Chapter-41

Hope, you like it... ❤

Tears of longing and happiness kept flowing down their faces until nothing was left. The hatred which Aditya used to think that his father had for him didn't even existed and the bad omen that Harshvardhan thought himself to be was just a thought. The things which made them suffer for years and kept them away from each other were just imaginary. They built walls around themselves to ensure the safety of the other but today, those walls were broken as well. Today, a son got his father and the father got his son.

"I'm sorry, Adi..." Harsh said breaking the hug.

"Why are you saying sorry? You shouldn't say sorry."

"But, because of me you went through a lot...even tried to commit a sui-cide... I'm sorry, Chiku..."

"You didn't mean any of it and...your intentions were not bad...you just wanted to keep me safe..."

"But, because of me you lost your childhood..."

"That was past...it doesn't even matter now...what's done is done...and I'm not angry at you...I never was..."

"Your mother always used to say that her Chiku will grow up into a sensible man...See, seems like she was right..." Aditya looked down in his lap trying to stop himself from blushing. Harsh cupped his right cheek and traced his thumb under his eyes.

"I never noticed how much time went by... it's been so much years...you are a man now...and my time is nearing..."

"Don't say anything like that... nothing is going to happen to you..."

"My deeds are coming back to me Adi...I don't think I'll be able to live anymore knowing how much I hurt you...God is punishing me...When I got my son back, he is taking me away..."

"Nothing is going to happen to you, Pa..."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing is going to happ-"

"No, not this...after that..."

"Pa...?"

"Chiku..."

"No matter how many times I told you to not call me Pa...you kept on calling me....You are Anjana's true son...she never used to listen to me..." Aditya chuckled with tears in his eyes.

"Can I ask you something, Pa...?"

"You can ask whatever you want..."

"Why didn't you ever try to tell me the truth?" Harsh looked at Aditya. He found the seven year old Aditya staring back at him with his innocence filled eyes. Tears ready to spill out of them. The same face which he ignored years ago.

"I was scared..."

"Of what?"

"That I'll lose you just like your mother..."

"How were you so sure about it?"

"My emotions took the control in their hand and my mind stopped working...I just wanted to keep you safe...and I had this thing in my mind that if you will get to know the truth then you will never leave my side and then..."

"It's true that I will never leave your side...I never did. Even when you pushed me away. I was right here. You must have told me. I would have understood just like today...but you didn't trust me enough, I guess..."

"No Adi...no...I trust you with all of my heart...I was just scared...and I am, even now..."

"What makes you feel scared?"

"The loss of the people that I loved..."

"And?"

"That loss was because of me...they suffered because I was there with them... because I loved them... because I'm the problem... I'm the bad omen!"

"You are not, Pa!"

"I am... didn't I tell you everything...about my father, my brother, your mother... everyone....I was at fault and they suffered..."

"It was their destiny, Pa...it was decided...how can you be at fault when you did nothing but just loved them...You are not at fault, you never were..." Harsh looked down at his lap as he traveled down the memory lane.

"Your mind played games with you and you fell into the trap...you believed every negative thought...pushing the positive one at the back...till how long will you keep on lingering on the negative ones...? It's time you keep them away and focus on the positive ones..." Aditya said as he cupped his father's face with one hand.

"Ma would have just wanted for you and me to live together happy...We can't go back in time, let's make up for the lost time...Come back to Mumbai, we'll stay together..."

"But..."

"Please Pa..." Harsh opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out.

"I'll take that as a yes..."

"Why do you resemble Anjana so much? I used to lose arguments with her too?"

"Because I do..." Aditya chuckled. Harsh ruffled his hair and they both embraced each other again.

Zoya stood afar looking at the scene before her. She wiped the tears from her cheek which she didn't even felt streaming down. Happy tears. She was happy for both of them. She looked at them with adoration. But her admiration session was disturbed by the beep of the heart rate monitor. She looked at it and found his heart beat slowing down. She looked at Harsh and saw how his face started to look pale. She rushed out of the room and called the doctor for help. The doctor came and pushed Aditya away while he examined his father.

"You both may wait outside..." The doctor said before they exited the room.

____________________________________________

Was it short?