Hello Everyone.
Chapter 53
Because true love always wins !!
Karthik’s POV.
“She is not.” Virat says and smiles.
“She is not ?!!” Naira and me ask at the same time.
Virat shakes his head and smiles.
“When I woke up in the hospital bed and the doctors told me that I was very lucky to be alive, I started thinking. Maybe there was someone who wanted me to live. Maybe it was Alia. May be Anushka. They wanted me to live a fulfilling life which they couldn’t. Or that’s what I thought. Anyway, from that moment on, I banished all thoughts of killing myself. I resolved that I would sort out my issues and emerge stronger. I was sure Alia and Anushka both would have wanted me to live.” He says.
“And us.” Keerti says and smiles. Virat smiles back.
“How could you forget us ?!!” Keerti purs in cutely.
“And yes, you guys. So, I called up Anushka’s home in London. The people I had called when you were in Mumbai ?!! The ones who told me that her parents had to go back to India because of the death of their daughter.” Virat adds.
“Yes, I remember.” Naksh says and we nod.
“I took Anushka’s parents’ number from them. It took me three days to muster up the courage to call them. But when I did, I was in for a shock.” he says with a smile.
“What ?!! Anushka is alive !!” Naira exclaims.
“Exactly.” he says and smiles at us.
“You’re not kidding, right ?!!” Naira asks.
“No !! Why would I ?!!” he says.
Needless to say, I am stunned. I am too confused and too happy to say anything.
“Umm … if you don’t mind … can we see her ?!!” Naira asks.
Yes, a part of us still says that Virat has gone crazy.
“Sure. Come with me.” Virat says.
We all get up. My heart starts to pump furiously. Whatever has happened since day one flashes before my eyes. It’s so strange. Anushka is not dead ?!!
I walk right beside Virat and he takes us to the adjacent room. I am sweating and I feel I’ll pass out from the anticipation. He creaks open the door.
My eyes dart around the room to spot Anushka. The girl from the diary. The girl we searched for across the country. The girl we thought was alive when she was dead. And dead when she was alive.
We finally see her. There is she, lying on the bed. I have seen her pictures by now. Virat had sent me some a month back, but she looks nothing like that.
She is barely recognizable. Her skin is not the pale colour that I saw in the pictures. Her hands are not smooth like a small kid’s. Her hair is not the black cascading waves that Virat had described them to be and I had seen in the pictures.
I wonder if it’s even her. I look at her intently as we go close to her. Yes, it is her. Her eyes are exactly like what I had seen. It is Anushka, in front of us, finally.
Anushka is in a single, long, white robe that covers most of her. The skin on her body is a strange tinge of pink and black. It’s the same, on her hands, her face, her toes, everywhere.
Her hair, where there is any left, is a crumpled mess, but she has lost most of it. She is making some sounds like she is
in pain. I am aghast.
Naira, who has been holding my hand, clutches it tighter and her nails dig in. I
look at Naksh and Keerti and they have the same expression on their faces.
Of terror and bewilderment. Just looking at her is so painful.
Anushka is burnt beyond recognition !!
It looks like the blast and the fire had totally consumed her body. She isn’t missing any of her limbs, but her skin is totally charred. It’s terrifying.
Virat goes and sits on the bed and asks us to sit. He looks lovingly at her, holds her hand and kisses her forehead. She purrs between the moans of pain.
The expression on his face—when he looks at her says, “Isn’t she beautiful ?!!”—is unbelievable.
Had it not been for Virat, the question would have been a cruel joke. But we know that he means it and he says it because he still sees her like that. She is still the most beautiful thing to him.
“Is she in pain ?!!” Naira asks Virat softly.
Anushka slowly opens her eyes and looks at us.
“I am.” she says and smiles at us. Her voice is a little throaty.
“But I’m getting better.” Anushka adds.
I guess that’s from the blast too. I feel so sorry for her. She looks very bad. With the kind of burns on her body, I think she is really lucky to be alive.
“We have heard so much about you.” Naira says and smiles.
“I have heard about all of you too.” she says. Her voice gives way a few times. She can barely talk.
“Had you not tried to find me, I would never have gotten him back. Thank you.” Anushka says as she looks at Virat lovingly.
“It’s the least we could do.” I say.
“You should rest.” Virat says and looks at Anushka. She smiles at him and closes her eyes.
“We’ll wait outside.” Naira says and we leave the room.
The door is still ajar and we look inside the room. Virat whispers something in her ears and Anushka smiles, almost laughs a little.
He hugs her and it seems like they would never leave each other. It looks like they attempt to say ‘bye’ a million times before Virat can finally leave her side. He kisses her hand about a zillion times before he lets it go.
“Sorry.” Virat says as he comes out of the room. He is smiling his widest.
We go back to the living room and take our places on the sofa.
“Isn’t she perfect ?!! Can you believe that she says she loves me ?!! It’s amazing.” he says and smiles fondly.
“She might not be beautiful to you, I understand that, but she is still very pretty to me. She will always be.” Virat adds.
Naira holds Virat’s hand and tells him, “Virat, you’re the nicest guy I have ever met. Please don’t do anything stupid like you did a few days back.”
Naira starts crying and Keerti joins in.
“Oh.” Virat says as both of them hug him.
“I won’t. And now that I have Anushka, I have all the will to live again. I am the happiest I could ever have been.” Virat admits.
“Where are her parents ?!!” Keerti asks between her sobs. She is now crying like a baby, almost howling.
“They are out to see her doctor. But why are you crying, Keerti ?!!” He says and asks at the same time.
“I am just so happy for you both.” she says
and hugs him again.
“That’s sweet.” Virat says and hugs her back.
“But why did the folks in London tell you that there was a death in the family ?!!” Naira asks.
“They must have assumed it. Anushka’s parents had rushed to Delhi as soon as they got to know that Anushka was in the blast and was critically hurt. When the people in London did not hear from her
parents, they assumed that she must have died … Her parents were supposed to go back to London in a month or two, but …” he trails off.
“Supposed to ?!! Now they are not ?!!” I ask.
“Nope. They have plans in Delhi now.” Virat answers.
“What plans ?!!” Naira asks.
Virat smirks and says, “They have to get their daughter married off.”
“What ?!!” Naksh almost blurts out.
“I already have the ring. Her parents have agreed to it. I just need to ask her now.” Virat says.
He gets up and fishes something out from a drawer nearby. It’s ring case. He hands it over to Keerti and Naira, who open it and their eyes pop out as they see the ring.
I don’t know much about rings, but the diamond in that one is f**king huge.
“You’re going to ask her to marry you ?!!” Keerti asks.
He nods.
Naira and Keerti look at Virat as if to say, ‘Awww.’
“She might say no, though.” he says, the
enthusiasm in his voice dipping.
“Why would she do that ?!!” Naira asks, almost offended.
“I don’t know. She has hinted that she would.” He says.
“But why would she do that ?!! You’re the best guy anyone could ever have. I will talk to her.” Keerti says, almost like a little kid, and looks at Virat.
“Doctors don’t give her more than four months to live.” Virat says.
What ?!! Suddenly, the atmosphere turns gloomy again.
“Don’t make faces yet.” he says and tries to smile.
“I will make her live. Now that I have her back, she is not going anywhere.” Virat adds.
We try to smile too, but our eyes have only sadness and horror.
Virat adds, “Anushka has to live. For me. And she will. I will make her live.”
A lone tear trickles down his cheek.
Precap : Epilogue !!
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I know you guys are wondering why there is a precap when this is the last Chapter of the FF. Well I have decided that I would be ending this FF with an epilogue.
So wait for the epilogue as it would show what happens next in the lives of Virushka, Kaira and Keesh.
Also I would be mentioning the name of the book which was the inspiration for this FF in the epilogue.
Do comment. Keep smiling. Keep watching Yrkkh !!