Beyond the Past

With all Guns Blazing

Preeta's room 

"What happened King?" Abir asked in a worried tone, "Let that be, first throw that alcohol out, you seem to have had enough." 

"Noo, I am throwing anything out because be thrown away hurts Abirrr, I am never gonna do that to anythinggg," King said in a sleepy tone. 

"King!" Abir tried to scold but there was no response from the other side, "King say something god damn it!" However, there was no reply from the other side. 

Preeta looked at him worriedly, "What happen? How is Jiju?" However, Abir was too busy dialling numbers. 

"Hello? Where are you? Go check on King please," Abir said in irritation. "What do mean by why! He is right in the house didn't you see how much he drank! Just check on him." Abir's jaw was clenched tightly. "Fine, just text me when you see him." He cut the call in anger. 

"Abir, what happened," Preeta asked. 

"I don't know, he was talking about being left and thrown away. Later I think because of all the Alcohol he fainted. I have sent Tarun to check," Abir replied. "Are you sure Pragya Di left him and is with that idiot?" 

"Kiara's words implied so." 

Abir's phone rang, "Ha? Okay, take care of him." Preeta looked at him. "He is fine, fainted due to the alcohol." 

Sushmita looked at both her son and daughter-in-law. She was well aware of what King meant for each one of them. For one he was the confidant that stayed by his side through all the trouble and for the other was that ray of light that brought her out of the suffocating darkness. "I think you should go and visit him," she told them. 

"Wow, we are going to King uncle? Mumma, I will take my new video game, we will do a game tournament!" Neel said with a big smile. 

"No champ," Abir said, "we are going to bring King uncle here, so how about you make all the arrangements here? Plus, it's only these oldies here, Shrishti masi will need your help. Right?"

Neel pouted but nodded. Preeta looked at him and a look of understanding passed between them, "I will go get ready. It's only 3 O'clock right now, if we are quick enough then we should reach there by 10."  Abir nodded. 

"Why 10?" Sushmita asked. 

"Maa, I don't want Preeta to travel by plane again. A car is a better option; although I will prefer if she stayed back, King will probably need her," Abir replied. 

Preeta went into the closet and took all her medicines, and pyjamas. She came out of the closet and Abir and Preeta left. 

In the car 

"Preeta, you have been so quiet since the past half an hour," Abir said. "Say something." 

"I don't know what to think of this as Abir," Preeta said. "The person who hurt him is my sister, by default I am supposed to defend her but there is...nothing. All I can see are her mistakes. I mean how can she do this." 

Abir placed a hand on her hand and soothingly rubbed it, "You don't have to do anything by default Preeta, just do what you feel is right. If it's wrong, I am always there to correct it. As for Pragya Di? I told King not to get so involved, I always felt that she was never as invested in the relationship as he was. Now he is..." Abir couldn't continue, his eyes were red. It was lucky they brought a driver because with his unsettled emotions driving would be risky. 

Preeta hugged him and rubbed his back. Abir spoke emotionally, "No matter what we will bring him back to his normal self."

Abir wiped the tear that was about to slip, "When I was young, my dad used to meet several businessmen. As Indians, we tried to interact with our community as much as possible. On Makar Sankranti, when I was just seven I saw a boy struggling with his kite. I didn't know how to help him, but I had seen Maa holding the string so without asking I held it. The boy looked at me shocked but continued. Later I got to know that the bigger kids were going to steal his expensive kite if it got cut. Since he had no friends, they thought it would certainly be cut.