The Exchange

Meri Beti

The moment the doors opened, Manjari set aside the aarti in her hands and ran towards Akshu, taking her into her arms, kissing her forehead, embracing her, crying tears of joy. She cupped her face in her hands, telling her how much she had missed her...telling her how much she had changed...asking her what had happened...but, expecting not a single answer in return for her questions. All that mattered was that she was back...her daughter...and with her, she had brought her son...because as Manjari looked at Abhi standing next to them, she saw him alive again...she saw him breathing again...for the first time in a year. 

Turn by turn all of the Goenkas came up to her, their hearts not able to the bare the happiness, the peace of seeing their daughter back in front of them. They hugged her, scolding her for her disappearance, telling her how they had missed her for every single day of the past year...telling her how much they loved her...concern filling all of their eyes, seeing her face entirely frail, her hair shorter than it ever was, her body smaller than it ever was... knowing they would not get a response from her, they slowly all started looking towards Abhi... 

Neil ran towards his bhabhi, jokingly touching her feet, expecting her to scold him, expecting her to tell him that she wasn't that old...but instead, she took him into her arms and hugged him, uttering not a single word. Neil glanced at Abhi and saw the worried, solemn look in his eyes...this was not his bhabhi...or at least who she used to be...something had taken a toll on her...a toll so big that she had lost her laughter, her sparkle...but he knew that his bhai would bring it back...he knew that his bhai would revive her. 

Admist all of the tears, the smiles, the spirit of reunion, Anand, Mahima, and Harsh stood at the back of the living room, unable to approach her. They needed their answers first. They needed to know where she had been, what she had been doing...and they needed to know how she found it okay to just return one day...acting as if nothing had happened...acting as if she had not ruined Abhi... 

Not able to bare it any longer, Mahima walked up towards Akshu, glaring at her with what could have been described as near hatred. "Taiji....", Akshu said softly, touching her feet. Mahima immediately took a step back, telling her to stop there. Abhi looked at her in shock, trying his best to control his anger. "Taiji..." 

"Nahi Abhimaniyu. Nahi. Kuch mat bolna. Akshara... jab maan aye tum chali jao...aur jab maan aye tum wapis aa jao? Aise life nahi chalti hai Akshara...yeh sab ho kya raha hai? Mujhe jawab chaiye...aur aaj tum he bolna hoga." 

"Akshu kuch nahi boli gi...", Abhi roared, taking his wife's hand into his own. 

"Joh kuch bolna hai mein bolunga ga...." And with that, he told his family...her family everything. He told them how his Akshu had given up everything...her happiness, her voice, her music, her identity...she had sacrificed her entire being so that he could operate again...she had been held hostage by the doctor she had believed to be a miracle...she had been held hostage for over a year...obeying every order thrown her way silently...taking it all...baring it all...for him. Tears rolled down his eyes as he looked at her, telling everyone that no one could ever love anyone as much as she loved him....and if anyone dared to question her or raise their voice against her, he would not tolerate it...he would forget that they were family...he would forget that they were their elders... 

But before he could finish off his warning, Harsh walked towards Akshu, a single tear rolling down his cheek. Abhi stared at him in astonishment...never had he seen his father cry....never had he seen his father express this much emotion...never had he seen such a sight. 

Harsh folded his hands in front of Akshu, bowing his head down in gratitude, in shame...."Akshara...mujhe maaf kardo...please....mein ne tumhare saath itna bura bartav kiya hai...I'm sorry Akshara...I'm so sorry....and thank you. Thank you so much..." 

Akshu grabbed his folded hands into her own and shook her head, telling him to please stop, to not make her feel ashamed..."Sir, please...aisa mat boliye...aisa mat kariye...aap bade hain...aur mein janti hoon aap Abhi se kitna pyaar karte hain...please sir...aisa mat kariye..."

"Nahi Akshara...aisa karna pare ga..." he said, starting to cry...unable to hold back his emotions. 

Seeing his father in this state, tears started pouring out of Abhi's eyes as well. Akshu turned back and looked him, smiling through her own tears...

"Akshara....Akshara...meri beti...", Harsh sobbed, embracing her, taking her into his arms....

And with this sight, the entire room stood shocked, stood in awe. With this sight, Abhi's heart found more peace than it ever had perhaps in his entire life. With this sight, Akshu finally got the love of a father she had been craving her entire life...