Is forever for R.E.A.L?

Chapter 23: Back to present

“It’s not your fault Larry.” I said knowing it won’t make any difference.
“It is. He said it himself.” Larry replied.
“But you shouldn’t.”
“I killed him. I cheated on my best friend.” He said with the same pain on his face he had since all these years.
“No. It’s not your fault.” I said trying to reason with him.
“Leave it.” He said and left the room. Even though, I knew it was wrong, I checked the whole room and didn’t find anything. Anything except a number on his phone which he had often rejected. As he had not blocked the number yet, I deduced it was someone he knew. As it was not saved, I ran the number through True caller and it was Ashish who had been calling him. I called him from my phone after noting down his number.
“Hey.” I said a little awkwardly.
“Who?” He asked.
It felt a little rude that he didn’t even say hey. But it was hard to expect politeness from someone who lost one of his best friends to death and one is not talking.
“Rahul.” I said.
“I don’t know any Rahul. Sorry. It could be a wrong number.” He said.
“No. I know you.”
“Who are you?”
“I am Larry’s brother.” I said.
“Larry never said that he had a brother.”
“I am his cousin. He didn’t know me then.”
“How can someone not know their relative?” he asked.
“It’s a long story. I would tell you once we meet.” I said.
“You don’t even know me properly. Why do you want to meet me?” he asked.
“I know everything about you. Larry told me whatever happened.”
“Ohhh.” There was an awkward silence for a minute until Ashish broke it.
“Why do you want to meet me?” he asked.
“It’s about Esha and Larry. I am not convinced that whatever happened was the end to it.”
“Why? What do you mean?”
“I don’t know. It’s just that all this feels incomplete.”
“Can you explain properly?”
“We have to meet first. If you don’t mind.” I said.
“I don’t. What about Larry and Esha?” he asked.
“We shouldn’t tell them at first. At least I feel so.”
“Okay.”
“When and where should we meet? I don’t know this place properly.” I said.
“Raheja Heights.” He said.
“Okay.”
 
I left the house and hired a rickshaw to reach Raheja heights. Ashish was there already, looking a little disturbed. It would not be easy for him to talk about it.
“Hey.” I said.
“Hey.”
“Let’s sit down.”
“Sure.”
“Let’s order?” I asked.
“I am sorry if I am rude but can you explain what were you telling on the phone first?”
“I don’t think so it was just a coincidence you both were in a accident.” I said.
“What do you mean?”
“I feel it was all planned.” I said.
“Who would do so?”
“I don’t know. But it feels a little suspicious. And wasn’t Rehan dying a little sudden?”
“I didn’t understand. The doctors said his life was in danger. His death was expected.”
“But his dying the same night he was admitted? Isn’t that suspicious?” I asked.
“I don’t know. Like we were too occupied with grief to anything like this.” He said.
“I can understand.”
“But can I ask something?”
“Yes.”
“Larry never mentioned you. He didn’t tell he had a cousin. Do you know why?”
“He didn’t know me. I am a relative from his mother’s side who was a Hindu and he is a Christian. My grandparents didn’t allow her and Peter Uncle’s marriage so they ran away. His mother and my grandparents broke ties with each other and asked the rest of the family to do the same. That’s why we didn’t know each other until my grandparents recent death.”
“Ohh. Great.” He said.
“I think we should make Esha and Larry meet. We need to find the truth behind this.”
“Okay. I will bring Esha here and you bring Larry.”
I agreed and left. I reached home and had dinner. Everything was going good until,
“Why is Ashish’s number on your recent calls?” Larry asked.