Batuk slowly opened his eyes, blinking several times to adjust to the bright lights of the room.
The first thing he noticed was the silhouette of a man sitting near him by his bedside with his head bent. He wasn't looking at Batuk, but even with his facial profile hidden from his line of vision, he could still recognise who it was as he felt relief flooding through him.
Big D… I knew it… Aap kitna bhi gussa ho jaaye you won't abandon me like that…
Mustering his strength, lifting off his oxygen mask a bit, Batuk called him in a weak voice. "Big D… You came…"
Anirudh's heart thudded in his chest, his eyes shut tightly as he tried to control his impulse to engulf his brother in a bear hug, and cry his heart out.
But that was when the horrifying image of Bondita in a ring of fire created by Batuk snapped his brotherly, loving instinct and filled him with a renewed determination to find out the true reason behind Batuk's insanity.
As much as he wanted, he knew that Batuk was quite manipulative. He didn't want to sound too lenient as he was afraid that Batuk might take advantage of his softness and might try to detrack him or lie to him.
Bringing as much sternness as Batuk's fragile condition could handle, trying to appear all business-like, Anirudh slowly turned around and with determination stamped on his features, he briskly said,
"Batuk, kisi ghalat fehmi ka shikaar na hona. Tumne jo kia hai, mien woh bhoola nahi hun. Mien yahan tumhare liye nahi aaya hu… Mujhe bas mere sawaalon ke jawab chahiye."
Anirudh's words stabbed in his heart and he felt a deep remorse that he had never experienced before!
Clinging to some last vestiges of hope, he tried to control himself from bursting into tears as he told himself,
Nahi, yeh sach nahi hai. Big D came for me, he couldn't stay away. Batuk, you still have a chance.
Mustering all his strength, he mumbled,
"Big D...please don't do this to me. I am sorry Big D… Trust me Mein aapko hurt nahi karna chahta tha."
This was true, Batuk would never hurt Big D. That was why he kept away for so long. That was why he avoided her for so long!
For all he knew, it was him who was sacrificing…
It was him who made all the compromises!
If only Big D looked at this case without his biased lenses, he would clearly see that I was the one who was the victim on most accounts!
However, Anirudh wasn't so keen on giving him any credit for his patience and sacrifice.
Leaning closer to him, with angst and hurt lurking in the deep pools of his eyes, he asked in a serious voice that also reflected his deep ache,
"Aur tumhe laga ke tum Bondita ko tadpaoge toh mujhe dukh nahi hoga? Meri Bondita ko chot pohanchao ge aur mujhe dard nahi hoga?"
Forgetting everything, a wave of irritation washed over him on hearing his Big D's question.
Bondita. Bondita. Bondita!
Thak gaya hun yehi sunte sunte. Can't Big D see how that Bondita doesn't deserve all his love that he lavishes on her?
Trying to stabilize his breathing, he took a while to reply to his brother. Without realizing how childish he might sound, he just blurted in a hoarse voice,
"I knew Dada… Of course, aap ko dukh hota apni Bondita ko taklif mien dekh ker! Mager aap wahan nahi thay Dada. You didn't see what I saw. I saw you…dd..ddrr...drown for her"
Unable to speak properly as angry tears formed a clump in his throat, it took him several seconds to stabilize himself. And then he continued his tirade,
"Dada… Aapne toh decide kar liya hai ke uske saare dard aapko hi uthane hai. Abhi bhi aap uss Bondita ko bachana chahte thay… Aur Humesha se aap yahi tou karte aa rahe hai… Bondita ke liye khudko risk karte hai… Pehle usko Sati se bachane ke liye apni poori life upside down turn kardi. Usko Hira Mandi se bachate hue khud stab hou gaye. Phir uski Thaku Ma ne aapko baar baar hurt kiya, aapko jail bheja, but phir bhi chale gaye aap maafi maangne… aur natija kya hua? Iss baar poori family hurt hui. Aur woh Bondita! Usko koi kadr hai aapke efforts ki? Nahi, bilkul nahi… warna woh aapko aise hurt nahi karti, woh aapki jagah nahi leti, woh aapko peechhe chhod ke udne ke sapne nahi dekhti…Woh…"
He gasped, unable to continue with his emotional tirade, as his strength failed him again.
This time, the mask of indifference slipped off Anirudh's face and, unable to control his love for his brother, he rushed to put Batuk's oxygen mask back in its place. Frantically, he started rubbing his back to help him with his breathlessness.
It took him several minutes to recover, but once he was better, he weakly smiled at his Big D and quietly said,
"Dada, I know miene aap ko hurt kia. But trust me, mujhse nahi dekha gaya ke jis Bondita ke liye aap baar baar apni jaan khatray mien daaltay hain, jis se aap itna pyar kerte hain, woh aap ke naam ko aur aap ki resources ko use ker ke aap se aagay nikalne ki koshish ker rhy thy. Jis insan ne uss per ehsan kia, woh usi ko peeche chhod ker aagay nikal rhy thy. She was trying to use you for flying high, Dada...lekin aap ko apna aasman bana ker nahi, balke aapke ooper apne peir rakh ker wo udaan bharna chahty thy. Sooner or later Dada, aapko bhi iss cheez se problem hota. Mujhe jab phone per yeh sab bataya gaya tou mien Italy se turrant wapis aagya tha to set that woman straight! Lekin phir aap… "
He choked on his words again, but still managed to say,
"Mien jis din aaya,ussi din Dada I saw you drowning. Mien aapko bachane ke liye river mien kooda bhi tha… lekin nahi bacha paaya. I am sorry Dada...I really am."
Batuk fell silent but he didn't realize that he had exploded a bomb on Anirudh's head.
So far, Anirudh was just wondering how his little brother had gotten so negative, and how his hatred for Bondita had amplified and intensified so much.
However, now it seemed that he had heard something malicious against Bondita...Rather, someone had very skillfully filled his ears against Bondita.
Dropping on the chair lying beside Batuk's bed, he held his hand, and very slowly, very carefully, he asked,
"Tumhien phone per yeh sab kis ne kaha tha, Batuk ke Bondita deliberately mujhse aagay badhna chahty hai, mujhe neecha dikhana chahty hai, ya uske aagay badhne se ya uske udne se, mujhe bura lagega?"
His mind was silently trying to guess who it could be...and aside from Somnath, he couldn't recall anyone who might be carrying any kind of remnant resentment towards his Bondita.
His train of thoughts halted abruptly on hearing Batuk's reply,
"It was Trilochan kaka, Big D."
Anirudh felt like the sky had fallen on his head on hearing this.
YOU ARE READING
Setting It Right! (A Batuk-Anirudh-Bondita-Kaka Story)
FanfictionHello everyone! So, we are back with a new story. It was my idea to write an Epilogue because, like Ayesha and I, I was pretty sure that many of you must have been disappointed with the show's ending, especially because the team wasn't given a few m...
