The Guardian
Dear Jai,
If you are reading this letter, then you most know by now that I am no longer a part of this world. I am writing to you now because my little brother, I have much to ask of you. And I know that I can always count on you for anything. You have always been my rock, starting off from when we were very little. We had plenty of fond memories together, you and I. In spite of our five year age difference, we acted more as inseparable twins'often giving our older sister grief in the process with our silly pranks. You remember those days, don't you?
And frankly speaking, I have never felt closer to anyone but you. I don't know why it is. Was it all those pranks we pulled together? All that mischief? Those secrets we kept for one another? The looking out we did for each other? Or is it simply because of the ties of brotherhood that brought us so close together? For whatever reason it was, I knew you were the closest thing to me and I loved you as much as an older brother could. And in some way like a father should. With Ma in severe depression and our wacky, control freak sister trying to take up the role of a mother in our lives, I thought you needed at least one stable adult figure in your life. Dad was never around-- the swine that he was for walking out on us and the sole reason for whatever happened to Ma. But you still needed some fatherly figure in your life. And I can say proudly now that you have shaped up to be a good man--- excluding your Casanova-like lifestyle which our dear Jigyasa still holds against you.
I hope I have never given you a chance to complain about me. I've tried to be a good brother to you as much as I could. Perhaps I took sympathy on you, Jai---sympathy that at such a young age you had to see so much ugliness. You were only six when Dad walked out on us. Six when Mom slipped into depression. Six when our obnoxious older sister kept on smothering you left and right, trying to "protect" you as she always said. You were deprived of both parents at such a tender age. Maybe it's because of that mere reason that I took you indirectly under my wing. No, you didn't need an overbearing sister who was intent on crushing you to death with her unnecessary role play of motherly affections and guidance. You just needed to be yourself. That's all. You needed space to breathe, to grow on your own, yet know that there is someone you have that you can depend on and that loves you.
I could have easily been a terrible brother to you. After all, older brothers are known to rag on their younger siblings all the time. But it was your sheer innocence to everything that kept me from being so horrible. Like Jigyasa, I felt the need to protect you. I've never openly displayed this to you, but nonetheless it was always there. I've watched over you all these years, making sure you didn't fall into the wrong crowd and trying to be a good influence in your life. And till date, you have never disappointed me. I'm proud of you, Jai. Proud of the man you have become---that with all the ugliness that had gone on in our lives you had been able to escape out of it all clean and untainted unlike Ma, Jigyasa, and myself.
Yes, I too have been tainted. To this day I still hold resentment and bitterness from our past. I have felt the grievance of losing a mother, felt the brunt of a father's deceit, felt my life shatter into pieces at a young age, and it has made me quite cynical since then. You have also seen what had happened to Jigyasa. How it changed her. I believe it all affected her the most, which is why I tried not to interfere with her controlling personality. I could not blame her for who she had become. She was the oldest out of all of us when it all happened. She suffered far greater than all of us. At sixteen, she understood the most, undergone the pain most, and bore all the responsibilities the most. There was Ma, you, and me to take care of. Besides, it did not help much that she was our father's little girl, his little princess. She was heartbroken when he left. I guess taking care of the situation was how she dealt with the pain'.to keep herself distracted with things to do. I accepted her the way she was. And I know that you two are always at one another, never agreeing to anything, and never spare a minute to argue ever since forever. But Jai, you must understand that she cannot help it. She only has the best interest. Do not be so harsh on her. She is your older sister and she loves you dearly. Perhaps more than even I do.
But relieving our past is not the main purpose of this letter to you. Jai, after years of giving into your whims, taking responsibilities for your faults, protecting you as much as I could from Jigyasa's claws, and never letting you once feel the absence of a mother and father in your life--- I seek at least one favor from you in return.
Sadhna and I have both discussed this numerous of times. We often contemplated over it as it is an important factor of many of the possibilities that could happen in the future. After all, you never know what to expect from life, which is why you should always be prepared and ready to tackle whatever it is that comes your way.
Jai, if by any chance both Sadhna and I have passed on, then it is you who I want to grant guardianship of my three little children. The responsibility of Krishna, Atharva, and Ganga falls solely onto you. Now, you may wonder why I have taken such a drastic decision of making you their guardian after your Bhabhi and I are gone. You may also be thinking why not Jigyasa? She is obviously the most mature and responsible one. Most importantly she is the oldest and even has a family of her own'having sixteen years of experience rearing those two children of hers. But all I have to say little brother is I know I am making the right choice by choosing you. I will not have any regrets. After over thirty years, I know that you will not fail me now. And maybe someday you'll realize as to why it is you who I chose.
As for now kid brother'Adios, Auf Weidersehen, Au revoir, and Addio. I love you, kiddo. And always remember--- Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself (courtesy George Bernard Shaw, because you very well know your big brother cannot come up with anything philosophical as that).
I hope you keep on smiling, keep on living your life, but most importantly keep on being yourself. I will hope and pray that in my next life, I will get a brother just like you. How lucky will I be then, won't I?
Take care little Jai. And do make the most out of your life.
Your Big Brother,
Ranvijay Walia
He gradually starts to lose vision of the letter clenched by his pale hands as his intensifying gray eyes well with blinding tears. Despite the overbearing feeling of sorrow and grief presiding within him, he smiles softly to himself as his wise older brother's words imprint themselves into his mind. His letter was proving to be bittersweet, making him reminisce old times spent with his brother Ranvijay, the one man whom he loved and respected most in the world. Yet making him miss him to an even higher degree than before.
Life is a cruel thing. His brother knew this. His mother knew this. Even his sister, Jigyasa knows this well. And it is today that he has begun to learn it himself.
For thirty-two years he has lived a quite satisfying life. He did not have any qualms or complaints. He was given space to grow and experience life for himself---which was only encouraged and possible by his brother. And like Ranvijay had said, he had never felt the absence of anything in his life. Yes, he had no father and had a depressed mother who remained in a world of her own and eventually died from her own misery but it had all happened when he was so young. He could hardly even remember his father's face. Nor did he even try to remember as he was a closed chapter in his family's life. He had gradually become emotionally detached from his mother once she entered her state of severe depression. Therefore, he could not even remember the feel of parental affections to even miss them.
But there was his brother and sister. Jigaysa, as Ranvijay put it, tried her best to substitute their mother, Krishna, in his life. And she smothered him at every given opportunity, therefore, building resentment toward her. However, he loved her. He loved her like a brother is supposed to love his sister, but he could not help but hold a difference with her. And whenever they were forced eye to eye, it was then that his differences came out.
Despite all that, he had a good life. He had an older brother who did not smother him the least or tried to control him. It was Ranvijay's subtle ways though that made Jai follow his guidance and morals. It was his brother's understanding that made Jai feel connected to him. He did view Ranvijay as the closest father figure he had in his life. He never did want to disappoint him in any aspect, therefore, abiding by his morals and expectations. It was the least he could do for his older brother who gave him so much liberty and trust to live his own life in the first place.
He was a content guy. He had made full use of his adolescent life, goofing off and having good spirited fun. And as he got older, he got a successful career as a businessman and was living his life happily as a bachelor. He was at peace with his life. But now'.. What happens now?
His brother and sister-in-law's freak accident had come as a great deal of shock to him. In fact, he spent the first couple of days in a state of denial---finding it hard to grasp the thought of his beloved brother as dead. Not amongst the living and far, far away from them all.
The one person whom he had felt the closest to in this world, who had been his best friend, his father, and his mentor was gone. He suddenly felt all alone. As if there was now no one there for him.
Holding onto the letter as if his life counted on it, Jai's shoulders slump as silent tears make their way down his colorless face. Life will be different from here on out. The absence of his brother would continue to haunt him. The difficulty of moving on in his life would tackle him continuously. But most importantly the responsibility of his nephew and nieces were now on his shoulders.
On the thought of his late brother's children, he brushes away his tears---grateful that he is kept out of attention as he did not wished to be seen in this broken state---and takes in a huge breath into him to hold himself together again. It is when he looks up from the couch in the lone living room that he had occupied for the few minutes that he pays attention to his surroundings which he had neglected so far. His eyes fall onto the room across from him, the door to the library left ajar and giving him sight of his screeching older sister who seems ready to attack their family lawyer while flying around a separate letter in hand.
He knew what it was she was ranting on about endlessly for the past hour. On learning that it was Jai Walia and not Jigyasa Bali who was given guardianship over Ranvijay and Sadhna's children, Jigyasa's lips immediately pursed together tightly. It seems for once he and his sister agree on something. And that is that he is in no way capable of raising a child, let alone, three.
"How can Ranvijay do this! This is absurd! How could he in his right mind give his children to Jai! Jai of all people! He is insane! You cannot possibly allow this to happen Raman Uncle! I will not allow this! Those children need a responsible adult to take care of them! And Jai is the least responsible man I have seen in my life! He hardly gives enough time for anyone but himself! How could Ranvijay even think that Jai could take care of his children!" Jigyasa's screams carry out through the whole house.
"Jigyasa beta, I cannot do anything about this matter. It is written clearly in your brother's will as well as your sister-in-law's. They both have decided to grant Jai guardianship and there is nothing anyone can do against it. Not even you. No matter what you think about it. It cannot be undone," Raman Singh replies in a professional, no-nonsense tone.
"This is absurd!" Jigyasa yells once again. "Those poor little children will not be able to survive with Jai! What those children need is a real family. One that I can provide them with! Jai does not even have a family himself! But Adi and I are both here for the children and can together raise them as our own. We have two kids ourselves, for goodness sakes! I have plenty of experience on how to raise children whereas Jai hasn't any clue on how to even deal with one! He cannot provide them a stable life!"
On hearing her last words, something is struck within him and a sudden bout of frenzy excitement shoots inside of him. Thrusting the letter into his coat pocket, he stands from the couch and storms toward the library, emerging through the door and gathering instant attention from his sister, lawyer, and brother-in-law, who stands quietly far off to the side of the room.
"Why is it that you find even the remotest idea of those kids living with me so horrifying?" his aggressive, deep voice questions his sister dangerously as he stares at her hard. Jigyasa seems momentarily dumbstruck by his demeanor, before regaining her senses and meeting him eye to eye.
"And am I supposed to be ecstatic to hear you will be their guardian, Jai? You know very well that you are incapable of taking care of those kids! As it is, where will you find the time to do so? You are so wrapped up in your business and fooling around with women that you do not give a day's time to anyone else! How can you even think of making those poor children a part of your indecent lifestyle!" she retorts defensively, making clear of her stance.
Feeling an unexplainable rage building inside of him, Jai loses his temper and surprises everyone in the room as he bellows his next words. "Yes, I am incapable of taking care of those kids! Yes, I have no family of my own---no wife or children! Yes, I am too busy in my work! Yes, I make the most out of my bachelorhood! I know that very damn well! I have an indecent lifestyle, that I can handle you saying because I am so used to you branding it on me every given opportunity--- but don't you dare insult my brother's judgment toward me! Don't you dare demean his decision! Don't you dare for another second doubt his trust and faith in me! I will not tolerate it!" he roars at her with jolted eyes. Jigyasa wears a stunned expression on her face and leans back against the desk behind her, placing her hands onto it for balance and nearly shrinks in her place. She grows alarmed as her brother takes steps closer to her, standing a mere foot away and glaring at her harshly.
"Perhaps Ranvijay Bhaiya did not want his children under your care so they would not have to go through what I was forced through!" he continues on hotly. Jigyasa's eyes widen from his words.
"What do you mean by that?" she questions him with evident hurt in her now trembling voice.
"What I mean dear sister, is that you are an overbearing, obnoxious, control freak who wants everyone under her power and control! Who wants to take care over everyone's lives and have them according to your preference! It's enough that I had to go through it! But now you want your crazy obsession to fall onto those kids?!" he asks her fiercely.
"How dare you accuse me of such a thing?! All I have ever done was love and protect you! And still you see me as your enemy! But Ranvijay---Ranvijay always had been your idol! He let you go around loose with no manners, no ethics, and no principles! He is the sole reason for who you have become! Whereas I have been nothing but a good sister to you! Trying to keep you on the right path and doing what was best for you! Have I not been like a mother to you all these years, Jai?! Haven't I?!" Jigyasa demands from him while raking with sobs and shaking him by the lapels of his coat.
Jai coolly brushes away her hands from him while answering her. Seeing her burst into a fit of tears eases off some of his anger---making him realize that he cannot be too harsh to her, especially at this crucial time.
"I never asked for a mother. I had one, but she didn't wish to be one for me. I had a father, but he let himself off the responsibility. I even had a sister, though, she refused to be one. But I had a brother, who was exactly who he was supposed to be. Now even he has left me," he finishes with a strong tinge of sadness lingering in his voice that brings further tears to his sister's eyes.
"Jai, you know as well as I do that you aren't able to give them what they need," his sister says with caution while watching him carefully with observing eyes. She places a comforting hand on his arm.
"Ranvijay is gone. But that does not mean you are alone. You still have your sister. And as your sister, I'm telling you that the best for these kids is to live with me. You know that this is the right decision," she continues.
A silence creeps into the room by the impact of Jigyasa's words. Raman, looks from brother to sister, and sensing the uneasiness between the two siblings still'clears his throat to gather their attention.
"Now Jai'. Jigyasa. Let us sit and discuss this calmly of what is to be done. If Jai believes that he is incapable of taking the children as well, then perhaps we can find a way around your brother's wish," he states in soothing words.
"I know I am making the right choice by choosing you. I will not have any regrets."-- "I seek at least one favor from you'." His brother's words come rushing back to him and create another spark into him, setting him with a newborn determination.
"Eer, yes, let's all sit down and discuss this like adults. Come, Jigyasa'. Jai?" Aditya finally speaks for once since the reading of Ranvijay and Sadhna's wills.
Jai stares back up at his sister, who continues to watch him cautiously as if weary of his actions. His steely gaze sets upon her as he speaks his next words'.
"For some reason Bhaiya had faith in me to grant me guardianship over his children. I will like to at least try and meet up to his expectations. He has done everything for me. The least I can do for him to put his soul at peace is by taking care of his kids. '. Will you not even allow me to fulfill my dead brother's last wish?" Jai questions his sister hoarsely.
Jigyasa gathers a shaky breath into her and gazes back at her intent looking brother with an answering cold silence'..
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"What's going to happen now, Mausi?" the six-year old girl with pigtails, dressed nicely in a clean, white dress looking every bit like a doll, questions with wide, sparkling eyes.
The woman with deep, hazel-nut brown eyes and luscious curls of black, silky hair turns to the little girl nestled to the side of her body with a soft smile spreading onto her rosy red lips. She pushes back a curl that falls into her hair and tucks it behind an ear before wrapping an arm around the tiny girl.
"I'm not sure Sweetie. We are just going to have to wait and see what your Bua and Chacha are going to decide," she replies soothingly with affection.
"What's the point of waiting? They both don't like us anyways. Neither of them want us," comes the harsh tone from the teenage girl, who is seated a few spaces away from the woman. Before the woman is able to reply to refute the girl's negativity, the boy on her other side speaks up hotly.
"No, Jai Chacha loves us! He wants us to live with him!" he glares at his older sister while pushing up his glasses.
"Uh-huh. News flash Atharva. When was the last time your Jai Chacha ever spent time with you? With you, Ganga, or me?" she demands with disgust while flipping her light brown hair off her shoulder and staring at her red painted nails with a foul look on her face.
"All the man would rather do is continue getting rich with that job of his and have s*x with women then give a rat's a** about anyone of us," the same girl continues with resentment toward her father's brother.
"Krishna," the woman admonishes her sternly. She shakes her head at the teenage girl who shrugs her shoulders at her. What had happened to this girl? Now that she is a teenager she believes she can say anything she wants, the woman muses to herself.
"I'm telling that you said a**!" Atharva exclaims excitedly. "Mausi, what is s*x?" Ganga questions to her aunt, who burns crimson from the predicament placed on her thanks to Krishna's outspokenness.
"And who are you going to tell, you pest? Mom and Dad are dead if you don't remember!" Krishna nearly screams at her eleven-year old brother. Suddenly, as if remembering this painful reminder of her parents' death, she clamps her mouth shut and roughly looks the other way---hiding the tears that begin to build in her eyes.
However, this does not go unnoticed by their Mausi who reaches around Atharva and places her hand over Krishna's, giving it a sympathetic squeeze.
Also realizing the impact of the gravity of their situation, Atharva grows quiet as well as a sullen look grows on his face. He slumps back into the woman's other side as his glasses begin to fog with tears of his own.
"'. Where are Mommy and Daddy, Mausi?" Ganga whispers to the woman, who feels a painful tug on her heart from the innocence of the child'.of all the children, who did not deserve any of this.
Gathering both Ganga and Atharva into her arms and with tears in her own eyes says with remorse, "They're in heaven, sweetie'. They're in a good place now'..with God watching over us."
"When are they going to come back?" the little girl carries on with brilliant eyes that the woman is unable to meet. "'. I'm afraid that they are never going to be back, honey. They're in a better place'. They're happy'."
Ganga's face falls as she hears her words and she silently places her head against the woman's chest, allowing herself to be held in her arms. For a long while a silence prevails in the closet in which the four were seated down in, buried within the hung clothing, where they had originally been hiding from all the screaming coming from downstairs.
"'. Why couldn't they be happy with us?" Krishna whispers chokingly while dabbing at her eyes with the back of her hand. Seconds later streams of tears roll down her face and the other children follow in pursuit, missing their parents gravely at the moment and realizing that they were now alone. The woman brings them all close to her, wrapping each of them in her arms, while crying silent tears herself---wondering what will now happen with these children before her.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Jai please---" Jigyasa begins to plead, wanting her brother to rethink over his decision and think with a clear head. Sentiments over their brother is clouding his judgment.
"Alright Jai, if you sign right here, you are given full guardianship over Krishna, Atharva, and Ganga. After that, there should be no problems," Raman conveys to the man across him, wearing a look of determination on his grim face while reaching for the pen in the lawyer's hands.
"You are sure there isn't more to do than this?" Jai questions their family lawyer, completely ignoring his quickly growing hysterical sister, who is still dead against the very idea of the children going to her irresponsible brother's possession.
"Well I will have to have these run by in court, but yes, this should be all."
"Oh Jai, listen to me! Don't do this. You know this isn't the right thing, you know it!" Jigyasa begs him to see sense. She is interrupted though by a quick nudge by her husband, who without saying anything gives her a silencing look.
"I don't care if you beg on your knees, Jigyasa Di. These children are going to be under my care now. It's what Bhaiya wanted and I'm only doing what he and Bhabhi both wanted," Jai states firmly. Jigyasa looks crestfallen as she watches anxiously how Jai scribbles his signature onto the papers one after another.
"Alright, Jai. It's done. The children are now yours. Who will go and tell them the good news?" Raman attempts to say cheerfully with a smile. Jigyasa crosses her arms and her lip grows into a thin line while Jai stares up at the lawyer and with a nod of his head says, "I'll go."
As Jai stands up from the couch and walks around the center table to make his way out of the library, Jigyasa follows quickly behind him'..
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Jai had just left the library in search of the children when he spotted them coming down the fleet of stairs one by one. He smiles faintly at the sight of them, marveling over how much they have grown and finding them more precious than ever before. They were the only connection left to his deceased brother. Instantly this lifts his dampened spirits.
"Hey kiddos! It's been so long since I've seen you guys! Come give your Jai Chacha a hug," he attempts to say cheerfully while opening up his arms. Atharva and Ganga quickly run into his arms and he laughs at their eagerness to see him.
"Whoa, glad to see that at least some people are happy to see me. How you kids been?" he asks them, trying not to fall over with kids' arms wrapped tightly around his torso. He pries Ganga's small arms away and gathers her up high into his arms before kissing her sweetly on her cheek.
"Chachu, what is s*x?" Ganga immediately asks him with her sugary voice, seeming hyped up on seeing her favorite uncle after a long time. Jai becomes speechless from what his niece says and as he stumbles to come up with a reply, he hears a cool, feminine voice say from afar, "Ganga, let's not pester your Chachaji with questions right now."
Following the melodious voice, Jai's eyes travel up the stairs and land onto the slim figure gliding down the rest of the steps. He takes in her bowling appearance, looking gorgeous as always with her curly black hair, captivating eyes, small button nose, curvy red lips, and slender body. Bani Dixit hasn't changed the least since he had last placed his eyes on her. She will forever be a beauty, despite the obvious strain on her face from the stress of her cousin and best friend, Sadhna's death.
"Hai Ram, they haven't even started living with him yet and already the little one has caught onto his indecent lifestyle!" Jigyasa wails loudly in grief before walking away in disgust. Ignoring his sister's outburst, Jai manages a faint grin in Bani's direction, watching as she comes down the last step and approaches the rest of them.
"Hmm, I see you have been picking up on naughty things from your Bani Mausi, Ganga. I always knew she was a bad influence on you kids," he says with good humor, for once since the past one week.
"Speak for yourself Jai Walia," Bani retorts with flared eyes. He contains the urge to smirk further from her fiery attitude. He knew the reason for her strong dislike against him and had gotten quite familiar with it the many times they met up for holidays at his brother's place.
"Chachu, Krishna Didi said a**!" Atharva dutifully complains about his older sister. One of Jai's eyebrows arches up on hearing this. "She did, did she?" he seeks confirmation.
"Yes, she did. What will you do about it?" another girlish voice demands. Looking away from his nephew, Jai finds himself meeting a pair of narrowed black eyes that stare at him with detest. It takes him awhile to recognize the fierce girl standing across from him, dressed in a rocker's shirt with black skinny jeans and a strand of dyed blue hair. She climbs down the last step of the stairs and stands beside Bani.
"Krishy'. You have grown," Jai states with subtle surprise at the drastic change in his niece the last he had seen her. "Yes, remarkable how much a girl can grow in two years, isn't it?" she answers bitterly. Her uncle's eyebrows rise further and he flashes a quick look over to Bani, who simply shrugs her shoulders in return.
"Well come on Krishy, won't you give your Chacha a hug?" Jai questions curiously with her strange behavior. It was evident that this wasn't the same cute little girl who'd always run after him on her toes chanting "Jai Chachu" here and there.
"First of all, don't call me Krishy. It's Krishna for you. Secondly, I thought you were too busy to even give a damn about your brother's kids. Why are you here now?" she demands with glowering eyes. As Jai is dumbfound by her change of attitude, Bani looks to Krishna with disapproving eyes.
"Krish, say sorry to your Chachaji right now. You are not being fair and you know it. Apologize," she orders from her cousin's daughter.
"No, it's okay Bani. I don't wish to upset Krishna anymore than she already is," Jai cuts in to avoid any further hostility radiating off from his niece. He assumes she is taking her parents' death hard, therefore, taking out her wrath on anyone she can find. And as of right now, he has become her prey.
Turning to the little ones, he continues on with a smile, "I just wanted to let you kids know that from here on out you will be living with me in Mumbai. But for now you will have to stay with your Jigyasa Bua while I have everything set up for your stay."
Atharva and Ganga both cheer happily on hearing the news of living with their cool Jai Uncle over their boring and strict Jigyasa Aunty. Krishna, on the other head, scowls while crossing her arms.
"And which genius granted you guardianship over us?" she bitingly asks him. His previous smile on witnessing Atharva and Ganga's willingness to live with him is replaced with a frown on seeing Krishna's evident reluctance to the idea. "Actually, all the credit goes to your parents. Together they made the decision and they felt it was right that you, your brother and sister should live with me if anything happened to them," he answers her firmly.
Krishna's lips curl and she scrunches her nose on hearing her uncle's words. She hastily looks over to Bani, completely ignoring her grimacing uncle, and takes a hold of her aunt's arm.
"I don't care what's written in the will. I'd rather live with you than anyone else, Mausi," Krishna expresses dramatically, making Jai roll his eyes at her. Bani smiles gently at the teenage girl and engulfs her into a warm embrace.
"And I'd love for that to happen. You, Atharva, and Ganga mean everything to me. But we cannot go against your parents' decision. It's your Jai Chacha that they want as your guardian, and it is he who will be taking care of you from here on out. '. But I will come and visit you all whenever you want me to. Okay?" Bani says in attempt to soothe the anger in her cousin's daughter.
"You can fight for us in court!" Krishna persists. Bani seems clearly exasperated on how to address the issue of making her niece see sense.
"She can't and you know very well that she can't. Not only did your parents grant me guardianship clearly in their wills, but I am your father's brother. Whereas your precious Mausi is simply your mother's cousin. Hence, I am the closest blood relative you have. I'm sorry to say, but you are stuck with me," Jai states gravely.
"I hate you!" Krishna screams with watering eyes before running up the fleet of stairs. "Krishna!" Bani calls after her only to release a sigh on hearing the slamming of a door. She turns and looks at the two youngsters who stare back at her with wide eyes.
"Atharva, Ganga, sweeties, why don't you go upstairs and check up on your sister? We don't want her to be alone right now," she suggests to the quiet children, who nod their heads, and obediently follow up after their sister. Bani quickly flashes Jai a look once the children disappear.
"Don't look at me like that. It's not my fault and you know it. She's being a pain in the a**," he breezily states. Quickly the angered look in Bani's eyes are replaced with a certain depth of sadness that surprises Jai, who had only ever seen those eyes sparkling with ire.
"You are right. It's not your fault. She hasn't been taking this easy' that's why she's making it so hard on everyone else," she informs him.
"Hm, she's not the only person who's lost someone," Jai grunts back. Bani's features soften more on hearing his attempt of hiding his pain. "At her age she believes the world revolves around her. What else do you expect?"
"A little courtesy if that isn't so much to ask," he grumbles as a reply. Despite herself, she smiles at him and startles him by taking a hold of his arm.
"Come on, I'll make up for the courtesy and drop you to the door. I know you're a busy man and want to get back to Mumbai pronto. I also know that the last thing you want to do is hang around in your sister's house for no apparent reason."
"Hmm, for someone who detests me, you sure do know a lot about me," he remarks while flashing a look in her way. Bani's cheeks turn a shade of pink as they walk side by side toward the front door. "It was kind of hard to ignore you when you were always praised and mentioned so much by Ranvijay Jiju. So please do not flatter yourself by having any ideas that I have even the slightest keen of interest in you." For the first time since his brother's dead, Jai lets out a genuine laugh.
Approaching the front door, Jai gathers his coat from the coat rack and pulls it around him. As he zips himself up, he cannot help but remark, "I don't know what it is that has gotten into her. She was never like this. She was always so sweet and kind. And on top of that, she absolutely adored me. What happened to her?"
"Well, she wasn't a teenager when you last saw her. Kids get vicious once they enter their teenage years. And it's the parents' job to figure a way to handle them."
"Yeah, well she's more like an animal than a kid if you ask me," he mutters beneath his breath making Bani giggle at his words.
"Welcome to parenthood, Jai'." were her last words to him before giving him a friendly pat on the arm and bidding him farewell'..
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Should I continue? 😕Chapter 2 on PG 3
Chapter 3 A on PG 5
Chapter 3 B on PG 10
Chapter 4 A on PG 15
Veer Hanuman
Kumkum Bhagya
