Chapter 33- A bit hard with that fossil

"Both of you stop. I'm leaving myself. Don't make me the reason for one of your deaths." Christopher said as he jumped down from the counter and left the kitchen.

"But, Christopher-?" Archie ran after him.

Afsah face palmed before taking a deep breath.

…

Archie and Christopher were outside the mansion at the front porch. "You don't have to leave right now. Ignore what he said."

"See you at work." Christopher said quietly as he slipped on his left shoe and walked back to his jeep.

Archie couldn't do anything but to watch his car speed off into the distance.

~

That night, the three gathered at the dining table for dinner. Archie was last to arrive.

She looked at Augustin, then glanced at Afsah, letting anger define her face.

The table was silent but the three were looking at each other, expecting someone to break the awkwardness but to no fortune although thankfully, just as it started to become a part of that nights meal, mother Devi arrived with the dinner. She took a look at the friends then took a deep breath.

"I don't allow resentment near my food." She said sadly

Afsah loosened up a bit.

"That's true, Architha. How silly of you." Afsah immediately hid his face with his cup of milk.

"How silly of me? Me?" Her eyebrows reached her hairline, fury almost dripping from her words as she stood up to intimidate Afsah who was sitting across her.

"Architha, sit down, honey. No need for this. He made a mistake, and he'll apologise now. Won't you, son?"

"NO." Afsah yelled childishly before running up the stairs.

Archie groaned irritably before pushing the plate away and following Afsah up the stairs but to her room.

Augustin sat on the chair, almost melting to the floor with his hands covering his mouth from laughing.

"Who's going to eat my food now?" mother Devi asked holding her chin with her right hand and resting the left across herself.

"Don't worry, what do you think I'm here for." Augustin replied with a smirk.

~

It was turning 9pm at the house and Archie was getting ready for bed. She sat and thought about Afsah. Was she overreacting or did she overestimate his concern for her?

As she was getting lost in a deep ocean of her own thoughts, her phone started ringing. It was Raj

"Hello?"

"Hello, Architha. How was work? Did you enjoy? Was it like you expected?"

"Yeah, yeah. I haven't really started just yet. Christopher said that if I present a complicated case before the court and win, he'll let me skip the intro and get straight into serving clients on my own."

"Pfft. What does he think he's saying…? You're only starting. He knows that would be impossible, that's why he asked of such a deal."

"I know. I'll try though. I saw my mentor at court. I fell in love with what she was doing and how she was doing it straight away. It must be a peculiar feeling to have so many people's trust."

"I see. Do you want to speak to Tanvitha?"

As Archie was thinking of a way to escape this dreadful offer, her door swung open. She turned just her head around expecting Augustin, but this time, again, it was Afsah.

"Uh… Can I call you back tomorrow? I have to go quickly."

"Oh… Okay. Sure."

Although she felt bad for suddenly ending the call, she hung up and turned her body around to Afsah with her arms crossed.

"What do you want?"

"I'll drop you tomorrow." Afsah said so quietly that you almost couldn't hear him.

He had his hands behind him and looked down at the ground like a guilty cat.

"Ohhh dear! No, no, no. That must be too much for you! I don't want to trouble anyone. You must have a looooot of shops to be at." She said sarcastically, still maintaining her pose.

"Come on, Architha, I wasn't that late." He said finally looking up at her and shutting the door behind him with his feet.

"40 minutes."

"You didn't even ask why I was at the shops."

"I don't think I care."

"Hmmm." He thought as he brought his hands from behind his back. He was holding a box.

"What is that?" Archie asked in confusion.

"Look for yourself." Afsah said smugly as he shyly handed her the package.

It was a phone.

"Oh…" Archie was speechless. How was she to react? She wanted to dig a hole in the ground and leave.

"You've had your sister's fossil for a while now. It's an iphone."

"Okay." She said inspecting the box childishly

"Sooo. 8 o'clock tomorrow?" Afsah said smirking

"Whatever." She said, unable to resist her smile.

~

It was the next morning, 8:20 am. Afsah had dropped Archie at the firm. Today, she was wearing a plain dark green silk saree with the same accessories as the day before, and as usual, she had the attention of everyone around; this time even more of those who had seen her with Christopher.

She had gone into his office to ask if she could have a copy of the file that she was to present to the court the next day.

"Well good morning there, miss Architha. Good to see you again, how may I help you?" he said holding the door against his chest. He was monotone. Probably still on the hangover of yesterdays petty argument.

"Uh… I just wanted a copy of Adam Wayne's case."

"What?" Christopher asked, clearly confused as he walked towards his chair.

"…" She gave him some more time to think.

"Ohhhh… He said brushing his hands through his hair and looking through his desk.

"Yeah." She murmured awkwardly, disappointed that he had forgotten.

"Damn I didn't think you would take that seriously." He said as he pulled over the trash can and started going through it. "I was going to cancel that since none of our staff wanted to even hear of it. But here's you now." He said, grabbing a handful of papers from the bin.

Archie was nearing the end of her patience but attempted to remain calm.

He stuffed the scrunched up documents into a folder and passed it to her.

"All yours" Christopher sung as he started spinning around stupidly on his office chair.

Archie grabbed it from him and slammed the door on her way out.

~

"Hey." Archie spoke to the phone sitting on the counter of the bathroom.

"Architha? Whats up?" Afsah answered from the other side.

"Can you come pick me up?" She said looking at the folder beside her.

"Finished already?"

"No. I have to study a case to present tomorrow. There's no point staying here, I can do it comfortably at home."

"Oh.. Okay okay." He said. "I'll be there in 20 minutes."

"20? Better than 40 I guess."

Afsah laughed before hanging up.

~

It was evening at the mansion. Mother Devi, Augustin and Afsah were gathered around Archie's desk quietly watching her flip through the half destroyed documents.

"This looks like lame work." Augustin decided to comment.

Archie looked back at him with irritation.

"I want some alone time. I'm stressing." Afsah said placing his huge hands on her small shoulders.

"It's okay, you're only beginning. Don't abuse yourself."

"Hmm." She look at Afsah who gave her a reassuring nod.

~

The sun shone luminously through the window curtains. This was Archie's alarm for the day to come.