"Neil! Kya hogaya? Kyun itna pareshan hain tu? Share it with me. Apne andar mat dabake rakh." Rohan's voice was very soft. Neil looked at him with his blue eyes radiating innocence and pain at the same time.
"Neil! Kuch bolo na. Aise chup mat reh." Rohan encouraged him to speak. Neil shook his head like a child. Rohan instantly cupped his face and gestured him to speak up.
"Main bahut bura hoon Bhai" Neil slipped it out in a tone that was laced in anger.
Rohan knew who that anger was directed at. He knew he had to do something quick to get things under control. Neil taking a guilt trip was definitely not the need of the hour.
"Neil! Dekh meri taraf" Rohan's voice was firm and Neil obliged.
"Tu bilkul bura nahi hain. Tu bahut acha Bhai hain, Beta hain aur bahut pyaara Chachu hain. Samjha?" Rohan's tone was very firm leaving no room for arguments.
"Dekh. Mujhe pata hain tu kya soch raha hain. Main bhi wahi soch raha hoon. Trust me. Hum donon hi hain jinhone Bhai ko sunadiya is maamle mein aur unse chid gaye. I share the same guilt Neil." Rohan expressed his turmoil.
"Phir aap kaise handle kar rahe ho Bhai? Mujhe toh itna gussa aa raha hain ki main kya bataun. I feel like bashing myself up." Neil seethed and got up, but Rohan pushed him back.
"Thoda practically socho Neil. Humein tab koi idea nahi tha is bare mein. Hamari jagah hum sahi the. Humein aise hi react karna chahiye tha warna woh guilt mein doobte jaate." Rohan defended their actions.
"Kya bol rahe ho aap? Maine bahut kuch suna diya Bhai ko. It's not ok." Neil argued.
"That was our best shot Neil. Agar hum gussa karke unhe nahi samjhate toh aaj yeh therapy bhi nahi hota aur humein pata bhi nahi chalta unke behaviour ke peeche ka reason. Kuch positive toh nikla na us se." Rohan argued back.
"But itna rude hone ki koi zarurat nahi thi. Woh itne pareshan the, unhe koi idea nahi tha ki kyun aise kar rahe hain woh aur main unpe baras pada. Ek baar nahi. Baar baar. That's a redline for me." Neil raised his voice and spoke.
"Hamara irada sahi tha aur tareeka galat. Humein aur patiently behave karna chahiye tha. I agree but us waqt jo sahi laga humein humnein kiya. We didn't know any better Neil. Jaanke thodi hurt karenge." Rohan explained for the nth time.
"But that doesn't give us, especially me the license to behave the way I did with Bhai." Neil declared. Rohan gave Neil an incredulous look. He whacked Neil and said,
"You did have the right you idiot. You always did. Bhai ne khud woh right tujhe diya. Don't question his judgement when it comes to you." Rohan raised his voice too.
"According to you, jo humnein ki woh badtameezi hain. But kya tujhe lagta hain Bhai badtameezi tolerate karenge?" Rohan pointed out and Neil looked on. Rohan waited until Neil recovered and shook his head in a No.
YOU ARE READING
The Birlas' - BHAVANA
General FictionThis is Part - 3 of a story that takes off from where it ended in The Birlas' - PARINAMA. It traces the life and journey of Dr.Abhimanyu Birla and his family through different situations that life forces on them. It's a story about healing, it's a s...
Chapter - 18: Victim (PART - B)
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