On the third floor of Sunrise Residency, Flats 401, 402 and 403 had gradually stopped feeling like three separate homes.
Yogesh and Geetanjali lived in 401 with their four-year-old son, Shlok.
Both were thirty-four and both worked as HR managers. They had met at work, fallen in love and married. Seven years later, they were still the couple everyone noticed. Yogesh was handsome and confident; Geetanjali was breathtakingly beautiful. Their colleagues joked that they were still behaving like newlyweds.
Then there was Shlok.
At four, he had discovered that the world contained questions about everything.
“Mumma, why does the moon follow the car?”
“Papa, why can’t dogs talk?”
“Mumma, will I be big tomorrow?”
Too often, his questions came while one parent was on a call and the other was rushing to finish something.
Their neighbours in 403 helped.
Jeetendra, a forty-four-year-old schoolteacher, returned home at two and often spent the afternoon with Shlok. Kavita was equally fond of him.
Shlok adored them.
In 402 lived Arnav and Suman, both twenty-four and newly married.
Arnav was tall, fair and handsome, with light features and the pleasant face of a chocolate boy. Several girls at his IT office had a crush on him.
None of that seemed to matter once he stepped through his front door.
Suman was traditionally dressed always in heavy Saree, huge Bindi, Sindoor, Mangalsutra. She was dignified and quietly commanding. She could be sitting in front of the television and still somehow run the entire household.
“Arnav?”
“Ji, Suman Ji?”
“Breakfast”
“Sure, Suman Ji.”
He rushed towards the Kitchen.
” Arnav, Remote”
Arnav came back to living room to give her remote. As he went back to kitchen there was another request and then another.
Riya, fourteen, loved watching this.
She was Jeetendra and Kavita’s daughter, and lately she had been spending more time in 402 than in her own home.
She sat beside Suman on the sofa, watched television and talked.
“Bhabhi.”
“Hmm?”
“Tea?”
Suman glanced toward the kitchen.
“Arnav?”
Arnav rushes to the living room.
“Ji, Darling?”
Arnav stands straight with composed smile.
“Tea, please.” She says.
” Don’t forget to add ginger.”
“Sure, My Love”
A few minutes passed.
Riya looked at Suman.
“Bhabhi?”
“What?”
“Pakoda?”
Suman smiled.
“Arnav.”
“Ji, Suman?”
“Can you make some pakodas?”
“Your wish is my Command, Sweetheart”
Riya turned toward the television before her smile became obvious.
Arnav appeared briefly in the doorway.
He looked at Riya.
Riya stared innocently at the screen.
He shook his head and disappeared again.
Suman never noticed.
Riya liked the house for reasons beyond the food.
Nobody here called her a little girl.
She could disagree with Suman.
She could tease Arnav.
She could talk about school without somebody immediately turning it into a lecture.
At home, things were different.
“Riya, you need to learn household work,” Kavita said one evening.
“I’ll learn.”
“Then?”
“Why is it always because I’m a girl?”
Jeetendra looked up from the newspaper.
“Nobody said that”
“You did yesterday.”
“We’re trying to prepare you for life.”
“Then prepare me for life. Not for being a wife.”
She walked away.
Jeetendra folded the newspaper.
Kavita sighed.
Neither knew what to say.
In 401, the problem was quieter.
One evening, Geetanjali came home and found Shlok on the floor with his toy cars.
“Mumma!”
He ran to her.
She dropped her bag and hugged him.
He immediately began describing something that had happened that afternoon.
Her phone vibrated.
She glanced down.
When she looked back, Shlok had stopped.
“Mumma?”
“Yes?”
“You weren’t listening.”
She put the phone face down.
“Tell me again.”
He did.
This time she listened.
Later that night, she found Yogesh sitting beside their sleeping son.
“He asked me something today,” Yogesh said.
“What?”
“I don’t remember.”
Geetanjali looked at Shlok.
“He’ll be five soon.”
Yogesh nodded.
Neither spoke for a while.
The next morning, while getting ready for work, Yogesh said,
“You should quit.”
Geetanjali turned around.
“Why me?”
“You want more time with him.”
“So do you.”
“I’ll manage.”
“Then you quit.”
He smiled.
“You earn more.”
“That’s not the point.”
It wasn’t.
The conversation returned over the next few weeks.
Then one Sunday, Shlok dragged both of them into the living room.
“Mumma. Papa. Come.”
“We have work,” Yogesh said.
“Come.”
He had arranged cushions across the floor.
“They’re mountains.”
Geetanjali laughed.
“Are they?”
“Yes.”
“And what are we?”
“Climbers.”
Yogesh looked at Geetanjali.
She put her phone aside.
“Come on.”
They sat on the floor.
Shlok climbed over them, knocked down the cushions and demanded that they rebuild them.
After an hour, Yogesh’s shirt was covered in dust and Geetanjali’s hair had come loose.
Shlok was laughing.
Yogesh looked at Geetanjali.
She looked back.
Neither reached for their phones.
That evening, they opened their laptops.
Not for work.
To resign.
It was not an easy decision.
But they made it together.
Yogesh eventually began trading stocks seriously. His mornings were spent reading reports, studying companies and watching the market.
Geetanjali found an HR position she could do from home.
In 403, Riya was changing too.
Jeetendra noticed it first.
She came home one afternoon, threw her bag onto the sofa and announced,
“Baba, I need your opinion.”
He put down his newspaper.
“What happened?”
She explained.
He listened.
She finished.
He didn’t immediately tell her what she had done wrong.
“What would you do?” he asked.
Riya stared at him.
“I don’t know.”
“Think about it.”
She sat beside him.
“Can I stay here?”
He moved his papers.
“Of course.”
She stayed.
Kavita watched them from the kitchen.
The next evening, Riya came home and found her mother folding clothes.
“Mumma.”
“Hmm?”
“Do you know what Suman Bhabhi said?”
Kavita smiled.
“What?”
Riya sat down beside her.
And began gossipping
Kavita kept folding.
She didn’t interrupt.
When Riya finished, Kavita asked,
“What do you think?”
Riya smiled.
“I think you’re finally asking me my opinion.”
Kavita laughed.
“Maybe I’m learning.”
Riya leaned against her.
Across the corridor, Suman was watching television. Arnav was massaging her legs.
Riya appeared at the door. Arnav stood up startled.
“Bhabhi?”
“Hmm?”
“Can I sit?”
“Come.”
Riya dropped beside her.
Arnav walked past.
Riya looked at him.
Then at Suman.
Then back at Arnav.
“Arnav Bhaiya.”
He stopped.
“Yes?”
“Nothing.”
He narrowed his eyes.
Riya smiled.
Suman looked between them.
“What?”
“Nothing,” Riya said.
Arnav continued toward the kitchen.
Suman turned back to the television.
Riya bit her lip.
A few days later, Jeetendra came home from school and found Shlok waiting outside 401.
“Uncle!”
“What happened?”
“Play.”
Jeetendra put down his bag.
“All right.”
They sat on the floor.
Shlok pushed a toy car toward him.
“You be the bad guy.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m the hero.”
Jeetendra laughed.
“Fine.”
From 403, Riya watched them.
Jeetendra looked up.
“Coming?”
Riya shook her head.
“You two play.”
Shlok drove his car into Jeetendra’s knee.
“Uncle, you died.”
Jeetendra fell backward dramatically.
Shlok screamed with laughter.
Riya smiled.
Then she went inside.
That evening, Kavita found an old photograph while clearing a cupboard.
Riya was four.
She held it up.
“Look.”
Riya took it.
For a moment she said nothing.
“That’s me?”
“Yes.”
Riya stared at the picture.
“I was tiny.”
“You were impossible.”
Riya laughed.
“Still am.”
Kavita smiled.
“Maybe.”
Riya placed the photograph carefully on the table.
“Keep it.”
“I will.”
“Don’t show anyone.”
“Why?”
“Because I look ridiculous.”
Kavita laughed.
The next morning, Riya came into the kitchen.
“Mumma.”
“Hmm?”
“Can I help?”
Kavita looked at her.
“With what?”
“Whatever you’re doing.”
Kavita moved aside.
“Here.”
Riya took the bowl.
Neither mentioned the photograph.
Neither needed to.
The weeks passed.
In 401, Yogesh learned to close the market screen when Shlok wanted to play.
Geetanjali learned that a work call could sometimes wait five minutes.
In 403, Jeetendra learned that Riya didn’t always need an answer.
Kavita learned that sometimes her daughter simply wanted company.
In 402, nothing seemed to change.
Suman watched television.
Arnav was pressing her Sarees.
Riya continued to visit. She enjoyed this unconventional relation where gender roles have slightly reversed
And occasionally, with perfect innocence, she would look at Suman and say,
“Bhabhi…”
“Hmm?”
“Feeling Hungry”
Suman would call,
“Arnav?”
Arnav rushes to living room.
“Ji, Suman Ji?” He asks.
” What were you doing in the room ” She asks.
” I pressed all your Sarees, My Love.” ” Good, Now get some snacks for us. Hurry up.”
Arnav rushes to the kitchen before saying –
“In a minute, Sweetheart.”
One evening, the doors of all three flats happened to open within minutes of one another.
Shlok came running into the corridor.
“Papa!”
Yogesh stepped out.
“What?”
“Come.”
“Where?”
“Come.”
He grabbed his father’s hand.
“Mumma too!”
Geetanjali came out and took his other hand.
Riya stepped into the corridor.
“Where are you going?”
“Play!” Shlok announced.
Jeetendra came out behind her.
Riya looked at him.
“Come, Baba.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Why?”
“Just come.”
Kavita followed them.
Suman opened her door.
Arnav appeared behind her.
“Where are they going?” she asked.
Riya answered,
“To play.”
Suman looked at Arnav.
“Come.”
“Ji, Suman Ji.”
They followed.
Shlok ran ahead and stopped at the end of the corridor.
He turned around.
Everyone was there.
“Come!”
They did.
Nobody had planned it.
Nobody had arranged it.
For once, there was nowhere else they needed to be.
Shlok dropped onto the floor.
Riya sat beside him.
Jeetendra lowered himself next to them.
Kavita joined.
Suman sat against the wall.
Arnav brought two cushions.
Yogesh and Geetanjali sat together.
Shlok looked around.
Then grinned.
“Now mountain.”
Yogesh laughed.
“Again?”
“Again!”
He began pulling cushions together.
Everyone helped.
And soon the corridor of three flats was full of people climbing over a ridiculous mountain of cushions while Shlok shouted instructions and Riya laughed.
Geetanjali looked at Yogesh.
He was already laughing.
She leaned against his shoulder.
He squeezed her hand.
Neither said anything.
One evening, the doors of all three flats happened to open within minutes of one another.
Shlok came running into the corridor.
“Papa!”
Yogesh stepped out.
“What?”
“Come.”
“Where?”
“Come.”
He grabbed his father’s hand.
“Mumma too!”
Geetanjali came out and took his other hand.
Riya stepped into the corridor.
“Where are you going?”
“Play!” Shlok announced.
Jeetendra came out behind her.
Riya looked at him.
“Come, Baba.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Why?”
“Just come.”
Kavita followed them.
Suman opened her door.
Arnav appeared behind her.
“Where are they going?” she asked.
Riya answered,
“To play.”
Suman looked at Arnav.
“Come.”
“Ji, Suman Ji.”
They followed.
Shlok ran ahead and stopped at the end of the corridor.
He turned around.
Everyone was there.
“Come!”
They did.
Nobody had planned it.
Nobody had arranged it.
For once, there was nowhere else they needed to be.
Shlok dropped onto the floor.
Riya sat beside him.
Jeetendra lowered himself next to them.
Kavita joined.
Suman sat against the wall.
Arnav brought two cushions.
Yogesh and Geetanjali sat together.
Shlok looked around.
Then grinned.
“Now mountain.”
Yogesh laughed.
“Again?”
“Again!”
He began pulling cushions together.
Everyone helped.
And soon the corridor of three flats was full of people climbing over a ridiculous mountain of cushions while Shlok shouted instructions and Riya laughed.
Geetanjali looked at Yogesh.
He was already laughing.
She leaned against his shoulder.
He squeezed her hand.
Neither said anything.
One evening, the doors of all three flats happened to open within minutes of one another.
Shlok came running into the corridor.
“Papa!”
Yogesh stepped out.
“What?”
“Come.”
“Where?”
“Come.”
He grabbed his father’s hand.
“Mumma too!”
Geetanjali came out and took his other hand.
Riya stepped into the corridor.
“Where are you going?”
“Play!” Shlok announced.
Jeetendra came out behind her.
Riya looked at him.
“Come, Baba.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Why?”
“Just come.”
Kavita followed them.
Suman opened her door.
Arnav appeared behind her.
“Where are they going?” she asked.
Riya answered,
“To play.”
Suman looked at Arnav.
“Come.”
“Ji, Suman Ji.”
They followed.
Shlok ran ahead and stopped at the end of the corridor.
He turned around.
Everyone was there.
“Come!”
They did.
Nobody had planned it.
Nobody had arranged it.
For once, there was nowhere else they needed to be.
Shlok dropped onto the floor.
Riya sat beside him.
Jeetendra lowered himself next to them.
Kavita joined.
Suman sat against the wall.
Arnav brought two cushions.
Yogesh and Geetanjali sat together.
Shlok looked around.
Then grinned.
“Now mountain.”
Yogesh laughed.
“Again?”
“Again!”
He began pulling cushions together.
Everyone helped.
And soon the corridor of three flats was full of people climbing over a ridiculous mountain of cushions while Shlok shouted instructions and Riya laughed.
Geetanjali looked at Yogesh.
He was already laughing.
She leaned against his shoulder.
He squeezed her hand.
Neither said anything.
“Get some snacks for us. Hurry up.”
“In a minute, Sweetheart.”
” Come here, Arnav”. Arnav rushes to the living room.
” First bring us Tea ” ” Ji ” He says before rushing back to kitchen One evening, the doors of all three flats happened to open within minutes of one another.
Shlok came running into the corridor.
“Papa!”
Yogesh stepped out.
“What?”
“Come.”
“Where?”
“Come.”
He grabbed his father’s hand.
“Mumma too!”
Geetanjali came out and took his other hand.
Riya stepped into the corridor.
“Where are you going?”
“Play!” Shlok announced.
Jeetendra came out behind her.
Riya looked at him.
“Come, Baba.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Why?”
“Just come.”
Kavita followed them.
Suman opened her door.
Arnav appeared behind her.
“Where are they going?” she asked.
Riya answered,
“To play.”
Suman looked at Arnav.
“Come.”
“Ji, Suman Ji.”
They followed.
Shlok ran ahead and stopped at the end of the corridor.
He turned around.
Everyone was there.
“Come!”
They did.
Nobody had planned it.
Nobody had arranged it.
For once, there was nowhere else they needed to be.
Shlok dropped onto the floor.
Riya sat beside him.
Jeetendra lowered himself next to them.
Kavita joined.
Suman sat against the wall.
Arnav brought two cushions.
Yogesh and Geetanjali sat together.
Shlok looked around.
Then grinned.
“Now mountain.”
Yogesh laughed.
“Again?”
“Again!”
He began pulling cushions together.
Everyone helped.
And soon the corridor of three flats was full of people climbing over a ridiculous mountain of cushions while Shlok shouted instructions and Riya laughed.
Geetanjali looked at Yogesh.
He was already laughing.
She leaned against his shoulder.
He squeezed her hand.
Neither said anything.
One evening, the doors of all three flats happened to open within minutes of one another.
Shlok came running into the corridor.
“Papa!”
Yogesh stepped out.
“What?”
“Come.”
“Where?”
“Come.”
He grabbed his father’s hand.
“Mumma too!”
Geetanjali came out and took his other hand.
Riya stepped into the corridor.
“Where are you going?”
“Play!” Shlok announced.
Jeetendra came out behind her.
Riya looked at him.
“Come, Baba.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Why?”
“Just come.”
Kavita followed them.
Suman opened her door.
Arnav appeared behind her.
“Where are they going?” she asked.
Riya answered,
“To play.”
Suman looked at Arnav.
“Come.”
“Ji, Suman Ji.”
They followed.
Shlok ran ahead and stopped at the end of the corridor.
He turned around.
Everyone was there.
“Come!”
They did.
Nobody had planned it.
Nobody had arranged it.
For once, there was nowhere else they needed to be.
Shlok dropped onto the floor.
Riya sat beside him.
Jeetendra lowered himself next to them.
Kavita joined.
Suman sat against the wall.
Arnav brought two cushions.
Yogesh and Geetanjali sat together.
Shlok looked around.
Then grinned.
“Now mountain.”
Yogesh laughed.
“Again?”
“Again!”
He began pulling cushions together.
Everyone helped.
And soon the corridor of three flats was full of people climbing over a ridiculous mountain of cushions while Shlok shouted instructions and Riya laughed.
Geetanjali looked at Yogesh.
He was already laughing.
She leaned against his shoulder.
He squeezed her hand.
Neither said anything.
One evening, the doors of all three flats happened to open within minutes of one another.
Shlok came running into the corridor.
“Papa!”
Yogesh stepped out.
“What?”
“Come.”
“Where?”
“Come.”
He grabbed his father’s hand.
“Mumma too!”
Geetanjali came out and took his other hand.
Riya stepped into the corridor.
“Where are you going?”
“Play!” Shlok announced.
Jeetendra came out behind her.
Riya looked at him.
“Come, Baba.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Why?”
“Just come.”
Kavita followed them.
Suman opened her door.
Arnav appeared behind her.
“Where are they going?” she asked.
Riya answered,
“To play.”
Suman looked at Arnav.
“Come.”
“Ji, Suman Ji.”
They followed.
Shlok ran ahead and stopped at the end of the corridor.
He turned around.
Everyone was there.
“Come!”
They did.
Nobody had planned it.
Nobody had arranged it.
For once, there was nowhere else they needed to be.
Shlok dropped onto the floor.
Riya sat beside him.
Jeetendra lowered himself next to them.
Kavita joined.
Suman sat against the wall.
Arnav brought two cushions.
Yogesh and Geetanjali sat together.
Shlok looked around.
Then grinned.
“Now mountain.”
Yogesh laughed.
“Again?”
“Again!”
He began pulling cushions together.
Everyone helped.
And soon the corridor of three flats was full of people climbing over a ridiculous mountain of cushions while Shlok shouted instructions and Riya laughed.
Geetanjali looked at Yogesh.
He was already laughing.
She leaned against his shoulder.
He squeezed her hand.
Neither said anything.
One evening, the doors of all three flats happened to open within minutes of one another.
Shlok came running into the corridor.
“Papa!”
Yogesh stepped out.
“What?”
“Come.”
“Where?”
“Come.”
He grabbed his father’s hand.
“Mumma too!”
Geetanjali came out and took his other hand.
Riya stepped into the corridor.
“Where are you going?”
“Play!” Shlok announced.
Jeetendra came out behind her.
Riya looked at him.
“Come, Baba.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Why?”
“Just come.”
Kavita followed them.
Suman opened her door.
Arnav appeared behind her.
“Where are they going?” she asked.
Riya answered,
“To play.”
Suman looked at Arnav.
“Come.”
“Ji, Suman Ji.”
They followed.
Shlok ran ahead and stopped at the end of the corridor.
He turned around.
Everyone was there.
“Come!”
They did.
Nobody had planned it.
Nobody had arranged it.
For once, there was nowhere else they needed to be.
Shlok dropped onto the floor.
Riya sat beside him.
Jeetendra lowered himself next to them.
Kavita joined.
Suman sat against the wall.
Arnav brought two cushions.
Yogesh and Geetanjali sat together.
Shlok looked around.
Then grinned.
“Now mountain.”
Yogesh laughed.
“Again?”
“Again!”
He began pulling cushions together.
Everyone helped.
And soon the corridor of three flats was full of people climbing over a ridiculous mountain of cushions while Shlok shouted instructions and Riya laughed.
Geetanjali looked at Yogesh.
He was already laughing.
She leaned against his shoulder.
He squeezed her hand.
Neither said anything.
One evening, the doors of all three flats happened to open within minutes of one another.
Shlok came running into the corridor.
“Papa!”
Yogesh stepped out.
“What?”
“Come.”
“Where?”
“Come.”
He grabbed his father’s hand.
“Mumma too!”
Geetanjali came out and took his other hand.
Riya stepped into the corridor.
“Where are you going?”
“Play!” Shlok announced.
Jeetendra came out behind her.
Riya looked at him.
“Come, Baba.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Why?”
“Just come.”
Kavita followed them.
Suman opened her door.
Arnav appeared behind her.
“Where are they going?” she asked.
Riya answered,
“To play.”
Suman looked at Arnav.
“Come.”
“Ji, Suman Ji.”
They followed.
Shlok ran ahead and stopped at the end of the corridor.
He turned around.
Everyone was there.
“Come!”
They did.
Nobody had planned it.
Nobody had arranged it.
For once, there was nowhere else they needed to be.
Shlok dropped onto the floor.
Riya sat beside him.
Jeetendra lowered himself next to them.
Kavita joined.
Suman sat against the wall.
Arnav brought two cushions.
Yogesh and Geetanjali sat together.
Shlok looked around.
Then grinned.
“Now mountain.”
Yogesh laughed.
“Again?”
“Again!”
He began pulling cushions together.
Everyone helped.
And soon the corridor of three flats was full of people climbing over a ridiculous mountain of cushions while Shlok shouted instructions and Riya laughed.
Geetanjali looked at Yogesh.
He was already laughing.
She leaned against his shoulder.
He squeezed her hand.
Neither said anything.
Riya, fourteen, loved watching this.
She was Jeetendra and Kavita’s daughter, and lately she had been spending more time in 402 than in her own home.
She sat beside Suman on the sofa, watched television and talked.
“Bhabhi.”
“Hmm?”
“Tea?”
Suman glanced toward the kitchen.
“Arnav?”
“Ji, Darling?”
“Tea, please.”
“Sure, My Love”
A few minutes passed.
Riya looked at Suman.
“Bhabhi?”
“What?”
“Pakoda?”
Suman smiled.
“Arnav.”
“Ji, Suman?”
“Can you make some pakodas?”
“Your wish is my Command, Sweetheart”
Riya turned toward the television before her smile became obvious.
Arnav appeared briefly in the doorway.
He looked at Riya.
Riya stared innocently at the screen.
He shook his head and disappeared again.
Suman never noticed.
Riya liked the house for reasons beyond the food.
Nobody here called her a little girl.
She could disagree with Suman.
She could tease Arnav.
She could talk about school without somebody immediately turning it into a lecture.
At home, things were different.
“Riya, you need to learn household work,” Kavita said one evening.
“I’ll learn.”
“Then?”
“Why is it always because I’m a girl?”
Jeetendra looked up from the newspaper.
“Nobody said that”
“You did yesterday.”
“We’re trying to prepare you for life.”
“Then prepare me for life. Not for being a wife.”
She walked away.
Jeetendra folded the newspaper.
Kavita sighed.
Neither knew what to say.
In 401, the problem was quieter.
One evening, Geetanjali came home and found Shlok on the floor with his toy cars.
“Mumma!”
He ran to her.
She dropped her bag and hugged him.
He immediately began describing something that had happened that afternoon.
Her phone vibrated.
She glanced down.
When she looked back, Shlok had stopped.
“Mumma?”
“Yes?”
“You weren’t listening.”
She put the phone face down.
“Tell me again.”
He did.
This time she listened.
Later that night, she found Yogesh sitting beside their sleeping son.
“He asked me something today,” Yogesh said.
“What?”
“I don’t remember.”
Geetanjali looked at Shlok.
“He’ll be five soon.”
Yogesh nodded.
Neither spoke for a while.
The next morning, while getting ready for work, Yogesh said,
“You should quit.”
Geetanjali turned around.
“Why me?”
“You want more time with him.”
“So do you.”
“I’ll manage.”
“Then you quit.”
He smiled.
“You earn more.”
“That’s not the point.”
It wasn’t.
The conversation returned over the next few weeks.
Then one Sunday, Shlok dragged both of them into the living room.
“Mumma. Papa. Come.”
“We have work,” Yogesh said.
“Come.”
He had arranged cushions across the floor.
“They’re mountains.”
Geetanjali laughed.
“Are they?”
“Yes.”
“And what are we?”
“Climbers.”
Yogesh looked at Geetanjali.
She put her phone aside.
“Come on.”
They sat on the floor.
Shlok climbed over them, knocked down the cushions and demanded that they rebuild them.
After an hour, Yogesh’s shirt was covered in dust and Geetanjali’s hair had come loose.
Shlok was laughing.
Yogesh looked at Geetanjali.
She looked back.
Neither reached for their phones.
That evening, they opened their laptops.
Not for work.
To resign.
It was not an easy decision.
But they made it together.
Yogesh eventually began trading stocks seriously. His mornings were spent reading reports, studying companies and watching the market.
Geetanjali found an HR position she could do from home.
In 403, Riya was changing too.
Jeetendra noticed it first.
She came home one afternoon, threw her bag onto the sofa and announced,
“Baba, I need your opinion.”
He put down his newspaper.
“What happened?”
She explained.
He listened.
She finished.
He didn’t immediately tell her what she had done wrong.
“What would you do?” he asked.
Riya stared at him.
“I don’t know.”
“Think about it.”
She sat beside him.
“Can I stay here?”
He moved his papers.
“Of course.”
She stayed.
Kavita watched them from the kitchen.
The next evening, Riya came home and found her mother folding clothes.
“Mumma.”
“Hmm?”
“Do you know what Suman Bhabhi said?”
Kavita smiled.
“What?”
Riya sat down beside her.
And began gossipping
Kavita kept folding.
She didn’t interrupt.
When Riya finished, Kavita asked,
“What do you think?”
Riya smiled.
“I think you’re finally asking me my opinion.”
Kavita laughed.
“Maybe I’m learning.”
Riya leaned against her.
Across the corridor, Suman was watching television. Arnav was massaging her legs.
Riya appeared at the door. Arnav stood up startled.
“Bhabhi?”
“Hmm?”
“Can I sit?”
“Come.”
Riya dropped beside her.
Arnav walked past.
Riya looked at him.
Then at Suman.
Then back at Arnav.
“Arnav Bhaiya.”
He stopped.
“Yes?”
“Nothing.”
He narrowed his eyes.
Riya smiled.
Suman looked between them.
“What?”
“Nothing,” Riya said.
Arnav continued toward the kitchen.
Suman turned back to the television.
Riya bit her lip.
A few days later, Jeetendra came home from school and found Shlok waiting outside 401.
“Uncle!”
“What happened?”
“Play.”
Jeetendra put down his bag.
“All right.”
They sat on the floor.
Shlok pushed a toy car toward him.
“You be the bad guy.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m the hero.”
Jeetendra laughed.
“Fine.”
From 403, Riya watched them.
Jeetendra looked up.
“Coming?”
Riya shook her head.
“You two play.”
Shlok drove his car into Jeetendra’s knee.
“Uncle, you died.”
Jeetendra fell backward dramatically.
Shlok screamed with laughter.
Riya smiled.
Then she went inside.
That evening, Kavita found an old photograph while clearing a cupboard.
Riya was four.
She held it up.
“Look.”
Riya took it.
For a moment she said nothing.
“That’s me?”
“Yes.”
Riya stared at the picture.
“I was tiny.”
“You were impossible.”
Riya laughed.
“Still am.”
Kavita smiled.
“Maybe.”
Riya placed the photograph carefully on the table.
“Keep it.”
“I will.”
“Don’t show anyone.”
“Why?”
“Because I look ridiculous.”
Kavita laughed.
The next morning, Riya came into the kitchen.
“Mumma.”
“Hmm?”
“Can I help?”
Kavita looked at her.
“With what?”
“Whatever you’re doing.”
Kavita moved aside.
“Here.”
Riya took the bowl.
Neither mentioned the photograph.
Neither needed to.
The weeks passed.
In 401, Yogesh learned to close the market screen when Shlok wanted to play.
Geetanjali learned that a work call could sometimes wait five minutes.
In 403, Jeetendra learned that Riya didn’t always need an answer.
Kavita learned that sometimes her daughter simply wanted company.
In 402, nothing seemed to change.
Suman watched television.
Arnav managed the kitchen.
Riya continued to visit.
And occasionally, with perfect innocence, she would look at Suman and say,
“Bhabhi…”
“Hmm?”
“Feeling Hungry”
Suman would call,
“Arnav?”
“Ji, Suman Ji?”
“Get some snacks for us. Hurry up.”
“In a minute, Sweetheart.”
Riya would turn toward the television.
Arnav would pass the doorway and give Riya a warning look.
She would smile.
He would disappear.
Suman never knew.
One evening, the doors of all three flats happened to open within minutes of one another.
Shlok came running into the corridor.
“Papa!”
Yogesh stepped out.
“What?”
“Come.”
“Where?”
“Come.”
He grabbed his father’s hand.
“Mumma too!”
Geetanjali came out and took his other hand.
Riya stepped into the corridor.
“Where are you going?”
“Play!” Shlok announced.
Jeetendra came out behind her.
Riya looked at him.
“Come, Baba.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Why?”
“Just come.”
Kavita followed them.
Suman opened her door.
Arnav appeared behind her.
“Where are they going?” she asked.
Riya answered,
“To play.”
Suman looked at Arnav.
“Come.”
“Ji, Suman Ji.”
They followed.
Shlok ran ahead and stopped at the end of the corridor.
He turned around.
Everyone was there.
“Come!”
They did.
Nobody had planned it.
Nobody had arranged it.
For once, there was nowhere else they needed to be.
Shlok dropped onto the floor.
Riya sat beside him.
Jeetendra lowered himself next to them.
Kavita joined.
Suman sat against the wall.
Arnav brought two cushions.
Yogesh and Geetanjali sat together.
Shlok looked around.
Then grinned.
“Now mountain.”
Yogesh laughed.
“Again?”
“Again!”
He began pulling cushions together.
Everyone helped.
And soon the corridor of three flats was full of people climbing over a ridiculous mountain of cushions while Shlok shouted instructions and Riya laughed.
Geetanjali looked at Yogesh.
He was already laughing.
She leaned against his shoulder.
He squeezed her hand.
Neither said anything.
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