AsYa SS-The Boundaries That Separate Us Chapter 16 Updated Page 101 - Page 39

"Ammi..."

"Asad...come in."

"Ammi...I have something to tell you."

"'First sit here...now bolo."

She put an arm around him and put a kiss on his forehead. Asad held her hand and looked into her eyes.

"Ammi...first promise me aap jyada tension nahin lengi."

"Asad tumhari Ammi hoon main. Apni Ammi ke strength pe bharosa nahin? Okay...I promise. Bolo..."

"Ammi parsoon raat ko you asked me what was wrong. Ammi...I...I have...I have..."

Dilshad clutched his hand tightly, an unknown fear consuming her. Asad took a deep breath and looked up at her with blood-red eyes.

"...I have blood cancer. Acute leukemia."

Dilshad's grip on his fingers loosened and she looked at him with disbelief. How was it possible? Her only son, her Asad...how could he have c-ca-cancer? Allah couldn't be so cruel towards them. He definitely got to be joking. It wasn't"

"Ammi are you listening to me? Ammi please say something...Ammi say something! Ammi--"

"Asad how why when..."

"Ammi I found out that day. Prasad fainted in our office. So I took him to the hospital. Then I met Dr Sharma. She asked me how I was...

*Flashback*

Dr Sharma: You look very tired. That head giving you any trouble?

Asad (smiled): Not really...only a bit. The past few days have been kind of...very exhausting.

Dr Sharma: You need to take proper rest beta.

Asad: Yes I am trying my best.. By the way Aunty, I have been having these bruises on my back. They keep coming and disappear in some days as well. Do you have any medicines for it?

Dr Sharma: Asad for how long has this been going on? And why didn't you inform me before?

Asad: About a month or so. Aunty I really don't get time. Is it anything serious?

Dr Sharma: I don't know Asad. Tell me, lately have you been feeling tired even after getting enough sleep?

Asad: Yes...but I told you it's because it's been quite hectic these days. I"

Dr Sharma: Asad we need to conduct a blood test. It might be nothing or"

Asad: Or?

Dr Sharma: Come with me Asad.

--After one hour"

Dr Sharma: Asad, we need to conduct another test. Come.

Asad: Do I have cancer?

Dr Sharma: Asad"

Asad: I checked it up online. Do I have...it?

Dr Sharma: I don't know. We need"

Asad: Just tell me doctor.

Dr Sharma: Your blood looks very pale and dilute. Your red blood cell count is very low and instead of white blood cells, your blood is filled with large malignant cells. We call them blasts in oncology. Right now, we think you have acute leukemia. But we need to run more tests. I would take a bone marrow sample. There would be some more tests.

Asad: What is it?

Dr Sharma: It is a common one in children, but it's very rare in adults. And it is often...curable.

Asad: Curable...

He nodded. His eyes were filled with silent questions.

Dr Sharma: The chances of getting cured is little more than one in three...30 percent. Asad I think you should tell Dilshad now.

Asad: No! Ammi would freak out.

Dr Sharma: This is very serious Asad. And it is gonna get a lot more worse. Even a paper cut is an emergency in leukemia.

Asad: Doctor, give me a day...please.

Dr Sharma: Asad...fine! But you have a day only! Now let's go for the test.

-----Evening---

Dr Sharma: Adults have an average of about five thousand WBCs circulating per microlitre of blood in their system. Your count is ninety thousand per microlitre...about twenty times the normal rate. Ninety five percent of these are blasts-malignant lymphoid cells produced at a very fast rate but unable to mature into fully developed lymphocytes. So they can't fulfill their normal function of acting as the soldiers of your system. Hence your immunity is at its lowest right now. These cells are produced in your bone marrow. Typical bone marrow biopsies contain spicules of blood, and within these spicules, islands of growing blood cells, nurseries of the genesis of new blood. But your bone marrow is filled with layer upon layer of malignant blasts, so there is no space left for any production of blood.

Your red blood cell count is so low that your blood is unable to carry the required supply of oxygen. Hence you might be having headaches and all. Your platelet count is also very low, hence causing the bruises.

We need to give you chemotherapy to kill the leukemia, but the chemo would decimate any normal blood cells left too.

Asad it is the 21^st century. We have a lot many ways of treatment now. There are some highly qualified doctors out there. We need to admit you in a good hospital and start the treatment immediately. Beta I know it is hard...but you have to face the problem. We can't give up. We are gonna fight it, okay? Do you want me to talk to Dilshad?

Asad: No Aunty. Give me a day. I would contact you day after tomorrow.

Dr Sharma (sighed): Fine. Take these medicines. Take them if there is any headache or any other problem. And call me anytime you need me, okay?

Asad: Thanks Aunty. I should get going.

Dr Sharma: Drive carefully. And keep me informed every time anything happens, okay?

Asad: Okay...Allah hafiz.

Dr Sharma: Allah hafiz.

*Flashback ends*

Dilshad gripped him tightly and shook him.

"Asad how could not tell me about it before? How could you undergo so much suffering and not utter a single word about it? Ya Allah my son has been in so much pain and I have been oblivious to it...Asad..."

"Ammi I didn't want you to..."

"Shut up!"

Dilshad hugged him tightly.

"Mera beta..."

"Ammi will I be fine...I..."

"Nothing will happen to you as long as I am alive, okay?"

"Ammi..."

"Nothing will happen to you...nothing can harm my son. Nothing..."

o.O.o

"Asad we need to go to Dr Sharma and--"

"Ammi first I need to tell Tamatar, the people at my office and...Zoya."

"Asad..."

"Then we would go to doctor."

"Okay...but I would come with you."

"Okay."

Dilshad hugged him again.

"Ammi...Bhaijaan...what's wrong?"

"Najma...come here...mere bachhe!"

Dilshad hugged both of them close and Asad put an arm around Najma tightly too...just like old days. It didn't take Najma a moment to guess that something was very very wrong.

"Bhaijaan kya hua hai?"

"Najma...beta...*sobbed * tumhare bhaijaan ko...cancer hai. BUT IT IS CURABLE! We are going to get him the best treatment and...don't cry beta. Do you trust your Ammi or not? Nothing would happen to your bhaijaan, I promise. I""

o.O.o

"Prasad ask everyone to come to the hall in five minutes."

"Hello everyone. This company started as a very small group with few people. But with time, we overcame every obstacle, and today here we are...as the best construction company of Bhopal. All of this has been because of you guys- your hard work, your talent, your love and your dedication. I feel much honored to have guys like you working in this company. And now...here's something I have to tell everyone. Day before yesterday, I found out that I have blood cancer. I know cancer is...well cancer. But life has taught me many things and I am not going down without a fight. I...I can't. I have to fight for...my family, you guys, this company, myself. So I am taking a long...umm...vacation till this nightmare gets over. Till then, everyone reports to Prasad. I don't know whether I would be able to get back or not. You are my family. I hope you all work together, stay safe, happy and positive like always. Thank you."

The pin drop silence of the room was broken by Dilshad.

"And please...pray for my son to get well soon. It would mean a lot..."

She put an arm around his waist. Everyone got up and went to Asad. They all had tears in their eyes. Asad might have been a strict & serious boss, but he was very kind and he respected all of them. He had always helped them and their families during times of duress and they all did consider him family. They all hoped he got well as soon as possible.

After half an hour, Asad went back to his office and looked around. It was probably gonna be the last time he was gonna be in the chamber. Pushing away the feeling of unconditional grief, he looked out of the window into the street. A gasp escaped his lips as two people racing past a car in a bike collapsed down on the road. The bike rolled down and the two men were thrown off to the opposite side of the road. The impact was so high that the friction caused the tyres to catch fire and the bike burst into flames. People got away from the spot and gathered around the injured men, making arrangements to get them to hospital. Asad watched numbly as an ambulance arrived in minutes and the two were taken away. Life can indeed change a lot in a second. Few minutes back who knew this would have happened? He sighed. Then he spotted a girl walking right in the direction of the remains of the burnt bike, oblivious to everything. Asad panicked realizing it was no one other than Zoya. What the hell was she doing? He ran out of his room. He considered taking the stairs, but he knew he had no strength for that. He called the security man at the gate and ordered him to get her out of there. Wishing the elevator would go faster; he almost banged his fist on the wall but stopped as Dr Sharma's words rang in his mind:

"...even a paper cut is an emergency..."

And he already had a big emergency downstairs. Finally he reached the ground floor and ran to the gate to find Zoya struggling against the guard near the gate. He heaved a sigh of relief and held her by her shoulder tightly and thanked the guard. Zoya glared at him. Dragging her inside, he looked down at her...his anger and anxiety finally getting to him.

"What do you think you were doing Zoya? What kind of irresponsibility is this? Every damn person on this earth has problems in his life...but they don't walk right into their death because of it, okay? Bahut ho gaya. Just stop all this non-sense now. Your life may not be of any value to you, but there are people out there to whom it matters a lot. To whom YOU matter a lot. It's time you started thinking of them. You""

"You are in no position to tell me all what to do with my life Mr. Khan. You...who didn't even tell me about it. How could you Mr. Khan? Were you ever going to tell me or not? You are right. Enough is enough. It's time you got over whatever reservations you have and admitted that you freaking love me as much as I love you. And Mr. Khan...you weren't going to tell me, right?"

"Zoya..."

"Mr. Khan I know it is hard for you to open up. It was hard for me too. But I did open to you...I totally opened up to you Mr. Khan. But did you? I kept burdening you with my problems-more and more problems with every passing day-and you didn't even let me feel anything that something was wrong with you. Don't you realize how serious leukemia is Mr. Khan?"Don't act so shocked. I heard you telling your employees. Mr. Khan you have literally told everyone, haven't you? Everyone except ME. Why do you always have to be so annoying? What if I didn't drop in here today? You were gonna do the "right" thing and let me go away, right? Well sorry to inform you that your plan has failed. I am not going anywhere, no matter what! Do you hear me? I am NOT leaving your side! You are stuck to me forever! You get that? * She was holding him by his collar and he just stood listening to her* Mr. Khan you...why don't you realize that you have as much right on me as I have on you? I get to share your pain too. Why can't you let me in Mr. Khan? WHY???"

Asad tried to hold her hand gently.

"Zoya..."

"DON'T ZOYA ME! FOR GOD'S SAKE WHEN""

She didn't get to complete her sentence because his arms locked around her in a bone-crushing hug.

"I am sorry. It was so unexpected when I found out. I didn't know what to do. I"I was lost Zoya. And I didn't want you to suffer because of me."

"Like you have never made me suffer!"

Asad broke away and stared at her in confusion.

"Just kidding! *Zoya wiped away his tears smiling through her own tears* I meant that no day is really a day for me without you making me suffer! *imitating him* You can't do that Miss Farooqui! You can't go there Miss Farooqui! You can't eat that Miss Farooqui! You can't--"

Asad held up his hands.

"Okay I get it."

"Good. Promise me something."

"What?"

"That you will never hide anything from me again."

"O...okay."

He gave her a smile. Zoya stared up at him. The play of fate! They had kind of confessed their feelings, and in what situation! She felt a sudden rush of love and affection for the man standing before her...and she reached up on her tiptoes and hugged him tightly.

She was worried...worried to death. She couldn't let him see that. But what was she gonna do? Cancer! How were they gonna fight it? She couldn't lose him. She had to hold it together and go on. Pressing her lips together, she swallowed the sob threatening to escape. Taking a deep breath, she pulled away from him.

"Let's go back inside. Phuphi might be worried."

She gave him a tight smile. Asad nodded. He held out his hand and she put her hand in his. Then they walked back inside.

"Asad where did you"Zoya!"

"Phuphi let's go to the mazaar."

"Zoya tum dono jao. I have some work."

"Okay."

"Asad I will meet you in hospital. Zoya take""

Zoya nodded. Dilshad left. She knew those two needed some time alone and she needed to talk to Rashid too.

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A/N : I am an engineering student. My knowledge in this field is limited to a book "The Emperor of All Maladies" by Siddhartha Mukherjee (It's a very good book and everybody should read it!) The lines by the doctor are basically copied from the book. :P Still please ignore any error I might have made.

So how was it?

Love,

Preeti <3

Spoiler Alert : Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee would soon make an appearance in the story! 😉