Tangled ✓

Why he left?

~~Jaiveer~~

16 years old

Finally we are done with annual exams and all I wanted was a warm bed to sink deep into it and never get up. But Maa has strictly ordered us to clean our room and make it look like a mirror.

"Instead of making it look like a mirror, why don't we just buy a mirror?" Robin asked and Maa smacked him on his head. 

"Stop with this over smartness and you are not kids anymore. So clean your mess."

So that's how we started the heavy task of cleaning our room. We collected the waste wrappers and papers. We pulled aside our old clothes and set them aside. I then collected all our school records to keep them in the locker securely.

That's when I noticed one thing which I kept on ignoring all these years. Name on Robin's school records. Robin Sengupta.

Shouldn't it be Robin Dixit.

"Robin!" I called and in return he hummed.

"Come here." He walked up to me. 

"See. Why is it different?" I asked.

He shrugged, "I always write just Robin. I have no idea."

I then, holding the school record of Robin, ran towards my parents room. 

"Maa! Papa!" I rushed through their door and found Papa reading some magazines and Maa adjusting something in the room.

"Jai! Come in. What is it?" He asked, setting the magazine in his hand aside. Behind me Robin too followed me into the room.

"Why is his name different?" I asked Papa showing Robin's school records. Papa's expression turned serious and he looked at Maa. While Maa was crying.

"What's wrong?" I asked. 

"Sit down." Papa said to us. Robin and I sat at the edge of the bed. 

Then Papa handed over a photo to us. It's a photo from their wedding album. I have seen those photos though I don't remember much. 

There stood a man and a lady beside Maa and Papa. 

"This is Madhuri and her husband Nilay." Papa said, "And they are your parents, Robin." 

"Huh!?" "What?"

Both Robin and I asked at the same time. And right at the moment Maa sobbed loud.

"But you are my parents!" Robin said.

Papa smiled lightly, "We adopted you, Robin."

"I… I.. don't….. I don't believe this."

Maa then moved towards Robin and held him tight in her embrace.

"Maa, please don't cry. I don't believe any of this." Robin said, trying to control her and I sat there in confusion.

Wiping away her tears, Maa looked at him, "That is true, Robin."

"Huh!?" That's all he uttered.

Smiling sadly, Maa nodded, "Madhuri was my childhood friend. More like a sister to me."

Maa started explaining and I don't know why but I really don't want to believe that.

"She dearly loved your father, Nilay. He was a very nice guy. But Madhuri's family is very orthodox and sentimental. They hadn't accepted Nilay. Madhuri ran away from home and married Nilay. Madhuri, your mother had an elder brother."