Chapter 55
Abhishek, Aditya and Arush had returned from their school. Arush was quiet since yesterday, he was only talking when someone was asking him something otherwise he was silent. The brothers settled on the dining table to have their lunch.
"Kya hua, Aru. Itna chup kyun hai subah se?" Abhishek asked focusing on his food.
Arush just shook his head.
"School me maar padi hogi." Aditya teased snorting.
Arush glared at him, "Aapko padi hogi." He retorted.
"Mujhe kyun padegi mai padhai karta hoon, teri tarah diary nahi phaadta." Aditya replied tossing the food in his mouth, his tone was teasing.
Abhishek passed him a look, "Adi kyun tang kar raha hai usey." He chided.
"Maine to sach bola." He replied.
"Mat bolo mujhe aapse baat nahi karni." Arush said glaring at him.
Aditya rolled his eyes, "Not even interested."
Arush sulked, Abhishek diverted his attention, "Leave him, Aru. Tu mujhe bata kya hua kisi ne kuch kaha?" He gently asked.
Arush shook his head, "Bhaiya ne shaadi kar li aur hume bataya bhi nahi." He said sadly, his voice laced with hurt and disappointment.
Aditya rolled his eyes while Abhishek made a duh face, "Aru, bhaiya ne kal bola tha na unhone shaadi nahi ki hai phir tu kyun ye baat soch raha hai."
"Agar wo jhooth bol rahe honge to?" He asked.
"Haan unhe to tujhse dar lagta hai na jo tujhe jhooth bolenge." Aditya taunted.
Arush whined, "Bhai ye kyun mere beech me bol rahe hain." He complained to Abhishek.
"Mai to bolunga meri marzi." Aditya replied unfazed.
"Adi, mat kar chup chap khana kha apna." Abhishek scolded.
"Isko bolo apna dimag use karna band kare waise bhi kam hai future me kaam ayega." Aditya said referring to Arush.
Arush yelled, "Bhaiya se complain karunga aapki." He jumped down off the chair and made his way to the garden.
"Aru khana to kha kar jaa." Abhishek said from behind but he was already out of the dining room.
Arush angrily stormed towards the garden, he spotted kaka who was watering the plants there. Arush ran to him and tucked on his kurta. Kaka looked down and smiled brightly seeing Arush there.
"Kya hua, Aru? Kuch chahiye aapko?" Kaka asked lovingly.
Arush bobbed his head, "Aapka phone chahiye mujhe bhaiya se baat karni hai." He replied stretching out his hand for the phone.
Kaka smiled, taking out his phone from his pajamas pocket. He dialled Advait's number and handed it to Arush.
"Thank you, Kaka." Arush thanked him and went away from there to the distance.
The phone ringed for a few times before Advait's voice cut through the phone.
"Ji kaka? Sab theek hai?" He asked.
"Bhaiya." Arush mumbled with a sad pout.
"Aru..." Advait said recognizing the voice, "Kya hua baby?" He asked gently.
"Bhaiya, aap kab aaoge?" He asked in a little voice.
Advait exhaled before answering, "Bhaiya meeting me hai beta, shaam tak aa payenge."
Arush's pout grew more, "Aap abhi aao mujhe aap se baat karni hai." He said.
"Aru, mai abhi nahi aa sakta meeting end hote hi aa jaunga promise." He replied, trying to make him understand.
"Nahi aap abhi aao." He stubbornly said.
"Mai aapko baad me call karta hoon." He said abruptly as he paused his important meeting just to take the call.
"Nahi aap abhi ghar aao." He whined.
"Aru, mai meeting me hoon. Maine aapko kaha na meeting end hote hi turant aa jaunga beta, aise zidd nahi karte..." Advait explained but he cut him off in between.
"No no no, aap gande ho mujhse pyar nahi karte ab mai bhi aap se baat nahi karunga." He yelled, tears started gathering in his eyes.
Advait concerned, "Baccha aise na... " He tried to say but Arush disconnected the call.
He handed back the phone to kaka and stormed inside with the tears rushing in his eyes. Abhishek and Aditya spotted him and stopped him on his way.
"Kya hua ro kyun raha hai?" Abhishek asked cupping his cheeks.
Arush sobbed.
"Chot lagi hai kahi?" Aditya asked looking at the fat tears rolling down on his cheeks.
"Mai bh-bhaiya se baat nahi karunga wo bohot gande hain unhone chupke se shaadi kar li aur maine unhe ghar bulaya to mana kar diya wo a-ab mujhse pyar nahi karte." He hiccupped pouring out his emotions.
He was thinking that his brother ignored him because he got married and now he only loved his wife not him. His innocent heart felt betrayed.
"Aisa nahi bolte, Aru. Maine tujhe bola na bhaiya ne koi shaadi nahi ki hai aur wo abhi busy honge islie ghar nahi aa rahe shaam ko aa jayenge ab rona band kar de bilkul." Abhishek coaxed him but he wasn't ready to understand anything.
"Nahi wo ab gande ho gaye hain, gande bhaiya." He sniffled.
"Arush aise nahi bolte samajh me nahi aata." Aditya said firmly.
"Aap bhi mat bolo aap bhi gande ho." He replied crying.
Abhishek hugged him rubbing his back, "Shh chup ho jaa. Aru to accha baby hai na aise rote nahi hai." He wiped off his tears gently and took him to his room.
Aditya was about to follow them when kaka emerged in the living room.
"Adi, Aru kahan hai?" Kaka asked.
"Apne room me gaya hai." He replied.
"Advait baba ka call aaya tha uske baare me puch rahe the wo ro to nahi raha tha na?" Kaka asked.
"Uske paas rone ke alawa aur koi kaam hai? Bhaiya ko boliye to ignore him." He replied and went away from there leaving kaka confused.
~________________________________________~
Advait returned earlier from the office, he left the office as soon as his meeting ended.
He entered the mansion and headed to Arush's room without even changing or taking a relaxing breath.
He opened the room and looked at Arush who was curled up in the blanket.
He sat down beside him and noticed the dried tears on his cheeks.
Advait's eyes twitched with guilt, his hands gently caressed his cheeks.
He leaned down to kiss on his head and left the room without any noise to not to disturb his sleep.
He went to his room, took a shower and got changed in fresh clothes. He made his way in the living room where Amrinder and Aditya were already presented.
Amrinder was laughing when Advait entered the room.
"What's happening?" Advait asked taking his seat on the adjacent sofa.
"Nothing much."
Aditya answered quickly stood up and sat down leaning onto him. Advait ruffled his hair at his gesture.
"Kya baatein padha raha tha ye aapko dadu?" Advait asked chuckling.
Amrinder let out a soft chuckle before answering, "Ye mujhe apni school ki shararatein bata raha tha, kehna padega Advait ye to tumse bhi do kadam aage hai."
Advait raised his brow turning his face towards Adi and he winked at him in response.
"Mujhe bhi bata kya hungama kar ke aaya hai school me?" Advait asked.
"How do you know mai hungama kar ke aaya hoon?" Aditya said surprisingly, "Pata hai maine aaj staff room me bomb fod..." He said in the rush of excitement but later realized who was sitting in front of him.
Advait glared at him sharply and he gave him a nervous smile to let it slide.
Before Advait could beat the sense into him, Shreya stepped down the stairs followed by Abhishek.
"Namaste dadu." Shreya greeted.
"Hello beta." Amrinder replied making her smile.
She looked at Advait who was already looking at her with a smirk. Abhishek was already on his side clinging to him.
"Baitho beta." Amrinder said.
"Uh-Mujhe ghar jana..." She was about to say when Advait cut her off in between.
"I'll drop you home after coffee." He said.
She raised her brow at him and he winked at her in return. She sat down while rolling her eyes.
"You're clinging to him as if he had returned after years." Shreya commented looking at Abhishek who was leaning on side hugging Advait like a koala.
"My poor soul needs some love after your two hours of torture." Abhishek answered.
She narrowed her eyes at him while everyone else laughed.
Kaka came up with a tray of hot steaming cups, he placed it down on the table. He was about to handed the cup to everyone when Aditya stood up helping him, he gently dismissed him and handed the cups to everyone.
"Tum teaching ke alawa padhai bhi karti ho?" Amrinder asked just to know more about her.
"Ji dadu, I'm doing a PhD in accounting and finance." She replied politely.
Amrinder nodded his head while Aditya gasped, "PhD wo bhi itne gande subject me eww." He said making a face.
Advait looked at him and he shut his mouth.
"Tumhe kaise pata accounts gandi hai, tumne to abhi tak padhi bhi nahi wo." She said as a matter-of-fact.
"Jab Abhi bhai se nahi ho rahi to mujhse kya hi hogi." He also said as a matter-of-fact.
Shreya sipped down her coffee grumbling under her breath, "Mini malhotra."
The shuffling of the little feets echoed in the silence, Advait turned his face finding Arush was standing on the edge of the last stair. His hair was disheveled and eyes were half opened indicating he just got wake up from his sleep.
"Come here, Aru." Advait gently invited him.
Arush headed to them with slow steps and settled down beside Shreya avoiding Advait.
Amrinder looked at his sad pout asking, "Kya hua chote maharaj?" He teased to make him smile.
But he just shook his head, his eyes were fixed on Abhishek who was leaning on Advait.
"Aapko cooking aati hai?" Aditya asked Shreya all of a sudden.
Abhishek perked up, "Kyun tujhe apni shaadi ki mithai banwani hai unse?" He asked playfully earning a swat on his arm from Advait.
Aditya ignored him and asked her again, "Batao na Di?"
"Aati hai thodi bohot." She replied honestly.
"To mujhe sikha do na please bhaiya to nahi sikhate aap hi sikha do kal se aap one hour pehle aana, pehle meri cooking classes lena phir Abhi bhai ki class lena." He said and Abhishek threw him a glare.
"I mean unki tuition class lena, bas khush." He improved his statement.
"You're too small for learning cooking." Shreya commented making Advait chuckled and Aditya scoffed.
Advait's eyes landed on Arush who was still sitting on the couch, his shoulders were slumping down but his gaze was fixed between Abhishek and Advait.
"Bhaiya ke paas aao, Aru." Advait called him as his heart was aching looking at him sitting like this feeling left alone.
"Mujhe nahi aana." He muttered.
"Accha idhar aao phir baat karte hain." Advait said understanding his heartburn over the noon's conversation between them.
"Bola na mujhe nahi aana." He raised his voice.
"Arush, mind your tone." Abhishek warned straightening up and glaring down at him.
Arush flinched but didn't back off himself to answer him back, "Mai aapse bhi baat nahi kar raha hoon."
"To mat kar." Abhishek replied.
"Abhi." Advait hushed him and looked towards Arush, "Mai sach me busy tha baccha islie nahi aa paya par ab aapko bula raha hoon na, kyun gussa kar rahe ho phir?" He said.
"Aap mujhse baat mat karo aap bhai ko hi pyar karo, gande ho aap ab pyar nahi karte mujhse." He said as tears started making their way in his eyes.
Aditya fisted his hands on his sides controlling his anger. He wasn't liking the tone he was taking with Advait.
Shreya quickly pulled him in a hug, "hey stop crying, shh aise rote thodi na hai." She wiped off the corner of his eyes.
Advait shifted to his side trying to take him in his embrace but he glued to Shreya.
"Nahi aana mujhe aap jao bhai ko pyar karo." He said sobbing.
"Mai apne Aru ko bhi pyar karunga, aao to sahi baccha." Advait practically pleaded, his heart was shattering seeing his little bear in tears.
"Nahi aana mujhe bua sahi kehti thi aap mujhse pyar nahi karte kyunki aap mere sage bhai nahi ho." He said loudly while crying making Advait froze in his place.
"Arush!" Abhishek shouted shaking the house but Aditya jerked him away from Shreya's embrace and landed a sharp slap across his face. Amrinder stood up from his place in shock.
"Aditya." Advait yelled at him.
Arush's crying echoed in the mansion, no one ever slapped him before. His cheek had turned red and tears were raining down on his face. Shreya pulled him back in her embrace to try to calm him down. Amrinder rubbed his back to soothe him but his cries only grew louder.
"Dimag kharab ho gaya hai tera?" Advait said angrily.
"Dimag to iska kharab ho gaya hai kya bakwas kiye jaa raha hai ye." Aditya said equally angry but he didn't raise his voice.
"Bilkul sahi kiya Adi ne ye thappad aapko hi bohot pehle maar dena chahiye tha, itni jubaan to nahi chalti iski." Abhishek said in fury but his own voice was cracking slightly feeling the weight of Advait's emotions. He knew Advait didn't say anything but Arush's words stung at his heart.
Advait ignored them and crouched down in front of Arush taking him in a hug, Arush quickly clung to him burying his face in his neck. He was in extreme pain and only needed his bhaiya at that time. Advait picked him up and took him upstairs in his room without even glancing at anyone.
"How dare he utter such words from his mouth?" Abhishek gritted through his teeth.
Shreya placed her hand on Abhishek's shoulder grounding him. Aditya was fuming in anger, he just wanted to make suffered their bua for planting the filthy seeds in Arush's mind.
~________________________________________~