Chapter 77
It's been an hour but Advait didn't come back home till now.
The Malhotra Mansion was suffocating with the uneasiness of the family members.
Abhishek was trying hard to collect himself and not to break down.
Arush was sobbing in Shreya's lap who was rubbing his back to calm him down.
Her forehead was creased in concern for her husband.
But her eyes were fixed on Aditya who was still standing, he didn't move from his place.
His gaze was fixed somewhere on the floor and his face was blank.
He was not even breathing loudly, his anxiousness could be easily seen through his body.
Abhishek's mind suddenly lit up, he quickly slipped out his phone from his pocket and called Tia. The call picked up after three rings.
"Hello Tia, bhaiya office me hain kya?" He asked in panic without giving her a chance to speak.
"Advait... nahi wo to aaj office hi nahi aaya." She replied.
"Sab theek haina, Abhi?" She asked.
"Bhaiya bina bataye kahin chale gaye hain pata nahi kahan gaye." He mumbled, tearing up.
Tia sensed his worry and spoke up, "Don't worry Abhi, Advait kisi kaam se gaya hoga tum tension mat lo." She said, "Mai aaun ghar?" She asked.
"No, It's okay Tia." He replied quietly.
He hung up the call and dialled Reyansh's number. He immediately picked up the call.
"Bhai, bhaiya aapke saath hain kya?" He asked.
"Nahi... kyun wo bata kar nahi gaya?" Rey said over the phone.
"Nahi, bhai." He replied.
"Tension mat le buddy mai pata kar ke batata hoon." He said.
"Okay, bhai." He replied.
He slumped down on the sofa and clutched his head between hands. He glanced over Aditya and sighed heavily. He walked to him and hugged him tightly, "Adi, teri galti nahi hai aise pareshan mat ho." He said but Aditya remained unresponsive.
Two hours passed and there was no sign of Advait. Reyansh and Tia came the Malhotra Mansion too. Everyone's gaze kept drifting to the entrance, Abhishek was now practically pacing in the living room.
"Bas bohot ho gaya mai jaa raha hoon." Abhishek said while going towards the entrance.
Reyansh and Shreya stopped him, "Kahan jaa raha hai?" He asked.
"Bhaiya ko dundhne, mai yahan shaanti se nahi baith sakta." Abhishek said and stepped forward.
Reyansh pulled him back, "Ruk yaheen maine guards ko bheja hai na wo dundh lenge Advait ko tu baith yahan par." He said making him sit down on the sofa.
"Par bhai..." Reyansh was about to say when Shreya whispered, "Advait."
Everyone snapped up their heads in the direction and there stood Advait at the entrance. The kids didn't wait for a moment and launched themselves at Advait.
Their cries filled the room. Shreya, Reyansh and Tia sighed in relief.
Advait hugged his brothers but they didn't stop crying.
His shirt soaked with their tears, minutes passed but no one was ready to leave him.
Aditya's fingers were tightly clutching Advait's shirt, his hold was tight as if a kid was afraid of being separated from his parents in the fair.
"Chup ho jao ab to aa gaya na Advait ab to rona band kar do." Tia said.
But their grips only tightened and cries only intensified. They didn't stop crying, the tears continued spilling down on their cheeks.
"Bas ab chup bhi ho jao mai yaheen hoon bacchon." Advait said gently.
"Aap kahan gaye the kisi ko bata kar kyun nahi gaye hum kitna dar gaye the pata hai, aapko humari koi fikar nahi hai mai bhi ab se kahin bata kar nahi jaunga." Abhishek complained, his eyes were red.
"Ab se nahi jaunga bina bataye ab chup ho jaa rona band kar bilkul." Advait wiped off his tears from his one hand. His other hand was still wrapped around Aditya and Arush who were not ready to leave him anytime soon.
"Aapko ye chot kaise lagi?" Shreya panicked when she noticed the blood was oozing out from Advait's elbow.
"Kuch nahi bas chota sa accident ho gaya tha." He replied nonchalantly.
Everyone gasped.
"Accident? Aa-Aap theek to hai na?" She asked looking at him from head to toe.
Aditya and Arush also pulled back and looked at his elbow, "Bhaiya blood nikal raha hai." Arush said, more tears spilled down from his eyes.
Advait crouched down and wiped off his face from his shirt's sleeve, "Chot si chot hai Aru kuch nahi hua mujhe." He replied calmly.
Reyansh shook his head at his friend, clearly the injury was not small. He got a deep cut just below his elbow and the blood was continuously oozing out from it. But he didn't say anything so that the kids wouldn't panic.
Abhishek came out running with a first-aid box in his hand and guided Advait to sit on the sofa. He quickly kneeled down in front of Advait and opened the first-aid but his hands were trembling.
Shreya noticed it, "Abhi laao mujhe do mai karti hoon." She said and started cleaning his wound.
Advait pulled Abhishek to sit beside him, "Theek hoon mai hmm." He whispered to him.
Tia was handling Arush who had stopped crying and now sniffling in her embrace.
Reyansh looked over at Aditya who was watching them from a distance. He went to his side and stared down at him.
"Yahan kyun khada hai?" He asked in a low voice.
Aditya shook his head meekly. Reyansh sighed and surprised Aditya by pulling him in a hug.
It was very rare for Reyansh to show this kind of love for Aditya.
They always fight with each other and tease each other but there were no hard feelings.
Reyansh always loves him like his own younger brother and Aditya also respects him like an elder brother.
"Meri wajah se chot lag gayi." He mumbled.
"Kyun tune accident karaaya Advait ka?" Reyansh asked mocking his self blaming.
"Kya hai, bhai?" Aditya whined out from his hold.
"Tujhe kya hai huh?" He flicked his forehead, "Shakal theek kar apni tu aisa muh sada kar accha nahi lagta... tu to hungame karta hua, mujhse jhagda karta hua accha lagta hai." Reyansh said pulling his cheeks.
"Aur Vanu ke saath kaisa lagta hoon?" He asked, making an innocent face.
Reyansh glared and gritted out his teeth, "Tujhse baat karna hi bekar hai."
"Vanu se puchiye." He smirked earning himself a whack on his head.
Shreya done bandaging Advait's wound, her eyes were mist. She was controlling herself for the kids but now looking at her husband in front of her she lose her control.
"Oh god." Advait dramatically slapped his head.
"Pehle se hi teen bacche the aapne ek aur bacchi de di." He said looking up at the ceiling.
Shreya swatted his arm not so gently, "Chup rahiye aap." She cried.
He sighed looking at her fat tears and hugged her tightly. She cried in his arms, "Dekh kar drive nahi kar sakte the aap agar jyada chot lag jaati to, aapko kuch ho jata to." She scolded in tears.
"Kuch nahi hua zinda hoon mai." He said earning himself an another whack on his bicep.
"Kya zamana aa gaya khule aam apne pati ki pitai ki jaa rahi hai mai men helpline me call karunga." He said narrowing his eyes at her.
"Kar lijiye jo karna hai." She said in a mock anger.
He chuckled and kissed her eyes making her smile.
"Aur kahin chot to nahi lagi, Advait?" Tia asked.
He shook his head.
"Good, mai office jaa rahi hoon. Take care." She said hurriedly.
"Let's go together." Reyansh suggested and she nodded.
"Shreya ab usko chord bhi do tumhare saath hi rahega tumhara hi pati hai wo." Reyansh said as she was hugging him tightly.
"Tu kyun jal raha hai?" Advait retorted.
"Kyunki Tia bhai se baat nahi kar rahi." Abhishek said earning himself a deadly glare from Reyansh.
"Tune phir Tia bola?" Advait glared.
"Didi...Tia didi." Abhishek quickly corrected himself making a safe distance from Advait.
Reyansh left from there but not before giving a glare to Abhishek. Tia followed him behind.
Advait looked at Aditya who was watching them from a distance. He opened his one arm and Aditya came running to him crashing on his chest. His tears started flowing down from his eyes.
"Bas ab kitna rona hai tabiyat kharab ho jayegi." He said.
"Jab se aaya hoon sab ro hi rahe hain choti si chot hai ho jayegi theek bas karo ab sab." He said exhausted.
"Humare ye chot lagi hoti tab bhi aap bolte choti si chot hai?" Arush asked giving him a pointed look.
Shreya and Abhishek stiffled their laugh looking at Advait's expression. His mouth was half opened as if he wanted to say something but it wasn't coming out from his mouth.
Aditya hopped onto his lap burying his face in Advait's embrace, "Mujhe laga aap mujhse pareshan ho gaye hain maine islie wo sab bola taaki aap mujhe boarding school bhej dein." He hicupped.
"Mai aapko hurt nahi karna chahta tha, mai aapke bina nahi reh sakta akele. Aapne jab boarding school bhejne ke liye bola to mai dar gaya tha muj-mujhe laga aap bhi mom dad ki tarah mujhe chord denge." His voice was trembling.
A pile formed in Advait's throat listening to the heart wrenching words from his kid.
"Aisa socha bhi kaise tune maine gusse me keh diya iska matlab ye thodi na hai ki mai apni jaan ko khud se alag kar lunga.
Mere dil ka tukda hai tu tujhe khud se alag karunga to mar jaunga.
" He wrapped his arms around him providing him all the comfort and assurance he needed.
Aditya curled up on his lap seeking for the warmth of his brother's embrace.
"Wo dil ka tukda hain phir mai kya hoon?" Arush rested his hands on his waist glaring at him.
Aditya giggled on his lap.
"Dil ka ek hi tukda thodi na hota hai." Shreya said adjusting Arush on her lap, "Tum dil ka dusra tukda ho." She said booping his little nose.
Advait wrapped his another arm around Abhishek and he leaned down on his chest, "Aur ye raha mere dil ka teesra tukda." Advait said kissing the side of his head.
They all laughed together. Aditya and Arush were teasing each other.
Shreya's head was leaning on Advait's shoulder and Abhishek was leaning on his chest from the left side.
Advait looked at his wife and at his kids with an undeniable love for them in his eyes.
It was his small world wrapped around his arms and giggling in his lap.
~________________________________________~
Days passed with laughter, troubles and scoldings.
It was the night before Abhishek's last board exam.
He was glaring at the book with the intensity that he had some spiritual power like a saint to recognize each word just by glaring hard at them.
He was busy scaring the poor book when a whack landed on his head.
"Book ko ghoorne se learn nahi hota." Advait said sipping from his cup of coffee.
Abhishek pouted rubbing his head. He picked up his hot chocolate from the table and took a huge gulp.
"Mai baccha nahi hoon mujhe bhi coffee chahiye." He complained placing the cup back on the table.
"Shh padhai kar." Advait replied totally ignoring his demand.
The night before his every exam Advait sat with him till he studied just to make sure he didn't over pressurise himself. Abhishek also revised quickly in Advait's company as he felt motivated with his brother.
"Bhaiya please bas thodi si coffee taste karunga." Abhishek said reaching for Advait's cup.
But Advait quickly picked it up shaking his head, "No coffee for babies." He said.
"I'm not a baby." He said offended.
"Shut up. People under 18 are babies." Advait said unfazed by the puppy dog eyes his baby was giving him.
"Ye kaisi baat hai?" He sulked.
"Yahi baat hai." Advait shrugged.
He pouted and looked down at his book. He didn't say anything and continued reading with his sulking face.
Advait rolled his eyes and slipped his cup in front of him, "Stop sulking, drink it." He said.
Abhishek's eyes shone up and he quickly picked up the cup.
"Only three sips." Advait said but Abhishek had already emptied the cup.
Advait glared at him. Abhishek passed him a charming smile with a coffee mustache on his upper lip. Advait shook his head at him.
"Kab bada hoga?" He mumbled under his breath wiping off the mustache from his upper lip.
"Abhi aapne hi to kaha I'm just a baby." Abhishek replied with a shrug and a grin forming on his lips.
"Idiot." Advait whacked him lightly but the affection in his eyes betrayed his expression.
Abhishek continued revision the chapters and after forty five minutes he again looked up at his elder brother. Advait sensed his gaze and looked up from the book he was reading.
"Kya hua?" He asked.
"Aap aur bhabhi honeymoon par nahi jaa rahe?" He asked out of sudden.
Advait raised his brow giving him a sharp look, "Kal exam me ye question aayega?" He asked.
"Bataiye na, bhaiya." He insisted.
Advait just gave him a pointed look.
"Okay okay relax padh raha hoon but agar aapko kahin jana ho to humari tension mat lena. Mai hoon na mai Adi aur Aru ko sambhal lunga." He said confidently.
"Aur tujhe kaun sambhalega?" Advait asked giving him a mocked look.
Abhishek looked away with a scoff.
"Meri Shreya se baat ho gayi hai tere exams ke baad hum sab saath me chalenge." He informed.
"Hum log aapke honeymoon par kya karenge?" He said making a face.
"Honeymoon par nahi vacation par idiot." Advait flicked his forehead not so gently.
"Par bhaiya..."
"Stop talking and start reading." He ordered returning back to his book.
"Meanie." He mumbled under his breath.
"I heard that." Advait said without looking up from his book.
Abhishek clicked his tongue and buried his face in the letters of the book.
~________________________________________~
After two days, everyone was settled on the dining table having their dinner with usual bickering and tantrums.
Advait cleared his throat intentionally gaining his brother's attention.
"We're going for a vacation." He announced.
Shreya smiled. Advait had already discussed this with her.
"Wow trip." Aditya said, his eyes sparkled.
"Yeah!!" Arush squealed in joy.
"Kahan par?" Abhishek asked with a wide smile.
"That's for you guys to decide." He said.
"Hum log Disneyland chalenge." Aditya announced.
"No, hum log Singapore jayenge." Arush said.
"Kyun Singapore me kya tere chacha baithe hain?" Aditya said sarcastically.
"Adi." Advait chided for his vocabulary.
"Bhaiya Singapore chalenge na please." Arush looked at him with puppy eyes.
"Nahi, Disneyland jayenge." Aditya said.
"Singapore." Arush said.
"Disneyland." Aditya stood up on his chair.
"Bhabhi mujhe pakdo." Arush said to Shreya. She held his hand and Arush stood on the chair matching Aditya's level.
"Singapore jayenge." He spoke up.
"Bol diya na Disneyland jayenge." Aditya said firmly.
"Singapore."
"Disneyland."
"Singapore."
"Disneyland."
"Singa...
"Enough." Advait's patience snapped.
Aditya and Arush quickly sat down on their chairs zipping their mouths.
"Tum dono se jagah decide karne ko kaha tha ladai karne ko nahi." He rebuked.
"Bhaiya Singapore please." Arush mumbled.
"Disneyland." Aditya whined.
"Okay fine. Jis location ke liye majority hogi wahan jayenge. Now it's upto Abhi wo in dono me se jahan chalne ke liye vote karega wahan chalenge." Shreya gave the idea to solve the argument.
Advait raised his brow at Abhishek who shrugged in response.
"Bata kahan chalna hai?" He asked.
Aditya and Arush were looking at him with hopeful eyes and pleading him making puppy faces.
"In dono me se to kahin nahi." He replied breaking his younger brother's hearts.
Aditya and Arush groaned loudly.
"Phir kahan chalna hai?" Shreya asked.
"Kahin bhi but in India." He replied.
"Same." She high-fived with Abhishek.
Advait looked at the two sulking puppies and then at Shreya.
"Accha theek hai tum dono mil kar Singapore ya Disneyland me se koi ek jagah decide kar lo, hum wahan chalenge." Shreya said.
Aditya and Arush exchanged an understanding glance and Arush spoke up, "Humein wahan nahi jana jahan aapka mann hai hum sab wahan chalenge." Aditya nodded in agreement.
Advait couldn't help but watch them with affectionate eyes.
"Kal tak mujhe decide kar ke bata dena mujhe baaki sab ko bhi inform karna hai." Advait said focusing on the food in his plate.
"Baaki sab ko matlab?" Abhishek asked in confusion.
"Haan Rey, Tia aur Sia bhi humare saath chal rahe hain." He informed making them more happy.
"Wow phir to bohot maja aayega." Arush chirped up.
"Vanu nahi chalegi?" Aditya asked with a sad face.
Advait rolled his eyes, "Wo bhi chalegi." He replied.
"Yay!" Aditya screamed loudly fisting his hand in the air making everyone jumped on their places.
~________________________________________~