Everyone except Sanjana was shocked and concerned when they found out that I was going to meet Keshav. Bhargav even pulled me aside to ask if I'd be able to keep my anger in check. My wife told me with a smile that she wouldn't even look at me if I got violent with Keshav.

I was really going to lose my mind.

Only the children hugged me and mumbled that they wanted to come too. I kissed them both before leaving. Sanjana was smiling as I glanced at her in the side-view mirror.

The brat's city was 3 days away via train, but I could make it there in two. The drive was long and tiring. I stopped a few times on the roadside to eat the food Sanjana had packed for me and to nap in between. Most of the time, I was only driving.

When I finally reached Purampat, I stopped at a tea stall to wash my face. I was too sleep-deprived and exhausted. Sanjana was going to pay after I returned home.

"Yaha paas mein koi vidyalay hai? Mera Bhai wahi kaam karta hai. Kuch mahine pehle aaya hoga... Aap kuch jaante hain?"

(Is there a school nearby? My brother is working there. He must have come here a few months ago... Do you know something?)

The teastall owner looked up in surprise, "Keshav Babu? Aap unke bhai ho?"

(Keshav Babu? Are you his brother?)

"Aap Keshav Bhaiya ko jaante ho?" Even the little boy serving tea looked up with a bright smile.

(Do you know Keshav Bhaiya?)

"Er... Haa... Woh kaha rehta hai?"

(Er... Yes... Where does he live?)

"Hamara sheher bahut chota hai na! Isliye sab ek dusre ko jaante hain! Keshav Babu toh sabse baat karte hai. Yahi paas mein rehta hai biwi ke saath. Seedhe jaakar baaye mudiye... Wahi upar ek makaan dikhega. Darvaze par ikkees likha hoga."

(Our town is quite small! So everyone knows each other! Keshav Babu talks with everyone. He lives nearby with his wife. Go straight and turn left... You'll see an apartment. It will be written 21 on the door.)

Considering how extroverted my brother was, unlike Bhargav or myself, I wasn't surprised that he knew everyone. I thanked the tea stall owner and drove in the direction of Keshav's apartment.

The building seemed quite tall, and I went up the creaking metal stairs. I knocked on the door, which had the number 21. Keshav was the one who opened it.

His eyes were wide, "Bh... Bhaiya...?"

"Andar aa sakta hu?" I asked softly.

(Can I come in?)

Keshav immediately had a grin on his face as he stepped to the side, "Bilkul! Bilkul! Andar aaiye, Bhaiya! Payal dekho... Mehman aaye hai!"

(Of course! Come on in, Bhaiya! Payal look... We have a guest!)

"Mehmaan?" Payal came out of what I assumed to be the kitchen while wiping her hands on her pallu. She froze when she saw me, and I was surprised that she didn't cover her head with a veil. She pulled it around her shoulders while staring at me quietly.

(A guest?)

Had they forgotten the ways of the village that quickly?

"Mai... Um... Mai chai laati hu," she mumbled and went back to the kitchen immediately.

(I... Um... I'll bring chai.)

"Aapne naashta ki thi, Bhaiya?" Keshav squeezed my shoulder, grinning brightly. I had expected him to be a little mad at me at least, but maybe I was the only one still fuming at what he had done.

(Did you have breakfast, Bhaiya?)

"Nahi... Mai... Sirf chai peekar aaya hu yaha paas ke dukan se. Theen din ke liye gaadi chala raha tha," I mumbled while finally sitting down on a comfortable chair. The apartment wasn't too small, not too big. The front hall that we were in was quite spacious and bright due to the large windows. I could see two other rooms as well- the kitchen and the bedroom. They even had a balcony overlooking the busy streets of Purampat.

(No... I... I just had chai from a stall nearby. I've been driving for three days.)

"Phir toh aap bahut thak gaye honge. Aap thodi der letna chahte hai, Bhaiya? Warna nashta ke baad-"

(Then you must be quite tired. Would you like to lie down for a bit? Otherwise after breakfast-)

My entire body was aching. All I wanted to do was lie down, "Naashta baad mei karunga..." I got up from the chair. Keshav nodded and took me to his bedroom. He apologised for not having a guest room and even mentioned that I could sleep on their bed tonight. Keshav would lay a mat for them in the front hall. I was quite surprised at the sacrifices he was willing to make for me.

(I'll have breakfast later...)

And honestly, everything made me a little guilty. Keshav had always been the kindest in our family. Always. He was sensitive and emotional, only because he had a pure heart.

He showed me the bathroom as well, and I remembered how Sanjana used to hiss at me if I lay on the bed in dirty clothes, despite all the filthy things we did afterwards. I never understood her hypocrisy. After taking a shower, I changed into my spare clothes and finally lay down on the bed.

My aching shoulders and back were immediately at ease. Sleep came to me without hesitation, and I woke up only in the evening. There was still tiredness left in me, but at least my body wasn't aching. As I groggily went out of the bedroom, I heard Keshav and Payal talking in the kitchen.

She was laughing about something. He was too. And to my disbelief, my brother was helping her chop vegetables. What was he even doing?

The sight was hard for me to digest. They were talking about mundane things as well. Payal was talking about a painting that someone had made, and he was encouraging her to talk to the same man regarding her paintings.

I cleared my throat. Keshav turned to me with a smile, "Aap uth gaye? Hum abhi khaana laate hai, Bhaiya. Aap baith jaiye."

(Oh, you're awake? We'll set the table in a bit, Bhaiya. Please have a seat.)

I only nodded and returned to the front hall. It was raining heavily outside, and the house felt cold. Payal served lunch for me, and Keshav helped her.

"Ghar mein sab kaise hai? Sanjana ko meri chitti mili? Mujhe laga ki aap naraaz hain isliye maine aapko nahi likha. Bache kaise hain?" He asked, taking a seat opposite me.

(How is everyone at home? Did Sanjana get my letter? I thought you were still mad at me, so I didn't address it to you. How are the kids?)

I hesitated to answer. His cheerfulness was making me guilty and pissing me off at the same time.

"Tumhe ghar wapas aana hoga..." I mumbled, "Sab chinta kar rahe hain."

(You have to come back home... Everyone is worried.)

Keshav smiled at me, "Mai wapas nahi aa sakta, Bhaiya... Hum waha nahi reh sakte."

(I can't come back, Bhaiya... We can't live there.)

My patience snapped.

"Kyu nahi aa sakte? Tumhare liye yaha tak aaya hu! Maafi ke layak nahi ho tum, magar phir bhi maaf karne keliye taiyar hu. Apne parivar ke baare mei zara bhi fikr hai tumhe? Sirf apne baare mei sochte rehte ho. Maa ki sehath kharaab hota jaa raha hai... Ek ladki ki khatir apne parivar ka tyag kar diya?"

(Why can't you come back? I came this far for you! You're not worth an apology, but I'm still ready to forgive you. Do you even care about your family? You're so selfish. Maa's health is getting worse over time... You abandoned your family for the sake of a girl?)

Payal looked guilty. Of course she had to. This very mess was because of her.

"Tameez se baat kijiye," Keshav glared at me, "Yahan rehne ka phaisla mera hai. Payal ki koi galti nahi hai. Aap har cheez keliye ise kyu dosh de rahe ho?"

(Talk with respect. The decision to stay here is mine. It's not Payal's fault. Why do you keep blaming her for everything?)

"Keshav..." She held his sleeve, pleading with her eyes to be quiet. He looked at her once before getting up and leaving for the kitchen.

"Maa ki tabiyat kaisi hai...?" Payal whispered. Now she wanted to act innocent?

(How is Maa's health...?)

"Tumhe kya farak padta hai?" I snapped at her, "Humare parivar ko ukhaad diya... Aur sharam nahi aati Maa ke baare mein puchne mein? Sab tumhare wajah se hai. Gaon mei itne saare ladke the... Aur phasane keliye sirf mera bhai hi mila?"

(What does it matter to you? You've uprooted our family... Aren't you ashamed to ask about Maa? Everything is because of you. There were so many boys in the village... But you found only my brother to trap?)

She flinched at my harsh words, and I saw tears in her eyes as well. Payal's voice cracked as she whispered an apology.

"Bas, bohot ho gaya!" Keshav shouted this time as he marched towards me and took my plate away.

(That's enough!)

"Aap yaha nahi reh sakte. Mere biwi ke saath aisa bartaav nahi kar sakte! Nikal jaiye isi waqt. Mujhe kuch nahi sunna."

(You can't stay here. You can't treat my wife like this! Get out this instant. I don't want to hear anything.)

What?

Was he being serious?

Was he kicking me out?

Me?

After all that I had done for him. After everything... This was how he was going to treat me?

He had known the girl for maybe a year or two... While I had been there for him through everything. Betrayal tasted the worst when it was fed by one's own blood.

"Apne bhai ko hi bahar phek rahe ho?" I mumbled.

(You're kicking your own brother out now?)

"Aapne bhi toh wahi kiya tha," he scoffed before pointing at the door, "Maine socha tha ki aapko apni galti ka andaaza ho gaya hai... Isliye aap mujhse milne aaye... Par maine aapse kuch zyada hi umeed rakh liya."

(You did the same. I thought you came to meet me after realising your mistake... But I expected too much from you.)

I gritted my teeth and got up to get my things. Without another word, I walked out of the apartment. The rain was quite heavy, but I didn't care about it anymore. My chest was aching because of everything Keshav had said.