Love Me Again

Chapter 28

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long, dark shadows across the vast expanse of the garden.

The day had been exhausting for Ishan, filled with questions that seemed to have no answers.

He sat by the window of his room, his gaze unfocused as he tried to make sense of the fragmented memories that haunted him.

Flashes of the past came and went, like distant echoes in his mind.

He could see Shubman's face, hear the anger in his voice, but the reasons behind it all remained a mystery.

Why did Shubman blame him? What had he done that caused such pain? And whose child was Shubman talking about?

Each question only deepened the sense of unease that had settled in his chest.

Ishan closed his eyes, trying to recall the events that led to this point. But every time he reached out to grasp a memory, it slipped away like sand through his fingers. All he could remember was waking up in the hospital with no recollection of the last six years of his life. His brothers, Rohit and Hardik, had been there, but Shubman...

And then there was Ayansh.

The first time Ishan saw the little boy, something had stirred deep within him, a feeling he couldn't explain. It was as if Ayansh was a part of him, someone he was meant to protect. Despite not remembering the child, Ishan had felt an inexplicable connection to him. It was this feeling that made him take care of Ayansh, even when everything else in his life was a blur.

But why? Why did he feel such a strong bond with Ayansh? Was the child his? The thought was both comforting and terrifying. If Ayansh was his son, why couldn't he remember? And why was Shubman so angry, yet so respectful towards him? Shubman's behavior was a puzzle-he was distant, almost cold at times, but he never pressured Ishan, never treated him with anything but respect. There was anger, yes, but it was always tempered with something else. Was it pity? Or perhaps guilt?

Ishan sighed, feeling the weight of the unanswered questions pressing down on him. He stood up and walked over to Ayansh's crib. The little boy was fast asleep, his small chest rising and falling with each breath.

Ishan watched him, his heart aching with a longing he couldn't fully understand.

Ishan softly, to himself "Tum kaun ho, Ayansh? Aur main tumhare liye itna kaise mehsus kar sakta hoon jab mujhe kuch yaad hi nahi?"

As he reached out to gently stroke Ayansh's soft hair, a sudden flash of memory hit him.

He was in a car, driving through the rain. Shubman was in the passenger seat, looking tense. They were arguing, though Ishan couldn't make out the words. There was a sharp turn, a blinding light, and then... nothing.

Ishan gasped, pulling his hand back as if burned. The memory was too vivid, too painful. But what did it mean? Was this the accident Shubman had mentioned? Had he caused it? And if so, what had happened afterward?

Desperate for answers, Ishan knew he had to confront Shubman again, but this time, he needed to approach it differently. He had to understand what had happened, not just for his own sake, but for Ayansh's as well.

With a renewed sense of determination, Ishan left his room and headed towards Shubman's. He hesitated at the door, taking a deep breath before knocking.

A moment later, Shubman's voice called out, granting him permission to enter.

Ishan entered the room, feeling a nervous knot in his stomach. Shubman was sitting by the desk, going through some documents. He looked up, his expression neutral but with a hint of concern in his eyes.

" Shubman. Mujhe tumse kuch zaroori baat karni hai."

Shubman put down the papers and gestured for Ishan to sit. There was a tense silence as Ishan struggled to find the right words.

"Main... main kuch yaadein yaad karne ki koshish kar raha hoon, lekin kuch samajh nahi aa raha. Tumne mujhe uss din kaha tha ki maine tumse tumhara sab kuch cheen liya. Tum kis baare mein baat kar rahe the, Shubman? Main kya bhool raha hoon?"

Shubman's expression tightened, and he looked away, as if gathering his thoughts. When he finally spoke, his voice was soft, almost resigned.

"Ishan, tumhe sab yaad aane ki zaroorat nahi hai. That memories will only make you sad, Tumhe bas itna yaad rakhna chahiye ki tum abhi yahan ho, aur tumhara dhyaan apne aap ko theek karne mein lagna chahiye."

But Ishan wasn't satisfied with that answer. He leaned forward, his voice trembling with frustration.

"Lekin mujhe jaanna hai, Shubman! Tum kis bachhe ki baat kar rahe the? Aur Ayansh... main usse apne bachhe ki tarah kyun mehsus karta hoon? Kya woh mera hai?"

Shubman's eyes flickered with a pain so deep that it took Ishan's breath away. For a long moment, Shubman didn't speak, as if debating whether to reveal the truth. When he finally did, his words were measured, careful.

"Ayansh tumhara hi beta hai, Ishan. And I'm.. I'm your husband."

Ishan felt the room spin as the words sank in. His mind raced to connect the dots, but it was as if the pieces didn't fit together. Shubman was his husband? Ayansh was his son? But how could that be? Why couldn't he remember any of it?

Ishan whispered "Mera beta? Tum mere pati? Lekin... main kyun yaad nahi kar paa raha? Shubman, what i have I done to hurt you?"

Shubman looked at him, his eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and something else-perhaps a longing for a time when things were simpler, when they were happier.

"Tumhe yaad nahi karne ki zaroorat nahi hai, Ishan. Tumne apne aap ko aur Ayansh ko sambhalne ki zimmedaari li hai, bas yeh kaafi hai."

But Ishan couldn't let it go. He needed to know what had happened, what had led to this fracture in their lives.

"Shubman, main tumse sach mein yeh sab jaanne ke liye pooch raha hoon. Tumhe meri madad karni padegi. I want to understand what really happened that day."

Shubman sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. It was clear that this conversation was painful for him, but Ishan's earnestness broke through the wall he had built around his heart.

"Ishan, tumhari yaadon mein woh raat wapas aa gayi hai, hai na? Jab hum car mein the... jab woh accident hua?"

Ishan nodded slowly, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Haan, lekin main poora yaad nahi kar paa raha. Sirf itna yaad hai ki hum lad rahe the, aur phir... phir kuch yaad nahi."

Shubman's eyes softened, and he looked at Ishan with a mixture of sorrow and understanding.

"Woh raat hum dono ke liye kabhi bhoolne wali nahi thi. Humara argument, tumhari gaadi chalane ki zid, aur uss musibat ne hamari zindagi hamesha ke liye badal di."

He paused, his voice thick with emotion.

"that night you were driving the car.. you lost control over wheel and we got into accident.. in that sirf hum nahi the but my parents and sister bhi the and... vihan our baby, uss accident mein chale gaye, they die and never wake up."

Ishan's world crumbled around him as the reality of Shubman's words hit him. He had caused the accident. He had taken Shubman's family from him. The guilt was overwhelming, a heavy weight on his chest that made it hard to breathe.

"Shubman... mujhe maaf kar do. Main nahi jaanta tha... main bilkul nahi jaanta tha."

Shubman shook his head, his expression softening.

"Ishan, tumhe maaf karna ya na karna now doesn't matter. Now only Ayansh is important. Usne apna bhai kho diya, lekin tum uske paas ho, aur yeh kaafi hai."

Tears welled up in Ishan.

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