As days passed by in a blur, it was getting hard for Mahir to approach Radha. Three days had gone by, and his sister was back in her shell. He regretted bringing up the topic of therapy but then berated himself for his own guilt. He could have waited. Yes! He could have tried a different approach. Yes! But he couldn't let the topic slide away. Never!
Knocking on the door, Mahir stepped into his sister's room, where she was huddled like her usual self.
Radha looked up from her novel; her body stiffened as she found Mahir standing at the door. She forced herself to look away, her grip tightening on the book in her hand.
She had been avoiding all her brothers for four days, to be precise, right after they returned from Sunset Point. The few words she exchanged with Arjun, or rather the way she hurled words at him, he didn't talk to her. She understood he was angry, and that eased her mind, making it easier to keep her distance.
When Abhi came to talk, she ignored him. But he was a stubborn mule who kept ranting about everything like a parrot, not caring a damn whether she heard him or not.
And lastly, her Bhaiya. She just turned away from him, just like now.
Mahir sat on the bed before his sister, a deep sigh escaping his lips. "Aaj bhi baat nahi karegi? (Even today you won’t talk?)"
"I don't have anything to say, Bhaiya," Radha repeated the same words.
Mahir ran his fingers through his hair. He was a very patient man. Maybe as patient as a saint. Maybe... because he knew he could handle everything, but at times like this, he would give his sister the definite impression that she loved to test his patience so much that even Arjun and Abhi never crossed that line. And he could feel his patience wearing thin.
He had had enough of the silence!
"Radhika, look at me." His tone firmed at the edge as he called out.
Radha's head snapped towards him at lightning speed. It was perhaps the second or third time that her brother was using that tone with her. As much as it surprised her, it also forced her to comply.
"You aren't talking to me and avoiding me. I know the reason, but still, I want to hear it from you clearly. What's going on?" Mahir continued, meeting her gaze. "Tell me what's the matter. Jis din teri khamoshi ki zuban samajh aa jayegi, uss din se tera bhai tujhse sawal bhi nahi karega. (The day I learn to understand the language of your silence, from that day on your brother won’t question you anymore.) I’ll only help you."
"There is nothing, Bhaiya," Radha forced out the words, looking away.
Mahir held her chin gently and made her look back at him. "Now repeat that. Look into my eyes and say it's nothing."
Radha's gaze lowered immediately. Once again, she couldn't bring herself to rub lies on her brother's face so bluntly.
"You just told me that you know the reason," Radha said quietly. "Jab wajah pata hai toh chhod kyu nahi dete? Maine aapse ek wada manga tha teen din pehle. But you walked away. (If you know the reason, then why won’t you let it go? I asked you for a promise three days ago, but you walked away.) Promise me, and I’ll be myself."
Mahir pulled back. "Fine!"
Radha looked up at him, startled. "Did you..." she trailed off as Mahir held up his palm.
"You want a promise from me that no matter what, I won't leave this house," Mahir continued. "You will get it only if you agree to go for therapy."
Radha gasped softly. "You are blackmailing me?" her tone filled with disbelief.
Mahir raised his eyebrow. "Jab mera teri kisi baat ke liye maana karna aur tera chup ho jaana sahi hai, toh mera tujhe return mein choice dena kaise galat hai, Radha? (If it’s right for you to fall silent when I said no, then how is it wrong for me to give you a choice in return, Radha?) Blackmailing? Fine, give it whatever name you want to, but I stand my ground. If you agree, I will give you my word."
Radha looked away. She wasn't accepting that. "I am not crazy, Bhaiya," she mumbled, hurt, only to gasp in shock as Mahir tapped her head lightly. He never did that!
Mahir's eyes narrowed at her. "Did I say that you are crazy?"
His tone made Radha shake her head quickly.
"Then? Just because the world names therapy as a taboo and because people have their own perceptions about it, doesn't mean that we will also wet our hands in dirty water, calling it clean like others. We have brains; we have the capacity to think and understand what is right and what is wrong. Just use that, Radha, and you will get it."
Radha sighed; she acknowledged each and every word her brother said. He was right, but she couldn't ignore her parents' words too. Maybe, just maybe, since they weren't there anymore, she could try or at least think over the topic.
Her parents might be angry, even upset, but when were they not? She would minimize her reading time as a punishment for going against her parents' words, but for now, she didn't wish to upset her brother.
"I need time to think about it," she said slowly.
Mahir nodded; he wasn't in the mood to rush her. Time was something he could give, knowing his sister would do her research before she agreed.
"Well, how much time did it take for us to talk it out?" Mahir raised an eyebrow.
Radha gave him a confused look. "Why?"
"Nothing; I was just curious to know why my sister was avoiding me so desperately."
Radha looked down. "I—I didn't mean to."
"Are you sure, Radha?" Mahir lifted her chin. "And if you are serious that you didn't mean to, then I am fine with that."
His tone turned serious. "Otherwise if you think that you will make it a habit of avoiding me when things are overwhelming for you, or you might get what you want, then you are wrong. Communication is the most important thing in a family. I want you to use that. Agar tu galat hai toh I will explain to you. Agar tu sahi hai toh I will listen and do the right thing. (If you’re wrong, I’ll explain it to you. If you’re right, I’ll listen and do the right thing.) But you just shutting yourself off is not acceptable to me. And this is your first and last warning. After this, I won't hesitate to whack some sense into you, like I do with Abhi."
Radha looked at her brother, stunned. The warning in his tone sounded too real to be ignored, but that didn't hurt her or make her feel upset. For some unknown reason, what Mahir said spread a kind of warmth in her heart that made her throw herself at him.
The way her Bhaiya was behaving so out of character was unsettling for her. She just wanted her brothers to be normal around her rather than treating her like a porcelain doll.
With Abhi, Mahir shared his own dynamic; when Abhi was allowed to go bonkers, he was also called out straight for his mishaps, and when Mahir dictated the law, his siblings were forced to obey.
Radha was glad that she at least didn't lose her old brother, the one who was assertive yet giving, stern yet loving!
Mahir held her closer to his heart; the fear from earlier vanished into the thin air as Radha hugged him. He was just trying to give what his sister never had but now realized a bit too late that he was changing himself in the process, which was unknowingly hurting his sister.
And he was done doing that. He was ready to take on the role he was titled by his siblings... Hitler! Some silly siblings he had; anyways he loved them just for who they are!
✨✨✨
Mahir walked into his father's study as the latter called him. After a week of distance and ignorance, Mahir had no choice but to see his father. If the situation had been any different, then the son in him would have at least asked, 'How are you, Dad?' but he made himself feel content with what he saw and being in touch with his father's doctor.
It was better he backed off than torturing himself.
"You called me?" he asked, taking his seat.
Ronit removed his specs and looked at his elder one. After how everything spiraled out last week, he wished to be cautious around Mahir. As what Mahir said, the cold, unforgiving ultimatum still rang in his ears like a reminder.
Unfortunately, he was hoping to see warmth in his son's eyes, a little bit of empathy even, but the distant look crumbled his weak heart further.
But then, that was what he brought upon himself. Shaking off his thoughts, he slid the file towards Mahir, coming straight to the point just like his son wanted.
"There is an issue with the Singapore clients..." Ronit explained as Mahir went through the file, "The order they received was faulty and incomplete. It needs our immediate attention. Someone has to go there or the company will file a legal notice for breach of contract. We will lose the money already invested as advance with heavy penalties."
Mahir closed the file. Dhanrajgir wasn't just a surname; it was a brand in itself. His grandfather started a small trading firm, making it reputable with sheer honesty and hard work. The legacy was continued by his father and chachu, who expanded the business into an empire with internal ties.
Mahir knew the importance of business, the risks, the responsibilities, the reputation, but he also knew how to strike a deal when one came knocking at his doorstep.
He looked at his father, "You want me to go?" he asked, despite knowing the answer.
Ronit nodded. Due to him stepping out of the hospital just last week, his doctor had restricted him from traveling. Arjun was a lawyer, a criminal one at that, least interested in business, which left Ronit with Mahir to urge to.
Mahir slid his own file that he brought with himself earlier, "I want you to sign these papers. Give me what I want, and I will give you what you want, Dad."
Ronit looked at him, confused, as he picked up the file, "What is it?"
"Guardianship papers of Radha," Mahir stated firmly. "I want you to transfer Radha's guardianship under my name. These are legal papers; once you sign them, I will go on with the procedure. Aaj ke baad Radha se related jo bhi faisle hai, you and Mom will have no say in that. (From now on, any decisions about Radha, you and Mom will have no say.) What she does, how, why, etc. Everything will be looked after by me."
Ronit looked at his son, stunned, digesting the fact of what he heard, and as the words registered, his anger increased to no bounds.
Slamming the file on the table, he rose to his feet, "Have you lost your mind, Mahir? Guardianship? At your age? Instead of focusing on your career, you want to run after Radha's life? Radha has me and Sakshi. We will take care of her. Why do you want to burden..."
"She is anything but a burden for me, Dad," Mahir interjected coldly. "She is my sister. Not by blood... I don't care! Dil ka rishta hai hamara, jaise Abhi aur Arjun ke saath hai. Mere liye utna kafi hai. Aur rahi baat aapki aur Mom ki of taking care of Radha, (Our bond is of the heart, like the one I have with Abhi and Arjun. That’s enough. And as for you and Mom taking care of Radha,) Then I don't trust you to do that properly. Radha is miserable enough, and the fact you can't see that is not my fault, Dad."
Ronit shook his head, disappointed, "Don't, Mahir. Don't do something so stupid in your emotions. You're 28. Old enough to think about marriage, to settle down and have a family of your own. But you are wasting everything on a fifteen-year-old girl. You will regret it."
Mahir sat unfazed, "You wanted me to take over the Dhanrajgir Empire? I will do that. If you sign these papers."
Ronit stepped back, shocked. Never in his wildest dreams did he think of Mahir making a deal with him.
Mahir knew what he was doing; after all, he had learned the business tactics from his father himself. You hit where someone is at their weakest, and he just did that. Mahir was never interested in business, but his father wanted him to pursue that, and having no choice, he followed in his father's words. But he also made sure to know where his passion lay.
Music came naturally to him; few classes he took to sharpen the rhythm, and he made his own career. Starting from covering different songs of different artists in his voice, till date he became one of the finest composers. Every success and achievement earned by his hard work and dedication.
Sadly, the irony was such that except for his siblings, no one else in his family was happy. Radhav and Payal were always distant. Shakshi was too busy with Arjun, and when Mahir hoped that at least his father would pat his back lovingly, saying, 'I am proud of you, son,' everything went down the drain when he asked him to join the company.
Mahir was reluctant, but seeing the pressure his mother was putting on Arjun to choose business rather than law, as then there would be no one to continue the legacy, Mahir had to give in for his brother.
Today the situation was the same, just that it was Radha. Regret? Well, Mahir Dhanrajgir doesn't regret a thing he does for his siblings, as all of it comes from a heart ignited by one emotion... love!
"Are you sure?" Ronit asked, trying to reconfirm.
Mahir locked his eyes with his father's. "I never went back on my word, Dad. You know me better."
Ronit gave in; obviously, he knew better. His elder one was blunt and honest to the core when it came to expressing his emotions, anger, hurt, or even disappointment, it didn't matter to whom it was directed.
Picking up the pen, he signed the papers. After Radhav and Payal, it was him who had Radha's guardianship, something his brother chose.
A better part of his heart whispered selfish, but Ronit knew it was for the betterment of his company. No one other than Mahir could handle it better.
Mahir picked up both the files and turned to leave; however, his steps froze. His heart pounded in his chest, filled with hurt as he turned to meet his father's gaze once again.
"The only thing I regret is not being able to make you understand how wrong you were to treat Radha the way you did. Jin hathon ne kisi aur ke bachche ko gale lagaya, jin hathon ne uss bachche ke aanshu poche, usse khana khilaya, pal posh kiya... unhe hathon ne mera vishwas tod diya. (The hands that once embraced another man’s child, that wiped his tears, fed him, raised him with love… those same hands broke my trust.) That's the only thing I regret." His tone trembled at the end.
Mahir blinked away the tears and walked out; he needed space and time to come to terms with the fact that the person he loved and worshipped had failed so terribly.
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