Hiding Behind Smiles

20| Trauma.

T/W: panic attack and trauma.

Ridhhant's POV

I woke up to see the bed empty. I groaned and got up and got freshened. It's been a well since her birthday and these days were days of happiness. I don't want this to end, this life with her.
I descended the stairs and she was playing with Olly, "Good morning Firefly, happy isn't it?" I asked with a smirk.

"Shut up! The breakfast is on the table go serve, I'll serve Olly and come." She said I was shocked.

What was her job, again?

She turned to me after realising what she said with eyes wide, "Sorry! Okay I'll serve Olly first and then I'll come."

"I envy Olly." I said and went to Olly and sat on my knees, "Hello man, taking my attention away Haan?" I asked massaging behind his ears.

"Shut up Ridh!" She said and I chuckled again.

We ate our breakfast and headed to our office.

-

Naina's POV

I was working till my phone rang I saw it was an unknown number but it said the location of Jaipur. I frowned and picked it up.

"Hello?" I said.

"Is it personal assistant of Ridhhant Gupta speaking?" My frown deepened. "Yes? How may I help you?"

"Can you please give your phone to him for once?"

"Uh umm, let me check if he is free."

I knocked on his door and entered after hearing 'come in' and he was sitting their working on his laptop.

"There's someone wanting to talk to you.." I said and he looked up,"...from Jaipur." I added and he tensed visibly.

"Speaker," he whispered and I nodded.

"Hello?" Ridh said.

"Yes Mr. Gupta this is Jaipur Central Jail.." Ridh's face paled and I was getting worried, "...there's this couple Mr. Roop Sinha and Mrs. Maya Sinha, they want to see you as their last wish." Last wish?

"O-okay  I'll..I'll come soon." He said and snatched my phone and cut the call and fell on his knees.

"Ri-Ridhh?!" I said and rushed to him and hugged him. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"Ca-can we go home please?" He whispered so weakly that my heart crumbled on the sight.

"Sure." I said and in a swift we went out of the office leaving all the work, I canceled all the meetings.

Now we are in my room on the bed and he was still shaking.

"Baby there's nothing to worry, if you don't wanna go then it's okay." I said caressing his hair. "They..they are the ones who abu..abusedd me." He said and I stopped.

What?! Abuse? Jail?!

"Can you please tell me everything only if you are okay." I said softly caressing his cheek and looking down at him and he looked up and flashed me a sad smile.

He told me how he was told to steal by them and the chief of maids harassed his mother and...raped her before him and he was crying. 

I was enraged and sad. I was worried how will Ridh faced them again.

"There's o-one mmo-re th-thing." He said looking down biting his lips. "What?"

"The chief of maids?" He asked and I hummed. "I-i killed him." He said and my eyes bulged out.

"What!?" I said loudly and regretted it the very moment when Ridh sinked in more in my arms. "Sorry, it's okay; continue. He was bad." I said as if coaxing a child, I know he was the child who was fragile and lost right now, who was afraid of people.

"He ki-killed Maa and was coming t-towards me with a kni-knife I snatched it and stabbed him in his thigh." He said and continued, "A-and then slit his th-throat. I-i was scared..sorry!" He cried and hugged me right. I told him to take deep breathes and took some breathe too. My heart was beating fast and it hurt me to know I didn't exactly know how Ridh was feeling. How his mind was taking this.

"No Ridh, no sorry. He was a bad person."

"Then I used it to run away from the bad uncle and aunty and ran away without even lo-looking back. Maa was there in blood...i left her. She was limp and her dull eyes stared at me but I ran away. I-i was just 9. I left Maa alone, I couldn't love her like the perfect son," he said between his hiccups.

"I'll bring you water okay?" I said getting up and he hugged me tighter.

"No-no don't leave." My heart shattered seeing him like this so I pulled him close, "I'm not leaving you Ridh. Never, I'll bring water..okay you come with me?" I asked and he reluctantly nodded.

He held my hand and followed me like a lost puppy. My phone was on the dining table and was ringing again and again. "I'll take the phone..seems urgent." I said to Ridh and he nodded but still came behind me.

I frowned seeing Nandini aunty's name and picked it up and put it on speaker glancing at Ridh. "NAINA AND RIDH WHERE ARE YOU!? I'VE BEEN CALLING HIM FOR SO LONG BUT HE IS BUSY MAKING LOVE?! HIS FATHER WAS THERE UNCONSCIOUS IN THE HOSPITAL ROOMS AND WHAT WERE YOU GUYS DOING!!!!" She roared and I flinched a but and Ridh looked terrified.

"O-okay aunty we are coming which hospital?"

"City hospital," she spatted and cut the call. "Ridh it's okay if you want to stay."

"No! I'll come." He said in a rush and we both rushed to his car.

"Will you be able to drive?" I ask worriedly and he nodded. "I'm fine Naina." He said and I nodded with worried eyes.

My heart was about to explode. I didn't know what happened to uncle and here Ridh's condition didn't help. Seeing the chaos I wanted to run away from the tension.

But who'll take care of my Ridh? I had to be strong though my hands were shaking.  Ridh was having a panic attack, he should be resting but we're rushing to the hospital.

We rushed into the VIP section of hospital after asking the receptionist.

We went inside to see Atharva, Maya, Maa Papa & Bhumika and aunty sitting beside the bed and uncle on the bed.

"Papa?" Ridh said and moved closer and Uncle smiled. "Wha-what happened?"

"Stupid heart attack. I'm fine now." Uncle said patted his head.

"Fine my foot! Where were you Haan? Busy with Naina?! This is what you do after we give you a home to live?!" Aunty yells and I flinch.

"Maa i-"

"Shut up! A person sleeping on pavements! What can we expect more!" She yelled and gasps filled the room.

No this shouldn't be happening.

"Nandini stop." Uncle said and I looked at Ridh.
He was shaking! The call and now this.

"No Bhargav, you shouldn't have wasted your time on this person. He isn't our son by blood, and now he proved he isn't even our son!" She said.
"Nandini stop! You're saying anything in anger."

Aunty was about to say when Ridh fell on his knee. And all gasped again. While I didn't know how to react.

"Ridh!"  I immediately rushed towards him and hugged him. "Hey..hey everything is good," I said stammering because this doesn't happen everyday and I didn't know how to react,"Maa is just angry nothing else. Breather Ridh breathe."

"No-no I'm..i'm a bad son.." he said started to move away from the bed shaking his head with ragged breathing.

And then he got up and ran away leaving all of us in shock.

~•~•~

Ok so writing his panic attack, my hands were shaking and my heart was about to explode.

I wrote what I felt. If I was Naina I'd be shaking.

This makes me a good writer or a bad one?