Abhira Off-Tracks: Short Stories

The Loss - Part 1

Hello, and thank you for being here!
This is an Abhira Three Shot story from the Precap where Manish called the cops on Abhimanyu. I don't know which direction they will take the story to, but I am kinda miffed they didn't show Akshara utterly disappointed at her Bade Papa's behaviour and actions. I wanted her to express the indignation and her hurt at the way her love was being treated. So, here it is.

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"Chalo sab." Manish ordered his family to walk back in and leave Abhimanyu right where he stood helpless - on the other side of the closed gates.

"Main uss paar nahi jaungi," Akshara's voice stopped him in his tracks, " kyunki aapne kaha hai. Lekin main Abhi ko bhi akela nahi chhod sakti."

Manish turned around slightly in sheer disbelief of what he heard. What meant respecting the boundaries for Akshara right now felt like a tight slap for Manish on his decision taken in blind anger.

"Yeh do naav kabhi ek saath nahi beh sakti, Akshara." Bade Papa's words sent shivers down her spine. "Tum bhi aaj faisla kar hi lo, aur kisi ek taraf chali jao." Manish spoke without a single falter in his words even though his hands were trembling, "Warna zindagi bhar isi majdhar mein khadi reh jaogi. Na iss taraf ki, aur na hi uss taraf ki." Manish shook his head and strode back to the mansion.

Silence. That's what he heard the loudest. And between the distrubing silence, Abhimanyu heard his Akshu carefully muffling her whimpers.

"Akshu baba!" Abhi coaxed her from the other side of the only barrier between them, "Ismein roni wali konsi baat hai?"

The whimpers turned into audible cries.

"Akshu! Idhar aao!" Abhi ordered his crying baby who immediately came to lean on the other side of the gate. "Meri jaan, rona band karo please. Dekho iss waqt agar tumhare Bade Papa ki jagah koi bhi aur hota na, toh tumhara Ullu aaj bandar bhi bann jaata, kisi ki parwah nahi karta kood kar aa jaata uss paar." He said, earning a chuckle from Akshara. "Lekin tumhare Bade Papa ko manana haina?"

Akshara wiped her tears and nodded.

"Jaanta hoon Sir aur Bade Papa ne humare rishte ko apna aapsi maamla bana liya hai, lekin agar hum nahi suljhayenge inn rishton ko, toh humare saath-saath Kairav aur Anisha ka bhi rishta toot ke bikhar jayega." Abhi explained, "Aur main aisa nahi hone de sakta. Na main apne dil ki dhadkan se door reh sakta hoon, aur na apni behen ka dil tod sakta hoon. Isliye aaj Bade Papa se baat kiye bina main nahi jaane wala."

Manish sat down on the sofa with a thud. Arohi tried for the third time since morning, a hopeless attempt to convince Bade Papa to take his medicines. And while Kairav repeatedly sent accusatory glares her way, Arohi's only attention was at the door, waiting for Abhimanyu to finish his quota of patience, act on his aggression and walk inside their house to douse the fire with fire.

"Bhaisahab!" AG dashed to the living room with sweat trickling down his face. "Bahot buri khabar hai!"

Manish stood up, pressing his left arm a little tighter than before. "Ab kya hua?"

"Diamond Traders' Association ke saath humari deal revive nahi hui." Akhilesh dropped the bomb, "Humara 350 crore ka nuksaan already ho chuka hai, aur market mein yeh baat failne ke baad humari company ka kis hadd tak nuksaan hoga, yeh toh main bhi nahi jaanta."

Manish staggered on his feet. He knew something was coming his way the day he found out that the Chairman of the Diamond Association will be admitted at Birla Hospital, but he was not ready for the hardest blow of his life. Non-revival of the deal with the Association that only trusted the Goenkas for decades was a piece of news that held the power to shake the very core of the company he gave his entire life to.