Anjana Safar (lkt/dk/db/np)- Ch 19, Pg.56 - Page 35

KT had now donated some blood. She laid in the room for a moment, as she felt dazed. She got up by the sudden noises coming inside the door. She looked up at the doctors running with a stretcher into her room. As soon as she got off the bed, the nurse came in. "Are you feeling better now, Miss?" she asked. "Yeah," KT muttered nodding. "You can leave if you want now, no rush." she smiled. "A-Alright," KT said. "Umm, may I ask why the blood donation is only for today?" she asked. "Well, there has been a massive train accident, many people got killed, and many are highly injured. We're going from one city to other with these patients, and the blood donation is only for a day. If in need of more blood, we'll come back to the city that gave the most blood, then the least." the nurse replied. "Can I ask where their going next?" KT said in a jiffy. "Yeah, they'll be going to Pune." the nurse said. KT nodded.

She soon got changed, and came back to her room. She gathered her belongings, and began to leave. She stopped and turned around, looking at her dupatta stuck on the stretcher, on the person's watch, who laid on her stretcher. She reached over and un-tangled her dupatta. As soon as she was about to look at the man's face, she heard Ganga's panicked voice. She ran out the door and found her at the front desk. She walked over and stood behind her, listening to the talk, back and forth.

"You had said on the news, all passengers travelling this morning at the 6:30 a.m. train were injured. Where are they?" Ganga asked.

KT's eyes widened as she listened to the words echo in her mind. "They're all on the 2nd level. Do you have a picture of whom was in the train?" the receptionist asked. Ganga showed him Lakshya's photograph, she was holding. "I don't think I've seen him coming in. I was on duty there before. But you can go look anyways. From Rooms 730 to 786." the nurse added. Ganga nodded, and turned. Before she moved she noticed KT standing before her. "KT, you, here?" Ganga whispered. "Auntie." KT replied with a quakering voice. Ganga lowered her eyes.

***

Kaajal heard a knock on her door. Kaajal opened the door as Dev barged inside. Kaajal closed the door and followed. "Hi, Dev." she said sweetly. "Kaajal, you won't like this news." he said. They sat down on the comfy couch. Kaajal moved closer and kept her hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong? You seem very disturbed, please tell me Dev." she said in her sweet voice. "Dev, please don't tell bhabhi this news, yet." he looked up with teary eyes. Kaajal nodded and held his hand tightly. "The train Laksh bhaiyaa went from, has been in a terrible accident." he said. Kaajal pulled back her hand, wide-eyed, shocked. "What?" she whispered. Dev nodded. "Ganga chachi and Saahil chachu have gone to the hospital to find him. It was on news a couple minutes ago. I rushed here as soon as I could." he replied.

***

Two hours pass with massive difficulty. Everyone from Walia family, reach the Virani family house. They are all seated in the Living room.

"Theres no sign of him at all. I don't know what to do now." Ganga sobbed. A man suddenly ran inside and yelled "Auntie!" Everyone stood up and stared at the man, indeed it was Kartik. He ran towards Sahil, Ganga and the rest of the family members, took their blessings and everyone was seated. Kartik sat at Ganga's feet and sweetly held her hands. "Any sign of him?" he softly asked. Ganga nodded sideways, and lowered her head and closed her eyes. "We'll find him, auntie. I promise you. He cannot leave us. I'm sure he's just injured, that's all." Kartik showed a fake smile. "Uh.. Kartik, dear. Why don't you come with me, I'll help you with your luggage, beta." Saahil interrupted. Kartik looked at Ganga's lowered head, looked back at Saahil and nodded. They got up and went out the door, to the cab.

***

A couple weeks pass. There was still no sign of Lakshya. No matter how much they searched for him, going to city by cities. Nothing! Neev, Prachi, Dev & Kaajal were gone out to a silent place, to get their minds off of the depression. KT sobbed, sitting at the corner of her bed; in the appartment. The lights were switched off! She took his picture, which she kept beside, on the night table. She moved her fingers through his face, on the photo and slowly hugged the photo frame and sobbed loudly taking his name. "Where are you Laksh? You promised you'd be back in two days." she cried. "It's all your fault!" she lied, screaming out the words. "Come back, Laksh. We all need you. Please. Come back!"

***

Everyone semt to be lost since they had heard the news. So quiet, you could only hear the crickets creek and nothing else. Daksh started to wake up on time, and kept his room clean, always remembering how Lakshya used to wake him up, and scold him cutely to not keep making a mess. Dev used to always look up to Lakshya and Neev for advice. Neev used to fight with everyone over whom Lakshya loved the most. All the women; Kaajal, Bani, Prachi used to remember the days when they had the chance to tease him calling "Jeeju, jeeju." and how he used to love it and grin at KT, whenever they said the words. The words "I love you!" used to echo in KT's head minute by minute. He was terribly missed.

***

Ganga got up one night, panicking and breathing hard. It had been 6 months where there was no sign of Lakshya. "My son." she whispered and semt to be sweating.