Not Her

37. Falak ...

The sudden change in Khusi's posture made Abhay's lip tilt up in a secret smile. He was glad to see that another woman's name from his mouth was unsettling for Khusi.

"She was ... something, a creature from a different part of the world, you could say," Abhay chuckled lightly, reminiscing the old days when Falak had made an entry in the brothers' life, causing havoc.

Khusi was silently watching Abhay as his expression started gleaming.

"I wasn't always the way I am today. Neither this talkative nor so impulsive. But she taught me how to live life freely. Being the elder son of Pranav Mathur, I was expected to be calm and collected, stoic faced and to show as few emotions as possible to the world. It made me feel suffocated, but I learned to live life that way."

Khusi's heart pounded restlessly against her ribs as Abhay continued narrating.

"When Kaushik returned 3 years later, he wasn't alone. She was there with him. They had gotten married secretly and wanted my blessings. But I was pissed, at both of them. My little brother, who hadn't ever bought a shirt without asking me, married a girl, not bothering to even tell me once."

"But Falak wasn't something I was expecting. Did you know how funny she looked, standing behind Kaushik like a scared little mouse, peeking at me from behind his back?"

That image made Abhay chortle lightly, making Khusi smile at the radiance on his face.

"I looked very different from Kaushik. Be it height or my physique. She was terrified to even look at me or speak in my presence. I was a bit upset at her too, for making herself Kaushik's priority over me. I mean, can you blame me? That boy never ever looked at a girl as long as he was here. Kaushik would always try to keep her at ease, but I couldn't help the way I look, now, can I?"

Khusi shrugged her shoulders. She loved everything about Abhay.

"After spending a few weeks with me, one day she finally gathered enough courage to talk to me. She was feeling weak that day, and Kaushik was out."

Khusi swallowed in anticipation and bit her upper lip, "What did she say?"

Abhay's lips titled up in a wry smile, a longing look in his eyes. "Her first word was Bhai."

Khusi's eyebrows shot up. She wasn't expecting to hear that.

"Yes, she called me bhai, and asked whether I could get her some medicine. I don't know why I agreed to get her medicine that day. Whether it was just mere concern for a human living in my house with me, or because she referred to me as a brother, but my heart melted for that girl on that day."

Khusi couldn't help but beam. A sigh of relief escaped past her lips without her knowledge.

"Falak didn't have a strong immune system and would frequently remain sick, but she had her own ways of looking after us. Slowly, I don't know since when, I grew too attached to that girl. She became the sister I never had, and maybe the first woman figure in my life, who cared for me unconditionally."

"You might not believe how frail she used to look, but boy if she wasn't the mother hen of this house. I was a chain smoker, and you won't believe how many times I had gotten scolded from her for this. I could say, Yuti inherited those qualities of Falak quite well."

Khusi nodded her head in daze, her eyes fixed at Abhay's face which was glowing with happiness.

"But then, after a few months Kaushik left for an art exhibition in Bangalore. He was away for weeks, Falak's health started deteriorating. She would faint every now and then and couldn't eat properly. I decided to take her for a check up, where the doctor confirmed her pregnancy."