MishBir: Someone You Love(d)

41|| Hurt Beneath The Hurt

“This doesn't add up though”, Abhay spoke sipping on his black coffee while Badi Maa's frown deepened as she stared at him. It was already late afternoon, and Mishti still hadn't returned home with Abir. She had just texted Badi Maa a while ago that they needed little time together and would be back soon. Needless to mention, it hadn't soothed any of Badi Maa's worries and had only riled her further, paving the way for the present conversation with she was having with Abhay.

Over the past three months, Badi Maa had left no stone unturned to make sure Mishti was really okay this time, even if a continent away. And because just Mishti's assurance wasn't enough for her, she would initially call Nishant, to double check and had eventually resorted to calling Jo and Abhay every few days too. What started as a formal exchange of pleasantries had gradually developed further into a deeper bond, and while Badi Maa treated Jo as her daughter, Abhay was more of her son slash friend.

“I mean I have heard all of the story from Mishti, obviously, and I understand why Abir stayed clear of your path the first three months - he neither had the right to come and talk to you, nor the courage. Add to it his guilt and misery, I can understand the predicament anyway but - ", Badi Maa cut him off as she shook her head.

“He met me every week of those three months, in the temple. We sat with our backs to each other, but he answered a question or two, ate whatever I brought him, asked me to take care - every week. I was hurt and angry, even then, though I didn't know the details of what happened. That didn't stop him from seeking me. I don't know how to say it by my relationship with Abir wasn't only driven by our love for Mishti, we share, or shared an individual relationship too”, Badi Maa confessed, teary eyed as she remembered the N number of times she had treated him like her son and he had loved her back like a mother.

Abhay softly smiled as he patted her hand. To him, it wasn't news that this woman loved Abir like a son, he had heard Mishti crib about it a hundred times, although she had always been joking because he knew she treasured this bond just as much as Abir and Badi Maa did. But he was slightly surprised to see that not only Mishti, but every life that Abir had touched had been in awe of him some way or the other. Even though he hadn't met Abir in person, he already knew that there must be certain charm about this guy.

“I forgave him a while ago, again”, Badi Maa continued when Abhay didn't speak, “Shaurya's Babuji brought him home while I was sick and I hugged him and I forgave him. Maybe it wouldn't be that easy for me to forget everything Mishti went through but she was doing better and I knew she was also indirectly trying to sort this out, and most of all, no matter how hurt or how angry I was, I couldn't stay immune to his misery either”, she sighed, shaking her head, “I thought he would talk to me post that. Come to me, meet me, flirt with me again - ", she chuckled, in between her tears, “but he didn't. He talked more to my husband who he is obviously scared of, but he didn't come see me even once after that day. And to know something went so wrong yesterday for him to spend the whole day in that very temple but he couldn't come to me - how do I not be angry again?”, Badi Maa exclaimed, frowning and crying, albeit both her and Abhay understood she wasn't really angry, she was just worried and hurt.

“That's what doesn't make sense to me”, Abhay answered taking a few seconds to articulate his words, “There was guilt and remorse and fear, I know that, but his reluctance to meet you doesn't make any sense to me. There is something we are missing in this story”, he looked up at Badi Maa who was suddenly too deep in thoughts, “Something you will have to ask him because nobody else has an answer”, Abhay finished and sighed as wires in his own head started turning. Sooner or later, he needed to have a direct conversation with Abir Rajvansh - he couldn't let Mishti jump into anything he wasn't sure about himself.

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Abir and Mishti walked with soft steps as they reached the entrance of Maheshwari house, not surprised to find the gate already wide open while Badi Maa was sitting on the sofa, looking at the door every few minutes. As soon as MishBir came into view, she stood up, her nose flaring with clear annoyance. Mishti bit her lip, intertwining her hand with Abir's, suddenly scared of the woman waking towards them with a glare. She leaned towards Abir and whispered, "We are going to die, I am telling you, I have never seen her so ang-" - but the sentence stayed unfinished as both of them yelped in pain with the way Badi Maa was twisting their ears.