Sense & Sensibilities

Arjun

Arjun woke up to a new, unknown life feeling lighter than ever.

Sure, his body ached, mind was blank and his chest hurt while he breathe. There were countless nurses and doctors catering to his needs, so many tests and medicines and reports that he was exhausted after a days end. He was alive – it was a miracle apparently. He got the wound exactly where he was hit not a few months ago, when he had hallucinated his colleague and cursed himself for the same.

But he was alive. In this new, strange life where he wasn't supposed to. But he had a coin in between his fingers, and realised once again a higher power has made a dent in his plans. He had thought he will die, had made peace with himself, his failures and achievements. He had planned the same when he was captured out there, facing his greatest enemy. But he survived, and he realised, this was his chance. To fix his life.

To live his life.

A burst of warmth bloomed in his chest.

He woke up one day to familiar murmur of voices, and saw his mother. His head whipped to the corner of room- his father was there too. He stopped talking the moment he felt his son, and walked out of the room after a few moments.

His mother leaned close, running fingers through his hair, and Arjun fell asleep once again.

For recovery, his parents took him to their house – his house, he corrected in head. The house was a home for two decades of his life, until he veered away and severe all ties. His knees tremble and throat dried up as he walked through the familiar door- his entire life flashed in front of him. His childhood. His laughter. His mother's embrace. His walking away forever- until he returned again.

His mother was ecstatic. His father kept his distance, even though Arjun heard his hushed tone behind walls. Did Ajju take medicine? How's he feeling? Does he need anything? But he will never get inside his room, will never ask him. Once upon a time, Arjun had thought he was exactly like his father. Stubborn, egoistic to a fault.

Now that he's died twice over, he understood the distance better.

Sometimes he think maybe coming here was wrong – once again he's setting up his parents for another round of heartbreak. But Rathore had decided, his parents had joined him. Arjun didn't have any choice, his injuries were too serious for him to live alone and tend to himself.

Apart from his mother's care, father's Silence and ocassional messages from Rathore, he has another companion – Arjun was amused when he saw it. After all these time, the book had once again made its way towards him. Maybe he will have some different perspective on wuthering heights. Maybe he will speak about that to Riya the next time he meets her.

Speaking of Riya, she's terrible with messages. She calls less too- so it falls on him. He don't care why he does it, don't bother to lie about it in his head or make excuses. He let his heart lead and mind follow whatever it wants.

One day, he asks his mother, "How do I make up for this?"

She smiles and ruffles his hair- he used to be annoyed at that before. "There is nothing to make up for."

He walks to terrace one night, spots his father and moves closer to him. He don't leave this time.

"How do I make up for my mistakes? How do I apologise?" he asks because he don't know how to. He had never thought he will return here, that they will care for him after everything. He realised his fault- he had ditched them, left them twice over. Once, when his father didn't agree for Roshni. Two, when he went on his revenge path and ignored their cries to take a step back and mourn. He had cut his ties because in his head, they weren't worth it. But for his parents, He wasn't a lost cause. They cared, even though he has failed so bad.