XOMANTORAL

Chapter 22

Arohan took a step back. He couldn't understand what Rohan was saying. He said,

"Ki hoise maar?"

The question was more like a doubt than a question. He didn't love his mother. But.... but she was still his mother! How could he hate her? In all these years, it was the first time, he called his mother 'Maa'. He sat down on the couch. He was just waiting for an answer, wishing it was nothing but a trap to bring his mother close to him. Rohan was standing still, saying nothing. He stood up and went near him. He grabbed his shoulders and said, almost shouting,

"Ko Rohan, ki hoise maar?" 

Rohan looked at his eyes. He gave a faint smile and said,

"Sage tor obhixaap lagise."

Smack!!! Arohan placed a full blow slap on Rohan's cheeks. He almost fell on his knees, but somehow controlled himself. His fists tightened and his eyes were red. Arohan bent and grabbed his collars. He looked at Rohan's eyes and said,

"Kobo ki khujiso toi? Huh?"

Rohan was furious. He pushed Arohan and said,

"Ki bhul kolu?"

He again pushed Arohan. This time, Arohan fell on the couch. Rohan sat on his knees and moved close to Arohan. He whispered,

"Mar eitu condition tor keroneye hoi Arohan! Kebol tor karone."

Arohan kept sitting on the couch. He put his hands to his head and brushed his hair back. Rohan went to the door. Tears rushed down Arohan's eyes but didn't touch his cheeks. It kept falling on the floor. He said,

"Rohan, please. Mar ki hoise koi jaa." 

He stopped on the door, grabbing the handle. He put his head on the door and said,

"Last keibosor pora depressionot ase maa. But, last year she was diagnosed with kidney failure. Teu surgery kora conditionot nai. Dialysis soli ase. Nathakibo besi din. Parile jibonor xomosto kosto pahori ebaar sai ahibi tok jonmo diya manuh gorakik."

He couldn't control his tears and rushed out of the room. Arohan kept sitting on the couch, for don't know how many hours. His head was covered by his arms. Suddenly, someone knocked at his door. He sat up and wiped his tears. He said,

"Come in."

As he was rubbing his hands on his pant, a colleague came in. He was looking at the file on his hands. He said,

"Sir, eikhinit kiba eta milaa nai. Ebar budget tu sai dibo neki?"

He turned back as the man looked up. He turned his head to the side and said,

"Thoi jua. Saai dim diya."

The man looked over his shoulders. He said,

"Sir, olop xonkale kori dibo neki?"

Arohan almost shouted,

"Saai dim buli koisu nohoi. Next question nokoriba."

The man silently went out of the room. He turned back and sat on his chair. Tears were still coming out of his eyes. He hated his mother. But? Now he was crying, for her. Every tear, he shedded belonged to her. he leaned his head on his chair and stared at the ceiling. His heart ached, worse than he ever felt when his mother left him, without trying. 

Rohan messaged Aditi. 

"Kolu iyaak. Please sombhali loba. Hiyaa ujaari ulai gol kobo nalaga kotha."

Aditi was scared. She rushed to Arohan's room. She knocked, but got no answer. A moment of hesitation made her step back, but she anyways went inside. Arohan was sitting on his chair, with no expression on his face. She saw tears in his eyes, as he was looking up. She said,