Happy reading....

Abhimanyu sat on his couch, staring at his phone, debating whether to call Shourya. He had found out that his family here mirrored his royal family from the past, and it was essential to reconnect, especially given Shourya's urgency. Taking a deep breath, he dialed the number.

The phone rang a few times before Shourya's voice, filled with surprise, answered, "Hello?"

"It's me, Abhimanyu," Abhimanyu said, his voice steady.

There was a moment of stunned silence before Shourya replied, "You.. You're calling me?"

"Yes," Abhimanyu said, "I need you to pick me up from my apartment."

Shourya, still processing the shock, muttered, "You never call me. What's changed?"

Abhimanyu hesitated, then said, "Let's just say I realized some things. Can you come?"

A tiny part of Shourya's heart warmed at his brother's words, but he kept his tone neutral. "Alright. I'll be there soon."

"Thank you." Abhimanyu said, ending the call.

Shourya arrived early, parking his car in front of Abhimanyu's building. He leaned back in his seat, lost in thought. It had been years since they had a proper conversation. The rift between them had never healed, and he wasn't sure how to bridge it now.

Soon, he saw a figure in a grey colour hoodie and mask approaching the car. Abhimanyu opened the back door and slipped inside. Shourya frowned, turning to face him.

"I'm not your driver. Sit up front."

Abhimanyu paused, then quietly moved to the front passenger seat. Shourya was taken aback by his brother's compliance. He had expected resistance, perhaps a sarcastic remark, but Abhimanyu just did as he was told.

As they drove, Shourya occasionally glanced at Abhimanyu, who was engrossed in his phone. The silence between them was thick with unspoken words. Shourya's mind raced with thoughts of their strained relationship. He wondered why Abhimanyu hadn't even asked him how he was or anything about his life.

Finally, Abhimanyu looked up, catching Shourya's gaze.

"Keep your eyes on the road, not on me."

Shourya snapped, "Don't consider yourself so special."

Abhimanyu smirked slightly. "Yeah, it's showing from your eyes."

Irritated, Shourya pulled the car to the side of the road and stopped.

"What's your problem? Why can't we just forget about the past and be civil to each other?"

Abhimanyu shut his phone, turning to face his brother. "You think it's that simple? Do you remember how you always sided with Dad? How you never once stood up for me when I chose a different path?"

Shourya's eyes flashed with anger. "And you think it was easy for me? You think I didn't have my own struggles? You were always the golden boy, the one everyone adored. I had to fight for every bit of attention."

Abhimanyu's voice rose. "I didn't ask for that attention! All I wanted was to follow my dreams, but you and Dad made it impossible."

Shourya's grip on the steering wheel tightened. "And you think I didn't have dreams? But no, it was always about you. Even now, you're the superstar, and I'm just the younger brother."

The silence that followed their heated exchange was thick with unresolved tension. Neither brother was willing to back down, both too stubborn and hurt to offer an olive branch. They drove in uncomfortable quiet, the road stretching out before them.

Finally, Abhimanyu broke the silence. "Why did Dad ask for me? What’s so urgent?"

Shourya hesitated, his fingers drumming on the steering wheel. "It's because he's not doing well. He had a heart attack."

Abhimanyu's eyes widened in shock. "A heart attack? Why didn't anyone tell me?"

Shourya's expression remained unreadable. "It was a mild one. And Dad thought you wouldn't want to see him."

Abhimanyu's irritation flared. "So that's what you all think of me? That I don't care about my own father?"

Shourya's grip on the wheel tightened. "You never bothered to ask about what's happening in our lives. It's like you didn't want to be a part of this family anymore."

Abhimanyu's voice rose in frustration. "Because every time I tried, I was pushed away! You all made it clear I was an outsider the moment I chose a different path."

Shourya's jaw clenched. "Maybe if you had shown any interest in being part of the family, things would have been different."

The argument simmered, both brothers fuming but aware of the need to keep their voices down. Shourya's eyes remained on the road, while Abhimanyu stared out the window, his mind a storm of conflicting emotions.

Abhimanyu sighed, trying to control his temper. "Look, I didn't know about Dad. If I had, I would have come immediately."

Shourya's expression softened, just a bit. "Maybe. But it’s hard to believe when you've been so distant."

Abhimanyu turned to face him, his voice more controlled. "I didn't choose to be distant. I was forced to be. You know how Dad is. He never accepted my dreams, my choices."

Shourya's gaze flicked over to him briefly before returning to the road. "And you think I had it easy? I had to live up to the standards you set, the expectations Dad placed on me after you left."

Abhimanyu shook his head. "I didn't know. I was so caught up in my own struggles, I didn't see yours."

The car was filled with a heavy silence as both brothers reflected on their words. They still had a long way to go, but maybe, just maybe, this was the first step towards understanding each other.

Shourya eventually spoke, his voice quieter. "We can't change the past, Abhi. But we can try to make things better moving forward."

Abhimanyu nodded slowly. "Agreed. Let's just get through today, see Dad, and we will talk about this later."

As they continued their journey, the tension between them remained, but there was a glimmer of hope. They might not be able to resolve years of conflict in a single car ride, but they were finally starting to talk, and that was a beginning.

They finally pulled up to the family home, a grand mansion that looked both familiar and foreign to Abhimanyu. He hesitated at the door, memories flooding back. It had been years since he set foot in this house. Every corner held a memory, some sweet, some bitter. Shourya stood beside him, sensing the turmoil within his brother.

“Are you coming in?” Shourya asked gently, his tone softer than it had been during their drive.

Abhimanyu nodded and took a deep breath before stepping inside. The air smelled the same, a mix of old wood and the faint scent of jasmine his mother used to love. Shourya led him through the corridors, and with each step, Abhimanyu felt a mixture of nostalgia and apprehension.

Finally, they reached their father's room. The door was slightly ajar, and Shourya pushed it open gently.

Suddenly, everything froze except for Abhimanyu, just like yesterday. A spell seemed to surround him, and his head reeled back as if he was going through memories. When he opened his eyes in realization, he knew his brain had been activated with Abhimanyu's past memories. He could now tell what had happened in his life. He was shocked, surprised, and speechless. His life was almost the same as Vikram Singh's. Even their parents were the same.

Then the spell broke, and the present scene resumed.

The sight that greeted Abhimanyu made his heart clench. His father, Rajesh Mehrotra, lay on the bed, an IV drip attached to his hand. The strong, imposing man he remembered seemed frail now. His stepmother, Kavita, sat beside the bed, her eyes red from crying.

“Mom,” Shourya said softly, alerting her to their presence.

She looked up, her eyes widening in surprise and relief when she saw Abhimanyu. “Abhi,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “You’re here.”

Abhimanyu’s throat tightened as he stepped closer to the bed. His father looked up, his eyes tired but still sharp.

“Abhi,” he said, his voice weak but filled with emotion. “You came.”

Abhimanyu could no longer hold back his tears.

“Of course, I came, Dad,” he said, his voice choked with emotion. “I didn’t know. If I had known...”

Kavita, trying to compose herself, spoke through her tears. “We didn’t want to burden you. We thought...we thought you wouldn’t want to be here.”

Abhimanyu felt a pang of guilt. “Why would you think that? This is my family. I care about all of you.”

Rajesh sighed, a mix of regret and sorrow in his eyes. “We made mistakes, Abhi. I made mistakes. I was too harsh on you, trying to force you into a mold you didn’t fit.”

Abhimanyu shook his head, wiping his tears. “I understand now, Dad. But we lost so much time because of it. We can’t keep living in the past.”

Kavita reached out, placing a hand on his arm. “We’re glad you’re here now. That’s what matters.”

Abhimanyu looked at his stepmother, feeling a softening in his heart that had been absent for so long. He had never been able to give her the place of his mother, but now he showed a bit of acceptance towards her.

“Thank you, Kavita Aunty,” he said gently, “for being here for him.”

A tear rolled down Kavita’s cheek as she nodded. Shourya, who had been standing quietly by the door, felt a surge of happiness seeing this small step towards reconciliation.

Shourya finally spoke. “We need to put our differences aside. For Dad’s sake, and for ours. We can’t keep tearing this family apart.”

Abhimanyu looked at his father, the man who had always seemed invincible to him, now looking vulnerable. “I’m here, Dad. I’ll stay as long as you need me to.”

Rajesh’s eyes filled with tears, a rare sight. “Thank you, son. That means more to me than you’ll ever know.”

There was a moment of silence, filled with the unspoken emotions that had been buried for years. Kavita gently squeezed Abhimanyu's hand. “We’ll get through this. Together.”

Abhimanyu nodded, feeling a sense of hope. This homecoming was not just about facing the past, but also about healing and moving forward. As he stood there, surrounded by his family, he realized that despite all the pain and misunderstandings, this was where he belonged. And together, they could start to mend the broken pieces.

He wants to be with his family,

AS VIKRAM SINGH and also as ABHIMANYU MEHROTRA.

********

That's mind-blowing revelations 😭

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Allah Hafiz ✨