Bandhan- An Unbreakable Bond

Loss!

Phone dropped from Rohan's hand and unknowingly tears started flowing from his eyes. He looked at Samarth and Ananya and they were in a worse condition because apparently they were younger, and didn't know how to process this thing.

"Hello? Are you there?" the voice on the phone continued and took Rohan out of his daze.

"I'm coming" he said trying not to show his choked voice and dismissed the call.

"No this can't be true! Nothing happened to mummy and papa! No they can't leave us" blabbered Ananya totally lost and tears flowing continuously from her eyes.

"Yes bhai, someone is messing up this can't happen they'll return yes they will" said Samarth totally flabbergasted by the words of the doctor, tears making way through his eyes.

Now, Rohan couldn't breakdown in front of his already broken siblings so he tried to act calm.

"I'll just go and have a check. Sam take care of Anu." he said calmly.

Samarth couldn't even nod at the moment. Rohan rushed out of the house and sat in the car. This was it. This was his breakdown moment. Tears flowed like a river, and he banged the steering wheel hurting his knuckles in the process and threw everything on the dashboard out of anger.

After some time he finally wiped his tears and went to the hospital.

"I was..." he couldn't even complete his sentence, when a doctor came.

"Mr. and Mrs. Sharma's son? I tried contacting other relatives but apparently no one was ready to come here. So I had to call you." the doctor informed seeing his red eyes and feeling guilty.

"Yeah, when my father moved away from home town to set up business, the relatives on both our parent's side said they're at their own risk amd they don't want them in their life anymore." he told the doctor, his voice choking, remembering all the pains and hard work his father did and his mother, who was a constant support to his father.

"I'm so sorry son. You do the formalities and I'll myself help you to take the bodies and will provide every help I can for cremation process too." the doctor said patting his shoulder.

Rohan nodded and did all the paperwork, whwn the doctor brought the bodies covered with white sheets, Rohan was disbalanced, as if someone just pushed him back violently, he fell down on his knees and now he couldn't act all mature, tears made way which he was controlling since he entered the hospital.

The doctor caught hold of him, and said "If you want you can take them later son. You want some time?"

Rohan nodded and rushed out of the hospital to the only person he knew would understand his condition. His best friend, Nandini.

Sharma residence
Ananya was crying uncontrollably and same was the condition of Samarth, but he couldn't see his little princess crying so he was just holding her close to his chest so that she feels that there's someone for her.

At that moment there was a knock on the door.

"Sam see I got you Ishaani's num..." he heard his bestie Ayesha standing and grinning but as soon as she saw his face, the smile faded.

"Sam what's wrong? Where's bhaiya and Anna?" she asked him.

Samarth couldn't control and told Ayesha everything that happened since the morning.

Ayesha was dumbstruck to say the least!

She rushed in and saw Ananya sitting by the wall in a dark room staring into nothing. She knew this girl since she was a child. The smile, the shine of her face was gone. She had those rheumy red eyes, and pale face which made Ayesha feel like crying, because she considered her as her younger sister too.

She went and hugged her. Though Ananya was zoned out, she could easily recognise her elder sister. She hugged her back and starting crying badly.

"Ayesha didu" was all she could say before she started coughing violently.

"Shush bacha. I'm here na, nothing will happen. Your didu always saves you from bhaiya and Sam na." she said patting her back.

Nandini's house

Nandini heard a knock on the door and went to open the door. To her utter shock, she saw a crying Rohan in front of her.

"What is wrong Ro? Are Sam and Anu fine?" she asked.

Rohan told her everything from the morning and seeing his parent's dead body and how he was scared that will he be able to handle Sam and Anu together or not? This year's fees was done by their father as it was his habit to deposit all fee in the starting of the session, and he wasn't sure about his business skills and he needed to carry it forward.

Nandini was a patient listener. He listened to Rohan till he was done.

"Ro, you know you're the strongest person I know. And don't even doubt your business skills. Half of the business was handled by you only. You need to get home and see your siblings. And you do not always need to be strong. Sam and Anu will understand that no one can be strong all times. They'll be there when you fall weak, I know them and apparently you have me, okay?" she said patting his back.

Rohan nodded having grateful for having such a bestie. Nandini drove him home, making him comfortable in his room. While coming down the stairs, she saw Samarth sitting by the stairs, looking totally lost and broke.

Nandini knew this mischievous boy, he was never gloomy, but seeing him like that was heart breaking for her. God, he was her younger brother too.

"Sam?" she called him and to her relief and shock Samarth did what he never does. He hugged her and started crying.

"Di I can't. Choti has her boards in a few months, I have my exams I can't leave bhaiya alone. What should I do" he continued breathlessly.

Nandini had tears in her eyes too. She stroked Samarth's hair and said "Shush Sam, see I'll help you as much as I can. You both are good in studies, no tension for exams, but you gotta keep yourself fine for that."

Samarth nodded and remembered she left Ananya in that room alone, as he didn't knew Ayesha was with her.

"Di Choti! I left her" he said and ran towards the room. Nandini followed her. She was scared as she wasn't ready to see Ananya broken too.

She entered the room and saw Ayesha patting Ananya's head trying to console her. Nandini went to them.

"Ayesha,  Anu" she said and both of them looked up and hugged her.

"Nandu di see..." even Ayesha was emotional now.

Ananya couldn't say anything and this hurted Nandini, because she always used to be the most talkative when she came home.

"Choti listen to me" Samarth said "we need to be a bit strong for bhaiya, he must be as broken but not showing it."

Ananya nodded to this and wiped her tears.

Nandini took Ayesha out of the room, soon after which she rushed to see her Ro bro.

She opened the room and saw Rohan holding his head.

"Ro bro see I'm here" she tried to smile but couldn't.

Rohan smiled weakly looking at her, went to her and ruffled her hair.

"Ayesha bacha, see you and Nandu need not take much tension, you both go home for now, we need some time alone, we'll call you whenever we need" he said.

Ayesha nodded and went out. Nandini was listening to all this.

"Ayesha I don't care what they say, I know we need to be with them because they'll need us. We are all like siblings, grew up together. Now we can't leave them alone." Nandini said.

"I know di but bro is right. Let us leave for now, we'll come back on dinner time to check on them." Ayesha said.

They both left, leaving the three siblings to themselves, as they could only heal by each other's support.