The Last Page:
"Mummy, are you ok?" Addu's voice brought her back from the memories at Mohan's house, as she was helping Addu to pack his things at the Guest house.
"Haan beta! I am fine"
Addu could sense a feel of loss in Megha's voice though she tried hard to hide it. He was worried whether she was depressed with things happening around her. He didn't know how he could fulfill his mother's dream of one happy family but he wished he could do something about it then.
"Mummy, I have some work. I will be back soon"
"Where are you going, Addu?"
Before Addu could respond Megha, his phone rang.
"Yes Sir" Addu was surprised to see Mohan's call at the same moment when he was thinking of him
"I want to meet you, Addu. We got to talk"
"Ok Sir" Addu didn't stop to answer anymore and flew away on his bike
Megha rushed behind him but stood froze on seeing his fierce. She did not know what to make out of his behavior but desperately wanted to believe that it was for good. But a vague thought crossed her showing no signs of the life back with her family anywhere near.
When Addu parked the bike in front of Mohan's house, he didn't know what to anticipate. But he was at loss of word on seeing the scene inside the house. Nanhi and Rimjhim were engaged in a laughing moment while Mohan was overlooking them with joy. All of them turned to find Addu standing there embarrassed and confused.
"Addu! Before I could say anything the call got disconnected. I didn't know that you are coming here" Mohan's voice was drifting away
"Addu!" Nanhi rushed towards him only to face a blocked hand from Addu
"Come on Addu, I would like to talk to you" Mohan felt the tension around them and wished to break things without any delay
He took him into a room and told him all that happened around until that moment. Guru joined a fear filled Nanhi and Rimjhim outside the room, hopefully waiting for some positive outcome after everything.
***
Megha watched Addu rushing into the guest house after his visit to the Bhatnagar's Mansion. He looked upset and angry. Nanhi followed him trying to pacify him.
"Please understand, this is not only about you, Addu"
"Yes, now I got to know it now and thanks for that"
"No Addu. You are getting them all wrong"
"It was all so wrong"
"We waited for so long and even now waiting for you to come around. Don't you see that?"
"No, I don't want to see anything" Addu cried on top of his voice
"Why is that?" Nanhi's voice was sober
"Because I have been a fool all this while and thanks for making me one, again"
"Addu, please.."
"No di! No please"
Addu was about to walk off when a little hand took his.
"Bhaiya! Please don't be angry. I will be a good baby sister to you. And I will not call you uncle anymore" Rimjhim's voice was so feeble amidst her sobs. She didn't understand everything but she wanted the family with Megha, Nanhi and Addu, the one her Paapu had always talked about. And most of all she wanted her Paapu to have those smiles forever, which she had been seeing on him lately.
Addu turned around to see the people there. It looked like Guru, Nanhi and Rimjhim had followed him after he stormed out of the house. Everyone was looking at him, a few stares, a few begging expressions. He avoided everything and before walking into his room he heard Megha asking in a soft voice
"Addu beta, will you have your breakfast?" He didn't respond and shut himself inside his room. A little later he heard a knock on the door
"Addu, I want to talk to you for few minutes" He heard Megha's voice
"Mummy, please!"
"Just 5 minutes, beta?"
Addu did not say anything. Megha took that as cue and entered the room.
"Addu, I know that you can't help how you feel about these things. I will not force you to settle down for something that you don't want."
Addu didn't look at her.
"You may ask, then why did I willingly make you open up to those feelings, knowing the pain?" She paused for a moment. Addu turned to look at her blankly.
"It was just out of the hope to take the chance. The thought of 'What if it worked, had I tried?' It's not your fault that it didn't work. I am sorry to have put you through this, beta." Megha moved closer and smoothed his hair. She kissed his head and walked out without another word.
"Mummy" Addu called her but she did not stop to listen.
Addu followed her out. As he stood there watching her vanish into the kitchen, he saw Mohan entering the house. He got annoyed and hurried into his room again to shut the door against Mohan.
"Addu, I am sorry" Mohan talked to the closed door
"I should have told you earlier. I didn't mean to hurt you or intend to play games"
Mohan continued to talk knowing Addu was not ready to open the door
"I liked being with you and wanted to know you better. I wished myself to be everything that I wanted in a father. I really thought we would get along and you would like me. And when it happened I didn't feel like disturbing it and wanted to go with the flow."
Mohan's voice was shaking but he composed himself to go on
"I love you and the last thing that I would do is to hurt your feelings. I trust in not giving up on loved ones. So I am ok if you want to take your own time."
Mohan rested his head on the door and added "Even if it means that the time never comes"
He wiped off his tears and just walked off from there without turning to look at anyone around. Megha heard his words from wherever she was and when she came out, he was gone from there. She was left with tear filled eyes but ached to wipe them off from Mohan's eyes.
***
Mohan was looking at the portrait on his living room wall. He gently touched the faces of Addu, Nanhi and Megha on the picture.
"I am not going anywhere, Spiderman" Nanhi held his hands joining him in looking at the family portrait
"Me too, Paapu!" Rimjhim took his other hand and joined the team
Mohan turned to look at the two lovely girls sharing the support system for him. He didn't shed any tears though it pained him inside to the core. A flash of Megha's image came in front of him which only added to his ache. He closed his eyes as he held the girls affectionately.
"Bhaiya, one of Addu's friends gave this letter for you" Guru rushed in with an envelope
Mohan opened the envelope and read a note saying
"Sir, Please meet me at Caf Time today @ 4 pm ' Table No. 3" ' Addu
Mohan checked the clock which said 11 am and he shook his head annoyingly. He looked at the girls and Guru with a worried face. Nanhi pulled out a hanky and tied a knot in it.
When he managed to drag through those deadly hours, he rushed to the spot and arrived at the specified table. He found a small gift box and a letter. He opened the letter to read
Sir,
I am very disappointed with everything happening around me. I haven't expected you to do this to me. I have to accept that you did make me a different person whom I wanted to be but you weren't honest with me. I would have never forgiven you for that, if I hadn't started liking you recently. You playing a trick on me made me furious. I would have never calmed down, if I hadn't admired you for whatever you taught me in the time that I had known you. You spending all those days in disguise with me brought me a feel of being fooled. I would have hurt myself had I not known how much you love me. I would have run far away from all of you, had I not known how much I love you all. I would still want to take a revenge on you for all those things. I would want to do that every day by calling you "Dad!"
Mohan's eyes filled with tears as he read the word "Dad" again and again. He closed his mouth unbelievably and looked around. He found Addu standing a little away from him who was trying to control his tears. Mohan couldn't move and he just waved his hands asking him to come near. Addu took a few steps closer shyly looking like a kid.
"Hey Piddi, come fast"
"I am not Piddi!" Addu managed to pull a stunt hiding his smile
"Haanna!" Mohan pulled him into a hug and patted his back affectionately
"As you know I am not guilty, ok?" Addu tried to maintain his stand
"Well, I agree!" Mohan chuckled
"And we both will have to go through the punishment every day' Dad!"
"I am all ears for it, son!" Mohan and Addu laughed out loud at their own state of condition
"I have a gift for you, Dad!" Addu's voice sounded very tender
Mohan found it strange to hear the word but felt proud when Addu said that in ease.
"Just there"
Mohan turned to see where Addu pointed and found Megha with tear filled eyes watching everything. This was the moment they both waited for all the while and there it was in front of them. They walked towards each other in weak steps unable to believe the events. All they could feel were each other's presence and the moment's bliss. When they came closer both of them lifted their hands to wipe off the tears in the others. They smiled through the tears and hugged each other.
"Spiderman! Mummy!"
"Paapu! Jikki!"
Nanhi and Rimjhim who were waiting in the car, came running and joined them in their hug. When Mohan turned to look Addu standing a little afar not knowing how to react, he signed him to join them.
"Do you want to cut out a deal with me to stop me from calling you 'Dad', dad?" Addu gave a wicked smile at Mohan
"I will cut any deal to keep you calling me 'Dad' all the time, son!"
Addu took those baby steps towards them when Mohan stretched his arms wide enough to pull him into their group. Everyone laughed when Addu dashed into Mohan, before joining the family hug.
***
"What is this Guru?" Mohan was surprised to see Guru waiting at the door step with a prayer plate
"This is to take aarti for you all! To ward off all evil eyes and bless us to live happily together!" Guru said it with pride and shedding tear of joy seeing his family
"Then do all you want, Guru! I am not going to say anything against it" Mohan extended his arms to enclose all of his lovely people with a big grin. Everyone joined in his grin and looked like they were posing to a camera. A flash of light splashed on them as Guru pulled out a camera from behind, to capture their lifetime moment.
Epilogue:
And that is how the Bhatnagars reunited together after an inevitable separation. There they lived happily ever after!! Wait a minute! Does that happen, really? Is that possible with a mixed of characters like Mr. Musibat, Mrs. Mirchi Madam, Chavvanni, Jaan, Piddi and Guru? Sure possible but with their own ups and downs, yet happily together forever!
Want to know how they are going to survive, under one roof? A small sample page!
Addu decides to stay in the little house in Indore, where Mohan made his grand entry into Juna Mohalla. He cuts out a deal with Mohan, for a regular weekend family visits. Are you wondering what will they do in JM? For your kind information, our beloved Addu hasn't completed his college degree yet.
"Bhaiya, I will go and stay with Addu" Guru put forth an appeal
"Arrey yaar! What will I do if you are gone?" Mohan didn't realize what he was saying. And when he realized he turned to receive angry stares thrown at him by the girls. He turned to the boys who signed him to escape blocking the ways of the girls storming at his direction. Now yes, there they lived happily ever after!!
Upcoming: Random pages from the Bhatnagars' Book of life!
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