Lost but Not Forgotten

PART 32

Inside the dimly lit room, Rohit sat on the edge of the bed, holding both Sammy and Moksh close to him. Their faces were wet with tears, and his large hands gently stroked their heads, comforting them like only a father could. Moksh wiped his eyes and then, through shaky breaths, looked up at his father.

"Papa... what happened between you and Virat Sir?" Moksh asked, his voice trembling with curiosity and confusion. "Why do you still hate him so much?"

Rohit sighed deeply, his heart heavy. He gazed into Moksh's innocent eyes and then glanced at Sammy, who looked at him expectantly, her face still showing traces of anger from earlier. He knew that at some point, they would ask. And now, after all these years, it was time to give them some answers.

"It wasn't always like this, Moksh," Rohit said softly, his voice carrying the weight of long-buried memories. "Virat wasn't just a friend... he was family. We shared so many moments, so many victories, and struggles. But things... things changed."

Moksh sniffled, clutching his shirt. "What changed, Dada?"

Rohit swallowed hard. "Trust, Sammy. When people you trust the most turn away from you when you need them, it hurts. And when that trust is broken... it's hard to forgive."

His voice wavered, and he felt his children's hands tighten their grip on him as if they were scared to lose him again. Before Rohit could say more, the door creaked open slightly, revealing Ajinkya standing in the doorway, watching the scene quietly. His face was etched with concern as he witnessed Rohit's vulnerable side, the side that he rarely showed anyone.

Ajinkya hesitated before stepping into the room. "Rohit," he began cautiously, "maybe we should ask them for help. You've been carrying this burden alone for too long."

Rohit looked at Ajinkya, his expression hardening again, the brief moment of vulnerability disappearing behind the mask he had worn for two decades. He shook his head firmly. "No, Jinks. We can't."

Ajinkya furrowed his brow, stepping closer. "Why not? Mahi Bhai, Virat... they care about you. They're here now, and they want to make things right. We're in a dangerous situation, Rohit. They can help."

But Rohit's gaze remained unyielding. "I can't put their lives at risk."

Ajinkya stopped in his tracks, confused. "Risk? Rohit, you're not in this alone. If they're willing to—"

Rohit interrupted him, his voice tense and filled with a mixture of anger and sorrow. "Jinks, they weren't there for me when I needed them the most. When everything fell apart, they weren't there to protect me or my family. And now, after all these years... I can't drag them into this."

He stood up, gently pulling Moksh and Sammy along with him as they clung to his sides, their hands still trembling from the day's events. Rohit's gaze softened as he looked down at his children, but the steely resolve returned when he spoke to Ajinkya.

"It's dangerous, Jinks. More than you know. I've made peace with my decisions, but I won't let them pay the price for something that started with me." He sighed, his eyes filled with the weight of the past. "We'll handle this like we've always done. Alone."

Ajinkya opened his mouth to argue, but one look at Rohit's face told him it was futile. Rohit wasn't going to budge, not this time. Not when it came to protecting those he once held close to his heart, even if it meant keeping them at arm's length now.

As Rohit led Sammy and Moksh to another room to rest, Ajinkya stood in the doorway, his thoughts swirling. He knew Rohit had been through hell, but what had he truly been facing alone all these years? And how long could he keep going like this before it became too much?

Outside the room, the house remained quiet, but the tension hung heavy in the air. Everyone felt it—the unspoken words, the guilt, and the fear of what was yet to come.

**************

Outside the room, the atmosphere was thick with silence. Each person sat in their own corner, still reeling from Rohit's sharp words. The weight of his pain, the coldness in his voice, and the finality of his decision hung in the air like a suffocating cloud. No one moved. No one spoke. It was as if the entire world had stopped, and the only thing that remained was the echo of Rohit's voice telling them they were outsiders now.

Virat sat on a couch, his elbows resting on his knees, staring blankly at the floor. His mind was swirling with memories—flashes of their early days, laughing with Rohit in the dressing room, the way Rohit had always been his go-to person, his best friend. He thought of all the moments they had shared—every victory, every tough loss, and every personal celebration. They had been inseparable once. And now, after twenty long years, he had found Rohit again, only to be shut out like a stranger. The guilt gnawed at him, making his chest feel tight. He clenched his fists, frustration building inside him.

Nearby, Mahi Bhai sat in a chair, his fingers gripping the armrests. His eyes were closed, but the images of Rohit from back then played vividly in his mind. The younger Rohit, full of life and energy, always joking around, the "Hitman" who could carry the weight of the team with a smile. Mahi had always been like an older brother to him, but now that brotherhood seemed shattered. He replayed the day Rohit needed him the most—the day they failed to stand by him. Mahi's jaw clenched as guilt weighed heavily on his heart. He had always prided himself on being dependable, but when it mattered the most, he had let Rohit down.

Across the room, Jassi and Harry sat together, their usually carefree personalities muted by the somberness of the moment. Jassi, who had always idolized Rohit as his "bhaiya," couldn't stop the feeling of shame that settled over him. He remembered every time Rohit had been there for him—whether it was on the field, giving him guidance, or off the field, treating him like family. And now... after everything, Rohit wouldn't even look at him. Jassi's hands trembled slightly, and he cast a glance at Harry, who looked equally lost.

Harry, who had grown up under Rohit's protective wing, remembered the days when he would joke around with his "second kiddo," how Rohit would ruffle his hair or scold him like a true elder brother. Harry had always looked up to Rohit for more than just cricket. Now, seeing him so closed off, so cold, it hurt in a way he couldn't put into words. He wanted to reach out, to fix things, but he didn't know how.

Anushka and Sakshi sat next to each other, their eyes glistening with unshed tears. They had seen the pain in Ritika's eyes, the way she had struggled to tell the story, and the immense burden she had carried. Anushka remembered every dinner they had shared as couples, how happy and close-knit they once were. Ritika had been like a sister to her. And now, knowing that Ritika had suffered in silence all those years while they had been oblivious, made her heart ache.

Sakshi looked toward the closed door where Rohit and Ritika had disappeared. She couldn't forget the countless memories, the family moments, how they had always been together. And now, they were all so far apart. She knew that there was nothing they could say to undo the pain they had caused, but she wished for a chance to explain, to make amends.

Even the kids—Vami, Ziva, and Akkay—sat quietly, huddled close to their parents. They didn't fully understand the gravity of what was happening, but they could feel the tension. Vami, who had always adored Rohit and called him "uncle," was confused. She remembered him from her younger days, always being funny and playful with her. But now, she had seen the anger and pain in his eyes, and it scared her.

The memories of their past moments with Rohit and Ritika played over and over in each of their minds, like a movie they couldn't turn off. They remembered the laughter, the joy, the victories, and the closeness. But now, all of that seemed distant, almost like a dream. They had once been family, and now they were just outsiders.

The silence in the room was broken only by the occasional sigh or shifting of a chair. They all wanted to speak, to say something, but no one knew where to begin. The guilt, the regret, the hurt—it was too much to put into words.

As they sat there, lost in their thoughts, the reality of how much they had lost in those twenty years began to settle in. They had not just lost Rohit—they had lost a part of themselves too.

*******

one of the longest chapters I have written!

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