Abhimanyu sat in his cabin all afternoon, thinking about Akshu and how to stop her. He wasn't an emotional guy and barely ever cried. But when Mahima went to his cabin to find him, she found him with bloodshot eyes, tears streaming from his face.
She sat done next to him and took his hand. "Tayi-ji, she's leaving. She's going to Mumbai."
"Stop her."
"How? Under what excuse? She needs a reason to stay and I can't give her one."
"Abhimanyu, she does have a reason to stay. You." Mahima smiled at him.
"Me? She doesn't even want to see me. She doesn't love me."
"And who you told you she doesn't love you?"
Abhimanyu looked at his aunt, confused. "She did."
"Abhimanyu. I thought you knew your Akshara. She told you she doesn't love you and you believed her?" Mahima laughed.
Abhimanyu stared at her in silence.
"You know when she first came here, I always thought there was something missing in her. She looked pale like there was no life inside her. There was no light in her eyes. Even when she smiled, there was so much sadness behind it. And then? She started to spend time with you.....she started to get some color in her face, her smiles started to meet her eyes and her eyes? They sparkled, Abhimanyu. She started to radiate happiness. I could hear it in her voice when she sang. In her laughter. And that was all because of you."
Abhimanyu shook his head.
"Abhimanyu, listen to me. Do you know when she was in the hospital unconscious, do you know what was the only thing she kept saying?"
Abhimanyu sat up. "What, Tayi-ji?"
"Abhi. Abhi. Abhi." Mahima smiled at her nephew. "I tried everything to get her fever to go down but she woke up only when she felt your presence. If that's not love, what is?"
"But Tayi-ji....."
"Abhimanyu. Akshara has gone through a lot in her life. I don't know what but I can see the struggle in her to just live. She needs time to realize her feelings. She needs to trust you. But most importantly, she needs time and help in getting over whatever trauma she has. Now it's up to you to decide if she's worth giving your time for. It's up to you to decide if she's worth fighting for. Think about it carefully before you decide on anything." Mahima said getting up.
"I don't need time to think about it, Tayi-ji. I already know." Abhimanyu cleaned his tears and looked at his aunt.
Mahima nodded and walked out.
++++++++++
Badi Mama took Akshu's hand and pulled her. "Chalo."
"Kahan?"
"Bas bohat hogaye. Aaj ke baad tum meri bachi ke baare mein bura nahi sochogi. Chalo mere saath." Said Badi Mama pulling her towards Mimi's room.
Akshu went and sat next to Mimi on her bed. Badi Mama left the room and came back with several boxes.
"Badi Mumma, please mujhe batao kya ho raha hai?" Akshu asked her.
"Kya hai na Akshu, tumhe lagta hai ke hamari bachi pyar ke kabil nahi. Manhoos hai. Koi usse pyar nahi karta toh aaj tumhe sab sach jana ki zaroorat hai." Badi Mama said as she sat next to Akshu and Mimi opening boxes and taking out pictures and after pictures. "Yeh dekho." She handed Akshu a picture.
Akshu took it and looked at it. It was of Bade Papa with an odd expression on his face, his hair messy wearing a T-shirt with a cartoon character. Akshu had only seen her grand-father dressed in suits, always looking impeccable. "Bade Papa aise kyun hai?"
