Arnav's Plight [ArShi] ✔

8 : Hour of Cognizance

After an hour or a half more, I received the call from the hospital people and listened to what they had to say. They said, there had been a lady who came up with the request to do DNA test giving two hair samples and said herself as Khushi Singh Raizada. More precisely, they have confirmed what I was thinking all along. Well, I had been overly intelligent and recorded the conversation. Let's see if that will help me anywhere.

When Aman brought me the caller list of Sheetal, I took my coat into my hands and the office bag along with my car keys and rushed out of the office calling sick. Well, not really, but I wanted to be alone when I reminisce and look at the files. To be true to myself, I didn't feel like doing all this without Khushi. Not that I'll go to her after whatever happened, but being home and in our room will at least give me the satisfaction that she's near. With that thought in mind, I reached home to be greeted with an empty living room.

Knowing that they'd be in their rooms or gone out somewhere, I made my way up the steps when I suddenly halted listening to some sounds. Moving back the same way I climbed I looked here and there for the source. I couldn't understand from where they are coming from except that it's someone sobbing. At last I concluded that it's coming from above, I made my way up something twisting in my heart.

Is it Khushi?

Adding an extra pace to my step, I ran up the stairs anxious to see if the one crying is Khushi. Passing my anxious gaze through our room's open door and then the other's lined up in the floor, I ran to the end of it to the open balcony. It was the place that is built, that is, for looking towards the garden we have at the back of our house. I reached the end of the open balcony, ran to the railing but couldn't find anyone. The most my ears could catch is that the person sobbing is now very near.

Turning back, I saw a small curled up figure at the back of the door. Reaching nearer I saw that it is Aarav seated there and not Khushi. A relief unknown coursed through me and I left the breath I didn't knew I was holding. Don't wrong me, but I just felt it light knowing Khushi is not the one crying here. At least right now. That'd be a pain I can never take.

The sobbing again brought me back to the kid before me and I had no idea what to do? I mean, it's not like I'm this warm type who could console people. No, that's not me. But still, it's not good to leave the kid crying too. Isn't it? So that's what I did next, what came into my mind. I crouched down before him.

"Aarav?" Reaching out my hand, I petted his head.

He looked shocked for a second – maybe to see anyone here to witness him cry – hurriedly wiping his tears. Though they again flowed down even before he could completely wipe them, he looked up with a sorry face.

"Why are you crying?" I asked the obvious question gazing at him.

"I... I am not!" he stuttered not seeing me in the eyes. That's when my eyes dropped down to his hand where he held something tightly. A photograph, I suppose.

"What's that?" I asked pointing to his hands and noticed him trying to conceal it from my view by hiding it behind his back.

"There's nothing here."

"Aarav, I just saw the photograph. Bring it out!"

"There's no photograph,"

"Aarav, don't argue it. I just saw it in your hands..." I can feel my anger flaring the slightest bit. No matter who it is, no one gets to argue with Arnav Singh Raizada. Not even this half a foot kid can do it!

"I SAID THERE's NOTHING WITH ME!" he shouted and I rose from my place because that was the last nail in the coffin. Shouting at me, no... no one dared to do that.