When souls drift - Part 7
The whole narration was a huge secret unfolded before Sanjeev. He was dumbfounded. Tears rolled down his eyes. Raj slowly approached the cold man and sat on the floor in front of him. He held Sanjeev’s hands in his and looking straight in his eyes said “Sanjeev, I know this has been a great shock for you too. For 25 years I lived a lavish and stylish life and I know what both of you must have been through. I had captured your right till now. I want to give all that you deserve. I know Savitriji had told you that your father had died just after your birth. Even dad knew this. She was a very brave lady. But now that both of them are no more with us, we can come together and be a family. Can’t we? Please Sanjeev…please forgive dad…please…pl….”and then both of them burst out in tears.
Sanjeev kept his hands on Raj’s head and caressed his younger brother. Controlling his tears he finally spoke up “Rajendra…I know and I can understand what you must be going through. All my life I missed my dad’s presence. Ironically, whenever I read anything about Mr. Vikramraj Sardesai, all I could do was to idolize him. And strangely mom never stopped me. I have seen poverty and the pains that maa took to bring her only son up. All my life I crave for everything. But sorry Raj…I can’t come with you and neither can I take anything from you. There are two reasons to this. Maa always lived in honor. I needed a father’s name and she did give it to me…Ganesh…probably because she had totall faith in this God. Sanjeev Ganesh Joshi. That’s my identity.” saying so Sanjeev became silent.
Staring deeply in his brother’s eyes Raj stated “I can understand Sanjeev... I too respect maa very much…but…anyways…and what is the second reason?”
Very steadily and calmly Sanjeev he got up from the chair and opened the showcase. Raj was still sitting on the floor, his eyes following his brother. Sanjeev then handed over a small family photograph to Raj. From the first look itself anybody could make out that this was Sanjeev’s family. A smiling and contented family; a small baby in the arms of its mother and Sanjeev smiling besides them.
“It’s my nephew or niece?” Raj felt a great sense of pride and happiness inside him. This joy was much better than the grief of losing his father. He could see a new family bonding.
“Oh, it’s a boy. We took this picture an year ago.” Sanjeev replied with a smile.
“So where are they? I want them too.” Raj became a little impatient and a lot excited.
“I know Raj I am being selfish right now. I won’t ask for a promise or any sort of commitment. It’s utterly your choice. I won’t be able to come with you but if it is possible, please take my family along with you. Anjali, my wife and my son Abhay, both don’t stay with me. They……they stay with her parents. We meet everyday but then they leave in the afternoon.” Sanjeev was hesitant yet very clear in his talk. He was crying again.
“But why? Is there some sort of a dispute or something? Could I help you out? Sanjeev, I crave for a family. This is the best gift for me. And even you people deserve all the joys, don’t you! Please…what is it…” Raj was literally begging before his helpless brother.
“It’s not a family issue Raj. It can never be. Anjali is too good a person to break anyone’s heart. It is me who asked them to leave this place. I had to Raj, I had to.”
Raj thought this was a total repetition of what his father had done to Savitri. He almost yelled at Sanjeev “But Why…”
Sanjeev calmly looked in his younger brother’s eyes and said “After 30 years…my cancer surfaced Raj! Maximum 5 months. I don’t my son to go through all this. I literally forced Anjali out of this place. The treatment won’t be any good and I don’t want my family to pay for it after I am gone.”
A month later
Raj introduced Anjali and Abhay to their home. Sanjeev was admitted to one of the largest hospitals in city. Raj was trying his level best to save his brother but to no avail. They all knew their destiny. They all knew they lost a lot but they gained something out of it. Something and someone!
Sanjeev kept his hands on Raj’s head and caressed his younger brother. Controlling his tears he finally spoke up “Rajendra…I know and I can understand what you must be going through. All my life I missed my dad’s presence. Ironically, whenever I read anything about Mr. Vikramraj Sardesai, all I could do was to idolize him. And strangely mom never stopped me. I have seen poverty and the pains that maa took to bring her only son up. All my life I crave for everything. But sorry Raj…I can’t come with you and neither can I take anything from you. There are two reasons to this. Maa always lived in honor. I needed a father’s name and she did give it to me…Ganesh…probably because she had totall faith in this God. Sanjeev Ganesh Joshi. That’s my identity.” saying so Sanjeev became silent.
Staring deeply in his brother’s eyes Raj stated “I can understand Sanjeev... I too respect maa very much…but…anyways…and what is the second reason?”
Very steadily and calmly Sanjeev he got up from the chair and opened the showcase. Raj was still sitting on the floor, his eyes following his brother. Sanjeev then handed over a small family photograph to Raj. From the first look itself anybody could make out that this was Sanjeev’s family. A smiling and contented family; a small baby in the arms of its mother and Sanjeev smiling besides them.
“It’s my nephew or niece?” Raj felt a great sense of pride and happiness inside him. This joy was much better than the grief of losing his father. He could see a new family bonding.
“Oh, it’s a boy. We took this picture an year ago.” Sanjeev replied with a smile.
“So where are they? I want them too.” Raj became a little impatient and a lot excited.
“I know Raj I am being selfish right now. I won’t ask for a promise or any sort of commitment. It’s utterly your choice. I won’t be able to come with you but if it is possible, please take my family along with you. Anjali, my wife and my son Abhay, both don’t stay with me. They……they stay with her parents. We meet everyday but then they leave in the afternoon.” Sanjeev was hesitant yet very clear in his talk. He was crying again.
“But why? Is there some sort of a dispute or something? Could I help you out? Sanjeev, I crave for a family. This is the best gift for me. And even you people deserve all the joys, don’t you! Please…what is it…” Raj was literally begging before his helpless brother.
“It’s not a family issue Raj. It can never be. Anjali is too good a person to break anyone’s heart. It is me who asked them to leave this place. I had to Raj, I had to.”
Raj thought this was a total repetition of what his father had done to Savitri. He almost yelled at Sanjeev “But Why…”
Sanjeev calmly looked in his younger brother’s eyes and said “After 30 years…my cancer surfaced Raj! Maximum 5 months. I don’t my son to go through all this. I literally forced Anjali out of this place. The treatment won’t be any good and I don’t want my family to pay for it after I am gone.”
A month later
Raj introduced Anjali and Abhay to their home. Sanjeev was admitted to one of the largest hospitals in city. Raj was trying his level best to save his brother but to no avail. They all knew their destiny. They all knew they lost a lot but they gained something out of it. Something and someone!
The End
posted by Zephyr @ 1:01 AM
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