all my stars lead to you

chapter 22

ishita got up and started to compose herself by adjusting her dupatta, dusting her dress and fixing her hair. 

"i should go home...." she said, as dushyant nodded in agreement, still sitting. 

"are you sure?" he confirmed as she shrugged her shoulders. 

"where else can i go?" she asked rhetorically, as she started to leave. 

"ishita!" he called as she turned back. 

"dhyaan rakhna..." he requested, as a tiny smile came on her face, and she agreed. 

she stood by the lift, for which the button had been pressed already, waiting for it to come. 

the elevator doors opened, as she waved him goodbye, and with her exit, appeared someone else. 

"tumhe nikalne ki himmat kisne karli?" remarked satish, as he stood next to dushyant, who did not respond. 

satish, concerned, sat next to him. 

"beta, sab thik hai?" he asked, as dushyant glanced at him gravely, only to bury his head into his father's shoulder the next moment. 

satish, shocked, was starting to get worried. 

"dushyant, beta, kya hua?" asked satish, as he rubbed his back. 

"dad, kavin ke papa ka accident, purvi ke kaaran hua tha...." revealed dushyant as satish was astounded. 

"and, mere hi kehne pe, usne kavin ko bataya...and tabhi meeraji ne sun liya..i..." explained dushyant. 

"abhi kahan hai woh dono?" asked satish, as dushyant pointed to the appartment door, as satish rushed inside and dushyant followed him. 

                                                          ***

"meera...." called satish as he entered their room, to a grieving kavin and meera. 

"meera, tum..." he attempted to console her, when he walked towards her, only to be stopped by kavin. 

"yeh sab aapki wajah se ho raha hai!" yelled kavin, as satish grew perplexed. 

"humein yahan aana hi nahi chahiye tha! pata hai, khush the hum, yahan aane se pehle...aur ab, jab-jab tumhe dekhta hoon, bas yahi yaad aata hai ki papa nahi hai mere paas! alteast, atleast, mom toh move on kar rahi thi, but unko phir se wahi dukh jhelna pada! aur kitni baar humein apna trauma relive karna padega for it to be enough..." ranted kavin, as he started to have a meltdown. 

satish went ahead to hug him, which he resisted at first, only upon satish's continous insistence, did he hug him tightly, as he cried his heart out. 

dushyant witnessed all of this from outside, as meera walked to him. 

"i am sorry beta." expressed repent, meera. 

"nahi, aapki.." hesitated dushyant, as he paused when meera placed her hand on his shoulder. 

"galti thi...tum pe uss baat ka gussa nikala gaya, jismein tumhari koi galti nahi thi. Tumne woh hi kiya na, jo tumhe kavin ke liye sahi laga...." apologised meera,as dushyant glanced at kavin, and then nodded in agreement. 

"you did the right thing, we should have known..." assured meera, as dushyant gazed at her for a second. 

"thik hai, aap?" asked dushyant. 

"ho jaungi..." replied meera, as he nodded in agreement. 

"dekho, tum mujhe bhale hi maa na maano, mere liye tum bahaut ache bete ho." she stated, as dushyant, surprised, had no idea what to say.