Chapter 15: part 13

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NEXT MORNING-

Everyone was present there except for Sameer. Ishu kept staring at Alay. Who was sitting on the couch and Ishu was on his bed. Other's were settled on the extra bed in the room. Kabir was sitting beside Alay and instructing him about the pointers. Vani wasn't there as Kabir said her to be at home.

samar and Nina were observing Ishu. He kept staring at Alay without blinking and then started pouting. samar and Nina couldn't help but chuckle at his cuteness.

Hearing them Kabir and Alay looked towards them.

Kabir- Kya baat hai?

Nina- Kisiko attention chahiye. Kyu ishu?

Ishu- ishu ko toh nahi chahiye mom.

Samar- Thik hai fir. Alay tum na office chale jao. Thik hai?

Ishu- nahi nahi. Ishu ko Alay chahiye.

Kabir- ( he was about to come towards Alay)

Wahin baitho.

Ishu- kyu baba? Me disturb nahi karunga. Pakka wada.

Kabir- Yahan jagah nahi hai ishu. Me kahan baithunga fir.

Ishu- Sammy ke paas. Alay mera hai na.

Kabir- Alay toh mera hai. Mera beta hai woh. toh Mera hua.

Alay- ( his eyes turned misty very quickly. Kaash pehle aap aise hote mere liye. He looked towards me but i continued my work)

Kabir- ( he was about to cry when I got up from my place and let him sit there. He didn't waste a second and sat beside Alay. My phone rang and it was sameer. I looked at Alay, pata nahi is ladke ne kya kiya hai)

Hello, hmm. Thik hai, aa raha hu.

Alay- You won't help baba.

Samar- Kya baat hai Kabir? Or Alay aise kyu keh raha hai?

Alay- I destroyed the sharma and it affected your brother. Or kuch nahi.

Samar- ( I widened my eyes in realization)

Tumne bhai se badla liya Alay? Tum.. Tum aisa..

Nina- bhai, sameer pareshan the. Kya yahi wajah hai late aane ki?

Kabir- Hmm. Kitna nuksaan kiya hai?

Samar- Aap itne aramse kyu puch rahe ho usse? Yeh koi mazak nahi hai Kabir. Maana bhai or mujhse galti hue and bohot badi galti hue hai, par iska matlab yeh nahi hai ki ap dono mere bhai ko taklif do.

Alay abhi k abhi roko yeh sab.

Alay- ( I saved those files and shut the laptop down. I kept everything in my bag and stood up from my place. Looking at this ishu stood as well. I went close to Maa)

Mere ishu ke sath joh bhi hua hai na, uski sabse badi wajah apka bhai hai. Mere ishu ke ansu Or dard ke aage yeh kuch nahi hai maa.

Unhe na shukr manana chahiye ki woh apke sagge bhai hai. Warna bohot bura karta me.

Samar- ( I remembered the scene when Kabir destroyed soniya and her dad. I looked in his eyes and finally realised what bhabhi and Kabir has been trying to say. The immense love and respect he has for my ishu.

I looked beside him and saw ishu holding his shirt)

Ishu- don't fight alay. Sammy will cry.

Samar- ( Alay pulled him closer and kissed his head.)

Alay- relax baby. Your Sammy won't cry. Haina maa?

Sorry Mami, agar meri wajah se apko koi bhi taklif hue ho toh.

Nina- Nahi thik hai or me bilkul hurt ya gussa nahi hu. Bus zyada kuch mat karna Alay. sameer utne strong nahi hain jitna dikhate hai.

Alay- Utna hi kiya hai jitna jhel paaye. Go  baba, but you won't be able to help him in this.

Samar- Kabir help kardenge bhai ki.

Alay- ( I chuckled at his innocence)

Sure thing maa. Good luck baba.

Kabir- ( I looked at him and then made my way towards sameer's office. Pata nahi kya kiya hai isne)

Samar - Alay kya kiya hai? Batao mujhe.

Ishu- Don't shout Sammy.

Nina- Shaant ho jao samar.

( I looked at Alay and I don't know what to feel. Should I be happy that he loves my son so much, that he is ready to do anything or shall I be sad that he is harming my husband's business)

IN SAMEER'S OFFICE-

Sameer- Kaise possible hai yeh sab? Kab kiya yeh us ladke ne?

Kabir- Kya hua hai? Ab bata bhi do. Ethan mujhse pehle yahan aaye ho tum, what is it?

Dono bus apas me bole jaa rahe ho. Pichle 10 mins se same batein kar rahe ho dono.

Sameer- Tumhare bete ne mere company ke 70 % share le liye hai. I don't have anything. He is my boss now.

How the hell did he even do that? Who gave him rights?

Ethan- Apne hi sign kiye hai woh papers. Kabse wahi toh keh raha hu me.

Sameer- I don't remember signing such papers. I don't...

Kabir- Kya hua?

Sameer- Tumhara beta tumse chaar kadam aage hai. Mene bus hospital ke papers pe sign kiye the. I am sure he bluffed me.

Kabir- sach me mujhse kaafi zyada aage hai woh. Tumhare shares apne naam kar liye or kisiko pata nahi chala. Abse saare rights uske. Tumhe har ek chiz k liye uski raay leni hogi.

I am impressed.

Sameer- Tum yahn baithke uski taarif kar rahe ho. Are jaake pucho usse ki kya matlab hai is baat ka.

Kabir- abhi pata chalega tumhe ki tarif kyu kar raha hu uski.

( I dialed his number and put it on speaker)

Hello, sameer ke sath yeh kyu kiya?

(Alay- because zaruri tha. Agar loss hota toh maa ko taklif hoti or woh mujhe manzoor nahi hai. Isliye yeh choti si taklif di hai. Itna toh seh hi lenge.)

Is kadam ki wajah jaan sakta hu?

( Alay- haan bilkul. Ishu ke thik hone tak yeh unki amanat hai mere paas. Jaise hi woh thik honge or sab sambhalne ke liye ready honge, me sab kuch ishu k naam kardunga. Me nahi chahta koi bhi property k liye mere ishu ka fayda uthaye

Or agar meri baatein apne bhai ko sunake hogae ho toh me phone rakh raha hu.)

Thik hai.

Sameer- Yeh ladka. Kabir mere projects line par hai. Usse kaho ki..

Kabir- You heard him sameer.

Sameer- ( I couldn't help but cry. I lost everything. My wife, my son, now these rights)

Kabir- Rone se kya haasil hoga? Tumhe sab thik kaise kare yeh sochna chahiye.

And I am not talking about business. Me rishton ki baat kar raha hun.

Nina or ishu ko wapas lao apne paas. Aisa na ho ki un dono ko tumhare bagair rehne ki aadat hojaye.

Sameer- Me khudko haara hua mehsoos kar raha hu Kabir. Mene sachme nahi socha tha ki mera ek faisla itna bhari padega mere bachhe pe.

I wanted him to be happy. I wanted him to lead a good life.

Kabir- tumne usse Alay se dur karne k liye yeh sab kiya. Itni ghai ki rishte ki. Mujhe background check karne se roka. Yahan tak tumne khud nahi ki.

Mere or samar k rishte ko bure example ki tarah samar ke samne pesh kiya. Yeh jaante hue ki samar ko manipulate karna bohot easy hai. And you know what? Ishu is exact copy of samar.

Soft, innocent and easy to manipulate.

Sameer- Me bus.. Maaf kardo Kabir. Me thak gaya hu. Zarurat hai tumhari mujhe. Un dono ka rishta ( I took a deep breath)

Ishu ki Alay se itni nazdiki achhi nahi hai kabir. Agar usse sachme Alay se pyaar hogaya toh? Me bus issi baat se dar raha hu.

Kabir- Tumhe pata hai tumhari problem kya hai, tum sab kuch dekhkar bhi anjaan rehte ho.

Ishu ko already pyaar hai. Bus tumhari is sochne usse roka hai. Warna aaj woh kahin or hota. Kabhi socha hai ki woh sirf Alay ko apne paas kyu aane deta hai?

Sochna zarur. Me chalta hu.

IN THE HOSPITAL-

It was around 6 pm when Alay had to meet Dr steve. As the blood reports came normal, the Dr said it was safe for his discharge. So, after completing the formalities Alay went to meet Steve.

Steve- Have a seat.

( Ishu came with him and was holding his jacket tightly)

Ishan wahan kitne toys hai dekho. Go and play.

Ishu- ishu baby thodi na hai joh toys se khelega. I am a big boy.

Steve- Achha. Wahan books bhi hai.

( he looked at alay and when he nodded he moved towards the rack)

Alay, kaisa behavior hai iska?

Alay- It's good. Just a bit clingy to me. Baba ko meri tarah baba keh rahe hai. When actually he used to call him bade papa. Baaki sabko same naam se bulate hai jaise pehle bolte the.

And one thing I have noticed is, he doesn't like me calling him ishu. He asks me to refer as baby.

Steve- He wants affection from you. He wants your attention and love. That's what he is doing.

Alay- That's what I don't understand. Hamara rishta waisa bilkul nahi tha.

Steve- but you confessed. What was his reaction?

Alay- ( unke ankhon me apne liye bohot saara pyaar dekha hai. Which he keeps denying)

He refused me. Stating we are cousins and this is not right.

Steve- Maybe he loves you.

Alay- I just wanna know, how can we bring him back.

Steve- Spend the time the way you guys used to. Show him places and recreate the moments. Keep him happy. Don't show any negative things to him.

Don't shout or fight in front of him. Unchi awaz se darega. Because that will only bring him trauma.

To be very precise, we still don't know his past. That what exactly happened after his marriage that led to this. So, it's better to avoid any further trauma. Don't ask him or don't let him recall those things. I am writing down a few meds for him. These will help.

Alay- Thanks a lot Dr. I will take my leave. When shall I bring him back?

Steve- after a month. Let me know then, what changes you see.

Alay- Sure. Thanks once again.

Baby, let's go. Ghar jaana hai na.

Ishu- haan chalo.

Steve- (he held alay's arm and started walking. His walk is normal and not like a baby or anything. What exactly happened with him? )

IN ISHU'S ROOM-

Nina- kya kaha Steve ne?

Alay- Meds likhi hai. Next month wapas bulaya hai. Sab packing hogae?

Samar- hogae. Alay tumne..

Alay- Maa, stop it. Can we just not talk about it? Ghar chalte hai.

Ishu- Don't trouble my Alay.

Samar- ( he hugged Alay close to him. I went close to bhabhi and whispered)

Bhabhi, gharpe kaise manage hoga sab?

Nina- Kya matlab samar?

Samar- Ishu kya Alay ke room me shift hoga? bhai maanenge?

Nina- Yeh toh mene socha hi nahi. Discharge ke chakkar me dimaag se nikal gaya.

Alay- kya hua hai?

Samar- Kuch nahi. Sab pack hogaya hai. Let's go.

Alay- ishu abhi hum ghar jaane wale hai. Darna nahi hai bilkul.

Ishu- Alay mere pass hoga toh nahi darunga.

Alay- let's go.

( I kept the bags in the trunk and gave files to mami. I helped him sit in the car and put the seatbelt on him. Mami and maa kept looking at ishu who was looking out of the window and smiling.)

AT HOME-

Vani- baba yeh wahan laga dijiye na. Mamu aap yeh wala wahan rakho.

Sameer- vani bachhe I am tired now. Pehle hi office me mera sir phat raha tha.

Vani- sorry mamu. I am just excited to give him a good welcome. 6 mahine baad aa rahe hai woh.

Kabir- Let her do it sameer. Karlo beta.

Tum jaake aaram karlo.

Sameer- no I will wait for them.

Vani- Woh log aagaye. This is looking good.

( as soon as they came we clapped and said welcome home. He hid behind bhaiyu and then peaked from there. I think he liked it as he smiled looking at the decor)

Ishu- It's pretty

Alay dekho.

Alay- Hmm, let's get in and sit first.

Nina- Aap thik ho?

Sameer- ( I looked at alay who ignored me and was helping ishu drink water. I couldn't even get angry at him now.)

Thik hu.

Nina- ( he hugged me and kissed my head. We were like this after a long time)

Hmm.

Me khane ka dekh leti hu.

Kabir- I already ordered food. Ishu ke hisaab se mangaya hai.

Ishu- Baba kya hai khane me?

Kabir- Jeera rice, dal tadka and paneer.

Ishu- Thank you baba.

They all went to freshen up and Alay took ishu with him. Everyone came for the dinner and ishu by default sat on his regular place which was beside Alay. They were shocked that he still remembers this and then again he doesn't have memory loss. After dinner they settled in the living room.

Kabir- it was quite a hectic day. Let's rest. Thankfully its weekend.

Sameer- Ishu chalo beta sone jaana hai na.

Ishu- good night dad. Alay chalo sona hai.

Alay- ( I looked at his face and he wasn't happy about this)

Jab tak yeh puri tarah thik nahi hote, yeh mere pass rahenge.

Nina- Uske kapde.

Alay- Mene sara samaan shift karwa diya hai. We will buy new clothes tomorrow online. Good night.

They all went to their respective rooms. sameer was still stressed but nina put some sense in him after which he became normal. Alay helped ishu with his meds and ointment.  He asked to go and change.

Ishu came and kept his head on alays chest and alay as usual ran his fingers through his hair which helped him sleep comfortably.

Ishu got up in between at night but Alay held him close talking softly and he slept again.