Part-3 The Younger Birlas Bash

Thanks @PenguinBaby.. I got the idea for the title from you

Part-3 The Younger Birlas Bash

Akshara's phone slipped from her hand.

"What happened Akshu?" Abhi asked. Akshara did not answer. Abhimanyu picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Bhaiji?"

Abhimanyu's breath got stuck in his throat.

"Sharmaji?"

"I met Abhir today..."

Akshara got hold of her senses.. and took her phone.

"Hello, Abhinav... How is Abhir? Is he all right? Did anything happen?"  She said putting the speaker on.

"He was shocked to see me!! He vomited and then fainted."

Abhimanyu and Akshara got worried...

"No need to worry... He is now sleeping... His friend is with him, Krish."

Abhimanyu sighed with relief while Akshara closed her eyes...

Her Abhir... She knew, what would have gone through him...  It was all her fault.. she was the one who made this decision out of her selfishness.

"Akshara? Why didn't you tell him about me?"

"I..." Akshara knew she would have to answer this.. but she didn't know how...

"And Bhaiji... What about you?"

Abhimanyu did not even have the courage to open his mouth. What could he say?

"I treated you both as friends..." Akshara could feel Abhinav's anger

She could hear bells jingling from that side. Was Chanchal listening to all this? Was she also angry with them?

"I am angrier at myself... I believed your lies" Akshara had tears. Yes, she betrayed him. Her friend...

The jingling increased.

"Did you guys hide the letters and gifts too?.. Chanchal.. wait"

"You had 3 years to tell him the truth but you didn't... why?"

Now Abhinav was shouting over the jingling.  Akshara started to talk...

"Abhinav... I know you are upset... I broke your trust.."

"Yes, Akshara, Both you and Bhaiji broke my trust... I just want to know why?" The jingling was loudest and the phone got cut from his side. Did Chanchal cut the call in anger?  Akshara knew Chanchal liked Abhinav so much... why would she not be angry when her husband was insulted in this manner? They did not interact much with each other at that time.. but Akshara liked her.

"Akshu..." Abhi wanted to console her but Akshara ran out of the room crying. Abhi looked at Naira... Thankfully, she was still sleeping. He went outside. Akshara was curled up in a corner and crying.

"I should have told him that day itself... I knew hiding it was not correct... But.. We just were starting... I didn't want to stop... " Akshara said between her tears.

"All these 3 years... I knew... I should have told him.. but... I just did not have energy..."

Abhi nodded. He knew, Akshara hated that decision but was scared to not take it. He himself didn't know what was the correct decision... Things were just settling down back then..

"Now... I have lost the trust of my son and my friend... It was all my mistake... my ..my..my mistake.." Akshara started hitting her head.

"Akshu.. we both thought of this decision.. together... we both just wanted some time.."

"Sometime?.. Abhi? we had 3 years!! we had  3 years to tell him... But we didn't because we were selfish"

"I know... we were delaying it.. all the time... there were genuine reasons to delay it.."

"No.. we always chose the easy way out... If only we had steeled ourselves and did everything correctly from the start.."

Akshara's phone vibrated.

"A message from Abhinav.." She whispered.

'Aksharaji... This is Chanchal... Abhinav and I want to hear from you... We would like to hear the reason why you lied to us and Abhir. If you do not want to come to Uttarakhand, we can book a ticket to Udaipur. As adults, we need to talk, discuss calmly and come to a solution. We should not increase this confusion. We need to do this for Abhir.'

Akshara smiled sadly. When they first met, she felt that Chanchal was someone who was more mature than her. She and Abhinav were really similar.  Chanchal must have never met Abhir, but still, she is thinking like an adult and is caring towards Abhir. Meanwhile, Akshara has only made bad to worse decisions for her child. Yes, she should finally act like an adult.

She wiped her tears and messaged back.

'We are coming tomorrow

"Abhi I'll cancel my concert... You have to make arrangements in the hospital... We need to go tomorrow itself"

Abhi nodded and said, "You are right... We already messed this up... We have to fix it.. "

*****

Abhir woke up. His head was feeling still a little bit light-headed.

"Here drink this... That man said I should make you drink this when you wake up" Krish said as he passed the glass of lemonade. Abhir was not even in the mood to oppose anything so just accepted it. It was slightly more salty than usual.. not bad though.

For some time, they both were just quiet. He was in his room. He saw that he had changed his clothes. His face was clean.

"My clothes?"

"That man "

"ok"

Does thinking require energy? He never thought about it.. but now it does seem like thinking requires energy... He can not even think about the situation... All he wanted was some quiet time.

He continued to drink lemonade. Krish looked at him from time to time. It's as if he didn't know how to start the conversation. Abhir didn't know either. What could he possibly tell Krish when he had zero ideas about anything?

The nauseating sensation was still there in his throat... But lemonade was helping to control it.

After some time, Abhir regained some energy to ask, "Did he treat his forehead?"

Krish shook his head, "No... He was actually so caught up with you.. that no one noticed that he was hurt."

"hmm..." Abhir could not say anything as tears were threatening to leak again.

"The little girl put that band-aid," Krish said pointing towards Abhir's left hand. Abhir looked.. he didn't even know when he got this scratch... She is caring just like her?... their?... his?... Whose papa was he now? What was the relationship between him and Abhir now? Now that he has a family, What is the value of Abhir in his life?

A few minutes ago he had no energy to think and now all the negative thoughts are coming without any block.

"I called Shivu... He said he was coming.."

"Hmm.."

Why was he feeling so lonely now? Was he really jealous of a kid? Did Papa also go through these kinds of feelings when Mom and Dad decided to remarry? Did he also feel that he didn't belong there? Was it true? Will he be able to love him like a son now that he has a daughter?

Abhir sipped the lemonade again.

Did he bore his daughter with stupid dad jokes? She said that she always slept with her dad. So maybe he fed her when she was angry, maybe he took her out whenever she demanded.. Maybe he made a tent for her... He called her 'Meethiji'... Did he never remember his 'Nikkiji' while calling that name?

"Abhir.."

Was he the only one who remembered him for these 9 years... Did he not want to meet him..

"Abhir.."

Was he also a problem for his papa's new life? Did Papa also feel that he was like a burden just like  Arohi maasi told Roohi that day?

"Abhir.."

Now, he can properly understand Roohi's pain.

"ABHIR!!" Krish shouted.

Abhir looked up. Krish sighed and said, "There is no lemonade in the glass... you have been continuously sipping nothing for the past few minutes"

Abhir looked at his glass.. how long was this empty.

"Abhir... I don't think he stopped caring for you... But He was surprised that you thought of him as dead... I feel like there was some misunderstanding or something else" Krish said in a small voice.

"Then why didn't he come to me..." Abhir didn't know why those words came out in a growl..

"I..don't know.." Krish answered meekly.

They sat in silence for some more time. Then someone knocked on the door. Abhir smirked and said, "Finally"

He stood up and went to open the door.. As soon as he opened the door he fell down with a force. Shivu kicked him.

Krish was shocked.

Shivu stood over him and said, "Still so weak.."

Abhir got up and punched him... Shivu fell down... "You are no better.."

Shivu stood up and they both continued to fight.  Krish didn't know what to do...

Roohi came into the room, engrossed in her phone.

She didn't even look at the ongoing fight and sat on the bed... She sniveled her nose and asked a still-shocked Krish, "Did someone puke?"

Krish taken aback by her indifference answered, "Yeah... Abhir did.."

"On this bed?"

"No.. down near the reception area.."

"Oh.. ok"

Roohi was back on her mobile. The fighting continued. Krish looked at Roohi and asked, "Aren't you going to stop them"

"Why?"

"What do you mean why?"

"This is their 'thing'" She said doing finger quotes. A vase flew across the room.

"What is their 'thing'?"

"This" Clearly, she was not interested in talking. A bulb broke.

"They are breaking the hotel's stuff.."

"Oh!! Someone will pay for that" Roohi said in a bored manner. Krish laughed. He never met Roohi but heard a lot about her from her brothers. He had a totally different image of her.  She didn't look too sensitive crybaby now. What do her brothers see her as? Honestly she's kinda cute.

"What if they break their bones?" He asked getting intrigued.

Roohi looked up from her phone to see this flirt. She smiled as he was not that bad looking, "Well.. if they do end up breaking some bones... We have a chain of multispeciality hospitals to treat them..."

"That's convenient.." He chuckled.

"Yes, very convenient..." Roohi joined the fun.

Almost as if sensing their good mood, the brothers stopped their fighting.

"Krish get out," Abhir said in a serious tone

"Abhir..." Krish hesitated... Was Abhir the protective brother type?

"Krish.. you are mine and Abhir's friend.. so listen to this advice.. stay away from her.." Shivu said coming closer. Krish couldn't believe it... Shivu was also that kind.

Abhir also came closer... Krish gulped

And then hugged Krish, "Yes, Krish.. we cannot lose you.."

Shivu burst out laughing, "Yes, Krish.. she is a man-eater... We don't want you anywhere near her"

Roohi looked irritated and said, "You both are just disgusting... you know.."

"Roohi.. just spare him... He is so innocent.. Look at his face... So utterly confused" Shivu said while twisting Krish's head towards her direction.

Abhir laughed.. and then cried.."Damn, Shivu... It still hurts.. "

"So does life..." in an unnecessarily zen vibe.

"What were you guys doing?" Krish asked as he got out of his confusion.

"Oh, you haven't seen us both act like this in our boarding school right?" Abhir said.

"Well, all the adults in our life just are plain stupid and some of those stupid ones are the toxic kind also... Being with them makes you want to push them AAAALLLLL off a cliff..." Shivu said as he said down. He winced and said, "God Abhir... There was no need to attack my back.. It hurts a lot.."

"So does life" Abhir returned a quote to him with a smirk and sat beside Roohi, "So this method helps us get rid of our frustrations and not go to jail...'

"Also... It clears our heads... I have a theory that it is caused by the direct blow to the heads.. but it still works"  Shivu indicating Krish to sit beside him.

Krish had so many questions.

"How did you both reach here so fast... I called you like 4 hours ago"

"Helicopter" Shivu replied simply

"Of course... Your family will have a helicopter..." Krish sometimes forgets that they are freaking Birlas

"Our family has 3... But I can only take one" Shivu unnecessarily clarified.

"Do you guys also have a helicopter?" He looked at Abhir and Roohi...

"Nope... We did not have that level of tortured childhood as him to warrant a helicopter" Abhir said as he sneaked into  Roohi's phone.

"Yep... Only people with tragic childhood are allowed in my helicopter.. so you will never be allowed... You normal guy!!" Shivu said hitting Krish on his back.

A knock on the door made them look towards the door. Gopichand stood on the doorside with an irritated expression.

"Ah!! Gopichand... I hope it was not much trouble finding these beers" Shivu greeted cheerfully to the stone-faced Gopichand. When there was no response from his side, Shivu sighed and indicated to put the beers on the table. Gopichand put them and went away.

Roohi looked at him unimpressed, "We are only 16.. we can not drink Alcohol"

Abhir stood up and took a can and tossed another towards Shivu and said, "It is not alcohol.. It is  beer.."

"Beer is alcohol.." Roohi pestered.

"Roohi don't act innocent.. it is creeping me out.." Shive said after his first sip. Abhir laughed and sat beside her. He pulled her hair as he drank his can. "Were they this curly last time?"

Roohi hit him on his hand.

"Where is my beer?" Krish asked.

"Hey!! I am a responsible legal adult this year... I can't let you drink beer.." Shivu said with a lot of authority.

"I am the same age as Abhir and Roohi.." Krish cried at the hypocrisy.

"They had tragic childhoods... They are allowed... " Shivu said as went for his next can. He tossed one can towards Roohi.. who caught it but did not open.  

Krish got irritated and left the room. These Birla kids are super weird... But at least Abhir is somewhat cheerful.

"So he is not dead huh.." Shivu started the topic after Abhir take his second can.

"What do you feel about it..."

Beer does help you lighten up.. Abhir thought.. Now he could actually think about these things.

"Honestly... Many emotions.. happy to see him again... Sad that he didn't come to me.. Angry that he left me in that mad house...And somewhat jealous of his daughter.. She hugs him the way I hugged him.. she sleeps with him the way I slept with him... Maybe it was easy for him to forget about me because of her"

"Or maybe he thought that he was replaced by Dad... Maybe he thought I have the same bond with him as dad... Dad is dad.. But he couldn't be Papa.. I wonder when I realized it..."

"Dad's love is different.. When he loves me the way he loves Roohi... I just don't get used to it much..."

"I wonder... If your Papa ties her hair just like Poppy used to tie mine" Roohi said in a melancholy voice.

Abhir gave her a side squeeze.  Their relations got so much affected by his Mom and Dad's remarriage... They could never be the Poppy-Roo again. Roohi never shows it. now but she really misses the old Poppy.

"I only know... I don't want mine back from dead.." Shivu said looking outside the window.

Abhir and Roohi looked at each other. They knew what happened with Shivu was way worse than any of them face "Shivu" Roohi started...

"Forget it, Roohi.. We have talked about it enough already... Abhir do you want to talk to him?"

Abhir took another sip and thought about it.

"I don't know... He left me.. so I am angry at him.. but the way looked at me with concern.. and he looked like he did not understand what was going on... Just makes me wanna shout at him... He was not allowed to look that surprised when he was responsible for my situation..."

"Maybe I would go and shout at him.. That would be fine.. I will shout at him for all the things he did...  For all the things he didn't do... for not being with me all the times I needed him.... For not fulfilling his promises...For all the times I wanted to run away from home.. for all the times I missed him.."

Roohi sniffed.

"Roohi.. you started already... God, it's like Niagra falls in those eyes.."  Shivu said as he also sat beside her.

"Now Ganga and Yamuna will flow from these holes any moment," Abhir said poking her nose.

"Stop it!!!  You guys" Roohi said hiding her face..

"Come on Roohi... " Abhir said.

"I am not crying..."

Shivu and Abhir smirked. Roohi the crybaby only appears when she is with them.

"I wanted to say those things to Mom and Poppy... But I never could... The moment Poppy calls me Roo... I forget everything... Matashree cannot be blamed for what she said that day"

"No.. she should be blamed... she had no right to tell you that," Abhir said angrily.

"And Abhi Chachu needs to hear those things from you... But you are just so soft.. and forgiving.."

"Well, I can't be like you.." Roohi said and almost immediately yelped and closed her mouth.

"I am sorry Shivu," She said meekly.

"No need to be.. I will never forgive my parents"

"So will you forgive him, Abhir," Shivu asked.

Abhir didn't have an answer to that so he looked at the window.. The sun was rising.

"Great!!! Drinking beer while looking at sunrise.. This proves that our lives are F***ed up" He said raising his beer for a toast.

"Cheers for the super F***ed up lives of Birla youngsters," Shivu said raising his can.

They both looked at Roohi... Who gave a resigned sigh and smiled

"Cheers" Roohi said opening her first can of her life.

to be continued

umawanderer2023-05-11 16:02:31