Sanskar was staring at the reconstruction work going on in hospital. It was a month since he slipped in coma, a month since his soul was wandering in the boundaries of hospital, a month of helplessness to see his family praying for him everyday, a month of frustration of not being able to wipe their tears.
Every single day, Ram came to visit him. He didn't say a word but stared at his body lying down in coma. Whenever tears start forming in his eyes, he turned his face away, as if hiding them from his son. Little did he know that his son's soul was witnessing all of it standing just besides him.
Every evening, Sujata came to him with a tiffin in her hands. She made his favorite food despite knowing he wouldn't be able to eat it. But this hope kept her alive. When it's time for her to leave, she distributed the same food to children's ward charity section. Little did she know that her son's soul was trying to wipe her tears every time she cried.
Everyday, Laksh visited him too, along with Ragini. Sometimes, little Ayansh was with them too. Ragini gave her shoulder to Laksh everytime he broke down while still wiping her own tears. Little did they know, that their brother was watching over them, trying to engulf them in a hug whenever they cried.
Parineeta and Adarah too took out their time to visit him. But they were very busy these days. Durga Prasad was not keeping well. He was holding himself responsible for not being able to do anything to save his pride, his Sanskar. Adarsh was busy taking care of him. Pari had taken the responsibility of the house over her. She had to do this as Annapoorna was busy cheering up Sujata.
He saw Shekhar calling various neurologists of his aquaintance. He saw him doing everything in his hands for Sanskar. Uttara was trying to help her father too.
Ali and Ramesh, those two of his colleagues were the constant visitors too. The respect they had for him had now become inspiration for them.
Other visitors were Rama, Shweta too. The parents of children he saved, the nurses and doctors he saved, had also paid visits him two three times. After all it was due to him they were alive.
Officials, ministers and other influential personalities had paid him visits too. Sanskar quitely saw how some of them came for the sake of formalities, some of them for publicity and some, out of genuine concern.
His sweetheart, little Ashna had only visited him once. He remembered how she started to cry bitterly seeing Sanskar like that. Though unable to understand the meaning of coma, she knew something bad had happened with her papa. She knew her papa was not well. She was already traumatized by the attack on the anniversary party and now this. Ram thought it was better for Ashna to be away from hospital for a while.
Everyone's life, though slowly, but gradually coming back to pace. Yes, they still felt bad for Sanskar! Yes, they all still had the void in their life! But other responsibilities made them move on a little bit.
The only one, whose life had taken a turn of 180 degrees, the one whose whole life was Sanskar, the one who held herself responsible for his condition, the one whose heart was still bleeding afresh was Swara!
Sanskar saw Swara being torn between family and him. She had the responsibility of Ashna whose innocent questions stabbed her heart even more. She had the responsibility of Sujata too. She had to fill the void in her heart. And the biggest responsibility was of Sanskar. She had to make him alright. Everyday she called various specialists to cure him.
Sanskar had seen her routine in the hospital. She came early. He knew as soon as Ashna went to school, she ran to hospital. She made sure Sanskar was given sponge bath daily! She made sure to talk to him at least one hour daily. She talked to him as if he was conscious, replying to every question of hers. It was just a few days back, when a wardboy showed carelessness in shaving his face, she took matter in her own hands. She herself trimmed his beard and kept him well groomed.
Whenever she got free from her patients, even for 10 minutes, she made sure to enter his room and talk to him again. Leaving for home at around 9 in night, she made sure to kiss him good bye.
In between her own pain, she had not forgotten her duties as a mother too. She made sure to spend time with Ashna, watching over her homework and playing with her whenever she got time.
Sanskar heard Ragini's words one day. He felt both elated and depressed at the same time hearing those.
"Swara! Maid is there! Then why do you prepare breakfast for kids by yourself!"
"Reyansh loves poha made by me! It's okay! I am managing well! Don't worry!" It was Swara's reply.
"Swara! You already have a lot to manage!"
"Yes I do! But it doesn't mean that I forget others in process of doing so! Children love me! You all are already doing so much for me! I don't know if I will be ever able to repay all these things!" Swara's words made Ragini speechless.
Sanskar knew that Swara had not forgotten anyone! Keeping track of everybody's needs, both physical and emotional, the only person she had forgotten was herself.
It was evening when Sanskar was sitting near his own body, looking at his arms which were slowly wasting away. He looked at his face! The glow was lost somewhere. His cheek became hollow. Eyes got sunken.
His trance was broken by Swara who had just entered his room. He saw her lips curling in a beautiful smile.
"Hello Sanskar! Wake up soon stupid!" Saying so, she sat on the stool nearby.
"You know! Today is Rakhi! I tied Rakhi to Ayush! Thanks to you, he got two songs in a movie!" Swara continued her usual stuff.
Sanskar was looking at her calmly. He felt gratitude for her. He knew that even if her heart was filled with dispair, hope for his revival was the thing that kept her sane.
Swara then took out a chart paper and started to draw something.
"Look! What your sleep is making me do! You know na I was never good in creative stuff! It's okay! This time I am doing everything! But next project of Ashna's school should be done by you!"
Sanskar lowered his gaze. How much work Swara had to do! How much she had to go to fulfill her responsibility!
Suddenly he felt a tug over his hand. It was a little girl with a cute ponytail staring at him.
"Niya! What are you doing here?" Sanskar asked, "This is the time for visit from our family na!"
"Nobody came today!" Niya replied.
Niya was a little girl 8 year old who too was lying comatosed in hospital. An accident caused her state. She was the first one to approach Sanskar for friendship.
"Okay! Sit with me!" Saying so, Sanskar pulled her in lap.
"Ohhh! I forgot to tell you! When you were busy with Ravi uncle na, she felt dizzy in her cabin. She was about to fall." Niya said pointing towards Swara.
"What?" Sanskar asked.
"Yes!" Niya replied.
Again helplessness killed Sanskar. Had he been in a good state, he would have started to scold her at the moment. But now, he could only stare at her and let out tears of helplessness.
"I can understand how that feels!" Sanskar felt another hand over his shoulder. He looked to find Ravi standing behind him.
Ravi, a man in his forties was lying in coma for 7 years. His wife paid him regular visits. She was struggling hard to make the ends meet.
"I wish I was dead! I wish Swara's believe was not too hard!" Sanskar replied seeing Ravi.
"This was what I too wished. These wives are beautiful souls. Don't know what we did to deserve such pure creatures!" Ravi replied.
Sanskar looked at the clock as it striked at 9. Swara looked at Sanskar with hope lost for today. Her eyes, covered with dark circles, reddened due to lack of sleep, stared at him with lots of love.
"I miss you everyday Sanskar! Good night! Hope so when I come tomorrow, I see your eyes opened!" Saying so, she planted a kiss over his head and left the room.
Sanskar's soul followed her to the main gate of hospital. After all, it was his boundary. He couldn't go any further.
He sat on a bench nearby. It was better to die than to see his love wasting her life for him. Was he really worth so much for her! What if his eyes never opened!
Suddenly he heard screams. He looked in the direction. He saw a dark tall hooded figure taking away a middle aged man. Man was begging him not to take him away.
"Who is he?" Sanskar asked Ravi.
"That man, he is a sinner! He killed his own wife for dowry. And now, when his time came, death is taking him away." Ravi replied and let out a sigh, "if you do bad, death will appear in it's worst form!"
Sanskar sighed. How can someone kill his own wife for a few notes! How could someone do this!
He then looked at another old man, who was looking calm and composed while death was taking him away. He knew this man! He too was in coma for last 5 days.
"So you are going!" Sanskar said blocking his way.
"Yes I am! It's my time!" Man was looking calm.
"Your family will miss you!" Sanskar said.
"My responsibility was completed. I lead a happy and content life. Now I don't have any regrets of leaving this world for another journey. Good bye beta! Always remember to do good in life!" Saying so, old man put his hand over his shoulder and left the place.
Sanskar looked at Ravi who too was looking at the man with a smile on his face.
"I wish I could have gone like this too. My wife is keeping her own life away from herself in order to save mine!" Ravi wiped the tears forming in his eyes.
Night passed by like this. It was morning when Swara came back. Sanskar's face instantly glittered with joy seeing her. But today her eyes were red. Sanskar knew she had cried for some reason the whole night.
It was not new for Sanskar to witness Swara's red eyes. Last one month was full of such instances. The loneliness was killing her and the guilt was drowning her.
"Sanskar! I wish you would not have come to that room!" Sanskar heard these lines from her many times.
Sanskar followed Swara to her cabin. Thankfully, the closed door of her cabin was not a restriction to him anymore. Afterall, he was just a soul now.
Sanskar saw Swara put her bag on the table. She made a phone call.
"Hello! Dr. Rajat!"
Sanskar felt as if he had heard this name before.
"Yes sir! I will be waiting for you this evening."
Swara cancelled the call and covered her face with her palm. Two more tears fell down from her eyes.
Another call. And then another one. These were from patients. Sanskar saw Swara wanted some time alone. But patient load was so hectic that she couldn't even get the time to drink water.
Sanskar was watching everything. Though he knew it was of no mean, but he sat close to her. Maybe she could feel a little comfort. Niya said it worked. Maybe it would!
As sun set, Swara went inside the room. She smiled at Sanskar lying down on bed.
"Another lazy day of yours na!" Swara said caressing his hair. Sanskar was amazed hoe easily Swara masked her pain with her smile.
"I have talked to Dr. Rajat! You know na, I have told you about him. He is the best neurosurgeon in India. He is coming!" Saying so, Swara kissed his forehead.