Heaven in Hell

Schedule 2

"With all due respect sir, it was completely my fault. He has always been nothing but a great father." said Roshesh, entering without permission with a scared Wills still standing at the threshold with eyes wide, waiting to hear 'Enter'.

Anger, with fear for him, simmered throughout my body.
"How dare you, Roshesh. How dare you interrupt him and talk to him in that tone! I will-"

---

"Calm down, Kadner."
I looked away from Roshesh and took a few breaths to calm myself down.
If we weren't at Colonel's office, and if I had the permission, I'd shed the remaining skin off his body in no
time!

"Nice to meet you, Officer Roshesh. Thank you for dropping him, Wills. You can go and arrange the dinner."
Colonel greeted him softly.

"Good evening, sir. I apologise to-"
"We'll see to it later, boy. First, tell me, is it true that Kadner has been treating you differently since the drunk-talk incidence came up?"

Rosh stood silently. He couldn't say yes, and he couldn't also lie.

"He asked you something. Use your tongue when you're told to."
I said harshly, giving him a reason to speak the truth.

"Yes, yes sir." 
Roshesh answered hesitantly.

"It is true that you were very drunk that day?" 
"Yes sir."

"Why? What did Kadner do to you?"
"I don't remember, sir." Rosh said looking at the floor.
He was clearly lying.

Colonel looked at me with one eyebrow raised, as if mocking me with 'Here you don't want to see his face. And there he is saving your ass.'

"Would you do it again, my boy?"
"Never ever, sir."
Rosh said with his head held up, his eyes looking into Colonel's.

Damn. All these years and I never had the courage to look upto this man the way my son is doing right now.

"What about tonight?"
"Never. Ever. Sir."
He repeated his words confidently.

"I request you to kindly hand over the authority of this boy to me, Kadner." His glare fixed at Rosh told me he is about to pay hell for that.

"It won't be required, sir. He will do everything-"

"Please?"

Oh God! He means it seriously. I turn towards Roshesh and say it in the low tone I reserve for him when his stupidity kicks in, "You do everything he says, you answer all his questions, you follow all his commands. His orders come before mine till we leave this place. Got it?"

"Yes, sir"
Son, you have no clue, how big of a yes you are saying.

Without wasting a single second, Colonel gets into the mode he's famous for.

"So you think it is acceptable to eavesdrop on conversations, enter without permission and interrupt, officer?" 
Exactly sir. He should have never done it.

Roshesh shudders but has atleast not lost his ability to answer, "No, sir. It won't happen again, sir." 
Good for him. He needs to realise that the man in front of him is his father's trainer.

"What is your favorite calorie burning method?" And the games begin.

"Push-ups, sir" 
Shit! The man before him is a master in that department. Never ever choose that as your mode of regret. The variations are unending and progressively worse.

"Are you waiting for an invitation then? 25 counts. Let me tell you, I only accept the crisp ones."

Roshesh immediately drops and starts pushing.