Part-2: The hug which he missed a lot

Note: This is somewhat my favorite chapter.. but I know Many people will not like some things in this chapter.. It does not have my signature happy happy feeling.  I tried to simplify the structure.. but It may confuse some people.. People who are looking for clues.. you may find the some clues scattered across the chapter.. maybe.. special point for guessing who is my favorite character in this chapter

Part-2: The hug which he missed a lot

Abhinav couldn't believe his eyes. His Nikkiji.. is in front of him after all these years...

"Nikkiji... Is that really you?.. I cannot believe it"

Tears were welling up in his eyes. How long was he waiting for this day...

"Papa?" Meethiji called him.

Abhinav wiped his tears. "Meethiji.. didn't I tell you about your big brother?"

Anchal nodded...  

"He is that Big brother.. Abhir... Your Abhir bhaiyya.. my Nikkiji.."

Anchal looked confused but then she smiled.

"Can you get down... I'll go and meet your brother..."

Anchal nodded and got down from her papa's shoulder.

Abhinav went straight to Nikkiji... Nikkiji was like a statue.

"What happened Nikkiji? Why are you so shocked? I should be the one who should be this shocked.. right? I can't believe you have grown so much...Well, it has been 9 years... I shouldn't be shocked...But I couldn't even get your photo... You are already on your way to look handsome like Bhaiji. You used to be so golu molu... In a few years, you will not need any pen to draw abs... Oh, you even have a tiny mustache...  Did you grow taller than me? You are not wearing your specs.. does that mean you had that surgery to improve eyesight?.. I don't remember the name of the surgery.. or are you wearing contact lenses... Can kids like you wear them?.. Maybe You think that I should stop calling you kid.. but what to do? You will always be my kid... I can't stop my tears... Do you still like stars?.. I want to ask so many questions.. wait we didn't even hug..."

Abhinav stopped his blabbering... There was no response from Nikkiji...  Abhir was still standing.

Abhinav could see Abhir sweating profusely... Abhir was breathing so fast and shallowly...He was also slightly shaking. His face was getting pale.

"What happened Nikkiji? Did you not come to meet me?" He asked slowly.

Abhinav did not know what was happening... He saw Abhir's eyes... Why were they so sad?

"Nikkiji.. are you alright? What happened?"

"Stop.." Nikkiji whispered

"What happened? Are you upset with me?" Abhinav asked...

"Stop..." Abhir said it louder

"Nikkiji... breathe..."

"Stop"

"Breathe.. first.."

"Stop"

"Sit down... you don't look well"

"Stop"

"Drink some water.." Abhinav searched for water. He took a bottle of water from the reception.

"You were dead..." Abhinav heard Abhir utter it quietly.

"Didn't your parents tell you?.. Now is not the time... Drink some water"

"Did you.. did you... fake your death?" The question was louder this time.

"What?"

"to get rid of me?" Abhir's voice was getting louder

"Nikkiji... Calm down.. first"

Abhinav put his hand on Abhir's shoulder to calm him down. Abhir pushed him so hard that he fell across the room. A vase fell on his head...

"PAPA!!!" Anchal cried as she saw her father fall onto the floor. She ran towards her papa...

Abhinav tried to pacify her, "Don't worry... Meethiji.. nothing happened..."

"Blood" She whispered and pointed towards his forehead. But Abhinav only had eyes on Abhir... Abhir was crying.

***

"It was Neelamma's phone... The bus in which Sharmaji was traveling fell into a river.."

"Nikki ji I will always be with you... Promise"

"Poppy told me that your fake papa died.."

"Nikki Ji.. my morning never starts without seeing your face.."

"No one survived that accident"

"Wow! Nikkiji your new room is so beautiful... look at you!! You are now acting like a true prince!"

"Abhir, Your papa is calling you... Don't take too much time ok? He is leaving for Bua's Rishta right?"

"My grandson will not perform the last rights of that person."

"Junior... You got Birla's spelling wrong... I'll teach you... don't worry..."

"Nikkiji... I better leave... If I miss this bus then I'll have to wait till tomorrow.. "

"Abhir... In Birla's house... you can do whatever you want... No one will stop you.."

"Abhir.. your Dadi wants to spend some time with you this vacation. so we need to cancel

Kasauli trip... Don't worry...We will send you there next vacation.. mumma promises you... ok?"

"See? The momos here are also good, right? Junior?"

"This sweater is too old Abhir beta.. Dadi will bring you a new one... A bright beautiful one.. "

"Yaara... Don't worry...see.. just like it took some time for you to adjust from LKG to UKG... It will also take some time to be Abhir Sharma to Abhir Birla... Don't worry... Everyone, including Papa, will help you"

"All his features remind me of my Abhi... Abhir Abhimanyu Birla."

"Abhir... I am sorry...But your Papa would also not want you to be this sad.. right.. Mumma is with you..."

"I knew it... My Nikkiji is the best.. of course, you will be selected for the football team."

"Manjiri... Explain to Abhir that he needs to act like a Birla now.. not like some driver's child"

"Abhi... I already told you that Abhir and Abhinav share a deep bond... But Abhir also loves you... I am his mother... I know it.."

"See... Nikkiji... Neelamma's new sari.. She will wear this during Muskaan Bua's engagement... Beautiful right?"

"Poppy never lies.. your fake papa died.."

"How come you have two fathers? You are lying.. no one has two fathers.."

"Good night Nikkiji.."

"Akshu... I am not comparing myself with Sharmaji... But I am his father... Can't I have any feelings?"

"Abhir... Roohi.. you both are brother and sister... You cannot fight like this.."

"Yaara... I am already on the bus... Good night.. will call you tomorrow!!"

Memories swirled in Abhir's mind...  They just came one after the other... There was no order or reason... It was just many clusters of memories...Maybe it was because of this... He couldn't understand anything nor could he feel anything properly... His heart was beating fast.. why was he sweating? His fingers tips felt cold as ice.  He was feeling it difficult to breathe.

This man in front of him... There is not much difference except for some scars on his face... He looked almost the same as 9 years before.

"Nikkiji.. you are my greatest treasure.. how will I live without you?"

He used to hold him exactly like he held his daughter now... His smile is also the same.

"I think we need to send Junior to boarding school with Shivu.."

Abhir saw him talking to him... But he couldn't hear anything... All he could see was care and affection in those eyes... He wanted to see those eyes for 9 years. His 'Papa' was crying and smiling again... Even his 'this' habit didn't change... His papa was always an emotional person

"Nikkiji... I promise... I will be with you whenever you need help... Ok"

"Stop" He whispered... His ears were ringing.

"Nikkiji... I will come to Udaipur whenever you call me"

"Stop..." Abhir said anger rising

"Yaara.. did you eat your medicine... If you not then I'll come to Udaipur and make you eat it"

"Stop" Yes, stop with the lies...

"I am thinking to come to Udaipur.. to see your match.. when is it.. next month?"

"Stop" No.. he never came.. he never came.. he never ever came. He left him.

"See, this sweater... I knit it for you... winter is coming.. I'll send it to you next week"

"Stop" He couldn't even hold onto that sweater... It was thrown out a few months after his papa's 'death'.  He couldn't even mourn properly. Dadi already threw away all his things from Kasauli and replaced them with new ones. He pleaded to keep his sweater.. but no one could stop Dadi. He was a bad son. He couldn't even protect that sweater.

"You were dead..." Abhir's anger rose slowly... All that pain.. all that resentment.. all was for nothing?

"Didn't your parents tell you?.. Now is not the time... Drink some water" He saw him with a water bottle. The little girl was behind him. Did he leave him for her?

"Did you.. did you... fake your death?" Was he a burden to his papa?  

"What?"

"to get rid of me?" He shouted .. but those words hurt only himself the most...

"Nikkiji... Calm down.. first"

 Why? Why? Why was he still looking at him with those love-filled eyes... Why was he still thinking about him... He left him... His papa held his shoulder... The touch had a gigantic effect...

All his frustrations.. anger.. sadness.. resentments grew exponentially... He pushed that person...

Seeing his papa on the floor.. his forehead bleeding... He was feeling regret.. but he was hurt...

He started crying without his knowledge.

"WHY DID YOU ABANDON ME?"  He shouted at the man... He saw the father consoling the daughter and getting up... The same way he used to console him before.

"NO.. DON'T COME NEAR ME".. Nothing was in his control now... He was not even saying these things .. the words are just coming out on their own... He wanted to stop himself... but he couldn't.

"IF YOU DIDN'T LOVE ME... THEN YOU COULD HAVE TOLD ME SO... WHY DID YOU LIE?"

He was getting breathless... And his stomach was feeling funny...

"Abhir.." He heard him call him...

"NO... DON'T CALL ME... DON'T COME NEAR ME... DON'T..."

And before he could say something else, he vomited.  He vomited so much that he was on all fours with his tiredness... His legs felt weak.. he couldn't move an inch...

Abhinav came near him... Abhinav crouched beside him. Abhir did not even have the energy to shove him away. Abhinav made him drink water.

Why was he still doing this to him... The fake love.. the fake concern... But why is he still feeling them as real...

Abhinav then wiped Abhir's face... Abhir looked at him. This man was still bleeding from the forehead... But look at him.. all concerned about a teenager's vomit-filled face.

"Why?" Abhir asked why he retained some energy.

In response, Abhinav hugged him tightly. Abhir tried to move away... His clothes were still covered in vomit. But Abhinav did not budge... He kept on hugging. This hug... He did not get this for 10 years... This warmth.. he did not experience it for 10 years... Why... Was he still yearning for it? Didn't he get used to its absence in these 10 years?

"Abhir... I don't know what is happening... But I promise you... We will find a solution... But first, calm down..." he heard his father whisper to him... They were still hugging.

Abhir did not understand anything. But somehow it calmed him. His father always knew how to calm him. He hugged his father back and cried more. He didn't know... How long they were in that position.. or how long he cried... But the last thing he remembers was calling him "Papa"

Then it became dark.

**

Bluebell Club was unusually crowded today. He was sure she wouldn't be able to hear her phone ring with this loud music. He had to look around the old-fashioned way. Why did he have to do all the troublesome things?

Tania saw him first. Looks like Udaipur is still not short of handsome men... He does not look that old or that young...She wanted him to look at her.. but it seems like he is searching for someone.

"OH, My! What a hottie," Anita said as she saw him.

"I saw him first" Tania had to say dibs

"Oh come on!.. He has this rugged bad boy look.. of course he is not your type" Anita said

"You don't have to trouble yourself with my type... Right, Rolz?"

Roohi, who was busy  with her phone just said, "Hmm"

"Oh!! He is looking towards us!" Anita couldn't handle the excitement.

The boy was indeed looking at them... Then he smirked... He took Roohi's photo.

"Hey!!" Tania shouted.."Rolz!! He took your photo without your permission"

"What kind of a jerk..." Roohi looked up from her phone...She stopped her sentence midway.

"Hey," He said as he approached them.

"What are you doing here?" Roohi asked.

"As a legal adult, I can be here.. what about you? How come a 16-year-old kid is here" he asked as he played with her bag.

"Oh shut up!!" She said as she snatched her bag back. "Tania's father owns this club... So we are allowed"

"Oh is that so?.. by the way the skirt is too short," he said in a bored manner.

"Just grow up.. will you?  And what are you doing here?" Roohi was already irritated.

"Rolz, who is he? Your boyfriend?" Anita asked.

Roohi rolled her eyes with exasperation while the boy gagged...

"Eww...Anita... What's wrong with you? He is my brother, Shivansh Birla"

"Before you irritate me more.. why did come here.." Roohi asked again.

"Come with me.. we are going to Birla Hospital..." He said as he pulled her out. Roohi knew there was no arguing. so she just nodded bye to her friends and walked with Shivu

"Why?"

"Well, Gopichand might try to kill me for calling him to work at odd hours. if that happens, I might need a bed in our hospital.. if that doesn't happen, we are flying  to Uttarakhand."

"Uttarakhand? Why?" They got out of the club

"Krish called... Abhir Fainted." They walked toward the parking lot

"But Abhir never fainted in these 7 years.."

"That is not the surprise element here.."

"What happened"

"His Papa who died 9 years ago.. apparently faked his death.."

"What?" Roohi stopped walking because of the shock.

"Yep.. he has a family now... They are in Uttarakhand. Abhir met him." Shivu turned and looked at her. Seeing the truth sink in her mind.

"Oh, My god!!" Roohi really cannot believe it.  

****

Akshara tried to sleep, but couldn't.  She felt restless... Abhi was still working on his laptop. She caressed the sleeping Naira. Her life was finally peaceful again. But why did she have to feel restless now? It was a storm is about to come.

"What happened?" Abhi asked startling her.

"Nothing... I just couldn't sleep."

"Maybe you should also drink hot milk like Naira to sleep peacefully" Abhi smiled.

A notification sound came from Abhi's mobile. He sighed as he saw the notification.

"What?" Akshara asked.

"Shivu took the helicopter again... Taiji should stop pampering him... He is already 18."

"Where is he going?" Akshara asked.

"Uttarakhand.. hmmm? He is going to meet Abhir?" Abhi suddenly realizing

"It's probably nothing... The brothers might have planned something" Akshara said.. Although not properly convinced herself.

Akshara's phone rang...

"It's an unknown number.."

But she decided to pick it up anyways.

"Hello"

There was a silence

"Hello?"

"Akshara... I am Abhinav" Akshara's heart stopped. The next words she heard brought a storm in her life.

"I met Abhir...Why did you lie to me? Why didn't you tell Abhir anything?"

To be continued...