Love Happens

Chapter thirty one

"Anand!" Shraddha heard the loud voice of Riya leaping into her ears. A part of her flew out of her body. Her sense told her something had happened to Anand. The sweat which formed on her body wasn't ordinary. It was signalling a bad event. A very bad event!

She turned around almost lifeless. She saw Anand being supported by his father. His father carried him on his shoulder and screamed for help from anyone. She saw people gather in a short span of the moment and helped him take Anand downstairs. She stayed numb. Not that she didn't want to help. She wanted to. But she was glued. She was thinking of the worst possibilities. Why was Anand unconscious? What happened to him? Why was his father carrying him? What happened that he fainted? Fear stopped her from going after them. She continued to stand and wept tears she didn't realize were falling.

"Shraddha," Riddhima's voice couldn't notify her of her presence. She wanted to ask her what the commotion was about. However, she jiggled Shraddha front and back. Shraddha stared at ahead impassively. Her blood had dampened, depleted and all she could think of was what happened to Anand. Riddhima got tired at the end and went downstairs to see for herself. But as she got there, she saw others carrying her father.

"Father!" she yelled and wanted to follow them. Out of nowhere, she felt trapped by someone who held her arm. She turned and saw her grandmother. Her eyes had been inundated with tears.

"What happened to my father?" she enquired.

"He's good. Stay home. Shraddha is also here. Your cousins are too, your Aunt Riya's children. I will go and bring your father back." her grandmother guaranteed her. Though, she had a lot of speculations, she nodded and decided to believe her. After all, she will not lie to her about her father being sick.

"Good girl." she smiled at her and rushed out of the house in quick steps.

Shraddha came downstairs and scurried outside without listening to Riddhima who tried to ask her where she was going. She hustled to the car park and saw one of the Drivers who was looking perplexed and is starting at the gate.

"Take me to my Anand." she told him and entered the black Lexus 2022 model. The driver entered after her into the front seat while she was at the back. He stayed put without making an effort to move.

"Take me to my Anand." Shraddha repeated again at him.

"Ma'am, Sir ordered me not to take you to him." came his short, reluctant answer.

"Did Anand tell you that? You're lying."

"No. His Father."

She closed her eyes for a long time. She could endure anything, anything and everything. But, even his father has no right to ask her to stay away from Anand when he needs her. He is tossing around with her emotions. So far, he saw her kindness. For the sake of Anand, that kindness can change to the extreme.

"Take me to Anand." she flickered her eyes open and said in a dangerously commanding tone.

The driver looked at her through the rearview mirror to explain he can't go against his order. However, his words hung in his throat. Shraddha was already looking at him and her face showed that she won't accept any refusal from him.

"Take me there. I'll tell him I took a cab." she added to relieve his worry. He saw her face changing and hushing like waves of a river.

"He'll ask how you learnt the name of the hospital. And where you got the money. What will I tell him? If I take you, I'll certainly lose my job, Ma'am."

She withdrew the necklace from her neck and kept it beside him, particularly on the passenger seat in the front.

"I'll tell him I gave the driver my necklace."