Posted:
here's the next one...
Part 9:
Karan came over to Manthan and hugged him tightly, "Thank you beta. Tumne aaj jo apni behan ke liye kiya hai, mujhe uspar naaz hai. Aur main bade fakar se keh sakta hoon ke tum mere bete ho." Manthan didn't react at first and then slowly brought his hands up to hug his father back. Manthan couldn't remember the last time that his father had shown affection to him like this. Usually, the only reaction he got from him was a reprimand, even if it was out of concern or care. Since childhood, Manthan had always felt sidelined and to get his father's attention he did things that he normally would never do and then it eventually became a habit & he grew up the way he was now. He was always angry & didn't care for emotion. He wasn't comfortable when people showed care & concern for him, even his own mother to some extent. But he was fine with Bhoomi. Yes, he had been jealous of her always because of the way Karan treated her & paid attention to her but he loved her more. And the jealousy of Bhoomi turned to dislike for his father. He had never blamed Bhoomi for Karan's indifference towards him; it wasn't her fault that Karan loved her.
But now that Karan was embracing him lovingly, he forgot all the dislike & contempt he had been holding inside him all these years. Instead, it was replaced with sorrow. He felt sorrow for the love of his father that he had been robbed of, of all the childhood memories that he had lost out on with his father, and his guidance & support. He closed his eyes tightly trying to etch the moment in his heart forever. Manthan didn't cry though. He wasn't one to break down in front of others. He held his tears & finally when Karan let go he stepped back & smiled back at his father saying, "Thanks dad." Tulsi was observing all this while the rest of the family was huddled around Joydeep. Bhoomi & Tanya had been looking at the father & son fondly & smiling. Bhoomi understood what this gesture from their father meant to Manthan and was happy for him. She knew that it was hard for Manthan to let go of grudges so easily & that this small act of affection from Karan would probably not erase all the other times he had neglected Manthan; but it was a start. Little did she know that Manthan was no more the same Manthan she knew a few months back. And standing by the door, away from the rest, stood KT; taking in all that had happened that day. She had been noticing a change for a while now but could not figure out what that change was. The atmosphere had been changing in Shantiniketan as well. Deep in thought, KT lazily looked around the room. The whole family was gathered in Bhoomi's room. She looked back at Karan Virani's family standing by the window. She smiled slowly as she realized something and walked out the room & almost ran into Lakshya's room as if in a rush. When she found what she was looking for she ran back & to her relief everything was the same as when she had left. Karan Virani & his family were still standing to the side & seemed very relaxed & happy to be together. KT stood patiently watching them and waited for the right moment for her to do what she was intending to do for a while now. No one noticed her & she slipped out quietly and headed to her room. Then she went downstairs and saw to it that the Lohri party was postponed (she knew they couldn't hold the party that night & also knew how upset Joydeep would be if it was cancelled so she decided that no one would object to holding the party at a later date). Then she went into the kitchen and had Ramu kaka, along with the other servants, help her set the dinner table as the dinner had already been prepared. When everything was ready she headed upstairs to call everyone down for dinner.
Part 9:
Karan came over to Manthan and hugged him tightly, "Thank you beta. Tumne aaj jo apni behan ke liye kiya hai, mujhe uspar naaz hai. Aur main bade fakar se keh sakta hoon ke tum mere bete ho." Manthan didn't react at first and then slowly brought his hands up to hug his father back. Manthan couldn't remember the last time that his father had shown affection to him like this. Usually, the only reaction he got from him was a reprimand, even if it was out of concern or care. Since childhood, Manthan had always felt sidelined and to get his father's attention he did things that he normally would never do and then it eventually became a habit & he grew up the way he was now. He was always angry & didn't care for emotion. He wasn't comfortable when people showed care & concern for him, even his own mother to some extent. But he was fine with Bhoomi. Yes, he had been jealous of her always because of the way Karan treated her & paid attention to her but he loved her more. And the jealousy of Bhoomi turned to dislike for his father. He had never blamed Bhoomi for Karan's indifference towards him; it wasn't her fault that Karan loved her.
But now that Karan was embracing him lovingly, he forgot all the dislike & contempt he had been holding inside him all these years. Instead, it was replaced with sorrow. He felt sorrow for the love of his father that he had been robbed of, of all the childhood memories that he had lost out on with his father, and his guidance & support. He closed his eyes tightly trying to etch the moment in his heart forever. Manthan didn't cry though. He wasn't one to break down in front of others. He held his tears & finally when Karan let go he stepped back & smiled back at his father saying, "Thanks dad." Tulsi was observing all this while the rest of the family was huddled around Joydeep. Bhoomi & Tanya had been looking at the father & son fondly & smiling. Bhoomi understood what this gesture from their father meant to Manthan and was happy for him. She knew that it was hard for Manthan to let go of grudges so easily & that this small act of affection from Karan would probably not erase all the other times he had neglected Manthan; but it was a start. Little did she know that Manthan was no more the same Manthan she knew a few months back. And standing by the door, away from the rest, stood KT; taking in all that had happened that day. She had been noticing a change for a while now but could not figure out what that change was. The atmosphere had been changing in Shantiniketan as well. Deep in thought, KT lazily looked around the room. The whole family was gathered in Bhoomi's room. She looked back at Karan Virani's family standing by the window. She smiled slowly as she realized something and walked out the room & almost ran into Lakshya's room as if in a rush. When she found what she was looking for she ran back & to her relief everything was the same as when she had left. Karan Virani & his family were still standing to the side & seemed very relaxed & happy to be together. KT stood patiently watching them and waited for the right moment for her to do what she was intending to do for a while now. No one noticed her & she slipped out quietly and headed to her room. Then she went downstairs and saw to it that the Lohri party was postponed (she knew they couldn't hold the party that night & also knew how upset Joydeep would be if it was cancelled so she decided that no one would object to holding the party at a later date). Then she went into the kitchen and had Ramu kaka, along with the other servants, help her set the dinner table as the dinner had already been prepared. When everything was ready she headed upstairs to call everyone down for dinner.
Arjun
