Chapter : 4

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The city's hustle seemed to slow down in the embrace of a park, Raj Mehra sat patiently on a weathered bench under the shade of a grand old peepal tree. Beside him sat his younger brother, Rihaan, who despite his adult appearance, possessed the innocent heart and mind of a child. Raj had promised Rihaan an ice cream treat, and with a reassuring smile, he had ventured off to fetch it from the vendor across the park.

"Why is brother taking so long?" Rihaan muttered, his impatience betraying the childlike anticipation that glinted in his eyes. The minutes stretched longer than Rihaan could bear, and soon, the thrill of waiting turned into a tinge of boredom. He gazed around the park, searching for anything to distract him from the tick of time.

His eyes fell upon a group of children playing a game of tag not far from where he sat. Rihaan's face lit up with excitement—a chance to join them and chase away the boredom! With an eager grin, he bounded over to them, his strides filled with hope and a childlike eagerness.

"Hey, can I play too?" Rihaan asked, his voice filled with innocent enthusiasm as he approached the group of children.

The children stopped abruptly, their playful expressions turning into uncertain glances exchanged among themselves. Finally, one boy, with a hint of scorn in his voice, replied, "No, you cannot."

Confusion flickered across Rihaan's face. "But why?" he asked, genuinely perplexed by their refusal.

Another child, a girl with pigtails, chimed in, "Yeah, you're too old to play with us. We only play with kids our own age. You're like an uncle to us!"

The words stung Rihaan deeply, a wave of hurt and rejection washing over him. His eyes glistened with unshed tears as he turned away from the children, trying to hide the pain that threatened to spill over. With heavy steps, he trudged back to the bench where he had been waiting, his heart heavier than before.

Meanwhile, Raj returned with two cones of ice cream in hand, a smile of anticipation on his face, only to find the bench empty. Panic clawed at his chest as he scanned the park in frantic search of his brother. "Rihaan!" he called out, his voice tinged with worry and rising frustration at himself for leaving Rihaan alone.

The distant sound of muffled sobs caught Raj's attention, and he hastened towards the source—a large tree just a few yards away. There, he found Rihaan huddled against the trunk, tears streaming down his cheeks, his shoulders shaking with suppressed sobs.

Relief flooded through Raj as he knelt beside Rihaan, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "Rihaan, what happened? Why are you crying?" he asked softly, concern etched in every line of his face.

Between sniffles and hiccups, Rihaan managed to explain, "They... they didn't let me play with them. They said I'm too old and... and they didn't want me there."

Raj's heart clenched with empathy for his younger brother. He knew all too well how Rihaan struggled to fit in with others. "Hey, don't worry about them," Raj comforted, his voice gentle yet firm. "You know who loves to play with you? Isha and Rishi—they're always asking about you!"

Rihaan's tear-streaked face brightened a little at the mention of his niece and nephew. "But... but they have homework," Rihaan murmured, his disappointment evident.

Raj smiled warmly. "Alright then, how about I play with you?" he suggested, hoping to lift Rihaan's spirits.

A glimmer of hope returned to Rihaan's eyes. "Really?" he asked, his voice tinged with a mixture of surprise and excitement.

Raj nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "But first, let's go home, okay?"

Rihaan nodded eagerly, wiping away his tears and standing up. Raj started walking towards the park exit, but after a few steps, he noticed Rihaan hadn't moved. Turning back, he found Rihaan still sitting on the bench, his expression clouded with a hint of frustration.

Confused, Raj approached him. "What happened, Rihaan? Why aren't you coming?"

Rihaan pouted slightly, his brows furrowing. "You didn't get me my ice cream," he stated matter-of-factly, as if it were the most important thing.

A soft chuckle escaped Raj's lips at Rihaan's straightforwardness. "Ah, my apologies," he replied with mock solemnity, "I almost forgot about that!"

Raj's smile widened as he saw Rihaan's face light up with anticipation. "Come on then," he said, ruffling Rihaan's hair affectionately, "let's get you two ice creams. One for now, and one for later!"

With a joyful whoop, Rihaan jumped up from the bench and dashed towards the nearby ice cream truck, his laughter echoing through the park. Raj followed at a more leisurely pace, his heart warmed by the simple happiness that radiated from Rihaan.

As they walked home later that evening, Rihaan happily licking his ice cream cone beside him, Raj couldn't help but marvel at the strength and innocence that Rihaan possessed despite life's challenges.

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After their emotional return from the park, Raj and Rihaan stepped into their huge manor where their mother, Mrs. Mehra, sat on the couch, engrossed in a television show. As they entered, Rihaan's face lit up at the sight of his mother, and he dashed over to her, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug. She welcomed him with open arms, knowing well his habit of spontaneous affectionate gestures. She ran her hand gently over his back as he pulled away, her eyes filled with motherly warmth.

However, Mrs. Mehra's smile faltered when she noticed Rihaan's reddened eyes, a telltale sign of his earlier tears. Concern etched lines on her forehead as she asked softly, "Baby, did you cry?"

Rihaan nodded sadly, his emotions still raw from the rejection he faced at the park. "Why?" Mrs. Mehra prompted gently, brushing a stray tear from Rihaan's cheek.

Rihaan proceeded to pour out his heart to his mother, recounting the incident at the park—the children who refused to play with him, their hurtful words, and the overwhelming feeling of loneliness. Mrs. Mehra listened quietly, her heart breaking for her son who longed for something so simple yet elusive—friendship.

As Rihaan finished speaking, Mrs. Mehra hugged him tenderly, holding him close. Rihaan whispered softly, "Mom, everyone has friends—you, Dad, Bhai, Riri, even Isha and Rishi. Why don't I have any friends?"

Mrs. Mehra's eyes filled with tears, her heart aching with the weight of his question. How could she explain to Rihaan that he was different, that his innocence and simplicity sometimes made it difficult for others to understand him? She struggled to find the right words, knowing that her son deserved an answer that would ease his pain.

Before she could respond, Rihaan, frustrated and hurt, abruptly turned and stormed off to his room, muttering incomprehensibly to himself. Mrs. Mehra watched him go, her heart heavy with sadness and helplessness.

In Rihaan's room, he paced back and forth, his mind swirling with conflicting emotions. Amidst the whirlwind of thoughts, his gaze fell upon a photograph on his bedside table. It was a portrait of a young woman, about his age, with an aura of calm and strength that seemed to emanate from her serene expression.

Curiosity piqued, Rihaan picked up the photograph and studied it intently. Just then, he heard a soft sigh behind him and turned to find his mother standing in the doorway, holding the same photograph with a small smile playing on her lips.

"Mom, who is she?" Rihaan asked, his voice filled with genuine curiosity.

Mrs. Mehra's smile widened as she replied fondly, "She is your father's friend's daughter. She told me she wants to be your friend, forever."

Rihaan's eyes widened in surprise and excitement. "Really? She said that?" he asked eagerly, hope blossoming in his heart.

His mother nodded, happiness shining in her eyes as she watched her son's joy. Rihaan's face lit up with a radiant smile, imagining the possibility of having a friend who wanted to be with him always.

As Rihaan began to chatter excitedly about all the things he would do with his new friend—play his favorite games, eat chocolate cake hiding from his parents, take care of her, like his brother takes care of Riri. Mrs. Mehra looked at him with tears glistening in her eyes. She silently thanked Ananya, the girl who had agreed to be a part of Rihaan's life, knowing that her acceptance would bring immeasurable happiness to her son.

"Thank you, Ananya, for coming into my son's life," Mrs. Mehra whispered gratefully, her heart overflowing with love and gratitude for the young woman who had chosen to be Rihaan's friend and possibly much more.

For Rihaan, it was a moment of pure happiness, a beacon of hope that flickered brightly in the midst of his occasional loneliness. As he talked animatedly about his future adventures with Ananya, his mother stood beside him, her heart swelling with pride and love for her special son who deserved every bit of joy that life could offer.

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