Mishti looked around, confused by her surroundings. "Where am I?" she asked, unsure if she was speaking to herself or someone else. It seemed like a hospital room but as she adjusted to the bright light a deep voice answered her rhetorical question, as she wasn't even aware she wasn't alone.
A deep voice answered her question. "At the hospital, as a patient, I must add," Ritwik replied. His tone was harsher than he had intended.
He couldn't understand why he kept reacting this way when it wasn't his true intention. For a long time, he had planned to be cruel to Mishti if they ever met again. But those vengeful thoughts had faded long ago. Still, he found it difficult to be gentle or kind to her, and it troubled him.
"How is Vijay uncle? You called me and asked me to come back to his room. What happened?" Mishti asked, quickly regaining her awareness of the day's events. She had been so overwhelmed by Vijaypath's condition that talking to Ritwik hadn't seemed like something she couldn't handle, even just a couple of hours ago.
"He's fine, as much as he can be anyway," Ritwik replied. It still touched his heart to see how much Mishti cared about his father.
"Then why did you call?" she asked, relieved but also starting to feel the weight of Ritwik's presence in the room.
Ritwik raised one of his eyebrows. "Don't you want to know about your medical condition first?"
"I know about my medical condition just fine," Mishti answered cryptically, enough to make Ritwik feel uncomfortable.
"Isn't it the first time you've fainted lately?" he pressed.
Mishti only shook her head negatively.
"Are you sick?" his voice nearly cracked, but he somehow managed to look unaffected by the revelation.
"Not exactly." Mishti explained, "The doctors don't know why I keep fainting. They think it's related to the stress I'm under, but a lot of people are stressed nowadays and I don't see them fainting every other week."
She was surprised by how easily she could have this conversation with him. She didn't know what surprised her the most - her own ability to talk about it, or Ritwik's apparent interest, even if it seemed superficial.
"Are you fainting every other week?" Ritwik asked.
"Basically, yes," she nodded, trying to read him but unable to. His stoic face didn't match the questions he kept asking, and she sensed he wasn't finished yet.
"Since when?"
"A month or so," she shrugged.
Ritwik's next question held a genuine surprise. "And how can you be this calm about it?" This was the first emotion Mishti could read on his face.
"I'm going to move back to India in a couple of months, or maybe even earlier," Mishti said. "The doctors back in Saarbrücken started running tests, but they've ruled out the most dangerous possibilities, like tumors and heart conditions. I'll worry about it when I'm back - some of the best neurologists are here anyway."
With a hint of trepidation, she approached the subject, wondering if it was even wise to bring it up. But it felt easier to casually inform Ritwik, even though her unknown physical condition and plans to move back to Mumbai were not simple things to mention.
"Tumors? They suspected you had cancer?" Ritwik asked, his concern evident. He was grateful for the poker face he'd cultivated, not wanting Mishti to see how much her condition was scaring him.
"Among a few other things, yes. But my scans are all clean," she explained.
"You haven't mentioned anything to Papa, have you?" Ritwik asked.
"No, and I don't think now is the best time for him to know," Mishti replied. "How did you know about me, by the way? If I remember correctly, I fainted while I was still on one of the hospital floors. I remember taking the stairs instead of the elevators."
"I was the last call on your phone," Ritwik explained. "When they couldn't find anyone else to contact, they decided to call the last number you had talked to since it had been just before you fainted."
Ritwik refrained from informing Mishti that he had nearly fainted himself when the hospital called to tell him about her fainting. He also didn't mention that he'd had to claim he was her boyfriend to be allowed in her room, and he hoped no one had mentioned that to her. Additionally, he didn't think it was necessary to say that he had been waiting for her to wake up for nearly an hour.
He wasn't sure why he didn't want her to know how much he still cared about her, even though he felt bad about being harsh with her earlier. He wished he understood the turmoil of feelings he was experiencing, as many questions were crossing his mind - and perhaps hers as well.
The silence between them was uncomfortable. There was a palpable awkwardness, but Ritwik was also clearly worried about her health. Mishti didn't know what to say - in fact, she just wished he would leave so she could breathe normally again. The only easy topic to discuss was her condition, but now it seemed like they had exhausted that subject. She was thankful he didn't say anything further, as it was better to hear nothing than insults or something similar.
The silence was finally broken when the resident doctor entered the room after over five minutes. "How are you feeling?" she asked.
"Fine, totally recovered from what I can say," Mishti replied, grateful for the welcomed intrusion.
"According to Mr. Noon, you fainted because of his father's heart condition. Is that correct?" the young doctor asked as she opened the chart and began writing.
"I don't know. It's not the first time it's happened," Mishti explained, frowning slightly. "But my doctors back in Saarbrücken are investigating the reasons. They believe it has something to do with stress and anxiety, and I suppose thinking about the possibility of Vijay uncle getting worse could be a factor contributing to my stress."
Mishti was aware that Ritwik had tried to offer a reason for her fainting while she was still unconscious.
"Of course," the doctor agreed, continuing to write in the chart.
"I'm going to run some physical tests now, to see if you're fully recovered. As you're already investigating and their main suspicion is nervous and emotional, I think we may release you tomorrow morning," the doctor added with a smile.
"I'm going to run some physical tests now, to see if you're fully recovered," the doctor added with a smile. "As we're already investigating and our main suspicion is your emotional turmoil, I think we may be able to release you tomorrow morning."
"Tomorrow?" Mishti and Ritwik both asked in response.
"It's protocol," the doctor explained.
"Really?" Mishti said. "When Ritwik called me and asked me to come to his father's room, I thought something might have happened to Vijay uncle. My blood pressure probably just dropped or something. I don't think I need to be here until tomorrow. To be quite honest, I want to be back in Saarbrücken by tomorrow afternoon."
"Let's see how you are first, Ms. Khanna, then we can talk about your dismissal, okay?" the doctor replied.
"I'm going to check on my father," Ritwik offered, getting up.
Mishti looked at him suspiciously. "Didn't you say he was okay?"
"She's going to do some tests, I don't want to make you uncomfortable," Ritwik explained, glancing at the doctor, wondering if she might question why a boyfriend would be so cold to his girlfriend.
"You don't need to leave, Mr. Noon," the doctor said with a smile. "I'm just going to take her blood pressure, check her sight and reflexes, and monitor her heart rate - pretty much a routine set of tests." Not wanting to blow his cover, Ritwik decided it was wiser to stay rather than leave for something so simple.
The doctor asked Mishti to cooperate and then proceeded with the physical examinations.
"You don't need to worry much, Mr. Noon," the doctor said with a smile as she prepared to leave the room. "Your girlfriend is just fine. I'll do my best to get her released today, okay?"
The air had been thick before the doctor entered, but it became stifling once she left, referring to Mishti as Ritwik's girlfriend. Ritwik preferred to ignore the remark and let Mishti think the doctor had simply assumed they were together since he had been there.
After a moment of silence, Mishti decided to break it. "You never said why you called me to come back..."
"My father cares about you, Mishti. He asked me to call you if something happened to him. I wondered that it wouldn't be fair to either of you to only call you to be there for him in... horrible situations," Ritwik explained. "The moment isn't ideal, and I'm not pleased or willing to talk to you now - I don't know if I ever will be. But I'm going to prioritize his needs for now. I spent too much time prioritizing my own."
Ritwik was telling the partial truth, omitting the fact that he hadn't even known why he had called her. It was only when he realized he had already dialed the numbers and she was answering that he decided to follow through.
"Ritwik..." she started but he interrupted her before she could say anything else.
"I know how you feel about being around me, Mishti. And I appreciate your consideration of my feelings, but I'd rather focus on my father's needs now. I won't be in the hospital during the day; you can come visit him while I'm not here. I'm not ready to talk about what happened between us, but there is a lot more important stuff going on now."
Ritwik avoided looking at her, and Mishti felt her eyes start to blur. Was she going to faint again?
"I'm leaving tomorrow," Mishti said. "People are waiting for me in Saarbrücken. I just needed to check on Vijay uncle, and I couldn't come when Malti Tai told me he had a stroke."
Ritwik wondered if she meant that Rudrakash guy. He wished he dared to ask her who he was, but it would reveal more of his true feelings than he was willing to show.
"Did you already book your ticket?" he asked.
"Not yet, I wanted to know how Vijaypath was. If his condition was more critical I would find a way to stay longer," she explained and he only nodded.
"Not yet," she explained. "I wanted to know how Vijay uncle was doing first. If his condition was more critical, I would stay longer."
He simply nodded in response.
"Do as you please," he said.
She then remembered how awful she had been to her parents in the past few months. "Did you contact my dad?" she asked.
"Of course not," he replied. "Papa had told me that you didn't want anyone to know where you were. I think you should decide whether or not to inform him about your presence, though I'm sure he's already stopped by a couple of times. They're very close friends, and you could have met him when you visited Papa earlier."
She was relieved to know he had been considerate of her wishes.
"That's why I decided to come during his working hours," she explained.
"That makes sense," he said. "I'm going to go now. I hope I don't need to, but I'll call you if it's needed."
She thanked him before he dejectedly walked away from the chair he had been sitting on, allowing Mishti to finally breathe normally again.
She hadn't expected to talk to him so soon. She had hoped to avoid facing off with him again as much as possible. But destiny seemed to be working against her wishes. It had been an awkward encounter, just as she had expected in her best-case scenarios. It could have been a lot worse, though. He could still be holding grudges against her - not that his civil reaction necessarily meant he didn't. He could have been cruel and rude, but aside from a few harsher remarks, he had been pretty polite and had even shown some concern about her condition.
Mishti knew why she was reacting this way. The whole situation had taken a toll on her body, and she was going through a lot of stress, pressure, anxiety, and fear about moving back to Mumbai and facing everything. There were so many things that needed to be said, done, and exposed, and of course, she could no longer resist. The nearly eight months she had spent in Saarbrücken had helped, but they hadn't fully prepared her for this. She wondered how the man who had just been in front of her would react when the worst came out. It couldn't be good, could it?
"Kriti!" Vijaypath greeted enthusiastically when he saw the girl.
"Papa!" she answered, just as happy, though she couldn't help but carry a tinge of sadness for his condition.
"I missed my older daughter," he winked at her, and she smiled. But before she could say another word, she broke down crying. She couldn't believe the man who had adopted her as his daughter for years was now lying in a hospital bed, recovering from a stroke. She had already had a hard time when they lost Mamta, and she wasn't nearly ready to lose Vijaypath too, even though an ocean and thousands of miles separated them.
"Pagal ladki, ro mat," Vijaypath said softly. He truly loved the girl in front of him, and he was happy to finally see her, but he didn't want her to cry because of him. He knew he probably wouldn't be around for much longer, and his boys and now his girls needed to start accepting it.
"Aap kaise ho Papa?" she asked, trying in vain to wipe away the tears, as more and more followed despite her best efforts to keep her emotions at bay.
"Mujhe kya hua hai. Main toh dheere dheere thik ho raha hu." he replied, "Par main apne aakhiri samay par na tumse ya phir Mishti see milne ke baare main soccha tha. Babaji mujhe meri dono betiyon se milava ke mere doctor ki icchha se thoda jyada adhik bhavuk bana rahe hain," he added playfully, winking the best he could.
"Did she come?" Kriti asked surprised.
"Kya Mishti aayi thi yahan par?" Kriti asked, surprised.
"Yes, she did. She spent so long making her whereabouts unknown but the moment she found out about my condition she worked around to find a way to be here," the elder said with a smile on his face.
"Haan woh milne aayi thi mujhse," Vijaypath replied with a smile on his face. "Ritwik ki hi tarah woh bhi India se bhar chali gayi this. Ussne kisi ko bhi pata nahi chalne diya ki itne time tak woh kahan this. Par usse jaise hi meri bimri ke baare main pata chala woh wapis aa gayi."
"Main Mishti se milna chaahati thi," Kriti said, her eyes wide open. "Hey bhaagwan kya Ritwik mila uss se?"
"Thodi der ke liye," Vijaypath explained. "Jaise hi woh kamare main aaya woh room chod kar chali gayi. Par Ritwik ne usse phone karke bata diya hai ki agar woh mujhse milna chahati hain toh woh din main aa kar mil sakti hai kyunki woh uss dauran office main hi hoga aur keval raat main hi mere paas rukega."
"Ritwik ko hamesha see hi laagta hai ki kaam sabse jyada subah ho sakta hai naa ki raat main," Kriti chuckled softly, finally gaining control of her tears.
"Tumhari maa ne usse acche se sikhaya hai," Vijaypath smiled gently, remembering his wife's wisdom. "Jitna kam kaam woh dopahar main karega utna hi kam usse overtime karna padega."
"Mamta ma was too wise for words," Kriti said. " Par aap kya karte ho? What were you thinking when you scared us like that?" she asked with a frown, her concern evident.
Vijaypath sighed. "That I missed my Ritwik too much," he tried to offer a smile, but couldn't quite deliver it.
"I was breaking through his defenses," Kriti explained. "I finally mentioned Mishti, and he actually talked about her and everything a few days later."
"I knew I could trust you on this, " Vijaypath responded, and Kriti could swear there was some color returning to his pale face.
"Aapne abhi tak answer nahi kiya ki aap kaise ho..." she pressed.
"Earlier my sons used to spoil me rotten, and now my girls are joining the party! I always thought you'd end up marrying Ritwik, Kriti so that you'd be officially my daughter," he chuckled, a genuine smile crinkling his tired eyes. "You know life has a way of surprising us. You, Arohi, Mishti - are more than I ever dreamed of. You girls made up for not having the girl child me and your mom dreamed of having on our own." He adored Pragati too, deeply. They were incredibly close but she was too cautious to let someone truly in but there's a wall around her heart always made it harder for him to connect with her on the same level as the girls.
Warmth radiated from him, a hallmark of his Punjabi heritage. His heart ached for Pragati's death.He yearned to comfort her, he wanted to embrace and ensure her everything would be okay, the way a father should. Arohi, with her infectious cheer and upbeat spirit, was a welcome change. But Pragati held a different space in his heart. She never rejected his fatherly affection. While Mamta, felt a similar connection to Pragati, it was less intense. Perhaps it stemmed from Pragati's reluctance to form close bonds with women. Though she accepted his paternal instinct towards Pragati, she hadn't known her well. He believed, however, that while Arohi's optimism initially charmed his wife, her directness might have clashed with her nature. His late wife didn't have a lot of time to get to know Arohi better but he was positive his son's fiancée would be almost too much to Mamta, though she would approve of her because she did make Rishabh happy. Arohi was the apple of his wife's eyes. He thought it was because they were very alike. They were both as objective as women could be but they knew when to ignore their straight approach of life and be most caring and sweetest women when someone needed a shoulder to cry on, a word of wisdom and hope or simply support. They were both very strong under the tender appearance. And that was why he knew Mamta would have loved and supported Mishti even more vehemently than him.
"Papa, you know I don't need a marriage to be your daughter. Besides, marrying Ritwik would be...well, illegal. A little too close to family, wouldn't you say? Considering I'm practically their sister." A grimace played on her lips, quickly replaced by a smile. This, the banter, the familiarity - she'd missed it all. This felt good. This felt like home.
"Find your happiness, Kriti. You know I tease about you and Ritwik, but honestly, even Mamta knew it wasn't meant to be. Though she tried everything to play matchmaker! You two care for each other deeply, but sometimes sparks just don't fly. It took time, but even she saw it eventually."
"Your stories make me miss her even more, knowing how much she would have cherished Mishti."
"I know she would," he said, his eyes glazing over as he became lost in a daydream. He imagined a reality where Mishti and Mamta had encountered one another, their personalities blending seamlessly, their conversation flowing like a gentle river.
"Papa, I finally met someone," Kriti mumbled, twisting the hem of her shirt between her fingers. Her voice barely rose above a whisper with a hint of nervousness peeking through her smile.
"Are you still afraid?"
Kriti's chin lifted defiantly. "Afraid? Who says I was ever afraid?" But the smile that tugged at her lips didn't quite reach her eyes. He knew her too well. Denial was a familiar dance they both knew the steps to.
"No one said you weren't," he countered gently. "Just checking in."
The defiance faltered. A beat of silence stretched between them. Finally, Kriti sighed. "Maybe a little cautious," she conceded, her voice barely audible. "But I'm not afraid."
He offered a knowing smile, the kind that held both understanding and a touch of amusement. Kriti squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, a silent acknowledgment of his rightness. Some battles weren't worth fighting, especially not with him.
"How is he?" Vijaypath's voice boomed, a hint of disapproval lacing his question. "And why didn't you bring him along for my inspection? You wouldn't dare skip that step, would you?"
Her shoulders slumped slightly. "I was planning to visit for Diwali, but... well, things changed. Ritwik came to Ireland, and... things have been, well, amazing!" Her voice trailed off, replaced by a shy smile. "I've missed you all terribly!"
The room seemed to lighten with her joy. Uncertainty and shyness melted away, Vijaypath saw the genuine happiness sparkling in her eyes - another daughter finally found her happiness. A warmth spread through him, tinged with a flicker of concern. There was still one missing. Just one more to go. The one who, in his eyes, needed it the most.
Vijaypath couldn't help but show his interest. "I certainly missed you too, but tell me about this guy," he said, his tone a curious mix of amusement and intrigue.
She explained, "Vikram is one of the founding partners at my office. We've known each other for years, but only recently become closer. He claims to have been infatuated with me for ages, but I find that hard to believe." She shook her head, a hint of a playful smile on her lips.
He marveled at her obliviousness. 'Vikram must be blind not to see it,' he thought, a touch of wonder in his gaze.
"Why not wait?" His voice was a rasp, but his smile held the same warmth. " You're worth waiting for, forever, Kriti."
Tears welled up in her eyes again. This time, she didn't fight them. Instead, she leaned in, burying her face in his chest, the dampness of her tears soaking through his thin hospital gown.
"I miss you so much Papa," she choked out, her voice thick with unshed tears.
His hand, weak but determined, reached up to stroke her hair. "It's alright, Kriti beta," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "Don't cry. I can't handle the waterworks myself these days."
Her grip tightened. "Ritwik... he misses you too. He feels awful about everything."
Vijaypath chuckled, a humorless sound. "Like it's my fault I can't resist indulging in the food I love? Hardly his doing." A flicker of guilt danced in his eyes, but it was quickly extinguished. But oh, the food was worth it.
"He thinks his leaving shattered you," Kriti explained, her voice soft. "That the added pressure from the business is to blame for this..." Her words trailed off as they were interrupted, the connection severed before Vijaypath could respond.
Standing at the doorway, Mishti hesitated. "Sorry to bother you, Uncle Vijay," she announced, her voice tinged with apology. She'd knocked earlier, but there was no response. Now, peering into the room, she saw a sight that made her pause. A young woman clung tightly to Vijaypath, their embrace filled with worry. Torn between leaving and interrupting, Mishti weighed her options.
Ritwik had sworn her to secrecy to keep his father in the dark about her hospital admission, fearing it would worsen his condition. Dr. Pramod hadn't been able to release her the previous day, leaving her no choice but to visit today. While the doctors were optimistic - the stroke's after-effects seemed manageable, and he was stable - there was lingering concern about a potential recurrence.
Vijaypath ushered Mishti inside. 'Come in, come in. I want you to meet someone,' he said, his voice thick with emotion. Kriti, wiping away fresh tears, tried to compose herself.
"Mishti, this is Kriti, my daughter," Vijaypath said, his voice thick with emotion. "And Kriti, this is Mishti, our new family member."
Kriti offered a trembling smile. "It's lovely to meet you, Mishti. Honestly, I'm not even surprised. If Ritwik couldn't tell you apart from Pragati, well, of course you'd look like her." She dabbed at her tears again, then gave up and extended a hand. "Welcome."
"The pleasure's all mine," Mishti replied politely.
"Why don't you ladies chat for a bit, get acquainted? I confess, I could use a nap. Don't mind me a bit."
His eyelids felt heavy, the weariness clinging to him despite his reservations about the girls. He knew a nap would work wonders, even if it meant enduring their presence for a while longer.
Concern flickered across the girls' faces. "Are you alright, dad?" Kriti asked. "Mishti, can you call a doctor?"
"After a few days I already got used to it. I feel exhausted easily and the last couple of days have been extra emotional but I know it's okay, I just need to sleep, probably ten to fifteen minutes," he explained while he felt his eyelids becoming heavier and heavier.
Kriti's brow furrowed. "Take a nap? You shouldn't be this tired. Sleep, sure, but we're talking to your doctor when you wake up." Her voice held a gentle firmness, belying the growing worry in her eyes.
"Kriti, I'm fine. Go get yourselves some lunch. Looks like you haven't seen a decent meal in weeks." He cast a pointed glance at the clock, the afternoon sun already streaming through the window.
Mishti's stomach rumbled on cue. Despite the awkward silence hanging between her and the other woman, hunger gnawed at her. She stole a glance at her, hoping to gauge her comfort level.
Silence stretched between them for a beat too long before the other woman sighed. "Fine," she muttered, pushing herself out of the chair. Mishti followed suit, relief warring with the discomfort of forced companionship.
They shuffled down the hallway, a reluctant truce forged by rumbling bellies.
Stepping forward, Kriti offered a friendly smile. "In case you haven't heard about me, I'm Kriti, the friend Ritwik has been living with recently."
Mishti's surprised squeak, "Oh," hung in the air. The friend Ritwik was living within Ireland wasn't what she'd pictured at all. This woman radiated a kind of beauty that stopped you in your tracks.
"Oh, you still feel that way about him? Oh, sorry that was inappropriate, I guess I'm a little shaken by everything with Vijay Dad and well, we're, Ritwik and I, strictly friends. Actually we're more like brother and sister. I even say I adopted Rishabh as my baby brother as I'm an only child... also I guess I now have someone... actually I think I should stuff this muffin in my mouth and shut it already because this is too embarrassing," Kriti said non-stop and Mishti actually chuckled. The girl that was now sitting across her was definitely nervous.
"Do you... still feel that way about him?" Kriti blurted, then flushed crimson. "Ugh, that was awful! Sorry, I'm a bit flustered with everything about Papa's health condition. And well, Ritwik and I, strictly friends. More like siblings, really. I even call Rishabh my adopted brother because, you know, only child... and maybe, just maybe, there's someone new... actually, this is all too much!" Kriti crammed a muffin into her mouth, cheeks puffing out. "Maybe I should just stop talking before I embarrass myself further."
"It's okay, you two don't owe me any explanations," Mishti said, a flicker of relief warming her chest at the confirmation of Kriti's purely platonic feelings for Ritwik. Logically, it shouldn't have mattered if he was seeing someone else. Yet, logic often took a backseat to her heart, which stubbornly clung to a different narrative.
"Well I only recently talked to him about you although I knew what had happened for a while," Kriti added and Mishti was yet again surprised.
"Oh."
"You two should talk it out," Kriti said, forcing a light tone. This was her "normal" Kriti - the calm, collected one. But inside, a battle raged. She wouldn't interfere, not directly. Yet, this was Ritwik, the one person she cared for most. She knew her dad secretly held out hope for them too. The Noons were practically family, and normally she wouldn't hesitate to nudge things along, but this felt different. There was a line, and she wasn't sure exactly where it was.
A shadow flickered across Mishti's face. "We had a conversation, yes," she said carefully. But the memory of their tense exchange felt more like a missed connection than a resolution.
Kriti's eyebrows shot up. "A conversation? Did you get anything settled?" Having just spoken to Ritwik herself, she doubted he'd kept a significant talk with Mishti under wraps.
Mishti grimaced. "Vijay uncle's health is a bigger concern at the moment. Let's deal with that first, okay?" The proposed conversation made her uneasy, not just because of the topic, but because of who she was supposed to have it with - a complete stranger.
"But that's a conversation you both need to have soon and decide what to do about your lives when clearly none of you got over what happened almost a year ago," Kriti pushed a little bit more, though she felt really out of place saying those things to a stranger.
"It's not that easy."
"I know it's not, Mishti and I don't want to meddle especially because I've only known you for five minutes, literally, but I've known Ritwik for a long time and I can say from those five minutes that you aren't very far from where he is. I'm not saying you have to be together or that you love each other, I'm just saying you need to talk things through. Get over what happened. Bad things happen, people make mistakes all the time and while some are much more significant and hard to forgive and forget than others, at the end of the day it's our decision to do both because sooner or later it will happen. Some years from now you and Ritwik won't be hurt by what happened as you are now. Maybe even months instead of years. But for now all you need is to be honest with each other. You'll ask for forgiveness, he'll let you know if he can do it. You'll accept what he can give to you and you'll see how you move from there but at least you guys would have talked like the adults you are. I don't know how you feel about him and I'm not even sure about his feelings but I'm sure you need this honest and objective conversation and after it you can have as many others as you feel necessary but you have to let it out. With spoken words, not messages or letters. Looking into each other's eyes. If anything, what happened to Papa has showed me that life is too short and we have to settle our problems while we still can. Ritwik could have lost his father last week and he would have thought his father died thinking he never forgave him. Ritwik forgave him a long time ago but they didn't have a chance to have this practical, simple, honest conversation until now and even though his father is probably going to be alright Ritwik will never forgive himself for abandoning him and having him worked up with the business to the point of him having a stroke," Kriti offered and it surprised both women the fact that she had been so forward and even nosy about their problems.
"He shouldn't blame himself for what happened to Vijay uncle," Mishti said with conviction.
"Look, Mishti, forcing Ritwik to see things differently won't fix this. As a lawyer, I'm all about logic, but sometimes emotions cloud judgment. I understand why Ritwik blames himself - it's a natural reaction. However, convincing him otherwise might be a long shot. Let's focus on what we can control."
Mishti swirled the coffee in her cup, the rich brown liquid mirroring the turmoil in her stomach. "Getting him to forgive me feels like an impossible task," she said, voice laced with doubt, "like trying to rewrite history itself."
"And maybe you're right but you still need to have that conversation. I know that you probably want to be forgiven but the main point here is not the outcome of the conversation but just talking it through, see what happens. You can't be stuck like you seem now and I know I'm crossing some lines here and it's not my place to talk to you especially because we just met, but I love those guys too much, Vijay uncle is like a father to me and I see he cares about you the same way. Ritwik is like my brother and I want them both to be happy and there was nothing I wouldn't do for it to happen, so that's why I'm being very out of character and talking about your private life. We lost Mamta Aunty too early, Mishti. Papa took a long time to come to terms with it and I guess be barely did it. I'm sure Ritwik never went that far and I can't imagine what Rishabh is going through. Papa may be okay now but we don't know how he'll be two days from now, he could have another stroke and the worst could happen and I know Ritwik would be damaged beyond repair. He lost his mother, the woman he loved, the woman he thought was the woman he loved and he could lose his father. There's nothing he can do about Mumma and Pragati and I hope Papa will be all good and there will time for Ritwik to heal his wounds about leaving his father but you're very much alive. You may think your situation is the unfixable one but maybe it's the only one he can fix now. Death gives you some perspective, Mishti, even when there was only a threat of it happening. I usually don't get into people's business at all, let alone this much, but I'll give you some advice. If you still feel something for Ritwik, if you still dream about having a chance with him, talk to him now. What happened to Papa is horrible and I'm not saying that you should use Ritwik's vulnerability to his father situation because it sounds so cruel, selfish and low but things happen for a reason, Mishti. You weren't the one who caused the stroke but maybe you were one of the reasons. I know we're all here today because of it. I know Ritwik had to come back, I know you had to come and I had too all for different reasons. Maybe it was Waheguru ji's way to mend a few things that needed to be fixed. If you're not the cause, don't take the blame, but if you're the reason, make it justified," Kriti wisely advised and it actually made Mishti think about those things. Maybe Kriti was right, maybe she wasn't the cause but one of the reasons. After all when Ritwik came back to India, Vijay uncle had a chance to meet his 'older' daughter since a long time and Mishti was offered the chance to finally face Ritwik and have the honest conversation they needed to have. Vijay uncle was the heart of that family and only he would be able to bring them together.
"You may be right," Mishti took a deep sigh and offered a small smile.
"Who knows, it's worth a try," Kriti smiled back just as shyly.
Mishti's voice dropped to a whisper. "There's more, Kriti. Things I couldn't bring myself to write, secrets that would make me look even worse to Ritwik." She chewed on her lip, a silent debate raging behind her eyes. Vijay uncle... he cared, obviously, but could he be objective with this hanging over them? Kriti, though... she knew Ritwik better. Maybe with her clear head, they could navigate this mess.
"Is there more?" Kriti said before she considered the tone she used, leading Mishti to look down.
"I mean, that's a lot as it is, but if there's more, the sooner you tell him, the better," she tried to retract her previous comments but she knew the damage had been done.
"It's not like he offered a lot of chances for me to share, he just disappeared," Mishti tried to justify her actions but she knew there was no excuses.
Desperation etched on her face, Mishti blurted, "Would you give me advice if I told you the truth?" The other girl's nod was her only lifeline. Mishti inhaled a shaky breath. "There's someone..." Her voice trailed off, the weight of the secret threatening to crush her.
and to say Kriti was surprised was an understatement.
This chapter was hard to write - emotionally taxing is the word. I have been in a situation where someone close to me had a heart attack. Sitting here in a hospital room, channeling that raw emotion into the characters... it's a heavy weight. And it becomes harder when you realize that the plot of your certain chapter is playing out in reality somewhere close.