Chapter 39

Part 39 – 'He was going to do what he had to do'

 

Manthan rushed his way to the hospital on his bike. The police had just called the Viranis and they had said that Nisha had just gotten into an accident. Damn! It was entirely his fault! He should have told her about Sarika before. Now, Nisha had landed in an accident because of him! Who knows what would be happening with her right now. He rushed himself to the receptionist table.

 

M: (out of breath) Excuse me – I need to – know what ward # Ms. Nisha is in!

Receptionist: Sir, please wait here –

M: I need to know right now!

R: Sir, just please –

 

             Right then, Isha stormed into the hospital with Eklavya and half of the Viranis. She stormed right up beside Manthan and demanded to know where her sister was and how she was. The receptionist, scared at the amount of people here for once person, looked through some files and told them that Nisha was in ICU. Hot tears rolled down Isha's cheek. Her sister had to be hurt really badly if she was in ICU. Manthan ran towards the ICU unit ignoring the receptionist's "Sir, you're aren't allowed there!" They saw a doctor come out of Nisha's ward. Isha and the rest of the family rushed up to him flooding him with questions.

Manthan rushed up to Nisha's ward. He gasped silently. Nisha was covered in white bandages. She was changed into a blue outfit. Her eyes were closed. She looked like an image from a movie. Manthan had seen it many times on t.v. and in movies but he had never seen somebody look so dead yet alive in real life. He trembled as he walked his way to the other doctor in the room.

 

M: Doctor, is – is she alright?

D: Mister, you aren't allowed here!

M: Sir, please, I need to know! Is she alright? Has anything happened to her? Will she be ok?

D: Please wait outside!

M: This is all my fault! Sh- she looks dead right now! Look at her! Is my Nisha going to be alright?

 

             Nisha twitched as she heard the words, "My Nisha" There was no denying it. As unconscious as she was, she knew Manthan was there. She had been able to hear a couple of words occasionally in the last few hours. However, they had meant nothing to her. But now she realized where she was and what had happened. She was in the hospital; clearly she had gotten into an accident. And that voice, it belonged to Manthan which meant Manthan was here! He said "My Nisha" But…Nisha strained her memory as she tried to remember what had happened before the accident. Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead but she couldn't remember anything. All she knew was that Manthan was the one she loved. She tried opening lifting her hand, getting up or even moving her fingers but none of it worked. She slowly opened her eyes and faced the room she was in. She saw Manthan, his face covered in tears, and a doctor trying to talk to Manthan calmly.

             Manthan's eyes wandered towards Nisha's and he saw she was awake.

 

M: NISHA! Doctor, she's fine! Nisha's alright! She's going to be ok!

 

             Isha and the others rushed in the ward as Manthan yelled "NISHA". The doctors were shocked but didn't know how to handle so many people at once. Manthan ran over her and put a hand over her forehead. With just one touch, everything hit her like a stab in the stomach. She remembered now. She realized what Manthan had done to her. Everything he had done to her came thundering upon her and hit her like lightning. She winced at his touch. She meant nothing to him. She was just another girl to him. She strained her voice to tell him to stay away but no sound came out. Instead, she started coughing really badly. The nurses lifted her into an upright position and gave her some water.

 

D: The patient cannot see so many people at once. Please, leave.

M: Just a minute doc!

D: Sir –

M: Just 2 minutes! I know she's alright! Nothing is going to happen to her. Just leave us alone for 2 minutes!

 

Everyone walked out leaving Manthan and Nisha alone. Nisha was breathing very deeply now. The nurses put an oxygen mask on her. She didn't want to be near the man who had caused all of this. She didn't want to be near the man who didn't love her, but merely thought of her as a toy. But why was he here anyway? Her head pounded as she strained to think straight. Manthan took Nisha's cold hands and placed them in his. He was crying. Actually crying. Manthan – crying! THE Manthan was crying. The Manthan that was ignorant, to cool for school, and had every pride in the world was crying.

 

M: Nisha, I'm sorry! This is my entire fault! I didn't mean – I don't know what to say, Nisha…

 

Nisha tried to say something but her throat was so scratchy and her voice couldn't come out with the huge oxygen mask placed in front of her.

 

M: The truth is that Sarika was my past and – damn it! Nisha, I dunno how to tell you this but I'm really not who you think I am! I know I messed up things with you. Big time. But I never meant to hurt you Nisha. I really didn't. It's true that before I met you I was a big angry, spoilt rude and obnoxious person who didn't care about anything or anybody. I used to go to parties, do drugs, flirt with girls and one of those girls was Sarika. I was drugged really badly one night and I have no idea what happened after that. Sarika told me that – that I had spent the night with her…She told me that she loved me but you know what? I never realized the true meaning of love until I met you, Nisha. You were life, joy and love to me. You cared about people, you wanted to help. You were even nice to me! Two weeks after that night, I heard Sarika talking to another girl about how she had drugged me so that she could play a pregnancy act and force me to marry her. Nisha, I never did anything to her. I swear to God. I would never hurt a girl even if I was a callous person before. Nisha, I know I should have told you this a long time ago but I didn't know how…I'm really sorry, Nisha. Please forgive me.

 

             Manthan bowed his head down while Nisha absorbed this shocking news in. The doctor had clearly had had enough by now.

 

D: Sir, that's enough! This patient is so badly injured that she could go to coma any minute. We need to treat her immediately.

 

             But it was too late. Nisha strained her body and pushed herself to move her hand towards her oxygen mask. Her whole outfit was soaked with sweat by now. She lifter her hand, ignoring the pain it was causing her and took away the oxygen mask. She took a huge gulp of air to fill her lungs in.

 

N: Manthan…

 

             Manthan looked up shocked to see Nisha talking and moving. This was the right time. He had waited long enough. He had thought this night would be very romantic, perhaps at a gorgeous hotel or a beautiful cottage, or a magnificent view of dusk but here he was in a hospital. Well, he didn't care anymore. All those expensive gifts, cards, beautiful love letters didn't concern him any longer. He was going to do what he had to do. Manthan took out a small box out of his jacket pocket and bent down on one knee.

 

M: Nisha, I'm sorry for all the pain I've ever cause you. I promise you that I'll always keep you happy. I love you more than anything! Nisha, - (gets a little box) I think I've made you wait long enough,will you marry me?

 

Nisha gulped back a tear. She smiled at him and all pain was slowly going away from her body. She lifted her hand and placed it above Manthan's. Her voice croaked when she spoke but that didn't matter anymore.

 

N: Yes! I love you too…

                                           Is that extra long enough? To make up for my extra short update?

 

                                       -Pooja