Love Finds a Way !!!

Chapter 71

Chitra had been worried over Tanish since yesterday. He had come in through the afternoon and had been very tense. He had worked all night and had constantly been on the phone. Then had left early in the morning only to return an hour ago. The mood he had been in had left Chitra bewildered. She had never seen her son this angry. A strange emotion had consumed him and she had immediately sensed the dangerous air that had surrounded him. She had wanted to talk to him but had decided to give him some time to cool down. A few minutes ago when she had gone to meet him in his room he hadn't been there. Wondering if he had left again she had decided to find out when she had heard Tanish's raised voice and Aarav's commanding one coming from the study through the partially open door. Curious she had walked up to the door when she heard what her son had to say to Aarav. She had been stunned at the amount of anger and resentment she heard in Tanish' voice for his own brother and family. She had realized that years of pent up emotions had finally found their way out. But she also knew Aarav. He was still in control though there was no guarantee for how long will he stay that way. Because when Aarav lost his temper there was nobody more dangerous than him in that moment. She knew him very well. And so she had decided to intervene and put some sense into her genius but stupid son.

"I will answer those for you Tanish," she said announcing her presence. She took in the surprised look of Aarav and the angry expression of Tanish. She walked in with her head held high and closed the door firmly behind her.

"Choti ma," Aarav said slowly recovering from his surprise pretty fast, "when did you come in," he asked.

"Just when my wonderful son decided to spew out his age old venom," she answered.

"Choti ma, about that..." Aarav would have continued when Tanish interrupted him as he spoke to his mother.

"I don't need any more excuses mom," Tanish said tightly as he tried to put everything back into the box he had opened a few minutes back.

"Excuses, you say," Chitra said in a condescending tone.

"Choti ma, I guess I will leave the two of you," Aarav said quietly.

"Stay Aarav," Chitra said as she looked directly at him and Aarav saw pain in her serious solemn eyes. In that instant he hated Tanish for putting his mother in a situation like this. But maybe she will be able to get something across to his dense brother. And so Aarav put his hands behind his back as he watched the scene unfold before him.

"So you think I am going to give you excuses, is it?" Chitra asked Tanish.

"Isn't that what you have been giving me since dad died," Tanish responded in a wounded voice.

"No Tanish," Chitra said in a pained voice, "I always gave you the truth, only you never accepted it as such," she said in her quiet, gentle manner, "when Rajendra, your father died in that accident you were all of four years old," she said emotionally, "do you know how old I was?" she asked but didn't wait for an answer, "I was only twenty three," she said sadly, "you know how your maternal grandfather was. He got me married to Rajendra when I turned eighteen and I had you by the time I turned nineteen," she went on, "can you recall how you were at the age of nineteen? Tell me," she asked and at the silence that she met she gathered her courage to say more. She had to. She had to if she wanted her son back. "When the news came of the accident, for me, that day, my world ended. I was twenty three with a four year old son and a widow. Can you even remotely begin to understand what I went through," she asked and Tanish looked away in shame and pain, "you were four and Aarav was about to turn seven. Not much of a difference in age if you ask me. You lost your father but so did he," she said as she put her hand on Aarav's arm, "the business took a hit. And the blow of losing two young and able sons of the family was huge on everyone. It was a very difficult turn in all our lives and so when papa asked us to firm our hearts and stand together and help whichever way we can we did," she said loudly, "No questions asked. You asked why I never joined the business. Because I had no caliber for it. No educational background. No sense of finance. Nothing. What could I have done? Tell me," she asked Tanish and Aarav placed his hand over hers where it still lay over his arm. She looked at her other son. And smiled. Sadly. Then patted his hand in reassurance and took a couple of steps closer to Tanish. "Rohini bhabhi contributed by shouldering the burdens of business with Virendra bhaisaab and papa. While both Shilpa and I took over the reins of this house. You and Aarav both needed attention," she said quietly, "and so the two of you were left in my care. You think I love him more don't you," she said softly and Tanish looked at her. She slowly shook her head. "Aarav has always maintained that you are more intelligent than him I guess you proved him wrong today. You are such a fool son," she chided Tanish gently, "when you missed your father you cried for him, threw tantrums, fought with me to get him back. Do you remember what Aarav used to do?" she asked and Tanish looked at his older brother who stood there behind his mother with serious eyes and a lost expression on his face. "He would go quiet," she said, "he wouldn't talk to anybody. He would just sit for hours staring at the door in the hope Ashutosh bhaisaab would return. He would silently cry himself to sleep with his father's photo firmly clasped in his arms," she said and tears slid down her cheeks. "In that moment, in that hour if I gave him a little more love and attention didn't mean I loved you any less. But it also didn't mean I loved him any less," she said as she wiped her tears off her face, "To me, you both are my sons. Nobody is more favorable," she explained, "I don't know when or why your insecurity grew up to be this huge but despite me telling you time and time again to let go of it you haven't listened to me once," she said and took in a deep breath.

"Fine," Tanish said finally, "all you said is the truth. Absolute undiluted truth. But you cannot deny you were never given your due mom," he argued, "your opinions, your thoughts have always been sidelined by all of them," he said angrily.

"Says who?" Chitra asked equally angry now.

"Are you going to deny this?" Tanish asked a bit surprised.

"What are you waiting to hear Tanish," Chitra said wondering what was wrong with her son, "what due? When we are in a family we all have a significant role to play. I played mine. I wasn't good at business, it didn't interest me and so I chose to stay back and take care of things here. What was so wrong in that? I have done well," she said proudly, "I didn't do things because I wanted recognition, no," she stressed, "I did things because they were what I knew how to do best. Because I wanted to. Because being at home was where I wanted to be. And not because I wasn't given the opportunity to go out and do something else. It was a choice I made. Nobody decided that for me," she said firmly, "so get these rubbish thoughts out of your mind," she told Tanish in no uncertain terms, "I love you Tanish. Never doubt that. You hurt me a lot today with the way you have behaved. It pained me to see you in this manner," she said and Tanish looked away. "Please Tanish, listen to me, let go of this unnecessary hurt you are carrying around inside of you. This anger that is slowly poisoning your mind and heart. It will fetch you nothing. You are equally important to all of us. Don't do this to yourself Tanish. You are stronger than this. I raised you well son, don't make me regret my upbringing," she said and then hugged Tanish.

Tanish just stood there as she encircled her arms about him. He didn't move. But he didn't say anything either. The second she let go he turned and walked out at a fast pace, opening and then slamming the door shut behind him. Chitra shook her head sadly.

"What am I going to do with him Aarav?" she asked and felt Aarav's arms around her shoulders from behind even as he put his chin on her shoulder.

"I will figure it out choti ma, I promise," he said gently, "don't worry," he said affectionately and Chitra patted his arm with warmth.

She needed to apologize to him for Tanish's behavior. She needed to tell him to forgive his brother. She needed to comfort her older son too. So what if she didn't give birth to him. She had never considered him an outsider. Aarav was as much her son as he was Rohini's. By bringing up the past like that she was sure she had opened the chest of old memory ghosts. She needed to soothe Aarav too. Knowing him she knew he wouldn't sleep tonight.

With that she took in a deep breath and turned to face him.

***********************

Thank you for taking out the time to read ...

Votes and Comments Appreciated !!!