"Swayam, your dad is serious. Your mother had called the reception and she asked you to reach hmv hospital now" swayam felt someone had stabbed him in, he felt uneasy, he was trembling.
He ran towards the gate with his eyes giving tears way. He stopped at the gate and muttered "Sharon" but that wasn't the right time to think about all that. He knew she would understand.
He sat in his car and asked the driver to race to the hospital. He found his mother sitting on the floor in front of the ICU. She had an emotionless face. She was staring at the wall in front of her.
He walked towards her with slow steps. He couldn't understand why was her state like this. Her eyes were red, completely puffed up. He kept his hand on her shoulder and sat beside her on his knees.
"Mom" he cried. There was no response. "Mom" he shaked her with a shout. She came back to her senses and turned towards swayam.
He saw her eyes had drained out. She had cried alot. "Mom! What happened? Why are you sitting like this? Nothing will happen to papa, I know it. Please don't be like this. And say something! What happened to papa mom?" His mom was quite. "Mom! You're scaring me! What happened?" His tone raised.
"Your dad" his mom started crying. "Your dad is no more" she cried out loudly. Swayam just kept staring at her. "Dad is no more... dad is no more.. Dad is no more" he started repeating them as though trying to change the fact.
He then shaked his head in disbelief and said "No this can't happen, he can't leave us! HE CAN'T" he whimpered. His mom didn't say a word, she continued grieving. Her weeps didn't subside.
The doctor passed by and swayam got up and bombarded him with his questions. "Doctor.. Doctor.. What has happened to my dad? What is Mom saying??" His cries wouldn't stop.
The doctor held his shoulder and spoke "see swayam, it's true your dad is no more. He was attacked by a cardiac arrest. You're young swayam, you have a long way to go in life. You have a mother to take care. Look at her."
The doctor pointed towards his mother. And swayam looked on. The doctor continued speaking "losing a father isn't easy I understand, but you need to be strong, you need to make your father proud. Got it?" Swayam nodded his head.
The doctor left and swayam wiped his tears and went and hugged his mom. She cried even more louder. Swayam now controlled his tears and spoke "Mom.. Mom,ssshh, don't cry. What will dad think huh? That we are so weak? We have to be strong, we have..." he stopped and bit his lips controlling his tears.
At 15 years of age he was going through all of this. He wasn't prepared for all these events. He was just a boy enjoying his life. And now he heard from all his relatives how he should take care of his mother and stay strong.
A week passed and he was now stable to the situation, he was sitting on the in his balcony with nil to give him company. He then spoke "Life, huh, isn't easy" looking at the morning horizon. "Ya it isn't after all" nil said in a low tone.
"Why do you sound depressed? Chill I'm ok now. I've learnt to handle situations with maturity." Swayam gave a reassuring smile. "I'm glad to see that dude." Nil smiled back. "Well tomorrow I'm going to go and meet Sharon. It's been long since I've spoken to her." He sighed. "Sharon?" Nil asked with an uncertain tone.
"Yes Sharon. Any problem?" He asked now wanting an answer. "You don't know?" Nil enquired. "Bro, now can you not play the puzzle game and spill the beans?" "Ok its shocking she didn't tell you that hers father's got transferred and she is no more in the country."
"What the hell are you blabbering??" Swayam got up and screamed. "What? It's true! Ask simmi her best friend if you want" swayam ran inside his room picked up the dialer and called simmi. "Where is Sharon?" He questioned
"Its none of your business to know. Anyways you left her alone and left right? Then its better you don't know where she is! Stay away from my friend!" Simmi shouted and Cut the call.
Swayam dropped the phone and turned towards nil. "You didn't tell them I was going to the hospital?" Swayams eyes were becoming heavy.
"They never gave me a chance to explain and after you left, even I came to the hospital remember after half an hour. So while I was moving out of the gate, Sharon stopped and asked me are you inside I said no and walked away beacuse I was tensed about you.
And later in the week I found out that she has left the country because of her father's transfer. I thought you knew?" "No I didn't" swayam shouted. "She thought I left her, she didn't trust me" swayam stated blankly and looked at nil. His eyes had tears and nil put his head down
*********
"You didn't trust me Sharon. You left me" his lips had dried due to the constant speaking. Tears weren't stopping. Sharon sat beside him in the park and looked at him with guilty eyes.
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