The Abyss- Ishqbaaz Fanfic by Aashi
Chapter- 24
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Shivaay looked at the limp form of Anika. His eyes swam with tears as he remembered the doctor’s words. “Shivaay, how do you know this lady?” he had gestured towards his room. “She’s our employee.” He had replied, hesitating a bit. “Look Shivaay, she’s physically weak. Her weight is quite less for a woman of her age; she has acute anemia and very high blood pressure. She’s probably claustrophobic as well, accordance to your words. She looks greatly stressed. Shivaay, if this health condition keeps continuing then, she’s under fatal risk. She needs better care and take the least of stress. I prescribe her full rest. Tell her husband to take care of her or he’ll probably lose her. Give her some days leave, beta.” He had patted his back before going away, but not before giving the last piece of advice “Drop the lady home and make her have the medicines at correct intervals.”
He sat holding her hand as she slept unconsciously and dozed off there itself. The rays of dawn fell on sleeping face of Anika and she scrunched her face, trying to keep away from the heat but, eventually, woke up. She saw sleeping, crumpled form of Shivaay, sleeping holding her hand, beside her; half- sitting on the floor.
She looked at his face; he looked pale, sleep- deprived and forlorn. She remembered how she had often compared their lives and how similar their situations had stricken her. Both had taken all the responsibilities without a complaint, at very young age, but for her they were dreams so she never felt tired of achieving and for him it was expectations so he, though tired, kept pursuing.
Shivaay felt her stir and woke up. “Good morning” she wished and once she got down the bed, he left, without even replying her for once. She sighed as she started her daily routine.
“Anika bhabhi have your medicines. They’re by your bed stead” said Priyanka as soon as breakfast was done with. “And who told you this?” asked Anika, starting to stash the dishes. “Shivaay bhaiya” Priyanka replied promptly. “Anika putter, tum theek to ho naa?” asked Daadi, worried at once. She feared their relation or health since her Anika puttar and Billu had married.
“Ji Daadi, I’m perfect. Billuji’s just overreacting a bit. I had a little fever last night and he’s acting as if I’m half dead” Anika laughed the matter away in front of Daadi. “Puttar, apna dhyaan rakh. Prinku, Anika, I’m going for a pilgrimage. I’ve told Pinky and Jhanvi. Tab tak tumlog sabka khyaal rakhna aur apna bhi. I’ve a flight in the afternoon.” “Ji Daadi” they replied in unison but as soon as Daadi exited the kitchen, Anika grabbed Prinku. “Tell your bhaiya I’m not having any medicines. Tell him to talk with me first.” With that, she marched out of the kitchen as a perplexed Prinku stared after her.
“How is this even possible?” Shivaay shouted at his attorney. “Sir, you yourself had instructed me to make sure this contract cannot be annulled by anyone” his lawyer said, shaking with fright. “Anyways, there is just a fortnight left for the contract to be over.” Shivaay left his collar and stormed to his car. Once inside, he covered his face and eyes with his palm, trying to control his raging breaths and heartbeat. “A fortnight left….” The words seemed to ring in his head.
A fortnight left for him to feel her presence in his room, just a fortnight to see her sleepy face, to see her laughing with all downstairs, to see her checking him out as he came to the room, shirtless, after bath. Just a fortnight left to see her breathing unevenly whenever he teasingly came near her, a fortnight left to see her folding clothes or pulling curtains in his room. A fortnight left to stare at her, to capture all her memories in his little heart forever. “Just a tiny fortnight….” He thought as he sped away, leaving behind a cloud of dust.
A call on Tej’s cell distracted him out of his thoughts. “Yes” he answered, with a certain level of authority in his voice. “Tej Oberoi?” a deep, husky voice came through the other side. “Speaking” he answered. “It’s me, Jai”. “Jai!? Hello, old mate. How have you been?” “I’m perfect. Man, we’re having a reunion the next Friday. Want to join?” Tej thought for a second before replying in positive. After a few minutes chat, they cut the call. Tej suddenly felt happy; happiness unrelated to business, achievement or money. Suddenly, he had the most perfect excuse and topic to talk to Jhanvi. He felt suddenly enthusiastic at the prospect of the conversation.
Gauri caressed their foreheads before they boarded on the train. Suddenly, Misha hugged her, tears spilling down her face, which reached up to her waist. Gauri sat down on her knees and kissed her whole face, crying herself. Abhi ran to her and hugged her tightly. “Mumma, we don’t want to leave. Please, mumma.” Gauri chocked by her own tears. “Mumma too doesn’t want to let you go but you must. I love you Abhi, I love you Mishu. I’ll come as soon as I can. Take of each other till then. Promise me you’ll take care.”
“We promise mumma” they replied together. “Mumma, you won’t forget us right? You’ll not leave us as maa and daddy?” Misha asked in a small voice. “Never, I’ll always be there for you both. Come on now, no crying. I’ll miss you two but you’ll come to stay with me at holidays. Take care of each other.” She instructed, trying to put on a brave façade, failing miserably. They nodded and hugged for the last time as the train whistled behind them.
She broke the hug and kissed them before putting them in the coach and in the able hands of the school’s faculty, who were taking a whole lot of kids from the city. She waved till the train left the station and disappeared out of sight in the dark. A sense of loneliness crept over her as she drove back home. The car seemed to quiet without the twins’ presence and the house felt more desolate than ever. Gauri curled in a ball and tried to sleep.
Anika sat exhausted in one of the corridor chair outside the OT. Saahil was inside that theatre since the last three hours and tension was mounting. On top of all that, Shivaay wasn’t there. Om tried calling him, so did Rudra, Soumya and Priyanka but he didn’t reply or respond. Saahil was underweight so doctor had made her sign the consent form before operation.
Unknowingly, in the moment of weakness, she teared up. All sat there, the whole younger Oberoi clan, other than Shivaay. Om, sensing her discomfort and disappointment, gestured the others to leave to which they nodded wisely and complied. Om sat down beside her and hugged her lightly. Anika, who needed a bit of support and comfort, leaned into him and soon dozed off.
The others returned not much later, and brought coffee which Om drank to stay awake. The green bulb outside the theatre glowed and Anika woke up at the same instant. The doctors came out and one of them stayed back to talk to them who eagerly awaited the news. “Congratulations Miss Anika, your brother is all right now. He needs to stay here for at least a month more for better care and physiotherapy but he will be on his legs soon, without any support.”
“Can we meet him now, doctor?” the question came from overly enthusiastic Rudra. “I’m afraid not tonight. His surgery was a major one and he is highly sedated. You can meet in the morning.” Shifting his attention towards Anika, who stood there silently with Om’s support, teary eyed; the doctor said “We’ll need to examine him once he’s conscious. After that, Miss… Mrs. Anika, we’ll need to talk.”
Shivaay smoked in the silence of the farmhouse, listless and desolate. He watched his cell phone vibrate again, Priyanka calling it showed. He watched until the call disconnected. He checked the phone; twenty missed calls from Soumya, Twenty six from Rudra, thirty four from Priyanka and fifty seven from Om. Hundreds of texts flooded his phone; but not a call or text from her.
“Is she not concerned? Probably, I should have extended the contract or hadn’t made the contract at all or hadn’t met her in the first place. I still can’t understand if the last year was more painful or this year, this moment is?” he kept pondering uselessly, numbly. “Perhaps I’m going crazy” he thought to himself.
“Will I be able to live, separated to her for lifetime?” he asked it aloud to himself. “Anikaaaa…..” he shouted her names and the walls of the farmhouse echoed and shouted the name back at him. He smiled a bitter sweet smile but the phone beeped as a voicemail message popped up and played automatically.
“Shivaay, it’s me, Om. Bhabhi has fallen unconscious and doesn’t look in the best shape. Prinku told me she refused to take her medicine in the morning. Rudra is calling the doctor. Come home if you can. Sorry to bother you. Take care.” The message ended. As soon as Shivaay’s muddled brain understood the message, he sprang to his feet. The only thing that ruled his brain was “Is Anika all right?”
Hello everyone, it’s me Aashi. Thank you all for your continuous support and so much love. I’m so sorry for not thanking on the comments personally in the 21st chapter. Thank you Nandini, Niyati, UF, Fenil bhaiyu, Niriha Di, Nikita Di, Dinu and Alekhika Di for your beautiful comments. Thank you all for all the likes dislikes and comments. Do keep reading and take care.
Thank you, everyone
By Aashi.