The best arrangement: Between us...

Chapter 17 - In your memories.....

Abhishek heaved a sigh.. The atmosphere around was eerily calm. Most of the people who had come to offer condolences and mourn Siddharth's death had already left. In the large, solemn hall of the Kothari mansion, he was alone... Alone with memories now haunting him. It has been 2 days now, and Siddharth has been declared dead. A beautiful, smiling photo of his now graced the hall. There was a garland of flowers on it, and incense was lit and kept beside it. The wind was howling outside, mirroring his inner turmoil. He was still in a daze, oblivious to his surroundings. He had been crouching in a corner, from where he could watch Siddharth's photo without disturbing the others. Two days had passed, but he never left that spot even once. He was still clutching the bouquet of roses that he had bought for Sid. The flowers had drooped and were beginning to wither. But he still refused to throw it away. He neither ate nor drank. Never did he flinch from his position. He was calm, gazing at his beloved's photo all along, never talking, never crying.

Abhinav could no longer take it, and he approached his little brother. He knew that Abhishek had to accept his beloved's demise, or the suppressed grief would tear him apart. He sat down near him, and said " Abhi, let's go back home..."

Abhishek turned to look at him and replied nonchalantly " No Bhaiyya, I am waiting for Sid.. I have to give him this........ And we have to celebrate our anniversary... He will be angry if I leave before he comes" Abhinav felt his heart shatter into a million pieces. Both Siddharth and Abhishek were little brothers to him. Now, one had left forever,and the other was completely shattered. He suppressed a tear and said in a broken voice " Abhi.... he..... he will never come back..."

Abhishek stared at him in surprise and shock.. He was still in denial and quickly turned away, huddling closer to the wall. " No bhaiyya, he will come.... He will come...." Abhinav patiently went over to the other side, to face his brother. He noticed that tears had welled up and Abhishek was on the verge of crying.

" Abhi.... listen to me... Siddharth has left... but he wouldn't want to see you so broken..." Abhinav was also tearing up, fighting the urge to cry. Hearing him, Abhishek got up abruptly, and ran to the front door like a maniac, shouting " HE WILL COME...... SIDDHARTH....."

Siddharth's and Abhishek's fathers stopped him. He struggled in their grip to break free. Even the 'stone-hearted' Mr. Mehta was grieved at the sight of his son going insane in grief. He pulled him into a bear hug and said " Son, Siddharth will never come to you again....." The weight of his words finally sank in Abhishek's mind. At that moment, he finally realized that he had lost everything...... Tears began to flow unrestrained, and he sank down to the floor. He gazed one last time at the door. Grief was welling up in his heart and he felt himself go mad. Their 'forever' had been pitifully short..

He could swear that he was hearing Siddharth's voice now, a moment later, he could see him in front of him. Voices were ringing inside his head...

" Abhi..... I love you"

" Abhi.. Did you eat yet, you duffer?"

" Hmm, Abhi baby.... why slow down??"

" I will be back by 5. Wait for me..."

" Wait for me..........!"

He could not bear it any longer. With a burst of strength, he shook off all the people holding him and bellowed " SIDDHARTH........... I WILL WAIT FOR YOU......... I WILL WAIT TILL I MEET YOU AGAIN IN DEATH....." He broke down, and sobbed for a long time. At that moment, the wind stopped howling, and gave way to a raging thunderstorm... Abhishek cried his heart out, now curled up on the bare, cold floor. Mr Mehta tried to go closer to comfort him, but Raghav Kothari stopped him " Let him cry it out... His soul has lost it's mate and his heart is now suddenly empty.... After all that we have done to them, we can at least let him grieve for my son. How I wish things never turned out to be like this......!"

Abhishek wiped his tears away, and put on a pained smile. Not minding the shocked and heartbroken people around him, he staggered towards Siddharth's photo frame and knelt near it, caressing it lovingly " Sid.... you are my only love.... I'll wait for you..... I will wait till I am consumed by the same flames which snatched you away from my arms..... I will wait for that day when you will return to my arms.. This is not the end of us... You, and only you will live in my heart... We'll meet again, I'll come to you soon........" He choked on his tears and shouted again " I WILL COME TO YOU SOON MY LOVE........ YOU HAVE LEFT, WHY SHOULD I CONTINUE TO SUFFER IN THIS HEARTLESS WORLD?" His eyes had lost their shine and were now bloodshot. With a maniac grin, he said " BUT BEFORE THAT, I WILL BURN BOTH THESE EMPIRES DOWN. OUR PARENTS WANTED TO BREAK US APART FOR THESE BUSINESS EMPIRES, RIGHT? NOW, WHEN I SINK, I WILL TAKE BOTH THESE EMPIRES DOWN WITH ME..... I HAD VOWED TO NOT LET ANYTHING COME BETWEEN US AND NOW, I WILL DESTROY ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT COMES BETWEEN ME AND MY REVENGE......." 

From the looks of it, anyone could say that things were not going to remain the same as they were before. That disturbing night saw the death of Abhi, and the birth of Abhishek Mehta, the ruthless, calculative man who would leave no tiles unturned to destroy the Mehta group and form a new business association,