The Rathores in Therapy: A BCHD Epilogue

Chapter 39: Emotions Heard, Emotions Validated

Last Time: With her family in her arms at that moment, Banni made a vow to herself. While the doctors would handle Kabir's demons, she would ensure he smiles in the present. She will be his solace, his sanctuary, and his strength, just like he had been hers.

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March 2nd, 2023, 2:00 am, Rathore Bhavan, Jodhpur

In the quiet of the night, Kabir found himself sitting in the gazebo, his head buried in his hands. He was wide awake, sleep eluding him as he wrestled with the troubling thoughts that consumed him. He could not forget Tulika's accusation, echoing through his mind. It was a terrible claim that left him shaken and questioning everything. He could not comprehend her reasons for making such a heinous lie.

A cool breeze rustled the leaves as Kabir sat alone in the darkness. He was grateful that Banni had been too exhausted to realize he was missing from their bed. He didn't want her to worry about him, not when she had her own issues to deal with.

"Why?" he found himself whispering to the silent night. "Why did she do it?" The words hung in the air, unanswered. It was a tormenting question, a relentless echo that refused to fade. He could not escape it, could not outrun it. It was there in his every waking moment and haunted his dreams when sleep finally claimed him.

He exhaled heavily, the weight of his thoughts pressing down on him. "Why does this bother me so much?" Kabir wondered aloud. He had been the one to tell Banni that Tulika's motivations did not matter, that her reasons for lying were irrelevant now that she was no longer alive to confirm them. Yet here he was, alone in the night, grappling with the questions he had dismissed as unimportant. His mind was a whirlwind of confusion and frustration, the answers he sought remaining frustratingly out of reach.

As he sat in the dark, the familiar sound of strumming violin strings echoed through the night. Kabir looked up, startled. There, bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight, stood Yuvaan. His fingers moved over the violin strings, creating a smooth and soothing melody.

"Yuvaan," Kabir sighed, surprised yet relieved to see his alter. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same," Yuvaan replied, his fingers never faltering on the strings. "It's late, Kabir. You should be resting."

"I can't sleep," Kabir admitted. "Too many questions, too many thoughts."

Yuvaan nodded, understanding. "I know," he said. "I can feel your turmoil. It's why I'm here."

"I don't even know why I have so many questions, Yuvaan!" Kabir exclaimed, his voice echoing through the quiet night. "It's not like anyone cares about Tulika or her lies anymore. Everyone had forgotten the past the moment I brought Banni home as my bride." He paused, his breath hitching as he worked to control his rising emotions. "And it's not as if I was so deeply in love with Tulika that I should feel so betrayed. In fact, I had led her on too when I claimed to love her, when the truth was that my feeling was a delusion that evaporated within days of her death."

Yuvaan paused his playing, the violin still nestled under his chin. He looked at Kabir, and his expression was one of empathy. "It's not about Tulika, Kabir," he said softly. "It's about you. It's about the fact that someone you knew, interacted with, cared about, and who claimed to love you could make such a claim. And it's about the fact that you can't understand why. That's what's bothering you."

Kabir looked at Yuvaan, his eyes wide with surprise. He opened his mouth to protest, but nothing came out. He tried again, asking quietly, "But, why does it matter?"

Yuvaan smiled, a sad, understanding smile. "Because you're human, Kabir. And humans seek understanding. We want to know why things happen, and when we can't find the answers, it bothers us."