In the World of Variables You are my Constant

27. Forgive

AAKANKSHA:

A wave of nausea hit me waking me from my sleep.

"Stop the car, I need to vomit" I said covering my mouth with my hand.

"What! Don't ruin the car cherry. I am stopping, just hold on." Rohit said pulling the car to the side.

This idiot loves cars more than anything.

Rushing out I puked my guts out. All the while Karthik was behind me rubbing my back soothingly and holding my hair.

After washing my face, I sat on a log bench that's a few feet away from where we stopped.

Leaning back I closed my eyes, the cool breeze relaxing me almost immediately.

I felt someone infront of me. Opening my eyes I saw Rahul kneeling down. Guilt is written all over his face.

"I am sorry Pinky. What I did is wrong. I didn't realise how much you love Karthik untill now. Untill the doctor said you were pregnant."

"I don't even want to think what I would have done if something were happened to you or the baby. I was so foolish. Please forgive me." He said placing his head in my lap, tears in his eyes.

Running my hand through his hair I said "what you have for me is also love Rahul but it's different. You are just confused. You will know this when you meet your girl. Trust me." I said sighing.

I know I couldn't hate him. I might be hurt now but hating him is out of option.

.

"What happened love?" Karthik asked when I started to wiggle in my place.

We were driving again, we have come so long and we realised this by how much time it is taking for us to get back to the city.

"My stomach is hurting. I just want to lay down. How much time will it take for us to reach?" I asked trying to get a comfortable position.

"Half n hour Cherry. We are almost there." Rohit answered.

"I will call the doctor to our home. Let her check you once. I don't want to take any chances." Karthik said taking out his mobile.

I leaned onto him.

Placing my head on his chest, my cheek pressing onto his shirt buttons. I sighed listening to his heartbeat giving me a sense of safety. Placing my left  hand on his biceps I closed my eyes to sleep. Karthik encircled me with his both hands pulling me more closer to him.

A sudden wave of pain hit me making me tight my hold on Karthik's coat.

"What happened love?" Karthik asked looking down.

I just nodded a no without speaking and sat straight leaning back on to the seat.

"Ahhh.!" I held my stomach leaning forward I shouted as I couldn't bear the pain.

KARTHIK :

"Cherry..! What happened?! " I asked panicked seeing her folding her hands around her stomach and leaning forward.

She shouted more in pain.

"What's wrong love?! Where does it hurt?!" I asked moving her hair back.

"Sto..ma.ch." she stuttered.

"Rohit take us to the hospital. Hurry up" I shouted.

He increased the speed and drove like a manic.

All the while Rahul has turned in his seat facing us, not spoken a single word.

His face was as pale as a ghost. He is clearly panicked to death but I am in no mood to console him.

Cherry was moaning in pain clutching her stomach and our brains stopped working dreading the outcome.

We reached hospital in no time, thanks to Rohit's driving skills. Cherry was taken into ICU.

I was pacing here and there unable to rest.

All the negative scenarios ran through my mind in a fraction of few minutes. Fear gripped my heart thinking what might happen to her or the baby.

After some torturing 10 min or so, the doctor came out.

"How is she doctor?" I asked rushing to her.

"May I know what you are to the patient?" She asked. "I am her husband. Is she alright?"

"Anything drastic happened today?" the doctor enquired.

Rahul and Rohit exchanged tensed looks. I spoke fearing the outcome. She seemed so serious.

"She fell from the bike. We were returning back when she started getting the pain."

"Am sorry for speaking like this. But do you think pregnancy is a childish game? During first trimester many abortions happen even with proper care."

"Going on a long drive on bikes is too reckless. After falling she hasn't rested and top of that travelled in a bumpy road. What do you expect other than pain?" She said almost like scolding.

"You guys are very lucky, nothing happened. I have given some pain killers. Let her rest now. She will wake up in some time. You can take her home. But am warning you, if something like this happens again, it won't be good for the pregnancy." Saying she left.

Rahul just collapsed on the chair that's next to him. Rohit sat beside him.

I couldn't face Rahul. If I see him. I will definitely hit him. Though Cherry is angry on him now, she won't like me beating her best friend.

So I left them and went to check on her.

There she was, lying on the bed with tubes connected to her pale face.

It broke my heart seeing her so weak and fragile. Sitting next to her on a chair, I took her hand and rested my forehead in her palm.

All I could think was 'I should have been more careful. If I have expressed my doubt on Rahul more strongly this wouldn't have happened. It's my fault.' This was the only thought going through my mind since Cherry's phone call. Both Rs came into the room and stood near the cot.