Chapter 43
"Go and fetch the cane from my study." Advait ordered, making Abhishek's eyes tear up instantly.
But he was willing to get his forgiveness so he turned around to get the cane. Advait raised his brow amusingly as he was not really planning on hitting him and just said this to scare him.
"You have zero survival instincts, you know that right?" Advait commented.
He stopped on his way and turned around looking at him confused.
Advait shook his head at his innocence and ruffled his hair in a loving gesture.
Abhishek's eyes shone brighter than a star on receiving the familiar warm gesture, "Maaf kar diya?" He asked.
"Hmm." Advait hummed, his eyes were still showing the hurt he had felt by his words but a small smile played on his lips to reassure Abhishek.
Abhishek noticed everything, he closed the distance between them and hugged his waist tightly. His face was resting on his chest and he could hear his rhythmic heartbeats.
"I love you bhaiya. I was... dumb." He mumbled near his chest.
Advait rested his one hand behind the back of his head, he chuckled lightly listening to his statement, "That you're..." He muttered.
"I always disappoint you. You don't hate me right?" He hesitantly asked.
If it would be any other day then Advait would beat the sense in his stupid brother for the absurd question but now his brother needed the sense of reassurance and he was willingly ready to give him the warmth of his words.
Advait tightened his grip around him, "You could never disappoint me 'kay." He parted away just to cup his face, "You're my kid and I could never hate my son. You're the bestest child anyone could ask for." He said straight looking in his eyes.
Abhishek felt overwhelmed by the emotions he buried his face in his chest and let out a sob.
"Bas Abhi kal se ro hi raha hai tabiyat kharab ho jayegi baccha." Advait rubbed his back.
"I'm feeling so guilty, bhaiya. I am really sorry, Mai bua ki baaton me aa gaya unhone jo kaha wo maan liya. I trust you a lot bhaiya more than anything in this world but she manipulated me, she..." He blabbered while crying in guilt.
"Shh bas bas no need to explain baccha. I know my Abhi is so innocent and people take advantage of his innocence.
Don't let them do that. You're capable enough to use your own brain.
Don't let them settle their opinions in your mind.
Stand your ground and give them the taste of their own medicine. " Advait gently made him understand.
"Can you do that for me?" Advait asked stroking his hair as his head was pressed on his chest.
"Ji bhaiya, I promise." He replied earnestly.
"Mera baccha." Advait kissed the top of his head.
He kept hugging him, gently stroking his hair, his other hand was making small circles on his back. He let him take all the comfort and warmth he needed until Abhishek broke the hug by himself.
He looked up at him with his puffy eyes, "You look terrible, go wash your face." Advait chuckled gently brushing away his tears.
Abhishek pouted and entered the lavatory of Advait's room.
"Use your room's lavatory." Advait said from behind but he already went inside.
"Mai aaj yahi sounga." Abhishek said from inside the bathroom.
Advait shook his head slightly, his gaze landed on Arush who was sleeping soundly on the bed. A smile formed on his lips and he went out to check on his other troublemaker.
He entered Aditya's room and found him playing video games he was very focused on the game. His room was not looking less than a dump area. The things were lazily lying scattered on the floor. Advait rolled his eyes at the scene.
"Adi." He said from behind.
Aditya immediately got up but not before hiding his video game under the pillow, "Sacchi just abhi rakhne hi wala tha, bhaiya." He ranted before Advait could say something.
Advait raised his eyebrow at that.
"Why are you up till now? It's past your bedtime." He asked with a hint of firmness.
"I was about to sleep." Aditya whispered slowly while shifting from one foot to another.
"Hmm and what's with this mess?" He pointed out the things scattered on the floor.
Aditya looked down without any reply.
Advait sighed when he didn't get any response, "Clean up this mess and come to my room." He invited him to sleep in his room but Aditya thought he was in trouble.
"I'll never create a mess again." He said defensively, his tone was protested.
Advait furrowed his brows, "Good." He said confused about his tone.
"Am I still in trouble?" He asked innocently.
"Did you do something to get into trouble?" Advait asked cautiously.
Aditya thought for a minute about all his mischief he had done in the past few days then he thought that Advait could never know about them so there shouldn't be any chance he was in trouble.
He meekly shook his head.
"Good boy! I'm going. Come quickly." Advait ruffled his hair and was about to turn around when Aditya stopped him.
"Bhaiya, I didn't do anything... yet." He said and whispered the last word under his breath.
"When did I say you did something?" Advait asked clearly confused.
"You're calling me in your room." He muttered looking at him cutely.
Advait facepalmed himself, "I'm calling you in my room to sleep with us. Abhi and Aru are already there so I thought to call you also." He cleared.
Aditya visibly relaxed at that and smiled sheepishly.
"Give me a ride to your room. I'm very tired." He requested stretching out his arms to be picked up.
"Tired of playing video games all day huh?" Advait teased.
Aditya pouted.
"I'll give you a ride to my room but before that clean up this mess." Advait instructed.
Aditya whined, "I'll clean it up tomorrow pakka wala promise. I'm very tired right now." He gave him the most pitiful look.
Advait shook his head at his dramatics. He bent down and picked him up in his arms with a practised ease. Aditya melted in his embrace and kept his head on his shoulder.
Advait took him to his room and settled him beside Arush who was already asleep with a pout formed on his lips. Abhishek was lying on the right side of the Arush and was waiting for Advait to come.
Advait caressed their hairs and pecked their foreheads one by one wishing them a night.
He also settled beside Abhishek and the four of them slept peacefully in the warmth and love of each other.
Their bonding grew stronger with every moment they spent together and their love for each other was unbreakable.
~________________________________________~
The hurricanes had returned from the school and now Aditya was planning on taking his revenge. He was trying to think about what he should do but no idea came to his mind.
He was lazily slumping down on the couch while Abhishek and Arush were sitting before him staring at him... glaring at him.
Aditya raised his brow, "What?"
"Adi, I'm warning you again. Don't do anything stupid." Abhishek warned.
Aditya rolled his eyes royally, "Mujhe warn karne ki jagah meri help kariye idea sochne me." He said.
"Abhi bhai is right." Arush mumbled but shut down his mouth when Aditya glared at him.
He again started thinking of an idea when his eyes landed on the fruit basket placed on the table in front of him. A wide smirk came across his face.
Abhishek and Arush looked at each other horrified, they both knew this look very well.
Kalyani was walking in the hallway to come into the living room. Aditya saw that and his eyes glinted with something dangerous.
He picked up the banana and peeled it skin shoving banana in his mouth with a grin and tossed the peel on the floor from where Kalyani was coming from.
"What the hell, Adi?" Abhishek yelled in whispering.
He shoved down the banana in his throat grumbling, "I hate bananas." He grimaced.
Shreya entered the living room with her usual chirpy smile. But before that she could cross the hallway, a loud sound boomed in the house.
Thud.
"Aaaa...mar gayi." Kalyani cried in pain.
Everyone looked in her direction and there she was lying on the floor, clutching her back with her hand and her face was scrunched up in the painful expression.
Aditya smirked while Abhishek and Shreya immediately went to her side. Amrinder came out listening to the voice he crouched down beside her. They tried to help her to get up but she was not ready to move from her place due to pain.
Aditya didn't move from his place, he leaned back on the sofa unfazed by his surroundings.
"Is she dying?" Arush asked innocently.
Kalyani glared at him but Abhishek covered his mouth before she could say something.
"Kalyani utho kaise gir gayi tum?" Amrinder tried to pull her up but she refused.
"Dadi uthiye..." Abhishek tried to help her but she jerked away his hand.
"Don't touch me and don't call me dadi." She hissed in pain.
Aditya gritted his teeth in anger, "To padi rahiye wahi par." He said from behind.
Shreya and Amrinder helped her to get up but she was not able to move from her place. Shreya quickly took out her phone and called Advait.
"Advait, aap jaldi se apne ghar aa jaiye." She said as soon as he picked up the call.
Advait expression morphed into concern, "What happened? Is everything fine?" He asked.
"Aap bas please jaldi se ghar aa jaiye aapki dadi gir gayi." She said hurriedly.
"'Kay, I'm coming." He said from the other side already making his way to the parking lot.
In the Malhotra Mansion, Everyone tried to help her but she wasn't able to move due to the extreme pain in her back. Shreya also called the doctor.
Aditya was sitting quietly on the sofa, his heart was pounding with the thought of what if Advait got to know about this but he kept up a cool face.
Abhishek was glaring at him but he was not at all affected by it.
Amrinder was constantly rubbing Kalyani's back to soothe down the pain but she was in extreme pain.
"What if she gets a serious injury?" Abhishek whispered gritting his teeth at Aditya.
"Then I would be upset because my plan was including her dying." He replied unfazed.
"If bhaiya gets to know you'll be dead. You know that right." He angrily replied and Aditya's unfazed demeanor flickered for a second but then he again put up a mask of 'I don't care.'
Abhishek shook his head in anger and turned around but Shreya was already standing there staring suspiciously between both of them.
"Ye tumne kiya?" She directly asked Aditya.
Aditya looked away without replying she was about to question him further when her gaze landed on Advait who was coming from the entrance.
Aditya followed her gaze and gulped down hard looking at his bhaiya. He stood up quickly moving his gaze away.
"Dadi!!" Advait gasped and crouched down beside her.
"Kya hua aap gir kaise gayi?" He asked, his face was twisted in concern.
"Advait." Her face turned into a bit of relief.
"Uthiye aap..." He said but she shook her head in pain.
"Nahi beta bohot dard ho raha hai mai hil bhi nahi paungi." She panted, her face was dripping with sweat.
Advait carefully picked her up and took her to the room. Everyone followed him. He gently laid her down on the bed.
"Rukiye mai abhi doctor ko call karta hoon." He said reassuring her.
Shreya jumped in the conversation, "Maine already call kar diya hai doctor aate hi honge."
Advait passed her a grateful smile, "Thanks!"
She returned the gesture with a small smile.
"Tum giri kaise Kalyani dekh kar chalna chahiye tha na." Amrinder chided in worry.
Abhishek, Aditya and Arush looked at each other and averted their gazes while Shreya was giving an accusing glare to Aditya.
The doctor came and examined her. After a few minutes of silence he spoke up, "We'll need to do the X-ray to examine the injury." He said in a professional tone.
"Aap kal inhe hospital le aaiye abhi ke liye mai inhe pain relief shot de deta hoon." He added.
"What are the chances of her dying?" Aditya asked suddenly grabbing everyone's attention.
The doctor looked at the Advait with a judgmental look and Advait's face turned red in embarrassment he wished to hide himself underground. He pierced his gaze in Aditya's soul.
He pointed towards the door with his eyes indicating him to get out of the room. Aditya obeyed and without waiting for a moment he left the room.
~________________________________________~