The Bond Of Threads

2. Getting a Life

The world changed upside down for everyone.

Rivaan and Shirom were staying with their grandfather, who was trying his best to keep the boys occupied. He knew how terrified and lost the boys were.
Rivaan was trying his best to co-operate but his young yet mature mind could understand the situation that his family was going through. He was worried for his lost siblings

Shirom was a different case altogether. His parents had lost a year-old baby, but he lost his sister as well as his parents. Both Nisha and Vishal were not in right state of mind to think straight.
He was at a loss.

Nihaar was discharged in a week. When he opened his eyes in the hospital, his eyes wondered everywhere to find his twin. He had never parted from his twin, not even for an hour. And now, when he could not find him around, he could not take it well.
When he asked about Nakul, both his parents went quiet and Karuna rushed out to stop herself from breaking down. Vikrant tried his best to attend his son, but little Nihaar was adamant on seeing his twin.

Vikrant somehow managed to keep the boy under the influence of medicine. His tiny body could hardly keep awake.
When Nihaar was carried home by Vikrant, he was still under deep sleep. Karuna somehow gathered herself and pushed her grief away to take care of the child that needed her tender care.
It was finally a limit for Nihaar. He cried that day, asking for Nakul. He was under the impression that it was somehow his mistake that he was hurt and that was his mother's way of punishing him by separating him from his twin.

"Mumma!" He cried, holding on to Karuna's hand. "I will never do mischief again, Mumma. Please, don't separate me from Nakul. I will behave.. Promise."

Nihaar had cried and Karuna cried harder holding him. She could not forget the cursed moment when she said those hurtful words and they turned out to be true. She just could not forgive herself.

Rivaan stroked sleeping Shirom once again. He was desperately waiting for his grandfather to come home. Shirom was burning with fever since he came back from school. He had not eaten anything and slept on the sofa, without even changing.
Rivaan rushed to the window as he heard the car enter the premises. A sense of relief washed over him when he saw his grandfather step down the car. He rushed out of the room and down the stairs and flung himself at his grandfather. It was sheer luck that his Mr. Vivek was on alert and caught the boy the last minute, before he could hurt himself.
Rivaan finally broke down and Mr. Vivek was taken aback.

"Rivi? What's wrong?" He asked in concern, stroking Rivaan's hair.

"Romi.. He is sick." Rivaan replied in a small voice.

Mr. Vivek did not expect this. He guided Rivaan to the room that the boys shared. He was moved to see Shirom still in his school uniform and lying on the sofa. His face was pale. His lips were dark red due to high fever and he was suffering with slight chills.

Mr. Oberoi checked the boy and looked at Rivaan. "Did he eat anything?"
Rivaan shook his head in denial.

Opening his bag, he fetched an injection and pierced it in Shirom's left arm. He called for help and had Shirom shifted to the bed and changed his clothes. Shirom groaned lightly when his grandfather wiped his body with cold wet towel before dressing him again. Rivaan observed his grandfather, holding onto the poster of the bed.

Mr. Oberoi looked at the silent and scared boy and guided him to kitchen. He lovingly coaxed Rivaan to eat since he was sure that the boy was hungry too. He had ordered the staff to cook lentil porridge for Shirom. Once Rivaan was well fed, he walked to Shirom's room, with the bowl of porridge. He had a tough time waking Shirom up. Mr. Oberoi coaxed Shirom to sit up and Shirom immediatly protested. Rivaan supported him to sit up while his grandfather gently tapped Shirom's cheek and pushed his hair back.