Kavya's apartment, Swayam knew that Keshav was in the same car accident where their father lost his life. His limb had to be amputated for it got mutilated beyond repair. And that he will soon get a prosthetic limb as his jiji was working on the details, for which he was beyond excited, making Swayam smile. The honorable upbringing that they had, Keshav did not mention the reason of their destitute state, but Swayam knew that already from Kavya. It did not take Swayam long to figure his next course of action.

"It's late. I should get going," he stood up. "I'll see you soon Keshav," he smiled at the boy and patted his shoulders and when he tried to stand up to Swayam asked him to not bother.

"And Miss Jaiswal, I shall see you at office tomorrow at 8 am sharp," he barked at Kavya, to whom he had not bothered to say even a single word since entering her apartment. She nodded in a resigned fashion. But all said and done, Swayam had not missed the defiance in her posture the whole time, ready to contradict him at first given chance, the chance which he did not give her in the whole hour btw. And wouldn't give her any time soon.

While closing the door on Swayam Raisinghania's back, Kavya wondered what was in store for her tomorrow. He had steadfastly ignored her for full hour and now this order. The office started at 10 am, and she was being summoned at 8 am. What does Swayam has in that mind of his?

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Kavya entered R&R office at 8 am sharp as instructed. The office was obviously empty without a single soul in it this early, especially when there was an office party last night. The only light was coming from her boss's cabin. He is waiting, she gulped. After depositing her stuff onto her desk, she picked up her notepad and pen, just in case, and knocked on his door.

"Come in," came his voice.

She entered. He was busy with hordes of papers spread on his desk in front of him. "Good Morning...Sir," she greeted as per office etiquette... and habit.

Swayam looked up to her face, but did not respond. His eyes then went to the notepad in her hand and hardened for a fraction of a second before going back to whatever it was that he was reading. "Sit," he commanded.

She did as told.

"Sign these," he forwarded a bunch of papers to her. "I have marked the places with yellow marker".

"What is this?" she asked taking them.

"Keshav's treatment papers. Prosthetic limb application and subsequent one-month training camp forms," he informed. "I'll need a copy of all his medical records as well to send them with these".

Swayam had spent a sleepless restless night. And during the impossibly long night, apart from thinking about Kavya, he also recalled a client with a son who had similar problem and had called the man at six in the morning like a wakeup call. After getting helpful information about the treatment facility which they had used, he had downloaded everything from the internet first thing after stepping in the office while waiting for Kavya. He wanted to start the process ASAP.

Her eyes widened. "No. I am not signing this. I cannot afford this right now and you don't have to," she refused.

"Don't argue Kavya. Sign," he snapped.

"No, I will not. I don't need your help. I am fully capable of getting my brother treated," she stood up.

"And how do you plan to do that?" he asked leaning back on his chair. Practicality of things never eluded him.

"I will qualify for R&R's medical plan in six months and rest I am saving," she said with utter conviction. She will NOT involve him in her sorry life at any cost. Even at the cost of delaying Keshav's treatment.

"In that case ... You're fired. Now go and get him treated," he said unemotionally and started reading a different batch of papers on his desk.

The wind in her sails whooshed out. She flopped back in the chair. "You...you can't do this," she stammered.

"Turns out I can. This is my office in case you've forgotten," he reminded none too gently.

"You are misusing your position and power".

"I am aware".

"You can't do this".

"Says who?"

"Why are you doing this?" she teared up.

"Because I can," he refused to get affected by her tears.

"You have no right to decide for me or my brother," she reasoned.

"Wow, look who's talking," he spat, trying to keep hurt out of his voice and failing miserably.

"I am sorry for what happened. I really am. Do you think I am happy with the way things turned out? It is not only you who suffered. Can we please forget all that and move forward? Please let go," tears made their way down to her cheeks.

"That..." he pointed to papers in her hand "... is me moving forward".

Kavya sighed. "Okay. But I'll repay you. Get those paper's prepared too and I'll sign," she put her condition.

"I wasn't giving you choices, Miss Jaiswal. Either you sign this without another word, or I sign your termination letter and put the word out in market about your incompetency," he said unemotionally.

"You've changed," she accused helplessly.

"Blame yourself for that," he said spinning the paper weight on the table while resting his head on the back of his chair.

She gathered her rapidly fraying sanity and silently started signing at the places marked with yellow marker. Like there is any other option, she thought miffed.

"Before I forget, you guys are moving in with me before Keshav leaves for his treatment," he said taking the signed papers back from her.

"What?... NO. Absolutely not," she spat.

He cocked his eyebrow. "I am not letting you two live in that dingy building," he declared.

"I am doing no such thing. I refuse," she counter declared.

"That God forsaken building does not even have a lift. Do you realize how difficult it could get for someone with crutches to climb three flights of stairs?" he tried to drill some sense in her.

I do realize it. But that's the apartment I can afford. You live at a place which is beyond my means," she stood her ground.

"I am not asking for money," he replied exasperated.

"Exactly. And I am not taking your charity," she said in a very steady voice.

"Fine. May I then interest you in an eviction notice to help you decide ... sensibly?" he said in mock humility.

"Ev...eviction notice?" she went back to stammering.

"Yeah. There is a slum area behind your building and your building is very old too. I can get a few builder clients of mine interested in that land," he shrugged.

"You are going to make so many people homeless just for your stubbornness?" she gasped.

"Not for mine. For yours," he put her on the spot.

"Swayam, there is a limit to everything. You cannot control people's lives like this. Playing with people's lives at your whim, it is not right," she said angrily.

"Where was this beautiful ideology of yours eleven years back?" he bit back

"You know what... Get me evicted! ...I'll live on the roads. That will make you happy. RIGHT?" she lost her patience.