Arav nodded. He will be there always to make sure his bhaiyya was having rest. Gauri left.
Abhimanyu – tu yaha kya kar raha hai? Tujhe bhi rest karna chahiye na? Your hand is fractured Arav. For God's sake take care of yourself once.
Arav had tears in his eyes – Aap hai na mera khayal rakhne ke liye bhaiyya.
Abhimanyu looked at Arav. His kid's brother voice had a different emotion. He thought of addressing his fears but guess it was too late. He should do it before that fear turns into guilt.
Abhimanyu gestured Arav to come closer. Arav gladly went and sat on bed beside Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu caressed his face. The bruises were still there. He felt his anger flaring again. He hardly ever raised his hand on the boy. God knows how he was holding to himself without going to rajveer to beat the shit out of him. He always felt his anger raising whenever he saw those bruises since past 2 days. He chose not to talk because he didn't want his child to relive them. but he couldn't put it off any longer.
Abhimanyu – Dard ho raha hai bacha?
Arav smiled and shook his head – Ab nahi ho raha hai.
Abhimanyu – Dar laga jab Rajveer ne tujhe kidnap kiya?
Arav shook his head – Mujhe pata tha aap aaoge. Dar laga tha, isliye nahi kyu ki Rajveer ne kidnap kiya ya vo mujhe maar dega. Dar isliye laga tha ki aapko dekhe bina shayad mai mar jaunga. Lekin deep down the heart, I knew my super hero would come. And you came.
Abhimanyu fought to control his tears – Itna bharosa, apne bhaiyya pe?
Arav – Khudse bhi jyada. Aap tho mere super hero hai bhaiyya. Par aap ne bahut dara diya sab ko. Bahut!
Abhimanyu – I am sorry, bacha. I will never scare you like that again. I promise. I can never leave you all and go, bacha. You know right?
Arav nodded – Phir bhi bahut dar laga bhaiyya. Jab maine aapko mere samne ...... vo khun....... Kuch samaj ......
Arav's voice choked. Abhimanyu hugged him tightly – Shh. Kuch nahi hua hai mujhe. Dekh, I am fine. Jab tak tu hai, mujhe kuch ho sakta hai kya?
Arav nodded but his cries were not stopping. Unknowingly he put more pressure on Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu felt pain rushing through his nerves but he knew how to put his child before himself. Arav needed comfort and assurances right now which only he can give to his child.
Abhimanyu – Rote nahi bacha. I will never leave you.
Arav cried – Bahut dar laga bhaiyya. Aap ut hi nahi rahe the. 12 hrs were over. Gauri Bhabhi aur bhaiyyu bhi kuch nahi bol rahe the. Agar aapko kuch ho jata tho mai anath ho jata na bhaiyya.
Abhimanyu – Kaisi baate bol raha hai, bacha? Mai yahi hu.
Arav – Lekin tab aap ut nahi rahe the. Agar Bhabhi nahi hote tho pata nahi mai kaise apne aap ko sambhalta.
Abhimanyu pulled back and looked at him puzzled.
Arav smiled – Bhabhi bilkul aapki tarah hai bhaiyya. Vo khud andar se toot rahi thi lekin she was offering comfort to us. Unhe aap pe pura bharosa tha ki aap uthoge. Pata hai unhone mujhse kya kaha jab mai utha aur aapko dekhne ke liye bahut pareshan ho raha tha?
Abhimanyu – Kya kaha?
Arav – unhone kaha ki "The Abhimanyu Birla I know will always abide by his promise and his words. He promised me, he promised us that he will come back. Then he will come back. Just hold yourself for few more hours, Aru. Tumare bhaiyya tume hug karke bolenge ki "Everthing is fine Bacha"." Those words gave all 3 of us a lot of assurance bhaiyya. Even though we knew each and every word she said, vocalizing them gave us strength.
Abhimanyu didn't know that Akshara trusts him that much. He was so overwhelmed with that kind of trust.
Arav – Aap kab unhe mujhe mere Bhabhi banaoge?
Anya who just came inside heard what Arav asked.
Anya – Haa. Aap kab unhe humari Bhabhi banaoge?
Abhimanyu smiled at her and gestured her to come. She went and sat on the other side of the bed.
Abhimanyu looked at Arav – Bacha, why don't you go take rest?
Arav obeyed immediately. He knew just like him his sister also needed assurances.
Abhimanyu – How are you feeling, Anu?
Anya smiled – Mujhe kya hoga, bhaiyya? Goli aapko lagi hai, mujhe nahi.
Abhimanyu – mai physical health ki baat nahi kar raha hu, Anu? I am talking about your mental health.
Anya smiled – I am fine bhaiyya.
Abhimanyu - Then why is your smile looking fake, bacha. Apne bhaiyya se chupaoge? You can share your fears with me, Anu.
Anya hugged him tightly but not tight enough to hurt him and cried. She was scared. No, she was terrified when clock was ticking but her bhaiyya was not waking up.
Abhimanyu patted her back – I am completely fine, Anu. You have nothing to fear, ok?
Anya pulled back and nodded. Abhimanyu wiped her tears and kissed her forehead – Tumare bhaiyya tume chodke kabhi nahi jayega, Anu.
Anya smiled – Pata tha. Lekin phir bhi dar laga. Akshara.......Bhabhi ne sambhal liya. She stood very strong bhaiyya. Very very strong. Shadi karlo aap jaldi se.
Abhimanyu nodded.
Ajay barged inside angry – Aapne Gauri ko force kiya discharge karne ke liye? samaj me nahi aata aapko, aap yaha fever ke liye admit nahi huye. Aapko goli lagi hai. Vo bhi heart ke bahut paas. Aapko har baat pe apni manmaani karna zaruri hai. Why don't you care about yourself bhaiyya? Yap fira apko maza aata hai hume pareshan karne mein.
Anya – Bhaiyyu...
Ajay snapped – Don't bhaiyyu me Anya. Apne bhaiyya ko samjhao....
Abhimanyu raised his voice – Enough Ajay. Pehli baat, maine kisi ko force nahi kiya. Dusri baat – mujhe koi maza nahi aata tume pareshan karne mein. Teesri baat – Mai tera bhi bhaiyya hu and last thing - bahut bolne laga hai tu. Maar khayega Ajay.
Ajay gulped. Anya smiled. Was he not the one who was looking like a fierce lion who is now looking like scared cat.
Abhimanyu – tu hoga is hospital ka MD, The Ajay birla. Lekin mere samne tu sirf mera chota bhai hai, samjha.
Ajay hugged him. Anya left to give them some space.
Abhimanyu sighed. Ajay was more sensitive than Arav – Kya bacho ki tarah muh fula raha hai. Do baate suna li tho royega kya?
Ajay pulled back – Maine kab aapke samne The Ajay Birla vala attitude dikhaya?
Abhimanyu – Abhi abhi tho chilla raha tha.
Ajay – Haa tho, chillau nahi tho shabashi du ki aap apna khayal nahi rakh rahe hai.
Abhimanyu – I am fine, aju. Maine gauri ko force nahi kiya tha. Usne khud all clear di. Just because you are my brother and you want me in the hospital, you can't have me here even if I am fine, hai na? You have nothing to fear, Ajay.
Ajay nodded. He knew his bhaiyya was also giving assurances which he very much needed.
Abhimanyu – Ab jaa. Jake discharge formalities complete kar. Aur nahi reh sakta mai tera is hospital me. Mujhe ghar jana hai.
Abhimanyu didn't know what he signed up for when he was asking for a discharge. But now he felt he was much better in the hospital. His siblings were not even allowing him to come out of the room even on wheelchair. They took away his phone and laptop when he tried to check emails. He was very close to lash out on all of them when Akshara came at the last moment and saved his siblings and gave him his phone. He was baffled. He tried to make them understand that he was fine and he need to check phone, they didn't back off but with Akshara's one word, they gave it back with out an argument. He wondered if they were his siblings or Akshara's.
Akshara walked in with Abhimanyu's soup. Anya and Arav were beside him. As it was Saturday, Akshara took a day off.
Akshara – Tum dono bhi jake khana khalo. Maine banaya hai.
Though they didn't want to leave, Anya and Arav knew their bhaiyya and Bhabhi needed to talk for them to call Akshara officially as Bhabhi.
Akshara sat beside him and made him drink the soup with her hands. Abhimanyu drank the soup drinking all the features of Akshara too.
Akshara wanted to talk but it just has been 3 days, Abhimanyu was recovering. Her feelings could wait. His health was more important.
Akshara was about to leave for Abhimanyu to rest, Abhimanyu stopped her catching her hand.
Akshara looked at him. Abhimanyu gestured her to sit. She sat down.
Abhimanyu looked at Akhara to gauge her feelings. She looked as desperate as him for the talk. It is the time Abhimanyu thought and started talking.
Abhimanyu – Maine apni sari bachpan, ek aisi shadi ko dekha jaha na koi respect ho, na hi pyar. I have seen my father abusing my mother. Tab se mujhe shadi se ya pyar pe se vishwas ut gaya. Lekin jab se tum mere zindagi me aye ho, I felt an unknown feeling for you. An emotion which made me trust you for the first time I saw you in the interview. I don't trust people easily Akshara. But I gave my blind trust to you by offering you to come to my house. I did not know what was the name of my feelings.
Abhimanyu looked at Akshara. Akshara nodded in understanding for him to continue.
Abhimanyu – The day when Ajay lost challenge, you asked him to stay at home and rest, you have gained my respect. And then slowly without my knowledge I started finding similarities between you and my mother. That is when I realised this was love. I was sure that this was love. But then I didn't want my marriage to end like my parents. I didn't want to you to know that you have my complete trust fearing you might break it. And that day when I got to know you were about to get hit by a truck, I felt something breaking inside me. That is when I realized I couldn't live with out you. That is when I realized I love you unconditionally that it no longer didn't matter who you are, how you are. I fell harder for you day by day. I never thought I will say this to a woman who is not my mother or sister, I LOVE YOU AKSHARA. Forever and ever and ever. But I would like to make one thing clear before you make any decision. My family will always be my first priority. They are not just my siblings, they are my children. I raised them with my own hands. This is all I have to say. You don't need to give me a reply right away. Take your time. I understand no girl will accept her to be husband's first priority to be his ....
Akshara cut him off by hugging him tightly and careful enough not to hurt him.
Abhimanyu was startled but hugged her back. Akshara pulled back looked into his eyes for him to understand her words – I understand Abhi. Family first.
Abhimanyu was stunned. He didn't expect her to say those words.
Akshara – I LOVE YOU TOO, ABHI. FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER! If they are your children, then they are my children too, Abhi. A mother will always understand that her husband's first priority is THEIR children.
Akshara – I will show you that all marriages are not same, Abhi. I will give you new memories that you will forget all the pain you felt when you saw your mother getting abused. I will help you heal, Abhi.
Akshara – jab maine aapko hospital bed pe dekha na, I realised I couldn't live with out you, not any more.
Akshara – Coming to my family...
Abhimanyu cut her – You don't have to tell me now, Akshara. You can come talk to me when ever you feel comfortable. I can wait for a life time.
Akshara – I will never be uncomfortable with you, Abhi. You are my heaven. I feel safe and secured around you after my brother. I didn't tell you about my family not because I was uncomfortable. It is because I was bound not to tell.
Abhimanyu looked at her puzzled.
Akshara – My surname is not Kapoor, Abhi. This is all I can say as of now. My identity definitely is fake but not my personality neither my feelings. 8 more months Abhi. I just need 8 more months for me to reveal my identity.
Akshara – I know you could have found out about me if you wanted. You waited for me to open up. Thank you so much. You still can find out. It is just that I won't be able to tell myself. But one thing is for sure, whatever my identity would be, I will always be the Akshara you fell in love with.
Akshara looked at Abhimanyu searching for answers and assurances in his eyes.
Abhimanyu knew this all along. It didn't surprise him much. He knew she was not something which she was showing her to be. He thought she was uncomfortable but now she understood that she couldn't tell. Abhimanyu loved her enough to respect her secrets.
Abhimanyu smiled. The smile which always took Akshara's breath away.
Abhimanyu – I Love you Akshara. No matter what.
Akshara grinned widely which could any time make Abhimanyu's day and hugged him. This time it was neither a comforting hug nor an assuring hug. It was a hug to celebrate their love, their confession and their trust on each other.
Abhimanyu was very happy. But only fate could decide how longer his happiness stays.
How is the chapter??
Comment on your favourite part.
I tried my best writing their confession. I am sorry, if I couldn't keep up to your expectations.
Shower some love
SATHVIKA