THE ANSWERS SHE NEEDED BUT THE ANSWERS SHE GOT

18TH JAN, 2017; 8.05 A.M.

The morning had an eerie feeling to itself, everything was the same, but something was different. At Dhruv's place, Ashwini was paranoid, she expected her son to be home by somewhere near midnight, but it was a day past he still wasn't home. With every passing minute, fear was making its way to her heart. Too many questions in her mind, and no one was ready to answer them. Why was Dhruv taken in custody? If he was just there for interrogation, why hasn't he reached home yet? Why is the interrogation taking so much time? Did Dhruv do something? Has Dhruv done something unforgivable? Did Dhruv kill the inspector's son? It almost felt as if she was completely unknown to her son's action, which for most parts was true. But the thought that she doesn't know her child anymore, or maybe what he has become, the thought was enough to eat her alive. For once, she acknowledged her ignorance towards him. For her, all of this was a result of her being absent when her son needed her most.

Dhruv suffered, he was sexually assaulted. It was a sensitive time for him, and she was completely unaware. Dhruv never let the doctors tell his mother what really happened. For all she knew, he got into a fight with some kids and got his butt kicked. Only if she knew the truth, maybe things would have been different. But the truth wasn't hidden from her for long.

After Sharma and his family saw Dhruv drive away in a police jeep last day, the news about him being held captive spread like a wildfire in the neighborhood. While Ashwini was worried sick about her son's safety, some eyes monitored her this whole time. In those few hours, Ashwini really learned the meaning of NOSY NEIGHBORS. These people who even stopped talking to her a month after her husband's death suddenly were her WELL-WISHERS. There was a knock on the door every 40 minutes, and every time someone different stood on the door. They just wanted to taste the spicy controversy that was cooked in their neighbor's home. They didn't care about her! They were more eager to know if Dhruv did something. The night went away, but their questions didn't! The already worried Ashwini was now irritated too. And she just had to bust out when she heard the bell ring another time at dawn.

Ashwini: WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT!

Mohan: Ashwini?

Ashwini: Oh no! I am sorry Mr.Manohar, I thought it was one of my neighbors, these people have been bothering me for quite some time now!

Mohan: For the zillionth time, call me Mohan! And about your neighbors, I can imagine why!

Ashwini: Excuse me?

Mohan: I heard about Dhruv.

Ashwini: I see! So you are here to be a well-wisher, yeah go on ask me your stupid questions!

Mohan: Don't misunderstand me Ashwini, I am here to talk about Dhruv. There's something that I want to tell you. After I heard that Dhruv was taken into custody by police, I thought maybe he did something that he wasn't supposed to do.

Ashwini: One, he isn't taken into custody, they needed his help with a case, and he is helping them. And two, what do you mean by you want to tell me something?

Mohan: I think you should talk about this inside. May I come in?

Ashwini: Yeah, sure!

Mohan Manohar was the doctor in charge of Dhruv when he was admitted to the hospital after the assault on him. Mohan was also Riya's father, and that was the only reason Dhruv was able to keep everything that happened to him a secret. Mohan knew Dhruv from his times in nursery to high school, he had seen the kid grow. Riya and Dhruv were best friends, and Mohan enjoyed watching them together. He always wished if he had a friendship like that. He was jealous of them! So, when Mohan found out about what happened to Dhruv, it felt as if his own child was hurt. For Mohan Dhruv was not just another friend of his daughter; he was more like a son. So when Dhruv begged him to keep everything secret, it felt as if his own son was asking for his help. He couldn't refuse! He even hides it from Riya for a long time. But as she found out Dhruv was being hospitalized, she confronted him. He tried his best to brush it off, saying it was a fight between 'boys', but Riya wasn't dumb enough to take it. She knew if it was just a fight her father wouldn't try to hide it, instead would have told her as he knew how much she cared for Dhruv. Riya pushed Mohan to the edge, and he fell. He told her everything and asked her to promise him that she wouldn't tell a soul about it, as it will betraying Dhruv'd trust in her. She complied, but her mind was shattered. Mohan for a brief moment, felt relief that day. As if a little weight on the chest that was drowning him was taken away. But as the news of Dhruv being taken away hit his ear, the weight came back but with heavier pieces.

He thought, after what had happened to Dhruv, he probably did something. He was scared! He thought of the worst outcomes, and when he did that, Dhruv seemed guilty in Ashwini's eyes every time. And he couldn't let that happen in reality! He couldn't let Dhruv seem guilty in Ashwini's eyes. He felt it was unfair. So early in the morning, he decided to meet Ashwini and tell her the truth.

It was hard for Mohan to not inform the police, but it was harder to keep it secret from Ashwini. Being the mother of the victim, Ashwini had all the rights to know what happened to her son, but she was in the dark about all of this for the whole time, and Mohan knew he was guilty of that. Mohan took his time with his heavy tummy that suffocated his clothes, with buttons ready to commit suicide. With his slow steps, he entered the house. Ashwini showed him his way to the sofa, and he sat there taking his deep breaths. While Mohan was busy with his breathing exercise, Ashwini found herself a seat and sat on the chair next to the couch. As questions from Ashwini began, Mohan started talking. It wasn't long before Ashwini had finally found what happened to her son. She would have never imagined that her son had fallen victim to a brutal sexual assault. As a parent, she thought she had failed her duties. Maybe she had! Or she didn't! There was no one to say!

Guilt would have been enough! But as always, Dhruv's actions bring the theme of pain with them. After finding out that it was Dhruv who didn't want her to know the truth, her world started falling into pieces. For her, it was a sign of how much her son might have hated her. It may have been to spare her the pain but that thought was out of the window knowing how her relationship had been with him in the last 7 months. The distance was too much for her to see. She couldn't figure out her son anymore. That's when she realized how her run for his better future was a total waste, and how it was more important to be with him, to understand him, to be his friend, to be the person he could come when he wants to talk, to be there when needed a helping hand, to be there to tell him what's wrong, to be there when he needs love. She missed it all!

The shock was too much to bear! She fell down from the chair. Mohan somehow managed to get out of the couch and tried to helped her get up. But she seemed more like a dead body than a grieving person. She was too heavy to be lifted. It was not her weight! She just could not move anymore. She caught Mohan's collar and with the most painful voice he might have heard in his life, she asked, "Why?" and she burst out in tears. Her tears would not stop, and her breathing wouldn't ease. And the pain, wouldn't disappear!