One True Bond (COMPLETE)

Shah Rukh Khan

Shit! Shit! Shit! I feel so guilty for last night. I was drunk, yes drunk not intentionally but because that's what Gauri wanted. I didn't realise what I was doing. Kajol had been pushing me away since I found out about the tumour and Gauri was just there! I promise Aryan two hours tops he'd be with my sister but the way Kajol is acting, I don't know if that's true. I go back into the bedroom and face Kajol, arms crossed legs folded looking formidable.
"Where were you?" She says evenly. I've already lied and with the way she is right now what's one more lie?
"I stayed with a friend cus I got a little bit tipsy," I say trying to smile apologetically.
"Liar," Kajol shouts, "where were you?" Shit she's good.
"With a friend," I'm sticking to this story though. Kajol jumps off the bed, a little too fast because she has to put her hand on her forehead and close her eyes for a minute before opening them again.
"Just tell me the truth! I won't be angry Shah Rukh. I just want the truth," she shouts again, "I just want you to tell me the truth." The words become a bit more slurred, like she's been drinking but I've been stood with her the whole time.
"Kajol?" I ask which makes her even more angry.
"Stop trying to change the subject. Where were you?" She trips over her words, getting them muddled. Then she begins to sway a little and her eyes roll into the back of her head. I leap forward and catch her as she falls to the floor like a rag doll.
"Kajol?!" I shout as she droops over my arms. My immediate reaction is to get her to a car, I need to get her to a hospital. I drive like a maniac having so many near misses but someone must be on my side today because I reach the hospital in one piece. I carry Kajol up the front steps, her eyes are still rolling, her tongue is lolling and she's so limp but then her muscles start to contract and she begins to convulse.
"Can somebody help me?" I scream as I stumble into the reception. A doctor rushes forward followed by a gaggle of nurses who push a trolley and I place Kajol carefully on top of it. I follow the doctor as he takes her into the resuscitation room.
"How long has she been like this?" The doctor asks calmly. I look at him, at my watch, at the wall clock, at the nurses, at Kajol convulsing on the bed.
"She's got a brain tumour, benign or something, they said they could take it out she's booked an appointment," I just talk, the words pouring out of me.
"Okay but how long has she been like this?" The doctor asks again even calmer.
"Ten minutes I dunno I caught her and brought her here," I throw my arms around in panic, "what's happening?" The doctor begins speaking to the nurses. A particularly small one touches my forearm and smiles sadly.
"If you'll follow me sir," she says.
"No, no I want to stay," I try to push her off me but the doctor gives me a cold look.
"Here's not the best place for you," she explains kindly, "the relatives room is more peaceful and we will inform you of any changes whether they are minor or major." I get escorted down the corridor into a tiny box room, the walls painted green, the furniture plastic and green, the floor green Lino. It smells strongly of disinfectant, death, hope and fear. The nurse smiles as she leaves but all I can do is stare back. What happens if Kajol dies and I lied to her? The last thing we did was argue because I'm too chicken to tell her I slept with Gauri. Maybe if I just told her we could work things out? After all we'd done the same to our spouses and that was worse because we did it for months. I rub my face with my sweaty palm. Oh god, what if she dies?

********************

"It's all over the paper," Rani informs me thrusting her phone at me. The headlines scream at me:
Kajol rushed to hospital
Collapsed and convulsing-Kajol Katastrophe
Kajol carried up hospital steps having seizure in Shah Rukh Khan's arms
I give her the phone back.
"This is private," I shout at no one in particular. Tanishaa pulls me into a hug and I can't help but begin to cry. Then the door opens suddenly and we all turn to see who it is. A doctor? A nurse? Some news? Any news? No. It's Ajay. His eyes are rimmed red, his hair greasy, stubble growing wildly on his face and the aroma of alcohol fills the air.
"YOU!" He points a bloodied finger at me. Right now Ajay is the last person I want to deal with but the anger I felt the last time I saw him begins to bubble within.
"What?" I ask squaring up to him. I swear that's vomit down his shirt?
"What have you done to my wife?" Ajay hollers. I snort. His wife. She could barely stand the sight of him. He was being so difficult with the divorce.
"Your ex-wife has nothing to do with you," I spit the anger reaching boiling point.
"I've not signed anywhere so while she's still my wife she is my business," Ajay slurs bitterly. I feel my rage boiling over. He had lost the right to call Kajol his wife the day he called her a 'rubbish wife' for miscarrying my baby. Right now Ajay just wants a reaction. He doesn't really give a toss what happens to Kajol, not like I do.
"Fuck off," the words are out before I can stop them and my finger is poking his chest so hard I think it might pop through his skin.
"What did you say?" Ajay breathes angrily pumping up his chest.
"You heard me," I hiss. I see Ajay close his fingers into a ball but I'm one step ahead of him. I throw my arm around his neck and pull him into a headlock. Ajay tries to punch my legs and back but I punch his stomach making him cough. We are at it for five minutes, taking swings at each other trying to pull one another to the floor rage taking over our bodies, mind and senses.
"She wants to see Rani and Tanishaa?" A nurse breaks the tension and violence fuelled room. I drop Ajay's shirt and unball my fist, Ajay lowers his leg and let's his face relax. My shirt has blood on it, so does Ajay's. Looking in the mirror on the wall we are both worse for wear. My nose is bleeding, my ear has ripped and my jaw is sore, blood dribbling over the side. Ajay's cheek is cut, his neck is red and he too has blood dripping out of his mouth.
"You two might want to go to cubicles," the nurse points down the hall. Why doesn't she want to see me? Why is Kajol shutting me out?