Last Shot

Last Shot

"Arnav ji...calm down!" Khushi said.

"CALM DOWN! YOU'RE ASKING ME TO CALM DOWN!" Arnav shouted.

"Mr. Volcano," Siddarth said in a bored tone, "I really don't see any reason for your shouting. Care to enlighten me with the actual cause of your infamous anger and then I'll increase your knowledge on the consequences of it!"

"YOU..." Arnav was all about to bounce on his Jeeju when Khushi said, "Bhai is right Arnav ji! Why are you getting hyper on such a small issue?"

"Small issue? WOW, SMALL ISSUE!" Arnav shouted.

"Chotte please...stop it!" Anjali said exasperated, "What's the matter?"

"Di, I'll tell!" Khushi said, "Today Adi's principal called us to her office!"

"Why?" Payal asked and every Raizadas looked at Khushi for continuation.

"Wo...Adi had played some mischief and..." Khushi said when Arnav cut her and said,

"MISCHIEF? YOU CALL THAT MISCHIEF? DO YOU CALL THROWING INK ON TEACHER IS A MISCHIEF?" Arnav shouted.

"He did what?" Anjali asked shocked.

Arnav nodded and said, "My 10 year old "baby" son threw ink on his teacher's saree. The principal called me and threatened me that if Adi doesn't stop his nonsense, they are gonna suspend him!"

Turning to Adi who was standing at a corner with his eyes on floor, Arnav shouted, "THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME ADITYA! LAST WEEK, YOU THREW MUD ON YOUR CLASSMATE, THEN YOU PULLED A GIRL'S HAIR...TODAY INK ON TEACHER...WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU BOY?"

Adi looked down and mumbled, "Papa...woh teacher, she is a bit irritating..."

"WOW...SHE IS IRRITATING AND YOU THREW INK ON HER! Huh, what else can you expect from you! You've totally gone on your mother!" Arnav said angrily.

"WHAT?" Khushi shouted, "Hey mister, half of his DNA are yours. He got this disobedient attitude from you only!"

"Oh really..." Arnav began when Siddarth said,

"Stop it both of you. For your kind information, we're not interested in the chromosomes and DNA contributions of yours. We're discussing about Adi!"

Anjali sighed and asked, "Adi beta, why are you so disobedient?"

Adi looked away and said, "I felt throwing ink on her and I did!"

"TOMORROW HE WILL FEEL LIKE PUSHING ME DOWN THE STAIRS AND HE'LL DO THAT!" Arnav shouted.

"ARNAV, IF YOU'RE SO INTERESTED IN SHOUTING, THEN GET OUT OF THE HOUSE. GO THE GARDEN AND SHOUT AT THE PLANTS, NOT HERE!" Siddarth shouted.

"WOW, I'M KICKED OUT OF MY OWN HOUSE!" Arnav shouted.

"Then we'll go to my house, and then I'll ask you to get out from there if that makes you got out of the present scenario and get some fresh air. Can't you hear what I said, GO OUT!" Siddarth shouted.

Arnav narrowed his eyes and Siddarth smirked and said, "Khushi is right Arnav. Adi got this disobedience attitude from you only. Look at you, not even obeying your brother-in-law who is 5 years elder than you!"

"Ha..." Adi said grabbing the chance, "Papa, you call Siddarth uncle as Siddarth, not as Jeeju. You call Payal maasi as Payal not as Payal ji...and you always scolds NK chachu! Papa, first you need to learn the meaning of obedience, not me!" After a pause the boy added,

"And also papa, you cannot shout at me like this. This is a democratic county and I have the rights to express my feelings. That comes under the fundamental right - Right to speech and expression. I expressed my frustration by throwing ink on teacher. That is a sign of protest. And in a democratic county we are free to protest against injustice."

Arnav and everyone gaped at the little 10 year old boy and then at the Supreme Court lawyer.

"Siddarth...you...YOU'RE THE ONE WHO IS SPOILING MY SON!" He shouted.

"What did I do? I just taught him some fundamental rights that everyone should know...well...I didn't expect him to use it every time in his practical life. Err...yeah, after all, what can I expect from him? After all, he is the son of a JERK!" Siddarth covered up.

"SIDDARTH!!!!!!!!!" Arnav shouted when Adi said, "Papa, don't you dare shout at Sid uncle. If he files a case against you for harassing him mentally and..."

"OK THAT'S ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Arnav shouted and turned to his son, "YOU...THE NEXT TIME I HEAR THIS NEWS, YOU'RE GONNA BE CANED! MIND IT ADITYA...I'LL CANE YOU..."

"Arnav ji...calm down!" Khushi said.

"Ha Arnav...calm down!" Siddarth said chuckling.

"YOU...I'M GONNA KILL YOU..." Arnav shouted.

"Papa...killing someone is a grave crime. You'll be hanged. You..." Adi began when Arnav groaned in frustration and Siddarth stood smiling like an idiot.

Looking at Siddarth, Arnav said, "If, after 8 or 9 years, my son announces that he'll learn LLB, you're dead!"

Siddarth faked shock and said, "OMG, then I have only eight years of existence! Nahi Arnav...aise mat karo...look if I die who will be there for your sister? And my children, they need me na...no Arnav, please don't kill me...please..." Siddarth faked drama and everyone smiled and Anjali closed her eyes expecting the next move of her brother.

"SIIIDDDAAARRRTTTHHH!" Arnav's shout echoed the whole mansion while Siddarth walked away whistling as if the whole family is looking at someone else and Arnav shouted at someone else...

"Arnav ji..." Khushi called out softly seeing her husband standing near the poolside looking at the moon.

"Is Aashi asleep?" He asked hoarsely and she could sense his bad mood. "Yes" she said softly turning back and looking at their 3 year old daughter Aashiyasleeping clutching her teddy.

Holding his shoulder, she asked, "Are you okay?"

He nodded and said, "Go and sleep Khushi!"

"You're tensed about Adi." She stated and he said sighing, "You are a very good mind reader"

She smiled and holding his hand led him to the bench at the poolside.

"What's the problem Arnav ji?" She asked softly.

Arnav looked at her and said, "Can't you see Adi? He is the problem! Why is he like this? Naughtiness and mischief are okay, but to this extent...he threw ink on teacher Khushi, you know what that mean! He is growing very arrogant and ill-mannered. He felt like throwing mud on his friend and he did that. He felt like throwing ink on teacher, he did that...it's not gonna work!"

Khushi smiled and said, "Arnav ji...the reason why he is doing this is that he has inherited that quality from you!"

Arnav glared at her and she said laughing, "Don't scare me to death! You always throws vase if you feel so. You take the car and drive away if you feel so. You shout at me if you feel so. Your son is seeing you as his role model and he learn it from you!"   

Arnav sighed and said, "He is becoming uncontrollable."

Caressing his arm, she said softly, "We just need to talk to him. He is just naughty, that's all! I know, he has severe anger management problems. We should make him realize that this much anger is not good! He is a kid Arnav ji. We need to teach him. He does what he sees. If he sees you shouting at everyone and everything, he will do the same. So first, we need to change ourselves!"

"But I do not shout much...as I used to do before!" Arnav said.

Khushi laughed and said, "If you shout like you used to, then Adi's school principal and teachers would fall at our feet for taking him away from their school!"

Arnav chuckled and Khushi said softly, "He is a child! We'll teach him how to behave and how to control his frustration! We have time Arnav ji...it's not too late."

Arnav sighed and nodded.

It was then the door of their door opened and a pair of sleepy eyes came in, "Dadddyyy..." The voice called out sleepily and Khushi said rolling her eyes, "Here comes your princess! Tell her, her daily soap fairy tale, let me check my raja!" And she walked away by giving a kiss on the angel's hair.

"Dadddyyy..." She climbed on Arnav's lap who kissed her cheek.

Arnav made his 6 year old daughter, Angelina, also called as Angel, sit on his lap and kissing her cheek asked, "Didn't you sleep angel?"

"You didn't tell me fairy tale. I waited for you and then I slept on the chair!" She said with a pout.

"Oh, but then how did you wake up?" Arnav asked.

"Wo...I don't know. I woke up suddenly and I ran to here. Now tell me story!"

"Badi Nani..." Ruhi called out the next morning holding the thaal, "Where should I keep this?"

"Keep it near the photo bitiya..." Nani said and Ruhi did the same.

"Ruhi didi..."

Ruhi looked at her left and saw her 6 year old brother Eshaan running to her. "Ruhi didi...please tell mamma that I don't want to wear sherwani..."

Ruhi chuckled. Eshaan is allergic to sherwanis. She had heard that her Arnav mamu also dislikes traditional wears. Not only this one, but Eshaan had inherited almost all the habits of her mamu. In her biology Ruhi had learnt about inheritance from parents and also from relatives, but this much of inheritance from uncle is something unbelievable.

"Do what mamma says..." Ruhi said and continued with her work.

"Ruhi didi!!!!" Eshaan whined and said, "Okay fine...I'll ask Arnav mamu..." And he ran away and Anjali who had come there in search of him ran behind him with the sherwani.

"Uffo bhaiyya...this is not a wedding that you groom so much! We're conducting a barsi here!" Angel said irritated.

"Chup kar Shaitan (devil)...barsi or wedding, we have to look presentable!" Adi said adjusting his white sherwani collars.

"Bhaiyya...you behave...like a girl..." Little Aashi said and Angel laughed, "You're right Aashi...bhaiyya is a girl!"

"YOU BOTH...GET OUT OF HERE!" Adi shouted and his sisters ran away laughing.

"Ruhi didi...how is it?" a 11 year old Alankrita asked her 14 year old sister.

Looking at the arrangements, Ruhi said, "It's good Kiya (Alankrita is also called as Kiya)! Now we should place her photo! Bring flower garland!"

Kiya ran to get flower garland and Ruhi placed her photo in the middle of the havan.

Tears rolled down her cheek seeing her photo and she caressed it over the glass. "I miss you so much..." Ruhi whispered.

Nani who was witnessing this whispered, "Wish you come back...for me, for Ruhi...for everyone here!"

The havan started and everyone sat and prayed for her soul except Arnav who stood aside watching the family drama.

Khushi looked at Ruhi who was crying and Alankrita and Adi sniffing. It's been 3 years...3 years before, she left them forever. But she still lives in everyone's heart! She was trying to save little Angel who was crossing the road. Angel's purse fell in the middle of the road and she ran to it while none of the elders noticed it. It was she who ran to her and tried to push Angel. Angel fell to the other side and the car had hit her badly. She died.

Arnav stood aside and watched them.

No matter how much he hated her presence, he loved her. She had a special place in his heart. He couldn't help but admit...she was cute and beautiful...butshe is gone! Gone forever!

Arnav watched how everyone was praying for her soul.

His lips curved into a smile.

He said to himself,

"I admit everyone here loved her. But to this extent that they organize a barsi pooja for her and call pandit ji...oh yes, this is Raizada parivaar. Raizada parivaar = craziness unlimited!"

He smirked and watched his family crying and sniffing, doing the barsi pooja of their beloved Laxmi.