After all this time

The gift

Virat couldn't face the loneliness of his apartment just then, so he changed direction and headed for Jinks' home.

When Jinks opened the door, he was struck by how tired and weary Virat looked.

"Anushka?" he asked apprehensively.

"She's not any better," said Virat dully.

"She will get better, Vi," said Jinks, as always praying very hard that Anushka and their child came out of this safely.

"Jinks--"

Virat sounded one moment away from losing it, and Jinks hastily hugged him tight and made him sit down.

"Jinks--today at the academy, I told Rohit I'm sorry--and he--said--"

Virat stared crying then, the first time since he returned to Mumbai though he had wanted to cry every single moment of the day.

Jinks didn't say anything and held his best friend till he cried himself out and when he finally began to calm down, Jinks said, "I want you to tell me what exactly happened between the two of you all those years ago, Virat."

So Virat told Jinks everything he could remember, and it turned out that he remembered everything after all.

"And you know the worst thing is, just a few days after that fight, Rohit tried to make peace, and I still shouted at him. Mom was not well, I think, and I was a little worried, but Jinks..."

"What?"

"I always took my temper out on him. Never on any of you--and I guess one day he had to have enough. I can't blame him for it."

"Maybe not blame, but what he is doing is still not justified," said Jinks.

"Would you think so even if Anushka wasn't ill?" asked Virat.

"Yes, I would. Who holds on to a 5-year-old grudge?"

"It wasn't just one incident...it was over a thousand," said Virat.

"I tell you it was just one incident," said Jinks fiercely. "He did not take any other temper blast of yours seriously. It wasn't like it was accumulating or something!"

"Maybe he thinks I'm going to act like that again..." said Virat.

"You're defending him," observed Jinks.

"That's what I'm supposed to do," said Virat wistfully, and Jinks put his arm around his shoulders again.

"Why won't you still tell him--all of it?" he asked.

"I don't want him to know. He has shown clearly enough that he doesn't care at all."

"Don't agree with you on that one," said Jinks. "I think he still cares very much."

"Yeah, right," said Virat with a cynical laugh which ended in a sob.

As Virat was trying to steady himself again, Jinks said, "You think he has grown used to the indifference, Vi. He hasn't, believe me. He'll come around."

"I don't think he will. I felt a few times this week that he was coming around, but well...I heard him today."

"I saw those too, and he was stopping himself every time from getting too friendly," said Jinks wisely.

Virat couldn't help smiling a little at Jinks; he was trying so hard to make him feel better that Virat did feel a bit better then. At least he had one best friend who cared so much.

"Did you ever stop loving him in the last few years, Virat?"

"Of course not!"

"Then how do think it's possible for him to stop loving you? You two shared the same sort of bond."