Hello Brother

ChApTeR - 51❤️

"If anything happens to me, you will take care of my wife and children, won't you chote?" Arjun uncle asked one day suddenly. After the trial, it had become a routine – after a day’s work in the court, both brothers would unwind after dinner at the back porch. They’d sit on the lawn chair with his feet propped up on the balustrade and a beer in hand.  Their wives had been researching and gossiping and shipping anything everything under the sky waiting for the baby to arrive. Rohit, after much arguments, agreed that they were too tired to stay up and watch television and Mahi and Yuvi has moved to their boarding school the previous day.

Downing a bottle in only 3 gulps, Prem uncle grabbed for another and popped its cap.

"Thirsty eh?" Arjun uncle lamented, cocking an eyebrow at his brother. They had worked on a case together. They had done great progress on the court despite the bickering and the arguments. Even though the older one was irritated by the fact that the younger one was always there to question him and go the opposite way, he realised he had enjoyed it - maybe because he constantly felt like something was about to go terribly wrong. Their had been unspoken tension ever since the trial. The brothers just knew that the goons would be after them.

Tilting his head to the side, Prem uncle cocked an eyebrow. Of course he was thirsty! Look at the weather! “Are you living in a cold season now?” he countered. “The night is warm, the air is humid, don’t tell me the sweat on your neck is because of cold weather.” he snorted through his nostrils as he shot his brother a derisive look.

"Bro, you’re lucky I am exhausted to my bones or you would find my fist hitting your face by now." Despite the threatening words, the older one’s face betrayed them all. He was grinning from ear to ear with his huge black eyes twinkling.

"You didn't answer my question,  you will take care of them, won't you?" Arjun uncle asked. This time a bit desperately.

"Yeh bhi puchne ki baat h?" Prem uncle said in disbelief as he took another swing .

Arjun uncle was about to respond when he heard his wife call out to him. And she sounded distressed.

"Kya he?" He asked as he ran into the room with his brother. She just pointed at the TV.

"Murderer on lose. Has killed the famed lawyer Gurunath and his wife. The police are trying to track him." The news reporter went on and on in elaborate details but it all blanked out to the brothers. They just looked at each other.

"Mujhe jaana hoga" Arjun uncle said calmly to his brother.

"Lekin bhaiyya, bahar khatara h! "Saroj aunty protested.

"Meri bat sun, choti. There is no Sugar coating this, lekin humara tumhare saath rehna is calling for trouble atleast our kids are away. You are pregnant. Pata nahi ye log kya kya kardenge..."

"Par aapko agar kuch hogaya toh -"

"Toh Mahi aur Yuvi ke pass tum log hoge." Arjun uncle Said with finality. The brothers hugged each other hard as the women base teary- eyed farewells.

Somewhere, they all knew that this would be the last they saw of each other.

A week later, they got the bad news from the police. They had seen it coming but nothing in this universe could prepare them for the pain that came their way.

Saroj aunty and Prem uncle tried to keep a brave front. They brought Yuvi and Mahi back home, tried to be the best guardians. They knew, just knew that they would die soon too. But as long as they were here on earth, they would give all the love that they had to all four of their sons.