Shadowed Secrets

8-Unimagined Reality

Akaansh stood outside the room, his heart aching with an insatiable longing to embrace his child. Yet, a heavy sense of helplessness held him back, like an invisible barrier between them. As he turned to leave, he found Avinaash and Vidya's gaze fixed upon him, their eyes filled with concern and understanding.

Vidya, unable to contain her emotions, approached Akaansh with a mixture of compassion and frustration "Jab apne bache ko takleef main dekh nahi sakte toh kyun yeh dikhawa karte ho?"

Akaansh averted his gaze, his vulnerability exposed by her words.

Akaansh: "Main toh bas aise hi dekhne aaya tha ke awaz kahan se aarahi hai."

Avinaash, sensing the depth of his brother's sorrow, spoke softly but firmly- "Par aapke aansu toh kuch aur hi keh rahe hain bhaiya."

Akaansh stiffened, his guard rising instinctively- "Kuch chala gaya hoga."

He hastily wiped away his tears and hurriedly distanced himself from the situation, seeking solace in his self-imposed detachment. Avinaash watched him with a mixture of disbelief and anguish. How much longer would his brother continue to wear this mask?

Vidya, aware of the pain her husband was enduring, sighed heavily. She approached the door of Ansh's room.

Avinaash, stepped forward-"Rukiye bhabhi, main jata hun."

Vidya tried to speak, her concern evident, but Avinaash interrupted her - "Janta hun bhabhi, apne pass nahi aane dega woh, par kab tak door rahega, janta hun barson ke diye hue zakham itni jaldi nahi bharenge par hum koshish karna toh chor nahi sakte na bhabhi?"

Vidya gently caressed Avinaash's face, her touch filled with love and understanding. She handed him a plate of food and silently walked away.

Ansh's cries echoed through the room as he clung to the guitar, seeking solace in its familiar presence. Avinaash, his heart breaking at the sight of his brother's anguish, gently placed the plate of food on the side table and approached him. With tender care, he enveloped Ansh in his arms, offering the comfort and support he so desperately needed. Ansh, lost in his pain, didn't immediately register who was holding him; all he knew was that he craved solace and someone to hold onto.

Ansh pressed his head against Avinaash's chest and sobbed, his mind playing tricks on him in his vulnerable state. As he looked up through tear-filled eyes, his mind painted a picture of what he desperately wanted to see — his father.

Ansh, between sobs, cried out in anguish -"Aap kyun chale gaye papa, apne anshu ko chor ke kyun chale gaye papa?"

He buried his face back into Avinaash's chest, finding solace in his presence. Avinaash's heart ached as he witnessed the depth of Ansh's pain. He gently caressed Ansh's hair, trying to soothe him "Papa kahin nahi gaye hain, bacha. They are watching us from above."

Ansh's tears continued to flow as he struggled to understand the complexities of the situation.

Ansh cried, his voice choked with sorrow -"Sab... sabne galat samjha mujhe, Papa. Bhaiya... aap toh kehte the bhaiya mujhse sabse zyada pyaar karte hain, hum jisse pyaar karte hain usko itna hurt karte na papa, toh phir unhone..."His words dissolved into sobs as the weight of his pain overwhelmed him. Avinaash's heart bled for his baby brother, the torment he had endured evident in every tear that fell. Each tear that rolled down Ansh's face felt like a searing wound upon Avinaash's own soul.

Ansh's anguished plea echoed through the room, tears streaming down his face "Mujhe nahi rehna papa yahan, aap lejao mujhe apne saath, main aapke paas aana chahta hun."

Avinaash's heart skipped a beat, his entire being frozen in that moment. Four long years without Ansh flashed before his eyes, intensifying the significance of his nephew's words. The depth of longing to have Ansh back in his life, to never let him go again, overwhelmed Avinaash's senses. Tears welled up in his eyes as he looked at Ansh -"Anshu"