The Exchange

Sab Kuch

He finally caught up to her as she was nearing the edge of the mountain, pulling her into his arms. "Akshu, tum pagal ho gayi ho kya??? Yeh kya kar rahi ho..agar gir jati toh??" he screamed angrily, his arms clutching her as tightly as possible. 

"Tum...ho...na...mere liye...", she gasped in between her breaths, tears falling from her eyes. 

"Akshu, breathe. Akshu breathe!", he exclaimed rubbing her back, trying to help her regain control over her breaths. But, no matter what he said, she did not calm down. 

"Akshu...Akshu baba...sing...acha sing...chalo Akshu, sing...", he said as he hummed for her to follow along. But, for the first time since they had met, she did not sing...him humming was not enough to bring her back. She had lost her voice a long time ago...her voice was no longer her own...and now, she did not even remember what it felt like to sing for herself.She did not even remember HOW to let her melodies flow from her heart...she only knew how to let them flow for Maya's success. But, that did not matter...at least not in this moment. As she had her Abhi...she had her music with her...she had her music holding her against his chest. 

A few minutes later, his presence finally started to help her relax until she could finally breathe on her own again. And as she stared into his eyes, she saw the thousands of questions rising to the surface...she saw him waiting for her to speak...and this time, he did not have to utter a single word. This time, she spoke on her own. 

"Abhi....", she cried. "Abhi...agar mein yeh sab nahi karti toh tumhara haath humesha kilye chala jata...woh bhi meri waje se..Abhi...Abhi..meri waje se tumhara haath kharab hua tha na...toh meri hi duty thi ki mein tumhe theek karun...ki mein tumhari pechaan wapis kardun..Abhi us waqt mere pas aur koi choice nahi thi...Dr. Kunal ne kaha tha ki agar mein yeh sab nahi karungi toh phir woh tumhari surgery nahi karenge...Abhi...I'm sorry Abhi....I'm so sorry tumhe itna dukh dene kilye...I'm so sorry tumhe itna pareshan karne kilye...liken Abhi...mein yeh sab karne kilye sorry nahi hoon...mein yeh sab doobara bhi kar deti... mein tumhare liye kuch bhi karsakti hoon Abhi...I love you Abhi...I love you so much Abhi..." she sobbed...kissing him all over his face, his hands...pouring all of the affection she had held back in the past year onto him...showering him with all of her love...showering him with her undying affection. 

But, he did not feel her love...he did not feel her affection. All her felt was a throb...a throb of agony that slowly took over his entire soul. He stared at her speechless, unable to say a single word. He felt his eyes losing focus, he felt the world spinning around him...and with that he lost his balance....with that, he was on the verge of falling off the mountain they were standing upon...but, she grabbed his hand, pulling him towards her with her entire might...she grabbed his hand and held her against him, both of them falling to the ground. She gasped in terror, holding his face, shaking his arms..."Abhi...ABHI...yeh kya tha??? Abhi mein hoon na girija...mein...toh phir yeh kya tha?? Agar tumhe kuch ho jata toh...Abhi kuch toh bolo...Abhi please..." she cried. 

Seeing her laying on top of him, seeing her so close to him...feeling her tears falling onto his cheeks, he finally spoke. He got up and pulled onto his lap, holding her as close as he could...clutching her as tightly as he could. "Agar mujhe kuch ho jata toh??" he weeped...his cries echoing through the mountains... nature hearing the depth of his heartbreak. "Agar mujhe kuch ho jata toh??", he asked again...

"Akshu...jhis din tum ne mujhe choda usi din mein mar gaya tha...Akshu tum ne yeh sab soch bhi kaise liya...Akshu mujse ek baar puch toh leti agar mujhe mera haath chaiye tha bhi ki nahi...tum ne kya ka...ki tum ne peri pechaan mujhe wapis kardi....Akshu...tum ne hi to mujse meri pechaan cheeni hai...Akshu meri pechaan, mera sab kuch tum hi toh ho...Akshu tumhare bina tumara Abhi kuch bhi nahi....I'm sorry Akshu, I'm sorry....I'm sorry ki mein tumhe samja nahi paya...I'm sorry ki mein tumhe theek se bata nahi paya....tum nahi toh mein nahi...Akshu..." he sobbed, cupping her face, stroking her hair. 

"Abhi tum kyun sorry bol rahe ho? Sab meri galti hai...Abhi mere waje se tumhe siraf dard milta hai....Abhi I'm sorry..." 

He put his hand over her mouth, not letting her utter a single other word. "Akshu, don't you dare...don't you dare..." he weeped. "Meri zindagi ki sab se badi khushi...mera sukoon... sab tum ho Akshu...sab tum ho....Akshu I love you....I love you...and I'm sorry....I'm sorry Akshu..." he sobbed, hugging her, embracing her, vowing to never let her go again...