Made Men

3. Killer Visit

After tasting death and hating every passing second of it, Vereena woke up the next morning with a clear mind. She made a promise to herself that she was going to be less critical, less morbid and way more fearless.

And that was going to start at breakfast.

"Beti, you can't just clip your fingernails where we eat." Her mother's appalled voice circled her ears. Focusing on her fingernail in question, her tongue pushed out of her mouth as she tried to cut it neatly.

A hefty sigh answered her mother's disgust. "She won't listen to us, Ma. It's so gross!"

Vereena rolled her eyes, setting the clipper down and looking up to find three pairs of matching eyes staring at her. "It's not like anyone's even eating food right now."

It was her Papa's turn to peer over at his daughter's absurd antics, his grey hair seemed almost white. He was flickering through his morning paper with his round glasses on the tip of his nose.

"See, Neha," he tutted, pulling a face. "This is why every marriage proposal is turned down, this is how your foolish daughter chooses to behave. Haven't you heard of manners, kutti?"

The nickname made her snort, a sweet display of how loving could her family be.

"Nope. You must've forgotten to teach me." She mocked, sending him a tight-lipped smile.

That received a smack to the back of her head, she let out a whiny 'ouch'. Her hand shot up to rub at the sensitive spot before her mother sat down at the table.

Most of her siblings were on the school bus on their way to school or at work, it was no different for her—she needed to leave soon.

Her sister, the one that was eighteen months younger than her, accompanied her and her parents at breakfast. They had always been super close and compared to for everything. It was like they were some kind of fraternal twins.

If it was anything to note, Aditi was on her way to getting her doctorate. Unlike her, who had chosen the easier path and become a nurse.

It wasn't hard to guess who the favoured daughter was.

"Can you give me a lift to the hospital, Adi?" She mumbled, watching as the beautiful girl read a message on her phone.

"Huh?"

Probably distracted by her perfect Indian fiancé, she was a soon-to-be wifey.

Vereena tried again. "I need a lift. My car is getting fixed at the shop remember and I have to be at work in fifteen." She had her scrubs on, and my god, was it her nightmare.

Her figure had always been thicker than all of her sisters. She was full in her thighs, her bottom was far too large for her mother's liking, and she had a large bust that made her uniform look too tight for her. Despite it being her actual size.

She was confused since Adi didn't seem to have her issue, her uniform looked incredible. In fact, she managed to look good at work.

"Um, no. It's my day off, I'm meeting Jahan for brunch." She was whining, the look of despair written across her face.

The nurse blinked. "Oh, that's fine. I'm not asking you to take me later, I need a lift now. You're not doing anything right now."

"Ugh. I don't want to take you, Vee. I've been doing graveyard shifts, it's my only day off!" She snapped, causing her mother to but in.

"Vereena, beti, your sister has been working non-stop, let her relax for one day. Why don't you take the bus?"

The bus. Her eyes nearly bulged out of her skull, that was a ridiculous idea.