AnotherChanceForUs-Prt.7 Updt 1/30 pg16 - Page 7

When we reach home, Amit takes his Bob The Builder backpack and climbs out of the car.

"Mumma, can I have a peanut butter sandwich?"

I smile and nod. Amit opens the door and leads me to the kitchen. As I make the sandwich, he watches TV. I call him when his food is ready, and he happily chatters about his new-found friends at school.

While he tells me how pretty one of the girls in the class is, I look at my son. My son. He is mine. My own.

I sigh. He looks so much like his father. The dark, smoldering black eyes; the authoritative aura surrounding him; the defiant chin (okay, okay, maybe he got that from me); and his structure: tall (for an almost four year old).

"Mumma…..MUMMA!!!"

I break out of my thoughts. "Haan, beta?"

"Mumma, can we call Nanu?? I want to wish him Happy Father's Day!"

"Of course. Go get the phone."

Amit runs and gets the phone. "Mumma, I want to dial! I know the numbers now!"

I laugh as I see his tongue sticking out sideways from his mouth, sweat beads forming on his forehead while he is trying to concentrate on dialing the right number. Finally, he gets the number right and starts talking to his Nanu.

My parents have always been there for me, even when I told them that I was pregnant with Amit. They have always respected my decisions and let me make my own choices, however, like all parents, they do use blackmail. I am lucky to have parents such as mine. Amit and my parents are my life.

Amit hands the phone to me after a while.

"Hello?"

"Beta, how are you?"

"I'm fine, Papa. How are you and Ma?"

"We are fine. How are you finding things there?"

"Good, Papa. It's so nice to be back."

"Beta, are you sure that you and Amit are okay? I mean, don't you think it's about time you get married?"

I sigh. More emotional blackmail. However, they are right. I've just been putting it off, for fear that Amit won't like anyone.

"Yes, Papa, I think you're right. It is about time that I get married."

"Sachh, beta? Achha, I know a good boy who lives near you. You meet him and see, okay?"

I can tell Papa is shocked at my response. He probably would have never thought that I would say yes to marriage. But sometimes, circumstances are such.

"Achha, beta. I'll keep the phone now. Your mother will call you later."

After Papa tells me that the guy will meet me at Sanjeevani this Saturday, I say good-bye and hang up.

Why do I let people step all over me?

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As I lay in bed, I reflect over the day's events. I still can't believe she is back. But she has a son. Who isn't mine. Why, I question. Why? Why did she have to fall in love with someone else? But more than that, why did I have to leave her? Our lives were going perfectly. Why did that sudden phone call have to come?

Flashback:

It was early in the morning. Abhi's cell phone rang. He rolled over on the bed and quickly picked it up, not wanting to wake Nikki.

"Hello?"

"Hello, is this Abhimanyu Modi?"

"Yes."

"I am very sorry to tell you, but your family has been in a car accident. Your father and sister have passed away, and your brother and mother are very critical."

"What?!"

"Yes. We need your signature to do some urgent surgeries, which means that you must be here in two days. However, you may have to stay here for about a year."

"Two days? And stay for a year? But that's not possible!"

"I'm afraid that if we wait too long, they may not survive. It is of utmost importance that you get here at once."

Abhi glanced at the sleeping Nikki.

"Okay. Thank you." He hung up.

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Nikki woke up as Abhi started packing.

"Abhi? Where are we going?" she asked, puzzled.

Abhi looked at her with sad eyes. "Nikki, not we. Just me."

"But where?"

"Nikki, I have to go. Something has come up. Maa and Bhaiyya need me."

"But how? How long?" she asked startled.

"Nikki, look, it's gonna take a lot of time. Maa is recuperating, and until Bhaiyya doesn't get better, I cant come back. They need me."

"What about me, Abhi? Don't I need you too?"

"Nikki, I wish I could, but I can't take you with me. I can't."

Abhi could see the fear in her eyes. "Nikki, I promise, I'll be back. It'll take a long time though. But I'll be back."

Nikki couldn't believe that her Abhi was leaving her. She tried to stop the tears that were beginning to trickle down her cheeks.

"Fine. If that's what you want, then go. I don't need you."

She turned her back to him. "Go."

"Nikki." He tried to turn her around and wipe her tears which he knew were coming out. But she refused to turn around, and shrugged off his hands.

Discouraged by her reaction, he walked to the door of the room. "Bye Nikki. I love you," were his last words before he closed the door and stepped out of the room. The last thing he saw before he closed the door were her big brown eyes, staring at him, brimming with tears. Little did they both know that not only was he stepping out of the room, he was stepping out of their world, out of her life.

End of Flashback

I pull her picture out from underneath my pillow and stare at it.

"I loved you then….and I love you even today," I whisper, before hugging her picture tightly and falling off to sleep.

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The next day, I drop Amit to school and head to the hospital.

As I enter the senior doctors' locker room, I see the rest of the doctors. I say hi and take my files. While poring over my files, I realize that Abhi hasn't gotten there yet and decide to wait for him. As I am waiting, I watch the doctors. Such a fun-loving bunch.

Riddhima, Anjali, and Rahul Garewal, the triplets, love to be with each other. Rahul, being the eldest (by 2 minutes), likes to be a little overprotective of his sisters. So when Armaan Mallik (the heartthrob doctor) started flirting with Anjali yesterday, he literally gave him a bloody nose.

Next are Armaan and Muskaan Mallik. Both are crazy and even more crazy!

And last of all, my best bud. Atul. Atul Joshi. Atul has been friends with me and Abhi ever since internship. He knows about us, and about Amit, but since he is my friend, he won't tell Abhi. I trust him more than anyone.

As I sit, pondering over life, Atul comes , pulls me to the side (away from the prying eyes of everyone else) and gives me a hug. "How are you? And how is Amit? Are you guys settled?"

"Yes Atul."

I then decide to tell him about the chat that Papa and I had yesterday.

"Atul, I have decided to get married." I see his eyes light up.

"Not to Abhi, though," I clarify. The happiness in his eyes burns out.

"Oh. Then who?"

"One of Papa's friend's sons. He's coming to meet me this Saturday."

"But….But what about Abhi?"

"Atul, you know that I don't want to marry him. And you also know why. So don't ask this sort of questions," I sternly tell him.

Just then Abhi walks in. "Hey Champ!"

"Hey Abhi! Kaisa hai tu, yaar?"

"I'm fine, tu bataa?"

"I'm fine too. Yaar, tune shaadi karli kya?"

Abhi glances at me before answering.

"No, no….I haven't gotten married yet. Koi ladki mile to shaadi karunga na?"

"Haan, yaar, wo toh hain. Chal, duty ke liye time ho raha hain."

We walk to the reception desk, where we go our separate ways; Abhi and me with our interns, Armaan and Riddhima with theirs, Muskaan and Rahul with their batch, and Atul and Anjali with another set.

Soon after we brief them, Abhi and I get busy with cases. A couple of times I catch Abhi staring at me, but when I look at him, he turns away and busies himself. At the end of the day, we walk back to the locker room and grab our things. I suddenly remember that I'm late to pick Amit. I rush off in a hurry after informing Atul.

Abhi calls me on the way saying that I have left some files in the locker room. I tell him that I'll pick them up later, but he insists on dropping them home.

Oh God, I think. Home? Come on! He'll see Amit.

I start praying. Please don't let him come.

As Amit and I reach home, I send him to his room and tell him not to come out for ten minutes.

"But, Mumma, why?" bewilderment written all over his innocent little face.

"Beta, I'll tell you later. Go,go," I usher him, as I hear the doorbell ring.

As I open the door, I hope for the last time that it isn't him.

I open my eyes and look in front of me. I smile with relief. It isn't him.

"Atul? Tum yahan?"

"Actually, Abhi aa raha tha, magar maine use kaha ke me drop kar deta hoon. I promised Amit I'll come to see him, na?

"Haan, chalo andar."

Atul goes to Amit's room and opens the door. I stop in my tracks as I see Amit sitting sullenly on the edge of his bed.

"Hey buddy. Kya hua?" Atul takes Amit in his arms.

"Mumma ne kaha ke I can't come out of the room," he bawls.

Atul looks at me, confused.

"Actually," I start to explain, "I thought Abhi was coming, to isliye….."

Atul sighs and shakes his head. "Nikki, what are you so scared of?"

"I don't know, Atul. Just that he might discover the truth."

Atul smiles and starts playing with Amit while I get dinner ready.

After dinner, Atul leaves and I put Amit to sleep.

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The next couple of days go fine. However, things cannot stay calm for long; catastrophe must strike. And that's exactly what happens four days later.