“You should have told me you were coming home. I’d have picked you up from the airport,” Abhijat told his sister as his mother fussed over both of them, telling the harried-looking housekeeper what refreshments would be required to feed her children.

Abhijat noted with a vague sense of alarm that the list of food items she rattled off sounded more like a very large dinner than a light evening snack.

“I’m not a child, Abhi,” Rito snapped, flopping onto the sofa and flipping the TV remote in her hand like a juggler. “In fact, I’ll be 26 next month, in case you’ve forgotten. I can book a cab on my own.”

“I haven’t forgotten your age. I just can’t help but remember how much of a klutz you are.” Rito scooted over and he sat beside her, making a half-hearted attempt to steal the remote, which was quickly thwarted by her elbow thrust into his ribs. “Ouch.”

“Weakling.”

“Slob.”

“You’ll both be eating boiled broccoli for dinner unless you quit fighting,” their mother informed them, poking her head out of the kitchen.

“Where’s Papa?” he asked her, still trying to steal the remote from his sister, though more quietly this time.

“He went out to meet Ruqaiya and buy something for your sister to wear,” she said, stepping back into the kitchen. “It’s far too hot here for her university clothes.”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

He turned to Rito, frowning. “How long are you here for?”

“A couple of months,” she shrugged noncommittally, relinquishing the remote to pick at a loose thread on her oversized t-shirt.

“I didn’t know you had a vacation scheduled this month.”

Rito pulled her feet up to sit cross-legged on the sofa, her bright orange track pants stark against the pristine white cushions. Abhijat loved his sister dearly, but her taste in clothing made his eyes water. How Lyani Shian’s daughter had ended up with such a horrendous fashion sense was beyond him.

Rito noticed him side-eyeing her pants and scowled. “They’re comfy, okay? Not everyone can be stuffed into a stiff old uniform all the time. It’s like being dressed in cardboard–” she stopped, bit her lip, then looked up at him guiltily. “I’m sorry,” she mouthed, glancing worriedly in the direction of the kitchen.

Abhijat shook his head. “Don’t be ridiculous. There’s nothing to be sorry for. It was just a job. Nobody died.”

Rito pressed her lips together and looked away. After a few seconds of silence, she sighed. “I didn’t. Have a vacation scheduled, I mean. I just thought it’d be nice to take a break. Come home for a few weeks,” she once again spared a nervous glance in the direction of the kitchen. “See how you guys are doing. You know, spend some time with my family.”

Abhijat could tell that wasn’t the whole story. But before he could ask any questions, their mother appeared again at the kitchen door. “You shouldn’t have come home, darling. We were managing perfectly well here, especially now your brother’s back. There was some trouble for a couple of weeks, I know, but that’s all over now. Your studies are more important. You need to complete your thesis this year, don’t you?”

“It doesn’t matter, Maa,” Rito laughed, fixing her eyes on the TV. “I’ll study at home.”