Before I post, I wanted to say a big Thank you for supporting this SS. Also, sorry for the delay in posting this one, but I HAD to get the emotions right for this part, so had to do a lot of editing and rewriting. Hope you all enjoy.
Meet you at the bottom,
Mridz.
Part 2 - Way back to you.
"She says you are her husband" Abhimanyu gripped the phone tightly, if it was anyone else, he would have said 'yeah right' but he knew Dr.Bhavsar well enough to know she wouldn't say things lightly. If the senior, well respected neurologist said something, it was not be taken lightly. Whatever she said always carried weight.
And carry weight it did. The instrument in his hand was suddenly starting to feel heavy, just as his throat was starting to get parched.
"Dr. Abhimanyu?" Dr. Bhavsar prompted gently, " I know this must be a shock, par can you please come down to the hospital now? I'm afraid the girl's condition is very fragile"
I'm afraid the girl's condition is very fragile.
She says you are her husband
"Akshara" her name was a mangled cry. He was aware of the flabbergasted look his junior was giving him, and quite frankly, he didn't give a damn.
The next hour or so was a complete blur. All he remembered was him muttering an affirmation to Dr. Bhavsar, calling up Taiji and asking her to handle his next surgery, and barking at his junior to assist Taiji.
What if it was her? The thought halted right there, terror rising within him like a tidal wave, as he waited in Dr. Bhavsar's room. He had been told she had gone to see a patient and she would be with him shortly.
What if it was his Aksh -
NO. Don't be stupid, she left. Remember, she LEFT!. She didn't want anything to do with you.
A muscle in his jaw twitched, he glared at the huge wall clock in Dr.Bhavsar's room as if willing it to move faster.
Hadn't he told her brother that her chapter was closed? Hadn't he convinced himself that this was for the best? Hadn't he told himself that he better focus on his profession and nothing else now? So why was he so restless?
As if you don't know.
He gritted his teeth, irritated with himself and the goddamn annoying voice inside his head.
"Dr. Abhimanyu, please follow me"
He whirled around and even though he had a hundred questions to ask, it seemed as if his legs had a mind of their own as he followed the senior doctor silently. She led him through the array of rooms, "It was an accident" she was saying, "Head on collision with a tree. Good thing she was in the backseat" he was only half paying attention.
Head on collision. Backseat. Akshara...
He stalled, the rooms around him, the doctor before him,the words that she was saying, all fading away. His legs, suddenly incapable of moving, stood rooted to the spot, as he looked blankly ahead.
She says you are her husband.
Husband... Abhimanyu's lips went dry as he grappled with the gravity of the situation. She didn't remember anything else, Dr. Bhavsar had said. If it was Akshara, that meant -
If - IF it was Akshara, and that's a big if. Even if it is her, she clearly denied any feelings for you, remember. So what are you going to do? Forget that and pretend you are her husband?
Gritting his teeth, he shook his head, choosing to ignore the nagging voice inside him.
" Dr. Abhimanyu?"
Dazedly he looked ahead to find Dr. Bhavsar standing a good few feet away from his, her elderly eyes questioning.
Get a grip, he told himself. Shaking his head, he quickly walked over to her, "What about her injuries, Dr. Bhavsar?" he asked, deciding to deal with this in the sanest way he thought he could - by being Dr. Abhimanyu Birla who was just dealing with a patient.
Akshara, Pleeeaaaase be okay.
HA! A doctor taking care of a patient - Yeah right! That goddamn inner voice mocked him again, and he shut it out, turning his attention completely to what Dr. Bhavsar was saying, "Just superficial. Physically she'll be okay with little care, but mentally - " and she broke off, sighing.
He nodded grimly, a sinking feeling overtaking him slowly. He was a doctor, and he had seen worse. This should not be affecting him like it was. He knew it was absurd - for all he knew it could be anyone. For all he knew, Akshara had now moved to wherever she had been leaving to, and was happy - being away from you.
Jaw clenched, and lost in thoughts, it took him a few minutes to realise they had stopped outside a room, and Dr. Bhavsar was saying, "I need you to tell me if you know her, Dr. Abhimanyu. Also, let me warn you, she is very fragile which is why we are doing this when she is asleep, toh if you don't know her - " she trailed off. He nodded, "I understand" he said, following her in, his heart in his throat for some strange reason.
The minute his eyes fell on the hospital bed, he knew why.
The pain, sorrow, confusion, restlessness and anger he had felt over the last few days vanished. There was nothing left inside him now except an aching hollow, as if someone had replaced every cell in his body with daggers. There were wounds in her body, bandages in her head and needles to her hand, but if felt as if it was him dying from the pain.
" You know her" That wasn't even a question.
He tried to answer the Dr., but couldn't get the words out, so he merely nodded, his eyes glued to the girl on the bed. He cleared his throat, trying to find his voice, "Ye-Yes. She- uh, she's"
"AKSHARA!!!"
He didn't need to turn around to know her family was here. Knowing full well that the Goenkas would not like him here, he stood his ground as he saw Mr. Goenka rushing to Akshara's side, pausing briefly to glare at him.
Jaw clenched, Abhimanyu resolutely walked to Akshara's bedside, Dr. Bhavsar's words echoing in his head, She doesn't remember anything. Not even her name. She says you are her husband. Her condition is very fragile.
Not caring to listen in as he saw Dr. Bhavsar addressing the Goenkas in hushed tones, he turned his entire attention to Akshara, picking up her reports and giving them a glance over. Once he was satisfied, that her vitals was okay, he turned to Dr. Bhavsar, "Dr, I need to have a word with you" he paused, looking at the contempt in the Goenka's faces, "In private" he bit out in a clipped tone - right now, given the circumstances, he neither had the energy nor the tolerance level for any more drama.
" Tum hote kaun ho? Humari bacchi ka khayal hum - "
Mr. Goenka suddenly stopped speaking and a tender expression overcame his eyes. Abhimanyu didn't need to look down to know that Akshara had opened her eyes to her family and him arguing over her hospital bed. The very thing he and Dr. Bhavsar had been scared of - now they had no control over how she would react, and that was going to make it worse.
Irritated with himself for letting his emotions override his sanity for a second, scared for Akshara's mental health, worried about the situation they had landed themselves in, he looked down.
"Abhi" His name, just a soft whisper, was out of her lips even before her eyes opened fully. "Abhi" she repeated, more clearly this time, opening her eyes slowly. Without thinking and as if it was the most natural thing to do, he lifted his hand and placed it above her forehead, stroking it softly, "I'm right here" he assured her - where else would he be?
As she looked at him with those almond eyes glistening with fresh tears, looking at him as if he was her everything, he knew that he didn't give a damn about anything else right now.
He knew what he had to do. The Goenkas could try to physically throw him out, and yet he wouldn't budge. His family was going to give him hell for this - he didn't care.
Sab ke nazaron mein ghir jaun, woh bhi manzoor hai mujhe...
He looked down at her again. "I thought.. I thought I'll never see you again" she said, her words interspersed with whimpers, her whole body shaking with alarm.
"Shhhhh" he said softly, brushing her tears away with his thumbs, "I'm right here" he repeated again, his voice a soft caress.
Knowing full well that he was going to be torn apart by his own conscience for what he was about to do, he bent down and planted a soft kiss on her bandaged forehead.
Tumhare liye agar mein khud ki nazaron mein ghir jaun, tab bhi mujhe manzoor hai, Akshara.
******** To be continued ********
Thank you so much everyone for the views, likes, comments and support given to this story.
I enjoyed writing this part, but OH-EM-GEE, this was a hard part to write, I had to get the emotions right, please let me know if I succeeded.
Adding some tags now, will come back and add more.
And as always, a request to please Read & Review.
Love,
Mridz.
Edited by Mridzy - 2 years ago
comment:
p_commentcount