An Imperfect Story ||✔️||

9.

In the evening, most of the Oberois (and Tia) were in their rooms. That was, until the heard Shivaay yell.

Shivaay: TEJ SINGH OBEROI!

His voice made everyone come to the living room immediately, especially the person whose name has just been called.

Om: Shivaay kya hua?

Shivaay: *pointing towards Tej* Arey inse poochho. Poochho kyoon kiya inhone aise aisa? Kya mila unhe? Poochho.

Jahnvi: Tum kya kehna chah rahe ho? Kya kiya hain Tej ne?

Shivaay: *screams* Maar daala! Mere bacche ko maar dala. He killed my baby.

Everyone was shocked at Shivaay’s accusation.

Shakti: Shivaay kya bol raho tum? Tej bhai-sahab aisa kaise kar sakte hain? Anika ka to accident hua tha na?

Shivaay: Hua nahi, karwaya gaya tha. Accident mera hona tha but Anika pushed me aside aur accident uska ho gaya. Police inspection ke dauraan car ke driver ko arrest kar liya gaya aur uske baad usne us insaan ka naam liye jisne use paise diye accident karne ke liye. Pata hain kya naam liya? Tej Singh Oberoi. Aur itna hi nahi. Inhe is baat ki khushi hain ki maine mere bacche ko kho diya.

Tej: *yells* What nonsense Shivaay?! Are you out of you mind? Accident Anika ka hua tha likin lag raha sir pe chot tumhe lagi hain. Mujhpar aisa ilzaam lagaane ki tumhari himmat kaise hui?

Shivaay: Mere paas saboot hain.

Everyone looks towards Shivaay as he takes out his phone.

Shivaay: Us driver ko accident ke baad ek call ki gayi thi. Yeh uski recording hain. Suniye.

Shivaay plays the audio.

Audio: Shivaay na sahi, uska baccha hi sahi. Yeh baat use definitely tod degi aur woh business mein fail hone lagega. Phir humara kaam aur aasaan ho jaayega.

Tej’s voice widen hearing his voice.

Tej: *shocked* Yeh… yeh main nahi…

Om: *shouts* BAS. BAS MR TEJ SINGH OBEROI. Itni giri hui harkat karne ke baad bhi jhoot bolni koshish bhi mat kijiyega.

Pinky: *yells* Oh my Mata! Jethji business ko leke itni paagal ho chuke hain ki mere bacche jaan lena chahte hain! Paise ne inko andha kar diya hain.

Tej: Stop it Pinky. Maine aisa kuch nahi kiya hain.

Jahnvi holds Tej’s shoulder and faces him.

Jahnvi: Aur kitna neeche gir sakte ho tum, Tej? Shivaay humara ghar ka beta hain, humesha isne khud se pehle OmRu ko rakkha aur tum? Tumne kya kiya? Tumhe is baat ki Khushi hain ki Shivaay lost his baby. Disgusting.

Tej: Jahnvi…

Tej was cut off by Shivaay.

Shivaay: Kyoon bade papa…

All looked towards Shivaay. His anger had been replaced by a look of pain. His eyes were filled with tears.

Shivaay: Kyoon kiya aapne aisa? Kya galti ho gayi mujhse ki aapne mujhe uski badi sazaa di? Okay, mujhse galti hui, likin Anika? Anika ki kya galti thi? Use kyoon suffer karna pad raha hain? Aur me…mera baccha? Wo…woh is duniya mein aaya bhi nahi tha jab use is duniya se jaana pada. Mujhe bataiye, in dono kya galti thi?

Tej: Shivaay, tum galat samaj…

Shivaay: Aap mujhse meri jaan maang lete, main aapko Khushi-khushi de deta. Likin aapne toh meri jeene ki wajaah hi chheen li. Koi aur hota toh Shayad main bardaash kar leta likin aap... *defeated* Aap successful rahe. Tod Diya apne mujhe.

Shivaay gave one last look to Tej before running to poolside. Anika, who was quietly standing the whole time, had tears running down her cheeks. Saumya took Anika back to her room, away from rest of the family. Only OmRu and the elders were left in the hall.

Rudra walked in front of Tej, fists balled up.

Rudra: *angry yet low voice* O ne toh bahot pehle hi aapko baap darja dena band kar diya tha. Bilkul sahi kiya O ne. Kyoonki baap toh door, aap insaan kehlaane laayak bhi nahi ho.

Rudra went towards to the poolside. Om looked towards Tej. He didn’t say anything but his eyes conveyed that he wanted to say everything Rudra said. He, too, went towards the poolside.
Rest of the members, too departed towards their rooms.

At the poolside, the two brothers saw a sight that they never, ever wanted to see. Shivaay was sitting against wall, hugging his knees to his chest and burying his head between them. He looked so broken, so dejected.

Om: Shivaay…

Shivaay wiped his tears away before looking up. But as he raised his hand, Rudra grabbed it.

Rudra: Aaj nahi bhaiya.

Shivaay raised his head. Rudra knelt beside Shivaay and held his hand.

Rudra: Aaj apne aansoon humse mat chhupaayiye. Aap humesha humare Great Wall Of Shivaay Singh Oberoi bante hain. Aaj hume Shivaay’s Wall of OmRu banne dijiye.

Om, too, knelt beside Shivaay and held his hand.

Om: Aaj sirf humara bhai ban, jo apna dukh aur dard humare saath baantein. Jo hume kehne de *stutters* M… sab thee…theek kar doonga.

Shivaay: *small voice* What’s the point, Om?

OmRu exchanged a worried glance.

Shivaay: Mere Shivaay Singh Oberoi hone kya matlab hain jab main…main apni family ko protect hi nahi kar paya. Tum mujhe gr… “Great Wall of Shivaay” kehte ho. Likin yeh deewar kisi…kisi kaam ki nahi hain. Nahi protect kar pa…paya. Aur attack bhi kisne karwaya? Mere mentor, mere…mere guru ne. Mere apne bade-papa ne. Maine jo bhi business mein sikha, unse seekha. Jo bhi kiya, apni family ke liye kiya. Likin mujhse koi aise galti ho gayi jiske saza meri family ko bhugatni padi. Meri Anika…*voice cracks* me…my baby; they were in…inno…cent. But they had to suffer. B…because of me. I failed. Main…main haar gaya. 

At last sentence, Shivaay broke down. He buried his face in his palm, crying hysterically. OmRu pulled Shivaay into their embrace as painful sobs wrecked through the latter’s body.
That was the moment when OmRu realised how broken their brother was. If the two had any problem, Shivaay would solve it. But Shivaay was always alone against the world. He made himself into the Great Wall of Shivaay Singh Oberoi that protected his loved ones from any and every danger. He survived hit after hit, storm after storm but this hit from his own kin made the Great Wall crack. 
In order for the crack to heal, he would need a wall, a barrier around him.
And OmRu pledged to be that wall as they gently stroked their brother’s back.