A Heart of Stone with a Coat of Gold

Birth of a Man

"He never told anyone, not a word. Not even to Mom." Dhruv went on, his sapphire eyes staring into hers but Anu could tell that he was not there, not really. At the moment he was living that ghastly summer all over again, his soul ridden with guilt.

Anu raised her eyebrows. "But why didn't you?"

Dhruv spoke, his voice lost, as if in a daze. "Yes, why didn't I, Anu?" He shook his head absent-mindedly in an attempt to jerk himself back to reality. He gave her a weak smile. "So the tale continues." Anu glared at him. Dhruv's voice once again turned grave and serious.

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26 years ago - 4 months after the summer

It was 5 o'clock in the morning. Both the boys were on the grounds. It was their daily routine, they would wake up at 4:30 and head there, where their father would already be waiting for them - to prepare them for their 'future'. Strangely though, that day he was late.

"He won't come." Neel finally broke the silence. He whispered as he continued. " A man makes it sure." His mouth was curled up in a smile, one that startled Dhruv a bit. Neel's smile used to have warmth, one which he distinctly remembered. But now it was gone, replaced by a chilling ice that only perturbed him.

He looked at his brother questioningly. Neel, however, took no notice. "Let's take a walk."

It was a quiet morning. Except for the morning sounds of birds and their own footfalls, there was barely a whisper. It was alarmingly calm, one that unnerved Dhruv.

"I heard Mom talk to you about me. You didn't tell her, did you?" Neel asked.

Dhruv bit his lips. "No, I remembered you told me not to. But I am thinking about it." Neel turned back. Anger flashed in his blue eyes, the first time he had seen it. The same eyes as their father's only the brown ones replaced by a blue.

"No." Neel thundered, his teeth gritted.

Dhruv was taken aback. He controlled himself and then shot back. "But she is worried sick about you. Hell, I am worried about you. "

Neel gave a snort as he laughed. "You are worried about me. Why Dhruv, why this morning?" Neel emphasized the last words. Dhruv understood. He was reminding him of the races that their father made them do; the punishment that he got every day after it for losing to Dhruv.

His tone irked him. Not even their father talked to him like that. Who did Neel think he was? "Because we are brothers. And I care about you. Maybe you are too blind to see it in your jealousy. It's not my fault that you lose to me." Dhruv said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Neel merely scoffed.

"Run." He pointed to a tree. "Race with me to that tree."

When they finally reached the tree, Dhruv was nonplussed. It could hardly be called a race- Neel beat him by miles.

Dhruv was panting, his hands on his knees. The words came out in intermittent spurts, his disbelief evident. "You used to lose on purpose. But why?"

Neel stepped a bit forward. He towered over his younger brother. "Because after the first-day father punished you, I couldn't bear it. That's how a man cares, little brother." He stared at him. Blue met with the other blue. Cold with warmth, and it overpowered, freezing the other.

"You say you care. Then don't ever tell Mom. It will do no good. Father has already broken her. So we must protect. A man protects ." Neel turned around and strolled towards their home.

For a moment, Dhruv couldn't process what had just transpired. As he saw his brother's figure recede and disappear in the background, the striking resemblance to their father was evident. It finally hit him at that instant.

Their father. He had finally succeeded.

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The Present

"The case went for ages. Dad was court-martialed after 3 years but the rest of the details were hush-hush. " Dhruv took a deep breath as he wiped the sweat off his brow. "Over the years, Dad really turned mellow. I don't know what happened, or I never tried to know. But Neel did take care of it. Dad even started treating Mom well."

A heavy silence floated in the air for a long time. Anu didn't know what to say. She was still trying to digest all the details. She tried to imagine how Neel must have felt as a child. The agony of a boy who loved to laugh, tormented by his own father. The photo album she had seen at Meera's place flashed before her eyes; the laughter of a child slowly melting into a stony silence.

Like a kaleidoscope another image followed; the image of Neel's back, one she had seen, the scars, torn and bleeding, the extra details added by her own imagination. He must have cried each night, she knew it, but there had been no one there to comfort him, to pat him on the back; he had cried, and cried, until the river of tears, and the blood dried up, forming a thick crust which no one would be able to penetrate.

She winced, unable to go through it further. She turned back to her brother-in-law. "Did he change instantly after that summer or was it over time?"

Dhruv couldn't help but flash a grin, even among the seriousness hanging in the air. "My my, it's almost as if I am being interrogated. " His brows then joined with concentration, his voice showing a hint of uncertainty. "The memories are murky, Anu. I only remember the vivid ones. It's been a long time. After all, I myself am old." He once again gave a sad smile.

Anu took a deep sigh. She tried hard; was there anything else she wanted to know, something that may help her unravel 'the man of the house'?

She finally shot her last question. She couldn't come up with any other. "How was the relationship between Neel and his father over the years? I mean when Neel got older after he became a banker. Your father who wanted him in the army, he must have been disappointed?"

The question clearly shook Dhruv. When he had recounted the details earlier, there had a tinge of sadness, of regret in his voice. But this question; this one clearly distressed him.

"You must think what a horrible man Dad was. " It was subtle, but Anu noticed, his voice had contempt concealed in it.

"I can never forgive Neel for it. Whatever his faults may be, I loved the man. I was the pride of his life. And Dad died because of Neel. In the end, Neel finally did get his revenge."

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Friends a question - How do you feel about Dhruv? Has he been a good brother? I would love to hear from you.

Note - This chapter is dedicated to one who has been a constant comrade on Wattpad over the past couple of months. Thanks a bunch.