Chapter- 7

 The sun settled down deep beneath the ocean by the time the family was back from the hospital. At Ronit’s insistence, the doctor agreed to discharge him but advised complete bed rest for at least a few weeks and to avoid any stress, though it was impossible given the situation.

Ronit wanted to talk to Mahir and clear everything up, but every time he tried, Mahir stepped back, not wanting to interact, leaving him with no other option. Imposing on his son after everything that happened scared him; one wrong move and Mahir would leave him behind, something he couldn’t let happen.

The promise he made to Vikram was long forgotten, as today he cared for and loved Mahir just as much as he loved Arjun and Abhishek. Blood or not, it didn’t matter to him; it never had!

Sakshi guided her husband to his room with the help of the nurse. She preferred to keep her husband away from Mahir for a few days until Ronit understood that it wasn’t his fault. The unnecessary guilt swirling in his eyes rubbed her the wrong way.

Mahir stared at Radha as she retreated back to her room. From the morning itself, he found his sister’s behavior unusual.

The little talk they had, and she went to call Arjun and Abhi; everything was fine, but when she returned with her brothers, the lost, pale look on her face worried him. Try as he might, she didn’t utter a word to him, remaining all silent as he asked. Slowly but steadily, Radha was getting out of the shell made around her, but seeing her closing up all over again unsettled him.

Adding to his misery was his mother’s behavior, which cut deep as she ignored him like a speck on a cloth when he tried to talk to her too. He understood his mother was angry with him and was ready to apologize for the right things for which he felt guilty, but he was not given a chance to do so.

He, too, kept his distance from his father, not wanting to get into yet another argument and regret it all later. It was better that his father was fit and fine before he approached him. Though Sakshi’s unusual behavior was not something he accepted, he told himself that it was her husband who got hurt because of him; that might be the reason she wasn’t sparing him a glance, giving him the cold shoulder.

In conclusion, he stepped back, as this much was all he could take upon himself!

“What happened, Bhaiya?” Arjun asked, shaking Mahir out of his thoughts.

Mahir picked up the apron, putting it on. Cooking was the best option for him to distract his distributed mind and find solutions to his problems.

He looked at Arjun, who gave him a quizzical look. He never hid anything from his brother, always keeping him in the loop about what was going on, and now he did the same, reciting the events that didn’t sit well with him. At least he would feel light-hearted. Arjun was the best listener, his friend, and advised him in situations where Mahir wasn’t able to think clearly.

Arjun listened as Mahir recited the sudden change in Radha’s behavior. Even he noticed it but didn’t give it much thought, thinking either she was sleepy or hungry, but now that his brother pointed it out, he understood it might be something important, as his Bhaiya’s predictions when it came to their sister never went wrong.

“Should I go and talk to her?” Arjun asked, taking out a water bottle from the fridge.

Mahir nodded. ”I am making sandwiches for her and chocolate milk. Take that with you.” He wished to go himself, but knowing his sister wouldn’t say a word to him, he forced himself to stay back.

Arjun settled down on the kitchen counter while Mahir prepared the stuffing for the sandwiches. He observed his brother, the way his hands moved with practice, the way he handled two tasks at the same time, making the stuffing and toasting the bread. The multitasking displayed a lot, especially if the person was trying to do it at robot speed.

“Aap thik ho, Bhaiya? (Are you okay, Bhaiya?)” Arjun asked, the question that worried him the most. As long as their brother was fine, they were too.

Mahir froze. Was he fine? The answer was definitely a big NO. Every time he tried to distract his mind, his father’s longing face and Radha’s ignorance flashed in front of his eyes. He didn’t know what to do anymore to make things better, as no matter how hard he tried, he found himself trapped in a myriad of problems.

Family, they called it. But were they even family? Where parents can’t understand their kids and loved the game of imposing? No matter how much he wanted to understand his father, his mother, their decisions, in the end, his heart answered the same.

He would never do what Ronit, Sakshi, or even Raghav and Payal did or were doing for years.

If it was his child, he would give them space to breathe; he would discipline them but not scare them for life. He would teach them the difference between right and wrong, he would give them whatever they wanted, yet he would instill the values of those things.

If they faltered, he would hold them from behind, steadying them, and if something came their way, he would become their shield, making them independent enough to face the world with their heads held high. And even, If they failed, he would encourage them to come back to him and try again, where they were loved and cared for, rather than left in a world of wolves.

Unknown to him, he was soon going to do all that, not for his future child but definitely for his sister!

Arjun hopped down from the counter, enveloping his brother in a bear hug. ”I am with you, Bhaiya. No matter what, we will fight this together,” he mumbled softly.

The turmoil in his brother’s eyes made his heart ache. His brother was stronger than anyone else, a man who didn’t let himself get affected by the malicious ways of their parents, instilling good qualities and values in his siblings, has his respect and will always.

Mahir held on for a few more seconds before he pulled back and patted Arjun’s shoulder, ”I know we will, Arjun. But let me handle Mom and Dad my way. You don’t and you won’t come in between that.”

Arjun shook his head, ”I have always been honest with you, Bhaiya. So now also I won’t sugarcoat my words. Your kindness is not something they deserve.”

Mahir sighed. ”Kindness is not about them deserving it, Arjun. In the end, no matter what we do, they are our parents. We can’t change that truth, can we?”

Arjun looked his brother in the eyes, ”Just because they are our parents, do you mean we have to bow down in front of every wrong they do, calling it right? Just because they are our parents, do you mean we have to take abuse? Just because they are our parents, we should respect the ines, the boundaries, and just suffer…?”

“None of that!” Mahir stated firmly. ”Just because they are our parents doesn’t mean we can lose ourselves. We can be polite and firm while keeping our point. We don’t have to stoop low just because they are doing so. We lower our standards by our own choice, not by others.”

Arjun looked away, but Mahir cradled his face in his palm, making the latter look back at him. ”Mera chota bhai, tu Arjun. (You are my little brother, Arjun.) We can disagree and talk it out. I know your thoughts are different from mine, and that’s acceptable to me. But you doing something wrong in your rage, I cannot accept that. You might bear the weight of your anger, but I can’t bear the consequences it brings you.”

Arjun kept his hand on Mahir’s that were cupping his face. ”Mom, Dad se zyada aapka mujh par haq hai, bhaiya. Unhe mujhe pala janam diya, but values aapne mujhe sikhaye. Sahi galat ka fark aapne mujhe sikhaya hai. And I promise mein aisa kuch nahi karunga jo aapko pasand nahi. (Bhaiya, you have more right over me than Mom and Dad ever did. They may have raised me, but it was you who taught me values. You’re the one who taught me the difference between right and wrong. And I promise, I’ll never do anything that you wouldn’t approve of.)”

When his mother was busy forcing him into the business, it was his brother who asked him what he wanted. It was his bhaiya who supported him and his dream. When his father tried to show him the power of money and name, it was his brother who taught him the value of empathy. All his life, Arjun had worshipped his parents like any other child does, but as he grew up and saw through the cracks, he started to realize how wrong he had been all along. That was the reason he began to place Mahir’s words above everyone else’s, and he always would.

✨✨✨

Radha walked out of the washroom blankly and sat down on her bed, staring into nothingness. Her hands trembled, and her breath hitched, yet another panic attack was on cue. She laid down and pulled the blanket over her head, hiding beneath it like a child seeking refuge from monsters only she could see. Her fingers fisted around the fabric as she counted slowly, just like her Bhaiya had taught her.

But no one could save her from the chaos in her mind; no one but herself.

Whatever happened yesterday, it was her fault. Whatever happened to her parents, it was because of her. Whatever had been falling apart in her family since the day she was born, she was the reason. Everything was her fault.

The blame game between the mind and the heart is perhaps the cruelest trick the human body plays. The mind; the most intelligent and calculating part of us, conjures worst-case scenarios, sending thoughts spiraling out of control. And the heart; a mere organ pumping blood to keep us alive, becomes painfully sensitive, feeling too much, too deeply.

Radha felt just as the uncomplicated things seemed too complicated. Her heart screamed she didn’t do anything, but the loss of her parents was bigger than that. Though her mind tried to justify that she wasn’t the center of the world, yet another part seemed to bite back, that she was just that because she was born in the Dhanrajgir family! An unwanted child!

The sudden knock on the door startled Radha out of her gloomy thoughts, and she sat up straight, wiping off the tears that spilled over without her realization.

“Bhaiyu!” Radha whispered, getting off the bed.

Arjun forced a smile; the wet eyes and red nose told the story of their own. “Bhaiya ne sandwich banaye hain tere liye. Tune subha se kuch achhe se nahi khaya. (Bhaiya has made sandwiches for you. You haven’t eaten properly since morning.) Come, sit, and have this first.” He settled the tray down on the bed.

“Where is Bhaiya?” Radha asked, sitting up right, her eyes fixed on the door. Definitely, her brother was angry with her as she had been avoiding his questions since morning; that’s why he hadn’t come now.

“He went to wake Abhi. The boy went straight to sleep on an empty stomach,” Arjun said with a faint smile, forwarding a sandwich towards her.

Radha took the first bite and her taste buds leapt in joy. She didn’t understand the sudden reason behind her Bhaiya’s interest in cooking, but from the day he had taken over cooking and made her favorite recipes, she couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed. No one ever did that for her, not even the people who gave birth to her.

Mahir’s affection was spoiling her; she wished to cross the lines between them and melt down the barriers that had been visible in the past, but today it seemed impossible. Her heart wanted to feel loved just for once, at least until the day she was living with them, but she was scared of the aftermath.

Arjun patted her head softly and rose to his feet, moving towards the study table that looked messier. ”How is it?” he asked, arranging the books.

Radha put down the plate and rushed towards Arjun. ”Aap mat karo yeh sab. (You don’t do all this.) I will do this...” she said, taking the book from Arjun’s hand.

Arjun pulled back firmly. ”Sit and complete your food. You don’t get up in the middle of eating.”

“But Bhaiyu...”

“Radha!” Arjun firmed his tone.

Radha flinched back slightly before stepping back reluctantly and going back to her bed.

Arjun shook his head. He hated that he had to take that tone with his sister, but he refused to give in. The old thinking that girls should do their work on their own rather than asking for help just didn’t settle with him.

Everything has its own age; a girl shouldn’t be dependent on anyone. He agreed with that truth, but still, there were certain situations where they could ask for help. Simple things like arranging a study table were not a big deal, but the fact that it was made into such a big issue in his sister’s life bothered him. Teaching should be given rightly, not as per someone’s thoughts or molded as per choices.

Radha looked away with a cute pout adorning her lips as Arjun settled down beside her. Her Bhaiyu was supposed to be the cool one, not the one who used that firm tone with her. Though none of her brothers ever did, she still felt like sulking.

Arjun bit his smile. He preferred the sulking sister rather than the scared, nervous, or overly mature one she displayed all the time.

“Baat bhi nahi karegi? (Won’t you even talk to me?)” Arjun asked, poking her arm.

Radha shook her head stubbornly.

Arjun sighed dramatically and rose to his feet. ”Fine then. I was thinking of taking you to your favorite pastry shop, but if you don’t want to go, then fine...,” he trailed off as Radha abruptly held his wrist and pulled him down onto the bed.

“I want pastries,” Radha ordered.

Arjun chuckled, ”Of course, princess. But you have to stop scowling, or I won’t take you.”

“I will tell Bhaiya,” Radha threatened.

Arjun glared at the girl; she knew how to make him comply. The brat knew one complaint from her, and their Bhaiya, would have his head. Their brother had spoiled the girl rotten, but he effectively refused to accept how much he himself had spoiled her to break the shell.

“Fine!” Arjun raised his hand in mock surrender, ”After all, your wish is my command, your highness.”

Radha grinned widely, resting her head on his shoulder. She wished she could throw away the nagging feeling in her mind. She wanted to ask her brother something but didn’t know where to start.

“Do you want to ask something, Radha?” Arjun asked softly as the silence stretched. The way his sister played with his cufflinks was a sign that she wanted to tell a tale.

Radha tried to sit back but stopped as Arjun wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Her body relaxed on its own, feeling the much-needed peace she was looking for.

“I—I want to know why Bhaiya lied to me,” Radha whispered quietly.

Arjun frowned, ”About what?”

“Th—that ev—everything ha-happened because of m—me...” Radha shuddered out nervously, ”Bade papa was hos—hospitalized be—because of me...”

Arjun held her hand, rubbing warmth into her palm. ”There’s nothing like that, princess. Who told you so?”

Radha looked down. She didn’t wish to snitch on Sakshi, but she couldn’t lie to his face either.

“Princess?” Arjun lifted her chin, making her look at him, ”Who told you all this...” He trailed off as realization dawned upon him, and he stared at his sister in disbelief, ”Mom?”

Radha pulled away with a shake of her head, ”That doesn’t matter, Bhaiyu...”

“It matters to me, Radha,” Arjun interjected. ”What did she tell you this time? That you’re the reason for Dad’s condition? Or that fight between Bhaiya and Dad? That everything is because of you? Or that you’re some curse on this family?” He gently but firmly lifted her chin when Radha tried to look away. “Am I missing something, or has she added something new to the list this time....?”

“ARJUN!” Mahir’s voice boomed in the room. He had just come to check on them and was shocked to hear Arjun’s raised voice and the way Radha flinched back.

Arjun recoiled and pulled back. He looked at Mahir, who stood in front of him, glaring him down.

“What is wrong with you? How are you talking to Radha like this?” Mahir chided.

Arjun scoffed. ”Ask her what she’s thinking, Bhaiya. After that, even you will do the same, or better yet you’d rather whack her for those thoughts...”

“No, I won’t!” Mahir’ tone firmed. ”Whatever she is thinking, we can understand it and show her the right way rather than getting angry at her or discouraging her.”

“I am not discouraging her, Bhaiya,” Arjun shot back. ”Everyone has their own way of taking in information. According to me, this is my best. Maybe you should stop mollycoddling her every time her thoughts go on the wrong track...”

Mahir stepped back. He was furious at his brother for the choice of his words. The helplessness, the frustration, it was all understandable. But anger? That was lost on him.

Mahir had always taught Arjun that anger was the easiest emotion to express and the hardest to tame down. Empathy was strength, not a weakness, especially in a family broken by blame, silence, and misunderstandings. Kindness could be the only thread that could hold them together. But dealing with a situation like this was not something he ever taught his brother.

“Arjun...” Mahir’s voice softened a bit as he locked eyes with his brother. ”You don’t heal someone by throwing their shattered pieces back at them. If your sister is not understanding, you just have to try harder or take a different route, but bursting out like this is wrong...”

“I know, Bhaiya,” Arjun interjected. ”I know I am wrong, but this is all I could take.”

He looked at Radha, who stood there staring at her brothers. ”She just accepts everything they throw at her like she deserves it all, like we don’t matter, our words, our support, our understanding, our love doesn’t matter. Agar kuch matter karta hai toh vo mom aur dad ki baatein. Aaj mom ne kuch keh diya toh she is doubting you... Kal jo dad ne kuch kaha, (The only think that matters is their words. Today, if Mom said something, she started doubting you… Tomorrow, if Dad says something,) she will doubt you rather than trusting that you have your own reasons. Rather than understanding that she is still fifteen and her brothers want her to live her life like every other teen. It’s hard... I accept it, but it’s not impossible. Not when her brothers are there to shield her from everything that can harm her. But for that, all she has to do is trust us first.”

Radha flinched back at the words. Reaching out, she held Arjun’s hand. ”I-I trust you, Bhaiyu...”

“Then tell me, what did Mom say to you this morning?” Arjun asked, locking his eyes with hers. ”You always close off when one of our parents says something to you; you avoid your own brothers...”

He pointed at Mahir. ”You block Bhaiya out like he doesn’t even exist, and when you know your emotions are under control, you throw a lie in his face. Swallowing his hurt, he lets you do just that, as he can’t see you suffer. But what about him....”

“This is not about me, Arjun...” Mahir intervened, trying to pull Arjun back. The tears streaming down his sister’s face were his last straw.

“This is about her, Bhaiya. I know.” Arjun pulled back from Mahir’s grip. ”But she needs to know what you are doing for her...”

“Arjun,” Mahir interjected sternly, ”I am not doing any favour on anyone. She is my sister, and it’s my right to do whatever I am doing. Don’t say something that I can’t forgive you...

“Bhaiya...Bhaiyu....” Radha stepped in between the brothers, pulling them back from each other. ”Please stop fighting...”

“We aren’t fighting, Radha.” Mahir gently turned her to face him, brushing off the tears from her cheeks. ”The real fight is where there’s no love left to hold people together, where there is no care, and the words that are spoken are only meant to hurt.”

He looked over at Arjun, who looked away. Mahir shook his head. Doesn’t his brother know that he can see through his antics?

He looked back at Radha. “What you just saw was your Bhaiyu’s worry, hurt, and pain after seeing his sister suffering in silence. It was a disagreement, Bacche.”

He cradled her face in his palm. “We are siblings, Radha, and we have seen each other at our worst and stood beside each other in times of need. We can argue, shout, and even storm off, especially when we know our boundaries, just like your Bhaiyu knows that I am his elder brother and he didn’t cross that line with me. It was a disagreement, and it can’t break the bond we share. Hmm?”

Radha blinked at him and nodded. The kind of fights she had seen were always filled with words that cut sharper than any knife. She just couldn’t bear her brothers doing the same.

“Abhi’s probably awake. Why don’t you go get him and take him to the kitchen?” Mahir suggested softly. ”That idiot hasn’t eaten anything since morning. Only you can feed that stubborn brother of yours.”

Radha nodded and walked away without a word. Abhi loved to throw tantrums; she was sure one day her brothers would throw him too. She huffed and made her way towards his room. Someone needs a good reality check, and she was willing to give just that.

Mahir looked at Arjun as Radha left. He folded his hands on his chest, glaring down at the stupid creature in front of him that he called brother. ”Done with the pretense?”

“No!” Arjun shot back, launching himself onto the bed.

Mahir gave up and, without missing a beat, landed a not-so-gentle kick on Arjun’s shin.

“Ouch! What the hell, Bhaiya?” Arjun yelped, sitting up with a start, grabbing his leg in pain.

“That’s my line, Mr. Dhanrajgir,” Mahir snapped, dropping onto the bed beside Arjun. ”What the hell is wrong with you?”

Arjun huffed. ”Your sister was asking for it.”

“Oh really?” Mahir’s eyes narrowed. ”And you thought the way to handle the situation was by guilt-tripping her like that? I didn’t hear everything that forced you to say those words, but still. Do you think making her feel like crap would somehow fix everything?”

Arjun looked away. He did what was needed; he found it the best option.

“You are asking for another one now...” Mahir raised his hand threateningly.

Arjun flinched back, holding his brother’s hand before it could land on his back. ”Words, Bhaiya, please. Your hand feels like sledgehammers. Give me a break, yaar...”

Mahir lowered his hand with a shake of the head. ”Arjun, I won’t say that you chose the wrong way. Whatever you did might have helped your sister, but for how long?”

He lifted Arjun’s face as the latter looked down. ”Your intention was right, bacche... but how many times are you going to push her into some emotional corner? She might think straight for once, for twice, but when she sees through it all... she will start blaming herself more than she already does, thinking she’s the problem. It won’t bring her clarity. It will make her shut down completely.”

Arjun’s eyes filled up with helplessness. ”She is being unfair to herself, Bhaiya, and all because of our parents.”

Mahir wiped the sheen of tears from the corner of his eyes. ”I know, but hurting her to make a point isn’t justice, Arjun. We know better what she faced when chachu and chachi were alive, the perfect daughter they wanted. And Radha did her best to fit into that shell no matter how much she disliked it all. She wanted love; she craved it from her own parents, and that’s what stings the most. We received everything we wanted, the care, the love, the pampering, the attention, without even asking, but Radha had to earn it... we have seen it, beta, so dealing with her this way is not right. She will end up hurting more, and so will we.”

Arjun lowered his gaze. ”Sorry, bhaiya. I just...”

“Your intentions weren’t wrong, Arjun,” Mahir intervened softly, making Arjun look at him. “So don’t apologize for something you didn’t do. You want Radha to realize she is doing wrong to herself? Then stand your ground, but with grace. Call her out while also giving her the assurance she is looking for. We need to drag her out of the darkness that surrounds her, and we will. Just patience is all we need.”

“Aapne kuch socha hai na? (You thought of something, right?)” Arjun asked, knowing his brother too well.

Mahir nodded. He had, and he was determined to do what he had thought, but before that, he had many obstacles in his way, and he needed to slide them aside to give his full attention to his sister. And he would!

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