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He turns back to us. Even I am confused why would Daadi like to meet Aarav when she hates him so much?

“She wants to see you because she thinks she is dying and-” Mohit adds. “And she wants to apologize to her real grandson for all her misdeeds.”

Real grandson? I know Aarav’s thought process has zeroed to that phrase over everything else. Yet, in a second, Aarav composes himself and vents out his frustration. He is not in for more puzzles which Mohit is throwing at us.

“Are you drunk?” Aarav snaps. “We are talking about Durga Raichand here. She can never apologize to herForbiddenGrandson no matter even if she is dying. And you should be with her instead of coming here presuming something she would never want to do.”

Mohit loses control.

“I am serious. Daadi wants to see you. She’s been under a lot of stress lately in the past two months and now she’s bedridden. I know she has always wronged you and so have I, but can you just leave all that at one side and meet her once? I don’t want her to die so soon, Aarav, and if she does, I don’t want her to die without meeting and apologizing to her real grandson once. She wants the same. She’s been murmuring your name and your mother’s ever since she has taken the bed. You can ask Dr. Rajan if you don’t believe me. Please. Just once.”

Aarav stares at him a little amused by his choice of words but again he’s still in control compared to the rest of us.

“She already has her grandson around if she wants one during her last breath. Don’t drag me into this,” Aarav mocks.

He’s about to turn and leave, but Mohit catches his shoulder.

“I am not her grandson. I never was.”

My head spins at his revelation. What is Mohit saying? Aarav shrugs him off.

“Stop playing games, Mohit. Leave my house. Now.” He shouts this time.

“I am not lying. I am not Mahendra Raichand’s son. Only you are. And Dr. Rajan and our lawyer, Tyagi, know this too. They revealed it to Daadi two months ago, and ever since then, she's been on a guilt trip. I am guilty to snatch your rights unnecessarily. I am sorry. I wish I knew this before I hurt you and before I hurt her. I am sorry.”

He joins his palms to apologize. My God! I have never seen Mohit like this. So defeated and lost.

“Just meet her once, Aarav. I beg. She needs you. Please.”

Before I can gauge the situation and decide what to do next, Mohit has already left the house.

CHAPTER 42

Aarav

I spoke to Dr. Rajan and our lawyer Tyagi too, immediately after Mohit left because whatever Mohit confronted was just unbelievable. He was telling the truth. They just confirmed the same. Mohit wasn’t my father’s son, and it doesn’t please me to know. All these years I have known him as my stepbrother. I hated him; I still do, but I don’t like the fact that all this hate was for nothing. I don’t like the fact that he’s suddenly no one to me. And I don’t like the fact that now Durga Raichand is guilty.

Jhanvi has been beside me ever since Mohit left us with this truth hanging in between. She is equally shocked at the new revelations, but they don’t matter to me.

“Of course, she is guilty,” I snap. “It’s like the toy she was playing with all these years didn’t belong to her and she got to know that today. Now she craves for her own toy and I am sorry but I will not let her play with my life or feelings anymore. I am done with her.”

I mean every word I said.

“But she is sick, Aarav, and I don’t want her to die without seeing you once. Because no matter what, it will prick you for a lifetime that you couldn’t give her a chance to apologize when she wanted to.”

Jhanvi may be right, but not enough to convince me.

“She’s hurt my mother. For what? Her ego? Her insensitivity ruined the lives of so many people - my father, mother, Mohit’s mother and me. You think I can forgive her for all that? She has demeaned my mother countless times, and you think I can forgive her for that ever?”

“Aarav..” Jhanvi grabs my arms, forcing me to meet her gaze. “You have two choices. Either you let the past burn every second of your life or you finally make peace with it when there’s a chance. I leave it up to you because you know very well what your mother would want you to do if she was alive. I am getting ready to see Daadi. Let me know if you are coming with me.”

And she leaves the room too.

*********************

An hour later, I am at Raichand Mansion with my wife. It’s midnight, but I am told Durga Raichand is awake. Mohit is stalled seeing us both at this hour of the night, or maybe he hadn’t expected me to show up with Jhanvi. Pausing his conversation with the resident doctor who is appointed 24/7 to look after Durga Raichand’s health, he ushers to us.

“Thanks for coming.”

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