FAMILY BEFORE ANYTHING - The Journey

CHAPTER - 36 THE BEST GIFT!!

I am sorry I am late. I have no excuses. I got lazy and then something happened in my home (Nothing serious) and I got my periods!! Enjoy the chapter and comment!! I will try updating 2 or 3 per week.

-Sathvika!!

In the evening, when Arav woke up from his deep slumber, he found himself clinging onto Abhimanyu's waist while Abhimanyu leaned against headboard, with eyes closed. Arav tried to sit down and Abhimanyu opened his eyes when he felt movement. He was not sleeping. He just closed his eyes. He looked down to find Arav smiling at him. His heart warmed but he couldn't get himself to smile back. The boy scared 10 years of his life. He wondered if his Arav would ever be responsible and careful with his health and life? Did he spoil his child to that extent? He pushed aside the questions and fears for sometime and decided to help Arav first. 

He helped Arav sit, who already cringed looking at the cast. The boy drifted off as soon as doctor told it was healable and curable. He adjusted Arav's left leg with a pillow under it and looked up at Arav. He offered water to the boy before he left the room while Arav looked on. Arav closed his eyes in regret! He should have been careful while hopping. He shouldn't have even jumped on the stairs in first place, when his bhaiyya already warned him multiple times. He hoped he will be able to pacify his bhaiyya soon. He hated hurting his bhaiyya and yet he did end up hurting him!!

Abhimanyu walked out and Akshara walked in at the same time. Her husband had been awfully silent all the afternoon and she didn't understand what was going in his mind. She was very sure he is blaming himself but she hoped with all her might that he is not doing that. 

She glared the boy who was looking at her with those stupid puppy eyes, he mastered. She whacked him hard without remorse. 

Arav winced and tried to move away but he couldn't, because of the cast. The immobility was already weighing heavy on him. He blurted out - I am sorry bhabhi. Bhaiyya baat bhi nahi kar rahe hai aur aap maar rahe ho.

She whacked him again when she heard him complaining. Arav winced while she held his ear and twisted it making him look up - If I hear you breath another word of complaint, Arav, I will bash you left and right, so much that you will even get scared seeing stairs, let alone being careless around them. Samjha?

Arav nodded scared. She looked so close to bash him and he didn't want to get bashed. He gulped and winced when she pulled his ear. He apologized but she went on and on - Why are you so careless Arav? You are 21 now. When are you going to be responsible? Why are you hell bent on becoming a brat? I can tolerate your tantrums Arav but not carelessness and disrespect. Kitna baar warn kiya tere bhaiyya ne? What does it mean to do it again and again despite all the warnings? Humari baat ki koi value hai ya nahi? Jaan chali gayi thi humari tujhe us haalat mein dekh ke. Par tujhe tho kuch padi hi nahi hai kuch, kyu? Once you are fine, you are going to do it again, aren't you? Kya? Neeche kya dekh raha hai? Look at me!!

She snapped in anger, concern and the fear raging inside her. Arav flinched and looked up. She was yet to leave her hold on his ear and she was putting a lot of force over it. His eyes already filled with tears. He didn't see it as a disrespect. He just thought his bhaiyya was getting paranoid for nothing.

Akshara left his ear when she saw the sheen of tears in his eyes. The boy made it more than difficult to scold him without getting affected by those tears. Ideally she should be immune to those tears after 2 years of seeing them, but she now knows that she can never get immune to them. Her husband didn't stand a chance even after 21 years, she was nothing!!

Aryan walked in with Ajay and Anya behind him. Three of them were in the living room, playing Ludo when they saw Abhimanyu walk down. Aryan himself offered to play board games, when he couldn't see the gloomy look on those faces anymore. The boy is more than fine. Three months of bed rest is going to set everything fine and back to normal. They have nothing to feel sad for. Ajay and Anya complied but Abhimanyu declined. He didn't press as he understood what the bhaiyya Birla must have been thinking.