Broken Illusions

5.

Abhir woke and found some weight on him. He looked to his right and saw his sister sleeping like a baby on him. Just like how he used to sleep with his father. She is the perfect blend of his family. He pecked her forehead and made her lie properly on the bed. He slowly got up to freshen up and go down. He knew today was going to be a long day. He wants to mentally prepare himself to close the past chapters of his life. He woke quite early. He decided to go for an early jog.

He wore his jogging clothes and went outside to clear his head. While jogging he didn't realize he reached the closed gates of the Birla mansion. He stopped in front of the house which gave him only pain. How he wished he could ruin this building entirely. His deep loathing for this place could never diminish. Not wanting to dwell on the bad memories, he immediately ran ahead. He knew two lanes ahead was the Goenka house. He ran ahead. He stood in front of the Goenka house. Abhir clearly remembers how he and his papa were mesmerized by seeing the vastness of the house. They were so shy to come here. But the vastness of the house could never lessen the feeling of loneliness entrenched in the walls of the house. He knew how once this house was filled with so many members. But after Naira Nani's death, slowly the house lost its charm. And now it's just an empty shell of what it used to be. He definitely had some good memories in this house. But not enough to call this house his home. Home was only in Kasauli. A place he never went after his father's death. Couldn't gain the courage to go back to a place where he won't have someone running to him calling nikkeji. He wiped the lone tear and left back to Singhania home.

Manish who was sitting in the garden felt someone's presence nearby, someone who is family but probably, considered his own hallucination. He was deeply in guilt for letting down every grandchild of his. Aarohi, Akshara and Kairav. All three of their lives were destroyed. He should have protected them. He should have been there for each of them. And he failed. He failed as a father to his own children. And his grandchildren. He even failed to raise Roohi properly. Kartik and naira will never forgive him. The tears were flowing freely from his eyes.

Abhir came back and saw his Krishna maasi awake early in the morning. He went and hugged her tightly. The tears that he controlled were freely flowing now. Krishna simply held him and let him cry. Ater Muskaan, Abhir is close to his Krishna maasi. Everyone says Krishna maasi is a carbon copy of his Naira Nani. Afterall she is the first child. After Nani's death everyone found out that Krishna was their lost child.

Abhir's sobs slowly reduced. He wiped them and looked at his maasi. Both of them sat on the small dining table that was in the kitchen.

"Kya hua?" Krishna asked him calmly.

"I miss Mumma and papa. When Abhira called me for the first time, I was shocked. I didn't understand anything when she said Mumma ki death ho gayi. I was not there to protect her. I feel guilty for not being there. She was in danger again and I couldn't even protect. The guilt is so high right now. When Abhira cried and told me the atrocities of the Poddars, I wanted to destroy each and every one of them for even looking at her wrongly. I met her ex-husband yesterday. In court and at night. He doesn't respect her at all. And I am mad at Mumma. She should have called me immediately. Okay I was in a remote place where there were network issues. But what about you all people? Why marry her off to a person she barely knew? Not every stranger is Abhinav Sharma to protect her. Mumma ki galat decision ke wajah se Abhira ki toh zindagi barbaad huyi na. Ek call maasi sirf ek call. You know I think she will never forgive me. Maybe she thought that I would harm my princess again. But maasi believe me I am changed. I would rather die than letting any harm to come to her."

And again, Abhir broke down completely. Krishna held her nephew in her arms.

"Shh meri jaan. I know ki aap change hue ho. And isme aap ki galti nahi hai baby. Akshara ke galat decisions ke wajah se tum apne aap ko balme mat karo. And our Abhira is very strong. And she knows when to take help from family. Now she knows we are here for her. It's fine. Jo hua so ho gaya. And aap yeh baar baar khudko blame karna band karo. Just pay attention on how to handle things from now on. Abhira ko aap apne saath lekar jaa rahe ho. You both need to bond without all these things hanging over you both. We all are here for you both. Never think that you have no one. We are all one big family baccha."