Abhinav

Part 20 - Trouble

Abhinav rushed out of the airport, running towards the Goenka car. He saw Akshara waiting for him and quickly placed his luggage and sat besides her in the back seat. 'Kamal ji, hurry to Abhir's school'.
The driver looked at Akshara for confirmation, confused and she shook her head. 'Goenka House, Kamal ji'.
'Akshara, we will reach there by 3:30 p.m.! Principal Madam won't leave the school before 4:00 p.m.'.
'Abhinav, Miss Jain went home early today as she wasn't feeling well. Her secretary informed me about the cancelled appointment. Your phone was on airplane mode, so I couldn't tell you'.

Abhinav sank in the seat, disappointed. It was Wednesday and he still hadn't figured out what was troubling Nikkeji. Late Sunday night, Neelamma's neighbour had called, panic stricken. Neelamma had been admitted to the hospital due to breathing problems. Abhinav and Muskaan had rushed to Kasauli and Abhinav came back as soon as Neelamma got discharged. Akshara had asked him to wait till the weekend atleast but Nikkeji's morose face haunted him. Neelamma was out of danger, Muskaan was more than capable of taking care of Neelamma and Kairav would land from the Middle East on Friday, heading straight for Kasauli.

Abhinav leaned his head against the window glass, wishing circumstances were different. Abhir had needed him but he had once again let him down. Fate is once again showing me my place. That I am not meant to be Abhir's Papa.
Abhinav wiped his tears against his shirt sleeve before Akshara could see them.
He heard Akshara's sigh and felt her lean into him. 'Love, don't be disheartened. I have already taken an appointment for Thursday morning. Just a few hours more, okay?'. Abhinav kissed the top of Akshara's head. He had forgotten how perceptive his wife was.

Abhinav had planned out everything in his mind. He would make an excuse of stomach ache at the last moment and not enter Miss Jain's cabin. My English language skills are poor. I am a nobody, not a Goenka nor a Birla. No riches, no class, not even a real surname. I won't embarrass Abhir like that. No one will come to know that I am his Papa. While Akshara was busy in the Principal's office, Abhinav had decided to pretend to be Akshara's driver and strike a general conversation with the peon, leading the topic gradually towards Abhir and gain information about Abhir's behaviour and friends. Grassroot information that the Principal couldn't have. The information from the Principal and peon combined would definitely give Akshara and him a strong lead about what was bothering Abhir. He kept the plan to himself as he knew Akshara would explode in rage on hearing about the driver part as would the entire Goenka family.

Abhinav had also booked an appointment with Aarohi ji under a fake name, so that Aarohi ji wouldn't get in trouble with Mrs. Manjari. He had observed that Mrs. Manjari kept a hawk eye on Aarohi as she was the most sympathetic towards Akshara, Abhir and him. Aarohi ji no longer worked with heart patients, so Abhinav was sure Abhimanyu and his paths wouldn't cross in the hospital. He wanted to contact Shefali ji too but couldn't think of a way without drawing unwanted attention. Abhinav decided that it would be best to ask Aarohi ji about how to contact other Birlas willing to help Akshara and him to help Abhir.

He wanted to keep Akshara as far as possible from this plan of action because of the vicious way in which Mrs. Manjari tended to respond to Akshara. Abhinav knew that it was because Akshara was no longer willing to the caged bird that Mrs. Manjari desired but instead a fierce individual willing to challenge even her when wrong. Abhinav boiled at the hatred that flowed for Akshara from Mrs. Birla's words and actions but kept it all inside him because he didn't fully understand relations. The one card Fate hadn't dealt to him was the relationship card and it was one he had found along in his journey; first with Muskaan, then Neelamma, Akshara. Nikkeji. Abhima..Dr. Birla. Goenkas. Fate wants back the card that wasn't meant for me. And that scared Abhinav like nothing had ever in his life.

Abhinav's dark mood continued till the next morning when Akshara told him that Principal Madam was on sick leave again. The appointment had been rescheduled for the next day.
'I shouldn't have gone to Kasauli, Akshara', said Abhinav, holding his head in his hands,'The doctors were required, not me. I shouldn't have underestimated Muskaan. In Kasauli, neighbours are second family. No one would have deserted Neelamma. Abhir is a kid, he needed me more than Neelamma. And I didn't want you to go to the meeting without me and now.. What a fool I am!'.
'Abhinav, I didn't want to go meet the Principal without you either. Abhir's issue will take time to resolve, it won't happen in a day or a meeting. I should have gone to Kasauli too.. Don't deny it! Neelamma is my family too and I should have been there for her. I just couldn't bring myself to leave Abhir without a parent in Udaipur. What matters is Neelamma is recovering well and we will get Abhir back to normal. No harm done'.
Abhinav nodded, feeling a little better. Tomorrow. From tomorrow, his Nikkeji's life will change for the better.

Late evening, when Abhinav was helping Badi Maa in the kitchen for dinner preparations, he heard someone shouting in the Hallroom. Badi Maa and Abhinav exchanged a look and went running and Abhinav saw Akshara hurrying down the stairs, her law book in her hands, open to the page which she had been reading before the interupption.
'Where's Abhir? Akshara, where have you hidden my grandson? TELL ME NOW!'.
Abhinav looked on confused, as Abhimanyu appeared in the doorway, panting, out of breath.
'What? What are you talking about?', asked Akshara, her voice barely a whisper. Abhinav felt warning bells going off in his mind. He couldn't understand exactly what was happening but he felt that something terrible was coming.
'See, Abhimanyu. I told you! I told you that this murderer was going to snatch away...'.
'ENOUGH!', came Bade Papa's voice from outside before Abhinav could respond. Pushpak took away Bade Papa's briefcase as he walked towards Manjari. 'How dare you stand in my house and falsely accuse my daughter? Swarna, why are you standing still over there while she is talking in this tone to our Akshara?'.
'Manish ji, she just entered and said something about Abh..'.

Abhinav felt that pounding in his head he had felt earlier and dread rose inside him like a snake, coiling around his muscles, such that he couldn't move, he couldn't speak. Where have you hidden my grandson? Abhinav looked at Akshara , willing her to defy his negative thoughts, to tease him about being over protective. He saw his own dread mirrored in her eyes and his heart sank. As if from a great distance, he saw Akshara approach Abhimanyu, 'Where is Abhir, Abhimanyu?', Abhinav heard the broken voice, the disbelief in it as well as the unshed tears, 'Call him. I want to talk to him'.
'He isn't in Birla House, he hasn't returned home from school', Abhimanyu said, not meeting Akshara's eyes.

In that instant, Abhinav wanted to kill Abhimanyu. His eyes went wild with a terrible anger that he couldn't, didn't want to control. But he had to. For there was not a moment to waste. Papa.

'Akshara', called out Abhinav, firmly, 'lets get our son back'.