Rajbir - 1

Kabir reeled from the waves of shock crashing on him as he stood still on the floor strewn with the pictures of a small boy smiling up at him. The small boy was his big brother. Viraj Singh Rathore. Kabir sank on the floor.

He thought back to this evening. He pulled open his home door, exhausted from work at the Gangwal Shop. He took a break from his dance classes for two months a year to help his family in their busiest season. This way, he could enjoy the Diwali festivities with his family and also rejuvenate himself for his next batch of dance students.

Last year had been the best Diwali of his life. His first with Nishu after marriage. His Mom had flown down from Dubai and they all had great fun together - Mumma, Maa-Paa, Dadi-Dadu and of course, his.. Kabir corrected himself out of habit as if Nishu could hear his thoughts too.. Nishu's cousins. It appeared that his Mumma had finally forgiven him for running away to India, marrying without her blessings and losing her most prized possession - her elder son's photo. Nishu's efforts were hugely responsible for that.

Nishu's courage had freed the pain which his Mumma had concealed for so long. His mother had fallen in love with a man - She still wouldn't name him, thought Kabir with a frown - and a quick marriage followed. Soon thereafter, his elder brother was born. By then, however, the differences between his Mumma and her husband had grown like a huge, unbreakable wall. Mumma's husband felt humiliated and embarrassed by her "small town mentality" in front of his high standing family & friends. Mumma felt that her husband was no longer the man she had loved, he seemed like a stranger to her.

On their sixth wedding anniversary, Mumma's husband gave her divorce papers to sign. She pleaded with him for their son's sake, for the impact on his innocent mind but her husband would not listen. She saw that though he was indifferent towards her, he loved their son more than life itself and left the house, leaving her son forever. She could never provide her son with the lifestyle his father could. Her son's future would be happy and secure and he would in time forget her.

Kabir's fists clenched when he remembered how his Mumma had sobbed while saying this. It hurt her even now and he knew this hurt would last for a lifetime. Mumma resolved never to reach out to her son, to keep track of him atleast from a distance because she knew that she wouldn't be able to keep herself away from him if she as much as heard about him. She had decided would never to be the cause of her son's ruin, accepting that she would die without seeing his face again.

Kabir wondered how his Mumma did it. He loved Nishu so much that just the thought of losing her sickened him. Nishu had explained to him that a mother's love was fathomless. There was no end, no measure of it. All it demanded was her childrens well being.

His Mumma had planned to stay with him for a week but left India in two days only. Kabir understood that she would have searched for her elder son if she had stayed there longer. It hurt him that she couldn't stay longer for him but he understood.

With the new knowledge came the realisation that his mother would never settle in India, no matter how much she hated Dubai. He would never leave India, considering how much Nishu needed her family. After all that she had suffered, he couldn't separate her from them. His wifey was an expert in reading his mind and had gone to Dubai to make a permanent home for them.

Kabir pursed his lips together. He wouldn't allow this on his life. Anything else, his wifey wanted, he would risk all he had to get it. Not this. He couldn't leave his Mumma alone though. No solution had came to him yet but he wouldn't give up until he got it.

What he did give up on though, was his search for his brother, even though he had stronger clues now - his brother was rich and influential and somewhere very close, considering his Mumma's short stay. His Mumma would have never left her son if she didn't know to her core that he was being cared for and loved. When that was the case, Kabir didn't want to disturb his brother's happy existence, wherever he was. One and a half years of a fruitless search in which Nishu, cousins and even Viraj had all put their best efforts had ended a year ago.

Kabir smiled bitterly. When you give up, life gives in. So, two hours ago, the doorbell rang. On the other side of the door was Viraj's trusted servant - Mansukh. Some officials had landed in Viraj's house demanding papers relating to a distant land dispute. Though Mansukh had explained that Viraj was away and he had no idea about any papers, the officials were turning the place upside down. Mansukh couldn't reach Viraj on his phone and remembered Kabir from the days he had worked for Viraj in Kabir & Nisha's house.

Kabir went with Mansukh to the grand palace which was Viraj's home, smiling wryly. Mansukh had more trust on him than Viraj had ever shown.

Kabir was aghast to see the state of Viraj's house. Papers were flying, people were screaming, things were scattered everywhere. Kabir was at a loss to explain why the violation of Viraj's home made him see red. He marched to the officials and some well placed threats in the Gangwal and Rathore name had them walking off.

Kabir proceeded to tidy up a little, despite the pleas from Viraj's house help not to do so. His nights were long in his Nishu's absence and he didn't want to go to an empty house again today. Might as well make himself useful. Viraj was such a stickler for tidiness that Kabir stifled a laugh at the thought of him seeing his house like that.

Kabir picked up some odd looking papers, glancing quickly to classify them. They seemed to be some letters. Letters to his mother! Detailing every event of his life. Kabir went through the letters one after another. Board results, College life, Aarti, Shooting experiences, all the medals he had won, the tournaments he had lost, paralysis, Nisha.. Kabir noticed that the heart wrenching letters had never been posted, only written. He blinked hard, fighting the emotions rising strongly in him.

Awkwardly, Kabir went to what looked like Viraj's bedroom to safely keep his letters there. The officials had been there as well and Kabir gingerly made his way across the littered floor to the desk, lost in the thoughts of a boy who missed his mother. Kabir placed the letters there, wondering how little he knew of the private man who had done so much for Nishu, for sports, for his country. He felt sure now that he had seen the letters that Viraj had ever opened up to anyone completely, even Nishu.

Kabir turned to leave. His empty home was better than this place which seems to house sad memories everywhere. Viraj's staff would do the needful.

As Kabir made to leave, his head bowed, an innocent pair of eyes looked up at him. And then, he really looked at the floor, giving it's contents his full attention. That's when Kabir's search finally ended. He had found his brother.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sorry if I don't respond to the likes and comments as I rarely come to IF. Thanks for all the love given to all my writings. A special thank you to itznimi003 who inspired me to write this one.