DESTINED TOGETHER

Chapter 40 - A father and son

A little boy, around four years old, threw his head back and laughed his heart out, sitting comfortably on his father's shoulders. His father was dancing slightly, shaking him here and there, eliciting more laughers from the boy.

"Harsh! Leave Abhi down. He's gonna be late for school!" His mother chided the father-son duo as she came out of the kitchen with their lunchboxes.

"Huh, as if I'll let my son get late! I'll carry him all the way to school, right Champ?" Harsh retorted as he glanced up at his son.

"Of course, Dad! Maa don't scold Papa!" Little Abhi defended his father. Manjiri gasped before ruffling his hair much to his annoyance. "Maa! Not my hair!!"

"Papa!" He complained to his father with a pout who winked at him, making him grin mischievously. Harsh approached Manjiri and Abhimanyu swiftly undid her bun while Harsh grabbed their lunchboxes and left with Abhi still on his shoulders, with Manjiri scolding them lightheartedly as their laughers echoed in the living room.

*

The same little boy, a bit older, around six years old knocked on a door, weeping his heart out. His bottom lip trembled as he continuously wiped his falling tears away. He could hear loud voices inside,—his parents were fighting and that thought alone pained him. He heard a frail gasp behind him and he turned around in panic.

His little brother who was barely two was standing a few feet away from the room, holding a pillar for support. A confused frown creased on his face. Abhi blinked back his tears and ran to cover his baby brother's ears. His Neil shouldn't witness his parents' fight.

"Neil, baccha... how are you here? Weren't you sleeping when I left the room?" He asked as he picked him up awkwardly, his brother was a bit heavy for him. Nonetheless, he walked back to his room while Neil was mumbling something to his bhai. He placed him in the crib and went to close his bedroom door as he couldn't let his brother listen to anything and went to sit beside his crib on the floor. He starting narrating a story he read recently and few minutes later, his brother fell asleep again. Abhi placed his head on the side of the crib, letting his tears flow freely as he cried silently.

He jumped back on his feet when he heard a thud sound and ran out without waking the sleeping Neil. His parents' room was now opened but the scene unfolding before his eyes left him stunned. His eyes went to the shattered family photo on the floor, then to his parents.

As soon as her gaze fell on him, his mother wiped her eyes and rushed to embrace him in her arms, protecting him from their nasty fights. Little Abhi broke away from the hug as his Papa walked past him.

He held his hand and looked up at his angry father with teary eyes. "Do-Don't leave us, Papa." He whispered as he gulped. "Please... don't leave me..." His voice was so feeble, almost breathy as tears rolled down his cheeks. "I-I... need you, Papa...please." He whimpered.

Harsh's eyes watered as he knelt down to his level, to brush his tears. Little Abhimanyu's eyes glimmered with hope at his father's action but the hope that built up, was brutally, crashed down at his words. "You won't understand Abhi. I'm sorry." Harsh's hands left his face as he released his hand from him in a painfully slow motion, just as his breaking heart. And walked away. Leaving him standing there. Alone. Each of his steps, treading on the broken pieces of his heart.

The leather bag shook wildly under the force of his punches as he unwinded his anger on it. His eyes blazing red with unshed tears, each of his punches consumed by the fire that burning inside him.

'Papa! Papa, please don't leave! We need you!!'

Abhimanyu closed his eyes as he punched the bag harder and faster. His jaw locked, feeling his blood boiling in his veins.