Dually Devoted ?

CHAPTER 30

After realising that Sid's memories weren't going to return anytime soon, Rajiv did practically everything in his power, to let Siddharth never doubt his identity. From shifting back to India where people knew him less, to making sure the media showed and wrote only what was approved by him, about him. He had even burnt down his own house to settle with the lie of having lost their family photos there; to settle with the lie that it was an accidental fire in their house, and not a car accident, that had caused him to suffer so. It wasn't like Rajiv had lived in that house with his family. That house had been the symbol of his financial success to others, but a symbol of his lonely life to him.

The only pictures, albums and materials of memories he showed Sid was what he really did have of his family. Shutting down his conscience which wouldn't approve of it, he had shared a few snippets of his past with the boy.

Sometimes, it did make him feel that he was being selfish. That maybe he was using the boy in his own twisted way, but that did not convince him to reveal the truth. He couldn't ever imagine that revealing everything to Arnav would be the right thing to do. No. When his lie could give both him and Arnav, someone to love and care, someone to protect or be supported by; when it could give both of them a family- even if it was incomplete- the lie had given them both a lot.

As time passed with him witnessing the boy try his best to stand strong, he had concluded that shattering any of the positive changes those lies had created would never help any of them. Both of them were happier this way. Stronger too.

Siddharth had shown so much strength over the years that Rajiv couldn't be prouder. That wise, strong boy he had first seen had not vanished anywhere.

Recovering from the surgery in itself had been a battle the boy had fought with so much patience, cautiousness and courage. Bruising, swelling, neck pain, body ache, numbness, weakness, and lots of medication had been an unavoidable part of his life for months. On top of that, every single day, it had been a struggle for the boy to accept himself, to adjust in a world he did not remember anyone in, but Rajiv had not once found the boy giving up.

It had taken almost a year for Arnav, now Siddharth, to not only recover physically without a visible trace, but to also figure out his own self and his life. After which he had begun going to college and had attempted to live normally.

Rajiv couldn't thank God enough for having given Siddharth the will-power he seemed to have. Grateful that Siddharth hadn't lost his basic skills or knowledge. Or the ability to retain new memories. For he was supposedly suffering from 'focal' Retrograde Amnesia. He had lost all of his existing episodic memories but his semantic knowledge had been spared.

Rajiv was also grateful to finally have something he could thank for. For years, even though he hadn't despised God, questions had evaded his mind more than praises ever could. He had been more eager to ask why what had happened had happened, than to thank God for the strength that had helped him overcome what life had thrown at him. Now, he had learnt to accept it with a calmer mind, if not with a happier one.

And that realization alone was enough to make him promise himself that this secret, and the lies he had woven around it, would remain buried within him until it would die with him.

But life had its own way of controlling our decisions. And that was how, Rajiv found himself narrating this part of his life to the two quiet youngsters.

"...I never once thought those lies would've dragged him away from people who loved him, from people whom he loved. I did not know, Addison. I did not," Rajiv shook his head, noticing that the young man was no more furious.

Now that he had heard everything that had happened, Rajiv knew Addison could see the reason behind his decisions too.

Arpita and Addison, both stayed still, gulping down their overflowing emotions.

Arnav had dealt with a lot in the past too, but Arpita had had no idea how to ease his mind. Now that she had understood how much Siddharth had gone through, once again, she didn't know what to do. But this time, she took a silent vow- her life would, from this moment, be wholly about him. His happiness, his dreams and everything he wants. That was all that would matter to her. For that was all she could give him.

Not even realising that Arnav has been her world since ages, she vowed the same, again. For she wanted to give Siddharth everything she could; for she loved Sid just as much as she loved her Arnav. It didn't matter that he had changed. It didn't matter that he wasn't the same. She loved every side of him, Just. As. Much.

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