Phir Le Aaya Dil - Mishbir FF

Chapter 24: A Haunting Past

Chapter 24: A Haunting Past

"Kunal ka bada bhai." Bada papa spoke up confidently, "Iss ghar ka bada beta," He glanced at Naanu, "Abir. Abir Rajvansh."

Badi maa, bade papa, Naanu, Kunal and the entire family quietly observed the minute change in her facial expressions. Her eyes darted both ways, as if she had already sensed the familiarity in his name.

"Bapuji," Badi maa stared at Naanu expectantly, "Abir... kyun nahi aaya?"

Abir Rajvansh – the name sounded like a distant ringing voice of a telephone, a trick of the ears. Mishti may have been physically weak, but she was very well noticing the uncharacteristic behaviour of her family as well as the Rajvansh family at certain instances as such. The motherly concern in her Badi maa's eyes as she asked about the elder son of that family didn't go unnoticed by her, nor did the nervous glances that the entire family shared.

Naanu had no answer. He did not find the courage to lie on a mother's face, a mother who was constantly looking out for the child she abandoned. Fortunately, for him, Kunal came to his rescue.

"Actually, bhai ki tabiyat theek nahi hai." Kunal made a very obvious excuse. Except Mishti, nobody was convinced with what Kunal said, for they all knew Abir would even come around with a broken rib to meet Mishti if he wanted to.

"Ha.. haan!" Kaushal seconded him when he noticed everybody could see through Kunal's lie, "Woh toh bahut excited bhi tha, keh raha tha aaj Badi Maa ke haath ka halwa khane ko milega." He nervously smiled at Rajshree.

Badi maa melted at his words. She was disappointed at his absence, but more than that, she was worried. Worried as to what could have gone so bad that he didn't even show up to meet Mishti once.

"One second," Mishti spoke up, "jo aaya nahi, usse kaise pata Badi maa ne aaj halwa banaya hai?" Mishti raised a brow.

"Pakka Abir ko waha tak sugand aa gayi hogi!" Kaushal commented and everyone chuckled.

Badi maa and Bade papa sitting on either side of their daughter, were quite wary of the changes in Mishti's reaction every time Abir's name was uttered.

"Badi maa," Mishti turned to her, "Please Kuhu aur..." she hesitated, "aur Abir ke liye alag se halwa pack kar dena." She said and continued with her food.

Badi maa sat there staring at her with a stupefied look on her face. Was she the same Mishti who would talk about Abir with love in her eyes? The sense of unfamiliarity for the person whose name was once the only word on her lips pricked Badi maa's heart. It led to her thinking what Abir would have gone through had he been here.

As for Mishti, she had constantly kept a smile on her face. A façade to fool the people sitting at the dining table. To show her badi maa and bade papa that she isn't aware how every single person at the table so evidently held some kind of secret from her. Tired of seeing the double faces everyone kept in front of her, Mishti stood up.

"I'm sorry," Mishti softly called out, catching everyone's attention, "mere sar mein dard ho raha hai." She glanced at her badi maa.

"Are you okay?" Kunal voiced in concern, "I mean, head-"

"Yes... yes," Mishti cut him off hurriedly, "I'm okay." She said and lowered her gaze.

"Mishti, tum aaram karo." Naanu spoke up in worry, "Hum toh youngsters hain, milte rahenge kisi disco pub mein!"

Mishti widened her orbs at his sense of humour while the family laughed. Badi maa stood up and called out for the nurse. Supporting Mishti by her right, the nurse helped Mishti up to her room. The moment Mishti was away from their sight, the faces at the dining table were filled with the gloom of a foggy night. They finally removed the façade of a happy family.