Hi guys! I'm back with another piece, this time as a short story. Sorry to keep y'all waiting so long! š³ A big thank you to everyone who enjoyed my previous work and encouraged me to write more! š
Alright, so this story will be about a train journey with Neira et al. However, I wanted to start with Aarav coming out of jail and Ragini and Aman's break-up to keep continuity, so those will be the first two parts to this work. I will update the second part soon.
The first part is below; I really hope you guys enjoy it! š
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Index
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Part 0A
Ragini paced nervously back and forth in the waiting room at the Juvenile Rehabilitation Center. These last two minutes were even harder than the entire two years combined. At least I had Nachiket by my side, she thought, looking over at Nachiket and Nishi eagerly waiting by the door. Wait, what am I thinking? Ragini, you are engaged, she explained to herself for the thousandth time today, as she looked over to a seated Dr. Aman, head in his hands. You can't be thinking about any other man, especially your ex-husband. But he is the father to my children, she tried to reason. And how can anyone not think about those eyes...that stubble...those lips... The angel side of her head was silent--she couldn't argue with herself about her love for Nachiket.
"Aarav!" squealed Nishi, pulling him into a hug.
"Kaise hai tu, Nishi! I missed you a lot--how is jiju?"
"I missed you too Aarav. Mujhe tumhari bahut yaad aati thi. Jignesh is doing well; we are both doing well." Aarav smiled knowing that his sister was happily married.
"Papa!" Aarav exclaimed, turning his head to Nachiket. Nachiket pulled Aarav close into a bear hug. "Beta, tum thik to ho na? Are you alright? Tumhe bahut miss kiya meine" Nachiket said, eyes wet and with a soft sniffle.
"Haan, papa, mein thik hoon. Kuch nai hua mujhe, I'm fi--" Aarav stopped when his eyes fell on his mother, standing silently as tears spilled from her eyes.
"Aarav..." she said, taking steps towards her son. "Aarav beta..." Ragini pulled her son into a tight embrace as all the sadness, frustration, and guilt bottled up inside her for the past 733 days, 17 hours, 53 minutes, and 21 seconds came flooding out through her tears. Oh, how she missed him! But no matter, she was going to make up for this lost time. She was going to give him all the happiness in the world and...
Ragini's relieved expression turned into one of worry as she realized her son was not hugging her back, not even slightly. She pulled her son away from her and held him at arm's length. Aarav was frozen like a statue.
Ragini was stunned. Her eyes welled with fresh tears of pain. "Aarav...Aarav beta, mein jaanti hoon ki tum mujhse naraz ho...par please beta, please don't push me away...I love you Aarav, I always have and I always will..."
"Jaanta hoon Maa. Mein sab kuch jaanta hoon. Bas, aaj tak samaj hi nai paya Maa." Aarav said, tears filling his eyes.
"Aarav..." Ragini smiled, hope lighting up inside her.
It took all his self-control not to cry in her arms right then and there. He would, but first he had to tell her something. "Nai Maa, aaj aap kuch nahi kahenge. Mujhe apse kuch kehna hai, aur aaj mein woh baat kehne wala hoon."
"Haan beta, bolo na...please..." she managed, unable to suppress her tears.
"Maa, pichle do saal se mein aapko kosta aya tha. Jab bhi koi maa' shabd bol tha tha, mujhe bahut gussa aata tha. Mein hamesha meri jail jaane ke liye aapko zimmedar theriyatha. Par do din pehle, meri puri nazaria badal gayi, Maa."
Two days ago
"Rajeev!" yelled the warden. "Tumhari maa aagayi hain." Rajeev was Aarav's best friend; they had met on Aarav's first day at the Center and they immediately connected. They talked every day, often for hours, ate together, and spent all their free time together.
"Aarav, please aaja na mere saath; meri mom se mill leh, woh bahut achhi hai." Rajeev said, tugging at Aarav's arm.
"Nai yaar, maine kaha na, mujhe nahi milna hai." Aarav said turning away from his friend.
"Please yaar, tujhe hamari dosti ki kasam."
Aarav turned, sighed, and stood up to follow his friend. Rajeev had helped him feel better when he was feeling low, when he felt betrayed and cheated by his mother. He could do anything for their friendship.
When he went outside with Rajeev, Aarav met Rajeev's mother. After meeting with her son for almost 10 minutes, she wiped her tears and pulled Aarav aside to talk to him in private.
"Look Aarav, I know I have no business poking my nose into your personal life; I don't even know you apart from what Rajeev tells me on the phone. But as a mother, I feel it is my job to help you realize your mistake. Today I have gotten my son back, soon your mother will get her son back. I don't want you to spoil that moment for her by being angry at her for something that was never her fault." Aarav turned his face away in hatred.
"You think that your mother got in the way of you achieving your goals? You think that your dad is the only one that understands you--the only one that cares? Look Aarav, your mother wanted you to study before starting a business to make sure that you were safe; that you could make enough money with a regular job in case you failed. She knew you wouldn't fail, you couldn't fail, you're her blood after all. But just in case someone cheated you or another person failed, she didn't want you to fall. The world is a dangerous and unforgiving place, full of people who will step on you for their selfish desires. She just wanted to protect you."
Aarav turned towards Rajeev's mother, listening. He wasn't sure yet if he would agree with her, but he wanted to hear her out calmly.
"A mother's job is to protect, Aarav. A father's job is to push children to grow, to come out of their shells. A father stands his baby on two legs and teaches him to walk, a mother is ready to catch him if he falls and soothe his cries. The need to push and protect often work in opposition, but both are needed for children to grow, and neither is more important than the other. Both your parents did their job in helping you grow, Aarav; it's the outside world that cheated you.
Aarav, who raised you from when you were just a toddler? Your mother. Who fed you and slept hungry? Your mother. Who works hard every day, sacrifices her desires to save up to buy you what you want? Your mother. Aarav, your mother invested so much in you because she knew that you would grow up to be successful; she just didn't want all your hard work be in vain because of this cruel world, because of circumstances she cannot protect you from.
Your mother has done everything for you, Aarav. It's just that you have failed to understand her. When your mother comes to take you home, don't push her away. Don't leave her full of tears. I am a mother, Aarav, and I'm telling you: the worst thing a child can do is repeatedly shut their parents out of their lives."
Present
"Maa, mein galat tha. Apne mere liye itna sab kuch kiya, aur mein..." Aarav hugged his mother tightly. Ragini was over the moon with love; she didn't just get her son back today, she got her Aarav back.
"Maa, yaad hai aap hamesha mujhe aur Nishi ko khana banakar bhukhi rehti thi Karva Chauth ke din?" Aarav commented, tears long flowing from his warm eyes.
At this, Nachiket looked over at Ragini, eyes wide. She fasted for 15 years...for me... Ragini nodded, looking back at Nachiket. Their teary eyes locked for a brief minute and they both smiled, proud of their Aarav.
"Aur jab apne kaha ki aap mujhe bike nahi dila sakti thi, toh mein aapse kitna naraz hogaya tha. Mein papa ka fan hogaya tha, sirf iss liye kyunki unhone mujhe bike dilaya tha. Meine kabhi bhi nahi socha ki jo paisa apne bacha kar rakha tha itne saalo se, voh sab Nishi ke shaadi ke liye kharch ho jayega...Maa, I'm sorry. I'm really, very sorry."
Ragini closed her eyes and held Aarav close to her. "Nai beta, it's ok..." she said, all her sorrow melting away.
"Maa..." said another voice, moving closer. Ragini released Aarav and looked at Nishi, who also had tears in her eyes. "Maa, mein bhi aapko hamesha galat samjha. Apne mujhse kaha tha ki shaadi ke baad sab kuch badal jata hai, par meine zidd ki thi shaadi karne ke liye. Badh me I blamed you for Jignesh's parents wanting a baby. Iss me aap ki koi dosh nahi hain, you wanted to protect me from all this by getting me married later. Maa, mein hi aap ki baat ko samajh nahi pai. I don't even know what I was thinking...I'm sorry too, Maa." Nishi said, hugging her mother.
Aarav joined in to hug his mother and sister and Ragini couldn't stop her tears, tears of relief, tears of joy, tears of pride. Neither could Nachiket, as he made his way over and hugged his children. Ragini met Nachiket's eyes. Thank you, he seemed to say. I'm so happy that I could be here with them, with you. Ragini smiled. Her family was finally coming back together.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a man exit the room, silently. Aman sir.
CID
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
