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“I agree… It does sound stupid when you put it like that,” Keya said.
“Finally, they get it!” Sameer said, grinning.
Kabier nodded. “They sound like a bunch of high school teens complaining over dumb issues.”
Rohan heaved out a breath.
“I was wrong, and a lot of this is my fault,” he accepted. “I was, I am this person, a loner because of traumas from my childhood. I cannot bond easily with people. Hell, I find it hard being with large groups of people for long durations. It’s a psychological disorder that I’ve been trying to work on for a long time now. But in those years, I was just coming out from the death of my birth parents. I had suddenly moved from Delhi to Mumbai and learned that Rithwik and I were twins. I think I latched on to him, thinking it was him and me against the world. And for a few years, it was fine. And then, he went on that camping trip and found you two. After I refused to be a part of your gang, I overheard you both speaking ill about me to Rithwik. I think the words intolerable, difficult, and snobbish were used several times, among others. And that hurt.”
“Shit,” Raashi swore. “We were young, and I have no excuse for that.”
“I was the one who should have put a stop to that, and I didn’t,” Rithwik said. “I didn’t realize that my brother needed me. That he was dealing with a whole lot of emotional baggage by himself. That he hadn’t confided in anyone about it. I was wild and carefree, a people’s person, and I chose to be out with my friends rather than staying at home for him. I chose to overlook my friends’ complaining about him to me. For years, I ignored the hostility that grew between you all. I ignored the resentment that grew between Rohan and me. Thank God to Aisha for sorting that out. We’ve been stronger since then. But a lot of this is my fault as well. I wish I had half the sense as my wife to have nipped this in the bud.”
“I think we all are to blame…” Raashi said.
“We were all young and stupid,” Rohan accepted. “Rithwik and I cleared our differences long back, but now I want to clear the air with Keya and you as well. Jiya told me once that to be truly happy, I need to let people in. It took me a long time to realize she was right. I realized that if I wanted to be with her, I had to make peace with the two most important women in her life. So, I want to apologize for my part in this stupid and senseless war that has been going on between us for years. We should have ended it a long time ago, for all our sakes.”
“Yes, we should have,” Raashi admitted. “And as Kabier rightly said, all of us let our egos come in between. I apologize as well.”
“Me too,” Keya added.
Rohan came forward and held a hand out to Raashi. “This is silly. We’re all adults. And I don’t know how to make up with you both after knowing you for a major part of my life.”
Raashi slapped his hand away and pulled him in a hug. “This is how we make up.”
Keya chuckled, hugging him next. “We are a touchy lot. We like hugs.”
Rohan sighed. “Trust me, I know. Jiya is just like that.”
“We taught her well,” Keya said proudly.
“Speaking of,” Raashi began with a straight face. “Tell me why I need to hit you for breaking my sister’s heart.”
Rohan narrated everything to them. He didn’t leave anything out and even told them the details of his childhood. When he’d decided to ask Rithwik’s help in making up with these women, he had known he’d have to confide everything to them, and for the first time in his life, he wasn’t afraid to share his deepest, darkest times with others. In order to win Jiya back, he had to let them in.
They all stared at him once he was done.
“I…I am sorry for what you went through Rohan,” Keya said. “If we had known earlier, maybe we would have been kinder.”
“Thank you for saying that.”
“What I don’t understand is how Aditya fits into this?” Raashi pointed out. “He hasn’t told me anything.”
“Me neither,” Rithwik said. “I called him yesterday, and he spoke about some woman he’s interested in. He never mentioned it was Jiya.”
“Bloody hell.” Raashi clucked her tongue. “I’ve met Jiya a few times since she’s returned, and she’s not once told me about Aditya or you.”
Sameer laughed. “So now, my dear Raashi, you have to choose between Aditya and Rohan for your sister. Wow! That is some situation I never want to be in.”
Raashi glared at him. “It is not funny.”
“It is,” Kabier chuckled. “You have to decide whether your old friend, Aditya, is good for Jiya, or your new friend, Rohan, is.”
Rohan scowled. “That is really not funny. And hey, there’s no choice here. Jiya loved me at one time. She’s the reason I’m standing here, opening myself to you all. Do you know how hard it has been?”
They all sobered up.
“Look,” Raashi said. “I have to talk to Jiya and figure out where her head is at. And if she’s in love with you, then I promise you have my support. But if not…”
