DESTINED TOGETHER

12. || The Cosmo's ||

Debu hurriedly rushed towards the bathroom, stopping midway. He peeked through the slightly ajar door.

Ananya was sitting beneath the running shower, her face blank and devoid of any expression. Her dress was torn, exposing red patches and bruises from nail scratches that were visible from her forearms to her neck. Her hair was a tangled mess, and tears flowed down her face, mingling with the water. Hugging her knees tightly, she buried her head between them and screamed as loudly as she could, a sound filled with anguish and despair.

Debu gripped the doorknob tightly, stumbling on his feet as he took in the heart-wrenching sight before him. His heart sank with guilt and regret, seeing his beloved Ananya in such a state.

Gathering his courage, he took a few hesitant steps towards her. She flinched as he slipped on the wet tiles, falling face-first onto the floor.

Her eyes met his, filled with unspoken questions and hurt. Why hadn’t he listened to her? Did she really matter so little to him?

Tears continued to stream down her face, mingling with the water from the shower, a stark representation of her profound grief. Despite the deluge, her fresh tears were clearly visible, a testament to her pain.

Her cries grew louder as Debu crawled to her, wrapping his arms around her fragile, shivering body and pulling her close to his heart, burying her in his chest.

He held her tightly, trying to cover the nail marks with his hands, rubbing her back in a soothing motion to calm her cries.

"Annu, you need to stop crying. Look, it’s just a few scratches; they'll heal. You're so brave...I saw how you knocked him out cold outside," he said, his voice soft and filled with admiration as he wiped her tears away.

"N...no, Debu, you...you don’t understand. They...they tried to...they tried to..." Her voice cracked, and she started breathing heavily, her words choked with fear and pain.

"Shh...calm down, Annu. You're a strong girl. You’re not weak to cry over such assaults. You’re a strong woman...please stop crying," he reassured her, his heart breaking at the sight of her distress.

"I told you those people weren’t good," she said, her voice filled with accusation and hurt, as she continued to cry in his arms.

Suddenly, she pushed him hard, causing him to stumble and fall onto the floor. Hugging herself tightly, she sobbed uncontrollably again.

"I'm not worth it. I'll complete my work and leave...I should leave right now," she declared, standing up and moving towards the door.

Debu, refusing to let her go, grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him. "Leave me, Debu. I mean nothing to you, right? You didn’t listen to me; you don’t care about me. Leave me alone!" she shouted, her voice filled with bitterness and pain.

"Don’t ever say that again. Don’t ever say Debu is nothing without Ananya. And you won’t leave anything unfinished. You need to stay and fight, Ananya," he said, his voice firm and filled with conviction. He pulled her into a tight hug, whispering sweet reassurances in her ear, trying to calm her.

Turning her around gently, he kissed her forehead, promising to always be with her, through good days and bad. He rested his lips on her forehead for a good amount of time, conveying his sincerity and love before kissing her closed eyes tenderly.

He used his handkerchief to dry her tear-streaked face. She looked at him in amazement, her eyes filled with a mix of emotions. Before he could say anything more, she collapsed into his arms, unconscious from the overwhelming mental and physical stress.

Debu patted her cheeks, which were burning red, trying to rouse her. Seeing no response, he hurriedly carried her to the bedroom and gently laid her on the bed.

He carefully caressed her shoulders, where the red patches were starkly visible, his fingers trembling as he wiped the corners of his eyes. He considered calling Megha but decided against it, realizing that Ananya needed rest more than anything.

Opening the cupboard, he took out a fresh nightgown. Settling beside her, he carefully removed her torn clothes, averting his gaze to respect her privacy, and dressed her in the fresh clothes without opening his eyes even for a second.

He respected her deeply, more than he could express in words. Throwing the torn dress into the trash bin, he covered her fully from her toes to her shoulders, ensuring she was warm and comfortable.

His eyes fell on her marks again. Taking out some ointment, he gently applied it to her bruises, his tears flowing freely as he tended to her injuries.

"I promise, Annu...I won't let those bastards get away with this," he vowed, his voice choked with emotion and determination.

After kissing her forehead once more, he left the room with a burning rage in his eyes, determined to seek justice for Ananya as she fell into a deep, exhausted slumber.

.....