On the match day, the whole Deshmukh family got ready to watch Virat from the stadium. Rishabh was super excited. Living in New York didn't provide him any opportunity to watch live international cricket. Now in Mumbai, he could watch it to his hearts content. A year ago, it was his mere manifestation to cheer for Virat from the ground. Now he knew, menifestations do get true, if your heart is in right place.
The whole family cheered for Virat's batting from the stands. Rishabh had Indian tricolour in one hand and Virat's poster in another. Virat grinned looking at him, he was the only one in VIP stands who was jumping this excitedly. Even during the first innings, when Virat was fielding near their stand, Rishabh waved at him aggressively, "Bhaiii. Look here, yahaan" Rishabh had been shouting. MS had to shut him up and Virat was grateful for the intervention. That could distract him from fielding.
Once Virat completed his hundred, his first in his home ground, he turned towards the stand his family was sitting in and raised the bat. He could see the gleaming faces of everyone. Rishabh was almost jumping, Sakshi bhabhi was cheering loudly, Mahi bhai was clapping with a proud smile on his face and behind all of them he could see Meera, the look on the face looked so endearing, even from far, that Virat found himself almost tearing up.
"My whole family is here. This one is very special for me. My first time playing here and this couldn't get any better. My younger brother especially, he was so excited, this one is for you Rishu"
Virat had ecstatically declared in the post match presentation where he was given the Man of the Match award.
Virat hadn't realised the gravity of what he had spoken until he found a crowd of reporters, mostly paparazzi hounding his family on their way back home from the stadium. Rishabh and Meera were probably captured on cameras and now everyone was curious, everyone wanted drama. News pieces on the family of a reputed businessman and a star cricketer meant gold for the media houses!
"Sir you talked about your younger brother. The world has never known him, what's his name? " A reporter in his late 20s or early 30s asked, pointing his mic towards Virat.
Virat continued to talk without giving any answer. MS wrapped his arm protectively around Rishabh. They were glad Sakshi and Meera had reached to their cars already.
"Are you 3 brothers in all? Is there any reason why the identity of your youngest brother has been kept secret?"
"And why are you talking about him only now? Any particular reason? "
"Is he your adopted brother? " The questions didn't stop coming. Everyone wanted some bits and they were in a race. Some of them didn't even hesitate to push the mics to their mouths. The bodyguards had a job to do.
MS lost his temper when one guy pushed his mic to Rishabh's mouth asking "What's your name Sir? How are you related to Mr MS Deshmukh and Virat? "
MS immediately pushed the mic away from Rishabh, "That's none of your business. He is our brother and that's all you get to know. Now get out of the way if you don't want problems for yourselves" , MS spoke. He wasn't loud but his voice didn't betray the anger he was feeling. The road was cleared immediately. They had guessed they were not getting any masala and it was best to not mess with the business shark. Their bosses will definitely not be happy if something goes wrong.
Everyone retired to sleep as soon as they reached home. They had already been tired, especially Virat who had played an eight hour match.
The next day took them to even more surprises. Rishabh's pictures from the match were all over media. Suddenly he was the topic of discussion among the crowd instead of the hundred Virat scored or the match India won. Meera had been cautious enough to not come in front of cameras but even she had been captured once, the moment Virat scored the century.
Rumours sparked like the fire in the jungle. Some people recognised Meera as the late businessman Brijendra Deshmukh's second wife, some did not. But once the news reached the media houses, it was all over. MS tried threatening the media houses but even this could be done only upto a limit. The social media was a bigger menace, to wipe out things from there was more difficult.
Meera had been very distressed about it. Mahi and Sakshi tried talking to her but even they couldn't help much. There had been thousand rumors about her in the media, she had been hounded by paparazzi and their mails. "I should have been careful, god Mahi" Meera said taking her face in her palms.
"It's okay mumma. It was not your fault. They would have known anyways." Mahi reassured her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. They were sitting on the couch, next to each other.
"It is not that simple Mahi. Virat will be asked questions about this everywhere and this poor boy doesn't even have an idea how all that happened, what were the circumstances and.." Meera stressed. The possibility of media hounding them made her sick. A lone tear escaped her eyes. Mahi immediately took her in a bear hug after wiping her tears.
"Nothing is gonna happen mumma. You calm down pls, Virat knows how to handle them" Mahi said, his words showed he had his full confidence in Virat.
"But this was not Virat's to handle. What will he even reply about this mess that I've created" Meera cried. Her worries were showing themselves. She had been scared, she feared she had disturbed Virat and Mahi's life which was finally on track after all that destiny had thrown on them.
"You have not created this mess. When will you stop blaming yourself for all that? In fact no one lost more than you. Now when things are improving, you chose this self loathing. Why mumma? " Mahi made sure to look into Meera's eyes when he spoke these words.
Meera looked startled. She could not stop staring into Mahi's eyes. The eyes that held limitless love. She composed herself before she spoke again, "Mahi I know we have talked this before but this still goes on in my mind. I had accepted that you would hate me and you won't want me back into your lives after the way I left. But you accepted me with open arms, without any questions, any explanations, I do not understand why"
" Because I do not call you mumma just for the sake of it. I mean it in my heart. And I've missed my mom all these years. Ab jab wo wapas mil gyi mujhe, why will I question" Mahi said and Meera smiled wholeheartedly for the moment, her eyes glistening with tears.
"Kabhi maaf kar payega mujhe? " Meera asked.
"I know maine aapse kaha tha ki you can tell me only when you're comfortable par ab jaan na hai mujhe. Come on, spill it mom. Kya kiya dad ne aapke saath? " Mahi asked, taking his mother's hand in his.
"Mahi" Meera uttered, only to be stopped by MS , "You need to share it mom. I need to know what my father did"
Meera stuttered. She was not planning to tell him anything. She had expected she would either be a villain in Mahi's life or they would completely forget her to even care about, but both Mahi and Virat had surprised her beyond limits. She didn't know how to deal with that kind of love and trust.
"Tell me mumma" Mahi's voice came again. He was calm, but his voice conveyed how desperately he wanted to know.
"Your.. Your father and I had our differences Mahi. Some things that could never be resolved, until we separated. Water had gone over our heads and.. " Meera was stopped by Mahi who shook his head in disapproval.
"I do not want these vague answers. Talk clearly mom. You know what I'm asking about. " Mahi asserted.
Meera sighed. "You know what? Rishu and Virat were so right about you. You can bring down hell with your questions"
"Get to the point please. What did dad do with you that you had to leave? " Mahi asked unimpressed.
Meera scowled. Jokes apart, she was really having a first hand experience of what the kids might have felt inside Mahi's study. She was still in the comfort of her own bedroom.
"Aap bolna shuru karengi? " Mahi raised his eyebrows.
Meera took a deep breath and embraced herself to speak. Mahi took her palm and squeezed in assurance.
"I had had enough when I sent the divorce papers.... I was actually the one who sent them" Meera started speaking as she looked at Mahi, who just squeezed her palm harder. "It had been more than couple of years and I couldn't really bear more. I had really been done with him" Tears escaped from Meera's eyes. She wiped them away immediately as she continued speaking, "2 years of domestic violence and I realised I couldn't take this anymore. I had been pregnant with Rishabh then, I thought he will harm the baby so I chose the safer option and.. "
Mahi blinked back the tears that threatened to spill off. It had been too much to take. His mother was going through so much in the same house and he didn't even know. He felt guilty and angry on himself.
"I'm sorry mumma. I'm so very sorry. How could I not know? Shit. This is so terrible" Mahi could hardly control his tears.
"Don't blame yourself Mahi. I would have never survived all those years if not for you two, you and Virat. " Meera reassured Mahi.
"He should have been behind bars mumma. Did you ever file a complaint? " Mahi asked once he composed himself.
Meera shook her head. "That's not the point Mahi. And he was too powerful for that"
Mahi raised his eyebrows. "The real reason was you didnt want to send MY father to jail. Haina? " Mahi said and Meera looked away.
"Kya yaar mumma. I can't even be angry with you but this was stupidity. At the end you paid the price, Virat and I paid the price but not him" Mahi spoke.
"Why didn't he stay with you two after I left? " Meera asked one question that had been bothering her since long.
"Pata nahi. Virat was asking for just you and only you. He probably felt guilty enough to leave" MS guessed. He really didn't know the reason. His father never told him. He just used to go away from home for long months and he only get to know that he has gone for some business work.
"Just one more question mumma. Why did you marry dad? " Mahi asked. The last time he asked this question, some 20 years back, she had replied that she loved his father. "Did you really love him? " Mahi added.
Meera blinked her eyes. "No Mahi" Meera answered. "It's another long story. Your father had helped save my mother's life and paid my college fee when I had nothing. My father had died in an accident some months back and our financial condition was in splits. Your dad was an acquaintance of my dad. When he asked for my hand for marriage, my mother couldn't refuse"
"And you? " Mahi asked, just in a whisper.
"I agreed." Meera chuckled, "To be honest, I really didn't think it could turn out this bad. This decision is completely on me. My marriage was not forced"
"Brave lady, what made you think I can hate you? " Mahi asked, with a smile on his face.
"Sorry shaktimaan, I was wrong. Bakhsh de ab mujhe" Meera replied back, joining her hands in a mock salute.
"Dad didnt give you a chance at our custody. Haina? And you feel guilty that you chose yourselves over us? " Mahi asked. And meera hesitantly nodded.
"You'll never do that again. That was exactly what you should have done, in fact a bit earlier. Never ever feel guilty about this. Rishabh was in your womb, God forbid if something happened to him.." Meera hugged Mahi on impulse. She was always charmed by his understanding. The 15 year old boy she knew was a hearthrob but the 31 year old man she met now had her full respect.
"You've grown up to be an admirable man" Meera put her thought out. Mahi just chuckled in response, "And you've grown stupid"
Meera whacked Mahi on his thigh. "Yaar aapki maar boht miss kari maine. Nobody whacks me now" MS said out loud.
"Wo jimma aapne khud jo le liya hai" Meera replied back, "bechara mera cheeku"
"Bechara aapka Rishu bhi" Mahi added with a chuckle, "cheeku jaisa hota ja raha hai din-ba-din. Wahi maar khane wali harkate"
"Bhaiya wifi nahi chal raha" Just on the moment, Rishu came whining. MS eyed at Meera, he had cut the wifi connection because he didn't want Rishabh to come across the drama that was unfolding.
"I guess connection is weak. Kuchh kaam tha bachcha? " Mahi asked apologetically.
"Subah se nahi chal rhaa" Rishabh sulked.
"What happened Rishu? Kya karna hai wifi ka? " MS asked. Meera just chuckled, hiding her smile from the youngest one.
"Go study. It's been long. Mai aa rha hoon" MS said a little sternly and Rishabh moved out stomping his feet.
"Bechara" Meera chuckled hard once Rishabh left, "Kis mogambo se pala pada hai"
"I've learnt it from the older mogambo" Mahi said, straightening his collar.
"I was never this mean. You know it" Meera retorted.
"Haan toh? I was also better than these two" Mahi snapped back.
Meera just smiled wide. There was hardly any comeback for that. Mahi was indeed less rowdy than Virat and Rishabh. There were only three things which landed him in trouble 1) he often disappeared without telling anyone, without keeping his phone with him.
2) He loved bikes and he would give no thoughts before going on a bike ride with friends. His night outs on bikes often resulted in Meera blasting his ears off in the morning.
3) He never cared about his own health or safety.
Mahi lied down putting his head in Meera's lap. Meera gently stroked his hair, trying to give all the comfort he missed all those years. Sakshi came in with tea after sometime. She was greeted with this lovely seen, Mahi was asleep in Meera's lap and the latter had a lovely smile on his face, her hand moving in his hair. She handed a cup to Meera and left with a content smile. Her heart healed seeing her husband like this. He had been denied of so much, she was happy and grateful to God that he was getting back what he always deserved.
Wrote this because I was bored of exams 😭