Arhi SS: Our Happiness and Grief COMPLETED Parts 1-9 - Page 4

Arnav looked at the Doctor his heart rate accelerated, all hope lost.

All hope lost.

The air seemed to have grown thicker, Arnav forced some of it down his lungs, breathing deeply, he felt himself fly through a series a emotions, panicking. What was he to do?

Babu-ji was going to die. The words just didn't fit, how? Why?

The words slipped through his numbs lips, "why?"

The doctor sighed, "Mr. Gupta is very weak, his cardiac cycle is struggling to simply maintain his constant body temperature, let alone keep his organs functioning-"

"Surely you can do something!" Arnav said, his voice rising.

How could they just presume Babu-ji was to d-di- not be with them anymore, Arnav thought, there must be a solution, some medication. Dr. Sha shook his head- some miracle?

"I'm afraid, there's nothing we can do." Dr. Sha replied, his face sombre. "I know it's hard to b-"

"How long?"

"Sorry?"

"How long does my Babu-ji have to live?" Arnav growled.

"A month- at the least,." Dr Sha replied, looking down at Arnav's gaze.

"Right," Arnav said, his fists clenched.

Arnav ranched open the door and slammed it behind him, initiating his cold, hard demeanour to crumble at once, and so he walked through the cold, hard floors of the hospital.

Babu-ji only had a month to live, if that. Arnav eyes began to glisten with tears.

Khushi.

The pain of losing Babu-ji in Arnav's life would be hard, painful but Arnav would be okay in the end...but Khushi? How was she going to deal with it? How would she react? Arnav closed his eyes, the image of her crying into his chest, shook his body.

His mind whirled back to her feeble, fragile state the last time Babu-ji had a heartattack. What had she said?

"I won't be able to take it if Babu-ji goes away from me. I'm completely broken." She had sobbed.

How was he going to break this news to her? Would she be able to tolerate it? What if she couldn't? They he wouldn't be able to tolerate it, her pain was his pain after all.

He would be there for her, no matter what.

That was how they were going to get through it. Together.

But what about his coming guest? The life that existed inside his Khushi, both of them going through pain, and what if something happened to the baby-

He felt a stab of pain in his heart.

No.

He could not lose his child. Yet Khushi had to know the truth. Was this the reason why Umma had not told them about Babu-ji's departure.

Babu-ji's departure.

The pain of the circumstance hit him with a full blow, forcing him on his knees, the grief shaking his body accompanied with his sobs. He covered his face with his hand, plunging himself into a world of blackness, attempting to block out the pain that threatened to rip out his heart.

He gulped in large amounts of air, trying to regain control again.

His mind went blank for a second, he stood up and suddenly the question hit him again. Was he going to tell Khushi?

Arnav rubbed his eyes, his lips quivering, preparing himself to smile when needed to in the room, playing to the drama Amma was leading.

He walked back in the room to see Khushi sitting on the chair next to the bed, her head buried deep in the small space of the pillow next to her fathers head. Babu-ji was asleep, breathing very deeply. He couldn't help but want to pick Khushi up in his arms and bolt out the door, away from this, away from this grief that was to surround them very, very soon.

Yet there he stood, pretending like he had not just received the worst news in the world.

On the other side of the bed was Payal standing over Babu-ji, as if her eyes were verifying again and again that he was there, in front of her. Akash was leaning against the wall closest to Arnav, who greeted Arnav silently.

Payal and Akash had been out spending the day together, only to receive a phone call, when they had turned on their phones, that Babu-ji had had a heartattack.

"Amma..." Payal croaked, "what did the doctor say?"

Garima's eyes flashed at Khushi, Khushi did not sit up, but she shifted her body slightly, telling Arnav she was listening.

Garima recomposed her face, placing a smile on it, "nothing, bitya... they said he'll be fine, they just need to put him under observation." She lied, patting her face with the end of her saree.

Khushi nodded slowly into the pillow, whilst Payal merely frowned at her mother, only to receive a hand gesture from Garima, telling Payal not to say anything.

Arnav's eyes went from Garima to Payal and back again, Umma was determined not to tell Khushi about Babu-ji...was this right?

Arnav's head was now hurting from the constant bombarding of questions.

Garima, threw a smile in his direction and asked, "Arnav, bitwa where did you go?"

Arnav stepped forward, his back towards Payal and Akash, he shook his head, as if to say it was unimportant, he then mimed the words "I know."

Garima's heart sank and placed a finger to her lips and pointing to Khushi, clearly telling him not to say anything to Khushi. Arnav bit his lip.

Their silent talk was interrupted by a short plump nurse who walked in the room. "Sorry, but visiting hours have now finished," she said quite loudly. Arnav looked at her, his eyebrows pulling together. He then followed her gaze to his wife. Khushi snapped up, her hand automatically came to her stomach as she slowly got up.

Her eyes lingered on the resting form on the bed. Her head bowed down and kissed the top of babuji's head, giving her sitter a small smile.

Arnav's mind instantly was seized with a bundle of questions.

What if this was it? The last time Khushi would see Babu-ji?

See him alive?

His breathe hitched as she came and stood by his side, her eyes still on her father.

Garima hugged Khushi and Payal, thanking Akash and then shaking her head furiously at Arnav telling him, beseeching him not to say anything to Khushi.

"She will know sooner or later," Arnav whispered.

Garima looked down and simply nodded, Arnav gazed at her questioningly, not quite sure what this meant.

Khushi looked up at her husband, showing she was ready to be taken home.

"Let's go," he whispered, holding out his hand for hers, walking together towards the lift and out of the hospital.

They were on their way home. Silence looming both of them.

Arnav's mind racing with guilt. Should he tell her? How? How on earth could he tell her? His hands clenched the steering wheel.

But he had to. He knew he had to.

No matter how hard, he thought.

He slowly looked at the angel next to him.

Khushi was looking outside her window.

"Kh-" the car in front of him suddenly braked, forcing him to do the same, and just in time, throwing himself forward, Khushi yelped next to him, he instinctively threw out his arm, placing it in front of her, stopping herself from bashing into the dashboard. She leaned into his arm; eyes squeezed shut, clutching her stomach, breathing deeply.

"Khushi?" He breathed, panic rising.

"I'm fine," she replied, her eyes still squeezed shut.

He quickly took off his belt, placing a shaking hand on her cheek, "Khushi are you alright, the b-"

"We're both fine," she breathed, "don't worry, and no we don't need to go to the hospital to get me checked out," she said, reading his thoughts.

"Are you sure, Khushi?" Arnav heart was hammering against his chest, what if he had lost her? Just now, just this second, what if he hadn't put of his hand, then her and his child would have-

"Yes, I'm sure," she smiled slightly, opening her eyes, "we're both fine," she placed a hand on her stomach.

"Okay," Arnav said, uneasily.

"Let's go, we're holding everyone up," and as if on cue the cars began to horn behind him.