The siblings looked at each other, their hearts heavy and eyes teary! How much they had waited for this moment and for eachother only they knew!
Arjun was appalled as he realized the girl he saved that night was his Pihu, but then suddenly the thought that he was the one who had left her to face the world alone, traumatized him.
Aanchal too went extremely emotional,flashes of that night appeared in her mind!
How much she had felt indebted to the stranger who saved her that night, how much she thanked him and once back home safely, cried over her herself and remembered her brother!
She had been waiting for him for years together...how much she had cried every single night, how much she remembered him every single day...and today as he stood in front of her, she was happy and sad at the same time.
She wanted to know what her fault was?
What grave mistake she did, that he left her all alone?
Did he not love her? Did she really troubled him that much?
She was all of 7,all she asked was for food!
Why did she face years of abuse??
And what made him come back now??
What did he come to see and check??
She had already survived an ordeal, she managed all alone...and can do so even now..
She didn't want to burden him again
She couldn't let history repeat itself.
The world she had seen was extremely cruel to her and it included Arjun as well!
The pain she endured over the years, wouldn't life be different if he was around???She always would think.
Aanchal went up to him,
"Aapki jacket mere paas hai...aap kal agar is taraf aaye toh...yahan counter se pick up kar lijiyega"
She spoke in a shaky voice and walked away...
"Pihu...please...meri baat sun bacche"
Arjun too was trembling
"Aap please jaiye yahan se...mere paas kehne sunne ke liye kuch nahi hai" She spoke with her hands folded and went inside and Kaku followed her.
"Pihu...Pihu..please meri baat sun"
She closed the door before Arjun could complete.
"I think ab aapko jaana chahiye" Hemant spoke finally
Raghav patted on Arjun's shoulder and gestured him to leave.
"Ye mera card, rakh lo" Hemant scribbled something on his visiting card and handed over to them.
"Ye number Aanchal ka hai, aur woh upar printed wala mera...Woh yahaan SBT college me II year Arts ki padhai kar rahi hai...
Kaku thoda zyada emotional hai,Aanchal ko lekar...aur aaj Aanchal bhi..."
Hemant couldn't complete his words..
"Main usse baat karna chahta hoon..please Uncle!"
Arjun pleaded
"Beta mushkil hai... uski haalat aisi nahi hai abhi...tum jao...phir kabhi dekhte hai...agar tum yahan ho toh"
"Hum yahin settled hai Sir, abhi kuch waqt pehle hi aaye hai...aur Ajju kaafi time se use dhoond raha tha...sach me" Raghav replied
"Main samjhta hoon..par abhi please jao"
Arjun very longingly looked at the door, in hopes that she might come out..
Hemant understood it and said
"Nahi aayegi bahar, Jab tak tum jaoge nahi"
Arjun shook his head and walked out with tears in his eyes.
Aanchal inside was sobbing continuously, Kaku tried consoling her but she just couldn't.
"Kyun...kyun aaye the?" And Aanchal broke down bad
Hemant went inside and patted her
" Chale gaye woh dono abhi, isi shehar me rehte hai...Aanchal beta please sambhal khudko...tu nahi milna chahti toh koi baat nahi..koi zaroorat bhi nahi hai...sach me...tujhe jo theek lage woh kar"
Kaku also agreed.
The both hugged Aanchal who was in an emotional turmoil.
Back in their home, Arjun too was equally bad...flashes of that night when he saw Pihu running helpless came across his eyes...he was crying continuously.
Raghav tried consoling him
"Mil toh gayi na...pata hai na yahin hai, aaj na sahi..phir kabhi baat karegi Ajju...yaar tu expect bhi kya kar raha tha haan?
Itne saalon baad seedha aake tere seene se lag jaati kya woh?
Aur yahaan ghar aa jaati?
Barson ki doori hai, do minute me toh nahi khatam hogi na?
Kitne sawaal, kitna gussa, kitna dard hoga uske mann mein?
Itni jaldi maafi nahi milegi bhai!
Nahi baat karegi woh...
Teri talaash khatam hui hai bas, lekin use vapas laane ki koshish toh abhi tak shuru bhi nahi hui hai"
Arjun looked up and nodded...Raghav made sense..
He had only found her now...he now needed to bring her back...yes it's been years together and he probably will have to try rigorously for atleast months together!
Arjun promised himself to get her back...he wasn't letting his Pihu go away from him anymore.
Aanchal too left the bakery and headed back home, she took out the old bag which had her entire belongings of her childhood.
As she opened the bag today, it had got heavier with time.
The day Arjun left her, the bag had one of his shirt, an old shawl of their Mom, a frock of Pihu, a pair of anklets and a set of pink small bangles which Arjun had bought for her on Rakhi... these were her precious memories and belongings.
Over the years it also had 12 Rakhis, of all the years Arjun wasn't around and letters which Pihu wrote to him..pleading him to come back, telling him how much she loved and missed him and promising him that she would never ask for anything ever again if he comes back and lastly praying to God for his well being.
Today as she opened the bag, she felt numb!
She wasn't angry at him at all, she was always told it was her fault that he left her!
But she was upset, very upset...
Today as she looked back, it would have been easier if she died of hunger in his arms rather than be alive and face the world without him!
She herself didn't know what she wanted from hereon..
What does he want to say to her now?
Could all her pain be erased by his presence?
Did she want him around now?
Too many questions in her mind waiting to be answered
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