The Sacred Scarlet

9. Sneaking Out

SNEAKING OUT

Advit was on his way to complete some work stuffs. He didn't wanted to disturb his wife so he silently tip toed outside. The weather was too good to sulk in the office room and hence he decieded to go to the terrace.

He was checking some emails as he reached his destination, when he bumped into someone. His eyes grew wide in realisation when he saw Advita almost stepping in the burning angeethi because of the push from him.

(Fireplace)

In a nano second he grabbed her arm and twirled her away from the burning coals. Advita sighed in relief while a frightened Advit tried to calm his nerves. He aimlessly walked away and sat in a corner with his head between his palms.

"O-once again, today one more time I would have cause you h-harm," his voice laced with guilt and fear, thinking about the past and the worst case scenarios that could have happened now- she would have got burnt, her clothes could have caught fire, anything, anything could have happened because of him.

"AVI! Stop talking bullshit! I call you nirbuddhi in a funny way, stop taking it seriously!" She furiously walked to him and sat in front of him.

(Brainless)

A humourless chuckle escaped his lips, "Stop making me feel better. Everyone knows how because of me you were face to face with death Adi. All because of me..."

Though Advita wanted to stop him, she choose to let him speak, to let it all out, for once and for all. Talking about it was the only way he would understand it was not his fault.

"...right before the birth, your life was under threat because of me. Because of some stupid movements of mine, in maa's womb, the umbilical cord got strangled around your neck!

As if that was not enough, when Bhati fiasco happened and i was at the gunpoint, you came in between. And i was so damn coward to even push you aside Adi! We almost lost you by two inches that day!" The heavy heart, the burden of the past, seemed to be lifted off a little from his chest after speaking it out.

Releasing a long breath, she held his hands and made him look into her yes. Her heart clenched to see the guilt in her brother's eyes, that too for something he wasn't at fault for.

"Avi... aapane tha hai aapa khane matho ni hai, toh kyu lagan doro huve? First things first, if you didn't read maa's pregnancy report properly, let me tell you, because we were together in the womb there was very little space for me to make movements. Which, eventually, avoided pulling of chord to an extent that would have caused any harm.

(If we know we don't have a brain, why harm yourself by trying to use it?)

About Bhati, dear brother, how could you even forget that your leg was trapped under the broken table and you weren't able to move because of the pain. Still when he fired, you had pulled my leg at the exact time, causing me imbalance and the bullet to just pass by me. Even today you saved from stepping my leg in angeethi.

I always knew what you had in mind, but I never thought you would be this stupid Avi. Kaise ban gaya tu CA itni choti buddhi ke sath?"

(How did you manage to be a CA with such a small brain of yours?)

"Even if i put these things aside, i failed as a brother as well as a...a-a f-father-"

"Don't you dare say that. You promised you won't mention this ever!"

"But that doesn't change the truth Adi! Kaisa baap hun mein jo apni bachchi ke liye kuch na kar paya. And also to save her you had to risk your life!"