Journey towards Love

Chapter 37

'Say it dammit!' Arnav roared that scared her, but he did not mellow down.

'Huntington chorea', she said, rather whispered, as slow sobs broke out of her mouth.

'What? What does that mean?' He shook her arms, waiting for clarity.

'That means I am about to die', it was Anjali who answered, roaring back.

His hands fell to his sides, as shock engulfed him, his heart wanting it to be some lame joke.

'This is not the time to play pranks on me, Bhabhi!' He muttered, his one part of mind really wishing it to be a joke, while the other part dreaded with fear.

'Do you really think we are joking?' Khushi screamed. 'It is the truth, Arnav! She is suffering! The twitching of her hands is nothing but a presentation of that disease, that is going to take her life.'

Khushi saw Arnav's face losing all the colours, and she knew she had to take the lead, as he would definitely be shattered.

Cupping his face in her hands, she tried to look into his eyes to understand what was running in his mind, but he slowly withdrew himself from her and reached Anjali, kneeling before her.

'Bhabhi... Khushi is... you are...' words refused to come out as his mind refused to accept whatever he heard. 'Tell me she is wrong!' He demanded her.

'Wish I could, Arnav!' Anjali broke down into cries.

Arnav sat dumbstruck at the two, unable to process or digest the information. The ladies gave him space to accumulate his thoughts, as they explained the reason for Anjali's sudden departure from their lives.

'But why did you leave Bhai?' Arnav questioned, pain resurfacing. 'He loves you too much!'

'That was the same reason I had to leave him', Anjali spoke. 'We were happy, contended, though the pain of staying away from the family persisted. But gradually, I developed the symptoms, which I ignored at first, but their frequency was increasing. So when Shyam left for his business trip, I consulted a doctor who identified that I was suffering from this disease. After much contemplation, I decided that I cannot disclose this to your brother. He will be shattered Arnav! He loved me too much! He wouldn't be able to digest this fact'.

'He still loves you Bhabhi!' Arnav pointed.

Sighing, Anjali said, 'I wanted him to hate me. To forget me! There was no future for us, Arnav!'

'We could have sorted this! You didn't have to leave like that!' Arnav retorted.

'How?' Anjali cried. 'How can we sort this when it is apparent that I have no option than to succumb to death. My clock is ticking!'

'I would have taken you to the best doctors to treat you!' Arnav seethed.

'Wish! It was curable!' Khushi slowly spoke, 'Its not! There is no cure! She is on medication that can just help reduce the symptoms! It is a genetic condition which Bhabhi acquired from her mother.'

Arnav was in a complete mess. Though he couldn't understand everything crystal clear, all he knew was, Anjali suffered from a disease that had no treatment yet, and she was awaiting her death any moment. The mere thought left a bitter taste in his mouth and his insides churned. He loved her equivalent to his mother, and his heart clenched for the fate of the soul he was cursing all these months, for having spoiling his brother's life.

Grabbing her hands in his', he spoke, 'I am sorry, Bhabhi! I misunderstood you.' He gulped. 'You had left us just like... Maa... and...', he couldn't complete his words, but Anjali knew what he was pointing at. She was the witness to his repulsion towards love, which gradually changed over the years, as he saw Anjali and Shyam's blooming love. She knew, with her decision to leave her husband stranded, she had crushed a little child's brewing hope of love.