Heyo!! Changed the title.. I had mentioned it.. Manmarziyan-A new story will from now on be posted with the title “Love Is All You Need”…
Back with the next one… lalalalalala… baby Jai!! Sweeto!! My mom ended up gaping at the update.. she’s like.. “are you an engineering student or a gynaecologist?” ????.. Paa as usual went on with his scientific lecture… scientist he be.. my sister the poor kid.. she only understood that Niti is not well n was like Arjun is scared now.. I’m like.. ok…
Here is the next one.. Akash.. haha.. he always scolds Niti.. now what?
But Manha.. babe make sure to read this and text me.. we’ll see what to do next ??.. pretty please read okay?
I’m closing my blabbering mouth.. lolz..
Please do bear with my typos and grammatical errors..
Enjoy..
Happy reading ??
Akash waited for Dr. Ram to walk out of us cabin. He knew that he had to leave to check the OPs in the next ten minutes. He thought to wait. No, it’d look like stalking. He walked to the next room, which was the waiting room. He said a mother sitting with her little son who was chewing on her dupatta. He smiled as a memory struck him. His sister and her daughter. Who had shifted overseas. The fight that his brother in law had created had caused a big rift which led to the family to break. The little kid would always run holding her mother’s dupatta and have the ends of it in her mouth. She would come to him and chew his face and break his glasses because of which he was forced to change over to contacts. Now that she was not there, he switched back to glasses.
The little boy came to him “dadaa” he smiled a toothless one.
“What’s your name buddy?” Akash smiled.
“Aash” he smiled.
“What?” he asked.
“Akash” his mother answered from behind.
“I’m Akash too” he smiled.
“Dadaa” the kid said again.
“I’m not dada” Akash said to which the kid looked confused.
“He’s doctor uncle” his mother said.
With the mention of doctor the kid backed from him. Kids are scared of doctors. The mothers say a lot scary things about doctors to make the kids listen to them. Akash chuckled as e stood up. He saw Dr. Ram walking out.
“Bye buddy, see ya” he ruffled his hair and walked out.
He got in and started to search the huge drawers. He couldn’t find Niti’s reports. He pulled his hair. He searched the files on the table, but couldn’t find. How stupid of him? Niti was a doctor. And a special patient. It won’t be kept in a place easily accessible. He looked his desk drawers. He pulled. It was locked. He went on banging the table in frustration. He hit a corner and a drawer popped from the top. It had few files. He took them and checked it. It was the files of big shots. Some Bollywood celebrities, some politicians and then, there it was. A blue file that had all of Niti’s details. He went through them and his eyes widened. He had been so careless. He had been assuring a worried Ankush that the headaches Niti was having were more related to work pressure. Ankush would walk out though he was unsatisfied. But what riled him up was she had missed her surgery twice. He had heard her ask him to book the next surgery next week. He knew how she was going to be covering it up. There was a medical conference on measles and rubella (MR) that was coming up. Regarding the vaccination. Two week long conference in Delhi. He was sure that Manha was attending too. She was a doctor too. And she with Niti always. She had to know it. He still remembered the face of a terrified Ankush. It was the day before his engagement. He loved her so much.
Two and a half months ago..
“Akash you free?” came a worried Ankush.
“I’m free. What’s wrong? You ok? Aunty? Dada ji?” he asked.
“All are fine. I’m good. It’s Niti” he said all quick.
“What about her?” he asked.
“Her headache” Ankush replied.
“What about it?” he asked.
“She was in pain. Terrible pain. Looked like she would die if the pain didn’t subside” Ankush said all panicked.
“It can be a massive migraine too. Calm Ankush. She’s working too much and you know it. She’s taken up the preparations of your engagement. And I know you love her too much. Please calm. You have your engagement tomorrow” he sighed.
“I do love her. She too does” Ankush sighed.
“How?” he asked.
“I just know. She knows to cover it up well” he sighed.
“Ankush let it go. You need to move on. You’re getting married to another woman. Not Niti. Get over it Ankush” he said as he banged his hands on the table.
“I’ll leave. Please come tomorrow. Don’t forget” Ankush sighed and walked out.
……….
“Oh god!! How did I not take this seriously? And that velcro!! I’ll kill her. It’s no joke. She’s having a stage two brain tumor. God astrocytoma. I need to let Neil know. The others know. Now I understand why she’s rejecting Ankush. Let Sam her discharged tomorrow. I’ll tell them all” he said to himself as his jaw grew hard.
“Yeah I’ve got the medicines” he heard a familiar voice.
He looked out to see Manha. She had a brown paper bag filled with tablets and stuffed it in her handbag. He grew more annoyed. He knew she was talking to Niti. He stormed out. She for the call and saw him standing in front of her all angry.
“What now?” she scowled.
“Why didn’t you tell anyone?” he hissed as he caught her shoulders.
“What?” she asked confused.
“This” he sneered as he showed her the file.
“That’s a file. What about it?” she looked more confused.
Niti’s reports” he snapped.
“Where did you get that from? Dr. Ram was supposed to be the only one who was supposed to have it” she snapped.
“Why didn’t you tell?” he asked.
“She asked me not to” she replied.
“What?” he looked speechless.
“Yes anything for her” she said “forget you saw this. Dare you to tell anyone” she patted his cheek and walked.
“What do you think of yourself?” he screamed.
“Dare you to pull my hand” her hand lashed at his cheek as she glared at him.
She pulled her arm and walked away. Akash stood there holding his cheek. Now Manha was scared. Akash knew. He was not the one to shut up. Niti wanted to keep this hidden. She knew this was wrong and she was taking her side. Niti was all alone. She didn’t want people worrying about her. She was sure Akash would question Niti.
“Here you go Niti” Manha get her her medicines.
“Why are you angry?” she asked.
“Why can’t you get your surgery done? Why are you prolonging? It’s astrocytoma. It spreads rapidly Niti. It’s neither benign nor malignant” Manha screamed.
“It’s malignant. It’s anaplasma” she said cooly.
“Still you’re cool” Manha screamed.
“Can you please keep quiet? I have a bad headache. Please” she pleaded.
“Does it hurt too much?” Manha asked calm.
“Yes” she replied as she popped in five different coloured pills.
“I sometimes see double. My visions blur” she sighed.
“Isn’t it possible to make it any sooner?” Manha asked.
“I asked Dr. Ram. He said it’s only next week possible. And we have the MR conference coming. For two weeks. Best way to escaped.
“So you’re opting for radiotherapy?” Manha asked.
“Yes” she replied.
“Hair loss” Manha said.
“Hair loss only at exposed area. I can manage” she said.
“Niti that has side effects. Cause it’s head part” Manha said.
“I know. What to do? Mouth ulcers. Sore throat. Won’t be able to taste” she sighed.
“Couldn’t you get it checked earlier?” Manha screamed.
“I was having mild headaches ever since my accident. And you know it too. So, I thought it was that” she sighed.
“Careless idiot” Manha scolded.
“Please. It hurts. Doc says I may not able it as the previous injury was a massive one and the tumor is near the wound” she sobbed “scold. Scold as much as you want. It might be my last days” she sobbed.
“I’ll give you one just like I…” Manha stopped.
“Like you?” she asked.
“Like I slapped a mechanic yesterday” Manha lied.
“Why did you slap him?” she asked.
“Because he had fiddled with my car perfume” she reasoned.
“For that?” she laughed.
“Yes” she replied.
She was happy that she had distracted Niti. Those pains needed more of distraction than painkillers. She was going to fight this. She had to come back. For Ankush. She was going to be by her best friend. She just wished for Akash to not come home or barge into her cabin now. She couldn’t tell her about her fight with Akash. About him knowing it all. The headache would only increase the pressure and help in multiplication of cells. She didn’t want that.
“Let’s go meet little Malhotra” she chimed as she got up.
“You sure you’re ok?” Manha asked.
“I’m good. My nephew is my therapy now” she smiled and walked out with Manha.
Niti controlled her throbbing headache with the nausea feeling building up and played with jai. Three pairs of eyes never left her.
Manha. Akash. Ankush.
Manha worried about her wobbling. The tablets were high dosage ones. Ankush could see her cringing and then covering up her pain with a smile. Akash shook his head with a sad smile watching her cover her pain well. If it was for a normal person they’d have thought her to be smiling all happy,but close ones know you too well. Manha spent her share of time with little Jai and looked at Akash. Their eyes locked for seconds before she was ignored by Jai’s whimper. Niti smiled trying to gather herself to walk, but she stumbled due to the effects of the medicine. Manha caught her up straight and she saw that Ankush was supporting Niti on the other side. He glared at Akash who in turn sighed turning his face away not able to face him.
“Are you okay?” asked a panicked Sam.
“I’m good” Niti replied.
“She didn’t eat. Maybe due to that” Manha said.
“You didn’t eat the whole day?” Ankush asked to which she nodded.
“Are you insane chutki?” Arjun scolded.
“Can you just keep quiet?” Niti screamed as she ran out of the cabin holding her building nausea.
Manha ran behind with Akash and Ankush rushing. Akash stopped watching them both go. Ankush eyed Akash who looked tensed. She was going worse.
“Akash tell me what it is?” Ankush asked.
“She hasn’t eaten in the day. Nausea happens” he replied.
“I know it’s something else” Ankush snapped.
“It’s not. You’re overthinking” he replied walking away.
He had to show the reports to all. They had to know. They had the right to. He was not going to make her be careless. If this was the reason why she was rejecting Ankush, there was no escape for her.
“Is Niti ok?” Prerna asked as Ankush entered.
“She’s with Manha” he replied.
“Ankush stop caring for her. You’re getting married to Anitha” Mala scolded.
“Can you stop scolding him maa? Radhika scolded holding her baby bump.
Sam was discharged the next day and was taken to the Khanna’s. She was supposed to stay in her maternal home for the next five months. Neil hugged Jai to him.
“I’ll come and meet you in the evening okay? Miss you” he smiled pecking his son’s head.
It was a day off for Bird Song. The whole gang was at Neil’s place. Nell did miss Sam a lot. Ankush stared at Niti who was busy smiling selecting clothes for her little nephew with Manha. Just then Akash arrived. Manha looked at him and gasped. He had the file with him. Niti looked at her her and then Akash. She too gaped as she saw the file in his hand. Her report. How did he get it?
“From where did you get that?” Niti screamed.
“You found out. Half of my work here is done” he smirked.
“What do you mean?” Arjun asked.
“What is it Niti?” Ankush asked.
Why ask her what you can see this for “yourself” he smirked.
“Bakru no” she screamed.
“Give it to me” Neil snatched it and read it.
“What the hell. Gudiya” he looked shocked.
“I hate you for this” Manha hissed.
“They have the right to know” he shrugged his shoulders.
“You knew this too Manha?” Neil asked.
“Yes” she replied.
“Why did you hide this from us all?” Ankush asked devastated “is this why you rejected me?” he asked.
“Ankush please” Niti whispered.
“No tell me” he screamed.
“It’s a malignant. Dangerous. She’s missed her surgery twice” Akash said.
“Yes” Niti replied.
“How can you be so dumb? You thought I’d let you go?” he pulled her to him.
Do you want to die again? We got you “now” Neil’s eyes welled up.
“This is why I didn’t tell you” she said.
“I may not survive. The tumor is very close to my wound” she sighed.
“Niti we can fight this together. Please. Just say it once. It hurts to see you like this” Ankush cupped her face.
“What about Anitha?” she asked.
“I’ll talk to her” he said to which she frowned.
“Ankush please go, live. There’s no possibilities of me living after this surgery. Do you want to spend the rest of your life with a cancer patient?” she sobbed clutching fistfuls of his shirt.
“No way you’re saying that. One more time you say that I’ll kiss you hard” he held her face hard.
“With what right can you kiss me?” she laughed between tears.
“That’s because I love you. Please say that you love me too” he pleaded.
“Okay. I love you too” she smiled.
“What did you say?” he asked confused to which everyone laughed.
“You asked me to say “I love you too”. I just did that” she smiled.
“You love me?!” he screamed in happiness.
(A/N: I just made her say it you idiot. ??)
“No she loves Teji” Neil facepalmed himself.
“No. I love him. I love Ankush” Niti poked her tongue out at Neil as her arms looped around his neck.
“I love you too. I promise, we’re in this together. You’ll be back good as new” he pecked her forehead.
Thank God, I got to see this before I die” Prerna sobbed.
“Typical daily soap” Neil rolled his eyes.
“Senti mom” Niti chuckled.
“Finally she confessed!!” Radhika blew a breath eating gajar ka halwa.
“Aunty I’ll stay here. I love your gajar ka halwa” she spoke mouthfuls.
“I got a son in law” Prerna fed Ankush halwa “you too eat” she fed Niti.
“I’m not losing you again” she cupped her face.
“I’m not leaving” Niti spoke in between tears.
Manha heaved a sigh of relief and Akash smiled as he saw it all. He was proud of himself. He quietly slipped his arm around Manha’s waist pulling her to him.
So… there we go.. the most awaited confession… confession of the century… phew .. *sigh of relief*… *Grins sheepishly*… Yey yey yey… next one is fun too.. Manha how was this?! Hope the others liked it too.. don’t forget to comment.. signing off… Tata Babaye.. love you all loads.. TC… keep smiling… bear hugs to all of you ??