After hearing about the revelation made by Gautami's father, Abhyudaya tried to shake it off and act normal in front of him and Gautami both as the current situation was much more critical than the recently happened one.
Having three warm cups of tea and a plate of sandwiches in his hands, Abhyudaya walked towards them and handed over the cups and the sandwiches.
G/d did not find anything different but Gautami noticed Abhyudaya's perplexity and though, she started feeling a strong inclination to ask and get to know about his whereabouts and uncertainty, she was not being able to gain up the courage and so, spent the time in doubt and confusion.
An hour passed by and the doctor had come to check up on the patient (Gautami's mother) who was doing well and for that, the doctor allowed visitors to come one by one.
Gautami was just about to enter with her father but her mother, who was sitting on the hospital bed, without saying a word, pointed her finger at Gautami and Abhyudaya to enter first.
Gautami found it a little bit strange and odd but she yielded to her mother's request and walked towards Abhyudaya, gently tapping on his shoulder who was sitting on one of the chair kept outside the room.
Abhi: Kya hua Gautami? Tu Aai se milne nahi gayi?
Gautami: Unhone tujhe bhi mere saath bulaya hai.
Abhi: Kya?
Gautami (holds his hand): Tu bas chal, mere saath aur zyada puchte mat reh.
Abhi: Accha, thik hai baba.
They both entered the room and on seeing her mother, Gautami's eyes started getting watery and she immediately hugged her mother and by that time, tears gushed out of her eyes.
Abhyudaya did not do anything and just stood by the door as he was feeling like he has interrupted them by his presence but he couldn't leave as his Aai had asked for him herself.
G/m noticed Abhyudaya and called him towards her after pulling away from the hug with Gautami with her eyes filled with tears as well.
Touched and emotional both by this gesture, Abhyudaya couldn't control his tears anymore and quickly sat beside his Aai, holding her hands gently.
G/m (in a weak tone): Tu kaisa hai, Abhi?
Abhi (in an emotional tone): Aap bas jaldi thik hojao, Aai. Main bas itna hi chahta hoon🥺
G/m: Main bhi itna hi chahti hoon ke main jald thik hojao aur tum dono ke paas waapas aajau.
Abhi: Main aapko aur akele rehne bilkul nahi dunga. Aapka dhyaan rakhunga.
G/m: Tum mera dhyaan bas ek shart par kar sakte ho, agar tum chaho toh.
Abhi: Kaisi shart?
G/m: Meri Gautami ko apna life partner banalo.
Abhi & Gautami: Yeh aap kya keh rahi ho Aai/Maa?
G/m: Yehi tum dono ke sahi hoga. Yehi meri aakhiri khwahish hai, mere baccho.
Gautami: Aap yeh sab kya keh rahi hai? Abhyudaya mera best friend hai, aur kuch bhi nahi. Aur aapko toh mere past ke baare mein pata hai naa, phir kyun?
G/m: Purani baat, purani hai beta. Abhyudaya tumhara present hai aur main aur tumhare papa yeh chahte hai ke tum dono ek dusre ko apna future banalo. Ekdum perfect ho tum dono ek dusre ke liye.
Abhi: Par Aai, yeh sahi nahi hai aur kaafi jaldi hai. Yeh humare life ka sawaal hai. Aage humein saath mein rehna hai. Humein iske baare mein sochne ka waqt bhi chahiye Aai.
G/m: Toh tum lelo naa waqt. Humein koi jaldi nahi hai. Bas iske baare mein ek baar sochna aur humein apna faisla bata dena. Main bas tum dono se itna maang rahi hoon. Kya tum dono mere liye itna nahi kar sakte?
Gautami: Emotional blackmail mat karo yaar, maa.
Abhi: Haa bilkul Aai. Yeh sahi nahi hai. Main Gautami ko apni best friend se zyada aur kuch nahi dekhta. Main usse pyaar karta hoon par woh wala nahi.
G/m: Main samajhti hoon, par phir bhi iske baare mein ek baar sochna please baccho.
Abhi/Gautami: Thik hai Aai/Maa, jaisa aap kahein.
G/m: Gautami, kya tum Baba ko mere paas bula sakti ho? Mujhe unse milna hai.
Gautami: Ji maa. Main abhi aayi.
Gautami left the room and now, Abhyudaya was left with her mother who held his hand and looked straight at him with glum eyes.
G/m: Meri beti bohot naazuk hai Abhi. Please uska acche se dhyaan rakhna.
Abhi: Main Gautami ko samajhta hoon par aap aur Baba ho naa, uska dhyaan rakhne ke liye. Main toh sirf uska best friend hoon. Usse zyada zaroorat aap dono ki hai.
G/m: Par mujhe nahi lagta main zyada din aur reh paungi, Abhi.
Abhi (holds her hand): Aisa nahi kehte, Aai. Thodi der pehle doctor ne humein bataya ke aap jald thik hojaoge.
G/m: Woh jhooth tha Abhi jo maine unhe kaha tum logon se kehne ke liye. Mere paas zyada waqt nahi hai. Bas yeh saal hai mere paas. Yeh heart attack minor bilkul bhi nahi tha. Mere 2 ventricles block hogaye hai iss attack ke wajah se. Abhi sirf mere auricles bache hai, woh bhi pata nahi kitne dino ke liye.
Abhi (with tears covered in his eyes): Kya? Yeh sach nahi ho sakta. Bilkul bhi nahi. Aap jhooth bol rahe ho Aai.
G/m: Nahi Abhi. Ek maa kabhi jhooth nahi bolti. Woh bhi apne baccho ke saamne bilkul bhi nahi. Yehi sach hai Abhi aur humein isko maan lena hoga.
Abhi: Par kaise, Aai? Achanak kaise?
G/m: Mujhe bhi koi idea nahi hai Abhi. Isiliye maine uss waqt kaha tha ke meri aakhiri khwahish tum dono ki shaadi hai, ek dusre ke saath. Main tumse zyada kisi aur pe bharosa nahi karti meri Gautami ke liye, specially uss Rohan ke baad toh aur hi nahi.
Abhi (kisses her hands softly): Main iske baare mein ek baar Gautami se baat karlena chahunga Aai, bas.
G/m: Koi baat nahi, beta.
Abhi: Aap bura mat maaniyega.
G/m: Bilkul bhi nahi, mere Abhi. Tumhari baat bhi jaayez hai.
Just then, Gautami entered holding her father's hand whose eyes were filled with tears on seeing his wife.
Gautami signaled Abhyudaya to come out of the room and leave her parents alone. He understood what she meant and kissed his Aai's forehead once before leaving.
G/d hugged him on his way out which Abhyudaya reciprocated and hugged him back caressing his back comforting him up.
Somewhere outside the room inside the hospital....
Gautami (awkwardly): Toh maa tumse kya baat kar rahi thi mere jaane ke baad?
Abhi: Wohi, humari shaadi ke baare mein aur kuch nahi.
Gautami (rests her hand on his cheek): Tum mujhse kuch chupa toh nahi rahe ho naa?
Abhi (slight nervously): Main tumse kuch kyun chupaunga? Yeh koi baat hui?😓
Gautami: Tum bohot ajeeb behave kar rahe ho Abhi. Sab thik hai?🤔🤨
Abhi: Umm, mujhe jaana hoga. Main tumse baad mein milta hoon.
Gautami: Achanak kya hogaya Abhi? Mujhe bolo kya hua.
Abhi (removes her hand from his cheek a little assertively with slight anger): Mujhe akela chordo Gautami, please aur mujhe jaane do. Mujhe ghar jaana hai, bas.
Gautami (tears start forming): Abhi, yeh tumhe kya hogaya sudden?
Abhyudaya realized what he had just done and started feeling guilty. Gautami was just looking after him and trying to be there for him but he pushed her away, that too, in such a hostile manner at such a time when she needs him the most.
Abhi (cups her face softly): I'm so sorry Gautami, mera woh matlab nahi tha.
Gautami (removes his hands from her face): Tum jao Abhi. Maine tumhe bohot tang kiya aaj. Meri hi galti thi yeh sochkar ke tum mere liye aaye the, mera khayal rakhne mere best friend hone ke wajah se. Par nahi, tumne mujhe galat saabit kardiya. Jab tum aise waqt pe mera saath chorna chaho, toh phir zindagi bhar mera saath kaise doge tum? Aree, tum to mere perfect best friend nahi hopaye, toh husband kya banoge tum? Maa se milne ke baad se tumhara mood off tha, isiliye main tumhe puch rahi thi ke kya hua? I wanted to look after you, comfort you and be there for you par tumne kya kiya?🥺😢
Abhi (hugs her tightly with tears in his eyes): I'm so sorry Gautami, mujhe please maaf kardo. Main ek bohot bura best friend hoon. Ho sake, toh mujhe please maaf kardena. Main tumhara best friend hone ke laayak hi nahi hoon. I'm very sorry Gautami💔🥺😢
Abhyudaya shortly pulled away from the hug and left without once, turning back. Gautami's eyes were gushing heavy tears and she fell to the ground losing her consciousness and all senses the moment Abhyudaya left her all alone. All alone once again, in the world of pain and loneliness.
G/d was looking for his daughter throughout the hospital and he found her atlast, but unfortunately, she was lying on the ground unconscious with tears covering her eyes.
He quickly picked her up in his arms and took her to the closest available doctor in the hospital.
After the doctor came and took her in for a check-up, G/d thought of calling up Abhyudaya as he thought he had left but his phone was switched off.
G/d (to himself): Yeh Abhyudaya ka phone switched off kyun hai? Kya hogaya? Uska phone toh aaj tak kabhi switched off nahi raha hai, aaj kyun hai?
Just while G/d was thinking and worrying about Abhyudaya, an unknown number called him which made him even more worried.
At first, he was reluctant to pick up the call but he later picked it up while his hands were trembling out of worry and anxiousness.
Stranger: Hello, kya yeh Mr. Kawale baat kar rahe hai?
G/d: Haa ji, main hi Mr. Kawale hoon par aap kaun? Aur aapke paas Abhyudaya ka phone kya kar raha hai? Woh kaha hai?
Stranger: Actually, jiske baare mein puch rahe hai, uska thodi der pehle hi ek severe car accident hogaya. Woh abhi Amityville Hospital (fictional name) mein admitted hai. Usse kaafi serious injuries bhi hui hai.
G/d (in utter shock): Kya?
To be continued🤍🦋
Kya Abhyudaya bach payega? Aur kya Gautami bhi thik hai? Kya woh inn mushkil ghadiyon mein ek dusre ka saath de payenge?
-Here's Moonlight✨ signing off for today. Will see you all with a new chapter coming very soon❤