Beneath The Storm (Completed)

Chapter-24: Whispers of Forgiveness

It was the weekend, and Atharv had decided to spend it at the Rajvansh Mansion, his parents' place.

His arrival for an entire weekend caught his parents, Sangeeta and Arjun Rajvansh, by surprise.

It was a rare occurrence — Atharv, before his marriage, had always filled his weekends with work, barely sparing a moment for family visits.

Even now, after marriage, he and Inaara only visited on Sundays for lunch and dinner, seldom staying long.

This time, however, Atharv seemed different. He lingered in the family rooms, spending time with his parents, which was a noticeable change in his routine.

Sangeeta, who had grown accustomed to her son's stoic and self-contained ways, observed him quietly.

Atharv sat next to them, joining in their conversations in a way he usually avoided.

Yet, behind his effort to be present, there was an air of restlessness that didn’t escape his mother’s keen eyes.

She knew that Inaara had gone to her father’s place for the weekend, and Atharv’s presence here felt oddly timed.

It wasn’t just the physical distance that lingered; something else was weighing on him, something unspoken.

The silence hung between his words, and though he tried to mask it, Sangeeta sensed the unease deep within him.

With quiet understanding, she decided to let him be, silently hoping that his heart would find what it was searching for.

-----

Night had fallen, casting a quiet serenity over the Rajvansh Mansion. Sangeeta made her way to Atharv's room and knocked softly on the door.

Atharv looked up from his thoughts, giving her a faint smile as he invited her in and gestured for her to sit.

“Did you need something, Maa?” he asked, his voice gentle yet distant.

Sangeeta shook her head, her eyes warm. "No, nothing of that sort. I just wanted to spend some time with my son. Can’t I?”

Atharv’s lips curved in a small, almost boyish smile, a rare softness flickering in his eyes. He nodded.

There was a silence between them, a comfortable one, until Atharv, almost unexpectedly, looked at her with a vulnerability that took her by surprise.

“Maa... can I... can I rest my head on your lap?” he asked quietly, almost as if he were asking permission to return to a place he’d once known but had long been away from.

The request overwhelmed Sangeeta. Memories flooded her mind of a younger Atharv, a time when he’d often lie with his head in her lap, claiming it was his “energy booster.”

But as he grew older, responsibilities had taken precedence, drawing a quiet but firm boundary between them. She’d missed these moments.

“Of course, beta,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “You never have to ask.”

As Atharv lay down, Sangeeta’s hand moved gently to caress his hair, soothing him in the way only a mother could.