The person who entered the room somehow converted her wide-bright full teeth grin into a formal smile, way too formal to be called a greeting towards a 'family'.
Seeing her posture getting stiff and her carefree self getting vanished he turned around to see the person who was reason behind all this.
There stood Kairav Goenka, smiling softly at his sister and eyes having tears on the edge, tears of guilt to be precise.
Entering the ward he greeted his sister 'Good morning' and asked for the formality- How she was?
She replied with a 'Morning', leaving a blank for his next question, because saying that she was fine, after all that had occurred would be a lie.
Abhimanyu cleared his throat to ease out the awkwardness in the room.
"Kairav, Mrs. Goenka is doing well, her BP is under control, other vitals are also okay, we had ran a few tests which came out to be positive. I'll suggest you take her home, will get the discharge papers ready and in case of emergencies my team will always be contact."
'Discharge papers ready', this is the part where she lost her focus, papers might get ready but she wasn't ready, wasn't ready to go back hom-- 'Goenka Villa'. Just the thought made her skin crawl and her mouth dry.
"That's great Dr. Abhimanyu. Thank you so much.", Kairav said before turning towards Akira,
"Aksh-- I mean Akira, get your stuff ready, let's get Mimi home."
"I can't go with you. I won't stay at Goenka Villa.", she said without any hesitation.
"What are you saying? Where will you go? How will you adjust? Just think what people will say."
"I can look out for myself, its a matter of a few days until Mimi gets better, and to top it off, I don't care even a bit of what people say."
"Now don't tell me you are going to stay at a hote--"
"I am not staying at any hotel, I know where I will be, will let you know soon." , she said done with the argument.
The frustrated brother walked out of the room leaving behind a sister whose heart got a new scratch knowing that even in this condition her brother cared about the so called 'People- Outside world', then his own sister. And now she was sure that she did the best to keep the 'Pune's horrible incident' just to herself.
"Umm, I know that it's your family's matter and I shouldn't be speaking in between but I can help you with accommodation, there's my own vacant flat or I can help you find any other place according to your preferences.", her Docman said with worry way more evident in his voice then her family ever held for her.
"Family's matter.", she Scoffed, "Its just my matter Abhimanyu and being my-- my.....my- friend, you definitely can help me out. But I have got it, I know where I'll going."
"Okay, I know superwoman that you know where you are going to fly with your invisible cape. Just....just don't be alone, in Delhi also you were leaving in a hostel, there are various interns who stays too, I can talk to them on your behalf to get you there."
She placed her palm over his big hands in reassurance,
"Don't worry so much, I'll be fine and if I'll need anything then I'll convey it to you.
Also, don't you me as an excuse to talk to the beautiful interns and juniors, be focused my friend."
Her last line made him roll his eyes and he gave up with an unsatisfied, "Alright."
<>
As Kairav got Mimi seated on the backseat and started the car, Mimi gave a pleading look to her Great-grand daughter standing nearly, meanwhile Kairav reprimanded to meet her eyes because of her stubbornness. Seeing them leave she moved to her destination.
Opening a huge gate, Akira stepped inside a mansion, which was not very known to her yet carried a very knowing feeling. Running her hand over the nameplate "Singhania Sadan" she felt "Home".
She can't even imagine that this was the place, the house, the home where her mother had spent some of the most precious years of life. It was not in condition that she could stay here, but she was here to have a tour, to grab the opportunity to feel her mother in these old walls and corridors.
From years this place was abandoned, she never got a chance to know her maternal family properly, all thanks to the condition or more like people around.
She got to know only a few years ago that her maternal family had left India years ago when they thought Sirat was there to take proper care of there daughter's daughter.
After, the demise of the elderly family members and then sudden death of her Nanu "Naitik Singhania", forced her mamu and bua to think of a shift.
She even got to know that after Sirat and Kartik's death her maternal family wanted to take them- Kairav and especially Akshu, under their custody but the emotional manipulation that it'll divide the family let them to take their steps back.
Sometimes she wanted to contact them and let them know that she needs them but was way too afraid of what if this family also turns out to be like her earlier family.
The remaining Singhanias and Goeankas were not in very good terms and least in contacts.
Still she got to know that her brothers 'Krish' and 'Vatsal' are doing good in the US. Meanwhile, Kreeti's declining health always keeps Naksh concerned, that's why her Gayu maasi was there to be the support system. These all were also the reasons she never reached out them, letting them have the assumption that she was happy.
Roaming in the corridors, looking at the dust covered photographs still hanging on the walls and sitting on the floor in the middle of a room she somehow identified as her mother's room, she finally closed the gate behind and stood infront to take in the sight of this house.
The next stop was her mother's favourite place- "Akshara Dance Academy". She opened the hanging lock to enter the premises. This place was shut down soon after the untimely demise of son and daughter-in-law of the Goenkas, the sudden death of two working members and addition of three young kids to look upon, the family decided to close it off for better.
Stepping in, all she felt was a feeling she could just name as "Mother".
The Nataraj statue was still intact, taking a seat infront of it she took out a photograph of her parents, smiling so peacefully looking at each other thats it breaks her heart, hugging it tight to her chest she just hoped they are in a better place now.
<>
Unlocking the door of the flat she read proudly- "Kaira ka Aashiyana".
This was the first flat that her father has bought after his marriage, this was place where they lived in the starting of their marriage, a place he brought her mother to protect their relationship from toxicity and politics of his family.
This place made her feel like home, like she was back to being the 'Princess' of her father. A 1bhk had way more warm-cozy homely vibes then a multi-storey, numerous rooms 'Villa' ever had for her.
Home. This was the home she was going to stay at.
The caretaker- "Arvind Kaka' got it all cleaned as she had instructed in the morning.
Glancing at all the hanging photo frames of her parents, all smiling, all teasing, all in so much love made her heart full.
Tossing her bag, she decided to take a shower and freshen up.
Coming out of the bathroom, she stood infront of the mirror.
Silence, silence was so loud that she could listen to her own heartbeats racing, listen to the water droplets falling off from her hair, listen the breathes she was taking.
Sliding away the towel, she looked at her reflection, slowly creased those burn marks on her inner tighs and near her underarms, then she ran her fingertips over the scratch marks that were still on her waist and upper breats, her hand stopped over the cut marks she had no idea of how she got them at the first place, it was just on her body after that 'incident'.
Not being ablr to look anymore she moved away from the mirror in a haste.
It was all when it hit her- She was getting close to Abhimanyu.
That man had a heart of gold, even after everything she let him go through he still treated her with so much respect, had so much concern about her and she can't lie that she still sees the love in his eyes.
And all she was scared now was one day he'll catch her eyes filled with love for him also.
But she was adamant that she can't do this, all she'll bring with her into his life would be darkness.
He already is fighting with so much darkness- An abusive father, an oppressed mother, an unloving household, a system driven family, a struggling brother and so much more than she can't even count.
She decided she'll have to step back, back before she is too far gone, before she breaks his heart more brutally this time.
One thing which she was sure of is that he'll burn down the entire world with his anger and rage who has hurted her, but that's exactly what she didn't wanted to do, she wanted to be the reason of blooming flowers for him and not a surrounding covered with ashes.
Little did she noted down from her own parents struggle story was that love together can fight the entire world.
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A/N
I know a very late Update, I had my reasons, was travelling back from my hometown as holidays are over.
Also, a big sorry, as updates are going to be a little slow now, as I am back to my hectic schedule, hope you'll understand and bear with me pleaseeeee.