Family (COMPLETED)

Chapter - 23

Hmm hmm main lori lori

Lori lori lori

Lori lori lori

Tears slipped down his eyes as he completed, Anamika was asleep by now. 

He closes his eyes to stop the tears from rolling down when he feels a touch on his face. He opened his eyes and looked up, he found Bulbul sitting before him and wiping his tears. 

Viren kept his head on her lap while she caressed his head to comfort him. They don't need words to express their feelings, the silence says it all. They are going through the same phase of life supporting each other for each other!

''Ye din bhi taal jaayenge Viren!'' Bulbul assures him, Viren doesn't say anything. He knows and understands that their daughter will be fine soon but the surrounding scares him. Everyday, he sees people dying, the loud screams and cries of their family shivers him to the core. 

''Life ki har musibat ko ek saath paar kiya hai humne Viren, isse bhi kar lenge. Main janti hoon tumhe kya pareshan kar rahi hai, lekin Viren ye hospital hai aur yahan ye sab aam baat hai, maanti hoon tumhe ye sab ajeeb lagta hai par uska kuch ho toh sakta nahi hai na!'' Bulbul says as she already knows what is bothering him.

Viren looked up at her,''janta hoon Bulbul lekin jab main kissi ko kissi apne ke liye rota bilakhta dekhta hoon toh mujh se bardasth nahi hota. Aisa lagta hai kahin main bhi kuch kho na doon, aur ye baat mujhe andar tak jhinjhor deti hai.'' Tears slipped down his eyes as he completed his sentence.

''Aisa kabhi nahi hoga Viren, hamari bettu aab kafi thik hai aur har badhte din ke saath wo aur behtar hoti jaayegi aur jald hi pehle jaisi ho jaayegi, just be positive, bettu ke liye hi sahi!'' She said convincingly, cupping his face. 

Viren cast a look at Anamika, it's been one week since his daughter is admitted here and all this days Viren never shows himself weak or even let the smile fade from his face for he knows if he'll be sad then Anamika will also lose her positivity, so forth he's always cheerful in front of Anamika but from inside he's scared. 

His trance is broken by a knock on the door, they turn to the direction and find Nikhil standing at the door. Viren cleans his face immediately, Bulbul asks Nikhil to come inside.

Nikhil entered the room and kept a basket on the table, he has brought food for them.

''Main khana laya tha tum sabke liye, socha itne dino se toh yahan ka khana kha hi rahe ho toh aaj ghar ka le aau!'' He exclaims clarifying his point thinking they may not like his interference.

Bulbul smiles at him,''aapne aacha kiya papa, waise bhi Viren itne dino se thik se kha nahi raha, aaj ghar ka khana hai toh shayad thoda kha le.'' Bulbul says looking at Viren who hung down his head.

Bulbul takes him to the couch and makes him sit, she also asks her father to join them as she is sure that he has not taken his lunch yet. Nikhil though first denies but then agrees when Viren too insists him to join.

''Agar aap comfortable nahi hai toh main side mei chala jata hoon.'' Viren says and gets up from his place but Nikhil stops him.

''Nahi Viren, aur sharminda maat karo mujhe. Aaj tak apni ek galti ki saja toh kaat hi raha hoon main lekin aab meri wajah se agar tum dono ko ek bhi takleef hui toh shayad aab apni guilt se hi maar jaayunga main!'' Nikhil stated, his eyes turned teary as he joined his hand before him. Viren holds his hand immediately.

''Aap aisa maat kijiye please, aap mujh se bare hai aur aise mere samne haath jodna thik nahi.'' Viren says he doesn't like Nikhil joining his hand before him as he's like a father figure to him. 

''Papa, aap aisi baatein kyun kar rahe hai. Humne parso hi baat ki thi na iss mamle mei, aapke liye pyar ya izzat kam nahi hui hai hamare liye. Tab aapne jo kiya shayad aapki jagah koi aur hota toh bhi yahi karta, hum aapse naraz nahi hai papa aur naa hi hum bhai jaise hai ki apna ullu sidha kar samne wale ko bhool jaaye!'' Bulbul says as she makes him sit on the couch. 

Flashback

A day before yesterday, when in the evening Bulbul went to her home just to check on her father, she came to know that Nikhil hadn't come out of his room the whole day after he received a call from an unknown person. Bulbul was surprised, she ran to his room and knocked on the door but the door got open as it wasn't locked from inside. 

As Bulbul entered in she was left stunned to find her father shouting over someone on the landline. But she wasn't able to understand anything. She moves to him and keeps her hand on his shoulder, Nikhil instantly turns to her. He immediately dropped the phone, his eyes were enlarged and filled with anger and fear at the same time.

Bulbul shook him,''papa! Kya hua aapko? Kiska call tha?'' She questioned but Nikhil was not ready to speak. 

Bulbul gaze at him and then at the phone which is still on. She picked up the call and attached it to her ear. As the person from the other side shouts again, Bulbul recognises the voice, it was her brother who was shouting at their father saying he cheated him.

''Bhai!!'' Bulbul says and this time her brother immediately cut the call. 

Bulbul doesn't get anything, she looks at her father and asks him about the matter, Nikhil looks at her and says something which left her shocked!

…

To be continued..