Chapter 21.
Nehal was pregnant. Everyone was overjoyed with the news and they were all in festive mood. The Khannas were throwing a party that weekend.
Aditi did not want to go. She was very happy for Nehal but did not wish to see Shaurya Khanna. But Nehal was proving hard to convince. She wanted Aditi and Madhu to spend the whole weekend with her, she wanted to have some girl time.
Aditi could not get her way as everyone seemed to be pleased with the idea..she needed a break anyway.
****
The next Friday, Aditi reached Khanna mansion late after work. She parked her car and got out to find Shaurya standing on the steps.
He stood there, looking at her, taking her in. They were meeting months after that fateful night. She looked gaunt, pale, thinner than ever. Her eyes were blank. His heart beat faster as she walked towards him, with her bag in her hand and climbed the steps.
She was about to walk past when he blocked her way. 'How are you, Aditi?'
She did not answer.
'You look unwell. Are the nightmares..'
But she cut him short. 'There's no need for the fake concern anymore Mr Khanna. Now if you have finished looking at your wife's face, let me go.'
She walked straight past him without a second glance.
*****
She showered and ate while chatting with Madhu and Nehal but soon was too sleepy. The girls left to continue in another room, while Aditi slept.
Her nightmares came as usual and she woke up sometime in the night shaking, exhausted by the convulsions. Wiping her face she reached for water and waited for the morning to come.
*****
The next evening was the party, everyone enjoyed. Nehal and Vicki were showered with blessings and best wishes. They both looked contented in their happiness.
Aditi sat with everyone, but was mostly quiet. Kanta was shocked to see her state but did not comment. She knew it was a hard life as a police officer, it must be work stress...she thought.
They were still enjoying when Aditi left for bed, tired and sleepy.
The party waned. Most of the guests had already left. The Shekhawats were on their way out when they heard a heart-wrenching scream...
*****
Ranveer Shekhawat rushed into the room and stared. He knew Aditi had nightmares, but had never actually witnessed one. He watched in horror as she went through the spasms, her torture unbearable for her fragile body. He tried to hold her, to stop her thrashing, but was surprised at her strength. She seemed to be possessed by an unknown dread and kept pushing him away, using all the strength her small body could muster. He panted in panic as he tried to calm her and failed miserably.
Someone shot forward and pulled her away from him. Ranveer watched in surprise as Shaurya took hold of her. He gathered her in his arms, hugging her closer to contain her. She shuddered at his touch as her semi-conscious mind recognised the feel, the warmth. She moved towards him..it felt safer there. She clung to him, feeling secure in his embrace, trying to hide herself in his warmth. He kept calling her name...his deep voice calming her, soothing her until her spasms ebbed and she lay spent in his arms.
He gently settled her back on the bed, where she laid unconscious, oblivious to everything around her.
*****
They watched her with worried faces. A doctor had come to see her, he injected some medicine into her. Her blood pressure was dangerously low, her heart beat was irregular. He suggested her complete rest for next few days and a mental health assessment.
Karuna watched her with distaste. She thanked God this wreck of a girl was not in her son's life as she had planned. He had enough of his own problems to deal with.
Shaurya stood there watching her, lips trembling, eyes streaming endlessly. He then turned and left the room.
*****
Ranveer was shaking. He could not believe the horror and pain his daughter was going through all these months...He had failed her, he had failed to protect his child. He had dismissed her nightmares as just bad dreams. He had been careless, letting her suffer alone. He wasn't there for her when she needed him.
Maybe that's why he wasn't able to soothe her today..she had rejected his help, did not respond to his ministrations...as if she did not feel safe with him.
But she had responded to Shaurya Khanna. She had responded to his touch, his voice. Ranveer remembered he had helped her during her nightmare, taken care of her in the hut on the hill on that fateful day. Maybe it was the only time anyone had ever helped her, maybe he was the only person who had ever taken care of her...Her poor heart must have latched on to him as her only solace...
Ranveer sat there shaking. He closed his eyes and prayed to God for some way to heal her...
*****
Shaurya was in his room shaking, tears rolling his eyes. Aditi was on the brink and he alone was responsible. It was he, his callous actions that were responsible for this. His recklessness had triggered her nightmares and his deceit had broken her heart.
He closed his eyes as he remembered the sunny afternoon in the wood..she had looked so radiant...so content...so full of vitality of life. She had soothed him, her love had calmed him. She had healed his heart...and he had broken hers to pieces. She had shared with him the essence of her life...and he had sucked it out of her leaving her dry.
She was now like a dead leaf in the wind...she was withering away...
He had done the same mistake, repeated the history. He had hurt Aditi the same way he hurt Mahek. He betrayed both the women who loved him.
He ran his fingers through his hair as the realisation finally hit him...he knew what he had to do. It was time to man up...to own the devastation he had caused..to take the ownership of his actions. It was time to be the man Mahek wanted him to be.
It was time to admit the truth...that he loved Aditi with his life. Aditi needed him, she deserved his love, his care...he had to act before it was too late. In his madness to find Mahek, he had found Aditi. Now he must appreciate the gift, cherish it.
He got up from bed and went to look at Mahek's pictures on the wall. Their happy moments together looked so far in the past now...as if it had been a lifetime...
Closing his eyes he made his decision. Mahek would be proud of him...
Slowly, lovingly, he took all the pictures down. He kissed a final goodbye to each of the picture before wrapping them carefully and putting them away.
There...he had let her go.
***** *****
