Limits

first step to healing

Vansh knocked twice on Siya's door and waited for it to be opened. When it did, it was Ishani's disappointed face that greeted him.

"What do you want now Bhai?" She asked. "Aap toh apni biwi ke paas jaa rahe the na?"

"Di," Siya's voice chimed from behind her sister, "Bhai ko andar aane do."

Ishani stepped aside and Vansh walked past her straight to Siya who immediately stretched her arms out for a hug.

"I'm so sorry." He mumbled into her hair. "I didn't mean for everything to come out like this."

"It's okay Bhai." She soothed, rubbing her hand over his back. "We don't blame you."

Vansh broke his hug from Siya to look at Ishani.

"Do you blame me?" He asked, his eyes watering.

With her arms crossed, Ishani looked at him with watery eyes. There was anger sitting on her nose, and a deep pain shining from her eyes.

"Do you hate me?" His voice cracked over the question.

Ishani looked the other way to hide the hot tears that were rolling down her cheeks.

"Of course we don't hate you Bhai." Siya tried reassuring him by rubbing his arm.

Vansh kept his eyes on his other sister. "Ishani?"

Her voice cracking, Ishani asked, "Aap ko kya lagta hai Bhai?"

"I don't know." He confesse, his voice trembling along with his body. "For the first time in my life, I don't know Ishani. Kaun pyaar karta hai, kaun nahi..." He shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know."

"Of course I love you." Ishani broke into a sob and ran to hug her brother. Holding onto him tightly, she scolded him, "How can you even doubt it?"

Vansh hugged her back and the two broken siblings tried to hold themselves together. Siya leaned forward and hugged them as well.

"We will always, always love you Bhai." Siya asserted. "Koi aur kare ya na kare, humara pyaar aap ke liye hamesha rahega."

Vansh broke from the hug and held Ishani's face. "Never, ever doubt my love for you okay?"

Ishani sniffled. "Phir aap mujhe door kyun rahe hai?"

Vansh sighed. In a tired voice, he tried to reason with her. "Ishani mein tumhe door nahi kar raha. You have no idea how much it hurts me to have you away from me."

"Then why are you keeping me away?" She cried. "How can you still ask me to stay away after what happened tonight? Don't I need my family?"

Vansh rested her head against his chest. "Of course you do. But trust me when I say this is necessary."

"But why?" She asked.

Vansh sighed.

"Your attitude needs to change Di." Siya's words made Ishani face her. "Aap kab tak itni karvahat lekar ghumti rahengi? Bhai loves you, I love you, Jeeju bhi aap se bahut saara pyaar karte hai. So why are you still so bitter?"

Ishani's face crumpled. "Agar Maa ki tarah sab kho gaya toh?"

A cold fear washed over Vansh. He lifted Ishani's head to make her face him.

Shaking his own head furiously, he told her, "Nahi Ishani. Aisa kabhi nahi hoga."

"Par aisa hi hua hai. Maa se pyaar kiya woh humhe chod kar chali gayi. Papa se pyaar kiya unki maut hogayi. Sunny se pyaar kiya aur usne mujhe itna bada dhoka diya. Aap se pyaar kiya aur aap ne bhi mujhe khud se door kar diya. Sab mujhe akela chod kar chale jaate hai." Her voice quavered.