Sam went from there. Arjun was about to go to him but then he saw Ayesha. She signed him that she will handle Sam and he nodded and went towards Ahana.
Ayesha went to Sam and put her hand on his shoulder. Sam just hugged her hiding himself in the hug while tears falling from his eyes. Ayesha just held him saying everything will be fine.
Arjun came to Ahana.
Arjun: Ahana..
Ahana: Bhai..
She hugged him crying. Arjun rubbed her back.
Arjun: Ahana sab theek ho jayega okay.
Ahana: Sach?
Arjun: Sach me bachcha. Everything will be fine. You please handle yourself okay
Ahana wiped her tears and nodded in yes.
Arjun: Sam ne sab sun liya hai. Better you go to him.
Ahana nodded in yes and went to him.
Sakshi came to Arjun.
Sakshi: Yeh sab kya tha?
Arjun was about to say something but he got a call and excused himself.
Kunal: Mr Mehra.. actually main aur Kiara soch rahe the ki agar aap aur Sakshi Rawte Villa me kuchh time Tak shift ho jaye to achchha hoga.
As everyone was calmed down and somewhat normal and Arjun too came back after attending the call, Kunal and Mr Mehra's conversation gained attention of everyone.
Mr Mehra: Lekin beta iski kya zaroorat hai?
Kunal: Actually the thing is mujhe kuchh dino ke liye ek conference me Jana hai and Arjun aur Ary akele Kiara ko handle nahi kar payenge. Ab age Jake Sakshi ko hi ghar sambhalna hai to it would be better woh ho sake utna jaldi cheeze handle karne lage.
Ary: And shaadi se pehle bhabhi ki pasand se Ghar me thoda bahut renovation bhi karvayenge na.
Sakshi: Mujhe koi changes nahi karwane. Jaisa hai bahut sahi hai.
Arjun smiled hearing this to her.
Kiara: Aur agar koi emergency hui to Ary ghabra jayega. Jun aur Sakshi to ETF me honge. Aise me agar aap rahoge to better rahega
Mr Mehra: Are nahi beta baat to tumhari sahi hai. Ary Abhi bachcha hai inn sab cheezo ke liye. Theek hai Kunal beta tumhe jab nikalna ho uske ek do din ke pehle hum log aa jayenge. Tab tak yaha pe sab samet lenge.
All got really happy and Kunal and Kiara both thanked him. Then all left from there to their respective houses.
Arjun and Ary both were as usual in Arjun's room. Arjun was chatting with Sakshi normally and Ary was sitting beside him casually reading their chats like his own and totally breaching the privacy of the newly engaged couple, moreover used to send a voice note from Arjun's phone in short basically behaving like a total brat. Arjun whacked him lightly and asked him to sleep but who listens.
Sakshi video called Arjun and he picked it. Sakshi could see Ary clinging onto Arjun's arm with a huge pout on his face.
Sakshi: Are kya hua mere Ary baby ko?
Ary (pouting): Dada ne mara
Sakshi: Hawww Arjun tumne mere bachche ko kyu mara?
Arjun: Oh hello.. apne bachche ko bolo so Jaye. It's late. Parso se school bhi start ho rahe hai iske.
Ary's face turned white hearing this and he hugged Arjun as if hiding himself. Arjun and Sakshi both saw it and felt strange.
Sakshi: Ary.. bachche kya hua?
Ary: School start ho rahe
Arjun: Aur tumhe school nahi jana?
Ary shook his head in no.
Sakshi: Kyu? Tumhe to school Jana bahut pasand hai na?
Ary: Mujhe nai Jana maine bola na.
Ary broke the hug and turned his face to other side and covered himself with comforter.
Arjun sighed and plugged ear phone.
Sakshi: Yeh school Jane se itna katra kyu raha hai? Kuchh to baat hogi na
Arjun nodded in yes.
Arjun: But I don't know.
Sakshi: Abhi or Ahana?
Arjun shook his head in no indicating even they did not know anything else he would have been informed.
Arjun: Achchha abhi main rakhta hoon. Kal baat karte hai
Sakshi nodded in yes
Sakshi: Apna aur mere bachche ka dhyan rakhna. Good night
Arjun: Yes Ma'am. Good night
Arjun was about to hang up but Sakshi stopped him
Sakshi: Arjun..
Arjun: Haan..
Sakshi: I love you 🫂
Arjun: I love you too Sakshi ❤️
Arakshi hung up the call and Arjun turned to Ary. He put down the comforter and caressed Ary's hair. Ary in reflex turned to him and hugged him. Arjun smiled and kissed on his forehead. He too slept.
It was around 2:30 AM when Arjun's sleep broke as he heard some mumbling and when he opened his eyes, he was shocked to see Ary covered in sweat and was mumbling something which he could not understand but the priority here is to calm Ary and Arjun just hugged his baby brother tightly saying sweet nothings in his ears. Ary too started to calm down and eventually again fell asleep.
Arjun: Kuchh to hai Jo isko pareshan kar Raha hai lekin kya? Uper se kisi aur ko kaise kuchh nahi pata.
Arjun sighed and then he just kept caressing Ary's hair. He slept nearly around 5 AM in the morning and woke up again at 6:30 AM and found Ary sleeping peacefully hugging him. He was about to get up but Ary has hold his hand. He felt it a little warmer than normal. He quickly checked his forehead and then neck. His body was quite warmer than normal. Arjun quickly took out the thermometer and checked Ary's fever. He was having fever between 100-1 degree. Arjun sighed and caressed his hair again and kissed on his forehead.
Arjun got ready and again checked Ary's fever which was quite lower but he was still having it. He called Aditi and asked her about whether he can give the previous medicines which she has prescribed when he got fever on staying alone at the house to which Aditi told him he can so Arjun was now just thinking on what should be made in breakfast so that Ary eat it and can have his medicines. He was lost in his thoughts when his phone rang. He picked it up.
Arjun: Haan Sakshi
Sakshi: What happened?
Arjun sighed
Arjun: Ary ko halka sa fever hai. Adi ko puchh ke medicine denewala hoon lekin..
Sakshi: Main uske liye poha bana ke laa rahi hoon. Woh mere hath ke bane pohe kha lega don't you stress yourself on this. Kunal bhaiya aur bhabhi aa gaye kya apne relatives ke waha se?
Arjun: No. Unka message aaya tha ki unko time lagega. Bhabhi ke relatives hai thode kareebi so..
Sakshi: Okay no worries. I am coming. Aditi aa rahi hai check karne?
Arjun: She has gone out of town for an emergency case. Uska ek old patient tha jisko abhi health issue hua hai and his parents wanted her to check him as he was not responding properly to the treatment of other doctors and the patient is not in that state ki woh log usko yaha le paye so she went there.
Sakshi: Theek hai. Main aa rahi hoon. In fact, Main aur Baba dono aa rahe hai with our luggage. Waise bhi rehne aane wale the. Abhi agar Ary ke sath rahenge to uska man bhi bahel jayega.
Arjun agreed and hung up the call. He woke up Ary who though woke up but was feeling slight weakness. Arjun asked him to help him for getting freshen up but Ary politely denied and got freshen up. He came to bed and sat on the bed resting his head on the headrest.
Sakshi and Mr Mehra came to Rawte Villa. Arjun received them and helped Mr Mehra in settling their luggage whereas Sakshi went to kitchen with Tai and served the breakfast for everyone. She then made tea and coffee. She took the plate and went to Arjun's room. She stood there at the door seeing Ary looking at nothing while being lost in his own thoughts.
Arjun came there and saw Sakshi standing at the door. He followed her gaze and saw Ary's state. He sighed. Sakshi looked at him and nodded in assurance. They both went inside. Ary saw them and sighed. He knew he was there for a session now but utterly unexpected to him, his bhabhi just smiled at him and forwarded a spoonful of poha which he could not deny in his worst dream so he ate it. Once she was done, Arjun forwarded him his favorite coffee which he took without uttering a single word and drank it. The silence of his dada and bhabhi was killing him. Arjun caressed his hair. Ary looked at him.
Arjun: We are with you Ary. Don't stress yourself and take rest. Fever hai halka sa tujhe.
Ary: Aap hamesha rahoge mere sath? Chahe kuchh bhi ho jaye?
Sakshi and Arjun looked at each other and then at Ary.
Ary: Bolo na.
Sakshi sat at the other side of Ary on the bed and Arakshi both held Ary's each hand in assurance.
Arakshi: Promise.. We are always with you Ary.
Ary smiled widely and hugged them both tightly. Sakshi smiled but her smile faltered as she saw Arjun was having a very serious face but he changed his expressions as they broke the hug. She too smiled while breaking the hug.
Arjun: Bachche..
Ary looked at him.
Arjun: Is everything alright?
Ary: Aap dono ho na mere sath hamesha then everything will always be alright dada.
Arjun smiled slightly hearing this. Sakshi diverted the topic and they talked on some random topics for sometime and then Arjun forwarded Ary the medicine which he took while making faces but he took it seeing his dada's stern face which was stern enough to make him scare and then Arakshi both made him sleep.
Sakshi got busy with Tai in preparing lunch and Arjun and Mr Mehra were in Arjun's room keeping an eye on Ary while doing their respective work. Arjun checked Ary's fever which was gone and he informed the same to Aditi too. Also in their group too so that all can calm down though Adi and Sam wanted to come but Arjun denied politely saying it was just because of tiredness and Sakshi and Mr Mehra both were there and moreover Kunal and Kiara were going to come on next day so there is nothing to worry.
Lunch was a normal affair with Ary's usual chirpyness. The rest of day also went very much normal when Ary and Sakshi used to gang up against Arjun and sometimes the buddies i.e. Mr Mehra and Ary used to gang up against Arakshi in teasing them. Dinner too went well and Ary too was again excited to go to school and this over excited kid has also prepared his bag, his uniform everything ready for the next day. All except Arakshi were sleeping and Arakshi were talking in the hall.
Sakshi: Kya soch rahe ho tum? Subah se dekh rahi hoon koi baat hai jo tumhe pareshan kar rahi hai
Arjun: It's Ary Sakshi. He is behaving quite weirdly.
Sakshi (frowning): Matlab..
Arjun: Kuchh to hai Sakshi jo Ary chhupa raha hai. And the strange thing is Abhi and Ahana don't know anything about this.
Sakshi: Lekin aisa kaise ho sakta hai Arjun? Woh log to sath me hi hote hai
Arjun: I know right. But Sometimes Ary becomes really quiet Sakshi. And you know na how much he loves to go to school lekin kabhi kabhi woh har woh effort karta hai jo usko school late pahunchaye
Sakshi (surprised): Kya?
Arjun: Yes Sakshi. Ek din to itna sad tha ki bas chup chap apne room me baith gaya tha. Uss din usne first time complaint ki mujse ki main usko bachcha kyu nahi bolta. Sometimes I feel he really needs assurances lekin phir aisa lagta ki there is more to it.
Sakshi: Arjun.. We all know na how much he has suffered. Assurances are must for him Arjun. Ho sakta hai abhi bhi kahi kahi woh dar ho uske andar. Aur waise bhi woh pehle jitna dar jata tha uske age to yeh sab kuchh bhi nahi hai na
Arjun: No Sakshi. There is something seriously not right with Ary. I can.. I can feel it.
Arjun sighed.
Arjun: Sakshi.. Ary used to get nightmares.
Sakshi was shocked hearing this.
Arjun: You heard that right. He used to get nightmares jab hum log yaha pe aaye. But they were stopped long ago. Lekin..
Sakshi: Lekin kya Arjun?
She was a bit scared.
Arjun: He got nightmare yesterday. Uske baad hi shayad usko fever aa gaya.
Sakshi: It's okay Arjun. We will get through this together. Hum dono milke hamare bachche ko sambhal lenge. May be he is missing your parents. Tum khush rehne lage ho. Kal enaggement thi. It can be a trigger point for him to miss them too right.
Arjun nodded in yes.
Arjun: I just hope you are right Sakshi. But If I talk about me, I strongly feel that something is not rigth with Ary. But let's see what happens.
Sakshi nodded.
Sakshi: Kal main work from home le lungi. Tum Ary ko school drop karte hue ETF chale jana
Arjun nodded in yes and they both went to sleep wishing each other good night.
On the next day, as planned, Arjun was ready and was coming to breakfast table when he saw Ary too coming down from his room getting all ready for the school with a wide smile on his face showing his excitement. Arjun smiled seeing him like that. They had breakfast where Ary and Sakshi kept entertain everyone with their usual "senseless talking" (of course according to Arjun).
Arjun: Mr Aryan Rawte.. Agar apki "important baatein" ho gayi ho to shall we go? You would not like to be late on the first day of school I guess.
Ary saw the time and bit his tongue. He quickly completed his breakfast, took blessings of God, and then his parents and Roshni and then took blessings of Mr Mehra and then Arakshi.
Sakshi: Ary yeh kya kar rahe ho bachcha?
Ary: Are new term hai. Mere bado ke blessings le raha hoon.
Sakshi kissed on his forehead and blessed him. Arjun too did the same though he always used to get overwhelemd with his this gesture but this time he was getting emotional too so he just hugged Ary to compose himself which he did in the hug only and broke the hug while smiling at Ary.
Arjun: Chale?
Ary nodded in yes being overexcited. Arjun smiled a little and went with Ary. They reached school and Ary went inside the school. Arjun stayed there only for sometime as he was really not feeling like leaving from there but he got Sam's call and he had to leave.
Sakshi was just playing with her pendent of the chain being all tensed. Mr Mehra saw this and knew his daughter is tensed about something.
Mr Mehra: Sakshi..
Sakshi: Ji.. ji baba
Mr Mehra: Kya baat hai beta? Kab se dekh raha hoon kisi tension me ho
Sakshi: Baba woh.. Pata nahi kyu lekin man bahut ghabra raha hai
Mr Mehra: Lekin kyu beta?
Sakshi: Pata nahi.. bas tension ho rahi hai.
Mr Mehra was about to say some comforting things when Sakshi's phone rang. She saw an unknown number and picked it up.
Sakshi: Hello...
......
Sakshi (shocked): What???
...............................................................
So.. that's it for this chapter. I know I have not reveal more about Ahana's thing and Sam's reaction but things will unfold gradually. I am still figuring out how to showcase it so it will take some time.
Now guess who may have called Sakshi and why she was shocked. Though I am pretty sure you guys will guess it correctly.
Kindly give some inline comments so that it motivates me to write further.
Thank you