The Rules Of Pursuit

65. The Things I couldn't tell You

Since I had not booked any hotel, I agreed to Vrinda's offer of spending the night at the Chauhan's residence. I was sharing the room with the twins, which meant Vrinda had to sleep with Avi's obnoxious grandmother.

Once I was sure both Ruby and Pearl were fast asleep I Whatsapped their uncle.

Me: Are you alright?

I wasn't sure if he was still awake, but the prompt reply from his end put my doubts to rest.

Avinash: I have to be.

Me: Do you want me to come over?

Avinash: No its alright. You are probably exhausted. Get some sleep.

Knowing him well, I realized what he wrote and what he wanted were not the same.

Gently getting down from the bed and I quietly crept out of the room. Avinash's room was just opposite to the one I was in. Hesitently my knuckles knocked on his door.

I heard footsteps approaching from the other side of the door, before he opened it. He didn't look surprised when he found me standing there, which meant he was probably expecting me.

I walked inside the pitch dark room allowing him to close the door behind me. Brute had decided to stay with Avinash that night. His tail wagged slowly, when I approached the bed.

Avinash sat down beside me, Brute snuggling in his lap. Minutes passed and we sat there silently. I didn't pester him to talk, neither did I give him false hope that everything was going to be alright. I wanted him to speak, only when he was willing to.

"Atleast he didn't have to suffer." Avinash finally spoke after a while, still looking at the floor. I placed my palm on the back of his hand which rested on the bed. He looked up at me, and the mask of indifference he had been wearing, shattered into pieces.

He looked frightened, angry, sad and helpless all at once.

"He will always be alive, through you and Vrinda." I placed one hand on his cheek.

"I didn't get a chance to hug him one last time," Avi's voice broke, so did his resolve, making his eyes pour. "I couldn't even say goodbye."

"There were so many things I couldn't tell him Naxi." The words were punctuated by his sobs.

"There were so many things I couldn't tell you dad." He spoke to the wall infront of us.

"I remember I didn't speak to you for a week, just because you didn't take me to watch the cricket match." I quietly watched him pour his heart.

"Dad you complained that I was always glued to my phone, and hardly spoke to you." Before I could stop him he flung his phone across the room, making it noisily crash on the floor. I didn't attempt to retrieve it as the phone lied on the floor, its battery and back cover disassembled from the impact. "See dad! I have thrown it away. I want to speak to you dad. Please speak to me. You cannot punish me like this."

"Dad I am sorry. I am sorry that I was so selfish and ungrateful." He howled in grief. "Dad remember after Vrinda's divorce, I slowly slipped into the clutches of depression, only you could bring me out of that phase. Dad I can feel myself slipping away again. Please save me dad. I need you to save me dad."

"You know Naxi my grandfather was an IPS officer." He said a little erratically, "He wanted my dad to follow his footsteps, but my dad couldn't. Dad would often lament he couldn't rise to his father's expectations," The ache in his heart, made Avinash's chest rise and fall rapidly. "DAD YOU NEVER DISAPPOINTED ANYONE." Avinash said his voice growing louder. "You were the best son, the best husband and the best father. You were a hero without a cape dad. You were my hero. You will always be my hero dad."