Abhisha has been shocked on receiving the call from Akshara . She didn't go to Abhimanyu's funeral, she knew it would have created a scene. She has been heartbroken on learning his death but that was it. She didn't cry as much as she expected, she loved him but she just could not cry .
Back to her mother , she has asked Abhisha for her one day . She didn't know what her mother was going to do with the one day but against her better judgement she was now standing at Shimla airport waiting for Akshara.
"Abhisha" Akshara waved her swinging her hands out through the rolled window of the car. Abhisha walked towards the car with small steps. She gave a small akward smile and climbed inside.
She choked on air as she saw Abhir sitting at the driver seat. What the - Was Mrs Birla insane ? Did Abhimanyu uncle 's passing away affect her mentally. She and Abhir in the same closed space a total recipe of storm.
Abhisha sat stiffly waiting for the verbal abuse thrown her way but nothing came. She looked at Abhir who was tense clutching the steering so tightly that his knuckles were white. But he kept his mouth shut. As she looked at her mother she found her mother looking outside the window fondly as if remembering each detail. So Abhisha decided the same , relaxing herself she looked outside the window. The scenery was to die for . The mountains and trees were far more beautiful than the contained space she was sitting.
The car stopped infront of a house . Abhisha stepped out and couldn't take her eyes off it , the house looked like a doll house cute , beautiful and most importantly homely.
She looked at her mother who was now looking at the house without blinking even the always grumpy Abhir was looking at it with such an emotion that she could not decipher.
Her mother was now grazing the dirty brown gates. The gate was chained together with a lock covered in rust.
"Whose house is this ?" Her question was met with a melancholic smile of her mother " Yours , it's your home, this was the place your father and I started our marriage."
She was stunned. This was her home. Her home. The words sounded strange yet alluring. Her home. If her father would have been alive she would have lived here.
Akshara opened the lock with a click. And Abhisha could swear she felt her heart open a bit too.
Seeing her still standing outside Akshara invited her softly " Come in ".
She entered the premises with bobbing throat. The soil seemed to seep through her shoes touching her feet . Wind bellowing singing as if welcoming her. The cool air blanketing her in its embrace.
The first step of the house made her feel an intense urge to bend and touch her head there. She had seen bigger houses than this but this house it had a different charm.
Birla house is bigger than this, Abhir thought as he walked behind Abhisha. This house was small , he didn't even have his own room here but yet the comfort that caressed him seeing on it was other worldly. It has been so long since he felt this calm , this serene.
Abhir knew the reason actually , Birla house was his house yet this was his home.
His mother has forced him to come here . When he protested he was slapped. And more than the slap what shocked him was that his mother's eyes held no remorse instead it seemed to say 'I should have done this long before '.
His father has passed away. He had lost his father twice. First, Abhir stopped his thought process there, it felt like committing a sin to address Abhimanyu as his father here.
Abhisha looked around the cosy home. If outside of the house was a cold airconditioner then inside was a warm heater. So comfortable that she almost purred from the pleasure. The house radiated complete homely vibes. Vibrant wall colours competed with the sunlight infiltrating through the door.
She stopped in her exploring when she saw the three frames hanging on the wall of her mother, father and Abhir.
Her father whom she has only seen in pictures. About whom Muskan Bua used to talk about. Her father who if alive would have loved her immensely.
"It needs dusting" Abhisha turned at her mother's voice " Why don't you and Abhir visit the neighborhood, till then I will clean and also prepare lunch full pahadi style?" She suggested.
"I..." Abhir was cut off with Akshara's warning glare. Abhisha had to stiffle her laugh , it was fun to watch Abhir Birla being shut up.
"Come out" He said to her and left with a huff. Abhisha realised she has to be with that arrogant person alone now. She was going to grown when she was covered with a clothing by her mother.
On her questioning gaze her mother has answered that it was her father's coat.
Walking alongside Abhir, she looked at the piece of garment. The material was not expensive, it was rather cheap , the front pocket was torn which was stitched with mismatched thread. It fit her , despite its sleeves hanging loose , it's body swallowing her completely it fit perfectly.
"This was my school" Abhir pointed at the building with the board of Abhir school's name hanging on it.
Abhisha nodded.
They walked a lot almost for two hours. Abhir naming the places and Abhisha nodding sometimes answering with a rare yes. It was awkward , bit anyhow they worked out.
Now she was sitting on a bench near the playground waiting for Abhir who had gone to bring ice cream.
"Here" Abhir handed it to her and she took it with a thank you . The ice cream was vanilla flavoured.
"You like vanilla?" He questioned and Abhisha nodded .
She removed the wrapper" Yeah it's my favourite"
She looked at him and found him looking at her strangely.
" It's" his voice was clogged . He cleared his throat " It was his favourite too".
Abhisha was stupefied. She was not needed to tell who was the he that Abhir mentioned. Her father.
Her leg touched the football that came rolling towards her in the mud. Abhir kicked the football back to the kids playing there.
"Papa used to bring me here to play football" He had her attention now.
"Everyday he used to bring me here , no matter how busy he was he always had time for me "
He could still feel his father calling him ' oye nikkeji'
"Papa used to crack such papa jokes " Abhisha chuckled with him .
"He used to sleep with me at night cuddling me and loved me a lot."
Abhir stared in space and Abhisha felt irritated.
"Who is your papa?" She questioned.
Abhir looked at her confused" What?"
"The person you call your papa who is it Abhimanyu birla or Abhinav Sharma ?"
"Both are my father "
Abhisha wanted to slap him, beat him , crack his head open but she took a deep breath to calm herself.
"No only one is your father , Abhinav Sharma is my father "
She didn't let Abhir speak" No hear me out! If you can't share your father even I won't share my father especially when you can't "
"He is my father" Abhir said stubbornly and Abhisha laughed " How? You don't even have same surname , you traded it for your happy family "
Abhir sat there without speaking and Abhisha got up.
"Sorry" he spoke . Abhisha pointed towards the melted icecream in his hand " See that icecream your sorry is even more useless than that "
She left and Abhir sat there crying missing both his fathers.
When she returned back to the cottage , the scent of spices evaded her nostrils.
She found Akshara setting up the table with varieties of dishes. Abhisha realised it was the first time her mother has cooked for her.
"Oh you are back good the food is ready , Where is Abhir ?"
Abhisha looked at her smiling face . She could not bring herself to smile. " Why are you doing this, Mrs.Birla?"
"What do you mean ?" Akshara asked and she waved at all the food " This this this cooking, bringing me here sending me with Abhir why are you doing all this drama ?"
Akshara looked at her hurt " I am just trying to make things right ".
"Things right" She scoffed" Things can never be right Mrs. Birla , they have gone too far "
"But we are a family,look"
Abhisha looked at the wall and now found her photo hanging on the wall beside the previous three. She didn't know when her mother brought that.
" I wanted you to introduce you to your father" Akshara spoke " When Abhir was born I did not tell him about his father and I did the same with you "
Abhisha looked at her blankly.
"I wanted to rectify my mistakes."
Abhisha finally spoke " Thank you for bringing me here, I am glad but this doesn't mean anything.
She ignored Akshara's protest and continued" You never cared about me , never talked to me , keep your excuses with you as it doesn't matter. I am not a toy that you throw it and want it back whenever you want , I am not even sorry that I don't want to play happy family with you and your son ".
Akshara was crying and Abhisha wanted nothing more than to not see her face. She still wanted to become the victim. She had always wanted a family, but better than this family she would rather stay alone.
Akshara didn't say anything else. Maybe she knew it would be futile.
She was about to walk out when Akshara held her hand and forwarded her the papers " I named this house on your name , Abhinav would have wanted it."
She didn't protest and accepted it. It was her right.
As she walked away with her held high, she swore she could hear her father clapping above the clouds.
Fun fact: When I was typing it , Birla autocorrected itself to Burla .
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