Dhadkan (Book 1 - Singhania Brothers)

Part 12 : First step of acceptance

Ayaansh found it hard to form words because of the painful lump he felt in his throat. He had never been so scared and... Worried! He never had to! Every call that Arnav refused to take up was increasing his heartbeat in a way that he felt his heart would thump out of his chest any moment.

Aniket gently pulled him to his chest, masking up his own worry as he held Aryan from other side. "Security ne kaha na Bhaiya aa rhe hai. Kyun pareshan ho rhe ho dono?"

Aryan looked up. "Mujhe Bhaiya chahiye, Bhaiyu."

"Bhaiya aate hi honge, Bacha."

Ayaansh pulled back and looked at him with worried eyes. "Security ne kaha tha Bhaiya will reach in half an hour, Bhaiyu. Here it's been hours! Subah hone ko aayi hai!"

Aniket blinked to not let his worry surface his eyes. His patience was hanging on a very thin thread. He could feel it in his bones that something wasn't right. All he wanted to do was to rush out to find Arnav but he couldn't leave the boys alone.

Swallowing his inner turmoil, Aniket tried for a calm voice. "Bhaiya must be stuck somewhere, Ayu. Let's wait for some more time then I'll go look for Bhaiya."

Ayaansh felt his eyes tearing up as he nodded reluctantly. He felt sick with worry. He had never felt so worked up before. Even when he heard the news of his parents' demise, all he could feel was a undying emptiness inside him. He felt lost but he didn't feel what he was feeling at that moment. Worried and scared to lose something that he was so reluctant to accept in the first place!

Aryan closed his eyes and drew a breath. He gently pulled away from Aniket and hugged Ayaansh. Ayaansh quickly masked up his eyes and held him.

"Bhaiya aa jayenge, Bhai." Aryan said and Ayaansh was taken aback by the gentleness in his voice. He nodded and pulled him closer.

Aniket sighed looking at them. None of them would be at peace untill they see Arnav for themselves. He grabbed his car keys and was about to walk out when they heard the sound of cars pulling in the driveway. They rushed out.

Arnav entered the house in a terrible condition. Drenched in the rain and his body slightly shivering with cold, he walked in and was quickly surrounded by his brothers.

The brothers almost cried in relief when they saw Arnav. He had given them a bad scare. All of them rushed to him but Aniket stopped in his tracks as soon as the bruises on Arnav's body and faded blood stains on the coat he was holding in his hands registered in his brain. His breath got hitched for a second. Where was his brother coming from?

Aryan ran for his life as soon as he saw Arnav but Arnav stepped back and stopped Aryan from hugging him. "Mai bheega hua hoon, Bacha. Teri tabiyat pehli hi thik nhi hai. Let me get changed first, okay?"

Aryan shook his head as the anger took over his senses. Here he had been dying out of worry and his Bhaiya was concerned about his health? He hugged Arnav tightly and started crying.

Arnav sighed and pulled him closer. "Mai thik hoon, beta, kyu ro rha hai tu? Please chup ho ja."

"Roye nhi toh kya kare, Bhaiya? Do you realise it's four in the morning? Kaha the aap? Aapko pata hai we were so—" Ayaansh's voice choked up.

Arnav pulled Ayaansh to his chest from another hand. Now he had both Aryan and Ayaansh sobbing against his chest. "Rona band Karo dono. Theek hoon mai. I'm sorry, bacha, mere phone me network nhi tha. I got stuck due to the bad weather. Please stop crying."

Arnav's words were completely lost at them as they soaked themselves in the familiar warmth and love of their Bhaiya's embrace. Arnav let them take the comfort they had been so desperately craving for.