Hello Brother

ChApTeR-35❤️

Yuvi and Mahi headed back to their room. Yuvi was out as soon as his head hit the pillow but Mahi found it too hard to even sleep. He kept tossing and turning around. Yuvi pa finally had enough and got up when Mahi had snatched the blanket from him yet again. He got up and sat on the bed. It was 02:00 a.m. in the morning.

"Kya hai yaar, tera? Sone kyun nahi de raha?" Yuvi asked irritated.

"Yuvi." Mahi bhai called out to his twin.

"Bol. Sun raha hoon."  Yuvi pa replied noticing Mahi's tone.

"You remember? When we were younger... Our bed time routine?"

"Of course. We were in our pre teens and always whined to cuddle with mom and dad."

"And then dad would always ask "how much does papa love you both-""

"And we would ways reply-"

"Too much!" They both said in sync and laughed.

"Things changed so fast, didn't it?" Yuvi asked emotionally. Mahi just hummed. Though they thought of Virat's and Rohit's parents as their own, nothing could ever lessen their pain of losing their parents.

"I still remember mom's laugh." Mahi said after a pause.

"That carefree laugh, so full of joy" Yuvi agreed.

"Have you ever thought how life would have turned out if they were still alive?" Mahi bhai asked again.

"We would all still be a big happy family I guess... I would have loved to have that life but I don't hate this one... I mean we have all the loving seniors and our little brothers with us." Yuvi pa answered honestly.

"You know, I hated mom and dad for some time." Mahi bhai admitted after some time.

"What?" Yuvi pa asked alarmed. This was news to him.

"I know it was no one's fault, but that whole week after their death, I was so angry. I felt abandoned even when I was in a room full of people whom I loved and who loved me back."

Yuvi remembered those days. Mahi would come out and hang out with everyone just to convince everyone that he was fine. But most of the time, he would just hide in his room.

"Mahi, I know you like to keep up this strong super human persona, but talk to me." Yuvi pleaded.

"About what?" Mahi bhai asked trying to look confused.

"No don't do that . Don't try to cover up! I'm listening." Yuvi urged.

Mahi bhai let out a loud sigh and started telling Yuvi whatever was in his mind.

Memory( Mahi bhai is telling Yuvi pa)-

This incident happened when Mahiraj are 6 years old. Their parents were sick so they decided to prepared breakfast and serve it on bed. They had decided to go with a simple bread toast with omelette.

"I still don't understand why we couldn't just give them maggi!" Yuvi whined. They had been in the kitchen for almost half an hour now and he had enough of that place.

"Shut up, Yuvi. They are sick and they need something healthy and warm. Maggi is not healthy." Mahi bhai said quickly as he saw Yuvi open his mouth to protest.

"But it is warm!"Yuvi protested.

"Tera kuch nahi ho sakta bhai!" Mahi shook his head as he walked over to the kettle in which he was preparing the tea.

"Acha, see the bread while I go and take care of the tea." Mahi ordered as he walked away. There was silence for about 5 minutes before Yuvi pa announced.

"Oye, I think the bread is burning!" Yuvi pa said alarmed.

"Abe toh stove off karna!" Mahi bhai said exasperated as he rushed towards the fry pan but he ended up burning his hand.

He yelped in pain as Yuvi pa rushed over. Hearing the commotion, even their parents got out of bed and came to the kitchen.

"Kya ho raha hai yaha bachon?" their mom asked when she saw all the smoke coming from the kitchen.

"Hum aapke liye breakfast bana rahe the." Yuvi explained. That's when their parents saw the burn on Mahi's hand.

"That was very sweet of you boys!" Their mom said smiling at them. "You know what, let's all prepare breakfast together and eat in bed!"she said as all three of her boys agreed. She quickly ushered Mahi out of the kitchen to deal with the burn and left her husband and Yuvi to deal with the rest of the breakfast.

"Ouch!" Mahi hissed as she put the medicine on his hand.

"Sambhalke karna tha na Mahi. First of all, why were you even in the kitchen? Mujhe bula lete!"

"Aap dono ke liye surprise tha!" Mahi complained. His mom just smiled adoring her sons. She tried to be as gentle as possible while applying the medicine. Each time Mahi would hiss in pain, her heart would break a little.

"Ab theek h?" She asked after a while.

"Haan." Mahi replied. "Maa, agar mujhe phir kabhi chot lagi toh aap hoge na mere saath?" Mahi asked his mom.

"Main hmesha tere saath hi hunga beta!" She replied with a warm smile. Just then,Yuvi and their father walked in with the breakfast and they dug into the half burnt pieces of toast.

"Kyu kha rahe ho aap? Woh jal gaya!" Mahi asked when he saw his parents bite into the toast.

"Tum dono ne banaya h! Humare liye yeh sabse tasty h" his dad replied as he pulled him into a hug.

2 years later (after their parents died)-

An eight year old Mahi sat in the terrace looking at the moon. His cheeks were wet . He knew he was crying but he was too tired to wipe them off.

"Aapne toh bola tha ki you'll always be there with me na, mama. They why did you go? Why did you leave me? You know how much Yuvi troubles me? How will I deal with him? Why did you lie to me? I am hurt mama! You promised me you'll be there whenever I was hurt! But you broke it! You broke your promise, mom! I am hurt and you are not here!"

He realised that he had full on started sobbing when he felt a had on his shoulder. It was his aunt.

"Beta, I know that your mom is the biggest liar right now, but she is with you,beta. She'll always be with you!"

"Kaha? I don't see her." Mahi replied sarcastically.

"That's because she is not here physically. But she will always be here." She replied touching Mahi's chest.

"I can't accept her not being here, aunty!" Mahi dissolved into fresh set of tears.

"I know it hurts. Let it out!" His aunt mumbled him reassurances as she pulled him into a hug. She held him as he cried his little heart out.

"When will the Child Support Services take us away?" Mahi asked looking at his aunt who just looked shocked.

"What? I heard you talking!" Mahi replied shrugging.

"Mahi! Why would you even think that you're going with them? I promise I'll always-"

"Please don't make a promise you can't keep." Mahi interrupted.

"I promise I will not let go of you. You are my sister's son which makes your equivalent to my son! I know I'll never be the same as your mother. But I promise I'll be there." She completed ignoring his words.

Mahi had been sceptical of her first and it had taken him almost two whole months to warm up to her. Soon, he wss calling her mama. She didn't try to take the place of his parents but she was as good as his mom. She stayed up with him when he had nightmares. His dad would drive him to and back from cricket practice sessions. They realised that sending them to a boarding school would be easier because they had sports scholarship options. There were tears when the boys left but their parents never failed to remind them how proud and happy they were for the boys.
Soon, they heard that there would be new addition to the family and rushed back home.