𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒐𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑹𝒊𝒅𝒆

PART-34

Manjhale bhaiya = Middle older brother

Bhabhi = Elder brother's wife

Shravan Kumar = Shravan Kumar was a devoted son who carried his blind parents on a pilgrimage, showcasing ultimate filial piety.

-*-*-

The sun stood at its zenith, casting a warm glow over the house as it occasionally peeked through the dark clouds drifting lazily across the sky. The chirping of birds and the gentle gusts of wind broke the suffocating silence that had settled within the empty living room. The walls, adorned with family photos, seemed to echo with memories, their smiles frozen in time. The furniture, once alive with laughter and conversation, now stood silent and still.

DING DONG! DING DONG!

Anusuiya emerged from one of the rooms, her face blank, emotionless. Her blue cotton saree rustled softly as she walked toward the main door, the gentle jingle of her payal and bangles whispering faintly behind her.

The door creaked open, allowing a cool breeze to slip in like a thief seizing an opportunity. Anusuiya's eyes locked onto the person at the door for a moment before she turned and walked back inside.

"You returned very soon," she said, her voice dry and detached, her eyes fixed on the floor ahead.

Aanand followed closely, his white kurta swaying gently with each step, his gaze glued to her back.

Anusuiya pushed open the bedroom door and moved toward the bed, where clothes lay scattered haphazardly. She began folding them with deliberate precision.

Aanand sat down on one corner of the bed, his eyes still on his wife. "Maiyaan said she'll be living in Prayagraj from now on. I'll be transferred to another city in six or seven months, so it's better for her to stay there... among family."

Anusuiya's hands paused for a moment, her fingers hovering over a folded saree, before she continued.

"H-How is Rudraksh?" Aanand asked softly, hesitant.

"Alive."

Aanand's eyes dropped, his fingers absently rubbing the fabric of his kurta above his thigh.

Anusuiya's eyes welled up, her chest tightening. "The doctor said he needs therapy." Her throat bobbed as she swallowed.

"I am... sorry, Anusuiya," Aanand whispered, unable to look into his wife's glistening eyes.

Anusuiya let out a dry chuckle, looking at her husband with narrowed eyes. "Sorry," she repeated. "Do you forgive a culprit after they say this word in the courtroom?" Her voice cracked, and a tear rolled down her cheek.

Scoffing, she returned to the clothes, her hands folding and refolding them with jerky movements. The fabric rustled and crumpled beneath her fingers.

"Three years and nine months," she said through clenched teeth. "My Rudraksh was only three years and nine months old."

With a sudden movement, she threw the cloth onto the bed, the fabric scattering across the sheets. "Because of you!"

Aanand's head snapped up. "Anusuiya-"

"What Anusuiya?!" she burst out, leaning forward, her arms rigid at her sides, her eyes blazing. "You and your father both said that witch would love my son more than anyone-that I shouldn't worry! Your father didn't even let us meet him! Why? Because that would've helped my son stay attached to that gutter's insect! Did you see how much she cared?!"

Aanand's eyes fell to the scattered clothes. "Anusuiya... we did what we thought was right at that time," he mumbled. "She was dying. And giving Rudraksh to her was the only way to save her. You had seen how much she used to love him."