Eid Mubarak: IshRa OS #Completed

Eid Mubarak

Rahman's POV

I held my chest fearing my heart would explode any moment from now. It's worth giving a thought how happiness, like hurt, can make you go weak.
I stayed in my place but my clouded eyes wandered throughout the place frantically looking for him.

I spotted him at a few steps distance looking at me apologetically. All the memories came back in a lightning's speed and my legs felt heavy as I tried to cover the short distance between us. The physical distance was only a few steps away but the distance that had surfaced between us emotionally was too long to cover.

We both stood rooted to our spots although we wanted to reach the other, just like the situation we had put ourselves in for all these months.

It was not our egos that prevented us from taking that first step. He probably had his own set of guilts, inhibitions, insecurities, and I, had mine.

Today he had taken an initiative by calling me. Now it was my responsibility to make that first move.

I lifted my feet off the ground and took one huge step in his direction.

Probably that was all he had been waiting for, coz next I saw him running towards me and into my arms.

I crushed him between my arms and chest afraid he would go away if I left even an inch's gap. His grip around me wasn't less either.

We stayed in a soul-searing embrace soaking the shoulder of the other's kurta with hot showers of epiphany.

"Maaf kardo bhai" he spoke amidst tears.

"Mai kabhi naraz tha hi nahi tujhse. Toh phir maafi kis baat ki?" I said caressing his back and bringing him out of the hug.

"Toh phir ek bhi baar mujhe wapas bulane kyun nahi aaye?" He complained.

"Chod ke toh tu gaya tha na? Mai kaise aata bulane?" I complained back.

"Jaana zaruri tha" his facial muscles tightened.

"Itni nafrat hogayi thi mujhse ke mere sath rehna tujhe gawara nahi tha? Kya mai itna galat tha?" It hurt.

"Galat aap nahi the, mai tha. Nashe me hi sahi par kitna kuch keh diya maine. Un sabke baad aapko kaise face karta?" He lowered his head in guilt.

"Meri taraf dekh Romi" I made him look at me "Kya tujhe ab bhi lagta hai ke mai tera bhai nahi hoon?" I asked apprehensively.

"Haan" he said fearlessly.

My fears had come true. This is why I had stopped myself from approaching him till now. To know that he still does not think of me as his brother was killing me within.

"Abhi bhi tu mujhe apna bhai nahi samajhta?" I asked again not wanting to believe his reply. My grip around him had already begun to loosen shivering in the process.

"Nahi" he said looking straight into my eyes.

I was not able to look back at him and I began to retreat. My hands turned cold and became lifeless as it slipped through his arms.

Just in time, he held them in between his palms and said "Aap mere bhai nahi ho, aap mere BAAP ki tarah ho"

Words seemed to be going in a reverse gear. The last time we spoke he reminded me that I was not his father, today he says I am like his father.
The other day he was not in his senses and today he is in all his senses.

I did not know how to react. I went numb.

He held my palms in a tight grip and continued "Sar pe maa baap ka saaya na hona kya hota hai ye aap se door jaane ke baad pata chala. Ammi Abbi toh saalon pehle ye duniya chod kar chale gaye the. Unki yaad zarur aati thi, par unki kami aapne kabhi mehsoos hone nahi diya. Meri har zarurat poori ki, har azaadi di mujhe. Par maine badle me kya kiya? Aapka bharosa toda aur phir aapko aisi baatein kahi jo aap sunna bilkul bhi deserve nahi karte the. Mai bahut bura hoon bhai. Mujhe maaf kardo" he cried keeping his head on my palms that were held in his.