All About Abhira

22. Past Crimes (Final)

Birla house | Late night

Sleep had skipped the house that day. Almost. Mahima was sleeping a sound sleep. Relieved that no doctor bahu would enter the Birla household. She was enough. No female in the house would be on the same position as her, not now, not in future.

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Harshvardhan sat in his study, deep in thought. Neil was his son- his flesh and blood! Jiske khoon ko vo kosta raha, vo uska hi khoon tha...He did not know how to handle things from here. The ever organized, PR manager of Birla group of hospitals did not know how to sort the mess in his life. He did not even know how to face the people of his family anymore. Anand stood outside- he was angry at his brother but also clueless on how to approach him. He did not even know what to say.

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Parth and Shefali laid awake too. They were tired but their eyes refused to shut. They had always considered Neil as their own but the truth bombs today had blown them away. They also felt deeply for how Manjiri must have suffered. How Neil was suffering now.

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Manjiri was sitting near the small water pond in their home with all the childhood pictures of Neil. Abhimanyu sat beside her.

Abhimanyu: Maa?

Manjiri: Abhii....*sobs* dekh na kya ho gaya? Maine- Maine kabhi nahi chaha tha ki mera baccha aise dukhi ho....tu to jaanta hai na..

Abhimanyu: I know Maa (hugs her) I know.

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Akshara knocked and entered Neil's room. He was sitting in the dark, playing with the clicker of the lamp. The flashes of light occasionally breaking through the darkness but none could brighten up his insides.

Akshara went and sat beside him.

Akshara: Neil?

Neil did not reply. He did not know what to say. All that he heard and felt today was still very raw- he feared if he opened his mouth, he'd scream like his insides. He had cried in Manjiri's arms but something still felt stuck.

Akshara: Neelima ji ke baare me soch rahe ho?

Neil looked at her. Was he?

Akshara: Ye dekho, maine papa ke college magazines nikalwaye storeroom se...aur ye jo reunion ka album aya tha, vo bhi le aayi

She placed two pictures in his hands. One-where a young Neelima, almost his age, was smiling at the camera. She was dressed in graduation robes and had a bright smile- just like his. The second one carried a more mature Neelima- in a blue saree, posing with a friend at the reunion with a glass in her hand.

Neil's eyes watered. He wanted this! No! He needed this! He wanted to put a face on the person he did not remember. How did she know this before he realised it himself?! Akshara smiled, as if understanding the question he did not ask.

Akshara: Mujhe jb pata chala tha na ki mai Sirat maa ki sagi beti nahi hoon, toh mujhe bhi ajeeb sa laga tha...hurt thi, sad thi...exact feeling aaj bhi nahi bata skti.. Sirat maa pr gussa nahi aa raha tha, sach kahu toh ulta grateful thi ki unhone mujhe itna apnapan diya ki mujhe kabhi pta hi nahi chala..

Neil: Same bhabhi....Maa ne itna pyaar diya hai...agr uncle ne taunt nahi diye hote toh mujhe pata hi nahi chalta ki mai unka beta nahi hoon....mai bhi kya bol raha hoon...mai unka beta hoon...vo meri maa hai... (he paused and asked timidly) hai na..

Akshara: Off course Neil! Infact tumhara maa ka rishta toh bohot strong hai....dil se bana hai...hum sb tumse pyaar krte hai..

Neil: Phir mujhe ye kyu lg raha hai...mai bta nahi paa raha lekin Neelima au- mtlb maa- vo...mai kaise batau..