Chapter 66
Advait entered the study still in a frustrating mood.
He barged into the room and headed straight to his desk, poured himself a glass of water and gulped down it in one go.
Abhishek peeked up from his notebook, sitting in the corner.
But Advait didn't pass him a single glance.
He inhaled a deep breath after sitting down on the leather chair.
His gaze went to Abhishek who was writing something in the notebook, sitting on his knees. His face was a blend of concentration and pain but he didn't remove his eyes off his notebook.
Advait leaned back on his chair looking up at the ceiling with heavy breaths. Abhishek noticed it with concern flickering in his eyes and spoke up, "Bhaiya, apni medicine le lijiye." His soft voice reached Advait's ear and he looked at him but didn't say anything.
"Revision done?" He asked, his voice was low and weak.
Abhishek nodded, "Ji."
"C'mere." Advait said.
Abhishek stood up and rubbed his knees to circulate the blood flow as he was kneeling for about twenty minutes. He slowly made his way to Advait's desk and forwarded the book to him.
"Kal konse chapters practice kiye the?" He asked while flipping through pages.
"Chapter 2,3,4,5." Abhishek answered.
Advait nodded and ticked some questions in the book. He handed it back to Abhishek, "One hour." He just said this and Abhishek nodded.
He was going again to the corner when Advait stopped him, "Sit on the couch."
Abhishek sighed in relief and sat down on the cushioning couch. He looked up to Advait hesitantly when Advait caught his gaze and raised his brow in an asking manner.
"Adi kahan hai?" His voice was small.
"Garden me hai. Jana hai?" He said in a steady voice.
Abhishek looked down and started writing his test paper.
While Advait's eyes kept moving in front to the clock on the wall.
He was restlessly tapping his foot under the desk.
His heart was screaming at him to stop Aditya's punishment but his mind knew it was necessary for him to learn the consequences of his actions.
He couldn't just disrespect anyone and Advait let it slide.
He warned him many times before but when he crossed the limits Advait had to take action and teach him a lesson the hard way.
It's been nearly two hours since Aditya was kneeling outside the house in the garden.
His clothes were wet with sweat, his face was showing his pain and uncomfort.
His fingers were sore from writing but he didn't stop, he was breathing heavily to steady himself.
Guards were looking at him with sympathy in their eyes but they couldn't do anything in front of their boss.
In Advait's study, Kaka was standing in front of him with hesitation. Advait finally looked up at him, "Kahiye Kaka." He said.
"Adi do ghante se bahar khada hai baccha hai bimaar pad jayega." Kaka said in concern. "Ab usey andar bula lijiye." He added hesitantly.
Abhishek was looking at Advait with pleading eyes, he also wanted him to let Aditya come inside.
"Aap uski tension mat lijiye, Kaka." Advait said, hardening his own heart from melting.
Kaka's eyes flickered to Abhishek silently gesturing him to say something.
"Bhaiya, please usey andar aane dijiye. Bahar bohot dhoop hai." Abhishek requested.
Advait didn't budge off.
"Mai uski guarantee leta hoon wo wapas se ye galti nahi karega. Please baba andar aane dijiye usey." Kaka pleaded.
"Galat insaan ki guarantee le rahe hain aap, Kaka." Advait spoke up.
Silence.
A long stretching silence.
"Bula lijiye usey andar." He sighed.
Kaka smiled and hurriedly left the study before Advait could change his mind.
The guards were sighed in relief when they spotted Shreya entering the main gate.
She was casually walking, her bag was hung up on her shoulder.
It was a tiring day for her at college, her teacher refused to accept her assignment so she had to redo it and submit it.
She did all this while cursing her teacher under breath.
Her eyes landed on Aditya who was sitting on his knees in the middle of the garden.
His back was hunched forward and one elbow was placed on the grass just beside a notebook.
He was scribbling his pen in the notebook, his movements were weak and forced.
His face was looking like a guilty child, hair was wet in a sweat, disheveled in every direction.
She knit her brows together in a deep frown and stood in front of him. Her heels came in sight of Aditya and he looked up at her. Shreya's face turned into concern from confusion. He was sweating so much, his face was wet. His eyes were drooped and fingertips were swollen.
She swiftly kneeled down to his level and wiped the sweat from his face with her scarf.
She gently brushed back his hair and blew air on his face to make him feel cool and relax.
Aditya was looking at her with a blank face, no one ever showed this kind of tenderness and love towards him except his brothers.
He didn't even remember when was the last time he felt the warmth of a motherly love.
"Yahan kyun baithe ho itni dhoop me?" She asked, dabbing her scarf on his forehead.
He looked down in his lap guilty. Shreya cupped his cheeks, "Kya hua, Adi?" She asked softly.
"Bhaiya ne punish kiya hai." He mumbled in a low voice.
"Kyun kya kiya tumne?" She further asked.
"Abhi bhai ko disrespect kiya and I cursed." He whispered.
Shreya sighed heavily and looked at his state, "Kab se baithe ho bahar?" She asked.
He shrugged, "Pata nahi."
She shook her head, "Chalo utho andar chalo." She stood up from her place.
He didn't get up.
She raised her brow, "Chalo andar itni dhoop ho rahi hai, tabiyat kharab ho jayegi beta." The concern was visible in her voice.
"Bhaiya?" He mumbled.
She glared at him, "Mai bol rahi hoon na chalne ke liye. Mai baat kar lungi unse." She said firmly.
He looked down still not moving up from his place. She sighed realizing he won't get up until Advait allow him to. She was about to go inside to confront her husband when Kaka emerged in the garden.
"Adi, utho andar chalo." Kaka said.
Aditya looked helplessly.
"Arey tumhare bhaiya ne hi bola hai tumhe andar aane ke liye." Kaka said making Aditya sighed in relief.
He exhaled a deep breath and flopped down on the grass stretching his legs out. He started rubbing his sore legs and got up from his place after a good five minutes, clutching the notebook to his chest. He headed inside while limping in pain.
Kaka and Shreya looked at each other with pity, "Kitni der se baitha tha ye yahan?" She asked him.
"2 ghante se." Kaka replied.
"Whatt?" She said in disbelief.
She barged inside without wasting a moment. Aditya was flopped on the couch, he stretched himself down on the couch and his one leg and arm were dangling off the couch. His eyes were closed, he was looking tired.
Shreya tapped his shoulder, he opened his eyes lazily.
"Apne room me jaa kar aram se so jao baccha yahan kyun lete ho?" She said.
"Room tak chalne ki himmat nahi hai, bhabhi. Yahi sone do na please." He whispered with half open eyes.
She looked at him in concern and touched his forehead.
Luckily, he didn't have a fever. She let out a breath of relief then she got up and came back with a glass of water.
He denied not having the energy to make any movement but she carefully made him drink a few sips as his body must be dehydrated after standing in heat for a two long hour.
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Advait was pressing his fingers on his head, his face was scrunched up in distress but his eyes never leaving the laptop screen in front of him. He was working constantly since morning.
Abhishek passed him worried glances, he had told him many times to take a break but his bhaiya was not listening to him. He finally got up from the couch and snatched the laptop from him.
Advait glared at him. Abhishek looked at him with determination, "Bas ab bohot ho gaya bhaiya jab tabiyat kharab hai to rest kariye na aapko itni baar bola medicine lene ke liye wo bhi nahi le rahe kam se kam rest to kar lijiye." He said frequently.
"I'm fine. Give me my laptop back." Advait said dismissively.
"Nahi dunga jaa kar rest kariye bas bohot ho gaya kaam." He said sternly.
"Abhiii." Advait dragged his name but Abhishek shook his head stubbornly.
"Please bhaiya." He showed him puppy eyes.
Advait sighed keeping down his head on the desk, "Fineee." He sang.
"Tu bhi break le le, thodi der baad padhna." He said before pressing his palms on his face.
He stood up pushing back his chair and made his way to Aditya's room. But Shreya caught him in the hallway, "Advait." She said from behind.
He turned around, "When did you return from college?" He asked stepping forward, "You should have informed me. I would have come to pick you up." He said tucking a hair strand behind her ear.
"Udhar kahan jaa rahe the humara room to is side haina." She said, knowing where he was heading to.
He looked confused on her tone, "Just wanted to check on Adi." He replied like an obedient school boy.
She raised her brow, "To check what? Ki abhi tak bimaar pada ya nahi?" She asked glaring at him.
Advait looked at her incredulously, "What..." He said this when she cut him off.
"Don't even say a word Advait. Wo baccha hai aap usko aise treat kaise kar sakte hain?" She raised her voice.
"I just introduced him to the consequences of his own actions." He said defensively.
"No, you just made him suffer in the scorching heat. It is not the way of dealing with a child." She accused.
"It is my way of dealing with my child." He retorted.
"Now he is my child also and I won't let you deal with him in this way." She retorted back.
Advait didn't say anything. He couldn't.
"Baccha hai wo Advait..." He cut her off, "Baccha hai isliye sikha raha hoon, agar aaj nahi sudhara to kal regret karna padega." He said firmly.
"He is merely 13 and curse like a spoiled teenager. Did you ever listen to his colorful vocabulary?" He said anger was creeping in his voice but his tone was not harsh.
Shreya sighed. She knew he was not wrong but the way of his teaching was not right either, "I'm not stopping you to discipline him but he is not in the military school, Advait. Making him stand in heat for two hours is a torture." She said in flow.
"Oh so you think I'm torturing him?" He asked looking into her eyes, "I enjoy doing this?"
"You're getting me wrong." She said weakly.
He turned on his heels to Aditya's room. Shreya followed him but Aditya was not there.
"Where is he?" He asked her.
"In living room. Sleeping on the couch." She said and left.
He made his way downstairs and there lying Aditya on the couch.
He was sleeping on his front, his one leg was rested on the arm rest while other was dangling off the couch.
Advait went near him and crouched down on his knees.
He removed his hair from his forehead and wiped off the dripping drool from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve.
His face was looking exhausting and pale.
Advait's eyes twitched with guilt, he picked him up in his arms without saying anything and took him upstairs to his room.
He gently laid him down on the bed and sat down beside him caressing his hair.
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