Chapter 6: Better Than Never

Anjali Jha expected her brother to behave the way he did. However, she wished her Chote had atleast taken the effort to acknowledge his son.

The door to his room was shut but not locked. Anjali let herself in to find Chote on the recliner, bent over with hands supporting his head. He looked up to see his Di walking over.

"Not now, Di. Please leave me alone." He sounded tired.

Anjali wasn't here to go away. She was here to make him see something. "Chote, I'm not here to admonish you for the way you reacted." She started gently and took a seat beside him on the recliner.

"Chote, I'm here to show you the other side."

"Are you picking sides now, Di?" Arnav asked curtly.

Anjali smiled at her younger brother. "No. I'm simply here to show it to you."

Arnav didn't respond.

"Chote, I'm on your side. I just found out I had a nephew. This entire family is on your side, but they didn't react like you because they're willing to see the other side."

"I have a son, Di!" Arnav exploded. "One year! It took her an entire year to let me know that-"

"-Why should she have let you know anything, Chote?" Anjali wasn't yelling but her voice had raised a pitch and her eyes were stern.

"Why?" Arnav was annoyed and shot up from his seat.

"Ji, Kyun?" Anjali stood up as well. "Chote, when Khushi-ji left this house a year ago, she was hurt. And as far as I know, you did nothing to bring her back. If anything, you should be grateful, Chote. You need to understand that Khushi-ji didn't have to do any of this. She didn't have to return to Delhi, she didn't have to call Nani, and she did not have to let you know you had son!"

Anjali hadn't meant to say it like that. The words just erupted from her before she could stop herself. Arnav fell back on the recliner not knowing what to say.

Anjali softened her tone. "For a mother to present her child to the man that has hurt her is not easy, Chote." Anjali was now speaking out of experience. "If anything, we want to be selfish and guard the child from the person who hurt us. We know what they're capable of and we don't want to put our child in that position."

Arnav looked up at Anjali, who now had tears in her eyes. He knew she wasn't just talking about Khushi now.

"Chote, you learned an hour ago that you have a five month old son. And instead of acknowledging him, you take out your anger on Khushi. Did you not even want to hold Shiv? He's your son, Chote! Aur haa, Khushi-ji didn't let you know for a year. She here now though. She didn't have to be here, but she is here." Anjali stood up to leave. As she approached the door, she turned to remind her brother. "It's better late than never, Chote."

Who knew such a cliche saying would have such an impact. Arnav realized that Di was right.

It's better than never.