Promised Love

39. bgm : heartbreak

I had reached Dharmaya's office with my heart in my mouth and nerves shot up. The flames and fumes coming out of the building did little to comfort me, add to that the sirens of fire the truck and the huge crowd of people and reporters.

I had shoved aside everyone who came in my way to reach the entry gate but the fireman didn't let me past the door. In my state of numbness and shock, it took me a little while to understand that the trapped people had been escorted out a while ago and had been taken to the hospital. But when I did realise, I didn't waste anymore time and rushed to the private hospital.

With Vikrant hot on my heels I enter the gate of the hospital. With so much going in my head I didn't even catch the name of the hospital, but right now that's the least of my worries.

"Abhimanyu Malhotra and Anil Malhotra." I practically yell at the receptionist. "They were brought here from Dharmaya Properties."

She nods quickly and scans through her computer. I tap on the table impatiently when she takes too long for such a small task.

"Can you do it fast please." I snap growing giddier and giddier with tension. Who the fuck hired her incompetent ass?

After thousand hours she finally responds by telling me that Abhimanyu is in the ER because of a minor burn and dad is admitted in the ICU-

I don't bother to hear anything after ICU since my body involuntarily starts running towards it. Please let dad be okay.

After asking a few nurses the direction on the way I reach the ICU in record time. For a few minutes I stand frozen in front of it. My brain goes MIA, I faintly hear someone asking me to sit down and the commotion in the hospital seems like its faraway. It feels like I am in a movie scene, everything is moving in slow motion and a painful music is blaring in the background.

My trance finally breaks when I spot a nurse exiting the unit. I immediately rise up from the chair- I don't remember sitting down but I'll worry about that later.

"Excuse me, is everything okay inside? Will he be fine?"

The nurse opens her mouth to answer but takes one look at me and her eyes widen. "Ma'am you need to calm down okay. You are shaking."

It's only after she calls me out that I realise I am infact shaking. I bite my cheek and try to even my breathing.

"I...I will be fine. Just please tell me is dad okay? Please."

Her expression softens. "He is out of danger, ma'am. It wasn't very serious but since he is an asthama patient , breathing in even minimum fumes turned out to be sort of threatening to him. Otherwise everything is alright. The doctor will keep him for observation overnight and if everything goes well then he'll be discharged tomorrow." She explains kindly.

Every word that leaves her mouth loosens the coil of fear inside me.
"Thank you. Thank you so much." I am so happy I could hug her right now but I settle for shaking her hand gratefully. She smiles sweetly and walks away.

Now that I know for sure Dad is okay I turn to a corner and call up mom to let her know about everything. By the time I wrap up the call two doctors emerge out of the ICU.
"Are you Mr. Anil Malhotra's family?" The one with salt and pepper hair asks.

I nod. "I am his daughter-in-law."

"Alright. He is doing very well. You can go see him now if you want, he is probably resting. But, first there are a couple of papers you need to sign."

He leads the way into an office where he presents me with some paperwork. I quickly run my eyes through them before signing. They aren't much, it's all about the fees we have to pay and the basic care guidelines. Once I am done with them I bolt out of the office and run down to the ER where the tortoise receptionist from earlier had said Abhimanyu is.