Part 27 - Calm before the Storm

                                    

                                          
'Nikkeji, your eyes are laden with sleep. Why are you resisting?', questioned Abhinav, glancing at Akshara worriedly.
'I don't want to sleep, Papa', said Abhir, stubbornly.
Akshara ran her hand across Abhir's head.
'Scared that Papa will go away when you sleep? That someone will take him away from you?', asked Akshara, softly.
Abhir nodded, reluctantly.
Abhinav caught his ears. 'Yaara, I am sorry! I am more sorry than I have ever been for anything. I am not leaving you. I can't leave you, Nikkeji. Tell me how to make you trust me'.
Abhir lied,'I am not sleepy, Papa'.
'Abhinav, give me your phone'.
Akshara took the phone and handed it to Abhir. 'See the lockscreen photo'.
It was of Abhir sitting on Abhinav's shoulders after he had won the football match.
'Enter the password'.
Abhir asked unsure,'What is it?'.
'SOSO'. Same old, same old.
Abhir laughed and entered his birth date and month. The home screen had a photo of Akshara, Abhir and Abhinav celebrating Neelamma's birthday.
'Open the photo gallery and scroll through it'.
The gallery was filled with pictures of Abhir - with Neelamma, Kartik, Akshara, Goenkas - and solo Abhir pics as well. There wasn't a photo in which Abhir wasn't there.
'Now tell me, Abhir, can your BP leave you?'.
'Bhole Papa?', asked Abhinav, happy to see Abhir relaxing.
'Budhu Papa!', said Akshara, conspirationally, winking at Abhir.
Abhir giggled and handed back the phone.
'No, but..'. Faint worry lines were back.
'Nikkeji, catch my hand and sleep. But sleep now, Yaara. You need the rest. God knows how you are still awake after the double dosage and antidote's effect'.
Abhinav held out his hand, sitting on the floor next to Abhir's bed. There wasn't a single chair for an adult to sit in and Abhinav avoided thinking as to what that meant. There had been enough confrontations for tonight. Abhir caught Abhinav's hand in both of his and finally slumbered off.
'Akshara, you try to get some sleep too', whispered Abhinav.
Akshara nodded, half heartedly. She was too angry and overwhelmed to sleep. The events from earlier kept playing in a loop inside her head, every fear she had felt, every piece of information that had pierced her from within, every insult she had ignored. She saw Abhinav gazing at Abhir in a way that could only be described as how a devotee saw his God. He fell asleep after a long time and got up with a start a couple of times, checking if Abhir was still with him. Akshara sat cross legged on the floor, thinking over how Abhinav needed the reassurance of Abhir's presence as much as Abhir needed his. 
The Birlas - the curse of my life. A curse sparing no one I love. I WILL get rid of them soon.
The morning sun dawned and Akshara freshed up. She didn't wake her boys, taking her place on the floor again. After a surprisingly short while, Abhir woke up, Abhinav's hand still in his. He grinned and kissed Abhinav's cheek and got up to look for her. Akshara smiled widely, looking intently at Abhir. He seemed well rested and more happy than Akshara had seen him since they had lost his custody. Abhinav woke up from his sleep in a panic, not feeling Abhir's hand in his.
'NIKKEJI!'.
'I am here, Papa!'.
Abhinav pulled him in his arms, kissing his forehead, his voice still sounding a little wild,'You are okay, Yaara? All fine? Nothing wrong?'.
'I am fine, Papa'.
Abhinav didn't leave Abhir.
'You are not scared, right? Anything paining?..' 
Abhir shook his head, yet Abhinav still checked for a fever. Abhir's body temperature was normal. That didn't stop Abhinav's rush of words. 'I am here, you know that, Nikkeji? I am not leaving you, you know that, right? You trust me? You forgive me? You won't leave me, Nikkeji? I will be a good papa, I promise..'
'Abhinav! Abhinav, relax! Abhir is perfectly fine. Go freshen up. I said, go freshen up! Leave him. Give Abhir to me, Abhinav', said Akshara, firmly.
Abhir hugged Abhinav tightly before pulling himself away and going to Akshara.
'Come fast, Papa! I am hungry!'.
Abhinav finally relaxed, coming to his senses after hearing the same energy in Abhir's voice that he had in Kasauli.