Chapter- 7

Eshita frowned as she stepped into the dining room. The breakfast served on the table was all her favorites. She didn’t even remember the last time she had woken up to something she truly loved eating, other than those strict dietary meals. In Shimla, her bhaiya had done everything he could; she had thought it was simply his way of making up for lost time, but now that he was doing the same here, she realized she liked it, more than she wanted to admit.

Walking in and taking her seat, she glanced at her father, who sat silently in his chair. The unfamiliar tension between father and son was visible to her.

She wished to intervene, but she held back. Her father deserved that. He had hurt them, and now if his son did the same with him… maybe that was the price he had to pay.

“Good morning!” Ekansh stepped out of the kitchen and took his seat.

Eshita grinned widely. “Aaj mera birthday toh hai nahi. Phir mera favourite kyun banaya hai?”

Ekansh served the parathas and curd. “Kyun? Jis din tera birthday ho tabhi tera favourite banana chaiye?”

Eshita shrugged. “You can ask Dad about that.” She stared at her father. “Nahi, Papa? Waise toh itne saalon mein maine kuch special khaya bhi nahi except for that diet food or the stuff made by staff. And yes, my birthday… oh fish! How did I forget that? You made my eighteenth birthday so special for me. No?”

The bitterness in her words hung heavy in the air, sharp and unapologetic.

Virendra’s fingers tightened around the spoon. He could leave, he had that option, but he sat there calmly despite the wounds tearing open deeper in his heart. He deserved that. All he wanted was to face what he had done, and he would.

Ekansh filled her glass with juice, his jaw tightening slightly. He wished he could stop her, but he wouldn’t ever come in between his father and his sister. What Eshita went through, he couldn’t even begin to comprehend. The best he could do was support his sister in silence and speak when needed, because any word from him to his father might only worsen what was already fragile between them.

“Bhaiya, I have decided I am dropping college for a few years.” Eshita dropped the bomb casually.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Ekansh looked at her, stunned. So did Virendra.

Eshita kept her eyes trained on her brother. She knew her father would burst out, and she wanted just that. She was ready to press all the wrong buttons, test his patience, snap his restraint, every single thing he had been trying so hard to control. That calm and composed behavior, she wasn’t used to it. And in order to pour out her own hurt and anger, she was willing to cross any limit, even if it meant creating clashes in the house between her father and herself.

Her bhaiya would never let her do that, she knew. Neither was she actually dying to drop college; she was just provoking her father.

“You can’t!” Virendra’s voice cut through the silence like a sharp crack of thunder.

Eshita locked her eyes with him. “May I know why? Abhi bhi kuch baaki reh gaya hai, Papa?” She feigned innocence. “I don’t think you have any new business deals or responsibilities lined up for me. The motorcycle manufacturing was the last I had to look after, and unfortunately you didn’t like anything I suggested. Woh kya kaha tha aapne… you do as I say and follow without any questions. But Dad, earlier I was just a good little puppet for you and never a daughter, but today…”

She tilted her head slightly, her gaze unwavering. “Bhaiya is here. You can make him your heir. Why bother with me now?”

Virendra exhaled sharply; his daughter was giving him a taste of his own medicine, and he could bet he deserved every bit of it.

His tone softened as he spoke, “Esha..ita. Eshita! I—I know whatever I did was wrong. And I am not saying you to forget it or bury the past. Hate me all you want, baacha. Say whatever you want to say, and I won’t hold anything against you. But I won’t allow you to destroy your life. If you want to change the field, you can but you can’t just drop it for years. It will create a gap that might affect your future.”

Eshita scoffed, leaning back in the chair. “Really, Papa? Aapko laga itna kuch hone ke baad bhi main aapse ijaazat lungi? I was simply letting you know my decision. I wasn’t asking for permission.”

Virendra held her gaze. “You were asking or not that comes later. For now, I have stated my decision, you won’t drop from college. You want to take a break, that’s fine with me but I won’t let you destroy your future out of anger or impulse.”

“Or what?” Eshita challenged. “Shall we go for a sparring match, Dad? Or maybe I should bring the ruler and you can make me comply? Aap itna pretend kar rahe hain itne samay se, so I think once you take some serious action… I will obey your words. After all your command is my law.”

Hurt flashed in Virendra’s eyes, clear as crystal. He shrugged it aside and held his ground. “Eshita…”

“Eshu.” Ekansh intervened firmly, he had been hearing the rising tension and had had enough of it. Both of them were stubborn and neither of them was willing to back down just to prove their point. The more he heard Eshita’s words, the more it hit him at what she has suffered when he wasn’t there.

There was a time when his mother used to play mediator between him and his father. Today, it felt like history repeating itself. The only difference was, he had never crossed boundaries, but Eshita was ready to break them just to make her displeasure known.

He looked at his sister. “Dad jo keh rahe hain, woh sahi hai, baacha.” His voice remained calm yet steady, “If you want to take a few months’ break, that’s fine. There is still time for your final semester. Vani will provide you notes and keep you updated. But you suddenly dropping out it will disrupt everything you hve worked for.”

“Aap Dad ka side le rahe ho?” Eshita’s eyes flashed.

Ekansh shook his head. “No, I am not...”

“Yes, you are!” Eshita snapped. “You are doing exactly what he always does deciding what’s right for me without asking me…”

“I am not, Eshu,” Ekansh cut her off calmly. “I am just letting you know that your decision is very big it’s about your future. Are you sure you want to do this?”

Eshita gulped down the lump in her throat. “Agar main ‘haan’ kahun, toh aapka jawab kya hoga? Whom will you support?”

Ekansh reached out, resting his hand on hers. “You. I will support you no matter what your decision is, baacha. I asked you to rethink because once you take a step like this, it’s not easy to undo it and…”

“I don’t want to hear the pros and cons, Bhaiya,” Eshita cut him off, “All I want to know ki aap mera saath denge ya nahi?”

“Nahi!” Virendra interjected sharply. He glared at his son. “Tu hosh mein toh hai na, Ekansh? Do you even realize what you are supporting? She’s talking about putting her entire career on hold. Her career will slow down... age is not a barrier, I know that but there are certain timelines and opportunities that matter…”

“If she doesn’t want to, she doesn’t have to, Dad,” Ekansh replied firmly, “Anyways, she has spent five years doing what you wanted. I think it’s better if we give her some time and space to think rather than forcing another decision on her.”

Virendra shook his head, disappointed. “Ansh, you are supporting her in the wrong way.”

Before Ekansh could respond, Eshita was up on her feet. She turned on her heels and walked away. One more minute in that room would have made her question everything she was holding on to. She expected the exact reaction from her father... he did burst out, she said what she wanted, and for a moment, it felt like the weight from her chest was finally lifting, little by little. But when it came to her Bhaiya… he simply supported her?

That was not something she was expecting. If it had been a few years back, Eshita was certain her brother would have whacked some sense into her for playing with her future like that, or even thinking about dropping out.

It wasn’t like marks mattered to him or ranks, but studies were important, that was a natural fact her bhaiya believed in and had instilled in her too. So, his sudden calm reaction unnerved her. He was the brother she knew, but not the one she had grown up with… and that stung.

Ekansh rose to his feet. He glanced at Eshita’s plate, at least she had one paratha and some juice. He wasn’t hungry anyway after what had just happened. He turned to leave, but thought better of it and faced his father head-on.

“When she told me…” his voice tightened with restrained emotion, “that she scored 92 and 95 percent in her boards, I was shocked… I was proud of my sister. Kyuki maine bhi itne marks kabhi score nahi kiye. You taught me to learn, understand, and grow not just chase numbers, but everything you once taught me is now quite a contrast to what you have instilled in Esha.”

He paused gathering his emtions, “I don’t know what to say to you anymore, Dad. Apni bhen ki aankhon mein aansu dekhe the maine when I told her I was proud of her. I thought those tears were of hard work and growth, but today I realized... they were of pain and sadness that her father never gave her the appreciation and warmth she deserved.”

“Let Esha take decisions for her life, Dad.” His tone firmed. “For once, let her breathe and choose for herself. I won’t say you are wrong in what you are thinking your worry is valid but that doesn’t mean Esha is wrong. She is exhausted… let’s just give her some time and space. And I hope you won’t interfere in that one thing for now.” Saying that, he walked away.

He needed to talk to Eshita calmly, when she wasn’t high on emotions, when she was ready to hear him. He agreed with her, but he had his own concerns, like his father. The difference was, he believed in finding a middle ground rather than forcing something on Eshita that would push her further away.

Virendra sighed. He could feel it, his childrens weren’t just drifting away from him, but from each other too. Eshita didn’t react when he said no, but the moment Ekansh supported her, he noticed how her demeanor changed, how she grew restless and conflicted within seconds.

Both his children were trying to fill what they had lost, but in doing so, they were unknowingly hurting each other, pulling in opposite directions while wanting the same thing; connection!

✨✨✨

The clouds thundered violently, as if echoing the chaos within her, rain poured down in relentless sheets, blurring the world beyond. Eshita stared at the dark sky, leaning back on the swing as she sat in the balcony, her legs pulled to her knees, a diary lay open on her lap with a blank page staring at her expectantly.

The soil released its earthy fragrance, drifting through the air, a chilly breeze brushing against her skin sending shivers down her spine.

Eshita leaned forward, picking up the pen that had fallen earlier. Her fingers twitched, her heart writing down what words failed to describe, emotions too tangled to be spoken aloud. Each line she wrote came pouring out like an unrestrained confession…

Mann ke shor ko shant kare bhi toh,
Dil ke shor ka kya?

Bechaini hai har pal mein,
Har saans mein.

Paas hoke bhi koi apna itna door lage,
Saath hoke bhi rishta kamzor pade.

Saya jiska kabhi kavach tha,
Aaj wahi kavach toota dikhe…

Eshita traced the lines she wrote; each word came straight from her heart. There was a void she had been feeling since her bhaiya walked away, but now that he was back, she shouldn’t be feeling so unfamiliar. Yet, it felt like the wounds weren’t healing; they had simply begun to open again and bleed afresh, that hurt more than before.

A knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts. Eshita closed her diary, keeping it on the table. She looked up as Ekansh walked in and came straight to the balcony after noticing her.

“Yaha kya kar rahi hai?” Ekansh asked, settling beside her.

Eshita ignored the question, laid down resting her head on his lap. “Why did you start knocking before entering my room? Pehle toh aisa nahi karte the aap.”

Ekansh ran his fingers through her hair. “Kyuki ab tu bacchi nahi rahi na. Badi ho gayi hai. I should respect your privacy.”

Eshita rolled her eyes. “Badi ho gayi hu toh isme meri kya galti? Aapke liye toh aapki choti bhen hi rahungi na.”

Ekansh looked down at her. “Really? Bachpan mein jaise mere haath se har choti choti baat pe maar khati thi, woh bhi kahegi? Main tere har baat par jaan keechta tha. Agar abhi wahi sab phir se karu toh kuch nahi bolegi?”

Eshita shrugged. “Agar main galat hu toh mujhe sahi rasta dikhane ka haq hai aapka, bhaiya. Pyaar se, maar ke ya mere kaan kheech ke jo mere liye aapko sahi lage waise.”

Ekansh shook his head, a small smile creeping onto his lips. “Tab meri bhen bahut badi shaitaan thi. Abhi bhi waise hi hai, but I know when to hold back, Eshu. Back then I was myself hot-tempered, but now things have changed. Agar tujhe meri kisi baat ka bura lage chahe woh mera tere kaan kheechna ho ya tujhse uchi awaaz mein baat karna... you can tell me, okay? Just because I am your elder brother doesn’t mean you have to silently accept everything I do or say.”

It was better he talked it out with his sister, back then he was immature and impulsive, and Esha was a child herself. The bond they shared didn’t change, nor did the love, but there was a shift in their understanding and boundaries now.

Eshita looked away, staring at the rain. Again she wasn’t expecting to hear that.

What Ekansh said was mature and reasonable, but what Eshita heard and understood was him drawing lines between them, keeping barriers and creating a distance she had never asked for.

“Dad mujhe New York bhejna chahte the,” Eshita murmured as the silence stretched. “He wanted me to go there, learn business studies, work with one of his friend’s daughters so that after my graduation I can take over the empire. He had everything dictated for me. And I had no say in that. I fought with him and ended up facing consequences.”

She looked up at him, “Aapko pata hai, when Dad taught you boxing, he always let you hold back and defend yourself he never asked you to attack him, knowing you wouldn’t be able to do that with him. But when it came to me… he forced my hand. Jab jab main mana karti, he would make me run on the treadmill for an extra half hour or simply ask me to drop holding planks or doing push-ups till I agreed.”

Eshita laughed sarcastically. “Now that I think of it… I realize he was punishing himself for the sins he committed, but eventually making his daughter commit the same emotional sin of hurting someone she loved. Every time I was asked to attack, I felt my soul ripping apart. The sportsmanship is good there are countless fathers and sons who box in a ring, even father and daughter for them it is a form of bonding and trust. However, for me, it became a punishment each morning to brace myself, either to deny and accept what may come or just go with the flow, drowning in guilt and helplessness.”

Ekansh heard each and every word intently, the rain hammering against the glass roof, becoming the only sound echoing around them, his heart aching deeply for his sister.

He remembered when he was twelve and came home beaten up by a few seniors. His father was furious, not at those who hurt him, but that he didn’t hurt them back. His father believed in fighting your own battles and never backing down, till you win.

After that, each morning Virendra trained his lazy ass, the exercises, sparring and endurance drills were exhausting, but he endured them. He was ready to fight because his father told him only one thing, no one will come to save you; you have to do it yourself, and he did.

So today, hearing from Eshita that she wasn’t even given a choice, while he was always given the freedom to decide his limits, it unsettled him. Even if Ekansh sparred with his father, he never crossed that boundary, the skills he learned from him were meant for the world to apply on, not on his own father.

“I want to go to New York, Bhaiya,” Eshita said, startling him. “For further studies.”

Ekansh looked at her, stunned.

“Kuch bolo, bhaiya.” Eshita shook him as he sat there rigid.

Ekansh snapped out of his trance, he just wasn’t prepared to hear that. “Are you sure?”

Eshita held his gaze. “Agar main haan kahu toh aap rokoge nahi?”

Ekansh almost said yes but held back, shaking his head. “If you want to go for studies at your own will, then I won’t, Esha. Agar Dad ke kehhne par jaa rahi hai, toh I won’t allow that.”

Eshita sat up with a start. She turned and looked at her brother. “So you are okay with me going away?”

Ekansh sighed. “I didn’t say that, but… I won’t cage you just to keep you close.”

“But you will be satisfied.” Eshita’s voice rose an octave, the clouds thundered as if mirroring the storm building inside her, “Aap kyu rokoge? Aap toh infact khush honge... thank God she finally left bala tali meri life se…”

“ESHITA!” Ekansh snapped sharply, “Kya bakwaas kar rahi hai, hosh mein hai tu? All I said that...”

“You won’t mind if I leave.” Eshita completed, rising to her feet, “You know what bhaiya, mujhe aapse baat hi nahi karni hai. And you are right, I am going to New York because I want to and no one can change that decision.” She walked into her room, throwing herself on the bed. She pulled up the blanket, burying her face beneath it.

“Esha…” Ekansh called out gently as he followed her in, “Meri baat toh sun, baacha…”

“Just leave, bhaiya.” Eshita murmured from under the blanket, “I need some space.”

Ekansh contemplated for a heartbeat before walking away. He didn’t want to make her more angry, he could at least listen to what she wanted. He wouldn’t like it if Eshita went abroad for studies, but if she wanted to leave, he could go with her rather than letting her go alone. But even before he could explain himself or ask anything, she shut him out completely.

Ekansh felt restless, where was he going wrong? He was doing everything to make his sister feel open and comfortable, giving her independence and understanding, then what went wrong from his side?

Tears spilled over freely as Eshita heard the door lock click. She removed the blanket and sat up, tears trickling down her face uncontrollably, she didn’t wipe them, nor did she stop herself.

All she wanted was for her bhaiya to assert his right on her like he used to. If it had been her old brother, he would have yelled at her, talking some sense into her for asking about leaving, but now he was holding himself back, choosing distance over authority.

The changes had started to feel real, and that terrified her more than anything else.

Share your views!

Next update- Friday!

← Previous                               Next →