Eklavya

Chapter LII

The gloomy weather added to the melancholia Eklavya felt at that moment. Flashes of their dark and abhorrent past danced in front of his eyes in a loop.

Eklavya's mind wandered through the maze of all the memories he had of this city. The city which he once called home. But Lucknow felt like home no more.

A sense of deep entrenched sadness snaked around his heart. Summoning immense willpower, the young boy forced his ugly demons to remain buried for some longer.

He could not risk losing the reigns of his tumultuous emotions at the moment. When his family needed him the most.

Glancing sidewards Eklavya stared at the sleeping figure of Nalini. The old woman's face was ghastly pale and she looked as if she would crumble with the slightest push.

Grief stricken he tore his eyes off, too afraid that the moisture gathering in his eyes would roll off his cheeks in streams if he stared at her frail figure any longer.

Walking up to the tall figure of his grandfather who sat at the bedside with heavy shoulders staring distraughtly at his wife's face, Eklavya picked up tray carrying breakfast brought by Malti and sat adjacent to him on a stool.

The tea was thankfully still warm and the light breakfast would do some good to the old man who refused point blank to leave his ailing wife all alone.

"Take it back. I don not wish to eat anything at the moment," came Rudra Pratap's gruff voice. His tired eyes had seen him walking towards him carrying a tray in his hands.

Eklavya was fazed the least as he settled comfortably and pushed the warm cup in his gnarled and callous hands. Rudra Pratap's eyes gleamed dangerously and Eklavya's dark orbs matched the fervour.

"Eat something grandpa. We can't risk grandma raining down on us for not taking care of her old man," he stated brusquely.

Rudra Pratap's features softened in an instant at the mention of his wife as Eklavya's worry dressed words made him feel the warmth of having a grandchild for the first time.

He felt that his burdened shoulders had casted off some weight already. But Rudra Pratap was a self-made man and the thought of relying on anyone felt burdensome to him.

"Old man huh! I see," he murmured to himself in dry mirth before taking a shaky sip from the cup. It seemed his age was reaching to him.

Eklavya wordlessly stirred the khichdi before raising it to Rudra Pratap's mouth. "I'm not a child," came his indignant voice,

"But you sure do love to act like one," came the instant rejoinder from Eklavya's smart mouth.

"The doctor said that after observing her for some time, we can take grandma home day after tomorrow," he provided what he heard from Shekhar Sharma.

"Hmph! I'm taking her home with me today itself. Nalini doesn't like hospitals at all," Rudra Pratap as he relented and took the spoon in his parched mouth.

Realising that his grandfather was firm on his decision Eklavya said, "Then I guess I'll go and ask Shekhar uncle to get the discharge papers ready and make necessary arrangements."

"Tell him to arrange for some medical staff to tend to her." Rudra Pratap adjoined and again took a sip before taking the spoonful of Khichdi from Eklavya's hands.

"Where's Rudra? Has he gone home?" asked a curious Rudra Pratap.

"No. He's with Vikrant uncle." Eklavya gave a vague answer. Not wanting to disclose that his brother was a crying mess at the moment and their uncle was tending to him.