He came back.
Towards his dream and nightmare.
This was the first time he was coming here after 20 years.
Veer was on the verge of hysterics.
The memories were overwhelming.
He wanted to break down and cry but laugh and be happy at the same time.
God he was going to be mad.
He gazed at the dream of his mother and their childhood.
The house was not that big.
It had three bedrooms with attached bathrooms, a living room/dining room and a kitchen.
The paint have started to fade and the garden was not well groomed as it used to be.
Other than that , It had not changed one bit.
He missed his mother everyday. He longed to feel the warmth of her motherly embrace one last time and that was never going to happen again.
But he never had the courage to come here and relive the memories again.
He wanted to forget them but they were too precious.
H
e wanted to cherish them but the pain was too much to handle.
Veer entered the house. He could still feel her presence inside these walls.
He went straight to the room he used to share with Dhruv.
It still had their bunk beds and those stupid posters of Ben ten and Power rangers.
Veer opened the windows.
He had fought hard to procure this room for himself. It had a perfect view of the woods. It may feel normal in the day but it was a sight to see at night.
The woods turned into a land straight out of a fairy tale during the night.
Fireflies would light up the whole place and they look like fallen stars dancing in the night.
His gaze lingered on his old wardrobe and study table that he shared with Dhruv.
He smiled and traced his hands along his old study table.
He still remembered every fight between him and Dhruv to decide who gets to use the table that day.
It was a habit for them.
Dhruv and Veer would fight for anything and everything.
Now Dhruv talked to him only to discuss something about the company.
He scoffed.
Rehan was their no man's land.
Whatever they did , they didn't want anything to happen to him.
They were fully supportive of his decision to become a professor. At least he will get to live his life away from that mess.
Dhwani's question brought him back to reality.
"Where should we keep the bags? "
He turned around to see Dhwani and Mahi standing there.
"There are only three bedrooms and dad is in his room. "
"It's alright. We can share Rehan's old room." Mahika announced.
Arya also joined them.
"Veer turned to Arya , are you okay with that ? "
She was stunned for a second then answered. " Yeah no problem. "
*
Veer went towards the river.
He rolled up his jeans and sat in the banks of the river with his legs in the water.
"Hey maa.
I know you can hear me.
It's Veeru.
I miss you so much maa. I miss you so damn much.
I'm married. Well won't be in a few months. But I'm sure you would love Dhwani.
Dad says that she is just like you.
I messed up everything maa. I don't know what to do anymore.
I wish you were here.
You would have understood me. No one else really does.
I know you will be angry that I didn't visit you yet. I was too afraid to.
I love you maa. I love you. "
"Veer?" Dhwani called gently.
"What do you want?" I asked coldly.
"It's going to rain. Aren't you going to come inside. "
"Why do you care about what I do? Afterall we are going to be strangers soon. "
"How can we ever be strangers Veer?"
"I don't know. Maybe like how you are avoiding me. " I chuckled darkly
"Are you drunk veer? "
"Actually. No. I'm perfectly sober right now. "
Suddenly it started raining.
"I don't have time for this. " Dhwani sighed and started walking back to the house.
"You never have Dhwani Singhania. Oops Taneja. " I called out.
She stopped.
"They say that I'm heartless and emotionless.
But they don't know you.
You are the one who is heartless. Who can't understand that marriage is not two signatures on a paper. Who can't see my love. Who don't understand that I'm sorry. "
She didn't say anything. Yet she grabbed my hands and dragged me back the house.
"Yes I am heartless. But not heartless enough to let you stand there in the cold rain shivering. "
Dhruv was back.
Last time he came here , it was to three years ago , with Avantika.
Bhaiya and Rehan were entering the house.
He looked at it for a moment.
Tried to recall the memories of the most beautiful woman in his life.
Those serene eyes he inherited. Those arms with room enough for a hug of three. The jingling of anklets.
He felt his eyes tear up.
He walked around the garden enjoying the peace and quiet.
Mahika rushed towards me and grabbed my arms.
"Lets go to our spot. "
I was not in a condition to answer her. I was entranced by my nostalgia. Memories happy and painful were playing on rewind inside his mind.
They went through the woods retracing their steps towards their spot.
It was a tree house with a view of the house and the river.
It was made by mahi and Dhruv. With dad's and Maneesh uncle's help ofcourse. But it was their vision and design.
They would come here to hide and hang out together all the time.
Other than sitting inside the tree house they would climb above the trees.
He missed those care free times.
Mahika gasped seeing it.
"We were so cool weren't we"
"Totally"
"Take that you random kid who showed off his skateboards and called me old last week " Mahika yelled.
I chuckled.
"Real mature Mahi. "
"What did you just call me ? "
"Mahi??? "
She crashed into me and gave me a bear hug.
"You do realise you have not called me by that name with that much care for two years. I missed it. "
"Don't stain my shirt with your makeup now , shortie."
She moved away from me ,
"I did NOT miss that. "
I chuckled.
"Do you remember how we used to hide here after doing some pranks. Gayathri maa always found us."
"I remember. I also remember how partial she was to you. She would pick me up by my ear but would let you walk away after seeing your innocent face. " I said making a disgusted face.
"Well I was cute I am cute and I will always be cute. " She said haughtily.
"Anything you say. Oompa loompa. "
"God nooo. Anything but that. "
"Let's do it the old way. I'll race you to the house. If you win I will stop calling you names. If you loose , "
She gulped.
"You will have to do anything I say. And I get to call you names too. "
"That's not fair. "
"I don't care "
She looked down to her outfit.
She was wearing an anarkali suit, her hair in a complex braid.
Mahi was five feet two inches and I was six feet two.
I used to tease her that she stopped growing after the age of thirteen.
"I don't like the odds here." She squeaked.
"Come on don't be such a baby. "
That riled her up.
"You know what? I'm not going to. "
"Then ready steady GO.."
*
"Dwarfy , I would really like a cup of adrak vaali chai. "
"Badtameez. "
"I heard that. "
"Good for you"
I laughed.
Rehan looked at me in shock.
"Dude , you alright? "
"Never been better chotte. "
*
He went inside to see dad sitting in his arm chair reading a book.
"Hey dad. "
He kept it aside.
"I didn't think you would come. "
"How can I not? "
He smiled
He called me near me and gestured me to sit near him.
"You know, I see a whole lot of myself in you. But just know there are parts of me that even I despise. Never let those part control your life. "
I nodded in understanding.
"Come everyone will be waiting for us. "
He put his arms around me and lead me towards our living room.
He loved it here.
Whenever Rehan felt really happy or really sad, he would come here.
He walked towards his room.
It was always a rush of different emotions whenever he came here.
Sometimes he was jealous of his brothers. They got to know maa more than him.
He eyes caught a paper lying on the ground.
It was not a paper. It was a picture of him and his mother when on his first birthday.
He sat there on the bed. His eyes were cosplaying a creek.
"Hey? " Arya called softly.
I quickly wiped my eyes and turned towards her with a smile.
"Hi. "
"Are you alright. "
"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"
She came and sat beside me.
"If you want you can talk.
The pain won't go away but it will sure help ease it. "
I showed her the picture.
"Is that you?"
I nodded.
"You were so cute" she said awing.
"Maa died when I was 6. "
She gave me a questioning look.
"Cancer. Mesothelioma. "
"Oh"
"Maa was a fighter. The doctors told us that she won't live past 6 months. But she was not ready to give up. She fought hard for a whole year before leaving us. "
Tears filled my eyes.
"In the five years that came , Veer bhaiya sacrificed his childhood to be our father and mother.
Because after ma's death Papa changed. A lot. It was like he was never there. "
"After 5 years chachi came back to the mansion from Shimla. She gave us all the love we needed. But it was a bit too late for Veer bhaiya. He had grown up , more than he had to."
Rehan was grateful for everything in his life. But he owed his brothers everything.
"Then Veer bhaiya married Dhwani bhabhi. She instantly became a good friend of mine and gradually a sister. She changed Bhai in a lot of good ways. "
"You know , They both are made for eachother , balancing each other's strength and weakness. Whenever I see them I wish to have a love story like their's. "
He didn't notice the smile Arya was giving him.
"Dhruv Bhai was always my partner in trouble. He used to be my bestfriend. But after her.... After that happened he changed. I've never seen him laugh whole heartedly after that incident. He was like a shell of his former self. I was still oblivious why Mahi had married him.
Then today I saw him laughing and he called me chotte. "
"I have tried so hard to make them come back here. To bring back my brother . But all of my trys were a failure.
I guess it's fair enough. "
His voice was breaking.
"Maa was the reason we left here.
Maa should be the reason we come back. "
She threw her arms around me and pulled me close. She laid her head on my shoulder and said.
"If it's any help , my parents hate me. They wanted a son but all they got was me.
The woman who gave birth to me had some complications during pregnancy so she couldn't have a baby again.
Their marriage is not a beautiful one.
I know they cheat on each other with various people. They don't even bother to hide it. It makes me sick. "
"I was body shamed my whole life. First they told me I was too skinny. My parents used to pick on me.
So I started eating extra. I put some weight.
Then they started telling me that I'm getting fat. That who would marry me if I'm fat.
All my achievements were always ignored. Still they like to taunt me about my loses. "
"So you are lucky to have such a family. "
"Well I guess we both didn't really have the childhood we wished for. " I said chuckling.
"Yeah not really. "
That's when they realised how close they were.
Arya stood up abruptly. Her face was red as a tomato.
"I have to go ..... I will be in the kitchen.
Yeah bye. "
He chuckled.
Rehan's heart was melting for her. Just a bit. He didn't really care if it did.
*
Veer Bhai and me were sitting on the dining table.
Mahika were showing the girls around the house.
Dhruv and Papa also sat with us.
"I'll be back in a moment." Saying that papa left us three sitting there.
"Where were you ? "
I asked Dhruv Bhai, initiating a conversation.
"I went to our old tree house. "
"Your. Not our. You never let me in there. "
" Don't lie. I did. Once. " He said pointing at me.
"Our bunk beds are still there. "
Veer Bhai said suddenly.
"Wait really? "
Veer Bhai nodded his head.
"Do you remember our fights?" He asked Dhruv bhaiya.
"God we used to fight all the damn time didn't we? " He replied shaking his head.
"Don't make me remember it. I would frequently run away because of your squabbles. " Rehan chimed in.
"Do you remember when one time we were arguing about who ma loved most?" Veer Bhai asked again.
"Of course I do. "
"Ooh. I haven't heard this story yet." I said curious.
"You were two or three at that time. "
"I don't remember how it started but it was a really tense fight. I said she loved me the most as I am her first child."
"And I said no she loves me more because if she loved you the most then why did she have me."
I threw my head back and laughed.
"For a five year old that comeback was savage. "
Dhruv Bhai gave me a mock bow.
"It was okay." Veer bhai said rolling his eyes. Then continued
"Anyways we decided to ask maa. She was feeding you when we found her.
We asked her who she loved the most. Me or him. "
"And you know what she said? " Dhruv Bhai asked.
"Rehan. "
I looked at them shocked.
"We are not lying. She said I love Rehan the most and we didn't argue after that because you were , are , the person we loved the most. So we didn't care if a small part of our love was given to you. We knew you would love us back with twice the vigour. "
Dhruv bhaiya held my hand.
"We still love you chotte. "
"I forgot about all the silly names we used to call each other.
Well not we you. I never called anyone any names. " Veer Bhai said arrogantly.
"Right. Goody two shoes. "
I showed him my tongue.
"What's all this ruckus about. " Mahi asked.
"Nothing." We all said at once.
"Okay?" Bhabi said confused.
"that was so creepy. " Mahi stated.
Papa cleared his throat.
He had a small chest in his hands.
Your mother left you some things before she died. I thought I lost it , but yesterday I somehow found it.
"Dhwani , Mahika , Arya. Idhar aa. "
They went towards him.
He opened the chest and gave them a box each.
"Yeh tumhari saas apni bahuraniyon keliye mangwaya thi. "
"Thank you." Bhabhi said. She had tears in her eyes.
They left for their rooms.
Papa turned towards us.
"She left you people something much for valuable. It was supposed to be given to you at your eighteenth birthdays. I know it's way past that and I apologise for it. But they still belong to you. "
He handed us each a letter and stood up to leave.
"I know I have not been the best father you could wish for. I am really sorry. I don't deserve your forgiveness and I know it will not change anything. But I love you three. "
â
I have only one thing to say.
This chapter will hurt more after sometime.
So how was it.
It took me forever to write this.
What do you think?
Please vote and comment
Those are my motivation.
Anyways, a quick question.
Do you want the bahus to sulk alone or sulk together?
See you guys with the next update.
With love
Aswa_maya
âIt is strange how we hold on to the pieces of the past while we wait for our futures.â