Poles Apart

Epilogue

"Uncle, Arvi's crying because I shouted at her," he tells Ram. "Arjun didn't do anything."

Ram's eyes soften immediately, upon Karthik's arrival. Arvi continues to bawl, tears streaming down her red eyes. She slaps Karthik's hand away when he tries to touch her. "I hate you," she tells him. "I don't want to come with you."

Arvi hides behind Ram, holding onto his trousers.

Arjun looks at the scene unfold with tears brimming in his own eyes. His dad yelled at him because of Arvi; because she was crying. It wasn't even his fault.

Arjun wipes his tears when Ram looks at him, but runs into the house without meeting his father's eyes.

Ram sighs. Had he yelled at Arjun for no reason after all? Gayatri will not be happy.

"Karthik, Arvi will come back home after playing with Arjun for a little bit," he tells Karthik. "Don't worry about her."

"I don't want to go back," Arvi insists stubbornly even as Karthik's eyes droop, saddened himself.

"Do you want to stay with Arjun forever, then?" Ram humours the little girl.

"Forever and ever and ever," she agrees, hiding behind his leg.

"Okay, then," he agrees. "Can you go and check on Arjun for me?"

Arvi looks up at Ram's friendly face. He had yelled at Arjun for her, and Ram uncle never yelled at Arjun for anything. She agrees, for Ram uncle's sake, even though Arjun is always bullying her.

She runs into the house, leaving Karthik and Ram by themselves.

Ram ruffles Karthik's hair, and assures him Arvi will come back home before dinner. "Did you fight with Arvi?" He asks Karthik.

Karthik nods. "I was angry at her because she spilled glue on my project."

"She was probably just trying to help," Ram guesses. Arvi wasn't a mischievous child. She liked to stay with him, regardless of whatever he was doing and helped him in whatever way she could.

Karthik nods again, guiltily.

"She'll play with Arjun for a bit and forget everything, don't worry," Ram convinces Karthik.

"Arjun teases Arvi, she'll cry even more," Karthik mutters to his father's best friend, nervously.

Ram chuckles, knowing Arjun was only teasing Arvi because of his crush on the girl. He would have a chat with Arjun and tell him to be better to Arvi. "I'll take care of them," he persuades Karthik patiently.

Karthik looks at Ram, only barely convinced. He still did have to finish his project. "I will pick up Arvi after my project."

Karthik's proclamation only makes Ram laugh more. "And what if she doesn't want to go with you?" Ram teases.

Karthik's face immediately falls. "Will you keep her forever?"

"If she wants to stay, yes," Ram replies, not realising the insecurity he was instilling in the little kid.

What if Arvi liked Arjun more than him and wanted to stay with him forever?

"No, she'll come back," Karthik announces, with conviction.

"But what if she doesn't?" Ram asks curiously. Karthik and Arvi weren't like the normal siblings. They were always friendly with each other and hardly ever fought. He knew Karthik was very protective about Arvi, even complaining to Gayatri on occasion about Arjun teasing Arvi.

"Then can I also stay with you?" Karthik asks Ram. "Only until Arvi wants to come back with me."

Ram laughs. Sweet, sweet child. Would Arjun be the same kind of a brother? "You can also stay however long you want."