The Exchange

Rot in Hell

He watched her staring out the window in the back of the taxi. She was holding his hand and she was with him...and yet, she was also so far away. He wished he knew every little thing she was thinking about...he wished he could replace her fears with nothing but happiness. But, he sat in silence, watching her, looking after her. He knew she would need time...he knew they would take time...but they would make it out together. 

After a few minutes, she suddenly turned her head. "Abhi?" she asked softly. 

"Tum theek toh ho na Akshu, kya hua?", he asked panicking, pulling her closer to him.

"Abhi...woh mujhe...woh mujhe Dr. Kunal se baat karni hai...kya hum jail ja sakte hain?"

He looked at her uneasily, he looked at her in shock. She saw the concern and panic in his eyes, gently squeezing his hand...

"Abhi please...." 

Seeing the desperation in her eyes, he told the driver to take them to the local jail. No matter how worried he was, he would not stop her from doing what she wanted to do...from doing what she had to do. 

***

As they pulled into the gateway of the jail, she took a deep breath, looking down at her trembling hands. She felt her heart pounding within her chest, but she knew she needed closure. She knew she needed to say everything she had kept buried within her for the past year. She knew that was the only way she could move forward. She felt Abhi's eyes staring intently at her, nodding at him in reassurance. He slowly helped her out of the car, grabbing her with both of his hands when she lost her balance yet again.

"Akshu...tumhari halath theek nahi hai...hum wapis aajayenge kisi aur din...chalo abhi kilye hotel chalo..." he said softly. 

"Nahi, Abhi. Mujhe aaj hi baat karni hogi", she said...not looking at him, knowing that if she saw the concern, the love in his eyes, she might not be able to hold herself steady. 

And when they got inside, she asked him to wait behind her. That she knew he was worried, that she knew he wanted to keep her safe. But she had to fight this one small battle on her own. That she had to confront her demons..."Abhi...mein janti hoon ki tum mujhse kitna pyaar karte ho..mein janti hoon ki tum mujhe dard mein nahi dekh sakte...lekin Abhi yeh mujhe khud karna hoga..." 

As desperately as he wanted to follow behind her, to desperately as he wanted to keep her in his arms, he reluctantly let go, telling her that he would be waiting for her right here if she needed him...telling her to just say his name...to just imagine him next to her and he would appear. She softly cupped his face, telling him that she knew. 

He told six police officers to go with her, warning them that if she came back with even a single tear in her eyes, the slightest scratch on her body, he would make sure they never saw the light of day again.

And with that, she walked to Kunal's jail cell, rubbing her trembling hands, telling herself to hold steady. The minute Kunal saw her, he looked up at her, ready to tell her how she had destroyed everything, how he would never forgive her. But, today it was her turn to speak. Today, he would listen. "Dr. Khera....aaj mein bolungi....aur aap siraf suno ge...", she said, her voice shaking. 

"Aaj tak joh kuch bhi aap ne mujhse manga, mein ne diya...mein ne aap ko apna sab kuch dediya...mein ne Maya ke career kilye apne Abhi ko bhi kurbaan kardiya...liken Dr. Khera ab jab mein apne Abhi ko dekhti hoon na...woh bilkul badal chuka hai...woh bilkul toot chuka hai...uski ankon se jaan ja chuki hai...aur Dr. Khera joh apne mere sath kiya na...us kilye mere pas aap se koi bhi complaint nahi hai...kyunki aap ne meri Abhi ko uska haath wapis kiya hai....liken aap ki waja se jo mere Abhi ki halath hogayi hai na ab...us kilye mein aap ko kabi maaf nahi kar payungi...kabhi nahi....aur ab mere maan se bas ek hi cheez nikalti hai...rot in hell Dr. Khera..." 

With that, she turned around, not wanting to see his face for a second longer. And behind her, she saw her Abhi standing, clutching onto the wall, tears dripping down his face. His Akshu had withstood an year of torture, an year of solitude, an year of unbearable pain...and yet, what she could not forgive Kunal for....what she was telling him to rot in hell for...was him...her Abhi...what had he done to deserve such all consuming, such infinite love?