Maan reached the house and went to gayatri's room hoping to find Jai there. But gayatri was alone. She smiled at maan as soon as he came in.

Gayatri "aa gaya bachcha. How was your day?"

Maan "theek tha badi maa. Aap kaise ho ab?"

Gayatri "main ab theek hu bachcha. Much better than last night." She replied gently.

Maan "jai kahan hai badi maa?"

Gayatri "usse neend aa rahi thi to so gaya hai."

Maan "usne aapko pareshan to nahi kiya na?"

Gayatri "bilkul bhi nahi, he is my mature and sensible child"

Maan chuckled "mujhe achche se pata hai wo kitna sensible hai. Main usse dekh kar aata hu badi maa."

Gayatri nodded at him and maan left for his room. But as soon as he reached their room he found jai in the corner. He was hugging his knees with his face down and his arms acting as his head rest. Jai's whole body was wreaking with loud sobs. For a minute maan just froze in his place. He was shocked to find his brother in such state. Once he got over his shock he hasted towards jai and hugged him at once.

Jai was terrified thinking about leaving his bhaiyu. He was crying hysterically. He was so lost in his emotional turmoil that he didn't realize when maan came in. When maan hugged him and he felt his warmth he lost all control on himself and buried himself in maan's embrace as deep as possible. He was scared beyond limits. Even the thought of living without his bhaiyu was enough to make him shatter in to a million pieces. He could hear maan's soothing voice but he wasn't able to register what was he saying. He was so terrified that he didn't get to know when he started talking.

Jai "pls bhaiyu, pls mujhe mat chhodna. I can't live without you bhaiyu, pls don't leave me."

Maan "jai kya hua bachcha? Kahin nahi jaa raha main beta, pls rona band kar aur bata kya hua jai."

Jai was holding on to maan as tightly as possible for him "mat jaoo bhaiyu, pls bhaiyu, I promise main koi shararat nahi karunga. Main kisi ko harm nahi karunga bhaiyu. Pls bhaiyu aap mujhe mat chhodo."

Maan "jai kya bole jaa raha hai bachcha. Main kyun chhodunga tujhe beta. Tu bata to hua kya hai? Kisi ne bola tujhe kuch, bol jai you are scaring me beta."

Jai "Maine maa aur dad ko jaan kar nahi maara bhaiyu, sachchi. I didn't knew they will die because of me. Trust me bhaiyu maine kuch bhi intentionally nahi kiya. I really don't want to harm anyone."

Maan was shocked at his words. What was his baby saying. He cupped jai's face and asked "jai, kya hua hai, kisne bola tujhe ye sab? Bata mujhe, kisne kya kaha tujhe?" He asked a bit loudly partly to gain jai's attention and partly because of the anger that he was somehow trying to conceal within himself.

Jai got even more scared, maan's words were falling on deaf ears, in his fear jai was only getting the tone without the meaning of the words being spoken to him. He mistook maan's raised voice as his anger towards him and started begging and pleading to him "sorry bhaiyu, sorry, I am really sorry. Pls aap mat naraj ho mujhse, I will do whatever you say bhaiyu, main kabhi aapko pareshan nahi karunga. Pls bhaiyu pls let me be with you. Pls don't leave me. Main mar jaunga aapke bina, pls mujhe mat chhodo na." Jai was crying so badly by now that he was finding it difficult to breathe.

Maan saw his condition and controlled himself immediately and started talking to jai as gently as possible "jai, bachcha, main kahin nahi jaunga, tujhe kabhi akela nahi chhodunga main beta. Shaant ho jaa bachche. Dekh main yahin hu na, tere saath hu main, hamesha ke liye. Chahe kuch bhi jaaye jai tujhe main akela nahi chhodunga. Main hamesha tere saath hu beta. Tu to meri jaan hai na, chal ro mat, shaant ho jaa beta, sab theek hai." He kept on giving assurances to jai in a gentle voice. Once jai was somewhat normalised maan took him to the bed and make him lay down while resting jai's head in his lap and started stroking his hair. Jai kept on sobbing for a long time, after which he shed silent tears and once he was too exhausted he drifted off to sleep all the while whispering to maan to be with him.

Once jai was deep asleep maan let himself feel his anger. His blood was boiling. He can feel the rage in every single cell if his body. It didn't took him much time to understand who must have filled jai's mind with all this bullshit. There was only one person who is so vicious to do something like this. The more maan thought about it angrier he grew. He wanted to kill kamini with his bare hands for doing something like this with brother. He did tell that witch to keep herself and her tricks away from his little one. He did gave her a fair warning. But the woman didn't listen and her deeds resulted in his baby being this traumatized.

Maan was ready to accept any hardship in life, any harsh words, any criticism as long as it's given to him and his baby brother is happy but if there was one thing which he can't tolerate is jai's tearful eyes. And that woman not only made his baby cry but she somehow managed to make jai blame himself for the death of their parents. God help her because she doesn't know what strom she has called her way. With these thoughts maan gently placed jai's head on pillow and left to meet mrs kamini shekhavat.

Where maan went to kamini's room, jeet entered Gayatri's room to surprise her. As soon as gayatri saw him she squealed in pleasure.

Gayatri "jeet Tu aa gaya bachcha?" She asked happily.

Jeet "nahi maa, abhi kahan aaya hu, pune me meeting kar raha hu, wo to aap miss itna kar rahe ho ki you are imagining me in front of you." He said walking near and hugging her.

Gayatri pulled back and whacked him gently "bas aate hi shuru ho gaya. Par tu to kal aane wala tha na, fir aaj kaise aa gaya?"

Jeet "Arre ek to chaar din ka kaam teen din me khatam karke wapas aaya kyunki aapki yaad aa rahi thi aur aap khush hone ki jagah mera viva le rahe ho." He said pouting.

Gayatri ruffled his hair and kissed his forehead "I am so happy you are back bachcha. Par mujhe ye bhi pata hai ki Tu sirf meri wajah se wapas nahi aaya hai. You were missing me but you didn't miss your brothers any less. Hai na?"

Jeet smiled at her words "sach me maa I missed both of them so much. I can't believe you had to force me to get them here in the first place and I am so glad you did that back then. They filled in the void which dad left after leaving us. I myself don't know when they replaced all the anger and pain with their love and care."

Gayatri "they also gave me my jeet back. Mera shararti jeet jo kahin kho gaya tha wo bhi in dono ke saath wapas aa gaya."

Jeet gave her a naughty smile "haan aur saath me aapka ruler aur punishments bhi."

Gayatri chuckled at her reply "uske bina to tujhe sambhala hi nahi jaa sakta beta, aur jai bhi bilkul teri copy hai. Kabhi kabhi to lagta hai tum dono twins ho."

Jeet "haan ye mannu hi pata nahi kaise itna different hai humse. Jai sahi kehta hai, wo itna shareef hai na ki hum dono uske aage kuch jyada hi bade brats lagte hai."

Gayatri laughed once again "haan beta ab kuch to bologe hi tum dono apne defense me."

Jeet smiled "ab mannu kaisa hai maa?"

Gayatri "better hai, par khush nahin hai. Usse baat kar jeet, we are missing something about that boy, itni kam umr me koi bachcha itna mature aise hi nahi ho jata. He is carrying so much baggage of responsibilities which were not his in first place."

Listening to her words jeet remembered what jai told him "mujhe na dad wala pyaar hamesha bhaiyu se hi mila hai." Jeet sighed "I'll talk to him maa"

Gayatri "don't just talk to him jeet, tell him what you feel for him beta. Sometimes our words are as important as our actions. May be maan is just starving for those words from you."

Jeet "I will do that maa. Sab bolunga usse. What I feel for him and what he means to me, sab bata dunga and then I'll roast him for not even calling me once in past three days. Itna kya attitude hai usme."

Gayatri "just tell him your feelings first jeet after that you do as you please with him. Bada bhai hai tu unka ab tujhe hi sambhalna hai unhe. Main to tujhe hi sambhal sambhal kar thak gayi." She said chuckling.

Jeet whined "maa. Chaliye main mil kar aata hu un dono se."

With that he got up but touched her foot by mistake making gayatri hissed in pain.

Jeet at once saw her foot which was draped in crepe.

Jeet "maa ye kya hua aapko?"

Gayatri "Arre kuch nahi kal kitchen me kaam karte huye kaanch lag gaya, ab theek hai"

Jeet "mujhe bataya kyun nahi aapne, main kal hi wapas aa jata."

Gayatri "aap doctor kab ban gaye abhijeet jo aapko bulate. Doctor ko dikha liya tha, it's nothing serious ab to kal se kaafi better bhi lag raha hai."

Jeet "are you sure maa, ek baar fir se doctor ko dikha lete hai." He said worried about her.

Gayatri "jeet jara sa cut laga hai, nothing to worry about, can you pls relax."

Jeet "par maa..........

Gayatri "Jaa apne bhaiyo se mil le and stop bugging me. Main tab tak staff se kehti hu tum teeno ke liye kuch banane ko."

Jeet knew that was his last cue to drop the topic before he is scolded for being over obsessive. He nodded and made his way towards the boys room. But before he can make his way to the boys room he passed kamini's room and heard maan's angry voice coming out of the room. Jeet opened the door lightly and found and enraged maan speaking to their nani in the most offensive way jeet has ever witnessed maan talking in. Maan was facing the other way so he was not able to see jeet coming in but kamini saw him as soon as jeet opened the door a bit but pretended that she knew nothing about him being there. Kamini was smart enough to transform her glaring eyes to misted ones, her face which was ignited with anger was now dripping of fear. She had her shoulders squared to face maan but as soon as she saw jeet her whole body language changed and now she was looking like a fragile, terrified ready to cry weak woman who was facing and insolent and enraged Abhimaan Jaisingh.

Kamini knew how to play her cards very well, so the moment jeet stepped in the room she started her act. She joined her palms in front of maan and start talking "dekho beta maine to jai ko bas apna bachcha samjhkar thoda samjhaya tha. Ab uski galti ki wajah se kal gayatri ka pair kat gaya, itna khoon baha uska, mujhe laga ki agar hum usse abhi nahi samjhayenge to wo fir aisa kuch kar dega. Par tumhe bura laga to main haath jod kar tumse maafi maangti hu. Mujhe maaf kar do beta, main aage se kabhi tumhe aur tumhare bhai ko kuch nahi kahungi"

Maan was still oblivious to jeet's presence in that room. "Ab ye kya naya tamasha kar rahi hai aap, dekhiye mrs shekhawat mujhe aapke ye jhooth sunne me koi interest nahin hai, aap bas ek baat kaan khol kar sun lijiye agar aapne dubara mere bhai ki taraf aankh uthha kar bhi dekha to main aapki jaan le lunga."

Kamini saw lines of anger appearing on jeets face, so she decided to press on maan's sour nerve "dekho abhimaan beta mujhe pata hai tumhe tumhari maa kuch sikha nahi paayi par koi baat nahi............

Maan had enough now, no one, absolutely no one is allowed to talk about his mother like that. He took a few threatening steps towards kamini and glared at her. He was about to yell at her, but before he could do anything like that jeet turned him around and slapped him tightly "abhimaan. Ye kya badtameezi hai. Himmat kaise hui teri naani ke saath aise pesh aane ki. Ye koi tareeka hai apne se bado se baat karne ka. Maafi maang nani se abhi." He almost yelled at maan.

Maan looked at him with eyes full of fury "main kisi se maafi nahi mangunga aur inse to kabhi nahi. Maine inke saath koi badtameezi nahi ki, haan aaj jo maine kiya aur jo main karne wala tha wo mujhe bohut pehle kar dena chahiye tha."

Jeet once again raised his hand to slap him but stopped when he heard gayatri calling out to them to come downstairs and eat something.

Jeet took a number of deep breaths to calm himself down "this isn't over mannu, we will talk about it very soon. Abhi neeche chal, maa ko kuch kehne ki jarurat nahi hai. She doesn't need to know how badly you behaved with nani just now. Nani aap bhi pls maa se kuch mat kahiyega, main isse baat kar lunga" He said still glaring at maan.

Kamini "nahi beta, main gayu ko kuch nahi kahungi par tu bhi is baat ko yahi chhod de beta. Bachcha hai, bachcho se galti ho hi jaati hai." She said in the most gentle tone possible.

Maan glared at her "mujhse aaj sirf ek galti hui hai ki main bhaiya ke rokne par ruk gaya mrs shekhavat, nahi to aaj main aapko..............

Jeet " Enough. Not another word from you abhimaan. Neeche chal and get grip on yourself." He held maan's hand and dragged him out of kamini's room. Once outside he left maan's hand and glared at him and went downstairs. Maan followed him without another sound. Once kamini was done mentally patting herself she also went downstairs.

On the other hand jai woke up and looked around for maan as soon as he opened his eyes. When he was unable to find him there jai got scared and  tears spilled from his eyes ones again. Kamini's words were ringing in his ears and the thought of maan leaving him forever gripped his heart. He got up from the bed and felt dizzy. All the stress was taking a toll on his health. He was burning in fever and was swaying with every step he took. But his bhaiyu's presence with him is much more important to him then his health.

Jai started going downstairs in hope of finding his bhaiyu. With great difficulty he was able to reach the dining area. As soon as he reached there he saw maan sitting on the table and he called out to him. But his calling out was just above a whisper. He knew he will faint soon so he gathered all his strength and called out once more "bhaiyu". This time his voice reached to both maan and jeet. Both looked in the direction of his voice and ran towards him at once. But before both could reach jai fainted and fell on the floor.

Jeet/maan " Jai"

Maan took him in his arms and tapped his cheeks "jai utth bachche, kya hua jai"

Jeet held his hand "jai beta, utth beta, kya hua tujhe."

It was then that jeet realised that jai was burning up. He immediately picked him up and jai was taken to the hospital while maan kept on trying to wake him up throughout the way.

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

Hey readers.

Hope you liked the chapter.

You have certain 🐭 to thank for this early update.

Why you guys don't let me follow my alternate day schedule. 🤦‍♀️

Please share what should happen with kamini ji. 😡😡😡😡

Have a nice day you all.

Happy reading. 😊