meet me in the afterglow

Chapter Six

After meeting with Dr. Rahman, Armaan and Shashank left her cabin to go back to Riddhima. She told them she'd be there in a while to check on Riddhima herself.

"Armaan, beta tum theek ho na?" Shashank asked Armaan once they were out.

Armaan nodded numbly. He was still trying to process what had happened inside. So much had happened in the last few months and seeing Riddhima bear the brunt of it so badly had shaken him. Armaan himself hadn't been able to move on from everything that had happened since the shootout, and most days, he still had nightmares about it, but seeing Riddhima suffer pricked him greatly. It hurt him even more that he hadn't been there to help her and support her through this phase.

Only he knew how difficult it had been, to live these 10 months without her, his sunshine, his reason for living. He didn't think he could survive 10 more minutes. A lifetime felt like a never ending abyss of pain and longing.

"Armaan!" Shashank exclaimed, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"Ha... Haan, Papa?" Armaan asked.

"Are you okay?" Shashank questioned.

"Yeh sab sunne ke baad main kaise theek ho sakta hu, Papa?" Armaan asked rhetorically.

"Mujhe... Mujhe bohot darr lag raha hai. Riddhima... Riddhima theek ho jaayegi na?" He asked Shashank, his eyes full of tears.

Seeing him in such a vulnerable state, so scared and afraid, made Shashank's heart ache. He was suffering so bad. Wanting to provide Armaan with some sort of comfort, any sort of comfort, Shashank hugged him, a father reassuring his son.

"Kuch nahi hoga Riddhima ko," he said with a determination he didn't feel. But, Shashank couldn't let himself break in front of Armaan. Not now. If he cracked, Armaan would shatter. And, Armaan needed to be strong for his wife. So, Shashank would be strong for him.

"Hum sab haina? Hum usse kuch nahi hone denge," Shashank continued. "Tum dekhna, woh bohot jald theek ho jaayegi."

"Promise?" Armaan asked, needing more assurance.

"Promise," Shashank replied.

They walked to Riddhima's room, where Atul was sitting dutifully, keeping an eye on one of his closest friends.

"Aa gaye aap log?" Atul asked on seeing Armaan and Shashank enter the room. "Sab theek haina? Kya kaha Dr. Rahman ne?"

Shashank sighed. "Atul, abhi kuch din, Riddhima ke liye bohot critical hain. Humein uska bohot dhyaan rakhna hoga. Iss sadme se usse bahaar nikaalna hoga. Humein Riddhima ki taakat banna hai. Usse phirse pehle jaisa banana hai."

"Sir, aap chinta mat kijiye. Hum haina. Ridz bilkul theek ho jaayegi," Atul answered.

Shashank smiled at him. Turning to Armaan, he said. "Armaan, beta, main kuch time ke liye ghar jaa raha hu. Padma ko aaraam se, baithkar yeh sab batana chahiye. Aise achanak phone karunga toh woh ghabra jaayegi."

"Jee, Papa. Aap mil aaiye Mumma se. Main hu yahaan, Riddhima ke paas," Armaan answered.

Shashank smiled. Giving Armaan one more hug, he left. Armaan sat next to Atul, resting his head on Atul's shoulder.

"Sab theek hoga na, Champ?" He asked.

"Aur nahi toh kya. Tu dekhna, Ridz na, bohot jaldi theek ho jaayegi. Fir, tujhse jhagda karegi. Kahegi, Armaan, tum kitne bade idiot ho! Aise bina bataye kahaan chale gaye the? Tumhe toh meri koi fikar hi nahi haina!" Atul imitated Riddhima, garnering a small laugh from Armaan.

"Bohot gussa haina woh mujhse?" Armaan asked.

Atul sighed, but nodded. "Bohot, bohot, bohot gussa hai. Lekin usne tujhe bohot zyada miss kiya hai, Armaan. Tujhe pata hai, jabse woh theek hoke Mumbai waapas aayi hai, woh tere ghar rehti hai, Gupta Mansion mein nahi. Kehti hai, shaadi ke baad, woh hi uska ghar hai."