"An Unconventional Commitment"

Anubhav

Hello lovely readers,

I apologize for the unexpected hiatus without prior notice. I understand that it must have been frustrating to wait for updates without any communication. However, I am thrilled to announce that the wait is over! The new update is finally here, and I promise to be more consistent with regular updates moving forward. Your patience and support mean the world to me, and I am grateful for your understanding.

Thank you for sticking around, and I hope you enjoy the latest chapter. Happy reading!
__________________⁠_⁠_⁠_⁠_⁠_⁠_⁠_⁠_

◍⁠•𝑨𝑵𝑼𝑩𝑯𝑨𝑽'𝑺 𝑷𝑶𝑽•⁠◍

Three Weeks Later

Today was another session for Aarush with the counselor. It had been three weeks since we started, and while Aarush was speaking more words, he still hadn't formed full sentences yet. The counselor had bonded with him and helped coax more words out, but progress was slow.

At home, Aarush would say a few words like "bhook lagi", "tasty", and he started calling chachi Ji as "dadi" and "Haseena" and Divisa as "bua". But he never called me papa. I noticed he spoke more readily in Haseena's presence for some reason. A part of me felt jealous of her connection with Aarush. Who was she to him besides someone I had brought in to help him speak again? I manipulated her into coming, so why did I feel this way towards her? I didn't think I'd ever understand. 

I knew eventually Haseena would have to leave once Aarush recovered and started speaking normally again. So as Haseena got Aarush ready today, I occupied myself with office work on my laptop while waiting for them.

At Counselor's cabin

At the counselor's office, things took a serious turn. Aarush had been happy and responsive initially, but one of the counselor's questions devastated him. He began crying heartbreakingly, saying "Mumma...Pa...Papa...gaye, Aarush, chachu akele." Through sobs, he added, "Aarush Miss mumma...papa... Chachu aarush akele khelte."

It pained me to realize Aarush still remembered and missed his parents so vividly. I hadn't been able to give him the love he deserved. As Aarush's crying intensified, I started to get up to console him, but Haseena stopped me, holding my hand and making me sit back down. I was angry at her audacity to stop me from comforting my own child. 

Though he wasn't my biological son, after my brother Rudra and sister-in-law Neha's passing, Aarush became my whole world. I remembered how talkative and mischievous he used to be when Rudra and Neha were alive. We would run around pranking Rudra, and Aarush would blame me saying "Papa, chachu ne bola mujhe karne ko." Those were such happy times filled with laughter.

Now everything was different. I had taken on Rudra's role as Aarush's father figure, not because I wanted to, but so he wouldn't miss his parents. I became his father to fill that void with love, hoping he would forget the pain. But I realized I had failed to provide him the love he truly needed and deserved.

Lost in my thoughts, I was pulled back when I saw Haseena get up and take Aarush to the window, showing him the beautiful sky and trees outside. Remarkably, he had already stopped crying.

Haseena surprised me by getting up and taking him to the window. "Aarush woh dekho, skies kitne beautiful hai na, ekdum blue and white," she said, to which Aarush responded with a small "Hmm."

Then Haseena asked the most unexpected question that made me anxious - "Aarush aapko pata hai, aapke mumma papa aapko chor kar kyu gaye?"  I worried this could set Aarush off crying again, but to my surprise, he simply looked at her intently as she continued.