In This Together

The seemingly impossible task

Mahi bhai had gone to visit his regiment in Kashmir for the second time that year, and when Rohit's phone was ringing, the suspense was visible on everyone's face.

So when Mahi bhai's familiar voice rang out, saying, "Hello, Rohit!", there was a mini celebration among them, as much as was possible under the circumstances.

"Mahi bhai..." began Rohit, his voice, shaking with relief. "Mahi bhai--"

"Is something wrong, Ro?"

"Yes--everything's completely wrong!" cried Rohit.

"Ok," said Mahi bhai skeptically. "Have you had an awful fight with Cheeku?"

"No," protested Rohit. "It's much more serious than that!"

"Haven't you seen the news at all recently, Mahi bhai?" asked Kuldeep.

"Evidently he hasn't, dunderhead," said Hardik.

"Harry--don't tease Kuliya," commanded Mahi bhai. "So you're all there together? Cheeku, are you there too?"

Mahi bhai always checked on his Cheeku when he called.

"He's not here," said Jinks stoically.

Then finally they started telling Mahi bhai everything that had happened till then, and Mahi listened in a horrified silence.

"And now we don't have the slightest idea about where to look for him!" concluded Jassi tearfully.

"Shh, Jassi, don't cry, child," said Mahi bhai comfortingly, not showing his own fear and worry.

"When can you come back?" asked Rohit, and there was a childish note in his voice too; Mahi knew that neither Rohit nor Virat, no matter how grown up they became with the kids, would ever stop turning to him like they used to a decade ago in times of need.

"I can't get off right now," said Mahi, feeling terrible about not being there with his kids in a time like this. "But wait, I'll call some of my contacts in and around Chennai to know if he has left the city or not."

"What if he has left?" asked Yuzi anxiously.

"Let's worry about that when it comes, Yuzi," said Mahi bhai in his typical elder brother tone. "I'll call you back soon, Ro."

They sat and waited impatiently till Mahi bhai called back in half an hour.

"He definitely hasn't left Chennai yet," he said, and the team gathered around the phone sighed in relief. "Ash--Jaddu--you two are there, right?"

"Yes," said both of them at once.

"Remember that low end place in south Chennai we went to few years back before a final?" asked Mahi.

"Rameshwaram Avenue?" asked Ash.

"Yes, that one! I'd taken Cheeku there once, and as far as I remember, he had said something about those line of hotels being a good place to hide from the world," said Mahi.

"Do you think he might be there?" asked Rahul hopefully.

"You all could go and check," said Mahi, and even as he was speaking, they all had stood up. "And don't spilt up; all of you stay together," he concluded.

_____________

In a state of desperate hope, the ICT reached Rameshwaram Avenue. It was lined on both sides with hotels, and Shikhar said in despair, "How the hell are we going to check in all these?"

"And Mahi bhai told us not to split up," said Jaddu wryly. "Come on, let's start."

The first seven hotels yielded no result, and when everyone had just about begun to give up hope, Jinks spotted Virat's name in the register of the eighth hotel.

"Really?" said Rohit, hardly able to believe his eyes.

"Room 201--" said Hardik eagerly, and they all turned towards the stairs, and froze.

Virat was walking down the stairs exactly then, and he froze too.

"VIRAT!"

Amidst the wild cheer that rang out, everyone rushed to their friend, and for once, Bhuvi beat all his hooligan teammates and reached Virat first, his vision blurred.

Bhuvi flung his arms around Virat and hugged him as hard as he could.

"Why did you vanish like that?" he sobbed furiously, and Virat, beginning to feel terribly guilty, hugged Bhuvi back, saying, "I'm sorry!"

"Sorry doesn't even begin to cover it," said Rohit, who had reached him too, as had everyone else.

"Bhuvi, move!" shrieked Hardik, shoving him.

Laughing, Virat extended an arm and pulled Hardik to him too. Jassi, Yuzi and Kuldeep waited for Bhuvi to release Virat before they threw themselves in Virat bhai's arms as well.

"I hope you know we've got a lot to discuss about, Virat," said Shikhar menacingly.

"I know," said Virat in a subdued voice. "I guessed you all would be worried and angry--but I--just couldn't stay there any longer, I had to--"

"You're mad," said Ash in disgust.

"You don't have any idea how it felt to see you gone after fighting with you just a few hours ago," whispered Rohit, but his voice choked up.

Virat let the kids go and turned to his best friend.

"I wanted to tell you before I left, Ro, but I couldn't face the idea of waking you up at 4 in the morning," said Virat sorrowfully.

The laughter that followed Virat's comment diffused the serious atmosphere.

"You idiot," said Rohit, but he held out his hand to Virat, who clutched it hard.

"Fact remains that you're an insensitive prick," said Jaddu. "Not that it surprises anyone, but still."

"I tell you I'm sorry," said Virat remorsefully.

As he was trying to evade all the accusing, reproaching looks directed at him, Virat's eyes found Jinks'.

I'm glad you're safe, Virat.

Virat blinked back the tears, suddenly overwhelmed that his team had come to look for him even after what he had done to them.

I'm sorry, Jinks. I'm really sorry.