Chapter- 31

The faint fragrance of sandalwood and old books wafted through the room. Soft light filtered through the linen curtains. A small bookshelf lined one wall, and the rest of the room was painted in warm browns and muted blues.

Radha looked around the room, anywhere but at the man sitting behind the table. Her Bhaiya was right beside her. After the seminar, they had been guided straight to the doc’s cabin. It had been five minutes since they sat down, and her nervous system was at its peak. All she wanted to do was jump out of the chair and dash away at the first opportunity she got.

However, the speech from earlier was the only thing holding her back. She had given herself a small pep talk to at least try. Her Bhaiya had reassured her before entering the room that if she wasn’t okay, they would walk out. All she had to do was say the word.

“Hello there,” Ajay greeted warmly.

He had been observing Radha, even earlier in the hall. His eyes had repeatedly found her, studying her in the quiet way doctors learn to do.

Radha seemed scared, anxious, and even on the verge of breaking down. But still, she refused to turn away, and that was something new for him.

The countless teens he had met in his career till date always found a way out of the situation. Some stayed quiet, some refused and some turned downright rude. Ajay chose to never judge them. Every heart had its own coping mechanism. All he could do was understand those wounds and figure out how to heal them.

The flicker of determination in Radha’s eyes was rare for him to see in teenagers. And that was exactly why the girl sitting before him intrigued him further.

Radha nodded. What was she supposed to say? Her Bhaiya had already introduced them, and she knew his name too. Why couldn’t he just come to the point?

“So, how did you find my speech earlier?” Ajay asked kindly. ”I hope I didn’t bore you like my staff says.”

Radha silently shook her head.

“Glad to know that,” Ajay said bashfully.

He leaned forward over the small ceramic pot placed on his desk and plucked a vibrant orange petal of a Gerbera Daisy carelessly, letting it flutter onto the creamy wooden surface of his desk.

Radha’s eyes widened. She looked at him, stunned. ”What are you doing?”

Ajay frowned, looking down at the flower as he absentmindedly plucked away another petal. ”Plucking away the damaged part,” he shrugged casually.

“It can be used as dried mulch or even tea later,” Radha corrected him, her voice trembling but firm. ”These flowers are very delicate and require proper pruning to survive, but the way you are tearing it off from the base rather than snipping the stem properly, it will go in the trash, and the rest of the bloom will just rot faster.”

Ajay smiled faintly. He was genuinely impressed. ”You have quite extensive knowledge of plant care.”

Radha looked away, her cheeks flushing. ”I… I read a lot of books. I learned from there.”

Ajay nodded, setting aside the petals he had torn. He had done it on purpose, a small act displaying his clumsiness to break the ice. It worked. He glanced at Mahir, giving him a subtle nod.

Mahir got his message. He rose to his feet and looked at his sister. ”I will wait outside. You guys talk.”

Radha reached out instinctively, holding his wrist to stop him. ”Bhaiya…” Her tone was laced with uncertainty.

Mahir cradled her face gently. ”Main darwaze ke baahar hi khada hoon, bacche. (I am standing right out of the door, baache.) If you need me, just call out once, and I will enter. If you want to leave, just tell me, and we will walk out. No questions asked.”

Radha thought for a moment. Her fingers slowly loosened around her brother’s wrist. She knew she had a choice, but she wished to get over with the session once and for all. If she didn’t like it, she wouldn’t have to come here again. But walking away in the middle of it would feel like an insult to the doc. She couldn’t do that.

“Jaoon main? (Should I leave?)” Mahir asked softly. He just wanted to be sure that his child was okay before he left.

Radha nodded.

Mahir squeezed her hand reassuringly one last time before walking out of the room. He trusted Ajay to help his sister.

He and Ajay had been friends since their school days, best buddies, until they entered college and chose different careers. But the friendship had never faded. If anything, it had grown stronger with time.

So when Mahir found out about his friend’s achievements and the countless young lives and struggling minds he had helped, guiding them through darkness, he had reached out to him for his sister. And Ajay had agreed readily.

As the door clicked shut, the room suddenly felt larger.

Radha sat frozen, not knowing where to begin or what to expect from the doctor. He seemed nothing like the ones she had read about in her novels; the direct, straightforward therapists who came straight to the point rather than beating around the bush.

Ajay, however, was giving her time and space. Even the warmth in his gaze and the kindness in his tone wasn’t lost on her. Other than her brothers, Radha had never seen a man carry such gentleness so naturally.

In the countless novels she had read, she had rarely come across a male therapist. Even in the movies she had watched. Not that gender mattered to her, but the emotional depth a woman’s heart often held was rarely seen in men, which made her quietly question everything she thought she knew.

“You… don’t want to ask anything?” Radha finally asked when the silence stretched too long.

Ajay leaned back in his chair. ”Like what?”

He was glad Radha had at least started the conversation. He wasn’t the kind to speak first or impose. Everyone had their own way of opening up, and so did he.

Ajay believed in staying where he was, giving the teens their own territory, where they weren’t cornered or made to feel threatened. Just a silent, respectful presence and a simple ice-breaking gesture to let them know they were safe and free to speak whenever they were ready.

Radha avoided his gaze. ”Like… anything. Coming straight to the point, I guess. I have seen it in movies. They talk a lot in the first session.” She hesitated before adding softly, ”Aur aap hain ki kuch pooch hi nhi rahe hain? (And you… aren’t asking anything at all?)”

“The movie has a time duration of three hours,” Ajay said as he reached under the side table and pulled out a worn wooden box.

He glanced at Radha. ”Within those three hours, they have to show different characters, their stories, the past, the present, summing it all up in one film. Plus the dramatics, or critics might curse them for boring the audience by talking about mental health for three hours straight. Pure torture!”

Radha bit the inside of her cheek. The man clearly believed in self-roasting.

“So yes,” Ajay added casually, “those three hours are worth it only if there is balance.”

In one swift motion, he emptied the box. A vertical wooden tower formed neatly in the middle of the table.

“In movies, the doctor and the patient don’t get enough time,” Ajay continued, leaning back in his chair. ”But here, we have plenty of it.”

He pointed at the tower. “Jenga. Have you heard of it before?”

Radha nodded, though confusion lingered on her face.

Ajay smiled widely. ”That’s great then. Well, I am no gardener to talk about plants or botany for an hour, but I am okay with games. We will both take turns picking out a brick from the tower, making sure it doesn’t fall,”

He leaned forward slowly and carefully slid a small block out of the tower as a demonstration. ”Like this.”

He turned the block toward her. A single word was engraved on it.

“Each one has a word engraved on it,” Ajay explained. ”We will give a one-word answer. No explanation. Nothing. Just the first thing that hits your brain.”

Radha frowned slightly. “And what will that do?”

Ajay shrugged lightly. ”Honestly? Nothing dramatic.” He paused before adding gently, ”But if I ask you a question that you aren’t ready to talk about yet, or something that might make you panic, it will shut you down completely. So the better idea is... we just fill the time we have left with this. You can judge me after that. Decide whether you want to visit my cabin again next week… or not.”

Radha blinked, startled. Again! The choice was given to her. He didn’t tell her that she should come back. Nor did he assume that she would. He was simply giving her the freedom to choose. Take it or leave it. The decision was entirely in her hands.

Letting out a shaky breath, Radha leaned forward. Her fingers trembled as she carefully slid a brick out from the middle of the tower. The action was slow, careful… but steady. The block wobbled before finally coming free.

She turned it around. Colour.

Radha didn’t even think. ”Black.”

Ajay hummed thoughtfully, resting his chin lightly on his palm. ”Sky blue.”

Radha nodded, ”Your turn.” She gestured toward the tower.

Ajay pulled out another brick. Place.

“Sunset point,” Radha said quietly.

Ajay tapped the table once. ”Hospital.”

Radha blinked at him. Of course he would say that. The man might practically live here.

Another brick. Food.

“Paneer,” Radha answered instantly.

Ajay shrugged. ”Healthy.”

Radha raised an eyebrow at that vague answer but didn’t comment.

Hobby.

“Painting.”

“Skydiving.”

Radha’s head snapped up. ”You jump out of planes?”

Ajay smiled lazily. ”Voluntarily.”

“Definitely crazy,” Radha muttered under her breath.

Ajay chuckled.

Radha carefully pulled the next brick. Animal.

“Puppies.”

Ajay shook his head lightly. ”None.”

Music.

Radha’s fingers paused on the brick before she answered softly, ”Agar Tum Saath Ho… by Arijit Singh.”

“None.”

Radha stared at him flatly. Like are you serious?

“Well,” Ajay leaned forward with a small grin, ”I guess I am the boring person here. So how about you answer the next few questions that aren’t embarrassing for me?”

Radha snorted quietly despite herself. ”Fine.”

Ajay gestured grandly toward the tower.

Radha shook her head, pulling out another brick.

Season.

“Monsoon.”

Ajay nodded. ”Good choice. Rain fixes half the problems in the world.”

Radha wasn’t sure if he was joking or serious. Ajay removed the next brick carefully and slid it toward her.

Radha read it. Memory.

Her eyes softened, ”When Bhaiya cooked for me the first time.”

She quickly pulled another brick, before she dived in the moment. Safe place.

“My brothers.” The answer came without hesitation.

Ajay noticed how her shoulders relaxed slightly after saying it. Even the small mention of her brothers carried a warmth in her gaze and a softness in her eyes that could be understood without any explanation. For Radha, her brothers were her world... Her home!

He pulled out next one, sliding it before her. Superpower.

Radha stared at the word for a moment, Before she whispered, ”To disappear.”

The tower creaked faintly. Ajay’s eyes flickered toward her, but he didn’t react.

Radha pulled another one before he could, her body working in sync. However, she froze.

Dream.

Her fingers tightened around the block. Silence filled the room. What was her dream?

“I don’t care what you do or how you do it,” Raghav’s voice filtered in her ear. ”Tujhe yeh sab aana chaiye. (You should know how to do all this.) I want you to take over the Dhanrajgir empire once you grow up. I want you to take over Mahir. If I can’t get the son I want... I will wipe my daughter into something I wished for. Tera sapna wahi hoga jo mera hai. Bss! (Your dream will be the same as mine. That’s it!)”

Ajay observed her stiff shoulders, the way her fingers curled slightly around the brick as if holding onto it was easier than holding onto herself. But he didn’t comment. He simply reached forward calmly and removed the next block.

He turned it toward her. Fear.

Radha stared at the word. The tower that had been standing tall suddenly wobbled and collapsed. Bricks scattered across the table, a few tumbling to the floor. The sharp clatter echoed through the silent room.

A silence that, this time, felt heavier... much heavier than words could ever describe.

“Aap aisa nahi kar sakte, Raghav, (You can’t do this, Raghav,)” Payal snapped at her husband. ”Baachi hai vo abhi. Aap usse aisa koi faisla lene nahi khe sakte. Baat hum dono ke beech ki hai. Let’s not bring our daughter into it. (She’s still a child. You can’t ask her to make such a decision. This is a matter between the two of us. Let’s not bring our daughter into it.)”

“She has always been in the middle,” Raghav yelled. ”Haar baar kisi na kisi tarike se tumhari beti beech mein aa jati hai. (Every single time, in one way or another, your daughter ends up in between us.) And I am done with that. I am teaching that dumb girl how to behave like Raghav Dhanrajgir’s daughter. Agar ladka hota toh isse zyada dimag uske paas hota. Mujhe ek ek baat itni baar kehni nai padti. Isliye ab faisla iss lena hi hoga. (If she had been a boy, she would have had more brains than this. I wouldn’t have to repeat the same thing again and again. That’s why she will have to make the decision now.)”

“Lizard?” Ajay said, breaking the silence.

The way Radha sat frozen like stone, lost in her own thoughts, her glassy eyes as if remembering the worst memories she didn’t wish to ponder on. The way the answers had come naturally earlier until it came to dream and fear, her voice simply faded away. Something about it all said there was more to her than she let on.

“Huh?” Radha looked at him, startled, the fog in her mind clearing a bit.

“Lizard?” Ajay repeated, his voice soft. ”I fear them. They gross me out.”

He leaned forward, holding Radha’s gaze. ”What are you afraid of, Radhika?” His tone gentle. ”What makes you shudder?”

Radha looked away. ”No-nothing.”

“Lie!” Ajay pointed out. ”You stammered and avoided eye contact. The basic lie-detecting gesture.”

Right on cue, his phone rang. The time was up!

Radha rose to her feet immediately. ”Thanks!” She mumbled, turning on her feet, wanting to escape. Suddenly, the room felt suffocating, making it harder to breathe.

“Duniya mein aisa koi nahi hai jise darr nahi lagta, Radhika. (There is no one in this world who isn’t afraid, Radhika.)” Ajay said, rising to his feet.

Radha stopped, her fingers hovering over the doorknob. Slowly, she turned to look at Ajay.

“Darr se muh pher ke hosle ko nahi jeet sakte. (You can’t defeat courage by turning away from fear.)” Ajay continued, holding her gaze, his tone laced with conviction. ”Zindagi mein do raaste hote hain. Ya toh aapne darr ka samna karke usse jeet lo, ya phir usi darr ke karaapne kadam peeche le lo. Faisla humare haathon mein hota hai, Radhika, ki hum apne liye kya chunte hain! (In life, there are two paths. Either you face your fear and conquer it, or you step back because of that fear. The choice is in our hands, Radhika, and we decide what path we choose!)”

Radha opened the door and walked away.

Ajay sat back in his chair as the door closed. Radha was a kind-hearted girl; the simple gesture of her saying thank you despite her hurry to escape was new to him.

Usually, people thanked him after seeing the results or coming to terms with their emotions, but with Radha, everything suddenly felt different. Obviously, each conversation he had was different, yet this one left a deeper impact. He hoped he could help the girl find the courage to face her fears!

✨✨✨

Mahir glanced at Radha as he drove. He tried to talk to her, but his sister sat quietly, refusing to utter even a word. He stepped back, willing to give her the time and space she needed. The exhaustion in her eyes gave away that it wasn’t easy for her, but still, she tried, and that’s what matters.

“Aapko kuch puchna nahi hai? (Don’t you want to ask anything?)” Radha asked suddenly, startling him.

“Tu baat karna chahti hai kuch? (Do you want to talk about it?)” Mahir asked, unsure.

Radha looked out of the window. ”I need to go to the sunset point,” she mumbled.

She looked on as Mahir turned the wheel, taking the different road. Slowly, she was understanding her bhaiya; he was giving in to everything she said, no questions, not a single beat of hesitation. Sometimes she was annoyed at getting everything so easily when she was used to different reactions, and sometimes it just got overwhelming. She herself didn’t know what she wanted anymore.

“What if I say I don’t want to continue this?” She asked, testing the waters.

Mahir’s grip tightened on the steering ever so slightly. ”Did you not like his approach?” He asked, glancing at her before focusing back on the road.

Radha turned her head to look at him. ”That’s not what I asked, Bhaiya. I asked what if I don’t want to continue this? What will be your decision?”

“I will find someone else,” Mahir replied honestly. He refused to say that it was okay or that he was there. His sister needed help, and it was high time they acknowledged the truth rather than taking it lightly.

Radha nodded. What else was she even expecting?

She looked away. ”It’s fine. I—I’m okay with the doc. I—I guess.” It was hard to say it out loud that you were ready to take help, to go to a shrink to untangle the mess inside your own mind, but she managed.

Mahir smiled faintly. ”Want me to make something special for you? A special treat just for my child?”

Radha rolled her eyes. ”Yeah right! Your brothers will become jacko babies. I can’t expect any better from Abhi. But Bhaiyu… I am not dying to see my twenty-five-year-old brother behaving like a toddler.”

Mahir chuckled. ”That’s true. But you can’t insult your brothers like that, Radha. Un dono ne sun liya toh tu gayi phir… (You are gone if they both hear this...) then don’t come running to me asking for help.”

Radha shook her head in exasperation. ”You love them more, I know that. No need to remind me.”

“I love you all equally,” Mahir said, his words filled with quiet sincerity.

Radha looked out of the window. They both were aware of the truth that Radha would always have the edge of Mahir’s heart more than the brothers themselves, a silent truth that didn’t need words, just emotions to understand!

 

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