While Rajveer was sitting on the couch, waiting for his clone, his doorbell rang. He got up to open the door, only to find Kavita standing there, a familiar tiffin carrier in her hands.
"Good morning, Rajveer ji," she said, offering a slight smile. "I made some Upma this morning and thought you might like some."
"Good morning, Kavita ji," Rajveer replied warmly, accepting the tiffin. "That's very kind of you. Please come in."
Kavita stepped inside, her eyes glancing around his small living room. As they chatted about the pleasant weather and the usual morning bustle outside, Rajveer's gaze inadvertently fell on her wrist. A faint, yellowish bruise was visible beneath the edge of her shawl. A shadow of concern flickered across his face. He then noticed a subtle stiffness in the way she moved her arm, as if guarding it.
"Kavita ji," he began, his voice gentle, "I hope you don't mind me asking, but is everything alright? I just noticed..." He trailed off, not wanting to be too direct.
Kavita's smile faltered slightly. She quickly adjusted her shawl, covering her wrist. "Oh, this? It's nothing, Rajveer ji. I just… I bumped into the door yesterday. It was quite clumsy of me." She laughed a little too brightly, her eyes avoiding his. "So, how have you been? Anything interesting happening?" She steered the conversation towards his well-being, a clear attempt to change the subject.
Just then, the bedroom door creaked open, and Rajveer's clone emerged. He was dressed in a stylish, slightly flamboyant shirt and jeans. His face is different from Rajveer's but equally handsome. His voice, when he spoke, was a smooth, husky baritone, a stark contrast to Rajveer's more melodious and welcoming tones.
"So, how do I look buddy?" the clone asked, a charmingly roguish smile gracing his lips as he noticed Kavita. "And who is this lovely lady? An unexpected visitor this early?" He moved with a confident swagger, extending a hand towards Kavita. "The name's… well, you can call me Veer. Rajveer's best friend. A pleasure to meet you."
Rajveer coughed from the sideline hearing his clone's name. Veer just glanced towards him with a playful smirk.
Kavita looked slightly surprised but brought her hands together as a sign of greeting. "Namaste, Veerji. I am Kavita, Rajveer ji's neighbour."
As Veer's eyes met Kavita's, a playful spark initially lit them. But as he held her hand for a brief moment, his gaze also fell upon the faint bruise on her wrist, and he subtly registered the slight tension in her posture. His charming smile didn't completely vanish, but a hint of seriousness flickered beneath the surface.
"It's lovely to meet you, Kavita ji," Veer said, his voice softening slightly. He then launched into a lighthearted anecdote about his "struggles" with the morning, exaggerating a comical scenario involving a tangled bed sheet and a misplaced alarm clock.
His intention was clear: to lighten the mood and perhaps bring a genuine smile to her face. He peppered his story with playful teasing and charming gestures, successfully eliciting a few genuine giggles from Kavita. While he didn't directly address the potential abuse he sensed, his actions were a subtle attempt to create a safe and positive interaction for her.
Rajveer watched the exchange, a mixture of relief and concern swirling within him. He appreciated his clone's intuitive understanding and his tactful way of handling the situation without being confrontational. The signs were there, undeniable, but Kavita was clearly not ready to talk about it. For now, all he could do was offer his quiet support and hope that she would eventually feel safe enough to confide in him.
"I should go now. My in-laws are coming today. I have so much to prepare for them. Please do tell me if you liked my breakfast." said Kavita, glancing towards the door. The tension in her body increases just by mentioning her in-laws.
"I already told you Kavita ji. Your food will always be good for me." replied Rajveer, a gentle smile on his face.
"A food made by such beautiful hands can never be bad, Kavita." said Veer charmingly.
Kavita kept her head down to hide her blush from the shower of compliments she was getting from Veer.
The moment Kavita went out and Rajveer closed the door behind her, the air in the room completely changed. Now there was a clear tension in the room. Rajveer was angry, there was no doubt about it. But it was Veer. He was the one who was more furious.
"Calm yourself, Veer. getting angry will not solve the problem." said Rajveer in his calm and smooth voice, trying to lessen his clone's anger.
"Calm yourself! How can I stay calm after seeing something like that?" said Veer, getting angrier as time passes.
"We don't know the full context. Better not jump to conclusions. Anyway, nothing can be done if Kavita herself doesn't open up." Rajveer said with a heavy sigh. Veer huffed but stayed silent, agreeing with Rajveer.
"And seriously! Veer– that's the name you chose. Couldn't you be more obvious?" said Rajveer sarcastically.
"What's wrong with the name? Veer is a part of your name. I am a part of you, since I am your clone and we share our mind palace and all our other abilities. Don't you think it is fitting?" replied Veer, returning to his usual demeanour. He continued, "and I have already thought of the name for your second clone. Raj! Isn't that fitting?"
Rajveer just shook his head in defeat. After a few moments of contemplation, he said to Veer, "Well, all things considered, it's good that you are here. I really need some help."
"Don't worry, I know what to do. My first priority will always be your or should I say our work. But I am not your slave. I'd like to do my own thing in my free time and I don't want your interruption in that." said Veer, making his intentions very clear.
"I won't stop you, but I do have a few conditions. Don't try to break up a happy family. I don't want you to become a homewrecker. Don't try to hurt any innocent. Don't start a fight if you can solve it with just words. And I'll not be your babysitter. Find a job. The modelling competition is going to start within a week, so I won't be able to attend a few things. Falguni Pathak's debut song is also going to be released. I won't be able to give much time to my other projects. I need you to work on those projects." Rajveer said in a firm voice.
"What kind of person do you think I am? You don't need to worry about all that. And I know what to do. Same thing which you have done many times while working as a spy, right? Leave it to me." said Veer with full confidence.