Stronger Together

6. Question

'Please Anuty don't do this.. don't go! Virat needs you! He is so small.. he needs your love and care Anuty don't do this. If it is because of me you are leaving then I promise I will leave this house.. but please don't leave Virat..', He pleaded looking at Virat who was crawling in the hall and playing with puzzle pieces.

'I don't love him nor I love you.. I just wanted ur dad's money but apparently now he is dead and everything is in urs and Virat's name.. there is no reason for me to stay and take care of that boy who I didn't want in the first place.. it's ur dad's fault..', She said all this bitterly and left the house forever.

Mahi was rooted in his place hearing that. A lone tear tickled down his eyes listening all that harsh stuff from her. He didn't know what to do now.. he was just 12 years old boy and he didn't know how to take care of a 2 year old child.

His thoughts were broken when he felt small hands holding his leg. He had crawled his way to Mahi.. he could walk but not at that speed.

He picked him up and Virat smiled at him. Mahi removed the puzzle piece from his mouth. Virat tried to make him smile by touching his cheeks and pulling it.

Mahi smiled at his efforts and his cute little face. Mahi kissed his cheeks making him giggle.

'B..h..a..I', he said fumbling on the word.

Mahi got moist eyes as he said his first word and it was bhai.. he could not have been this happy. He hugged him close to his heart.

Virat broke the hug and indicated that he is hungry.. Mahi made him sit in his chair which he was patting with his hand as it had a small table attached to it.
Mahi smiled at his antics.. it was if only he was his reason to smile now..

Mahi sat beside him and served him milk with mashed biscuits. Mahi forwarded him and he had it happily. He blabbered so many things at once which Mahi hardly could understand. But nevertheless he listened patiently.

Mahi observed how his smile reached his eyes and how his eyes shined whenever Mahi talked to him. Mahi wondered whether he would be able to keep him happy like this.
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He failed to keep his child happy. He gave him only pain and tears which were soaked in this pages complaining to him that how bad of a brother he is.

'Mahi when are you coming home? It's already 10 pm' Sakshi asked in concern.

Mahi sighed hearing that soft tone. How much they love him? Even though he is behaving like a jerk still they are worried for him.

'I will reach in half hour' Mahi said and hanged up the call. He then noticed that he was sitting in the same position staring that diary for 2 hours.

Mahi looked at the photo frame of Virat and Sakshi which was on his table. Sakshi is pulling his cheeks and he is pouting.

Only one thing that comes to his mind whenever he sees both of them is how their love is unconditional for him. No one has loved him as they both did. One being is life partner and other being his heartbeat, his child, his baby brother.

When he arrived home he saw Sakshi and waiting for him in hall. She looked visibly tensed.

'Finally u came' She said going closer to him.

'What happened?' Mahi asked seeing her tensed.

'Something has happened! Virat didn't come out for dinner and is sitting in the room for 3-4 hours. And I don't even know where is the spare key. When I asked he is saying that it's nothing he is just sleepy. Don't know what's wrong! Do something, I am scared' Sakshi voiced out her worry.

'I will check' Mahi said and went towards Virat's room.

'Virat' Mahi knocked the room.

'Virat open the door' Mahi asked again.

Mahi sighed at his stubborn nature knowing that he is trying to do.

'Cheeku' Mahi said softly knocking again.

Immediately the door was opened only to see Virat with red eyes and his face was fully red. Tears in his eyes which was hurting Mahi like anything.

Mahi went a little closer to him touching his forehead to check fever and his forehead was warm may be due to the crying.

Virat removed his hand from his forehead shocking him and went to the bed without saying anything.

Sakshi too came in the room with dinner plates for all of them. She went and stroked Virat's hair lovingly.

'Don't you wanna eat today?' Mahi asked sitting in front of him to which he nodded in no.

Sakshi also sat beside Mahi wanting to know what was going in Cheeku's mind.

'Why? Why don't you wanna eat?' Mahi asked seeing tears flowing through his eyes.

'I didn't ask you anything for two years. Always did what you liked. I will ask one question to you now and I want an honest answer without giving ur stern looks and all that' Virat said wiping his tears.

Mahi was confused at that.

'Do you promise? That you will answer honestly' Virat asked seeing his confused face.

'Okay I will do that' Mahi said thinking that it would be some random question regarding something.

'Are we step brothers? Am I not your real brother?' Virat asked in a low voice.

Mahi was shocked with that question and so was Sakshi. Virat looked at him with teary eyes for the answer.

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