I sat on the veranda that evening, the cool breeze brushing against my face, but nothing felt refreshing anymore. The house was too quiet. Mama's laughter, Papa's humming when he locked up his shop for the night, even their scoldings—everything had vanished in a single cruel moment.
Shalu leaned against the doorway, her arms folded. "Didi, we need to decide. What about Papa's shop? The landlord will start asking questions."
I turned to look at her. Shalu was only a few years younger than me, but she carried herself like someone far older. Her eyes were swollen from crying, yet her voice had that sharp edge that always tried to protect us.
"Tomorrow," I whispered, not trusting my voice to rise. "We'll go tomorrow. Papa never left things unsettled, we shouldn't either."
Bani came running from inside, clutching a photograph of Mama. "Didi, can we put this in the living room? I don't want her to stay in that box," she said, her lips trembling.
My chest ached. I took the frame from her and pressed it against my heart. "Yes, Bani. We'll keep her where we can see her every day."
Shalu came closer, placing a hand on my shoulder. For once she didn't argue or push. She just stood there, the three of us huddled together, orphans in our own home.
---
Across the city, the Oberoi mansion buzzed with its usual grandeur. Rishi sat in the living room, flipping through his phone but not reading a single message. His mother, Neelam, noticed.
"Rishi, you've been distracted all day," she said, adjusting the pleats of her elegant saree. "Is something wrong at the office?"
He shook his head. "Not the office, Mom. That bus accident… some families lost everything. I can't get it out of my mind."
His brother Ayush laughed from the couch. "Bhai, you take the whole world's pain like it's your own. That's why you get scolded by Dad all the time—too soft for business."
Rishi frowned but didn't reply. He wasn't in the mood for Ayush's teasing.
Just then, Malishka walked in, her perfume announcing her before her voice. She slipped beside Rishi, wrapping her arm through his. "Rishi, you promised dinner tonight. Don't tell me you've forgotten again."
"I didn't forget," he said softly, still distracted.
Malishka tilted her head, studying him. "You're thinking about that accident again, aren't you? Why do you bother yourself so much? Tragedies happen every day. You can't save everyone."
Her words were practical, but her tone was sharp, as though she was annoyed that something else held Rishi's attention.
Ayush smirked, watching the scene. "Bhabhi-to-be, let him be. He's a hero at heart. Always dreaming of saving someone."
Rishi shot him a glare, but Malishka's eyes gleamed at the phrase bhabhi-to-be. She tightened her grip on Rishi's arm possessively, smiling sweetly as though to confirm it.
---
Meanwhile, at Rano aunty's modest house, she sat with her daughter Neha, gossiping in hushed tones.
"Do you see, Neha? Lakshmi and her sisters are alone now. No mother, no father. Who will look after them?" Rano said, her eyes sharp with calculation.
Neha shrugged. "They have each other. And you, Ma. Isn't that enough?"
Rano sighed dramatically. "Enough? What does a girl without parents have, except trouble? Someone will have to decide her future. She's too simple, too naïve. People will eat her alive in this city."
Neha smirked. "And you'll decide for her?"
Rano's lips curved into a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Someone has to. It's for her own good, of course."
Neha rolled her eyes. She knew her mother well enough. When Rano claimed to be doing something for someone's good, it usually meant there was benefit waiting for herself too.
---
Back in our house, Shalu finally broke the silence as we lay on the same bed that night. Bani had fallen asleep curled beside me, clutching Mama's saree like a security blanket.
"Didi, are we going to survive this?" Shalu's whisper was fierce, almost angry.
"Yes," I said, even though I didn't know how. "We'll survive. Papa trusted us to take care of each other."
Shalu pressed her lips together, and for the first time since the funeral, her eyes brimmed again. She turned away quickly, wiping her face before I could see.
---
The next morning came with an unwelcome knock on the door. Shalu opened it, expecting a neighbor offering condolences, but instead a man in a formal suit stood there holding an envelope.
"Are you Miss Lakshmi Bajwa?" he asked.
I stepped forward cautiously. "Yes."
He handed me the envelope without another word and left. My hands trembled as I tore it open. Inside was a legal notice addressed to Papa.
"What is it?" Shalu demanded, snatching it from me. She read aloud, her voice rising. "Final reminder of loan repayment… failure to clear dues within seven days will lead to seizure of property."
The paper slipped from her hand, fluttering to the floor.
Bani, awakened by the commotion, rubbed her eyes. "Didi? What happened?"
I swallowed hard, forcing calm into my voice. "Nothing, Bani. Go back to sleep."
But Shalu looked at me with fire in her eyes. "Nothing? This is everything, Didi! Papa had debts? Why didn't he tell us? We'll lose the house!"
I felt the world spin. As if losing our parents wasn't enough, now even our roof was under threat.
And in that moment, with the envelope lying like a curse on the floor, I realized our battles had only just begun.