MishBir: Someone You Love(d)

|10|Truths

Rajshree looked around anxiously and her gaze met Parul's, the chance encounter forcing both of them to fake a smile, while inside their hearts were beating erratically. Visambhar and Shourya were sitting in dead silence, their gazes not forcused on any member from the Rajvansh tribe, even after Nanu trying to converse here and there. More surprisingly, Jasmeet and Nidhi weren't clawing at each other either. Kaushal was sitting beside his father, a thousand thoughts running through his mind at the same time, for everytime his eyes would flicker to his sister sitting eerily quiet, with all her poise and grace, he could feel in his heart that this was the last of the quiteness this house was ever going to witness. He also knew that his sister was having a similar epiphany, it was crystal clear in her eyes and by the way she would look at the door every five minutes.

The sound of a car stopping right outside their house drove everyone to edge as they all stood up immediately, anxious and tensed for whatever was coming their way. When Kunal entered the house, followed by a bewildered Kuhu, all of their eyes could no more bear the wait. They immediately hovered around them, wanting to know the reason behind this sudden and unasked gathering.

"We have more guests, just hold on a little", Kunal spoke, moving to stand in the center, and asking everyone to settle down first. The family did sit down, reluctantly but when Ketki walked in next, with Nishnat in her trail, it got them confused. Yet, no body was prepared for the shock that wlecomed them next, when Abir and Mishti entered together, their hands entwined, and while Mishti was looking up facing the surprise etched on every face, Abir's head was lowered, and he could not look at anything but his shoes.

When the intial shock died down, Visambhar found himself staring at Mishti, who was also looking back at him, her eyes guilty but her face pleading him to listen to what she had to say. Visambhar tore his eyes off her, to look at his wife, but the lack of surprise on Rajshree's face was enough to know her knowledge about the arrangement. She was worried, sure, but not even an ounce surprised. Shourya and Varsha, along with Jasmeet, though, were openly gaping at the scene unfolding in front of them, especially now that Kuhu was also standing quiet, and the look on her face giving it away that she had a shock awaiting them too.

Kaushal, Nidhi, Atul, Parul and Nanu, found themselves smiling, irrespective of the tensed situation, unaware of the fact that Meenakshi was gritting her teeth, and seething in anger enough for a crowd, but for the others, just the fact that Abir didn't look as pale as he had been for the last two months, was comforting enough.

After giving all of them a few minutes to settle with their emotions, Kunal walked upto Visambhar and sat on his knees in front of him, holding his hand in his.

"Uncle, I have never called you bade Papa, unlike Bhai, because somewhere he had craved that father figure in his life which I never did, because he was the one in mine. I would like to change that, if you allow me to call yourself as my Bade Papa too, but only after all of you listen to what I have to say and then, still feel like giving me the right", Kunal's words surprised Visambhar more, because in the last few months of him being the son in law of their house, Kunal had maintained his distance and nurtured a formality in between them. Visambhar found himself nodding to Kunal, curious to know what he had to say either way.

Kunal got up, and his eyes met the burning eyes of his mother, but for the first time, the glare didn't make him nervous. He ignored it, like it didn't matter.

It actually didn't matter to him, in that moment.

Kunal turned and walked to Mishti this time, and smiled at her, forwarding his hand. Mishti smiled back and took his hand, while she saw Abir taking the other hand Kunal had outstretched for him, and they walked together towwars the center, and every pair of eye present in the room followed them.